*!Nothing As It Seems!*

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-Monday Night Raw-

"So what ideas have you come up with after watching the show Hayley?" Jim asked as the other writers around her watched on.

"I've had the chance to look at some of the performers in the singles division and I really see a need for better writing with some of them. Now I know I'm new here, and my ideas are still fresh in where I want them to go, but I've looked at Hurricane Helms and decided he needs a real run for the Intercontinental belt. That was the one thing, after speaking with him and gaining an idea of his career, that I want to take right now." Hayley gasped for air. She wasn't sure how the rest of the room was going to take this burst of energy.

"You do realize that Booker T is going for that belt Ms. Carmichael?" one of the short stubby writers asked.

"I do, but after all is said and done, after taking the time to sit with Booker T, I see bigger title hopes for him as well. I mean you have to see what I see here. He is a huge competitor, and to have him as the Intercontinental Champion, well it's just not the best move for him right now. He is such a big performer and wins over the crowd better then most I've seen at this point. All I think really, is people like Christian and Hurricane should be going for the IC title, not the big guys like Booker. It just seems like a waste for all the talent you guys possess here."

"So what you're saying is you want to write for Hurricane and Christian and add more elements to the IC division at the moment?" Jim questioned.

"That's exactly what I'm saying at the moment Jim. I mean it seems like a good route at the moment. No one has been doing anything with that belt since they brought it back a month ago. I just see bigger things for it. These are men that will eventually want to fight for the heavyweight belt, and this belt is a stepping stone to making people see they are better then what they've been given."

"It's a good idea, and with your writing talent, and these men and women backing you here in this room, I think we can make a go of it. So you have my support here, and well Eric needs the help too, so I'm sure it will work for him as well. So do what you need to do here Hayley."

"Thank you Jim. Now the other order of business I want to get out of the way is Shawn Michaels. I know from my research and watching old tapes, that he has never really faced Ric Flair in this kind of match before, the one at the next PPV, and I think that we should really make him win it."

"We had plans to let Ric take the match Hayley, why do you suddenly get to come in here and change the order of things?" one of the blonde writers asked.

"I'm not here to turn everything upside down. I am from Carolina alright? So I am one of the biggest Flair fans there could be, but Shawn Michaels has taken that torch they keep talking about and he still has a lot of time left in his ride. I just think letting him win this would look really good for him and the company."

"Well you would have to sit down with Shawn and Ric on this one Hayley. They are bigger performers and they might have their own way of doing this match. So before we decide anything in here, I'm asking you to go talk to Shawn tonight and then Ric when you get the time, and see what they say. Get back to me, and we can do some real writing with this. Is that alright for now?"

"Jim it's more then okay. You wanted me here to give you ideas and I'm doing that. I know I'm the new kid here, believe me, I haven't forgotten, but I think that in order for me to do my job right, I need to shoot everything out there, and what we use, well that's wonderful, but what we don't, then you can leave on the floor. I really want to get to know all of you, the writers, well. I do not want to come in here and take over. I want to work as a team to make this show that much better. Is that something that is understood here?"

Hayley was tired of this meeting already. The writers since the beginning had been giving her a hard time. She knew it was bound to happen but this was getting crazy. She was now part of the team and wanted the respect that would come along with it. She wasn't there to steal anyone's job. She got the job on merit and she wanted to use it.

Jim stood up from the table and walked towards the door. He looked at the room of writers and then back at Hayley. She was going to have a hard time cracking this family.

"It is perfectly understood. Now let's go start the show with what we have at the moment and worry about this other stuff later. Hayley, do what I said and talk to Shawn. I'm sure he can tell you what he wants to have done for this match. Just enjoy the ego you are about to encounter. It will give you a new element to work with tonight."

Jim walked out of the room as everyone packed up their stuff. Hayley took one look around the room and decided she had done what she could tonight, and could worry about everything else later. She had told Shane she would meet him in his locker room, and right now that was something she didn't want to miss.

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"So how was the meeting Hayley?" Shane asked pulling her into a hug, and proceeding to sit down on the bench.

"They don't accept me yet, which I expected. I can live with that, it's the total lack of ideas from them that I cannot handle."

"Is it really that bad in there? What did you say that would get them going?"

"I asked for you to be put in the IC title hunt. I mean I think you need to be there. Not because we have a date coming up and I want to make things easier for you. But because of your raw talent. I've watched tapes all week and this is just something you need to do. You've been meant to do it for some time now."

"You really put that out there?"

"Yes of course I did Shane. I want to see you succeed. I even asked for something with Michaels and Flair, and they shot that down pretty much too. Jim was good about it. He wants me to talk to Shawn and Ric, and then come to whatever conclusion I want as far as writing the match goes."

"It will get easier babe. You just can't give in to them. They haven't had a competent head writer for some time, and this is new to them. Having someone so."

"So what?"

"I was going to say so talented. but then your beauty took me off guard."

Hayley blushed. Shane had been really trying to get to know her better over the past few days and she was so happy about it. He had been calling her from house shows just to chat with her, like two best friends would. He also didn't miss a chance to tell her how much he did like her, and how pretty she really was. They still had to decide on their first real date, but just having him around like this was good enough.

"It did not!"

"Hayley, have you really looked in the mirror? Summer mentioned to me the night she met you that you didn't deserve to be in the back, you needed to be on camera, and that's true because you have the face of an angel. So why wouldn't your beauty take me off guard?"

"I wont be on television anytime soon Shane, so don't go getting ideas in your head. I like what I do behind the scenes. It means more to me."

"You don't like what I do every night?"

"Honestly?"

"Of course."

"Shane before you came into my life, I didn't like wrestling all that much. Amanda loves it, and that's great, but I wasn't a fan. When I got this job and then found out you were a performer, it made me respect it more yes, but I don't think I would ever do it. I don't travel half as much as you thank god. I don't think I could handle being away from home that much."

"But you like what I do?"

"Of course I do Shane. You're amazing!"

"So since I'm so amazing, when do you want to go out with me?"

"When are you home again?"

"Saturday I think. Actually I have both days. Saturday and Sunday, so we could make a weekend of it. Are you up for that?"

"More then anything. Plus I don't have to think about this stuff that happened tonight. It gives me some time to get all my work done before you come home."

"Good, because your going out with me, not the WWE." Shane smiled and pulled her into a hug.

"So this Saturday I should expect a superhero at my door?"

"No, you should expect plain old Shane Helms. Are you sure that's enough for you?"

"More then enough Shane. And I can't wait."

"Me either. Now I better get dressed for my match tonight. Are you going to wait around afterward so we can go back to the hotel together?"

"Yeah, I'm going to see Trish right now. I'll see you later."

Shane kissed her forehead gently and she left the locker room with a smile plastered on her face. She could wait for Saturday; things were turning around for her. A thought flashed through her mind of something serious she needed to tell Shane before they got serious. She put it out of her mind and ran down the hall to Trish's locker room. She knew she should tell Shane before he found out the hard way, but she didn't want to do it yet. The time wasn't right.

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