AUTHORS NOTE: I'm slowly starting to let my creative juices flowing again so bare with me. 'A Mother's Concern' is the first story I actually put down on paper and decided to post. Be gentle but honest.

This is also dedicated to Megan. Always love getting her into the feels with the things I tweet! Thanks for being my first reader. ;)

Enjoy guys! :)

1. A Mother's Concern.

This whole situation was a mess. It shouldn't have to be this hard, Paul Levesque thought as he ran a hand through his long blonde hair. Quietly, he walked into the familiar kitchen of her apartment. Yes, her apartment. He didn't even know how he ended up at her place and quite honestly, he knew damn well he shouldn't be here.

Within a few months, Stephanie McMahon grabbed a hold of his heart and he had no idea when it happened. All he knew was that within a short amount of time he wanted to be around her any chance he could. He wasn't in love with her, that much he knew. But he sure as hell was on his way to falling hard.

Turning on the light, Paul's hazel eyes squinted a bit, adjusting to the light. He reached up and began putting his hair up in a ponytail. His hair still damp from the shower he had just taken. How he had a small bottle of his shampoo and soap here at her place was beyond him. He thought once Vince asked him and Steph to stop seeing each other, his stuff would have been thrown out. Who was he kidding? He knew Stephanie didn't want this, just like he didn't want this. Opening the refrigerator door, he grabbed a bottle of water, trying not to slam the fridge door out of frustration. Sighing to himself softly, he sat on one of the bar stools, that were far too girly for his taste, in front of the counter and placed the bottle he just pulled from the refrigerator down in front of him.

He glanced at the clock sitting near the stove. 8pm. Reaching over the counter slightly, he grabbed Stephanie's cordless phone deciding he needed to give his mom a call to let her know he was okay. He hadn't been at Steph's house for long but he was sure she had probably been calling his own house looking for him and she was probably worried out of her mind. As he listened to the tone on the line, he began playing with the label on his bottle of water. Where the hell was he suppose to tell his mother he was? Shit he hadn't even thought that far

"Hello?" she answered. Well, guess I'll just have to wing it, he thought to himself. "Hey, mom it's me," he said softly into the phone. Steph was still in her bedroom asleep, he didn't want to wake her. "Paul Michael! Where have you been?! I have called everyone trying to figure out where you were! I even called Joanie to see if maybe you were with her and she hadn't even heard from you!" his mom practically yelling from the other side of the line. He cringed slightly at the mention of Joanie's name. Of course, she thought he might've been with her. After Vince ended his relationship with Steph, Paul, in a weird way, looked for comfort in Joan. And that thought made Paul's stomach turn. Joanie didn't know about his short-lived relationship with Steph and Steph only thought him and Joan were on good terms. Neither women knew anything. His mother, well she only knew half of the story. Speaking of his mother…

"Paul? Are you still there? If you hung up on me.." Uh-oh.. he knew her tone of voice. "I'm here mom. I'm sorry. I'm not home and I didn't tell anyone where I was going. I just kind of needed some time to myself I guess." he replied, leaning his elbows on the counter in front of him. "Paul..where are you?" his mom asked. The way she asked made Paul's stomach turn once again. His mother knew him way too well. How could she not? He was her baby boy and she only raised him.

Sighing into the phone, he held the phone to his ear with his shoulder while rubbing his face with both of his hands. "Paul." she said once again, "Please don't tell me you're where I think you are.." she trailed off. Closing his eyes, his mom sounded slightly disappointed when she said that and he absolutely hated it. "Yes mom..I'm where you think I am," he said quietly.

As he opened his eyes, he reached for his unopened bottle of water and twisted the top off. Taking a sip, he swallowed slowly as he listens to his mother's sigh on the other end. Placing the top back on the bottle, he spoke quietly once again "I know what you're thinking mom. I shouldn't be here. It could be bad for me and it could be bad for Steph. It's just hard, you know? To stay away?" He began playing with the paper on the was hanging off of the bottle in his hands.

He wasn't lying. How could he stay away from someone he had such a deep connection with. Not to mention the fact that she played his on-screen wife. Pretending to be in love with someone when you knew that was exactly where you were headed with that exact person and then having to leave the areas separately and pretend like nothing was there between them, it was more difficult than he thought anyone not in their situation could understand.

"Paul..look sweetie I know. You work with her. You both see each other every day, but what happens if this gets back to her dad and he fires or suspends you for not obeying his wishes of not being with Stephanie?" Paul snorted and gave a roll of his eyes. Vince wouldn't fire him. Suspend him? Possibly but fire him, no. Vince knew that he was one of the biggest assets in his company. "You laugh Paul, but it's true. You know your father and I adore Stephanie and we also both knew that there was something more between the two of you, but you're our son. Our concern is you and your career. You worked too hard to get where you are for it to be taken away.." Pat spoke softly.

Paul could hear the genuine concern in her voice. She was a mother. Of course, she was going to be worried about him and his career. He loved both of his parents and he was always thankful that he had parents that truly cared about him, his happiness and his wellbeing. Though his mom wasn't too thrilled about the idea of him becoming a wrestler, she supported him because she knew that was the one thing in life that he loved and made him happy. Well..until he met Stephanie. Not to take anything away from Joanie and the happiness that she once brought into his life but he had realized months ago that his happiness laid with the brunette that was currently sound asleep in her bedroom.

Running his hand over his chin, Paul sighed into the phone "Mom, I know you and dad are worried about me and what could possibly happen to my career, trust me I've thought about it so many times." And he was being honest. Even on his way to her house, it was nagging at the back of his mind. But that didn't stop Paul from stepping on the gas of his rental just a little harder to get to her faster. "I just honestly don't know what I'm doing anymore," he continued softly, "All I know is that within a few months, she became this huge part of my life. I look at her and I just see things I've never seen before. I see a future. I see a future with her." His lips turned up into a small smile as he admitted that aloud to his mom for the first time.

A future with Stephanie McMahon. Who would've thought? "You sound like you're falling in love with her if you're not already." his mom said, pulling him back to reality slightly. "Look, you're a big boy. You make your own decisions in life, Paul. Just please think everything through." she practically begged him. "I know it's been a few months since Vince pulled the plug on your relationship but it doesn't mean he will suddenly be okay with you two as an item. Three or four months won't change someone's mind. Especially when it's something as serious as his only daughter. Just promise me that you will think about the consequences before running off and secretly marrying her or something." He laughed softly. He knew his mom meant well but Paul knew he was well past thinking things through when it came to this part of his life.

When it came to Steph, he was pretty set on what he wanted. Running off to marry her was a little extreme but going behind Vince's back to see her in private was definitely something he knew he'd continue to do as long as Stephanie wanted to see him. Though marrying Steph wasn't something he'd be opposed to in the future. Of course, after getting through this roadblocks Vince is throwing in front of their relationship. Asshole. "Don't worry mom, I won't be marrying Steph behind everyone's back," he said with a smile "I know Triple H and I have a lot in common but I'm not that much like my character."

His mom laughed wholeheartedly on the other side of the phone. "I know. I just don't want any surprises," she replied, a smile evident in her voice. "Just..becareful. And if you're going to sneak off to see her again, at least let your mother know. I was worried about you!" she exclaimed. He chuckled before raising his arms over his head, stretching his limbs slightly.

Drinking the last bit of his water, he quietly stood from his seated position on the barstool and walked over to Stephanie's trashbin, tossing the empty bottle and the label he had pulled off it before leaning against the nearby counter. "Alright, mom. I'm sorry for worrying you. It won't happen again. I just..you know, needed to get away," he admitted softly "But I'm gonna let you off here. I know it's pretty late and I should head to bed as well. I need to make sure I'm up early to start my drive back home to see you guys before heading back on the road Monday." he said as he stifled a yawn. "Okay, sweetie. You get some sleep and have a safe drive here tomorrow. Tell Stephanie I say hello."

Paul and his mom said their goodbyes before he placed the phone back on its stand. Once he was sure the cordless phone was charging, he turned the kitchen lights off and began making his way to Stephanie's bedroom. Pulling his hair out of the ponytail he had placed it in, he walked into her bedroom and looked over towards the bed. His heart began to swell in his chest as he looked at her. The moon coming from her window was the perfect amount of light he needed to see her from the doorway of her bedroom. He didn't think he had ever seen anything more beautiful than her.

Stephanie was on her back, her head turned slightly to the left. Strands of her hair had fallen over one of her eyes and her mouth was slightly open. Her right arm was over her stomach while her left laid right beside her head. As he moved closer to the bed, he pulled his shirt that he had put on after his shower off and placed it near the gym bag he had brought with him, leaving him in his shorts for the night.

Quietly, Paul slipped under the covers next to her and turned on his side, facing her. As his arm slowly slid around her waist and his fingers slipped between her's, pulling her to him, he buried his face into her hair softly, inhaling the scent of her shampoo.

Feeling her begin to stir slightly, he pulled back slightly and placed a soft kiss on her cheek. He felt her give his hand a soft squeeze before she turned on her side, pressing her back against his chest. Tightening his arm around her waist, his hand gave her's a soft squeeze back. This was how things were with them. They spoke their emotions and feelings through actions as small and subtle as a squeeze of the hand. It's how things were even at TV. It was only a matter of time before Vince caught on.

"Goodnight Paul." he heard her whisper in the quiet of the bedroom. Placing a soft kiss on the back of her neck, he let all those thoughts leave his mind. Her father, how they were having to keep their feelings to themselves, how they had to sneak around like this just to be with each other and every other problem that was standing in the way of them being together, all disappeared when she spoke. All that mattered to him right now was this moment and the woman laying in his arms.

"Goodnight Steph," Paul whispered back as he gave her a soft squeeze before closing his eyes. Yeah, there were plenty of problems standing in the way of this relationship but what is meant to be will be. And he knew this was most definitely meant to be.