A/N - I know I have no business starting another new story but it's happening so deal with it. This is sort of an AU I guess but not really so I don't know what it is o_O. ENJOY DURR...

Heartbreak Warfare

Lightning strikes inside my chest to keep me up at night, dream of ways to make you understand my pain…Good to know it's all a game. Disappointment has a name, it's heartbreak, heartbreak.

"If this is meant to be then it will happen for us. But right now with my dad and all the boys breathing down our necks, maybe it isn't the right time."

A deafening silence engulfed the already quiet room. Stephanie McMahon stared at him not fully sure what she wanted his reaction to be. Part of her, the rational part, wanted him to agree with her. The other part, the irrational and desperately in love with him part, wanted him to fight for her no matter the consequences. But that wasn't fair because there were consequences. She came with a price and a costly one at that. Deep down inside, she knew she couldn't ask him to sacrifice everything he had ever worked for to be with her. Already people were questioning his motives, questioning his achievements and writing them off as being handed to him because he was fucking the boss's daughter. It ate her alive and disgusted her all at the same time. The only person it ate alive more was the man standing in front of her right now.

"I don't think there's ever going to be a right time for us, Steph," Paul Levesque replied with a solemn smile. He knew both of them had been thinking this for weeks now. It looked like she was finally the one with enough courage to actually come out and say it. He didn't know what to think or how to react. He loved her with everything he had. But he also loved his career. He lived to wrestle and right now that passion was being called into question for no reason other than who he decided to spend his time with. It was fucking bullshit. What gave everybody the right to suddenly interfere with his life? This was between him and Stephanie. As he stood there once again trapped in her deep blue eyes, he knew that couldn't be further from the truth. Whether he liked it or not, the entire locker room was involved and ultimately it was they, not he, who were having the biggest impact on all this.

"I don't know what you want me to say." She was just as confused as he was. Neither of them knew what to do.

"Maybe there is nothing to say. Seems like everybody else's opinion matters more than ours. They're the ones doing all the talking." He fought to keep his anger in check. Paul would never tell her but every time he heard a sly remark or snicker under somebody's breath as he walked past it ate a hole in his gut. It literally tore him apart. A few months ago people were all over his jock and couldn't praise him enough for returning after the quad injury. Now? It seemed he couldn't do anything right. He'd gone from a guy who worked his ass off to get his spot to the guy who was handed everything through his girlfriend. It killed him way more than he was willing to admit and in the back of his mind, he always questioned whether this was worth it, whether she was worth it.

Stephanie frowned at the angry look that crossed his face. She knew how much it bothered him. He didn't have to tell her for her to realise how badly all the snide comments hurt. Even people he considered friends had turned their backs on him and no matter how many times she told herself it wasn't her fault, she knew that it was all because of her. The guilt she felt as a result was enough for her to let him go. It had to be. She was career suicide, a toxic poison that had already infected him. The only cure was to stop this before they got any deeper. The only problem was that she had already fallen and fallen hard. She loved him. And walking away was going to break her heart.

"I don't want to end this, Steph." His voice was quiet and touch tender as he reached across to entwine their fingers. "But I'm scared. Actually I'm fucking terrified. I don't know…I don't know what to do. I just know that I love you. That's it, that's the only thing that's real; it's the only thing I trust. I'm just scared that it might not be enough to deal with everything else." Paul reached up to wipe away the tears that started to slowly trickle down her cheeks. It took everything he had not to pull her close and make her feel safe, make her feel happy. But he didn't know if that was his place any more, hell, it probably never was to begin with.

"I'm scared too. And I hate this so much," her voice wavered slightly. Tears had started to fall but she wasn't going to cry. She had to be strong for both of them. She tugged on his hand, meaning to pull him into her but he held steady, not moving. As she looked into his eyes she noticed the change. He was staring at the wall behind her head, his expression blank as his fingers slowly slid from her grasp. Stephanie barely managed to choke back her sob as it finally began to sink in. This was really happening. They were over.

A thick lump formed in his throat and Paul felt his chest grow so tight it started to hurt. "You had better go."

"Paul….."

"Please, Steph. Before I lose the strength to let you walk out of this room."

His sad eyes avoided her at all costs and for a split second she debated respecting his wishes. But she just couldn't leave without making sure he knew how she felt. "I just need you to kno….."

"Steph."

"No! I'm not leaving until I tell you that I love you. I love you, Paul and I just need you to know that," she pleaded desperately.

"I know," came his whispered reply. He did know and it only made everything worse. This was torture.

With a steady breath, Stephanie took one last look at him and felt her heart break all over again. She had to go and she had to do it now before she completely broke down. Her watery eyes lingered for a few final seconds and somewhere deep down she found the courage to walk away from the best thing that ever happened to her.