Title:........................... The Four Steps to Happiness
Chapter:..................... 01
Chapter Title:............. Regret
Character(s):............. Stephanie McMahonDisclaimer:.................. The only thing I own is the idea and the mystery boyfriend (for now).
Copyright:.................. The song "Once in a Blue Moon" is by Sidney Forest and can be found on the Simply Irresistible soundtrack.
Plead:......................... Please Read & Review; it'd make me a very happy girl.
"Have you seen Stephanie anywhere?"
Adam Copeland looked up in surprise from the magazine he was flipping through. "Why do you want to know where she is?"
"It's just that." He paused and sighed. "I just really need to talk to her so if you don't know where she is then tell me so I can quit wasting my time, alright Copeland?"
"Sorry, I don't know where she is." Adam answered with a shrug. "Haven't seen her since they stopped taping actually."
+*+*+*+
Yay, welcome back me, Stephanie McMahon thought numbly, standing in the middle of the deserted arena. They would be coming in soon to take down the ring and set—she didn't care.
She looked around at all the empty seats and then up at the lights, which were all turned off except for a few. She sat down with her back against the turnbuckle and pulled her knees up to her chest.
Voices floated out towards her from backstage, but Stephanie chose to completely tune them out. She looked down as her pager went off. Seeing who it was, she unclipped it from her belt and threw it as far as she could into the rows and rows of deserted seats.
//the room is empty. the lights are dim. and my heart wonders. if I'll ever see you again//
*** "We're not supposed to be here together." Stephanie whispered, still allowing herself to be pulled by the arm to the deserted control room. He put a finger to his lips and she smiled.
He gathered her into his arms and she rested her head on his shoulder.
"I don't think that anybody would've expected this." He said with a smile. "You know I still don't like the storyline you have going with Paul."
"Are you jealous?" She teased. She noticed the frown on his usually handsome face and sighed. "Hun, you know that we're just friends, and that's all we're ever going to be because I love you and you know that too."
He eventually smiled back. "I know, I love you too Steph."***
//my tears are hungry. from open doors. when your arms held me. I never felt that way before//
Stephanie let her head drop so that her forehead rested on her knees. She shut her eyes and felt the tears start to burn as she willed them away.
She knew that she had thrown away the best thing in her life, and all because she was afraid of what her family, friends, and co-workers would say if they ever found out. Yes, she was that worried about what other people thought. Stephanie and Paul, perfect for each other; power hungry, arrogant, ruthless as all hell. Stephanie and—she shook her head, not even wanting to think about him at the moment. He had moved on anyway. Trish told her she'd seen him and Jackie, that Tough Enough chick, having a very intimate conversation.
Intimate anything sucks, Stephanie concluded, tucking a stray lock of hair behind her ear. She reached up and grabbed the top rope and pulled herself up. She glanced around for any sign of the discarded pager. After seeing none, she left the ring and went back to her office to grab her stuff before leaving.
+*+*+*+
"Where to Ms. McMahon?" The limo driver asked politely, glancing at Stephanie through the rear-view mirror.
"Just back to the hotel." Stephanie answered tiredly, leaning back on the white leather seats. She sighed and ignored her cell phone as it started ringing. She toyed with the idea of throwing that out the window, but then figured that it probably wouldn't make her father very happy. She reached over and shut off her only means of outside communications and put it back into her purse as the limo pulled to a stop in front of the hotel's entrance.
The door was pulled open and Stephanie stepped out, shielding her eyes from the harsh fluorescent lighting. She quickly got her room key and a bellhop followed her up to her room with her luggage. She gave him a tip and shut the door behind him. She tossed her small handbag on the bed and watched as its contents spilled onto the flowered comforter.
The one, single framed picture that she kept of the two of them fell to the floor. Stephanie picked it up gingerly and traced the crack that went straight through the middle with her index finger. It went diagonal from his shoulder, running down as it split apart their arms that were touching, and finally ending near her waist. It had been taken nearly a year ago, when the alliance thing had first started. They had finally been able to work together, on the same team.
She removed the picture from the broken glass and slid it into the side pocket of her purse.
//and I'll be waiting. and I'll be watching. under a blue moon. this taste of heaven. will only happen. once in a blue moon//
She remembered the first time they had actually kissed. A bunch of the wrestlers had gathered at Trish and Stacy's room after an episode of RAW. There was plenty of alcohol going around and somebody (it might've been Jeff Hardy or Bradshaw) came up with the ingenious plan of playing Truth or Dare.
By choice, but unknown to anyone else, the two had chosen to sit next to each other on the sofa. Shane Helms and taken the opportunity and dared them to kiss, seeing as how nobody thought they'd ever even talk to each other.
And they had kissed. And (alcohol induced or not) to Stephanie it had been one of the best first kisses ever. Apparently, revealed to her later that night after most of the people had left, it had been the same for him.
//do you remember. the wind blew free. we fit together. so naturally//
Stephanie looked up at the sudden knocking on her door. She pushed herself up off the bed and went to go answer it. She pulled the door open and forced a smile. "Torrie, Stacy. What do you guys want?"
Stacy placed one hand on her hip and let the other rest casually at her side. "We," She motioned to herself and the other blonde. "Think that you should come out with us because all this moping is never good for a person."
"We won't take no for an answer." Torrie added before Stephanie could plead her case. "So you go change out of those sweatpants and into some club clothes and we'll be waiting for you downstairs in the lobby."
Stephanie was about to object when they turned away and headed towards the elevator at the end of the hallway. Maybe it won't be so bad, her inner voice thought. I probably should go out and do something. She shut the hotel door and began rummaging through her many suitcases for something club appropriate.
//if the wind closes a door. it will open another//
"It'll do her good." Torrie assured Stacy, who still had an unsure look on her face. They looked up as Stephanie started walking towards them. She was wearing a pair of low rise jeans, a short white halter top, and a pair of white platforms.
"Shall we go?" She asked with an almost sincere grin on her face.
The three girls linked arms and walked out to the limo that was waiting for them outside.
//once in a blue moon//
Thank you to: Shadow and Rurouni Angel for their ongoing support through everything, and for also being able to put up with me! It takes a lot! You girls are awesome!