May 2007

21-year-old Ashley Austin smiled at her adoptive father, Steve Austin. Today was her graduation day from New York University. She had a major in English, and a minor in creative writing. It had been sixteen years since her real mother and father had died. She hugged him and gave him a kiss on the cheek. "Thanks for coming daddy." She said softly.

"It's not a problem." He said in that tickly accented voice of his. "It's not every day that my little girl graduates from college."

She smiled as she grabbed his hand. "There's someone I'd like you to meet."

"It better not be a boy." He grumbled. Ashley's blues eyes twinkled with laughter as she threw her black hair over her shoulder.

"No daddy!" She cried. "It's my roommate Shelby."

"Oh the pre-med student." He said knowingly. Over the last sixteen years, through all of Steve and Ashley's relationships the two had remained close. Steve had been there for Ashley when her parents died, and she had been there for him when his marriages had fallen apart.

"She's looking for a summer job you know." Ashley said with a smile.

"I already talked to Vince for her. Her interview is tomorrow night." Steve said.

"Daddy you're so awesome!" She said with a small smile. She had already been hired by Vince as a part of the creative team for Friday Night Smackdown. Of course, Steve knew that Vince had other plans that Ashley just being part of the creative team. The name Austin would strike a cord with the audience and the fact there was always a chance for him to return would make her a popular diva. Moreover, Vince would not have to spend too much time training her because she had spent so much time on the road with him; some of the best had trained her.

"Shelby!" She cried and waved the brown haired girl over.

"Ash!" She cried and hugged her tightly. "I can't believe I won't get to bug you everyday now!"

Ashley laughed and nodded. "Me either, but Shelby this is my father Steve Austin. Daddy this is Shelby Taylor."

"Nice to meet you, Mr. Austin." Shelby said extending her hand.

"Same with you." Steve said with a smiled.

"Anyways Shelby, how would you like to be a medic on Smackdown for the summer?" She asked with a huge grin.

"I would love that!" She almost yelped.

"Well good, you have an interview tomorrow night with the head of the medics." Steve said with a smile. He loved to make Ashley happy and he knew that having Shelby on the road with her would make her happy.

Ashley smiled over at Steve and hugged him. She knew he would do anything to make her happy, because of his three daughters; she was the only one he saw on a regular basis. Stephanie, who is fifteen, and Cassidy who is nine lived in England with their mother Jeannie Clark who Ashley resented in everyway. She took away the girls not only from Steve, but also from her.

Steve patted Ashley's back and smiled. "You okay?" He asked.

She nodded and smiled. "Yeah." She said.

"Are you ready to go?" He asked.

"Uh yeah lunch right?" She asked.

"Yeah." Steve said.

"I would invite you Shelby but I got to go see my uncles. So I'll see you back at the apartment to get ready for our last night on the town?" She asked. Shelby nodded and rejoined her family.

Ashley entered the restaurant with Steve and she heard clapping from the back where a group was whooping. She smiled at the men she called her uncles, Tommy Dreamer, Chris Jericho, Glen Jacobs, Mark Calaway, and Rob Van Damn. These men had helped raise and train her when she was younger. She smiled and hugged each of them. When they all sat down and the server had taken their lunch order Chris pressed something into Ashley's hand. "Chris!" She gasped seeing the beautiful necklace. It was a simple sliver chain and there was a small lion craved out of lapis lazuli. "This is too much!"

"Nonsense it's perfect for you." He said. The two had bonded very quickly when she was younger over their mutual love of lions and writing.

She hugged him and kissed his cheek. "Thanks."

"Not a problem." He said and smiled at Ashley. It was an odd feeling for him he had for Ashley at this moment. He had helped raise the girl and now he just wanted to kiss her. He shook his head and smiled again.

Ashley smiled at him and then turned to all the men gathered. "So who's going out with me and my friends tonight?" She asked with a huge grin.

"Ashley…"Steve began. He had always hated the fact that his little girl had gone out to the bars and clubs in New York City.

"It's okay Steve." Chris piped up. "Cena and I will be going out with her tonight."

Steve nodded. "Keep an eye on her." He said.

Ashley smiled and whispered. "Thanks Chris." Her warm breath on his neck made him shiver and he shook his head trying to get the unseemly thoughts out of his mind.

It was nine o'clock when Chris and John entered Ashley and Shelby's apartment. Besides the couch, the only thing not packed up was a chair. "Hello?" Chris called.

Ashley opened the bathroom door and came out wearing just a large white towel. "You're early!" She cried and Chris looked at her. She was gorgeous, her long black hair hung in wet tangles, her blue eyes popped out from her pale face, and she had soft and feminine look to her but she was also muscular.

"Yeah, your dad was bugging." John said as he eyed the large welt on her back. "What's that from?"

"Well take a seat. We'll be ready soon enough." She said completely ignoring the question John asked.

John smiled smugly at Chris. "I saw that." He said.

"Saw what?" Chris asked a confused look crossing his face.

John licked his lips and smiled again. "You were staring at Ash. She's a total babe." He said with a laugh.

Chris rolled his eyes. "I've known her since she was like ten." Chris said. "I was 25 or 26."

John shrugged and laughed. "You were totally checking her out dude."

Chris shook his head. "I wasn't. Plus I am married."

"So look who you named your first kid after. You're in love with Ashley Austin, and you have been since she was seventeen."

Chris glared at John. "Cena just shut up." He said.

"Did you see that welt on Ash's back?" Cena asked.

"Yeah." Chris said as the girls emerged from the bedroom fully dressed.

"Ya'll ready to go dancing?" Ashley asked and walked over and sat on Chris' lap.

"You know it." Chris said with a smiled.

Ashley grinned. "Good then you're my date tonight." She said and kissed his cheek. "Come on let's go!"

Ashley, Chris, Shelby, and John met up with three other people. Ashley smiled and shirked. "Luke!" She cried and walked over a planted a big kiss on him. Chris glared at the couple as they kissed. 'Stop your married. She's sixteen years younger then you.' He thought.

Ashley turned around and smiled. "Chris, John, this is my boyfriend Luke." She said and pointed to the other girls standing by. "This is Gwen and Allie. Guys this is Chris and John."

They all shook hands and entered the China Club. Thanks to John and Chris, they entered the VIP lounge where they headed over to a large booth. Ashley, Luke, Shelby, Allie, and John all hopped on the dance floor while Gwen and Chris sat at the table. Chris smiled at Gwen. "You're a wrestler right?" She asked him, thankful that the music here wasn't too loud.

Chris nodded. "Yeah."

"That's cool!" She said. "I am a pre-med student like everyone else."

"Ashley was pre-med?" Chris asked confused.

"Oh no." She giggled. "Shelby and I met her in math."

A server came over and Gwen ordered four long island ice teas and a beer while Chris ordered two beers. "Are you always the one holding down the table?" Chris asked suddenly.

"Before Luke came around it was Ash and I but now…" She stopped and glared at the couple dancing.

"Don't like him much?" Chris asked leaning forward.

Gwen shook her head. "You'll be seeing soon enough." She said.

It was one am and Ashley sat next to Chris in the booth. "Enjoying you?" She asked with a wide grin.

Chris nodded and smiled. "Yeah. Would you want to dance with me?" He asked looking around for Luke.

Her eyes lit up. "Yes Mr. Jericho!" She said and quickly pulled him onto the dance floor. They hadn't been dancing long when Chris saw Ashley get pulled off the dance floor by a very angry looking Luke. He caught John's attention and they followed slowly behind the couple.

It was quiet near the bathrooms where Luke had dragged Ashley. "What the fuck were you doing? You were flirting with a guy right in front of me. God you're a stupid fucking bitch!" He screamed at her.

"He's an old friend Luke. He basically raised me." She said quietly. Chris was shocked that she was so meek. This definitely wasn't the self-assured eighteen-year-old Ashley that had left the road life to attend NYU.

"I don't give a shit! He had his hand all over you! Remember your mine…" He said.

"No, no I'm not, Luke. It's over between us." She said hanging her head.

Luke's eyes bulged from his face and he stood back. "Oh so you think." He muttered and balled up his fist. Chris and John were just beginning to move when Luke delivered three quick blows to the side of Ashley's head. Ashley screamed and went down to the floor as Luke picked her up by her hair.

At that point, Chris and John grabbed him from behind. "You just messed with the wrong girl!" Chris said as he punched Luke.

"Chris no!" Ashley screamed. Chris didn't listen he just kept punching Luke. John watched confused as Ashley ran over to Chris and tried to pull him off Luke. "Please Chris." She begged with tears in her eyes.

Chris turned around and looked at her. "Why should I stop?" He questioned confused, hurt, and angry.

Ashley bit her lip and mumbled. "Because I love him, Chris please understand." Her tears shined in the low lighting.

"How? How can you love someone that's going to beat on you?" Chris snapped. "And didn't you just break up with him?"

Ashley bit her lip harder and then nodded. "He doesn't mean to hurt me Chris, I swear." She said with a small voice.

"So you're taking him back?" Chris asked his anger evident in his voice.

"Fuck her! I don't want a whore like her anyways." Luke said. "She's not even a good lay."

Ashley ran out of the club and Chris followed her out. "Ash wait up." Chris called. She kept walking down the dark New York City Street. "Ashley!"

She turned around and Chris could already see the large bruises forming on her face. How was he going to explain those to Steve? He shook his head and walked over to her. "Come here baby girl." He whispered and wrapped her in a hug. She began sobbing against him.

"I'm sorry Chris. I am so sorry." She cried into his shirt. "Please can we just go home?"

Chris nodded and hailed a taxi just as John came jogging out. "Hey you gonna take her home?" John asked. Chris nodded.

"You gonna come with us?" Chris asked.

Ashley shook her head. "Shelby. She is shit-faced drunk. Can you get her back safe?" She asked hopefully.

John smiled and nodded. "Of course sweetie." He said and walked back into the club.

Ashley flopped onto her bed stomach first. "Ash…" Chris said.

"Yeah Jericho?" She mumbled.

He frowned and sat next to her. "Your back is bleeding." He said softly.

Ashley gasped and sat up pulling up off her top not caring if Chris saw her. Chris gasped seeing the red angry welts formed on her back. Burn marks ran up and down her back and sides, along with the bruises some healed and some fresh on her back. "Ash." He said softly. She looked at him and closed her eyes.

"Please leave Chris." She said in a quiet voice.

Chris shook his head. "Your back is infected." He said. "It needs cleaned."

"There's peroxide in the bathroom, some Neosporin." She said softly.

When Chris came back, he carried a bowl of warm soapy water, the bottles of peroxide and Neosporin under the same arm, and a box of gauze. "Sweetie." Chris said softly. "This is going to hurt a little is that ok?"

Ashley shrugged and mumbled. "It can't hurt any worst then it did when it happened."

Chris shook his head sadly. "I am gonna have to unsnap your bra is that okay?"

She nodded. "Yeah it's okay."

Chris carefully unsnapped her bra and was amazed at how she had thought ahead and placed a towel to mop up any blood caused by the rubbing bra. "How could you let this happen Ash?" He asked her quietly as he began gently cleaning her back with the warm water.

She looked at him with tears in her eyes. "I've been with him for almost two years. He didn't start beating me until six months into the relationship. He stopped for a while when I was pregnant…"

"You were pregnant?" Chris asked confused why Steve hadn't told him.

She nodded as he poured some peroxide onto her skin. "Yeah about five months, until he got drunk one night and he beat me." She said sadly. "I'm glad I never told my dad."

"Why'd you stay with him after that then?" He asked.

She looked up at him as he gently wiped off the peroxide. "He said he would kill me." She said softly.

Chris nodded. "Well it's all done now. Your safe I promise." He said and he began applying the Neosporin liberally to her back.

She smiled as and nodded. "I know. You're here." She said and reached out and took his hand into hers.

"Sit up for me Ash. I have to wrap your back." He said. She sat up careful not to show her breasts to him. He took the roll of gauze and wrapped it around her. Once he was done, he stood up from the bed unsure of what to do.

"Can you hand me that large shirt there?" She asked pointing at the t-shirt that hung on the back of her door. Chris handed it to her and she donned it quickly. "Thank you."

Chris started to pick up the stuff and Ashley shook her head while kneeling on her bed. She grabbed his hand and pulled him closer to her. She smiled and leaned in crushing her lips against his. "Ashley…" He said as he pulled away.

She smiled at him and pulled him onto the bed. "It was a thank you kiss. That is all. I know you love Jess." She said as she lay down on her stomach again.

Chris stared at her and thought. 'I love you too though.' "Chris?" She said her face in the pillow so it was very muffled.

"Yeah Ash?" He asked hating that he felt this way for Ashley it wasn't fair to Jess.

"Stay with me tonight, please. I don't want to be alone." She said as she looked at him. He could see the fear in her eyes.

"Sure thing sweetie." He said and slipped into bed right next to her.