Edited the first part of chapter 1...again. I realized that I forgot to address the other times Stephanie got hurt and he didn't show up to help. And I threw in the 2005 on screen encounter, briefly addressed the onscreen teasing of the relationship and edited their marriage and kids' birth years. The prior timeline would've meant she was pregnant when Austin Stunned her at the homecoming. This is what I get for being so anxious to get to the actual plot/good stuff - winded up skipping over somewhat relevant details of the past. Ugh. Haha. Not only that, but my original relationship timeline of events made it seem like they'd been engaged from Nov 2003 to Mar 2005. I am glad that this fic is so captivating that no one noticed (or mentioned...idk which hehe) those slip ups :-D
So as a present for the AWESOME, AWESOME reviews and as an apology/peace offering for making some of you go back and read the rewrite of the rewrite of ch. 1 (LOL) I decided to post this early. Technically it was done last night. In my efforts to just tweak and polish it up, I ended up adding a whole lot more to the hhh/smh interaction. Le sigh! Lol. ENJOY and let me know what you think.
I knew exactly what Randy was trying to do when he handcuffed you to the rope. He was baiting me to come down to the ring. I already knew that he wasn't going to let you go...when it comes to stuff like that I'm mostly a realist. So I continued to sit on the couch staring wide-eyed at the monitor with my fingers practically digging into my scalp.
"There's only one person that can save you now. And she had better hurry," was the not-so-subtle demand Randy Orton made of me.
So I had to try, Hunter. There was the smallest chance that by going out there, I could spare you from receiving any more punishment. I jumped up from the couch, unlocked the door and sprinted down the hallway.
The first thing I saw when I emerged from backstage was DiBiase restraining you and Orton measuring your head with the sledgehammer. I was already struggling not to cry from the terror that I felt for what that maniac was threatening to do to you.
And I knew that me coming out there wouldn't help. It wouldn't change what he was planning to do to you and it would land me in deeper shit with Orton. I knew that but I hoped I was wrong. I also hoped that at the very least this would show you how much I love you. That I'd put myself in a dangerous situation to try to help you, even if I knew I'd be of absolutely no use. That I'd sacrifice my safety if there was the slightest opportunity that it would keep you out of harm's way.
The crowd cheered when they saw me and at first I kept my distance from the confrontation. Legacy backed away from you to stare menacingly in my direction. As soon as you saw me, you yelled at me to get back. You tried to convince me you had it under control. And then Orton kicked you in the head.
You immediately fell to the mat and you didn't have the strength to make it back up. Orton gripped the sledgehammer tighter and told me not to listen to you. He had said it was up to me now.
I had no fucking idea what to do. I had no idea what he wanted from me in that moment. No idea what I needed to do or say to make him leave you alone. As if such an act or statement existed.
He brought the sledgehammer down so that it was hovering right by your skull again. He measured the distance of the swing, staring at me the whole time.
I came closer to the ring begging and pleading for him not to hit you. He raised the weapon high above his head – still staring at me – and I immediately jumped on the apron and continued to cry and ask him not do to it.
Orton lowered the weapon to his side and started walking in my direction. The only thing I could manage to do was gape at him with my mouth open. I couldn't read his gaze and he still had the damn sledgehammer. Was he going hit me? Was this his form of retaliation against me because I rejected his sexual advance and slapped him? That's the part that I left out when we spoke about his visit to me earlier. I'd been running away from him and to you.
You started moving around and trying to fight against the cuffs. Randy's movement towards me was purposeful...and scary. Slowly, I lowered myself from the apron and to the floor.
It was then that I noticed Rhodes and DiBiase were directly behind me. I simply stared at them while I tried to figure out if they'd really hurt me. When they lunged, I panicked and reached for the middle rope to pull myself back up onto the apron.
And my head ended up in Randy's arms. I waved my arms and kicked my legs frantically in an attempt to get myself out of this mess. I could hear you commanding him to let me go. You threatened him with various forms of bodily harm.
I could hear all of this because Randy didn't immediately hurt me. Instead he just held me in his grip while I struggled like a damn fish on a hook.
I was still scared shitless of what he was planning to do to me. And to you. I wasn't foolish enough to think that his intention to harm me would make him leave you be.
Still...somewhere in there, the craving came back. I found myself admiring the curve of his biceps. I could feel it. I could feel how smooth and firm they were. Despite the fact that he'd just physically exerted himself, I could still smell his enchanting cologne. I do in fact prefer the feel and scent of you. Make no mistake about that. But these are the things that I noticed.
He was holding me tightly just as I like it – though it's generally not having a man's arms around my neck that tickles my fancy.
I'd reached the point between absolute fear and absolute desire. I didn't even know such a place existed until last night. I hit him anywhere that my hands could reach. I know for sure that I managed to hit his arms and his legs. I knew the moment of action was coming. Knew that there was no one to stop it. No one to help me.
As he dragged me up and through the middle rope, I was all too aware that I had very little time left. Beyond that, the position was really making it hard to breathe. Yet my senses were still attuned to those details about his body.
Maybe it was erotic asphyxiation. I couldn't breathe but I was focused on the things that drive me insane with lust. Did you know that when the brain is deprived of oxygen, it creates a semi-hallucinogenic state called hypoxia? Is that what happened to me? Had I been hallucinating? Cause God knows how much I hate that bastard.
He's taken out my father and brother and now he's trying to take us out. Because of his actions, we were publicly forced to admit that we're married and the asshole had the audacity to mention our kids. He's a rotten, despicable human being and he's going to burn for his actions.
Yet my body had reacted positively to him.
But as my hits against his arm became weaker with my dwindling oxygen, my senses were sharpened that much more. I could hear you breathing, but I couldn't see you through my curtain of hair. I felt a sense of pride that through the situation, I could still pick you out. I was still connected to you even though Randy was the closest to me physically. From my accomplishment, the lack of air and the sensation of falling, I felt euphoric right before my world went black.
When I woke up, you were there next to me...your head was lying near my side and you were holding my hand in yours. As deeply as you usually sleep, I'm surprised my moving around woke you up. But you did and you smiled at me and kissed the hand you were holding. You wanted to know how I was feeling.
But I hardly cared about myself, I was just so happy that you weren't seriously injured. You told me that I had been diagnosed with a mild concussion. I demanded to know what the hell happened. You didn't want to tell me; you thought it would upset me. But I was insistent. Reluctantly you did an online search on your phone until you found the clip of the incident. It's amazing, yet horrible how much stuff ends up on the internet. You didn't want any part of me revisiting history. You stormed out of my hospital room.
I watched you drop to the ground in tears right after I was slammed unconscious. That broke my heart. Randy's drooling over the destruction he caused...was sickening. He crawled towards you like some damn ravenous animal.
He seemed to forget all about me while you reached for him in an attempt to kick his ass.
But then you reached for me...and he remembered I was there.
When he turned me over to lie on my back, you grabbed my ankle and dragged me closer to you. So Randy attacked you and pulled me even further away from your grasp.
A sick feeling crept into my gut while I watched the replay of this. You were so incredibly upset at what was happening. And he was eating it up because you were unable to get free. I can't imagine what you must have felt, to watch that madman tease that he was going to hit me with the sledgehammer.
But then he did something that just might be worse.
Orton crouched down over me and stared at me as if he was in one of those stupid shampoo commercials that makes it look like cleaning your hair transports you to Nirvana. As he lowered himself, I was mortified. At first, his crotch wasn't too far from my face.
I wasn't sure I wanted to watch what occurred next, but I didn't shut the screen off. I needed to know what he did to me while I was knocked out. I had to know what he'd made you watch.
My eyes widened and I touched my index and middle fingers to my own lips...when I watched Randy's lips touch mine.
The sick, depraved look was back on his face while you two stared each other down. I'm fairly certain you threatened him with death. Then he hit you with the sledgehammer. You couldn't fall completely because you were still handcuffed to the rope.
He stared at me longingly again and inhaled deeply. Then back at you with an evil smile. Then back at me.
Then he got out of the ring and appeared to only care about the weapon that was still in his hands.
Jesus, even Cody and Ted were looking at him like he's totally gone off the deep end. I think they're right.
Is that because of me? What he did last night is considerably worse than anything else he's ever done. Did I send him over the edge?
Damn it...I knew coming out there only had the potential to have things remain unchanged or make then impossibly worse. I'm not sure if you're mad at me or if your declaration that you needed to "get some air" was just as simple as that. I can't take you being pissed off at me, on top of everything else.
Hunter's voice floated down the hallway. He was demanding to know when he could take his wife home. Stephanie raised her head slowly, not wanting to aggravate her injury. She quickly ripped and then crumbled the paper in her hand. She threw her long legs out of the bed and stood up. As fast as she could without making herself dizzy, she padded into the bathroom. She threw the shredded paper in the toilet and flushed it.
For appearances, she washed her hands.
When she heard her door open, she poked her head out to greet her husband. But she moved too fast and immediately winced and leaned against the doorframe for support.
The rage that had been clouding his hazel eyes vanished and was replaced with a softer look. He walked over and placed one arm around her waist and used the other to hold her hand until she made it to the bed.
Once she was settled, she smiled at him appreciatively and touched his cheek. "I'm so sorry for what happened last night."
"It wasn't your fault," he immediately clarified.
Yes it was, she thought guiltily. But she was glad that he wasn't angry with her.
"Mac and DJ saw the show," he admitted lowly.
Her eyes widened and her mouth parted in shock. "What? Why would your parents let them watch, with all that's been going on?"
"They'd put those two to bed and then gone to sleep themselves. Apparently our clever soon-to-be four and three year old were playing possum. The TV was already on the right channel...my parents had been watching some show earlier. So all Morgan had to do was grab the remote and turn it on."
Stephanie shook her head. She couldn't believe what she was hearing. And Hunter almost sounded like he'd been in the damn room when it happened. "How do you know all of this?"
"My parents called and let me know that our kids woke them up at eleven at night, screaming their heads off. My mom figured we needed to rest; that's why they didn't call last night. But Mac and DJ cried until they fell asleep. She called my cell while I was out, because the pair of them woke up crying. I talked to them and calmed them down some. But it won't really sink in for them that we're fine until they can see us. You especially...at least they heard my voice...and saw me moving around some after that coward nailed me."
Stephanie shut her eyes tightly. She couldn't imagine how scared her kids must have been to watch their parents be mauled like that. She opened her eyes and bit down on her lip to try to contain her emotions. "When will I be released?"
"They like to keep patients for 24 hours if there's been unconsciousness. You've only been here for almost half of that...but they believe our home circumstances are good enough for us to leave today. As long as I keep a close eye on you."
"Good! Let's get me home. I hate hospitals!"
Hunter placed a hand on her shoulder to stop her from getting up. "We're in Missouri, Steph. While traveling won't cause any long-term damage, it'd make you feel like shit. The cabin pressure changes and all of that."
"Can't I just take a bunch of drugs beforehand?"
"It's a four-hour flight. If you start feeling bad, they're not just going to let you off."
"Hunter, our babies are beside themselves. And we haven't seen them since Sunday night. We were supposed to fly home this morning," she reminded him.
Hunter raised his voice a little bit, to make sure his point got across. And because...quite frankly, he was in a very shitty mood. "Don't you think I know that? I want to see them just as much as you do. But I didn't make it in time to stop Orton from giving you an RKO. He came after you while I stepped out to get something to drink...who knows what that freak would have done to you if you hadn't got away," he rambled. "Then I got my ass handed to me and had to watch while you put yourself in danger over me last night...and our kids were watching...and you got injured. And then he took advantage of you," he added with his voice cracking. "And you're in a fucking hospital with a concussion, for Christ sakes! And he did all of that just to pay me back for turning on him half a decade ago. He's hurting you because of me, with skills that I taught him. How do you think that makes me feel, Stephanie?" He questioned rhetorically. "And now you want me to let you hop on a plane and watch you hurt some more? It's not going to happen," he said fiercely.
Stephanie simply blinked in response, stunned by her husband's rambling and angry outburst. Yet again he was both right and wrong at the same time. This was about her. At least partially. She didn't know how much or how little she actually had to do with this situation. Mostly, it seemed like Orton was just doing all of this to get to her husband. There was no doubt that he was succeeding. The disheveled mess he currently was, testified to that.
But it seemed like he wanted to do more than just throw a wrench in Hunter's career. It seemed like he wanted to actually cause long-term, lasting damage. Hunter wasn't just some opponent to him. Not someone he just intended to beat once and that was it. He seemed to be out to destroy her husband and all aspects of his life entirely. He was going after his title - that was professional. But he was also trying to cause her to be unfaithful - that was deeply and insanely personal.
And Hunter had been in some pretty damn personal rivalries before. But nothing like this. Despite the fact that he was still somewhat of a "bad boy" in the business, everyone generally knew and respected the line he drew between his worlds. Everyone except Orton.
He'd waited for this opportunity. She realized that now. It wasn't until she took over the Raw brand that he directed his attention to her. She hadn't heard a peep from him during the few times she randomly popped up over the years. He'd left her alone while she and Shane were running things behind the scenes. But as soon as she physically showed up, she was on his radar. Then her father had returned and she'd seriously been considering disappearing from her active role. Maybe Orton could sense that - he seemed to be able to sense quite a few things about the people in his surroundings.
So he had to know that by punting her father, he was making sure that she couldn't leave. He'd forced her to stick around simply so he could attack her. But he made sure that his attacks were ones that would only have her out for a few days. Her brother and father - well, he made sure he put them out indefinitely. There was probably a reason for that. Everything the man did was deliberate and calculating. There were no mistakes or coincidences with him.
She reached her hand up to Hunter's temple, rubbing gingerly around the area where the sledgehammer had left a nasty purplish bruise. She swallowed hard and nodded. "Okay...no traveling. Maybe we can fly everyone down to see us instead. Your parents could help watch Morgan and Devin, since you'll have to baby me and all."
Hunter expelled a tense breath and nodded. He didn't mean to blow up at her, but everything had already gotten so completely out of hand. He was starting to feel like he was failing at being a husband. Stephanie didn't deserve for any of this to be happening to her.
Stephanie twisted her hands together nervously while she appraised the defeated look on his face. "We need to talk," she admitted reluctantly. Then she decided to backtrack and start again. "No. Me...I need to talk to you. About everything that's been happening. I've tried to tell you...I've written letters but I keep losing my nerve. I didn't give any of them to you. I'm going crazy and you're getting hurt. And I'm getting hurt. And the kids are upset. And I can't take it anymore!" Stephanie grimaced and clutched her head in her hands, drawing her knees upwards.
Hunter's expression changed from confused to concerned and he placed one of his hands over hers and rubbed. He used his other hand to run through her hair. That always seemed to help calm her down. And right now that's what he needed. If she stayed calm, her head wouldn't bother her so much. Consequently, he wouldn't be as bothered. "Look at me," he requested gently.
She raised her head and her eyes were watery and pink. She sniffled and blinked rapidly to contain her tears.
"Just take it easy, okay? There's nothing that we need to talk about other than you getting better and the accommodations for our family. Those are the priorities and everything else can wait."
Stephanie knew better than to argue with him on that. And truth be told, she definitely agreed since this conversation wouldn't be a pleasant one. So she nodded and dropped the subject for now.
Hunter pressed a kiss to her forehead before he pulled away from her and walked over to look out of the lone window in the hospital room. He spoke very lowly...but this was her husband and she was more sensitive to his words and actions than most. So she heard it when he hissed out through clenched teeth, "I swear you'll pay for what you've done, Orton."
Against her own will, her mind replayed the scene of Orton kissing her. She touched her lips and allowed herself to dwell on the fact that his had been pressed against hers for about five seconds. She wondered what it felt like. Would she have enjoyed it if she'd been conscious?
Mentally, she tried to will Hunter to return to her bedside. She shouldn't be having these kinds of thoughts. Hell, she just plain didn't even want to. She needed Hunter next to her so that she could relax...and just be. One rule of concussions that she knew, was to rest the brain. Having a mental war occurring in her head was certainly not a road to recovery.
Stephanie squinted with the pain the effort caused...but she was successful. If she blocked everything else out, she could hear Hunter breathing right now. It reminded her that that's what she focused on before she lost consciousness last night. Randy Orton was all around her head – literally and figuratively. But she'd felt at peace and the pain from the DDT had evaded her because her connection to Hunter was unbreakable. He was in her heart and her head. And that was much more powerful that whatever cockamamie spell overcame her with Orton at times.
A/N: If you haven't, see the edits in the beginning of chapter 1. They'll clear up any confusion I unintentionally caused LOL. And just so you all know, this will be the last chapter that directly follows the storyline. At most, I'll draw some confrontation material from the rest of the feud. But 90% or more of the story from here will just be my own ideas - mostly because in the storyline Stephanie became absent and Vince, Shane and Batista got involved. I plan to take this story in a...darker direction you could say. Stay tuned!
