A/N: Thanks for the reviews, appreciate them and hope they continue. This chapter takes a bit of a step away from Jay and focuses on another subplot. Hope you enjoy. :)


"So what did you think, Vince?"

"I see some definite potential here," Vince said, nodding his head. "You're doing a good job training these guys."

"Well, it's not just me," Chris said. "I thought it just might be a good opportunity for them to get some actual, you know, having someone evaluate their progress. Thanks for coming again, I know that this counts as a personal favor, and I will repay you for it."

"Don't worry about it," Vince said, waving him off. "You don't need to repay me, this is business-related and I appreciate the fact that you're trying to help these guys."

"Okay," Chris said, looking down and then over at Stephanie who was beaming at him. She was just so proud of how he handled himself a lot of the time. He wasn't exactly an anomaly to wrestling because there were a lot of nice guys in wrestling, but none of them were as level-headed as Chris was about everything. She knew a part of this was to try and impress her father, but still, in everyday situations, he was the same way. "But I still want you to allow me to pay for dinner."

"I won't hear of it," Vince told him.

"Vince, please," Chris said to him. "I'd really like if I you would let me pay for dinner this one time, you never let me, and I do consider you coming here a personal favor to me, so if you'd just allow me to."

"Dad, just let him pay," Stephanie said. "He's trying to do a nice gesture."

"Well, I can safely say you're the first of Stephanie's boyfriends who ever offered to pay for dinner," Vince chuckled. "So that definitely makes you stand out from the crowd."

"Wow, lame, Stephanie, really lame," Chris said, shaking his head. "I can't believe you dated such losers before me."

"Shut up," Stephanie told him, sticking her tongue out at him. "So Dad, was there anyone in particular that you liked today? Like, did anyone you saw stand out?"

"Well, I definitely had my eye on that Edge kid," Vince said. "I really liked his look, I think we could work something with him. He seemed to also have a great deal of charisma when I was speaking to him. I also like that kid…uh…Josh, yeah, that was his name, he's got the physique that I think is just right." Stephanie looked over at Chris, who rolled his eyes. Josh was about 6'5 and very muscular. She gave him a small smile in return. "Oh, and that one…with the long hair, Jay…he's got potential, I'm not seeing so much actual prowess right now, but he has definitely got talent, I can see that. He's a little on the small side."

"Dad, just because someone isn't really big and tall doesn't mean they aren't good," Stephanie reminded him. "Chris isn't big."

"Hey," Chris said, offended by Stephanie.

"I didn't mean it in a bad way. You're just not one of those big, lunk-headed guys who are all muscle-bound and gross," she told him.

"Oh, so now you're saying I'm scrawny?" he teased playfully.

"No!" she argued. "You're great, you've got a lot of talent, my dad obviously wants you to join the WWF, don't you, Dad?"

"Well, if he would consider it."

"Vince, I told you, I appreciate the offer, but I want to do this in my own way, not because I met Stephanie and started dating her. It's just not fair for any of your other employees and it's not fair to me, and it's especially not fair to Stephanie because I'm not going to make her feel used like that."

"I don't feel used," Stephanie interjected.

"Steph, I'm trying to make a point," he said with a huff and she kissed his cheek.

Vince observed them carefully. They seemed to be falling quite deep with each other. He knew they had been dating for quite some time now and Chris had been welcomed into his family, but he was still a little wary about their relationship and how far it was going to go. He knew what the business was like, and he had hoped that Stephanie wouldn't get sucked into it personally. He absolutely wanted her to work for the company, it was in her name after all, but he had wanted something else for her in her personal life. The wrestling industry was filled with infidelities, drugs, alcohol, and a lot of shit that he didn't want Stephanie around. He couldn't stop her from falling for Chris, and though he seemed different from any other guy Stephanie had dated and any of his other employees that he knew well, there was still that potential of heartbreak heading in his daughter's direction.

"Okay, your point is made then," she said. "You're never going to join the WWF because you are going to always believe that you only made it in because you're with me."

"That's not the entire reason," Chris said. "I just want to travel. Find new styles, be the best I can be."

"Well, you're already great, isn't he, Dad?"

"You're great, Chris," he indulged. He also knew that his daughter was going to be going to Japan with Chris after she graduated from college and he thought that was going to be a nice trip for the both of them, but they were becoming so close. He saw the potential here for the future, and he knew that this could very well be the last man that his daughter ever dated. It scared the hell out of him.

"See, he thinks you're great."

"Well, if I were to join with your dad right now, I might not be able to take you to Japan for your graduation present…"

"Okay, so you don't have to join up with him right now," she said with a bright smile. "I really, really want to go with you. I want to see what these Japan crowds are like when you're right there. I promise not to cheer for you, but clap politely when you do something well."

"Good, you're already getting the hang of it," he told her, kissing her temple as she gave him a soft look filled with only one emotion. He grabbed her hand on the table, and yeah, Vince was wondering just how much in love these two were. He just needed an opportunity…

It came a few moments later, "I'm going to go to the bathroom, I'll be right back." Stephanie got up from the table and headed for the ladies' room.

Chris looked down at the plate in front of him that had yet to be picked up by the waiter. "So," Vince started, causing Chris to look up. "While Stephanie's in the bathroom, I wanted to ask you, man-to-man, what are you intentions with my daughter?"

Chris was a little startled by the question. He hadn't been expecting that out of Vince's mouth. Plus, what were his intentions? That was a really weird question to ask him. He fidgeted a little, "Do you mean with…the future?"

"Yes, with the future, of course with the future."

"Oh, okay then," Chris said. "I'm going to marry Stephanie."

Vince raised an eyebrow, "You say that with a lot of conviction."

"Well, it's true, I'm going to marry Stephanie," Chris shrugged. "I want to marry your daughter, Vince, that's the long and short of it. I love her. I love her a lot."

"You're both young."

"Well, I'm not saying we're going to get married tomorrow," Chris said. "She knows all of this."

"What? You're engaged," Vince said.

"No, I'm waiting to ask her after she graduates, I'll probably do it somewhere in Japan while we're there, but she knows. We've discussed marriage and what we both want out of this relationship, Vince, and it's something that we both want. So she knows that it's coming."

"I can't believe this."

Stephanie showed up as Vince sat in shock. "What's up with my dad?"

"I told him that we're going to get married."

"Oops," Stephanie said as she sat down. "You told him?"

"He asked."

"You asked!" Stephanie said. "Dad, oh God, please don't tell me you gave him the 'what are your intentions with my daughter' speech? Please, please, please tell me you didn't."

"Oh, so this isn't new?" Chris asked with a laugh.

"No, it's one of my dad's little tests," Stephanie said, rolling her eyes. "Dad…"

"You two are getting married."

"Well…we're planning on it, in the future, though. Chris hasn't proposed, but I know that it's coming after I graduate. He promised to propose to me after I graduate, now whether or not this is true…"

"It's true," Chris interrupted.

"Yeah, it's not a big deal, Dad."

"Not a big deal," he choked out.

"It's not a done deal yet. I mean, it is, but it's not official yet. It's been a discussion, it's like…it's like an idea, really. It's going to happen, just not yet. I mean, it's a mutual decision between both of us, and we've decided that we will eventually get married," Stephanie explained. "We've discussed this like adults, Dad."

"Have you?" he asked skeptically.

"Yes, we have."

"And do you know how relationships go in this business?"

"Vince," Chris said. "Look, I know that you're worried about her, but don't…I don't know what else to say, just don't worry about her. I'm going to take good care of Stephanie, I promise you that. That's why she knows that I'm going to propose. We talked about marriage and what we both want. We didn't go into this lightly at all."

"I guess…well, congratulations, I think."

Meanwhile, Adam and Jay had gone to a bar to get a beer after training. Jay actually wanted to go see Sofia, but Adam had been so persuasive that he found himself sitting here, nursing his beer as Adam went on and on about how cool it was to actually meet Vince McMahon. He couldn't believe that he had actually put on a mock match in front of the biggest name in wrestling.

"Did he talk to you?" Adam asked, finally realizing that Jay wasn't saying much.

"Yeah, he did, we had a brief conversation," Jay answered. He had been so much in awe of Vince he probably came off like a dumb fool. "He said I had a lot of potential."

"Dude, that's awesome!" Adam told him, holding his hand up for a high five. Jay wasn't aware of it until Adam cleared his throat. Jay gave him a half-hearted high five, but Adam was too stoked about meeting Vince that he didn't even notice. "Vince talked to me too and said that if I kept training he could see bringing me into the fucking WWF. I couldn't believe it."

"That's awesome, man."

"I know, it is," Adam said, shaking his head. "I need to thank Chris for bringing him by, that's for sure. I mean, how the hell did he even get Vince McMahon to show up? That's like…it's like they're friends or something."

"I think that Vince really just wants Chris to join the WWF. I was talking to Chris and he said that Vince has been pretty aggressively trying to recruit him to the WWF. He probably just doesn't want him to go to WCW so he's being all buddy-buddy with him."

"Yeah, that's true," Jay said. "If I got offered a contract though, man, I'd snatch it up in an instant."

"Me too, dude, guaranteed money, an actual salary, not living from show to show, it'd be freaking great," Adam said a bit dreamily. "If only, though, right. We've still got a long way to go. We haven't even had our first official match, there's no way Vince McMahon would want someone so green."

"Yeah, which sucks," Jay said. "I could really use the money."

"Me too," Adam said.

Jay knew that Adam wanted the money for completely different reasons. He wanted the money to take care of his wife and daughter, which nobody knew that he had yet but they never left his mind. Having a yearly salary, and as good as one with the WWF would really ease his mind a lot. He'd be able to provide fully for Sofia and that would be the best feeling in the world.

"Hey, you know, this has been fun, but I've got somewhere to be," Jay said.

"Oh, okay," Adam said. "Sure, I'll see you tomorrow."

"Yeah, you will, later."

He went straight to Trish's house and rang the doorbell. Trish answered with Sofia in her arms. "Daddy! Hi, how are you?"

"Hey there, Sophie Bear," he said taking her into his arms. "I've missed you lots, have you missed me too?"

"Lots and lots," she replied with seriousness.

"Jay, hey, I thought you might come later."

"Yeah, well, I wanted to see Sophie now," Jay said. "So I have some good news?"

"What's that?"

"Vince McMahon, the owner of the WWF, he told me that he saw a lot of potential in me. It's a definite step in the right direction. My friend Chris got him to come over, I think I told you about that, and yeah, that's what he told me, so I'm on the path," he told her, hoping that it would make her proud or happy, or just…something positive.

"Oh," she said. "Well, that's…something, I guess."

"It's a good something, I'm doing well there, I really think that I can do something with this," Jay said.

"That is good, so you're going to take Sophie for the night, right?"

"Yeah, that's what we agreed on," he said. "I can't wait to have you spend the night, Sophie Bear. We're going to have so much fun."

"Yeah," Sofia agreed. "We can play."

"Yeah we can," he told her. "You're going to pick her up tomorrow before I leave, right?"

"Yeah, that's right."

"I have to ask though," Jay said. "This isn't usually the day you have her stay over with me, what changed your mind? Why are you letting me have her in the middle of the week?"

"It's no big deal," Trish said with a shrug. Jay knew she was lying with her and he tilted his head to look at her. She avoided his eyes, but he didn't stop staring at her. He was masterful at this, she knew, and she knew that she was going to crack. "My parents set me up with someone."

"A date?" he asked, his voice hitching at the end. "You're going on a date."

"A date, a meeting, whatever, he goes to my school, and he's apparently nice and it's really…it's my parents," she stumbled. "My parents have been pushing me to get out of the house because they think that all I do is go to school and then take care of Sophie. So they just want me to get out. It's nothing."

"No, no, no, we're separated, right, I mean, right?"

"Um, yeah, I guess," she told him.

"Be sure you're there early for Sophie, bye."

"Bye…"