Nikki Bella was wheeled through the curtain on a stretcher surrounded by the extras hired to play the part of paramedics. This was to sell her injuries to the fans in the live audience. As soon as they were through the curtain Nikki hopped off the stretcher and walked over to Stephanie, holding her stomach as she did so. "Jesus, Steph! You said that wouldn't hurt!"

Stephanie took a drink from a bottle of water she was holding. "Sorry Nikki, I didn't think it would as it wasn't a real hammer. Is it bad?"

"I'm okay but I think it will bruise and it knocked the wind out of me."

"I'm sorry, I didn't want you to get hurt. Go have the doc check you out and make sure you're okay."

"I'm fine Steph, don't worry."

"Just get checked out Nikki, please. Even if it's only to make me feel better."

"Okay," Nikki shrugged and headed off to the doctor's room.

Stephanie turned around to go and take a shower but Brie approached her, "Stephanie I want to thank you for this opportunity. It was so good to get back out there and the reaction this storyline is getting is insane."

"You're welcome. Stop by my office before you leave, as you know Nikki is off TV now until Survivor Series to sell her injury so we need to talk about what's going to happen Monday night."

"You're keeping me involved in this?" Brie asked hopefully.

"Yes. Unless you give me a reason not to."

"No, I'll give you my best." Brie assured her. Stephanie nodded and walked away. Brie realised that Stephanie had been speaking the truth that day in her office; if you were part of the McMahon family they really did look after you. She had returned early from a suspension and gone straight into the main storyline as well.


Stephanie entered her hotel room and removed her suit jacket. She threw it onto the bed and sat next to it with a tired sigh. It was time to call Paul and check on her family. She presumed it was too late to be able to speak to the girls, they should have been in bed and asleep long before now. Thursday nights really were the worst thing about taking this new job, being away from home and away from her family was a real killer.

"Hi honey, how are you?" Paul greeted warmly as he answered the call.

"Crap," Stephanie answered honestly. "I ache all over, I'm tired and I'm lonely. How about you and the girls?"

"We're fine but we miss you. The girls are asleep so you'll not be able to chat to them."

"I hate this job Paul," Stephanie moaned. "I hate being here by myself."

Paul hated to hear his wife talking this way. "Think about tomorrow honey, you'll be here with us and if you still feel bad I can give you one of those foot massages you like so much."

"I'd give anything for that right now," Stephanie sighed as she imagined how nice his touch would feel on her feet as he worked the tension out of her.

Wanting to take Stephanie's mind off of being so lonely Paul changed the subject, "I just watched your match. I waited until the girls were asleep as you asked. You were right, they wouldn't have liked it, but I did. You look so good in that damn ring gear!"

Stephanie beamed, "Thank you honey. It made you miss me even more huh?"

"You bet it did. The match was great too, you didn't tell me you had brought Brie back early."

"I wasn't sure that I had until I talked to her. She's finally dropped that stupid attitude she had."

Paul laughed, "Last time I was in a room with the two of you Daniel had to carry her out and that was after you slammed her up against the wall."

"I was a little rough with her wasn't I?" Stephanie giggled.

"Just a little. So you talked with her? Things are okay between you?"

Stephanie lay down on the bed as she answered tiredly, "Yeah I think so. Guess what she told me?"

"What?"

"She said that Nikki told her that she thinks of me as a sister and that we're very close to each other."

"We're pleased about that, right?" Paul asked hesitantly.

"Of course. Why wouldn't I be pleased?"

Thinking back to the day when Stephanie had found out about Nikki and Vince being together and the fifteen minute rampage that had ensued in the office Paul smiled to himself, "No reason, I'm glad the two of you have gotten to be close. She's there for you when I'm not." Suddenly he remembered something that he had meant to tell her, "Oh Steph, those detectives were in the office again earlier asking for you."

"Seriously?" Stephanie sighed in frustration. "How many times to I have to tell those guys my story? They've got my statement, they've got Nikki's statement and they've had all of my phone records and bank records. It's obvious I had nothing to do with what happened to John for God's sake."

"Actually they came by to say that John's funeral is next Wednesday and they advised that we don't send anyone from WWE as the family wouldn't want it, given what happened. Maybe we should talk to Vince about it."

"I'm going," Stephanie responded immediately.

"What?"

"I said I'm going."

"No way," Paul insisted. "What's wrong with you? What did I just say? The family don't want anyone from WWE to be there and they definitely won't want you."

"You know I offered to pay all of the funeral expenses and they turned me down. I feel guilty about what happened especially so soon after John and I put our differences aside. Not only that I need to go for myself, this ends a horrible chapter in my life. I need to do this."

"No Steph," Paul insisted once more. "The family won't want you there and I don't want more trouble, none of us do."

"I'm not discussing it Paul, I'm going. I'm sure Nikki will come with me. I want you there with me too."

Paul knew how his wife was lately and knew that she would not change her mind whether they had an argument or not so he decided not to bother, "Fine but if anything bad happens I'm going to be pissed off Steph, am I clear on that?"

"Crystal. Nothing will happen, I just need to go and put this behind thing me for good. I won't even go near John's family, I promise."

Paul was irritated by how the conversation had gone so he decided to get off the phone before some kind of argument started, "I'm going to go Steph, I'll see you tomorrow, okay?"

Stephanie realised that she had angered her husband but still she was not going to change her mind, "Okay, goodnight honey. I miss you."

"I miss you too." Paul ended the call.

Suddenly Stephanie felt incredibly lonely as she lay on the bed. A moment later she found herself pulling Nikki's number up on her phone. She was undecided on whether to call the number as she was reasonably sure that Nikki and Vince would be in their room together by now but she felt so bad that she just had to talk to someone. She made the call and eventually Nikki answered, probably only just beating her voice mail to it. "Hi Steph, everything okay?"

"No Nikki, I feel terrible." Stephanie was surprised herself by how sad she sounded. "I miss my family and I think Paul and I just had a fight on the phone."

Wondering how you could 'think' that you had a fight with someone Nikki offered, "I'm about to go meet Brie and Daniel in the bar for a drink soon, why don't you come down and join us?"

"I'd like that, what about my dad?" Stephanie asked, brightening already.

"He's exhausted bless him. All this travelling, then that match and then... Well never mind that he's tired and he's getting an early night."

Stephanie laughed, "Nearly way too much info Nikki. I'll come down and join you shortly. You're sure Brie and Daniel won't think I'm intruding?"

"Don't be stupid Steph, lighten up and come get drunk!"

Usually Stephanie did not like to drink during the week but tonight it sounded like a fantastic idea to her so a few minutes later she picked up her jacket and headed for the door.