A/N: I'm SO sorry for the lack of updates with this fic. The only excuse, and a lame one at that, is that I have a ton of other fics that I'm working on, and my muses for this fic were very, very kind and allowed me to take a short step back from this fic. But I'm back.

Another little thing, this fic has gone in a totally different direction than I first envisioned. I'm not sure if it'll be better, worse, whatever, but I just hope that it works. The onscreen storyline is accurate up until Armageddon 1999, then it'll be my own stuff.

~

Stephanie turned around and hugged HHH. She had just turned on her father and joined the other side. The smile on her face was not only brilliant, but calculating as well. It was the perfect way to turn her character and she was loving it. She didn't think that this would be as fun as it would be. But it was and then some.

She walked backstage with Paul, "That was a lot of fun."

"I'm glad you think so," he said.

"I'm actually kind of glad my dad decided to extend this storyline," she said, turning to him.

"Me too, you're a really great person Stephanie."

"You are too Paul."

"Um, I was wondering something," he said nervously.

Stephanie turned to him and smiled warmly, "Hmm?"

"I was wondering if you wanted to go out with me sometime, to dinner or something like that?"

Stephanie was slightly taken aback, "Um, I thought you were with Joanie?"

"Actually, we broke up recently. Or more like drifted apart. I'm not sure which."

"Oh, I'm sorry," Stephanie said sympathetically. She really was sorry, she had seen how great a couple Paul and Joanie had been.

"It's ok, I think it's for the better. So, about that dinner?"

Stephanie thought about Chris. She loved him, and despite not being with him outright, she wasn't going to be unfaithful to him. How ironic was that? She was being faithful to a married man. Of course, she knew that she wasn't some play thing for Chris, he did actually love her.

"I appreciate the offer Paul, but I'm kinda sorta involved with someone right now. It's not serious, but I really want it to be, and yeah," she said, trying to come up with a gentle way to put him down.

"Oh, I didn't know, if I had known..."

"No, not many people do, it's just I don't think it would be fair to string you along when I already have someone."

"Well, I appreciate you being honest with me."

"If things don't work out for us, you'll be the first person I call, I promise."

Paul smile, "Great."

"Ok, I'll see you later then."

"Yeah, later," he said before retreating.

Stephanie smiled as she watched him leave. He wasn't such a bad guy, if she wasn't already with Chris, she would be very tempted to go out with Paul. He was nice, and funny, and had a great body. She shrugged to herself before turning to walk away.

She gathered her things and got into her rental car to go to the hotel. When she finally got back to her hotel room, she collapsed to the bed in exhaustion. Tonight had been tiring. It wasn't every day that you turned on your father in front of millions of people.

She was starting to doze off when she heard the soft knocking on the door. She knew who it was immediately and got off the bed quickly. She ran to the door and opened it wide. She grinned as she saw Chris and pulled him into the room. As soon as the door was closed his lips were all over her face.

"I thought I was coming to your room tonight," she giggled as he continued to kiss her.

"I couldn't wait until you came to me, so I had no choice but to come to you," he answered.

"Well, it's not like I mind or anything," she said, pulling him into the bedroom.

"Good."

They made their way to the bed, and fell onto it together, with Stephanie falling on top of Chris. They continued kissing for a while, before Stephanie pulled away to catch her breath. She looked at Chris and kissed the tip of his nose. He grinned up at her.

"Paul asked me out tonight," she said off-handedly.

Chris looked at her intensely, "He did?"

"Yeah. After his match."

"Did you say yes?" Chris asked.

"What do you mean did I say yes? Of course I didn't," she told him, "Why would I say yes?"

"Well, I don't know," Chris said, looking away. Stephanie took one of her hands and turned his face back to hers.

"Of course you know, you're just not telling me."

"Well, I mean, you're single Steph."

"I'm not single, I have you."

"Do you really?"

She furrowed her brow, "Of course I do, I mean, I'm laying on top of you right now aren't I?"

"But I'm a married man. I have a wife back home sitting and waiting for me. I'm hers."

"Yes, but you love me, right?" she said, looking worried.

"Of course I do. I love you more than I thought I could love any other woman. I mean, Jessica, she doesn't even hold a candle to you."

Stephanie smiled a little, "Then I have you. Just because you're married doesn't mean I can't be faithful to you."

"I want to divorce her Stephanie. I want to be able to tell the world that I love you. I want to be your husband not hers."

Stephanie got off of him and sat on the bed, "I don't know Chris."

"What is there to know Stephanie, I want you, not her."

"But the scandal involved. And everyone knowing about what we did. I just don't think I could get over that."

"So what are you saying, you just want to go on hiding and me being married to a woman I don't love?"

"I don't know, I want you all for myself, but at what expense. Having all my friends think I'm a whore and a person who breaks up marriages. And what will my parents think?"

"But we love each other. I love you Stephanie."

"I love you too Chris. But I don't know if we'd work in the real world."

"I think we would. At least think about it, ok?"

"I'll think about it, I promise. It's just a lot of people are going to be hurt and I don't want that."

"Me neither. But I want you Stephanie. Remember that."

"I'll remember," she said. She pulled him back to her.

The next day Stephanie was walking in the arena for the night's Raw shows. She had been thinking about what Chris had told her. He actually wanted to get a divorce for her. Could she live up to Chris's expectations enough to want to spend forever with him? She just didn't know.

She loved him, but she was still young. If he did get a divorce than that would almost assuredly mean that she and Chris would automatically become serious. Was she even ready for a serious relationship? She didn't know if she wanted that kind of commitment.

"Stephanie, are you ok?" someone asked her. She looked up and saw Paul.

"Oh, yeah, I'm fine, don't worry about me," she said, trying to act nonchalant.

"You sure, you look like you're in distress or something."

"No, I was just thinking."

"You wanna talk about it?"

"No, it's between me and me."

"Ok," he nodded.

"Hey Paul, would you like to go to dinner as friends?"

"Sure," he said eagerly.

"Ok, how about Wednesday at 7 o'clock?"

"Sounds good."

"Cool, do you know where I live?"

"Yeah, I do."

"Great."

Stephanie needed to get her mind off of Chris and that whole situation. She knew that Paul lived fairly close to her, and she just needed a break from her life. Hopefully Paul would help her with that. She didn't want him getting the wrong ideas about the two of them. She was with Chris.

Or was she?