Vince had a knack for showing up at the most inopportune of times.

The current day was no exception.

"Dad, hi," Stephanie greeted, eyebrows poised in a pair of high arches as she opened her front door and ushered him inside. Linda followed close behind, and Stephanie pulled her into a warm hug, following that up with a kiss on Vince's cheek. Her parents moved, jointly, to take a seat on the couch, and she kicked the front door shut with more force than intended, cursing under her breath. "You didn't tell me you were in the neighborhood."

"Oh, so we have to announce when we're coming over now?" Vince asked, his question laced with sarcasm. "We can't simply want to spend some time with our only daughter?"

Stephanie whirled around in time to catch the tail end of Linda elbowing Vince, sending a warning jab crashing into his bicep and putting on a stern gaze to boot, but she hastily wiped the look off her face, replacing her frown with a smile when Stephanie's eyes came to rest on her. Sundays were Stephanie's unspoken day to recharge and prepare for the strenuous work week ahead, but with a full house and a judgmental father on the prowl, she could already feel the day's normalcy unraveling. The Christmas season had come and gone and, with January's arrival, Graham was scheduled to begin school the following morning. Chris, Graham, Amanda, and Caylie were in the upstairs clothing room with Sergio, each of them wandering downstairs every so often to thank Stephanie for a particularly pleasing piece of clothing she had provided them.

Each person living in her home had grown to feel like family, and Stephanie didn't want to risk her dad making an insensitive comment to hurt any of their fragile feelings if they were to end up unsuspectingly coming downstairs and walking into what she had deemed the lion's den. Vince had been known to flaunt, even in Amanda's presence on occasion, his opinion that she should get her own place or return home to her family, and Stephanie had found herself apologizing numerous times on his behalf already. She didn't want Chris or Graham to fall victim to the same kind of harsh treatment, so she was in a mad scramble to prevent them from meeting altogether. Additionally, if Vince ever met Chris and then saw him later at work, connecting the dots that she had hired Chris without his approval, she would find herself wedged in a hole far too deep to dig her way out of.

Stephanie's frantic eyes strayed to the stairs. She was planning on making a run for it and calling over her shoulder that she would be back within a few minutes, but Vince rose from the couch and squashed her chances. He strolled over and swept her wrist in a loose hold, leading her to the spot on the couch he had been sitting in and pulling her down beside him, sandwiching himself between her and Linda. Keeping her composure came easy most of the time, but Stephanie was turning into a nervous wreck right before their eyes, and Vince knew it. "Quite jittery today, aren't you? Is there something going on here you don't want us to see?"

"What are you talking about?" Stephanie asked, trying to play his prodding off. He knew that people he didn't approve of were living in her home, and she wouldn't have been the least bit surprised if the biggest reason he came to visit was to persuade her against it, no matter how fruitless the effort.

"You're acting funny."

"You're the one who's acting weird," Stephanie shot back. She stared down at her hands and fiddled with her fingers in prolonged silence. Linda, ever the peacemaker, cut in on their conversation.

"So, how are you, honey?" she asked. "We haven't come to see you in a while, so I talked your father into taking a break from work so we could be here."

"You talked me into it?" he guffawed. "More like I came because I needed to be here to talk some sense into my daughter."

"Vince, stop it now," Linda warned. She must have known he would try to pull some sort of intervention on Stephanie, even in spite of her attempts to stop him. Linda gave most people the benefit of the doubt, especially her own husband, and probably thought he would stick to her list of rules for his behavior at Stephanie's house, but in his unconventional world, rules were meant to be broken. Confirming what Stephanie had already inferred to be true, Linda whispered to him, "We talked about this in the car."

"I'm only talking with her. There's no rule against that," Vince responded, turning to face Stephanie and pat her thigh, using a tad more force than necessary. "I'm just visiting with my dear old daughter."

"I'm glad you guys came, but I actually was in the middle of something," Stephanie admitted, signaling towards the staircase with a flick of her thumb. "I need to go up and make sure things are settled, and then I'll be back down."

"We might as well go up with you," Vince said, rising from the couch at once.

"Vince..." Linda trailed off, standing up beside him and placing a halting hand on his arm.

There was only so long Stephanie could bite her tongue, and since she knew exactly what her dad was trying to do, she decided to put her foot down before it went any further. He didn't have to share her same set of ideals, but her home was her domain, and she wouldn't allow him to burst in and step all over everything she had worked so tirelessly to assemble. If he didn't agree with her course of action in helping those less fortunate then that was his right, but she wouldn't tolerate his biting remarks towards the people living with her. They deserved a peaceful life in what had become their home, without having to deal with the cutting behavior of someone who didn't understand the gravity of how deeply they appreciated her help.

"Dad, I know you don't agree with how I'm living," Stephanie began. Vince grunted a confirmation, and she narrowed her eyes. He lowered his head in response, signaling with a flourish of his hand for her to continue. "You don't have to think what I'm doing is right, but it would be nice if you could support me. There are a lot of people who need my help, and I'm trying to bring them to a place where they have a fighting chance at life."

"That's not your job," Vince mumbled.

"It's not exactly your job to tell me what to do with my life either, but you still try," she retorted.

Vince opened his mouth to respond, when one of Stephanie's biggest worries came true. Graham, new shirt in hand, bounded down the stairs and rushed to Stephanie. He was almost all the way to her when he spotted a pair of unfamiliar visitors in the room and stopped dead in his tracks. Vince arched forward, hands clasped in his lap as he breathed loudly. "Who's this?"

"This is Graham," she supplied.

"Graham who?" Vince shot back.

Stephanie sighed and tucked a few tufts of hair behind her ear as she knelt in front of Graham. "Hey there, buddy. Are you doing okay upstairs?"

Graham nodded but dared utter a word, a far cry from the animated little boy he normally was. His demeanor was stunted, and Stephanie was certain her parents' presence was the cause, but mostly Vince's, as he continued to spy Graham with a critically trained eye. Though only a child, Graham was intelligent enough to pick up on tension, and all Stephanie wanted in that moment was to protect and shield him from all harm. She felt it her duty to make him feel safe and secure, so she lightly pinched his arm and allowed a warm smile to settle over her face.

Leaning forward, she waved Graham in, and he took a couple of extra steps towards her. She lowered her voice in hopes her parents wouldn't overhear. "That's a cool shirt, isn't it?" Another subtle nod. "I have some things to take care of down here, but I'll be up there with you in a few more minutes, and you can show me all of the neat things you're going to wear to your new school."

"Okay!" Graham chirped, peeking shyly behind her and quickly averting his eyes when Vince's judgmental gaze undoubtedly flustered him.

"All right, I'll see you in a little bit then."

"Bye," he broke away from his reservations and waved, smiling brightly before rushing back up the stairs. Stephanie laughed and returned his wave, kneeling as she watched him return up the stairs and slip out of sight. When she stood and faced her parents, Linda's face remained impassive, while Vince's took on a whole new level of ferocity.

"You let some child who's not even yours into this home?" he asked, his tone accusatory.

"That's my decision and my business," Stephanie answered. "Graham's a brilliant kid, and you would know that if you could even take a second to get to know him. All he needs is guidance and he'll make it far in life. He's about to start school tomorrow."

"You mean he hasn't already been going?" Vince quizzed.

"He was going part of the time when he lived in Canada, but he and his dad were homeless," she explained. "I met them with Trish at a coffee shop when we were in Winnipeg for Raw, so I offered them a place to stay. They're good people, and Graham's dad is trying hard to save up enough money to get their own place."

"It's not your responsibility to take care of them," Vince crossed his arms, set in his stance on the issue.

"It's not our place to come in and make that type of decision for her," Linda corrected. Stephanie could always count on her mom to be the voice of reason in the eye of the storm. Linda was more than willing to sit down with Stephanie and hear the full story before drawing a conclusion, whereas, Vince settled in his rigid thoughts with little to no factual information involved. The only exception he made to that rule was in business, and it drove Stephanie crazy.

"Dad, how can you be such a levelheaded businessman and not have that same mindset in your everyday life?" she inquired. "You haven't once asked me to explain why I feel the need to let people live with me or what it is I'm trying to do for them. If I introduced you to Chris and Graham, or if you spent time with Amanda and Caylie, you would see what good people they are."

"They can't be too good when they're mooching off of a wealthy woman. Those people are taking advantage of your lifestyle and milking you for all you're worth," Vince concluded.

"How dare you!" Stephanie shot back. "Chris has a full-time job and hasn't mooched off of me for anything. He hates taking things from me, and the only reason he agrees to it is because it's what's best for his son. He doesn't sit around doing nothing all day, and he's in the process of saving up for his own place. Amanda's in school and works at a dental office, and then she comes here and takes care of her baby on top of that, so don't you dare tell me any of them are mooching. They're all trying their best, and they know that's all I ever ask of them."

"They could try their best at a homeless shelter or with their own families. That's what those places exist for," he replied. Nothing she could say would change his viewpoint, and Stephanie didn't want to concern herself with that anyway. If he couldn't learn to show respect to the people in her home, she wasn't going to allow him over anymore. It felt harsh to take the situation to that level with her own father, but someone had to teach him he couldn't run every aspect of his adult daughter's life, no matter how badly he wanted to.

"It's unfortunate that you feel that way, but I allowed every single person living here into my home because I believe in them. You don't have to understand that, but you need to show them respect while you're here. I don't get why you're so hostile when this topic comes up, Dad," she said, returning to the couch. "You were always my hero growing up, so why do you act like this now?"

Vince slipped his arm around her shoulders, hugging her close. "Because you're my daughter, I love you, and I know how evil this world can be. I also know how many people will come across you and prey on everything you offer them, just because they see how charming and sweet you are. They'll mistake your kindness for weakness and use you for every last penny, and I don't want that happening to you. You're so trusting, and I have this bad feeling it's going to come back and bite you one day. I don't want to see that happen."

"Aw, Daddy, that's like the nicest thing you've ever said to me," Stephanie pursed her lips, tossing her arms around his stout form. Vince enveloped her with his own arms and Linda rubbed her hair, reminding her she was there as a backup means of support. "I love you, too, and I know you want to protect me, but I'm watching out for myself just fine," she mumbled into his shoulder.

"You can't possibly know this guy you let into your house, though," he pointed out. "You met him, what, a month or two ago?"

"A little over a month ago, but he's so sweet," she vouched. Stephanie pulled away from Vince, determined to make him see the light, or at least not want to throttle her for allowing strangers into her home. "He's a really good guy, he loves his son, and when I first found them, they were living in their car and trying to find food inside of a coffee shop. He didn't have the money to buy his son dinner, and I couldn't sit back and watch that. You and Mom always taught me to help the less fortunate."

"You can do that without bringing them into your house every other day," Vince pointed out, receiving a slap in the leg from Linda. He held his hands out in front of himself, putting on his best face of innocence, but Linda knew him well enough not to buy into it. "I'm only trying to help her."

"I know you are, and I appreciate it, but haven't you ever heard of live and let live?" Stephanie asked. "When I'm at work, I do everything the way you want it, but when you're in my house, at least give me enough respect as your daughter to let me call the shots for myself. Even if you're only feigning your trust in my decisions, do it for me."

"Bring me up to meet these people then," Vince requested.

Linda smiled in encouragement, patting Vince's back for a job well done, but her lips fell into a flat line when she noticed the unsettled look in Stephanie's eyes. While Vince rose, Stephanie stumbled to the bottom of the staircase, reaching her arms out to form her own human barricade. She wanted to be thrilled with her dad's attempts at reaching out and getting to know those she had made her honorary extended family members, but he couldn't see Chris. It simply wasn't an option. Chances were, at some point, Chris would run into Vince at work, and if he was recognized, it would become clear Stephanie hired him under her own father's nose.

The situation might turn out to be something they would laugh about in the future, but, for the time being, Chris's job security depended on Stephanie keeping his employment with the WWE under her father's ever powerful radar. She wouldn't put it past him to go so far as to fire Chris on the spot, just to make a point about his power and to remind Stephanie not to dare challenge him again. Vince's eyes swam in a sea of confusion as he tried to sidestep Stephanie and was effectively cut off by her at every attempt. If the ease with which she welcomed strangers into her home hadn't perplexed him enough, the mixed signals she was sending certainly had.

"Let me get this straight," Vince cleared his throat exaggeratedly, shoving a hand in his right pocket and turning his car keys over with a jolly jingle. "First, you want me to get to know your friends, or whoever they are to you, and now you won't even let me up the stairs? Am I missing something here?"

"I do want you to meet them, but now isn't really a good time. Tomorrow's going to be a busy Monday, and they're all sorting through clothes with my stylist right now so...yeah, it's a mess up there. Looks like a tornado ripped through the place," she said, a stunted laugh escaping her. The false ring it held made her cringe, and Stephanie knew, without a doubt, Vince detected the insincerity, too. A gleam formed in his eyes, the kind that only surfaced when he was putting his detective hat on to solve a case, but this was one mystery Stephanie wasn't going to give him the slightest chance at cracking. "I'm probably going to head up and take a nap soon. I don't mean to push you guys out the door, but I'll come visit with you later in the week at your place."

"It's almost evening. Why take a nap this late?" Vince questioned.

Stephanie covered her mouth, acting out a yawn before stretching her hands upward. "I'm really tired, that's all. Besides, the early bird gets the worm."

Her unusual behavior caught the attention of Linda, whose expression was a mixture of a deep frown fused with a curious smile. She shook her head in amusement, stepping forward to give Stephanie a parting hug. "We should be going anyway. We're heading out to tomorrow night's show in a few hours, and you're welcome to meet us at the airport to ride on the jet if you want to."

"I think I'll take you up on that offer," Stephanie nodded. "Are we leaving around eight or so?"

"Somewhere around that time," Linda confirmed. "I'll give you a call and let you know when to start getting ready."

"That's right, so make sure you're all packed before your," — Vince made air quotes — "nap."

"Stop it," Linda shushed, grabbing Vince by the hand and leading him to the front door. As calm a woman as she was, Linda never feared stepping up and putting her husband in check. He may have had his employees wandering around backstage and cowering in fear at the slightest glance in his direction, but she was the pure antithesis to those people. As she opened the front door, Stephanie heard Linda whisper to Vince, "Lay off of the poor girl."

Stephanie bid them adieu and shut the door, whirling around and pressing her back against the bluntly cold wood as she breathed a sigh of relief. For at least a little while, she was in the clear. Monday came and went, and she felt awful for missing the excitement of Graham's first day of school in Connecticut, but she'd left with a promise from him that he would tell her all about it. Work was work, and she couldn't have made it so far in the wrestling business without feeling a genuine love for it, but her heart was with the people closest to her. Thoughts of Amanda and Caylie, Chris and Graham, her parents and Shane, and everyone else in between flitted through her mind for the duration of her absence.

Skipping right over the Smackdown taping, as she and Vince often did, Stephanie returned home Tuesday morning, dropping her work bags and briefcase at the foot of the stairs with a loud thud, as she turned on the first light switch she came to in the living room. The house was tidier than when she last saw it, having left plenty of items in disarray in her mad scramble to reach the airport on time Sunday evening, which made her even more thankful for the full week ahead. She would still be expected to show up for work at Titan Towers, but there was a wider span of relaxation time when she was home, and she milked it for all it was worth. Kicking her shoes off at the foot of the stairs before lugging her bags up, Stephanie glided into her bedroom without making a peep...or so she thought.

Chris poked his inquisitive head out of his bedroom door and sent her a smile and wave. He had been readying himself for work that morning when he made out a set of light footsteps sweeping past his door, a patter which he had assumed could only be from one person. His hair was slick with pomade, and he worked his fingers through the kinks while stepping out into the hallway to give Stephanie a more proper greeting. "Hey, welcome back. We missed you around here yesterday."

"That's really kind of you to say," she smiled, albeit sleepily. Stephanie plopped her bags on the floor and perched on the edge of her bed, toes seeping into the fleecy carpet below as she ran the balls of her feet over the immediate area. "I thought about you guys so much. I was hoping everything was going well here," she said, following that with a light wave of her hand. "You can come in."

"Got a mirror I can use in here?" Chris asked, stepping into the expanse of her most private chambers. He flashed her a shot of the goo stuck to his hands. "I don't mean to be vain, but I've got to finish my hair before it dries too much for me to style it."

"Go right ahead," she pointed across the room at her vanity set, a wooden stool standing on curved legs and leading the way to her wide oval table, completed by a large mirror propped on the back ledge.

A vase of fresh daisies resided on the top ledge, and Chris couldn't help but think her bedroom didn't accurately depict whom he thought her to be. Something about the flashy aura of it all seemed too high maintenance for Stephanie, but he also didn't know her well and could have been blind to the more exquisite sides of her. Her palms sank into the silk sheets lining her mattress as she leaned back to watch him while he took a seat. She caught Chris turning around to sneak a peek at her, and he blushed royally, looking away immediately in an attempt to hide what Stephanie was already keenly aware of.

Whenever they shared space, his eyes always drifted to Stephanie. Oftentimes, he admired her when he was certain she couldn't be paying attention, too bogged down by various distractions, but, when he'd least expect it, she would raise her gaze to meet his and smile that knowing smile. It was the smile that told him he had been caught red-handed one too many times. He hoped she found his watchful eyes endearing rather than off-putting, and seeing as how Stephanie could find the positive in any situation, he didn't doubt she had let him off the hook for his incessant ogling of her. She wouldn't have invited him into her house, nor her bedroom, had she thought any differently.

"You're looking quite dapper this morning," her voice cut through his thoughts as she nodded in his direction. Chris glanced down at his business suit, the same one Stephanie had footed the bill to have specifically tailored to his body, and sent her a winning smile.

"It's only thanks to you."

"All I want is to help."

"You've helped more than you could ever possibly know."

"Then I'm glad," she said, cupping her mouth to conceal a long yawn. Being up all night on Monday for the show, while subsequently remaining awake during the flight home, had taken its toll, and Stephanie's droopy eyelids leveled with her pupils, threatening to overtake them completely at a moment's notice. The final remnants of her yawn entwined themselves into her speech as she lazed through her next words. "How was Graham's first day of school?"

"He loved it," Chris laughed, perfecting the spiking effect with his hair in the process. "He told me a bunch of stories about his day, but he made me promise not to tell you, because he wants to be the one to do it first."

"I can't wait to hear."

"I won't let him completely talk your ear off, so don't worry."

"No, it's fine. I love kids, and it doesn't bother me at all when they turn all Chatty Cathy. I think it's super cute, actually," she admitted, lowering herself to her back.

Chris peeked at her resting form through the reflection cast in the mirror, a flood of disappointment churning in the pit of his stomach. He knew it was selfish to expect Stephanie to go to work with him when she had only just returned home from the road minutes before, but he couldn't help wanting her near. "I take it you're not going to work with me today."

"I'll be in later this afternoon...have to...sleep first," she mumbled, eyes fluttering as she struggled to fight against her impending doze. Chris put the finishing touches on his hair and admired his work, smoothing his suit jacket for good measure. "Take one of my cars...whichever you like. Keys are downstairs."

"No, I couldn't do that," he objected. "I'm fine with taking my own. Besides, being in your car won't be nearly as much fun without you in it."

Chris flashed a grin, spinning around to catch her reaction, but what he found, instead, zapped the air straight out of his lungs. Rich brown hair framing her softened features, soft pink lips slightly puckered as even breaths sailed through the crack in between, easy rise and fall of her chest. Chris thought her to be stunning when awake, but he hadn't known the true mark of beauty until he saw her there, sweet and vulnerable, as she slept her exhaustion away. He hadn't registered that he was walking until, suddenly, he found himself on the side of her bed and, even then, he wasn't entirely certain how he had gotten there.

His brain failed to link his actions to his thoughts, yet again, when he felt the palm of his hand fall gently on top of hers, engulfing her fingers and enveloping them in his own. He zeroed in on her cheek, licking his lips as he leaned over in anticipation of the way they would feel pressed to her awaiting cheek. His breathing grew heavy with longing, his mouth only mere inches from hers, when something clicked inside of him and he pulled away bashfully. Chris rubbed the back of his neck as a distraction for his embarrassment, thankful Stephanie hadn't been awake to see him almost make a total fool of himself.

She didn't have feelings for him and, if she did, they weren't the kind he would have wished for. Stephanie was helping him and Graham so they wouldn't be forced into a life of pain, and Chris felt silly for thinking her efforts could ever grow to be anything more than that. Stephanie was in a league of her own and likely outclassed Chris in every single way. To set himself up for failure by reaching for a woman so far out of his league would only hurt Graham in the end. If he took his impulses too far and Stephanie kicked him out of her house as a result, Chris would have to answer to Graham about why they had to find someplace else to go, and he couldn't manage such a thing. He was determined never to be on the streets with his son again.

Chris scurried out of the room, tossing a final look over his shoulder at Stephanie when he reached the doorway, before rapping softly at Graham's bedroom door to wake him up so they could start their routine of getting him ready for the school day. As they ate breakfast downstairs and Chris sipped at a cup of coffee, he thought back to Stephanie's offer before she fell away, and, for a short moment, he considered taking her up on the offer to drive one of her vehicles for the day. The lap of luxury was a temptation difficult, if not impossible, to shy away from, and he would have loved to experience the posh side of life. He mulled it over, smiling at Graham when their eyes met. When breakfast was complete, they thanked Sara for cooking such a wonderful morning meal and headed out the door in tandem to get to their school and place of employment, respectively.

In the end, Chris drove his own rusted, overworked car that had been hauled in from Winnipeg. It was familiar.

Familiar, like Stephanie was becoming.