Chapter 20:

May 21, 2001

"You did it!" Soraya jumped up and down with excitement as Chris Benoit slid out of the ring and hugged her tightly.

With several mishaps and close calls, Chris Benoit and Chris Jericho had defeated the Two Man Power Trip for the World Tag Team titles. Stone Cold Steve Austin, Triple H and Stephanie McMahon glared at the new champions, as they celebrated on the ramp. Both Benoit and Jericho held up their newly won gold triumphantly to taunt them. They had once held all the gold and now only Austin held his precious WWF title.

Soraya ducked under Benoit's arm to hug Jericho as well. Over the past few months, she had been recovering from her break-up with the Undertaker. Thanks to the two men she stood with, she had been doing just fine. Benoit had made her his valet in February, which had propelled her forward and her friendship with Jericho grew as the two men teamed up to rebel against Triple H and Austin.

Since April, her feud with Trish Stratus had been put temporarily on hold, while Soraya took a stance against the middle McMahon child. Soraya had never had any personal issues with Stephanie McMahon before. They had once been a part of the Union together when Stephanie had been dating Test, but when she tried to interfere in the matching leading up to this title match, Soraya had been forced to get involved.

"Take that assclowns!" Jericho crowed with one arm around Soraya and the other holding up his title belt. "Not so smug now are you, hoebag?"

Benoit didn't say anything. He just smiled as he looked down at the belt he held in his hands. When Austin and Triple H had started screwing people out of opportunities and championship gold, he had wanted to put a stop to it and now he had. He had picked the best in teammates too, he thought as he looked over at Jericho and Soraya, who were grinning like fools. It wasn't over, not by a long shot, but it was a hell of a start to a new team.

Soraya's green eyes turned to him and he was thrilled to see joy sparkling in them. Just last month she had undergone surgery to remove the tumor that caused her cancer. They were hoping and praying it would be enough. To see her so genuinely happy at the moment, he couldn't believe otherwise.

He reached out for her again, and she slid under his arm with ease. "This is just the beginning for us, Ray." He promised her. "We're getting in the fast lane now, all three of us."

"It's not over though." She pointed out. "They'll retaliate."

"I think Triple H is out." Jericho shook his head. "He's not getting up. I think we're in the clear for now."

May 24, 2001

Sometimes I feel I've got to
Run away I've got to
Get away
From the pain that you drive into the heart of me
The love we share
Seems to go nowhere
And I've lost my light
For I toss and turn I can't sleep at night
Once I ran to you (I ran)
Now I'll run from you
This tainted love you've given
I give you all a boy could give you
Take my tears and that's not nearly all
Oh...tainted love
Tainted love

The crowd exploded in an enormous pop, as Marilyn Manson's "Tainted Love" hit the airwaves. The Pittsburgh blonde appeared on the stage with a smile on her face as she blew kisses to the fans, before marching down the ramp. It was her second appearance of the night, having come out with Benoit earlier for his match.

She slid into the ring and laid in wait for Trish. She was going to put this issue behind her once and for all. She still loved Mark and it pained her that she did, but she couldn't move on with Trish constantly throwing that fact in her face. So Soraya was going to shut the Canadian bitch for the last time.

As Trish's sexy entrance theme hit the speakers, the crowd was almost evenly split as to whether they cheered for the busty beauty or jeered her for all she had done to the other Divas. Besides Soraya, Trish had been inserting herself into the Lita and Matt Hardy relationship. Once a scheming homewrecker, always a scheming homewrecker in Soraya's mind.

Trish removed her cowboy hat and leather duster before entering the ring. She smirked wickedly at Soraya. "Heard your boys won themselves some gold, did you have to sleep with

Austin and Triple H for them to do so?"

Soraya rolled her eyes. "That the best you can come up with, Stratus? Honestly, if you're going to insult someone, at least be original."

Trish's eyes narrowed. "I won't need to once I'm through kicking your ass."

Soraya scoffed. "Keep dreaming, honey. I've got your number and you know it. This is just my way of saying, would you please…shut the hell up!"

Earl Hebner called for the bell and the two women locked up in the center of the ring. Soraya would go on to defeat Trish once again, but still it didn't stop the snide backstage comments from the Canadian.

June 2001

"Hey Boss." Soraya greeted Jessica McMahon, as she entered the backstage area. The youngest McMahon had just dropped a bomb on her father, brother and her sister.

Shane and Stephanie McMahon had just purchased WCW and ECW to combine them in an effort to destroy what their father had built, the WWF. There was panic about who would have picked up the shares of the WWF that the two spoiled siblings had sold, but they needn't have worried. Jessica had been aware and bought her siblings shares in the company. She now owned seventy five percent of the company.

"Hey." Jessica grinned with pleasure. "I think I just made them nervous."

"Hell yeah you did. And, you just made sure that the Alliance of ECWCW doesn't stand a chance." Soraya assured her friend.

"How so?" Jessica raised an eyebrow, a trait she had picked up from her long time friend, the Rock.

"Your father has made his fair share of enemies over the years, Jess. Some of the wrestlers might consider defecting because of it, but you're one of us. You go out there sweat and fight for what you want." Soraya shrugged. "That means most of us, will be more than willing to fight for you and this company."

"Well at least I know you and Rock have my back." Jess beamed. "We're going to raise some hell."

"Damn straight we are." Soraya nodded in agreement. "The Alliance is going down. The WWF is still in business for a reason, it's because we're the best. Now, we just have to prove it once again."

"Like you said, since my father isn't calling the shots anymore, we will." Jessica looked to the monitor with determination on her face. "We're still going to be invaded by the WCW and ECW superstars though."

Soraya smirked. "Some of us have unfinished business there."

Jessica looked back over at her friend with a knowing look. "Billy Kidman and Torrie Wilson?"

"Let's just say he'll be surprised to see how much I've changed." Soraya laughed. "I'm not that shy little girl anymore."

A/N: Here's what a lot of you have been waiting for, Invasion. Now Undertaker, Sara and Trish aren't out of the picture, but now we're adding former flames to the mix. Stay tuned, things are about to get really hot.

68 Stones from a Broken Heart: haha yeah…bitch deserved it

Asher02: I'm so glad you like it.

Alkira Sonoma: Well, they're going to have to put their difference aside for Invasion.

Aaron: I'll definitely keep that in mind. I'm awful with nicknames. Hales and Ray were the best I came up with lol. There will definitely be more of Ray and Jess as a tag team in the coming chapters.

Foreverafan15: Well, they're going to have to put their differences aside to work together in the coming months.

Xinnlagjin: haha…thank you very much.

Pinktink79: haha and let's just bring Billy and Torrie in for fun.

Awprncss4386: haha…well here it is.

Jewelgirl04: haha be prepared for more Jess and Soraya tag team action during the Invasion storyline. And I love Billy Gunn, it's a shame he's on TNA in my opinion and he has a stupid stage name there.

I luv Drama and Jeff Hardy: I would love if that were the case. The night he won the tag team titles with Jericho and they were champions was simply awesome. I refuse to believe he'd be so evil. It just doesn't add up to me.