You can all thank Nicole that the rest of this fic is gonna be posted within the next 24 hours. She thinks it should all be read at once, like a book. LOL

This chapter wasn't originally included, I wrote it just now so that these things weren't left hanging. So now this fic ends at ch. 32. Le sigh! Enjoy!


Hunter twisted his lip as he glanced over at Stephanie sitting at the bar of the kitchen. Her hands were clasped in front of her and her head was tilted down. She'd taken her hair out of the ponytail and it fell in soft waves around her face.

Glancing up at her every couple of seconds, he stirred the chocolate mix into the hot water before dropping a few mini marshmallow's into it. She loved hot chocolate for its soothing warmth and sweet flavor. It always helped her when she was sad.

Not wanting to startle Stephanie, he walked slowly and sat the mug down in front of her.

Stephanie looked up at him. The expression on her face practically broke his heart. She looked like a little girl who lost everything she loved all at once. "Thank you," she said softly and reached out for the steaming hot cup, blowing at it with disinterest.

She'd been like this ever since they returned from therapy. Quiet, distant, staring at her hands. What she found out today had stripped something very dear away from her, even though she felt that the knowledge was empowering.

It was the memories that were putting that haunted look on her face. One minute she'd be with him, coping...and the next she'd get this faraway look in her eyes as she went to pieces over whatever scene that had just played out for her.

It was killing him that he couldn't protect her from the pain. Not this time; not this kind. It wasn't in his nature to sit back and do nothing. He needed some sort of task or assignment. Even if it was just to put an arm around her while she wept. Even if it was to tell her that she was amazing; the bravest and best person he'd ever known. That was the God's honest truth so it's not like it'd be difficult to say it.

Hunter sighed and reached his fingers out to lift her chin. "Talk to me, Steph. What can I do?"

The lost little girl shook her head sadly, blinking back a fresh wave of tears.

Determined not to let her shut him out, he persisted. "There has to be something. Even if it seems small and is just holding your hand."

Stephanie shook her head again and sat the mug down. "Hunter I...you shouldn't be here."

Startled, he widened his eyes and took a step back to stand up straight. His arms dangled at his sides loosely. "What?"

She bit down on her lip. "You shouldn't be mixed up in my mess. I did this shit to myself," she told him.

Anger coursed through every vein and radiated through every single pore. She had gotten over the denial stage in therapy today. Now it seemed that she'd entered the guilt phase. She was blaming herself for what happened to her. Because it was easier to take false responsibility than to accept that something was totally out of your control. To admit that you'd been totally helpless.

"That's bullshit!" He told her, not caring how harsh his tone was. He'd be damned if he let her do this to herself. "It's complete crap! The only thing you did was defend yourself, Stephanie. What happened wasn't your fault."

"Yes it was!" She disagreed. On the car ride over, she'd mulled over the situation in her head. All day long her father had tried to prepare her to meet his investor. He was a very important person; someone necessary to the WWF getting off the ground. She'd been given an assignment; to do as the man asked. A good daughter would have obeyed her father. And she hadn't. She'd resisted and it had gotten her hurt. It got others hurt, also. "I was disobedient. I didn't listen to my father. If I'd listened that wouldn't have happened! Reynolds wouldn't have hurt me."

"Your father is a fucking idiot!" Hunter yelled. "He's such a pathetic human being that he doesn't deserve to breathe the same air as you." Hunter clenched his hands. "When I get my hands on him, he'll be lucky if he's able to breathe at all," he seethed lowly. If she kept blaming herself, he was going to need to destroy something. He'd make sure he was far from her when it happened...but he'd have to smash, clench or throw whatever was in his path to let out the aggression.

Hunter took a deep breath and walked around to her side of the island. He sat down on the bar stool next to her and literally spun her chair around so that she was facing him. "You're strong, Steph. And beautiful inside and out. No one is responsible for what happened except for them. You did nothing wrong. You hear me? You were an innocent child."

Stephanie blinked rapidly but wasn't able to stop the tears from falling. "I'm not innocent, Hunter! Look at my fucking hands!" She held them up for him to see even though she logically knew nothing was there. "Look what I've done!"

He grabbed her hands and placed them on his shoulders. Stephanie looked down instead of at him. But that was fine, as long as she was listening. "You did what you had to, to protect yourself. You could have and in my opinion should have done more to those assholes. But you didn't, because you're too good of a person for that. You were too good to hurt them as much as they hurt you."

Against his shoulders, she moved her fingers around and finally clutched at his shirt a little bit. "You...you really think so?" She asked softly, looking up at him again.

"I know so," he said with a gentle smile. He used his thumbs to wipe away her tears. His hazel eyes scanned her watery blue ones, noticing that his words were having an effect on her. "Don't you ever blame yourself for this again, baby."

Stephanie nodded and sniffled.

"Now as for your thoughts that I shouldn't be here? There's nowhere else I'd rather be. I know I messed up before, but I meant it when I promised I wouldn't abandon you. I'm not going anywhere," he said seriously.

A raised eyebrow was her initial reply. She believed him. So far he was the glue holding her together. He saw right through her and picked her up when she beat herself down over this.

But he was wrong, if he planned not to leave her side. "Yes you are going somewhere," she disagreed.

"The hell I am! You stay, I stay. That's the way it works."

Stephanie cracked a smile. His determination warmed her insides. That she really did have someone that she could trust with her feelings. With her deepest, darkest secrets and fears. With her heart.

It was only four in the afternoon. They had plenty of time. She didn't care what the cost was; but this had to be done. And it had to be done today. "We're not staying. We're going to Greenwich and I'm going to see Vince."

Hunter was shocked, but he wouldn't bother telling her what not to do. Unless she started talking nonsense like earlier, he'd give her whatever she wanted. He stood up from the bar stool, pulling her up along with him. "Guess you better put a dent in that cocoa and I better get to packing," he suggested lightly.


The most revealing part of the story was definitely ch. 28. But don't worry, there's more secrets to come tumbling out! Stay tuned!