After a very enjoyable lunch everyone had headed out into the garden and sat around the huge table Vince had out there. The kids were having a great time tearing around the place, playing all kinds of games. The women shared a bottle of wine but there was no alcohol for the men, Paul and Shane had to drive home later and Vince did not like to drink.

Nikki was having the nicest time she could remember, everyone was so friendly and the conversation seemed to flow naturally even though she had only just met Shane and Marissa. When there was break in the conversation Stephanie said, "Actually whilst we are all together there was something me and Nikki wanted to talk to you guys about."

Nikki had not exactly forgotten about it but it had drifted from her mind. She drained her glass of wine as Stephanie continued, "Here's the thing. I got a call a few days ago and, well it seems that the trial against John Cena is going to collapse."

No one said anything. After a long pause Paul said, "Why?"

Stephanie shook her head sadly, "I don't know, some crap about my statement not being useable because of my mental state at the time and the fact that I admitted that... my first statement wasn't one hundred percent accurate. As nobody else actually witnessed anything it's pretty much dead in the water."

Shane was angry, "Wait a minute, are you trying to tell me that cock sucker is going to walk?"

Marissa warned him crossly, "Shane! The kids will hear you."

"Sorry, but you can't be serious?"

Stephanie confirmed, "Sadly I am."

Shane stood up and exploded, "I'll kill the prick!"

Paul stepped in, "Sit down Shane, please. Let Stephanie say what she's trying to say."

Stephanie looked at Nikki, "Actually Nikki could you..."

Nikki nodded, "Of course. Stephanie told me about this the other day and..."

Paul cut her off as he demanded of Stephanie, "You told her before you told me? What are you thinking?"

Nikki spoke before Stephanie could, "Don't get on to her Paul, I forced it out of her to be honest. What I was about to say was I went to visit John yesterday."

Vince nearly yelled, "You what?"

Nikki closed her eyes, "Guys can we do more than one sentence per interruption?" They all mumbled apologies and she continued, "John wants the same thing that everyone here wants, especially Steph. He wants to put this whole mess behind him."

Shane mumbled, "I'll put it behind him, let me visit him and I'll put it behind him."

Marissa growled at him, "Shut up will you, for god's sake."

Nikki continued, "So what we've agreed is that when, if, John gets out he and Steph are going to meet and put their differences aside."

All three men said the same thing at the same time which would have been comical under other circumstances, "The hell you are." They all stared at Stephanie as if expecting that she would provide some kind of counter argument but it was Nikki who continued, "Yes, she is. We're going to meet him somewhere public. That's right, I'm going with her."

Paul shook his head, "No way Steph, you can't go near that guy."

Stephanie pleaded with him and everyone else, "If all he wants to put this behind us is for me to meet him and give him my word that I'll put this behind me then that's what I'm going to do. I'm doing it with or without your support guys but with would be a lot better."

There was silence now as everyone considered it. They all knew that after what Stephanie had just said that she would not change her mind. Eventually Paul asked, "Shane? Vince?" They both nodded and Paul said, "Okay we'll not try to stop you but there's something that I'm not going to take no for an answer on."

Stephanie asked, "What's that?"

"You're going to take a guy from security with you. Nikki you're going to meet John first and the security guy will follow you and sit nearby. Only when you're happy that John isn't going to try anything will you call Steph and tell her to meet with you. Is that understood?"

Stephanie nodded, "Absolutely, I like that. Nikki?"

Nikki nodded. The plan was made.