A/N: Whew, 50 chapters, I did not think this story would go this long, I'm not even sure how I wanted to end this story at all to be honest. I guess I'll just see where this takes me. Thanks to everyone who's stuck with this story and for all the reviews, very grateful, hope you enjoy the chapter. :)


"I still can't believe you actually want me to go through with this."

"There's not much to it, really," Stephanie shrugged as she concentrated on painting her pinky nail. "You just pretend like you're going to show her a wrestling move and I walk in, simple as that."

"I don't really want her skanky hands all over me," he said in distaste, shuddering for comedic effect. She laughed at him, but he just looked at her. He couldn't help it though, when her eyes danced like that, he was simply forced to laugh along with her. He walked over to where she was sitting on the bed and leaned down to kiss her. "What if she tries something? What if she tries to slip her hand down my pants or something?"

"Then I'll kill the skinny bitch," Stephanie said in a bright tone, but behind it was malice enough to carry out her thoughtless plan. Chris backed away slowly, holding his hands up in surrender. Stephanie laughed again and moved onto another finger. "The cameras will be there, I doubt she'll be trying anything like that."

"I think you underestimate how much of a slut she is," Chris said, "I mean, we're pretty sure she's sleeping with your brother, right?"

"Don't get me started, Chris," Stephanie said, "because that thought it just disgusting, and I'd rather not think about who or who isn't sleeping with my brother."

"I'm just saying, she has to be, I wouldn't be surprised if she went…no, you know what, I'm not even going to go there."

"Go where?" she asked. "Where were you going?"

"Nothing, nowhere," Chris backed out of the room and into the bathroom. "I'm just going to go in here and I don't know, take a shower or something like that."

"Get your butt back in here," Stephanie said, crooking her finger at him. Chris slowly walked back into the room, "where is your head at, Mr. Jericho?"

"I'm just thinking, and please don't hate me for this, what if…what if it's not just…well, what if it's not just your brother she's sleeping with…"

"Oh, eww, Chris," Stephanie gagged, "That's disgusting, but my father wouldn't do that, at least not now, not after everything that happened with my mother and before…he wouldn't…it just wouldn't make sense either, with him being at home."

"Okay, okay, I was just commenting on how slutty Trish is, I wouldn't put it past her to try," Chris said, "hell, I almost wouldn't put it past her to try and sleep with you since you're the one running the show now."

"She's not my type," Stephanie joked.

"Are you sure? You do seem to be into long-haired blondes," he told her, smirking as he winked at her. Stephanie pretended to weigh her options.

"You know something, you may be right," Stephanie nodded slowly, "I guess I might go try that, I never did get a chance to explore my wild oats in college, what with all the sex I wasn't having."

"No, you're not getting out of my sights," he said, flopping next to her on the bed, making her squeal as she pulled the nail polish brush from her hand. He ran his hand up an down her thigh, leaning over to kiss the bare skin of her leg.

"So possessive," she told him.

"Well, yes, because I love you, and because your brother is trying so desperately to screw you over, and I'm not going to let that happen. I'll be damned if I let that dick take over what is rightfully yours," Chris told her fiercely and she loved him just a little bit more for that. It deserved another kiss so she leaned over and gave him one. "Thank you, but are you sure you want me to go through with this Trish plan?"

"Of course I do, it's not like I don't trust you," she told him with a casual shrug of her shoulder. "I think my brother will eat it up too. He'll absolutely think that everything is not as cozy as we're projecting it to be, it really is the perfect plan, kill two birds with one stone."

"How would it kill Trish so to speak?" he wondered. "She'll think she got one over on you."

"Good, I hope she does think that," Stephanie told him. "I hope she thinks she has you right where she wants you. That'll make it all the more sweet when we catch her."

"I like you when you're vicious, it suits you," he told her, "I knew it the moment I saw you, you know. I knew you would be this challenge. You tried to act all innocent, just sitting there, reading your book, like you were some studious, perfect angel, but all it took was a few words and the real you came out."

"You pissed me off, thinking you were God's gift to the company," she rolled her eyes. Chris leaned up and kissed her on the cheek, making her smile slightly.

"Wasn't I though?" he asked her softly.

"Don't get cocky again," she told him, "besides, I can see where you want this to lead, but it's nearing noon and we've got to get to the show early today. We run the place now, if weren't not the first people there, it reflects badly on us."

"Since when?"

"Since I'm not in the mood to tumble into bed with you," she said, getting up and walking into the bathroom, sticking her tongue out before closing the door on Chris. He could hear her laughing through the door and he smiled to himself. He didn't want to brag, but he couldn't see her being this happy with Andrew. He didn't think that guy could ever really make her happy, not like this.

He carried that thought with him when they got to the arena. They "pretended" to put on a happy façade when they walked in, holding hands, but they put on the phoniest smiles they could, smiles that looked so fake someone could spot them like a bad toupee. This way, people thought they were faking their closeness belying the cracking veneer of their relationship. Every now and again, Chris would squeeze Stephanie's hand, just to let her know he loved her and she would squeeze it right back.

When they got to their locker room, they staged a mini-fight, just loud enough that anyone passing by could hear them. They acted like Stephanie forgot to pack Chris's wrist tape while he got mad at her. If people were indeed hearing them, they expected the news of their fight to pass like wildfire through the backstage area, eventually getting to Shane, lulling him once again into a false sense of security with his plan.

Next, Chris had to execute phase two of their dastardly plan. He left Stephanie with a kiss before wandering the hallways trying to look for Trish. He came across Trish's locker room and knocked tentatively, looking around nervously like he didn't want to be caught here. Trish answered the door a second later, scowling, but then relenting when she saw it was Chris. Chris noticed she actually started to stick her chest out and he was forced to hold in laughter at her unsubtle behavior. She was so obvious. Stephanie was so sexy without even trying, but Trish had to practically force her breasts in his face.

"Chris, hey, I wasn't expecting to see you," Trish told him, "this is a nice surprise."

"Yeah, I figured you'd like it," he winked at her, trying to act as smarmy as possible.

"I do," she flirted back. "What did you need?"

"I was actually thinking about those wrestling lessons you wanted," he leaned in the doorway. "I know you want to improve and I really have to commend you on that. I wanted to offer my…services to you."

"Services?" she asked, biting her lip in what she must think was a sexy way, but it looked too staged and obvious. Maybe everything about this girl was just that obvious.

"Yeah, I was hoping I could show you a few moves," Chris leaned in a little closer to her, "you know, some holds, take-downs, maybe even some pins."

He knew he was laying it on thick and it was almost hysterical to him that she was buying this. How dense did she have to be not to see through him? This was not how he acted, not anymore, but she'd never known this part of him. Before Stephanie, he might have tried to act suave, like he knew what he was doing, but he didn't. Now with Stephanie, he didn't have to try to impress women anymore, he had a woman who loved him, weirdness and all.

"I would love that," she said breathily, "when can we start?"

"Stephanie has a lot of work to do, so once the show starts, why don't you come to her office and we can get started," he told her, thinking about how surprised she was going to be when all he offered her were actual wrestling moves. He could see the wheels turning in her head, probably thinking about what positions she wanted him in.

"I'll definitely be there," Trish said, "wild horses couldn't keep me away, but…uh, what about Stephanie, don't you think she'd mind?"

"Whatever, she'll be busy, she won't even know," Chris scoffed. "Believe me, I know what I'm doing."

"Then I'll see you later," Trish brushed her hand along his shoulder. "See you, Chris."

"Later, Trish," Chris winked at her one more time, just to seem extra smarmy to her before he went back to his locker room, thinking about his job well done.

As soon as Chris was out of her eyesight (she was peeking through the door at his back), Trish raced to Shane's office, throwing it open and then stopping short when she saw him on the phone. He looked at her, annoyed she would just barge in like that. Trish waved her hands at him, telling him to get off the line, but he still took a few minutes.

"What is it?" he asked irritably. "I thought I told you to take a hike last week when you couldn't deliver."

"Well, I just came to tell you that you're wrong, so wrong," Trish told him defiantly. She wasn't going to take Shane's crap anymore. Chris wanted her, and when this was all over, she was going to have him. Stephanie would be back where she belonged and Chris would want her, and rightfully so, Trish knew she was so much prettier and sexier than Stephanie McMahon.

"What are you talking about?"

"Chris and I," Trish said, "well, we are going to be meeting later where he's going to teach me some wrestling, if you know what I mean."

"Wait, he said he was going to sleep with you?" Shane asked, his eyes brightening instantaneously.

"No, not in so many words, but believe me, he wants me. Things aren't great with Stephanie, he didn't even care what she thought about it. Plus, he wants to meet me when Stephanie isn't around. He probably wants her out of his life. This is the opening I was looking for and he took it. Now…I believe someone didn't want me around anymore because I was ruining the plan."

"What do you want?" Shane asked.

"I want what I had coming to me," Trish said. She knew there was a part of Shane that really liked her and, hey, if she could have Shane and Chris at the same time, there was nothing wrong with that. Shane could give her things Chris couldn't and why not take advantage of that while she could.

"You want back in then?"

"If not, I'm not going to do a damn thing with Chris," Trish lied because whether Shane took her back or not, she was going to have Chris. "Then Stephanie will stay with him and she'll never be under your thumb again, and you'll have to answer to your baby sister for the rest of your life."

"Fine, fine, fine, you win," he said, standing up from his chair and walking over to her, cupping her cheek. "You know you drive a hard bargain, Miss Stratus."

"I just get what I want, Shane," she leaned up to brush her lips against his. "Everything I want."

"You're not getting everything you want until you deliver, really deliver, do you understand?"

"Don't worry, I've got a date with Chris and I have a feeling it'll be a good one."