Raw: Monday, May 14th 2001
Shane plopped onto a couch next to Stephanie. "Hey sis," he said affectionately. The McMahon family had been able to bond over the past two weeks, and Shane knew they had never been closer. He and Vince had gone to the ring together on Smackdown the week before to report on Stephanie's condition and to say they no longer were trying to destroy each other...though they did agree to disagree as far as tactics went. Linda and Vince had decided to go on a second honeymoon of sorts to see if they could find a way to make their marriage again. Everyone spent as much time as they could looking over Stephanie.
"Hey Shane-O," Stephanie said, leaning against the leather couch. "It's nice to be back."
"Are you sure about what you are doing tonight?" Shane asked, knowing she was about to make the biggest mistake of her life.
"I can't keep hurting Chris Shane," Stephanie said. "I can't be the reason he never finds real happiness. I need to do this. It would be harder if I thought I wouldn't have my family."
"Why do you think you are hurting Chris?" Shane asked. "It seems to me that he cares a lot for you. He flew to all of the tapings right before and flew back right after. He was nice to Vince for you. He...I don't know Steph. I think you should think about it a little longer."
"Maybe," Stephanie said. "You're facing Kurt tonight?"
"Yeah," Shane laughed. "He thinks after picking on Show, I should take on a real athlete."
"Kurt's good," Stephanie said. "He's been a good friend too. He helped Chris and I when we were sneaking around. How sad is it that we had to sneak around to be friends?"
"Not the greatest situation in the world," Shane agreed. "Can you talk to Hunter Steph?"
"Why?" Stephanie asked. She had avoided talking to everyone who had been her 'friends' during her marriage to HHH. "The divorce proceedings are already underway."
"Steph, he loves you," Shane said. "It may not be the kind of love you need or want, but I know you well enough that you will eventually feel guilty for stepping all over his feelings."
"So what am I supposed to talk to him about?" Stephanie asked.
"I don't know!" Shane exclaimed. "I've never been divorced now have I?"
"Okay, fine Shane," Stephanie muttered. "You're doing a great job convincing me I should talk to him."
"How about you two have to work together," Shane said, "and it might be easier on both of you if you try to work out any differences and keep from becoming bitter."
"Now that makes sense," Stephanie said. "Okay, I'll talk to him."
"I was hoping you'd say that," Shane said. He hopped from the couch and opened the door and let Hunter in.
"What's this all about Shane?" Hunter asked, seeing Stephanie sitting on the couch.
"Stephanie wanted to talk with you," Shane said. "Try to keep any bad blood from becoming overly bitter and all that. See ya!"
Stephanie shook her head after her brother. "He's so like Dad."
"How are you doing Stephanie?" Hunter asked, concern obvious in his voice and eyes. Stephanie felt herself soften a little.
"I'm fine Hunter," Stephanie said gently. "Nothing a little rest couldn't cure."
"I heard about the baby," Hunter said. "I'm so sorry."
Stephanie bit her lip. It still hurt to think that she had been pregnant and the baby would never be born. "Accidents happen."
"But it's my fault Steph!" HHH exclaimed. "I should have just let you be. But I had to pretend I was what you really wanted."
"It wasn't your fault Hunter," Stephanie said gently. "I should have let you take me from the ring. But I thought I knew better. It was an accident."
"You really don't blame me?" Hunter asked.
"I really don't," Stephanie said. "And you should stop blaming yourself too."
"I'll try," Hunter said. "Are you happy?"
"The jury is still out," Stephanie replied. "I want you to know that I did care for you Hunter. The only reason I left was the baby. If I hadn't gotten pregnant I don't know where I'd be right now."
"Now that I know you weren't really happy," Hunter said, "I wouldn't want to that to have happened. I want you Stephanie, but not if it means you are miserable."
"Thank you," Stephanie said. "I just think in the end we were too different. I tried to be different, but when you spend your whole life trying to be just like your mom, it's hard to be someone who is the total opposite."
"Steph!" Test called from the other side of the door. "It's almost time."
"Thanks Andrew," Stephanie said. "I'll be right there."
Stephanie stood up and smoothed her blue jeans. Hunter realized that she was wearing casual, modest clothing and very little make-up. "You look beautiful," Hunter said. "Never change."
"Thanks," Stephanie said, touching her ponytail self-consciously. "It was good talking to you."
"Friends, or at least promise to try?" Hunter asked, sticking out his hand.
Stephanie looked cautiously at him. She pushed aside his hand and gave him a hug. "A solemn promise to try. You aren't such a bad guy HHH."
"You should go," Hunter said.
Stephanie nodded as she stepped out of her door and accepted Test's arm. "He still doesn't know I'm here does he?"
"Nope," Andrew answered. "Shane will bring him out, just like you wanted."
"Thanks Andrew," Stephanie said. She waited for the "No Chance" music to sound before going out to the ring with Andrew. "Boy, this feels like old times."
"No kidding," Andrew said, grinning down at the woman who had once stolen his heart. Over the past couple of weeks, they had gotten a chance to become friends. They had been lovers and enemies, but now they were finally friends. "Kinda cool, huh?"
"Yeah," Stephanie agreed. "What is it about you Canadians? You make all the girls melt."
"Well, you make Chris melt too," Andrew answered. Shane was the only one who knew Stephanie was planning on cutting Jericho loose. Andrew assumed she was going to ask Jericho to marry her or something. "I did a fair amount of melting too."
Test helped Stephanie into the ring. She was visibly shaking. "Don't worry Steph, he loves you," Andrew assured her. Stephanie looked at her former fianc‚e in shock. "He does."
Stephanie took the microphone from Finkle and held it up to her mouth. "I wanted to come out here to thank all of you fans who have sent me get well cards and e-mails. I really appreciate your concern. As you can see I'm okay physically. The only bad thing is that I did lose my baby."
A chorus of concerned sounds filled the auditorium. "HHH and I have agreed to a divorce. And I want to thank Hunter for making this as easy as possible. I know some people blame him for what happened, but I just had a long talk with him and he knows I don't blame him. Accidents happen."
Suddenly Jericho's countdown clock sounded and his pyro went off. "I thought Shane knew when I wanted him to come out!" Stephanie said to Test. Test merely shrugged his shoulders.
Stephanie soon saw that Jericho was running to the ring and Shane was trailing after him. He must have heard the music and knew she was in the ring. "You should be resting!"
"I'm fine Chris!" Stephanie said. "I'm just making some announcements."
Chris' blue eyes were clouded with concern and something else. "You could have told me. I would have rather been out here with you than be shocked to death backstage."
"I'll let you know from now on," Stephanie said. She brought the microphone to her mouth again and said, "Many you have been wondering what will happen between Chris Jericho and I now that I am no longer pregnant with his child, and I have to admit I am wondering too."
"Steph," Jericho said. Shane went and got him a microphone.
"Here bro," Shane said. Jericho grinned. He liked the sound of that. "Steph, we don't need to do this right now."
"Yes we do," Stephanie said. "I am a big believer in mounting obstacles as soon as you meet them."
"Okay," Chris said. "Go ahead."
"I will admit that when I came down here I was going to tell Jericho I needed some time on my own," Stephanie said, "But-"
"No!!!" Jericho exclaimed along with the crowd.
"Will you please let me finish?" Stephanie asked. "I wasn't sure of myself and I didn't know how important I was to you. I still don't. But I realized that when you really love someone, you take risks, even if it means being alone in the end."
"What are you saying Steph?" Jericho asked.
Stephanie looked at the man in front of her. Outwardly he looked as dissimilar from her as Hunter had. He was wearing black leather pants and a glittery blue shirt. His long blond hair was caught in a folded over ponytail. She was wearing jeans and a WWF Attitude T-shirt. But she didn't care what Chris Jericho looked like; she cared about who he was.
"I'm saying that I'm in love with you," Stephanie said. "I think I've loved you since the night I came to see you in the hospital and you agreed to stop going after Hunter last summer."
Jericho stood in the ring in shock. "You just made all of my dreams come true," Jericho said.
"Not the nightmares I hope," Stephanie laughed.
"Nope, the best dreams," Jericho said, pulling Stephanie to him. He embraced her tightly. "I love you too Steph."
"Kiss her, kiss her," the crowd chanted. Stephanie looked at the crowd and then smiled up at him. "I think they want us to kiss."
"I don't mind making them happy," Jericho said, lightly caressing her cheek. His head descended as he caught her lips in a sweet, gentle kiss that promised more. Promised the whole world.
Shane plopped onto a couch next to Stephanie. "Hey sis," he said affectionately. The McMahon family had been able to bond over the past two weeks, and Shane knew they had never been closer. He and Vince had gone to the ring together on Smackdown the week before to report on Stephanie's condition and to say they no longer were trying to destroy each other...though they did agree to disagree as far as tactics went. Linda and Vince had decided to go on a second honeymoon of sorts to see if they could find a way to make their marriage again. Everyone spent as much time as they could looking over Stephanie.
"Hey Shane-O," Stephanie said, leaning against the leather couch. "It's nice to be back."
"Are you sure about what you are doing tonight?" Shane asked, knowing she was about to make the biggest mistake of her life.
"I can't keep hurting Chris Shane," Stephanie said. "I can't be the reason he never finds real happiness. I need to do this. It would be harder if I thought I wouldn't have my family."
"Why do you think you are hurting Chris?" Shane asked. "It seems to me that he cares a lot for you. He flew to all of the tapings right before and flew back right after. He was nice to Vince for you. He...I don't know Steph. I think you should think about it a little longer."
"Maybe," Stephanie said. "You're facing Kurt tonight?"
"Yeah," Shane laughed. "He thinks after picking on Show, I should take on a real athlete."
"Kurt's good," Stephanie said. "He's been a good friend too. He helped Chris and I when we were sneaking around. How sad is it that we had to sneak around to be friends?"
"Not the greatest situation in the world," Shane agreed. "Can you talk to Hunter Steph?"
"Why?" Stephanie asked. She had avoided talking to everyone who had been her 'friends' during her marriage to HHH. "The divorce proceedings are already underway."
"Steph, he loves you," Shane said. "It may not be the kind of love you need or want, but I know you well enough that you will eventually feel guilty for stepping all over his feelings."
"So what am I supposed to talk to him about?" Stephanie asked.
"I don't know!" Shane exclaimed. "I've never been divorced now have I?"
"Okay, fine Shane," Stephanie muttered. "You're doing a great job convincing me I should talk to him."
"How about you two have to work together," Shane said, "and it might be easier on both of you if you try to work out any differences and keep from becoming bitter."
"Now that makes sense," Stephanie said. "Okay, I'll talk to him."
"I was hoping you'd say that," Shane said. He hopped from the couch and opened the door and let Hunter in.
"What's this all about Shane?" Hunter asked, seeing Stephanie sitting on the couch.
"Stephanie wanted to talk with you," Shane said. "Try to keep any bad blood from becoming overly bitter and all that. See ya!"
Stephanie shook her head after her brother. "He's so like Dad."
"How are you doing Stephanie?" Hunter asked, concern obvious in his voice and eyes. Stephanie felt herself soften a little.
"I'm fine Hunter," Stephanie said gently. "Nothing a little rest couldn't cure."
"I heard about the baby," Hunter said. "I'm so sorry."
Stephanie bit her lip. It still hurt to think that she had been pregnant and the baby would never be born. "Accidents happen."
"But it's my fault Steph!" HHH exclaimed. "I should have just let you be. But I had to pretend I was what you really wanted."
"It wasn't your fault Hunter," Stephanie said gently. "I should have let you take me from the ring. But I thought I knew better. It was an accident."
"You really don't blame me?" Hunter asked.
"I really don't," Stephanie said. "And you should stop blaming yourself too."
"I'll try," Hunter said. "Are you happy?"
"The jury is still out," Stephanie replied. "I want you to know that I did care for you Hunter. The only reason I left was the baby. If I hadn't gotten pregnant I don't know where I'd be right now."
"Now that I know you weren't really happy," Hunter said, "I wouldn't want to that to have happened. I want you Stephanie, but not if it means you are miserable."
"Thank you," Stephanie said. "I just think in the end we were too different. I tried to be different, but when you spend your whole life trying to be just like your mom, it's hard to be someone who is the total opposite."
"Steph!" Test called from the other side of the door. "It's almost time."
"Thanks Andrew," Stephanie said. "I'll be right there."
Stephanie stood up and smoothed her blue jeans. Hunter realized that she was wearing casual, modest clothing and very little make-up. "You look beautiful," Hunter said. "Never change."
"Thanks," Stephanie said, touching her ponytail self-consciously. "It was good talking to you."
"Friends, or at least promise to try?" Hunter asked, sticking out his hand.
Stephanie looked cautiously at him. She pushed aside his hand and gave him a hug. "A solemn promise to try. You aren't such a bad guy HHH."
"You should go," Hunter said.
Stephanie nodded as she stepped out of her door and accepted Test's arm. "He still doesn't know I'm here does he?"
"Nope," Andrew answered. "Shane will bring him out, just like you wanted."
"Thanks Andrew," Stephanie said. She waited for the "No Chance" music to sound before going out to the ring with Andrew. "Boy, this feels like old times."
"No kidding," Andrew said, grinning down at the woman who had once stolen his heart. Over the past couple of weeks, they had gotten a chance to become friends. They had been lovers and enemies, but now they were finally friends. "Kinda cool, huh?"
"Yeah," Stephanie agreed. "What is it about you Canadians? You make all the girls melt."
"Well, you make Chris melt too," Andrew answered. Shane was the only one who knew Stephanie was planning on cutting Jericho loose. Andrew assumed she was going to ask Jericho to marry her or something. "I did a fair amount of melting too."
Test helped Stephanie into the ring. She was visibly shaking. "Don't worry Steph, he loves you," Andrew assured her. Stephanie looked at her former fianc‚e in shock. "He does."
Stephanie took the microphone from Finkle and held it up to her mouth. "I wanted to come out here to thank all of you fans who have sent me get well cards and e-mails. I really appreciate your concern. As you can see I'm okay physically. The only bad thing is that I did lose my baby."
A chorus of concerned sounds filled the auditorium. "HHH and I have agreed to a divorce. And I want to thank Hunter for making this as easy as possible. I know some people blame him for what happened, but I just had a long talk with him and he knows I don't blame him. Accidents happen."
Suddenly Jericho's countdown clock sounded and his pyro went off. "I thought Shane knew when I wanted him to come out!" Stephanie said to Test. Test merely shrugged his shoulders.
Stephanie soon saw that Jericho was running to the ring and Shane was trailing after him. He must have heard the music and knew she was in the ring. "You should be resting!"
"I'm fine Chris!" Stephanie said. "I'm just making some announcements."
Chris' blue eyes were clouded with concern and something else. "You could have told me. I would have rather been out here with you than be shocked to death backstage."
"I'll let you know from now on," Stephanie said. She brought the microphone to her mouth again and said, "Many you have been wondering what will happen between Chris Jericho and I now that I am no longer pregnant with his child, and I have to admit I am wondering too."
"Steph," Jericho said. Shane went and got him a microphone.
"Here bro," Shane said. Jericho grinned. He liked the sound of that. "Steph, we don't need to do this right now."
"Yes we do," Stephanie said. "I am a big believer in mounting obstacles as soon as you meet them."
"Okay," Chris said. "Go ahead."
"I will admit that when I came down here I was going to tell Jericho I needed some time on my own," Stephanie said, "But-"
"No!!!" Jericho exclaimed along with the crowd.
"Will you please let me finish?" Stephanie asked. "I wasn't sure of myself and I didn't know how important I was to you. I still don't. But I realized that when you really love someone, you take risks, even if it means being alone in the end."
"What are you saying Steph?" Jericho asked.
Stephanie looked at the man in front of her. Outwardly he looked as dissimilar from her as Hunter had. He was wearing black leather pants and a glittery blue shirt. His long blond hair was caught in a folded over ponytail. She was wearing jeans and a WWF Attitude T-shirt. But she didn't care what Chris Jericho looked like; she cared about who he was.
"I'm saying that I'm in love with you," Stephanie said. "I think I've loved you since the night I came to see you in the hospital and you agreed to stop going after Hunter last summer."
Jericho stood in the ring in shock. "You just made all of my dreams come true," Jericho said.
"Not the nightmares I hope," Stephanie laughed.
"Nope, the best dreams," Jericho said, pulling Stephanie to him. He embraced her tightly. "I love you too Steph."
"Kiss her, kiss her," the crowd chanted. Stephanie looked at the crowd and then smiled up at him. "I think they want us to kiss."
"I don't mind making them happy," Jericho said, lightly caressing her cheek. His head descended as he caught her lips in a sweet, gentle kiss that promised more. Promised the whole world.