Raw: April 2002

"You ready?" Hunter Hearst Helmsley asked Madison Reynault.

"Yeah," Madison sighed.

"I'm a little surprised you didn't find a way to back out of this whole thing," Hunter said.

"I never break a deal," Madison said, raising her chin proudly. "I knew the stipulations of the match before I went into it. But the slim chance that I could go after the IC belt was worth a date."

"Well, I hope you don't regret your decision later," Hunter said.

"Show me a good time Helmsley," Madison said, slipping her arm through his muscled arm.

"That I will do," Hunter said.

He escorted her to the black Jeep Grand Cherokee he had rented. "You like the beach?"

"I love the beach," Madison said. "South Carolina has some of the most beautiful beaches. I like California beaches too."

"Well, that's good because we are in California," Hunter said.

"Thanks for the memo," Madison said dryly. "I wish we didn't have cameras following our every move on this date. It makes it almost impossible to relax."

"I hear you," Hunter agreed.

"So what are we doing?" Madison asked.

"Dinner first," Hunter said. "Then a surprise. But I think I will be able to ditch the cameras after dinner."

"Praise the Lord!" Madison exclaimed.

"Did I mention you look beautiful tonight?" Hunter asked.

Madison blushed. "Thanks. You look pretty good yourself. I like a man who fits in his jeans just right."

"Really now?" Hunter asked.

"It's not a fetish or anything," Madison said.

"Any fetishes I should know about?" Hunter asked suggestively.

"I wouldn't recommend it for you, I mean you could," Madison said. "But I LOVE leather pants."

"Really?" Hunter asked. "Anyone in particular in those leather pants?"

"Odd question for a date to be asking don't you think?" Madison asked.

"I like you in leather pants," Hunter replied.

"I like how you just ignored my question like that," Madison said. "Very calmly without missing a beat."

"It was only a year ago I was still a part of the McMahon clan," Hunter replied. "You learn to think on your feet and keep situations from exploding."

"You know," Madison said, "I never really understood the whole marriage thing. I never asked Steph because she's so happy in her life now and everyone talks about the time before her and Chris got together like it was a nightmare."

"Well, you know it all started as a plan to get revenge on her dad," Hunter said. "At first it was strictly business. Then she started to change. And she would slip out of the room late at night and she never really talked to me. She got pregnant with Chris' baby and the proverbial shit hit the fan."

"I forgot about the baby," Madison said.

"That was the worst damn night of my life when she lost that baby," Hunter said. "She forgave me pretty quickly. Actually she told me it wasn't my fault. And we agreed to be friends."

"You fell in love with her?" Madison asked.

"Yeah, sometime in between when we decided we were married so we might as well consummate the union made in hell," Hunter said, "and when she fell in love with Chris."

"That must suck," Madison said.

"It's over now," Hunter replied. "It really, I mean..."

"What?" Madison asked. "Spit it out!"

"Steph wasn't the first person I ever loved and she wasn't the one I loved most," Hunter said. "But I screwed the other relationship beyond any kind of repair."

"Chyna?" Madison asked.

"Yeah," Hunter replied. "Now I'm pursuing the only female in the Federation left who has any kind of decency. Steph, Lita, Meredith, and your sister are all taken and I could never have another chance with Chyna. And Molly is happier with Raven."

"Raisin," Madison corrected him.

"Huh?" Hunter asked.

"Jericho called Raven Raisin once and I still call him that," Madison said. "It bugged him when we went out."

"Is there anyone in the Federation you haven't gone out with?" Hunter asked.

"Anyone who was already taken was off limits," Madison said. "As were X-Factor and Show. I haven't dated my bodyguard or the Acolytes or any of the WCW people..."

"Okay so you haven't dated everyone," Hunter said. "I would have thought you would have dates dated Test though."

"Nope. Why are we at the beach?" Madison asked. "I thought we were going to dinner first."

"Look," Hunter said as he pointed to a table on the beach surrounded by space heaters.

"Wow," Madison said. "Hunter you shouldn't have gone through all that trouble."

"No trouble at all," Hunter said.

They ate the meal from a local Italian restaurant that Hunter had heard raves about. "That was delicious," Madison said. "I can't say I've had a candlelit dinner on the beach before."

"Me neither," Hunter said.

"I like it," Madison said. "You're a good date Hunter Hearst Helmsley."

"Alright," Hunter said, pushing away from the table, "Let's ditch the cameras."

"Sounds like a plan to me," Madison said. She slid her hand in his. Madison had never expected to enjoy herself on this date. She never expected to be attracted to Hunter.

Nearly forty-five minutes later they pulled into a parking lot. "An amusement park?"

"Don't you like roller coasters?" Hunter asked. "It's open for about 3 more hours."

"Lets get moving then," Madison said.

They rode several roller coasters and Hunter won a huge teddy bear for her. "It's all about the Game," Madison murmured to herself.

Hunter was shocked at how different Madison was from what he had expected. He had expected her to be like Stephanie. She dressed similarly to how Stephanie had when they were married and she was always around his ex-wife anymore.

But Madison was definitely her own person. She was funny, intelligent, and seductive all at once. She acted like a kid in one moment and the next moment she was a femme fatale, luring him to her.

"I really am having fun," Madison said, sounding a little shocked.

"I told you that you would have a good time," Hunter replied.

"Yes you certainly did," Madison said. "I wonder who is going to lose money."

"What?" Hunter asked.

"Haven't you heard about all the bets about whether we would have a good time and whether there would be a second date and all of that," Madison said.

"And is there going to be?" Hunter asked.

"I wouldn't mind if there was," Madison replied.

"Me neither," Hunter replied. "The park is closing. We should probably get going."

"Okay," Madison agreed.

They rode back talking about nothing in particular. It was hard to believe that at the beginning of the date they had been little more than acquaintances.

"Thanks for the date," Madison said. "And for Trips."

Hunter smiled at the bear that was now sitting on the floor of Madison's hotel room. "Anytime," Hunter replied.


They stood awkwardly in Madison's room for several minutes. Finally, Madison asked, "Can we just get it over with?"

"What?" Hunter asked.

"The kiss," Madison said, "You want to, I want to, we should just..."

Hunter stopped her tirade by covering her lips with his. It was a soft kiss that stole Madison's breath away.

"If you keep kissing me like that I won't be responsible for my actions," Madison said.

"Is that a promise?" Hunter asked.

"Hunter," Madison warned.

"I should go," Hunter said. "Before we do anything we regret."

"Right," Madison said.

"But I'll see you tomorrow?" Hunter asked.

Madison grinned, "Count on it."