tainted Where are you Christmas
Why can't I find you
Why have you gone away
Where is the laughter
You used to bring me
Why can't I hear music play
My world is changing
I'm rearranging
Does that mean Christmas changes too

Where are you Christmas
Do you remember
The one you used to know
I'm not the same one
See what the time's done
Is that why you have let me go

Christmas is here
Everywhere, oh
Christmas is here
If you care, oh

If there is love in your heart and your mind
You will feel like Christmas all the time

I feel you Christmas
I know I've found you
You never fade away
The joy of Christmas
Stays here in silence
Fills each and every heart with love

Where are you Christmas
Fills your heart with love

- Faith Hill "Where are you Christmas"

"What is it about the first few days before Christmas make things seem to be so magical?" Stephanie asked Shane as she walked into the department of the store.

Shane shrugged. "I don't know, everything about Christmas is magical to me, oh how about this?" Shane picked up a package of assorted varieties of boxers and showed them to Stephanie.

Stephanie scrunched up her nose. "You don't buy your father boxers for Christmas!" Stephanie grabbed the package out of Shane's hands and threw them over where he got them.

Shane sighed, how in the world had he gotten talked into doing Christmas shopping with Stephanie was beyond him, and especially 3 days before Christmas. There was hardly anything left, well anything good, well you could always go to the most expensive shops, which were at least two hours away from where they were, but those kind of shops always were in stock with Christmas presents.

"What about a tie? Dads likes ties." Shane looked at Stephanie hopefully.

Stephanie shook her head. "Normal dads like ties, but our dad is no regular type of dad. We're talking about expensive here Shane, not some one dollar tie that I could get at the 98 cents store."

Shane rolled his eyes. "Oh excuse me, I'm not the person who decided to do her Christmas shopping three days before Christmas." Shane looked through some shirts.

"Well I would have been able to do my Christmas shopping earlier, but I was under captive, if you can remember." Stephanie smiled at Shane and grabbed a pair of long pants and threw them in the shopping cart.

Shane rolled his eyes. "You were never under captive, I treated you very well." Shane threw a few sweaters in the shopping cart.

"You beat me with pillows." Stephanie pointed, placing her hands on her hips, smirking.

"Tough love little sister, tough love." Shane chuckled grabbing a few pants and throwing them in the shopping cart.

"Abuse, I tell you." Stephanie grabbed some hair clips and hairspray and threw them into the shopping cart on top of Shane's pants.

"You say Tomatoe, I say tomato." Shane looked down and examined all the items in the shopping cart. "Uh Steph?"

"Hmm?" Stephanie looked up from the black V-neck sweater she was looking at.

Shane pointed to the items in the shopping cart. "We went out shopping for Christmas presents for our family and friends, and we seemed to only get stuff for us."

Stephanie frowned slightly. "I think we need to take a new approach to this shopping thing."

Shane nodded. "Like shopping for other people besides us?" Shane raised his eyebrow up.

"That could definitely work, but come on look at this sweater!" Stephanie showed Shane the sweater.

Shane smirked but then nodded. "Okay we get a few more things for us and then we head into the next town which is like two hours away and go the expensive stores, to buy Christmas presents for everybody else."

"Sounds like a plan, oh this is so cute!" Stephanie squealing looking at the cardigan sweater.

Shane nodded, laughing softly to himself... this was what the holidays were all about. Shopping for little things with your little sister at a cheap department store; Shane looked at Stephanie as she looked in the mirror bringing the sweaters up to her body to see how they looked. Stephanie was definitely transforming into someone who could take the WWF by storm, if she continued this way, she could become the WWF's sweetheart once again, and maybe someone else's sweetheart again. Shane had seen how Test would keep glancing at Stephanie backstage, but he never made his move... maybe he was a bit intimidated by Benoit... who wouldn't? Shane knew Test was feeling something for Steph, he could see it in Test's eyes, especially when Stephanie would joke around with Benoit, and Benoit would wrap his arm around her neck and smirk, that seemed to drive Test insane. At first it had been hilarious at Test's jealousy, but now it was just damn annoying, Shane knew he had to do something about this and quick.

"So what are we planning to do this Christmas?" Shane asked, as Stephanie twirled around, admiring the sweater.

"We?" Stephanie asked turning to Shane and giving him a look.

"Yeah we. I thought we were going to spend the Christmas together, you know a family event?" Shane grabbed some sunglasses and threw them in with Stephanie's sweaters.

Stephanie frowned. "I don't think the McMahon family will be spending this Christmas together, especially with mom and dad's divorce. I was just thinking of doing whatever daddy wanted to do, we would probably spend the night in the mansion and drink champagne." Stephanie threw the black beanie in the shopping cart.

Shane frowned, knitting his eyebrows in anger and disappointment. He hadn't spent the past month making things better with Stephanie to let their over-bearing parents' marriage or lack thereof ruin things. This was Christmas, the time where family and friends got together and let the past be the past... Christmas was about love and family, and the gift of sharing... and damn it why did everything have to be so confusing?

"What if mom and dad put their differences aside for one night?" Shane asked, walking with Stephanie to the cash register.

"If they did that Shane, then Christmas this year would be perfect. But life doesn't work out that way, mom and dad will never put their problems aside for at least one day." Stephanie smiled at the cash register.

Shane ran his hands over his face. "Not even for their daughter's sake?"

Stephanie shook her head. "Not even for their daughter's sake. Give up on it Shane, there is no way you are going to make this Christmas the way we want it, you would need a miracle to do so."

Shane watched Stephanie pay for the items, she turned to him and told him that Shane would pay for their next round of shopping, he just nodded. Shane wasn't going to give up on Christmas this early... if it was a miracle he needed, then he was about to go search for one.

::: Smackdown arena - Manchester, Vermont :::

"So I realized half way through our shopping spree, that we didn't buy anything for our friends or family, so me and Shane had to go into the next town, go in search for the expensive shops and buy the rest of the presents there. Took me a while, but I think I found something for you." Stephanie bounced up and down smiling.

Benoit watched Stephanie bounce up and down excitedly, he smirked, shaking his head. He would be lying if he said he hadn't instantly warmed up to the energetic, sweet new Stephanie; She was definitely better then the old one he had known. This Stephanie, although he had only known this one for a week or so, was funny and sweet and very caring, something he would have never called Stephanie McMahon-Helmsley. She had instantly walked her way into his heart, and he had automatically named her one of his good friends. Although he didn't have too many, even though he was teaming with Jericho and they were constantly saving the weaker people from Stone Cold Steve Austin and the rest of the predators in the WWF, people still shyed away from him.

"You didn't have to..." Benoit started but was cut off by Stephanie.

"I wanted to! You were actually the first person who befriended me when I came back to the WWF, and you have been a great friend to me for the past week and some days, and you deserve it." Stephanie smiled, and pushed the little box which was decoratively wrapped in Benoit's hands.

Benoit smiled again, and he started to unwrap the wrapping paper on the small box, truth be told, he was a bit anxious to see what Stephanie had gotten him. "It's a hockey puck..." Benoit said flipping the puck between his hands, a look of confusion on his face.

Stephanie giggled. "Not just any puck, a puck autographed by the most popular played on the Canadian Oilers."

Benoit stared at Stephanie, finally smiling; He turned the puck over and stared at the autograph, he looked back and smiled at Stephanie. "How long did this take you to get?"

Stephanie smiled, tucking a piece of her hair behind her ear. "A few hours, Shane was connected." Stephanie smiled again, followed by a laugh.

"It's not the time that matters, it's that you went out of your way to get this. Thanks, now here." Benoit handed Stephanie a black velvet jewelry box, that he didn't wrap up. "Sorry didn't take the time to wrap it up, but I'm not good with wrapping paper."

Stephanie bit down on her lip and opened the box and gasped at the necklace lying neatly in the jewelry box. The necklace had a silver chain, and in the middle of the silver chain was a ring, Stephanie looked up at Benoit, asking him a silent question.

"It's a promise ring. Some lovers buy one for one another, declaring their love for each other." Benoit stated.

"And in our case?" Stephanie raised her eyebrows.

"A promise ring can also be for friends, if one friend gives another friend a promise ring, he's trying to tell her that he's her friend, and nothing will change that, or at least that is what I am trying to say. I know it's not the most expensive present, and it certainly isn't even close to the present you got for me but..." Benoit's voice trailed off.

"But nothing! I love it Chris, it's the coolest Christmas present anyone has given me!" Stephanie squealed, and hopped up hugging Benoit unexpectedly.

Benoit laughed at the sudden hug he had gotten from Stephanie, he hugged her back. "Glad you like it." Benoit arched up his eyebrows. "So what did you get Test?"

Stephanie blushed. "His present was a little harder to get, I mean it was on a different emotional level. I wanted to get him something that would mean something to him but not put too much pressure on him."

Benoit nodded. "So you got him a watch."

::: Hunter's locker-room :::

"So am I just supposed to back off and let Test and Stephanie fall happily in love? I don't think so!" Hunter stomped back and forth in his room, shooting the crewman a look. "You know what I mean?"

The crewman quickly nodded, as to not upset Hunter, not really keen on the idea of getting his ass kicked.

"She was my wife and I am not just going to back off and let Test win her heart! I am the game okay?! I never lose! Let me emphasize on never... NEVER!" Hunter kicked the couch. "Wait I got an idea! I'll challenge Test to a hardcore match tonight, 3 nights before Christmas! I'll kick the crap out of him so bad, that he won't even dare go near Stephanie... I am such a genius!" Hunter fell down to his couch, smirking.

This was going to be perfect, this was the perfect revenge he needed. He would get Test in a hardcore match and beat the living hell out of him, it would inflict pain on Stephanie, and cause Test to get scared, so scared that he wouldn't even bother with Stephanie, and then Stephanie would eventually come back to him and he would be on the top of his game once more. How easy was this going to be?

"You, leave." Hunter shoo-ed the crewman out, still grinning.

But the memory of Benoit's threat to him two days ago came flashing back to him.

"Listen Triple H, 'The Game', Hunter... whatever you call yourself.. frankly I don't care if you call yourself a big jackass, it's up to you. But what I do care about is Stephanie McMahon, she's my friend, and in case you didn't notice, I tend to be protective of my friends. So let's get this straight right here and right now... she doesn't love you anymore. I don't want to sound all calice and uncaring and say get over it, but get over it. She is at the new part of her life, and you don't fit in with her, she wants to be human, and she can't be a human with you. Leave her alone, stop harassing her, she doesn't find it flattering and it's just pissing me off. Keep messing with her or the people around her to get a rise out of her, you're going to have to face me, and I probably won't be in a good mood... and I know that you don't like the crippler cross face whatsoever, so watch it Helmsley."

Hunter shook his head, at first he had thought Benoit was just pulling his leg, but the look on Benoit's face gave him way; Benoit was NOT joking. Benoit was dead serious, and Benoit had been right... Hunter did NOT like the crippler crossface. So if Hunter challenged Test to a hardcore match tonight, Benoit would probably be on his case about it. So was hurting Test and getting a rise out of Stephanie worth the attack he would get from Benoit because of it?

"Hell yeah." Hunter said underneath his breath, gathering up his courage to ask Regal for the match.

::: Lita/Hardy Boyz locker-room :::

Lita stared at Benoit, unsure of what she should think of him coming to her, Matt and Jeff. "I don't know Benoit, why should we trust her?"

Jeff nodded. "Yeah, she's a total bitch." Jeff said, brushing his hair back.

Benoit shook his head. "She's a changed person."

Lita snickered. "Like we haven't heard that line before."

Matt nodded, tying up his shoe laces. "Lita's right, how can we be so sure that we can trust her? Just because she has played the nice girl in front of you, doesn't mean that she is actually good. This is probably just some little plan her and Hunter came up with..."

Benoit sighed. "She's divorcing him."

Lita's eyes widened. "No way."

Benoit nodded. "Way."

Jeff smirked when Benoit used the word 'way', he had never heard Benoit speak that way. Benoit was actually a quite preserved person, he usually kept to himself, well beside the exception of Jericho. "She is?" Jeff asked.

Benoit nodded again. "Right after Christmas, she has already asked for the papers. She's different guys, I'm telling you, a leopard can change her spots."

Matt arched his eyebrows up. "I've heard the saying, but it's just a stupid metaphor."

Benoit shot Matt a look. "She's trying to become a new person, and no one besides me, Test, Jericho and Shane have given her a chance. Can't you at least try to be a little nicer to her?"

Jeff scratched his head, thinking. "I still don't know..."

Lita bit down on her bottom lip. "Jericho is her friend?"

Benoit nodded. "Yeah, if he can put their past behind them, can't you guys?"

Matt thought for a second and then sighed. "I guess we could..."

Lita nodded after a few seconds. "Yeah, if we see her in the halls, we'll make a mental note to say hi to her."

"And?" Benoit asked.

Jeff sighed. "She's on our probation list okay? We'll see how she is, and if she is as great as you say she is, then we should have no problem with becoming friends with her."

Benoit smiled. "Thanks guys." Benoit walked out of the locker-room, leaving Matt, Jeff and Lita alone.

"You think she really has changed? Lita asked, pulling her hair up.

Matt shrugged. "You never know."

Jeff nodded. "Yeah, maybe she really has changed her spots."

::: Vince's office :::

Shane smiled at Vince, as he sat down in the chair across from Vince's desk. "Hey dad."

Vince nodded at Shane, and took his glasses off, paying his full attention to Shane. "So was there a reason you desperately needed to talk to me?"

Shane nodded. "Well you love Steph right?"

Vince gave Shane a look. "Of course I do, she's my baby girl."

Shane smiled. "And you would do anything for her?"

Vince nodded slowly. "Anything that I was capable of."

"Good, because you and mom need to put your problems past you two for one night..." Shane started but was cut off by Linda.

Linda, who had been quiet up until now, shook her head. "I don't think that is possible Shane."

Vince nodded. "Yes too much has happened for me and your mom to get along, even for a day."

Shane sighed. "Oh come on you two, Stephanie has been through a lot, and what she needs is a normal Christmas, for once in her life, she needs a normal holiday. She needs to spend this Christmas with her loved ones, and to do that, you two need to flash the truce flag for one day. For Stephanie?"

Vince and Linda looked over to each other, they remained in silence, for a few minutes. Vince finally groaned. "Fine for Stephanie I'll put aside my personal conflict with your mother."

Linda nodded. "Same goes here, for the sake of Stephanie."

Shane grinned. Wow he had really done it, and it wasn't half as hard as he thought it would have been. All he had to do was say 'for Stephanie?' and Vince and Linda had agreed, he had to play the Stephanie card more often.

"Great, oh mind if I invite a friend over?" Shane asked, once he got up.

Vince looked at Shane oddly. "Which friend?"

"Andrew Martin." Shane stated, looking at Vince.

Vince smirked once the name 'Andrew Martin' escaped out of his son's mouth, he knew exactly what Shane was trying to do. Shane was going to invite Andrew to Christmas, so he could somehow get sparks to fly between Stephanie and Andrew... Shane was going to play the matchmaker.

"I guess that's alright." Vince said, acting like he had no idea what Shane had up his sleeve.

Shane smiled, and walked out of Vince's office. Now all he had left, was to invite Test to Christmas without letting Stephanie know that Test was coming.

NEXT IN TAINTED:

Shane continues playing matchmaker, and asks Test to Christmas.

Hunter and Test fight in a hardcore match.

Kurt and Stephanie talk.

Vince and Linda talk about Shane and Stephanie.

Lita, Jeff and Matt warm up to Stephanie.

Test gives Stephanie her Christmas present early.