Lyrics "In the End" by Linkin Park
Late June 2001
//Keep that in mind I designed this rhyme to explain in due time
All I know
Time is a valuable thing
Watch it fly by as the pendulum swings//
"What the hell?" Hunter Hearst Helmsley asked as he watched the TV in his hospital room. His wife was in the arena. She had told him she was going to New York to get some work she could do while he finished recuperating in Birmingham.
"Dad I need to talk to you," Stephanie said, tapping her father on the shoulder.
"Stephanie!" Vince exclaimed, hugging his daughter. "How are you? How's Hunter?"
"Like you even care," Stephanie said.
"Of course I care," Vince said. "Hunter is like a son to me. I told him that."
"I know you told him that dad," Stephanie said. "Words are easy to say."
"What are you implying Stephanie?" Vince asked.
"If you really thought of Hunter as a son," Stephanie said, "You would at least call once and a while. Maybe even come to see him."
"I'm a busy man Stephanie," Vince said. "You know that."
"Not any busier that the CEO of the WWF," Stephanie countered. "Mom came to see Hunter. She doesn't even like him but she put aside time in her busy schedule to see my husband."
"Alright Steph," Vince said.
"The truth is you don't care about anyone," Stephanie continued. "I should have known after all of that stuff with Mom. But I thought you at least loved me."
"I do love you," Vince said. He was obviously shocked. Could his little girl honestly believe he didn't love her. She was the most precious person in his life. "I'm sorry I hurt you."
"Then prove it," Stephanie said.
"How?" Vince asked.
"Put Austin in a title match tonight," Stephanie said.
"Sure," Vince said. "He can fight-"
"Chris Jericho," Stephanie said.
"Jericho?" Vince asked in shock. "You hate Jericho."
"Not as much as I hate Austin," Stephanie said. "My husband was severely injured and continued in that tag match and Austin has the audacity to call him selfish?"
"What is this all really about?" Vince asked suspiciously.
"What it appears to be about," Stephanie said. "I want to prove to Austin that there is no man in this world I hate more than him. The best way to do that is to be in the corner of the man I used to hate most."
"You think Jericho would actually let you stand in his corner?" Vince asked.
"He better not!" Hunter yelled at the TV. He was touched that Stephanie was at the arena, trying to get revenge on Austin, but he would strangle her if she went down to that ring with Chris Jericho. Was she forgetting that she was pregnant?
True, their lives had been consumed with his surgery and recovery over the past several weeks. The baby had taken a backseat to his damned leg. But the baby was still there, inside Stephanie.
"Okay," Vince said. "I'll make the match. But I won't force Jericho to let you be in his corner."
"You really do love me like a son," Hunter said in relief.
"I'll be there," Stephanie said with certainty.
"Damn!" Hunter yelled.
"Mr. Helmsley we need you to calm down," a nurse said, opening his door. "We can hear you all the way down the hall."
"Get the hell out of here!" Hunter yelled. The nurse's mouth dropped open in shock. Normally Hunter was congenial despite the injury that had him bedridden. She nodded and shut the door as she lef.
"Oh and Dad," Stephanie said, looking over her shoulder at Vince.
"Yes?" Vince asked warily.
"The belt changes hands on a DQ," Stephanie said. Vince nodded miserably. Stephanie was all the family he had left. He didn't want to alienate her too. He understood why Stephanie wanted revenge.
Stephanie walked down the hall in search of Chris Jericho. Hunter sighed as he grabbed the phone at his side. He dialed X-Pac's cell phone.
"Yo?" X-Pac answered.
"Hey it's Hunter," he said. "Can you do me a favor?"
"Yeah man," X-Pac said to his old friend. "What's up?"
"Can you find a way for me to get in touch with Chris Jericho?" Hunter asked.
"Did I hear you right?" X-Pac asked. "I think you said you want to get in touch with Chris Jericho."
"You heard," Hunter said. "It's about Stephanie and whatever crazy idea she has in her mind right now."
"Okay," X-Pac said. "Just a minute."
X-Pac held the phone against his shoulder as he went next door and knocked on the door. "What the hell do you want?"
"Hey Chyna," X-Pac said. "No time for hugs or anything. Do you know how I can get a hold of Jericho?"
"Yeah," Chyna said. "Grab him by the hair. That works."
"Hold up," X-Pac said. "It's for Hunter."
"Now I care even less," Chyna said.
"Look he's concerned about whatever Stephanie has up her sleeves," X-Pac said. "Can you help him out."
Chyna sighed and then scribbled Jericho's cell phone number on a piece of paper. "Still know it by heart?"
"Shut up," Chyna said, slamming her door in X-Pac's face. He gave the number to Hunter and hung up.
Jericho grabbed his cell phone as it rang. "Hello?" he was not in a good mood.
"Jericho," Hunter said.
"Look Trips," Jericho said. "I already have a feeling I'm going to have to deal with your little wife tonight. I don't need to deal with you too."
"Jericho can you shut your trap for two seconds?" Hunter asked.
"What?" Jericho asked.
"Don't let Stephanie come down to the ring with you," Hunter said.
"I wish it was that easy," Jericho said. "You should know women tend to have minds of their own."
"It's important," Hunter said.
Jericho heard the desperation in Hunter's voice. "I'll do my best. Unfortunately I can't promise you anything. I have a feeling Stephanie is stubborn."
"Yeah," Hunter agreed. "You have no idea."
"Nor do I want any idea," Jericho said. "But I think I'm about to find out."
Stephanie knocked as she opened the door. "Speak of the devil," Jericho said.
"Thanks Jericho," Stephanie replied sarcastically.
"I'd appreciate you trying," Hunter said. "I know it won't be your fault if she goes anyways."
"Okay, later," Jericho said.
"Oh hey," Hunter exclaimed. "Good luck tonight."
"Thanks," Jericho said. He shook his head as he realized he never thought he would be on the phone with Hunter Hearst Helmsley, much less having a civil conversation.
"I'm going to be in your corner tonight," Stephanie said.
"No you aren't," Jericho said.
"I got you the match," Stephanie replied, her blue eyes icy.
"And I'm grateful," Jericho replied, fire in his blue eyes. "You're not going to be in my corner."
"Yes I am," Stephanie said.
"Damn it Stephanie," Jericho exclaimed. "I hate you. Don't you understand that?"
Stephanie turned to make sure the door was closed and no cameras were close by. When she was satisfied she turned back to Jericho and said, "We both know you don't hate me."
Jericho's eyes narrowed. "That was a long time ago. You broke my trust. You married Helmsley and you stayed married."
"I had my reasons," Stephanie said. "You got involved with Chyna."
"I didn't fall in love," Jericho countered. "The truth is you never loved me. You can only love people who are as low and filthy as you are."
"You bastard," Stephanie said. Hurt filled her eyes. Jericho smiled cruelly.
"That's right," Jericho said. "I'm the bastard. But you're the whore."
"You don't know anything about me," Stephanie said.
"I know all about you Princess," Jericho said. "I know you better than that ass-clown of a husband and better than that ego-maniac of a father."
"That's right," Stephanie agreed. "You know me. And you know I want to hurt Austin badly. What does he love more than that damn belt? Nothing. Not even his wife. You can help me, and I won't betray your trust until I have no need for you."
"Your husband doesn't want you down there," Jericho said. "He called me to ask me to talk you out of it."
Stephanie's hand moved to protect her abdomen. "What are you hiding Stephanie?"
"Nothing," Stephanie said. "I'm going down."
"You're so damn stubborn," Jericho said, storming from the room. Stephanie hadn't thought about their past in a long time. She was lucky Jericho had enough pride to keep their relationship from coming out.
Jericho knew she would go down to the ring with him. She distracted the ref and tried to make the fight a little easier for him. There was a time he had dreamed about her being in his corner. Back when she was Stephanie. Stephanie had had a plan, but the plan changed and he had been left out in the cold. He couldn't afford to trust her, but he had to.
Jericho had Austin locked in the Walls of Jericho and Austin was moving toward the ropes. He grabbed a hold of the ropes. The ref forced Jericho to break the submission move. Stephanie slapped Austin repeatedly as Jericho distracted the ref. Jericho then turned his attention back to Austin, hitting him with the Lionsault and pinning him for the victory.
Stephanie got the WWF belt and climbed into the ring to give it to Jericho. She beamed at him. "See, I didn't screw you over," she said, handing him the belt proudly.
Jericho grinned. "Not this time, you didn't," he replied. He took the belt and Stephanie took his hand and held it up in victory.
No one saw Austin slide out of the ring and grab a steel chair. Jericho saw almost too late and he threw himself in between the chair and Stephanie. He landed on top of her. But Austin was merciless with the chair. He heard the feet of several people in the ring, restraining Austin.
Stephanie was really pale. Jericho got to his feet and bent to pick Stephanie up. It had been almost two years since she had really been in his arms. That kiss at King of the Ring, he had wanted to remind her. But it only served to remind him of how she hurt him.
Jericho carried Stephanie backstage. "Is she alright?" Vince asked. There was blood. "Who's blood is that."
"Probably both of us," Jericho replied. "That asshole is out of control."
"I know," Vince said, barely controlling the fury he felt.
"Coming through," an EMT said. Jericho laid Stephanie on the stretcher. He looked down at one of his arms. It was covered in blood.
"Oh shit," Jericho said, remembering when Stephanie covered her abdomen protectively.
"What?" Vince asked.
"Stephanie just miscarried your first grandchild," Jericho said.
"Hey Jericho," Chris Benoit said, with Jericho's cell phone in his hand. "Triple H wants to talk to you."
""Yeah?" Jericho asked.
"How is she?" Hunter asked.
"I really don't know," Jericho said. "But Hunter?"
"Yeah?" Hunter asked.
"She lost the baby," Jericho said.
Hunter's breath caught in his chest. "Ride to the hospital with her please," Hunter said. "Can you keep me updated until I get there?"
"Sure," Jericho said.
Jericho sat in the waiting room of the ICU until two thirty in the morning. "You're still here," Hunter said.
"I'm sorry," Jericho said. "If I had known she was pregnant I would've moved heaven and earth."
"Jericho," Hunter said. "You're not the cowardly bastard who hit a woman with a chair because she beat you at your own game."
"Granted," Jericho said.
"Austin's a bastard," Hunter said. "And he's going to pay."
Late June 2001
//Keep that in mind I designed this rhyme to explain in due time
All I know
Time is a valuable thing
Watch it fly by as the pendulum swings//
"What the hell?" Hunter Hearst Helmsley asked as he watched the TV in his hospital room. His wife was in the arena. She had told him she was going to New York to get some work she could do while he finished recuperating in Birmingham.
"Dad I need to talk to you," Stephanie said, tapping her father on the shoulder.
"Stephanie!" Vince exclaimed, hugging his daughter. "How are you? How's Hunter?"
"Like you even care," Stephanie said.
"Of course I care," Vince said. "Hunter is like a son to me. I told him that."
"I know you told him that dad," Stephanie said. "Words are easy to say."
"What are you implying Stephanie?" Vince asked.
"If you really thought of Hunter as a son," Stephanie said, "You would at least call once and a while. Maybe even come to see him."
"I'm a busy man Stephanie," Vince said. "You know that."
"Not any busier that the CEO of the WWF," Stephanie countered. "Mom came to see Hunter. She doesn't even like him but she put aside time in her busy schedule to see my husband."
"Alright Steph," Vince said.
"The truth is you don't care about anyone," Stephanie continued. "I should have known after all of that stuff with Mom. But I thought you at least loved me."
"I do love you," Vince said. He was obviously shocked. Could his little girl honestly believe he didn't love her. She was the most precious person in his life. "I'm sorry I hurt you."
"Then prove it," Stephanie said.
"How?" Vince asked.
"Put Austin in a title match tonight," Stephanie said.
"Sure," Vince said. "He can fight-"
"Chris Jericho," Stephanie said.
"Jericho?" Vince asked in shock. "You hate Jericho."
"Not as much as I hate Austin," Stephanie said. "My husband was severely injured and continued in that tag match and Austin has the audacity to call him selfish?"
"What is this all really about?" Vince asked suspiciously.
"What it appears to be about," Stephanie said. "I want to prove to Austin that there is no man in this world I hate more than him. The best way to do that is to be in the corner of the man I used to hate most."
"You think Jericho would actually let you stand in his corner?" Vince asked.
"He better not!" Hunter yelled at the TV. He was touched that Stephanie was at the arena, trying to get revenge on Austin, but he would strangle her if she went down to that ring with Chris Jericho. Was she forgetting that she was pregnant?
True, their lives had been consumed with his surgery and recovery over the past several weeks. The baby had taken a backseat to his damned leg. But the baby was still there, inside Stephanie.
"Okay," Vince said. "I'll make the match. But I won't force Jericho to let you be in his corner."
"You really do love me like a son," Hunter said in relief.
"I'll be there," Stephanie said with certainty.
"Damn!" Hunter yelled.
"Mr. Helmsley we need you to calm down," a nurse said, opening his door. "We can hear you all the way down the hall."
"Get the hell out of here!" Hunter yelled. The nurse's mouth dropped open in shock. Normally Hunter was congenial despite the injury that had him bedridden. She nodded and shut the door as she lef.
"Oh and Dad," Stephanie said, looking over her shoulder at Vince.
"Yes?" Vince asked warily.
"The belt changes hands on a DQ," Stephanie said. Vince nodded miserably. Stephanie was all the family he had left. He didn't want to alienate her too. He understood why Stephanie wanted revenge.
Stephanie walked down the hall in search of Chris Jericho. Hunter sighed as he grabbed the phone at his side. He dialed X-Pac's cell phone.
"Yo?" X-Pac answered.
"Hey it's Hunter," he said. "Can you do me a favor?"
"Yeah man," X-Pac said to his old friend. "What's up?"
"Can you find a way for me to get in touch with Chris Jericho?" Hunter asked.
"Did I hear you right?" X-Pac asked. "I think you said you want to get in touch with Chris Jericho."
"You heard," Hunter said. "It's about Stephanie and whatever crazy idea she has in her mind right now."
"Okay," X-Pac said. "Just a minute."
X-Pac held the phone against his shoulder as he went next door and knocked on the door. "What the hell do you want?"
"Hey Chyna," X-Pac said. "No time for hugs or anything. Do you know how I can get a hold of Jericho?"
"Yeah," Chyna said. "Grab him by the hair. That works."
"Hold up," X-Pac said. "It's for Hunter."
"Now I care even less," Chyna said.
"Look he's concerned about whatever Stephanie has up her sleeves," X-Pac said. "Can you help him out."
Chyna sighed and then scribbled Jericho's cell phone number on a piece of paper. "Still know it by heart?"
"Shut up," Chyna said, slamming her door in X-Pac's face. He gave the number to Hunter and hung up.
Jericho grabbed his cell phone as it rang. "Hello?" he was not in a good mood.
"Jericho," Hunter said.
"Look Trips," Jericho said. "I already have a feeling I'm going to have to deal with your little wife tonight. I don't need to deal with you too."
"Jericho can you shut your trap for two seconds?" Hunter asked.
"What?" Jericho asked.
"Don't let Stephanie come down to the ring with you," Hunter said.
"I wish it was that easy," Jericho said. "You should know women tend to have minds of their own."
"It's important," Hunter said.
Jericho heard the desperation in Hunter's voice. "I'll do my best. Unfortunately I can't promise you anything. I have a feeling Stephanie is stubborn."
"Yeah," Hunter agreed. "You have no idea."
"Nor do I want any idea," Jericho said. "But I think I'm about to find out."
Stephanie knocked as she opened the door. "Speak of the devil," Jericho said.
"Thanks Jericho," Stephanie replied sarcastically.
"I'd appreciate you trying," Hunter said. "I know it won't be your fault if she goes anyways."
"Okay, later," Jericho said.
"Oh hey," Hunter exclaimed. "Good luck tonight."
"Thanks," Jericho said. He shook his head as he realized he never thought he would be on the phone with Hunter Hearst Helmsley, much less having a civil conversation.
"I'm going to be in your corner tonight," Stephanie said.
"No you aren't," Jericho said.
"I got you the match," Stephanie replied, her blue eyes icy.
"And I'm grateful," Jericho replied, fire in his blue eyes. "You're not going to be in my corner."
"Yes I am," Stephanie said.
"Damn it Stephanie," Jericho exclaimed. "I hate you. Don't you understand that?"
Stephanie turned to make sure the door was closed and no cameras were close by. When she was satisfied she turned back to Jericho and said, "We both know you don't hate me."
Jericho's eyes narrowed. "That was a long time ago. You broke my trust. You married Helmsley and you stayed married."
"I had my reasons," Stephanie said. "You got involved with Chyna."
"I didn't fall in love," Jericho countered. "The truth is you never loved me. You can only love people who are as low and filthy as you are."
"You bastard," Stephanie said. Hurt filled her eyes. Jericho smiled cruelly.
"That's right," Jericho said. "I'm the bastard. But you're the whore."
"You don't know anything about me," Stephanie said.
"I know all about you Princess," Jericho said. "I know you better than that ass-clown of a husband and better than that ego-maniac of a father."
"That's right," Stephanie agreed. "You know me. And you know I want to hurt Austin badly. What does he love more than that damn belt? Nothing. Not even his wife. You can help me, and I won't betray your trust until I have no need for you."
"Your husband doesn't want you down there," Jericho said. "He called me to ask me to talk you out of it."
Stephanie's hand moved to protect her abdomen. "What are you hiding Stephanie?"
"Nothing," Stephanie said. "I'm going down."
"You're so damn stubborn," Jericho said, storming from the room. Stephanie hadn't thought about their past in a long time. She was lucky Jericho had enough pride to keep their relationship from coming out.
Jericho knew she would go down to the ring with him. She distracted the ref and tried to make the fight a little easier for him. There was a time he had dreamed about her being in his corner. Back when she was Stephanie. Stephanie had had a plan, but the plan changed and he had been left out in the cold. He couldn't afford to trust her, but he had to.
Jericho had Austin locked in the Walls of Jericho and Austin was moving toward the ropes. He grabbed a hold of the ropes. The ref forced Jericho to break the submission move. Stephanie slapped Austin repeatedly as Jericho distracted the ref. Jericho then turned his attention back to Austin, hitting him with the Lionsault and pinning him for the victory.
Stephanie got the WWF belt and climbed into the ring to give it to Jericho. She beamed at him. "See, I didn't screw you over," she said, handing him the belt proudly.
Jericho grinned. "Not this time, you didn't," he replied. He took the belt and Stephanie took his hand and held it up in victory.
No one saw Austin slide out of the ring and grab a steel chair. Jericho saw almost too late and he threw himself in between the chair and Stephanie. He landed on top of her. But Austin was merciless with the chair. He heard the feet of several people in the ring, restraining Austin.
Stephanie was really pale. Jericho got to his feet and bent to pick Stephanie up. It had been almost two years since she had really been in his arms. That kiss at King of the Ring, he had wanted to remind her. But it only served to remind him of how she hurt him.
Jericho carried Stephanie backstage. "Is she alright?" Vince asked. There was blood. "Who's blood is that."
"Probably both of us," Jericho replied. "That asshole is out of control."
"I know," Vince said, barely controlling the fury he felt.
"Coming through," an EMT said. Jericho laid Stephanie on the stretcher. He looked down at one of his arms. It was covered in blood.
"Oh shit," Jericho said, remembering when Stephanie covered her abdomen protectively.
"What?" Vince asked.
"Stephanie just miscarried your first grandchild," Jericho said.
"Hey Jericho," Chris Benoit said, with Jericho's cell phone in his hand. "Triple H wants to talk to you."
""Yeah?" Jericho asked.
"How is she?" Hunter asked.
"I really don't know," Jericho said. "But Hunter?"
"Yeah?" Hunter asked.
"She lost the baby," Jericho said.
Hunter's breath caught in his chest. "Ride to the hospital with her please," Hunter said. "Can you keep me updated until I get there?"
"Sure," Jericho said.
Jericho sat in the waiting room of the ICU until two thirty in the morning. "You're still here," Hunter said.
"I'm sorry," Jericho said. "If I had known she was pregnant I would've moved heaven and earth."
"Jericho," Hunter said. "You're not the cowardly bastard who hit a woman with a chair because she beat you at your own game."
"Granted," Jericho said.
"Austin's a bastard," Hunter said. "And he's going to pay."