July 2001
//Watch it count down to the end of the day,
The clock ticks life away.
It's so unreal
Didn't look out below//
"Stephanie?" Hunter asked. The apartment was dark and silent. He knew without looking that Stephanie wasn't in their apartment.
Hunter threw himself down on the black leather couch in their living room. He adjusted the ice pack over his quad. The therapy session that day had been brutal. But he knew he wasn't working hard enough if he wanted to get back by Survivor Series. He wanted to kick Austin's ass.
Where was Stephanie this time? She never told him where she went. She would disappear for hours at a time. At first it had scared him, but once she had done it a few times he knew she would be okay. She was just trying to cope.
Hunter got up and went to the kitchen to grab a bottle of water. A light was flashing on his answering machine. He hit the play button.
"Hunter," Stephanie said. "I, well, I'm going back to touring with the company. I can't just sit around any more. I need something to do so I can forget. I want to be there for you but I can't sit around and do nothing. I'll be home this weekend. I, I'll miss you."
Hunter stood in his dark kitchen for some time. She was gone? She was going back on the road? He knew she was depressed and all but she did not need to be on the road. She didn't need to be around Stone Cold Steve Austin. He knew he had to do something.
He walked to the bedroom he shared with Stephanie. He got out a duffel bag and started to throw clothes in it. He was going to drag her back home. He was her husband and he was going to protect her.
But was he going to? Hunter wasn't so sure. At home she was safe from Austin yes, but she wasn't safe from herself. He knew she blamed herself for the miscarriage. He knew she was doing what she had to do and Austin was the asshole.
He threw himself on his bed. He hated feeling helpless. Maybe Stephanie would be able to forget if she went back on tour. But he wanted to make sure she was protected. Who could he get to protect her? DX? No they never really like her. Vince? Hell no, he was still allied with Austin. Kurt Angle? Did he really want to throw his wife into that man's arms?
Who hated Stephanie but hated Austin more? Hunter sat up and went digging in the drawer in her bedside table. He finally found a crumpled yellow piece of paper.
"Hello?" asked the person on the other end of the phone.
"It's Triple H," Hunter said.
"Yeah?" he asked. "What do you want?"
"Stephanie is going back on the road," Hunter said.
"And I care because?" the other voice asked.
"I can't be there to protect her," Hunter said. "I don't want to her to get hurt by Austin. He knows I want to kill him and he will use her against me."
"And you're calling me because..."
"Because I want you to watch out for her," Hunter said.
"Not a chance."
"Please?" Hunter asked. "I wouldn't ask anything from you if it wasn't important. This is more than important."
"Why me?"
"Because I know you are a basically good guy," Hunter answered. "And because I know you two have history together."
"How do you know?"
"Because she cried about how she had ruined everything when we first got married," Hunter said.
"That's right. She ruined it. I can't stand her."
"Good," Hunter said. "I don't want you to steal my wife from me. But I know you are smart and you wouldn't hurt her. I need your help."
"There's no one else?"
"I'm going to call Shane and ask him to let bygones be bygones," Hunter said. "But he is not enough in and of himself. Plus WCW is just getting off its feet."
"How long?"
"Until I get back," Hunter said. "And I don't want her to know I'm having anyone watch out for her."
"Okay, I'll do it."
"Thanks," Hunter said. "I owe you."
"No shit."
The next night Stephanie was walking down the hall of the arena they were in that night. "I heard you were back. Wasn't sure I believed it."
Stephanie turned. It was one of the many people Stephanie didn't want to deal with. "What the hell do you want?"
"I have a proposition for you," he said.
Stephanie's blue eyes narrowed. He noticed the dark circles under her eyes. She had lost weight too. "I'm not that kind of girl. I'm happily married."
"I should have said business deal."
"Business deal?" Stephanie asked, intrigued.
"Yeah," he answered.
"Go on," Stephanie said, trying to hide her interest.
"Well I need a manager," he said. "Two belts is a lot to handle."
"You've done fine for the past month," Stephanie pointed out.
"Do you really want to run back to your daddy's dressing room and sit in the same room as the man who killed your baby?"
Pain flashed in Stephanie's eyes. "No."
"Do you have a better offer?"
"No," Stephanie said miserably.
"You can keep your stuff in my dressing room so you don't have to deal with that scum Austin," he said. "I have to go talk to someone."
"Hey," Stephanie said. "Thanks."
"Thank you," he said. "Hurry up."
Stephanie nearly ran to go get her stuff. God must be looking down on her because she knew she needed to stay away from Vince and Austin. Though she thought it would be Kurt who would have asked for her to be his manager.
She toted her duffel bag down the hall. It was hard to believe it had been a month since she had been in an arena. It had been a month since she had...no, she wouldn't think about that now.
Stephanie ran her hand over the nameplate on his door. Chris Jericho. What in the world was she getting herself into? She knocked on the door.
"Come in," Jericho called.
"I'm here," Stephanie said as she opened the door.
"That was quick," Jericho said.
"You said to hurry," Stephanie answered.
"I don't remember you ever listening to a word I said," Jericho answered.
"I've changed," Stephanie said. "Look Jericho, I really want to thank you for asking me to be your manager. I don't know why you did but I'm not going to question it any more than I already have."
"Good," Jericho said. "Is Trips okay with you being back?"
"I honestly don't know," Stephanie said. "I kind of just left."
"Won't he be worried?" Jericho asked.
"Probably," Stephanie said. "I left him a note explaining. It's just so hard. I know he needs me, but I can't sit around that apartment imagining what could have been."
"Have you thought about seeing a counselor?" Jericho asked, trying not to be concerned for this woman who had ruined his life on more than one occasion.
"I'm not crazy," Stephanie said.
"I didn't say you were," Jericho said. "Sometimes people just go to counselors when they are trying to figure out their feelings."
"I'm fine," Stephanie said. "I just need time."
"Whatever," Jericho replied. "Just don't go all ballistic on me at any time and we'll be fine."
"Sounds good," Stephanie said. "Your dressing room is small."
"And I'm the WWF champion?" Jericho asked. "What the hell is with that?"
"I can change that," Stephanie said. "I know who decides who gets what room."
"Really?" Jericho asked. "That could be good information to have."
"What's on tap for tonight?" Stephanie asked.
"Benoit and I defend against the Hardys," Jericho said.
"They're tough," Stephanie said. "I love watching them. Except when they give me the Twist of Fate or something."
"Your husband had just hit all of them with a chair two nights earlier," Jericho said. "I think I understand why he did it."
"Me too," Stephanie said quietly.
"I'm sorry," Jericho said.
"Don't be," Stephanie said.
"So," Jericho said. "Do you want anything to drink or anything?"
"Oh, I'll go get water," Stephanie said, standing quickly and nearly falling back down to her seat.
"I'll get it," Jericho said. "You take it easy."
"Thanks," Stephanie said.
"Sure," Chris said. He left the door slightly open behind him.
"Stephanie's back," a voice said in the hallway. It was Trish Stratus.
"Is Triple H back too?" another voice asked. It sounded like Lita.
"No," Trish said. "I heard her kicked her out because she lost their baby. He found out she didn't want any child of his so she did something to purposely kill it."
"I don't think so," Lita said. "He would have kicked her out a long time ago. It's not right to say stuff like that. Especially considering she was getting revenge for her husband."
"Right, with Chris Jericho?" Trish asked. "I can't think of too many people Hunter hates more. I think I know why Y2J calls her a ho. He knows exactly what kind of slut she is, from experience."
"I don't know why I ever spend time with you," Lita said. "All you do is say spiteful things."
"I only say what everyone else thinks," Trish said.
Stephanie wiped away the tears that were streaming down her face. Trish was right; she was responsible for her baby's death. She wasn't worthy of a miracle like a baby anyways. She looked at a mirror and made sure it didn't look like she had cried a river. She didn't think she could stand anymore looks of concern. She was a murderer. She didn't deserve pity. She didn't deserve anything.
//Watch it count down to the end of the day,
The clock ticks life away.
It's so unreal
Didn't look out below//
"Stephanie?" Hunter asked. The apartment was dark and silent. He knew without looking that Stephanie wasn't in their apartment.
Hunter threw himself down on the black leather couch in their living room. He adjusted the ice pack over his quad. The therapy session that day had been brutal. But he knew he wasn't working hard enough if he wanted to get back by Survivor Series. He wanted to kick Austin's ass.
Where was Stephanie this time? She never told him where she went. She would disappear for hours at a time. At first it had scared him, but once she had done it a few times he knew she would be okay. She was just trying to cope.
Hunter got up and went to the kitchen to grab a bottle of water. A light was flashing on his answering machine. He hit the play button.
"Hunter," Stephanie said. "I, well, I'm going back to touring with the company. I can't just sit around any more. I need something to do so I can forget. I want to be there for you but I can't sit around and do nothing. I'll be home this weekend. I, I'll miss you."
Hunter stood in his dark kitchen for some time. She was gone? She was going back on the road? He knew she was depressed and all but she did not need to be on the road. She didn't need to be around Stone Cold Steve Austin. He knew he had to do something.
He walked to the bedroom he shared with Stephanie. He got out a duffel bag and started to throw clothes in it. He was going to drag her back home. He was her husband and he was going to protect her.
But was he going to? Hunter wasn't so sure. At home she was safe from Austin yes, but she wasn't safe from herself. He knew she blamed herself for the miscarriage. He knew she was doing what she had to do and Austin was the asshole.
He threw himself on his bed. He hated feeling helpless. Maybe Stephanie would be able to forget if she went back on tour. But he wanted to make sure she was protected. Who could he get to protect her? DX? No they never really like her. Vince? Hell no, he was still allied with Austin. Kurt Angle? Did he really want to throw his wife into that man's arms?
Who hated Stephanie but hated Austin more? Hunter sat up and went digging in the drawer in her bedside table. He finally found a crumpled yellow piece of paper.
"Hello?" asked the person on the other end of the phone.
"It's Triple H," Hunter said.
"Yeah?" he asked. "What do you want?"
"Stephanie is going back on the road," Hunter said.
"And I care because?" the other voice asked.
"I can't be there to protect her," Hunter said. "I don't want to her to get hurt by Austin. He knows I want to kill him and he will use her against me."
"And you're calling me because..."
"Because I want you to watch out for her," Hunter said.
"Not a chance."
"Please?" Hunter asked. "I wouldn't ask anything from you if it wasn't important. This is more than important."
"Why me?"
"Because I know you are a basically good guy," Hunter answered. "And because I know you two have history together."
"How do you know?"
"Because she cried about how she had ruined everything when we first got married," Hunter said.
"That's right. She ruined it. I can't stand her."
"Good," Hunter said. "I don't want you to steal my wife from me. But I know you are smart and you wouldn't hurt her. I need your help."
"There's no one else?"
"I'm going to call Shane and ask him to let bygones be bygones," Hunter said. "But he is not enough in and of himself. Plus WCW is just getting off its feet."
"How long?"
"Until I get back," Hunter said. "And I don't want her to know I'm having anyone watch out for her."
"Okay, I'll do it."
"Thanks," Hunter said. "I owe you."
"No shit."
The next night Stephanie was walking down the hall of the arena they were in that night. "I heard you were back. Wasn't sure I believed it."
Stephanie turned. It was one of the many people Stephanie didn't want to deal with. "What the hell do you want?"
"I have a proposition for you," he said.
Stephanie's blue eyes narrowed. He noticed the dark circles under her eyes. She had lost weight too. "I'm not that kind of girl. I'm happily married."
"I should have said business deal."
"Business deal?" Stephanie asked, intrigued.
"Yeah," he answered.
"Go on," Stephanie said, trying to hide her interest.
"Well I need a manager," he said. "Two belts is a lot to handle."
"You've done fine for the past month," Stephanie pointed out.
"Do you really want to run back to your daddy's dressing room and sit in the same room as the man who killed your baby?"
Pain flashed in Stephanie's eyes. "No."
"Do you have a better offer?"
"No," Stephanie said miserably.
"You can keep your stuff in my dressing room so you don't have to deal with that scum Austin," he said. "I have to go talk to someone."
"Hey," Stephanie said. "Thanks."
"Thank you," he said. "Hurry up."
Stephanie nearly ran to go get her stuff. God must be looking down on her because she knew she needed to stay away from Vince and Austin. Though she thought it would be Kurt who would have asked for her to be his manager.
She toted her duffel bag down the hall. It was hard to believe it had been a month since she had been in an arena. It had been a month since she had...no, she wouldn't think about that now.
Stephanie ran her hand over the nameplate on his door. Chris Jericho. What in the world was she getting herself into? She knocked on the door.
"Come in," Jericho called.
"I'm here," Stephanie said as she opened the door.
"That was quick," Jericho said.
"You said to hurry," Stephanie answered.
"I don't remember you ever listening to a word I said," Jericho answered.
"I've changed," Stephanie said. "Look Jericho, I really want to thank you for asking me to be your manager. I don't know why you did but I'm not going to question it any more than I already have."
"Good," Jericho said. "Is Trips okay with you being back?"
"I honestly don't know," Stephanie said. "I kind of just left."
"Won't he be worried?" Jericho asked.
"Probably," Stephanie said. "I left him a note explaining. It's just so hard. I know he needs me, but I can't sit around that apartment imagining what could have been."
"Have you thought about seeing a counselor?" Jericho asked, trying not to be concerned for this woman who had ruined his life on more than one occasion.
"I'm not crazy," Stephanie said.
"I didn't say you were," Jericho said. "Sometimes people just go to counselors when they are trying to figure out their feelings."
"I'm fine," Stephanie said. "I just need time."
"Whatever," Jericho replied. "Just don't go all ballistic on me at any time and we'll be fine."
"Sounds good," Stephanie said. "Your dressing room is small."
"And I'm the WWF champion?" Jericho asked. "What the hell is with that?"
"I can change that," Stephanie said. "I know who decides who gets what room."
"Really?" Jericho asked. "That could be good information to have."
"What's on tap for tonight?" Stephanie asked.
"Benoit and I defend against the Hardys," Jericho said.
"They're tough," Stephanie said. "I love watching them. Except when they give me the Twist of Fate or something."
"Your husband had just hit all of them with a chair two nights earlier," Jericho said. "I think I understand why he did it."
"Me too," Stephanie said quietly.
"I'm sorry," Jericho said.
"Don't be," Stephanie said.
"So," Jericho said. "Do you want anything to drink or anything?"
"Oh, I'll go get water," Stephanie said, standing quickly and nearly falling back down to her seat.
"I'll get it," Jericho said. "You take it easy."
"Thanks," Stephanie said.
"Sure," Chris said. He left the door slightly open behind him.
"Stephanie's back," a voice said in the hallway. It was Trish Stratus.
"Is Triple H back too?" another voice asked. It sounded like Lita.
"No," Trish said. "I heard her kicked her out because she lost their baby. He found out she didn't want any child of his so she did something to purposely kill it."
"I don't think so," Lita said. "He would have kicked her out a long time ago. It's not right to say stuff like that. Especially considering she was getting revenge for her husband."
"Right, with Chris Jericho?" Trish asked. "I can't think of too many people Hunter hates more. I think I know why Y2J calls her a ho. He knows exactly what kind of slut she is, from experience."
"I don't know why I ever spend time with you," Lita said. "All you do is say spiteful things."
"I only say what everyone else thinks," Trish said.
Stephanie wiped away the tears that were streaming down her face. Trish was right; she was responsible for her baby's death. She wasn't worthy of a miracle like a baby anyways. She looked at a mirror and made sure it didn't look like she had cried a river. She didn't think she could stand anymore looks of concern. She was a murderer. She didn't deserve pity. She didn't deserve anything.