August 2001
//What it meant to me will eventually become a memory,
Of a time I tried so hard//
"Honey," Stephanie said softly over the phone.
"Hey babe," Hunter said. "How are you doing sweetie?"
"I'm okay," Stephanie said. "How was therapy today?"
"It was good," Hunter said. "I'm feeling stronger all the time. I think once my leg is healed I'll be healthier than I've ever been."
"That's great Hunter," Stephanie said sincerely. "Then we can see what we can do about getting you into the mix for the WWF Title."
"I just want to be back," Hunter said honestly. "I never thought I would be able to say that the title isn't important to me. But it isn't why I'm ready to be back."
"We'll get Austin," Stephanie said.
"I want to be with you again," Hunter said. "I miss you so much."
"I miss you too," Stephanie said.
"Shouldn't you be on a plane back now?" Hunter said.
"Um, yeah," Stephanie said.
"What is it?" Hunter asked.
"I was eating lunch with Kurt and I kind of missed my flight," Stephanie said.
"Are you catching a later flight?" Hunter asked.
"Oh yeah," Stephanie said. "It will probably be a few hours until I can catch one though."
"Alright," Hunter said. "Just let me know."
"I will," Stephanie said.
"I love you," Hunter said.
"Oh, I love you too," Stephanie said.
Hunter stared at the phone after Stephanie hung up. Oh, I love you too? What the hell was that? Crap is what that was. He was going crazy at home alone. Stephanie came home about once every other weekend. She seemed to volunteer for every PR stunt Vince planned.
She had spending a lot of time around Kurt Angle too. He still had his contacts in the Federation. He knew she was spending a lot of time around Jericho too, but that was to be expected. He did not want Angle around his wife.
Angle was a punk. Three I's? All Angle really valued was himself. Stephanie had been around too many men who only wanted her for her name. He should know, he had been one of them once upon a time. He loved her now. Angle would sacrifice his friendship with Stephanie in a second if Vince asked him to.
Hunter was glad to see Vince separating himself from Austin over the previous month. Austin was a deranged psychopath who needed to be taught that he could not destroy everyone who pissed him off. Hunter realized this was hypocritical of him. He had spent his career destroying others, but he knew now that he could not to that.
But he could get even. The only question was how many people would he have to get even with when he got back to the Federation.
Austin would pay for Stephanie's miscarriage. Not only had he brutally assaulted yet another woman, he had ended a life. Austin wouldn't even know when he was going to pay until it happened.
It was looking like he would have to teach Angle once again that Stephanie was his wife and not Kurt's girlfriend. He didn't get jealous too often, but something about Kurt got under Hunter's skin.
Jericho had told Hunter that Trish was making Stephanie miserable. Trish used every opportunity to spread nasty rumors about her. And Trish was jumping on the Stephanie is a slut bandwagon. It was all because Hunter had been faithful to Trish. Trish had wanted him badly and he had told her no repeatedly. She had sworn she would make him pay.
Jericho was unpredictable. Hunter had known that Jericho would be the best person to protect his wife because Jericho was basically decent and he had a tendency to protect weaker people. He hated to see people ganging up on others. But Jericho had gone above and beyond the call of duty. He called Hunter at least once a week to let Hunter know how Stephanie was doing and all.
Hunter was convinced Jericho still cared for Stephanie. He had no idea how serious Jericho and Stephanie's relationship had been, but he knew it had destroyed Stephanie when it had ended. And it had ended badly. Stephanie had cried herself to sleep for weeks after it had happened. That had been when their marriage was just business. Before he had realized how truly amazing the boss' daughter was.
The phone rang next to him. "This is Hunter."
"Hey Trips," Jericho said.
"Hey Jericho," Hunter said. "What's up?"
"Is Steph there?" Jericho asked.
"No, she missed her plane," Hunter said.
"What the hell?" Jericho asked. "I took her to the freaking airport. I took her to her gate and dropped her off before heading to my flight."
"Really?" Hunter asked.
"She said she was having lunch with Kurt," Hunter said.
"Kurt is in Europe," Jericho said.
"What?" Hunter asked.
"I'm sorry Trips," Jericho said. "I didn't call to tattle on Stephanie."
"Why did you call?" Hunter asked, his anger mounting.
"Because my flight had to emergency land at JFK and there's no flights I can grab up to Canada tonight. It's kind of pointless for me to fly in tomorrow morning and leave the next morning and I was wondering if I could stay with you guys."
"Sure," Hunter said.
"I appreciate it," Jericho said.
"No problem," Hunter said. "You want me to come get you?"
"Nah," Jericho replied. "I'll take the subway."
"Alright," Hunter said. "I'll see you when you get here."
"Cool," Jericho said.
Hunter got up and started pacing. The more he thought about it the more angry he became. Why the hell would Stephanie lie to him? What had kept her at the airport?
There was a knock on the door a half-hour later. Hunter went to let Jericho in. "Hey Trips," Jericho said smiling. "Who would have ever thought I'd call you first to find a place to stay?"
"Sure as hell not me," Hunter admitted.
"I appreciate it," Jericho said again.
"I appreciate you looking out for my wife," Hunter said. "Or trying to anyways."
"Yeah no problem," Jericho said. "She helps me out too."
"She likes to feel useful," Hunter said. "I think she's glad it was you who asked her first because you don't expect her to cheat."
"She better not cheat is more accurate," Jericho said.
"Yeah," Hunter said. "I think I'm starting to feel the same way. You accomplish more when you win the right way."
"Yeah," Jericho said.
"So do you have any theories as to why Stephanie lied?" Hunter asked.
"No clue," Jericho said. "I put her on a plane every weekend to come home."
"Well not every weekend," Hunter said.
"Sure every weekend," Jericho said.
"She hasn't been home in three weeks," Hunter said.
"Are you kidding me?" Jericho asked.
"No," Hunter said.
"Oh shit," Jericho said. "I have no idea what's up."
"Me neither," Hunter said.
"Do you want me to leave?" Jericho asked.
"I'll probably kill her if you do," Hunter said. "She's going to need a friend after our inevitable fight."
"I'm not a friend," Jericho said.
"You sure have the world fooled," Hunter said.
"What the hell are you talking about?" Jericho asked. "I'm not Stephanie's friend. I would never put myself in a position where Stephanie mattered to me ever again."
"What did she do to you?" Hunter asked.
"It's a long story Trips," Jericho said. "And it's best left in the past. But those who don't learn from history are doomed to repeat it you know?"
"Yeah," Hunter said. The front door of the apartment clicked open.
"Hunter?" Stephanie called into the apartment.
"In the living room Steph," Hunter called, trying to hide his fury.
Stephanie walked in with a smile on her face. "Hey babe. Oh, hey Chris."
"Stephanie," Jericho said.
"Stephanie, I think you have some explaining to do," Hunter said. "Like what have you been doing the past three weeks?"
Stephanie's eyes widened in shock. She looked like a deer caught in the headlights.
//What it meant to me will eventually become a memory,
Of a time I tried so hard//
"Honey," Stephanie said softly over the phone.
"Hey babe," Hunter said. "How are you doing sweetie?"
"I'm okay," Stephanie said. "How was therapy today?"
"It was good," Hunter said. "I'm feeling stronger all the time. I think once my leg is healed I'll be healthier than I've ever been."
"That's great Hunter," Stephanie said sincerely. "Then we can see what we can do about getting you into the mix for the WWF Title."
"I just want to be back," Hunter said honestly. "I never thought I would be able to say that the title isn't important to me. But it isn't why I'm ready to be back."
"We'll get Austin," Stephanie said.
"I want to be with you again," Hunter said. "I miss you so much."
"I miss you too," Stephanie said.
"Shouldn't you be on a plane back now?" Hunter said.
"Um, yeah," Stephanie said.
"What is it?" Hunter asked.
"I was eating lunch with Kurt and I kind of missed my flight," Stephanie said.
"Are you catching a later flight?" Hunter asked.
"Oh yeah," Stephanie said. "It will probably be a few hours until I can catch one though."
"Alright," Hunter said. "Just let me know."
"I will," Stephanie said.
"I love you," Hunter said.
"Oh, I love you too," Stephanie said.
Hunter stared at the phone after Stephanie hung up. Oh, I love you too? What the hell was that? Crap is what that was. He was going crazy at home alone. Stephanie came home about once every other weekend. She seemed to volunteer for every PR stunt Vince planned.
She had spending a lot of time around Kurt Angle too. He still had his contacts in the Federation. He knew she was spending a lot of time around Jericho too, but that was to be expected. He did not want Angle around his wife.
Angle was a punk. Three I's? All Angle really valued was himself. Stephanie had been around too many men who only wanted her for her name. He should know, he had been one of them once upon a time. He loved her now. Angle would sacrifice his friendship with Stephanie in a second if Vince asked him to.
Hunter was glad to see Vince separating himself from Austin over the previous month. Austin was a deranged psychopath who needed to be taught that he could not destroy everyone who pissed him off. Hunter realized this was hypocritical of him. He had spent his career destroying others, but he knew now that he could not to that.
But he could get even. The only question was how many people would he have to get even with when he got back to the Federation.
Austin would pay for Stephanie's miscarriage. Not only had he brutally assaulted yet another woman, he had ended a life. Austin wouldn't even know when he was going to pay until it happened.
It was looking like he would have to teach Angle once again that Stephanie was his wife and not Kurt's girlfriend. He didn't get jealous too often, but something about Kurt got under Hunter's skin.
Jericho had told Hunter that Trish was making Stephanie miserable. Trish used every opportunity to spread nasty rumors about her. And Trish was jumping on the Stephanie is a slut bandwagon. It was all because Hunter had been faithful to Trish. Trish had wanted him badly and he had told her no repeatedly. She had sworn she would make him pay.
Jericho was unpredictable. Hunter had known that Jericho would be the best person to protect his wife because Jericho was basically decent and he had a tendency to protect weaker people. He hated to see people ganging up on others. But Jericho had gone above and beyond the call of duty. He called Hunter at least once a week to let Hunter know how Stephanie was doing and all.
Hunter was convinced Jericho still cared for Stephanie. He had no idea how serious Jericho and Stephanie's relationship had been, but he knew it had destroyed Stephanie when it had ended. And it had ended badly. Stephanie had cried herself to sleep for weeks after it had happened. That had been when their marriage was just business. Before he had realized how truly amazing the boss' daughter was.
The phone rang next to him. "This is Hunter."
"Hey Trips," Jericho said.
"Hey Jericho," Hunter said. "What's up?"
"Is Steph there?" Jericho asked.
"No, she missed her plane," Hunter said.
"What the hell?" Jericho asked. "I took her to the freaking airport. I took her to her gate and dropped her off before heading to my flight."
"Really?" Hunter asked.
"She said she was having lunch with Kurt," Hunter said.
"Kurt is in Europe," Jericho said.
"What?" Hunter asked.
"I'm sorry Trips," Jericho said. "I didn't call to tattle on Stephanie."
"Why did you call?" Hunter asked, his anger mounting.
"Because my flight had to emergency land at JFK and there's no flights I can grab up to Canada tonight. It's kind of pointless for me to fly in tomorrow morning and leave the next morning and I was wondering if I could stay with you guys."
"Sure," Hunter said.
"I appreciate it," Jericho said.
"No problem," Hunter said. "You want me to come get you?"
"Nah," Jericho replied. "I'll take the subway."
"Alright," Hunter said. "I'll see you when you get here."
"Cool," Jericho said.
Hunter got up and started pacing. The more he thought about it the more angry he became. Why the hell would Stephanie lie to him? What had kept her at the airport?
There was a knock on the door a half-hour later. Hunter went to let Jericho in. "Hey Trips," Jericho said smiling. "Who would have ever thought I'd call you first to find a place to stay?"
"Sure as hell not me," Hunter admitted.
"I appreciate it," Jericho said again.
"I appreciate you looking out for my wife," Hunter said. "Or trying to anyways."
"Yeah no problem," Jericho said. "She helps me out too."
"She likes to feel useful," Hunter said. "I think she's glad it was you who asked her first because you don't expect her to cheat."
"She better not cheat is more accurate," Jericho said.
"Yeah," Hunter said. "I think I'm starting to feel the same way. You accomplish more when you win the right way."
"Yeah," Jericho said.
"So do you have any theories as to why Stephanie lied?" Hunter asked.
"No clue," Jericho said. "I put her on a plane every weekend to come home."
"Well not every weekend," Hunter said.
"Sure every weekend," Jericho said.
"She hasn't been home in three weeks," Hunter said.
"Are you kidding me?" Jericho asked.
"No," Hunter said.
"Oh shit," Jericho said. "I have no idea what's up."
"Me neither," Hunter said.
"Do you want me to leave?" Jericho asked.
"I'll probably kill her if you do," Hunter said. "She's going to need a friend after our inevitable fight."
"I'm not a friend," Jericho said.
"You sure have the world fooled," Hunter said.
"What the hell are you talking about?" Jericho asked. "I'm not Stephanie's friend. I would never put myself in a position where Stephanie mattered to me ever again."
"What did she do to you?" Hunter asked.
"It's a long story Trips," Jericho said. "And it's best left in the past. But those who don't learn from history are doomed to repeat it you know?"
"Yeah," Hunter said. The front door of the apartment clicked open.
"Hunter?" Stephanie called into the apartment.
"In the living room Steph," Hunter called, trying to hide his fury.
Stephanie walked in with a smile on her face. "Hey babe. Oh, hey Chris."
"Stephanie," Jericho said.
"Stephanie, I think you have some explaining to do," Hunter said. "Like what have you been doing the past three weeks?"
Stephanie's eyes widened in shock. She looked like a deer caught in the headlights.