One week later
"I thought you wanted to go out tonight," Jeff said to Stephanie.
"I changed my mind," Stephanie said. "I just want to be alone."
"This is two nights straight you've blown me off Stephanie," Jeff said. "I know that your marriage just ended and all, but I feel like I deserve a little respect or courtesy or something."
"Look," Stephanie said. "I'm just a little confused right now okay?"
"Yeah," Jeff said, "whatever."
"I don't need this crap from you Jeff," Stephanie said. She grabbed her duffel bag and stormed to the door of their hotel room. "I'm going to get a room of my own tonight."
"Jesus Stephanie," Jeff exclaimed, "would you please calm down?"
"Why don't you go play nice with your brother or something?" Stephanie asked sarcastically. "I'll see you tomorrow or something."
Stephanie went down to the hotel lobby and flung her gold card onto the counter. "I need a room for the night," she said to the desk clerk.
"I'm sorry Miss McMahon," the clerk said apologetically. "We're all booked for the night."
"Really?" Stephanie asked.
"I'm really sorry," the clerk said again.
"It's not you're fault," Stephanie replied. "I have plenty of friends in this hotel, I'm sure I can find a room to stay in."
"Good luck," the clerk said.
Stephanie headed to the women's restroom before she headed upstairs. She walked to the handicapped stall and reached for a vial in her duffel bag. She scooped some of the fine white powder out with a tiny scoop Edge had given her. She snorted the white powder.
"Now maybe I'll feel normal again," Stephanie muttered to herself. She sat on the table, waiting for the euphoric, peaceful feeling to overcome her. She didn't want to think about the fact that she had chased away her husband and she was about to get a divorce. She didn't want to remember she was only with her lover because he was a little exciting. She didn't need to recall that her best friend was once again looking at her like she was a slut...only now he was right.
The feeling wasn't coming, or at least not quick enough. She scooped out the vial again and took another hit. She took one more just to be safe. She left the stall and went to the sink to wash her hands. She knew she couldn't go back to Jeff's room, he would be able to tell she was high. She always stayed away from Jeff after she had taken a hit. It didn't matter, she couldn't face Jeff.
Stephanie headed out of the restroom and went to the elevators. She went to the fourth floor and knocked on 435. "Chris! C'mon!"
He didn't answer the door. "He must be out," Stephanie said to herself. "I'll just wait."
Stephanie sat down directly in front of Chris Jericho's door and leaned her head against the wall. She felt hot. She mopped her forehead with her hand. It was covered with sweat.
Stephanie felt her heart begin to beat faster. She felt like it was trying to pound right out of her chest. She wished Chris would hurry up and get back. She heard footsteps coming down the hall. She looked down and Jericho swam in her eyes.
"I really fucked up," Stephanie said to herself.
"What are you doing here?" Jericho asked.
"I had nowhere else to go," Stephanie said.
"Well, Hunter is on his way down here," Jericho lied. "So you might want to crawl back to Jeff."
"Fine," Stephanie said, struggling to get to her feet. She grabbed Jericho's forearm when she was overcome with a wave of dizziness.
"You okay Stephanie?" Jericho asked.
"Like you care," Stephanie said, turning away from him.
"Of course I care," Jericho said.
Stephanie turned back to him. He looked closely at her eyes. They looked strange. "I'm fine," Stephanie sighed. "I'll go see if I can stay with Edge."
"What?" Jericho teased cruelly. "You and Jeff have a lover's spat?"
"Oh shut up," Stephanie said. "I know you were waiting for this. For me to confirm your worst predictions of my character."
"You're breaking my heart here Steph," Jericho said. "You made your bed..."
"And it's plenty of fun to sleep in," Stephanie said.
Jericho shook his head. "Well, good luck finding somewhere to..."
Before his eyes, Stephanie passed out. He stuck out his arms on instinct and just managed to catch her. "Stephanie?"
Jericho held her up with one arm and opened his door with the other. The whole time he kept calling her name. He called down to the front desk.
"Hello?" the desk clerk answered.
"Yes, a woman just passed out," Jericho said. "Can you call 911 for me?"
"Certainly sir," the clerk answered. "Which room number?"
"435," Jericho replied. "Hurry!"
Jericho slammed down the phone and turned back to Stephanie. He checked her pulse. It was thready. "What the hell did you do to yourself?"
He slapped her cheeks lightly, trying to elicit some response. "Damn it all to hell!"
He picked up the phone and asked to be connected to Jeff Hardy's room. "What the hell did you do to her?"
"What are you talking about?" Jeff asked.
"Stephanie came to my room and passed out," Jericho said. "She refused to go back to your room."
"I didn't do anything to her," Jeff exclaimed. "Is she okay?"
"No," Jericho said. "She's unconscious. Her eyes looked strange."
"Like high strange?" Jeff asked.
"I guess so," Jericho said.
"I'm going to kill Edge," Jeff said, deadly quiet.
"What the hell did Edge do?" Jericho asked.
"Gave her cocaine," Jeff said.
"How could you let him do that?" Jericho yelled.
"I didn't let him do anything," Jeff defended himself. "I only thought she had tried it once. She promised never to do it again."
"Well, we all know Steph is big on keeping promises," Jericho said. "Look, call Vince and tell him I'm taking her to the ER."
"What about Hunter?" Jeff asked.
"I think I'd better call Hunter," Jericho said.
Jericho answered the pounding at his door. EMTs barged in and went to work on Stephanie.
"I think it may be from cocaine," Jericho said to one of them, "but I'm not certain."
"Thank you sir," one said.
"Can I ride in the ambulance?" Jericho asked.
"Yeah," another one said.
An hour later, Jericho was pacing the waiting room of the ER. Hunter walked in, pale as a ghost. "Is she okay?" he asked Jericho.
"I don't know," Jericho said. "No one will tell me anything. I'm not family."
"Well, I am," Hunter said. He headed to the nurses' station and talked with the woman at the counter for a few moments. He turned around and headed back toward Jericho.
"Well?" Jericho asked.
"A doctor will be out in a couple minutes to talk to us," Hunter asked. He sat down and noticed Jeff Hardy sitting in the corner. He got out of his seat and went to stand in front of Jeff. He grabbed him by his t-shirt and pulled him up. "You son of a bitch."
"Hunter!" Jericho exclaimed. "Leave him alone."
"Like hell," Hunter said.
"He didn't do whatever you think he did," Jericho said. "It won't help Stephanie for you two to get into a fight."
Hunter turned and looked at Jericho. A doctor came into the waiting room. "Mr. Helmsley?"
"That's me," Hunter said.
"Your wife had significant amounts of cocaine in her system," the doctor said. "She will be fine, but she will have to check into rehab."
"Of course," Hunter said.
"Did you want to see her?" the doctor asked.
"To be honest," Hunter said, "no. Stephanie and I are in the middle of a divorce. But I think Chris is worried about her more than anyone."
"Follow me," the doctor said to Jericho.
"Thanks," Jericho said to Hunter.
Hunter shook his head. "How could you let Jericho go in there before me?" Jeff asked.
"Because you little punk," Hunter said coldly, narrowing his eyes, "Jericho loves Stephanie more than you and I have ever imagined loving anyone."
"How would you know?" Jeff asked.
"I can read it in his eyes," Hunter said. "I wish I knew what that kind of love felt like."
"He calls her all those horrible things, or he used to," Jeff said.
"Don't get me wrong," Hunter said. "Jericho has no idea he still loves Stephanie, but he does."
"Still?" Jeff asked.
"They have a history we can't begin to fathom," Hunter said.
Jericho sat next to Stephanie's bed. He didn't know what to do. Her eyes fluttered open. "Chris?"
"I'm here Steph," Jericho said, taking her hand in his.
"What did I do?" she asked, tears in her eyes.
"Overdose," Jericho answered. "You have to check into rehab."
"Okay," Stephanie said. "Do you hate me?"
"Stephanie, I've never hated you," Jericho said. "What makes you think I would start now that you've hit rock bottom?"
"I've been so horrible," Stephanie replied.
"You've always been that too," Jericho teased. "I'll be here for you Steph."
Stephanie's eyes filled with gratitude. "Really?"
"Of course," Jericho replied.
"I thought you wanted to go out tonight," Jeff said to Stephanie.
"I changed my mind," Stephanie said. "I just want to be alone."
"This is two nights straight you've blown me off Stephanie," Jeff said. "I know that your marriage just ended and all, but I feel like I deserve a little respect or courtesy or something."
"Look," Stephanie said. "I'm just a little confused right now okay?"
"Yeah," Jeff said, "whatever."
"I don't need this crap from you Jeff," Stephanie said. She grabbed her duffel bag and stormed to the door of their hotel room. "I'm going to get a room of my own tonight."
"Jesus Stephanie," Jeff exclaimed, "would you please calm down?"
"Why don't you go play nice with your brother or something?" Stephanie asked sarcastically. "I'll see you tomorrow or something."
Stephanie went down to the hotel lobby and flung her gold card onto the counter. "I need a room for the night," she said to the desk clerk.
"I'm sorry Miss McMahon," the clerk said apologetically. "We're all booked for the night."
"Really?" Stephanie asked.
"I'm really sorry," the clerk said again.
"It's not you're fault," Stephanie replied. "I have plenty of friends in this hotel, I'm sure I can find a room to stay in."
"Good luck," the clerk said.
Stephanie headed to the women's restroom before she headed upstairs. She walked to the handicapped stall and reached for a vial in her duffel bag. She scooped some of the fine white powder out with a tiny scoop Edge had given her. She snorted the white powder.
"Now maybe I'll feel normal again," Stephanie muttered to herself. She sat on the table, waiting for the euphoric, peaceful feeling to overcome her. She didn't want to think about the fact that she had chased away her husband and she was about to get a divorce. She didn't want to remember she was only with her lover because he was a little exciting. She didn't need to recall that her best friend was once again looking at her like she was a slut...only now he was right.
The feeling wasn't coming, or at least not quick enough. She scooped out the vial again and took another hit. She took one more just to be safe. She left the stall and went to the sink to wash her hands. She knew she couldn't go back to Jeff's room, he would be able to tell she was high. She always stayed away from Jeff after she had taken a hit. It didn't matter, she couldn't face Jeff.
Stephanie headed out of the restroom and went to the elevators. She went to the fourth floor and knocked on 435. "Chris! C'mon!"
He didn't answer the door. "He must be out," Stephanie said to herself. "I'll just wait."
Stephanie sat down directly in front of Chris Jericho's door and leaned her head against the wall. She felt hot. She mopped her forehead with her hand. It was covered with sweat.
Stephanie felt her heart begin to beat faster. She felt like it was trying to pound right out of her chest. She wished Chris would hurry up and get back. She heard footsteps coming down the hall. She looked down and Jericho swam in her eyes.
"I really fucked up," Stephanie said to herself.
"What are you doing here?" Jericho asked.
"I had nowhere else to go," Stephanie said.
"Well, Hunter is on his way down here," Jericho lied. "So you might want to crawl back to Jeff."
"Fine," Stephanie said, struggling to get to her feet. She grabbed Jericho's forearm when she was overcome with a wave of dizziness.
"You okay Stephanie?" Jericho asked.
"Like you care," Stephanie said, turning away from him.
"Of course I care," Jericho said.
Stephanie turned back to him. He looked closely at her eyes. They looked strange. "I'm fine," Stephanie sighed. "I'll go see if I can stay with Edge."
"What?" Jericho teased cruelly. "You and Jeff have a lover's spat?"
"Oh shut up," Stephanie said. "I know you were waiting for this. For me to confirm your worst predictions of my character."
"You're breaking my heart here Steph," Jericho said. "You made your bed..."
"And it's plenty of fun to sleep in," Stephanie said.
Jericho shook his head. "Well, good luck finding somewhere to..."
Before his eyes, Stephanie passed out. He stuck out his arms on instinct and just managed to catch her. "Stephanie?"
Jericho held her up with one arm and opened his door with the other. The whole time he kept calling her name. He called down to the front desk.
"Hello?" the desk clerk answered.
"Yes, a woman just passed out," Jericho said. "Can you call 911 for me?"
"Certainly sir," the clerk answered. "Which room number?"
"435," Jericho replied. "Hurry!"
Jericho slammed down the phone and turned back to Stephanie. He checked her pulse. It was thready. "What the hell did you do to yourself?"
He slapped her cheeks lightly, trying to elicit some response. "Damn it all to hell!"
He picked up the phone and asked to be connected to Jeff Hardy's room. "What the hell did you do to her?"
"What are you talking about?" Jeff asked.
"Stephanie came to my room and passed out," Jericho said. "She refused to go back to your room."
"I didn't do anything to her," Jeff exclaimed. "Is she okay?"
"No," Jericho said. "She's unconscious. Her eyes looked strange."
"Like high strange?" Jeff asked.
"I guess so," Jericho said.
"I'm going to kill Edge," Jeff said, deadly quiet.
"What the hell did Edge do?" Jericho asked.
"Gave her cocaine," Jeff said.
"How could you let him do that?" Jericho yelled.
"I didn't let him do anything," Jeff defended himself. "I only thought she had tried it once. She promised never to do it again."
"Well, we all know Steph is big on keeping promises," Jericho said. "Look, call Vince and tell him I'm taking her to the ER."
"What about Hunter?" Jeff asked.
"I think I'd better call Hunter," Jericho said.
Jericho answered the pounding at his door. EMTs barged in and went to work on Stephanie.
"I think it may be from cocaine," Jericho said to one of them, "but I'm not certain."
"Thank you sir," one said.
"Can I ride in the ambulance?" Jericho asked.
"Yeah," another one said.
An hour later, Jericho was pacing the waiting room of the ER. Hunter walked in, pale as a ghost. "Is she okay?" he asked Jericho.
"I don't know," Jericho said. "No one will tell me anything. I'm not family."
"Well, I am," Hunter said. He headed to the nurses' station and talked with the woman at the counter for a few moments. He turned around and headed back toward Jericho.
"Well?" Jericho asked.
"A doctor will be out in a couple minutes to talk to us," Hunter asked. He sat down and noticed Jeff Hardy sitting in the corner. He got out of his seat and went to stand in front of Jeff. He grabbed him by his t-shirt and pulled him up. "You son of a bitch."
"Hunter!" Jericho exclaimed. "Leave him alone."
"Like hell," Hunter said.
"He didn't do whatever you think he did," Jericho said. "It won't help Stephanie for you two to get into a fight."
Hunter turned and looked at Jericho. A doctor came into the waiting room. "Mr. Helmsley?"
"That's me," Hunter said.
"Your wife had significant amounts of cocaine in her system," the doctor said. "She will be fine, but she will have to check into rehab."
"Of course," Hunter said.
"Did you want to see her?" the doctor asked.
"To be honest," Hunter said, "no. Stephanie and I are in the middle of a divorce. But I think Chris is worried about her more than anyone."
"Follow me," the doctor said to Jericho.
"Thanks," Jericho said to Hunter.
Hunter shook his head. "How could you let Jericho go in there before me?" Jeff asked.
"Because you little punk," Hunter said coldly, narrowing his eyes, "Jericho loves Stephanie more than you and I have ever imagined loving anyone."
"How would you know?" Jeff asked.
"I can read it in his eyes," Hunter said. "I wish I knew what that kind of love felt like."
"He calls her all those horrible things, or he used to," Jeff said.
"Don't get me wrong," Hunter said. "Jericho has no idea he still loves Stephanie, but he does."
"Still?" Jeff asked.
"They have a history we can't begin to fathom," Hunter said.
Jericho sat next to Stephanie's bed. He didn't know what to do. Her eyes fluttered open. "Chris?"
"I'm here Steph," Jericho said, taking her hand in his.
"What did I do?" she asked, tears in her eyes.
"Overdose," Jericho answered. "You have to check into rehab."
"Okay," Stephanie said. "Do you hate me?"
"Stephanie, I've never hated you," Jericho said. "What makes you think I would start now that you've hit rock bottom?"
"I've been so horrible," Stephanie replied.
"You've always been that too," Jericho teased. "I'll be here for you Steph."
Stephanie's eyes filled with gratitude. "Really?"
"Of course," Jericho replied.