Two weeks later (I think this would be in March of 2002)
"Thanks for coming to lunch with me," Stephanie said. "I really appreciate you hearing me out. I'm not sure I deserved it after the bitch I was to you."
"Most of the time you were pretty great," Jeff said.
"I wish, I don't know," Stephanie said helplessly. She shrugged her shoulders. "You're a great guy Jeff Hardy. Someday you'll find the right woman."
"Hopefully she won't be married when I find her," Jeff teased.
"That would be a plus," Stephanie said, smiling sadly.
"How are things between you and Hunter?" Jeff asked.
"About as good as things between you and Edge from what I hear," Stephanie said. "Civil around others, but otherwise ignoring each others existence."
"I wish I had never been friends with him," Jeff said. "Then it might not have come to this."
"I was friends with him anyways Jeff," Stephanie said. "You haven't told Vince right?"
"That Edge was the one who got you hooked?" Jeff asked. "Jericho told us you didn't want Vince to know."
"I also got him to convince Edge to clean up," Stephanie said. "I knew that if Dad ever found out Edge wouldn't be able to pick his ass off the ground."
"He got you hooked though," Jeff said.
"I got myself hooked," Stephanie said. "Edge was just who I got hooked through. If it wasn't cocaine it would have been something else."
"Did they tell you that at rehab?" Jeff said.
"They said I had an addictive personality," Stephanie nodded.
"Okay," Jeff said. "You look great. Although, a little less...edgy."
"You can say slutty," Stephanie said.
"I didn't mean slutty," Jeff said. "Provocative would be a better word."
"All right," Stephanie said, looking at her watch. "We might as well walk back to the arena."
"Can we be friends?" Jeff asked uncertainly.
"I hope so," Stephanie said. "I don't think I need anymore enemies. And it never hurts to have a great guy as a friend."
"I noticed Shane is back," Jeff said.
Stephanie beamed. She and her brother had rekindled their friendship. When they were younger they had been the best of friends. "He's the best in my book," Stephanie said.
"And Jericho?" Jeff asked.
"Okay, they're tied," Stephanie said.
"I see now," Jeff said omniously.
"Don't go making allusions about any romantic entanglements between Jericho and I," Stephanie said. "I think I have enough on my plate right now."
"I've heard rumors," Jeff said.
"Rumors?" Stephanie said, arching an eyebrow in question.
"About you signing a contract with Shane," Jeff said. "You going to WCW."
"Oh, THOSE rumors," Stephanie smiled. "I was thinking I might need a change of pace. I don't know too many people in WCW and it might be nice to give Hunter some space."
"I'd miss you," Jeff said.
"Oh, I'd be around," Stephanie said. "I still own a quarter of the WWF. I'll just own ten percent of the WCW if Shane and I agree that it's the right thing to do."
"I hadn't heard you were planning on buying in," Jeff said.
"Yeah," Stephanie said. "Nowhere near the interest I have in the WWF, but enough to free up some capital for Shane and to raise a little hell in the WCW."
"So you aren't going to be a good little girl now in the wrestling ring?" Jeff asked.
"Where's the fun in that?" Stephanie asked. "Remember I'm a McMahon."
"Almost forgot about that for about a second," Jeff said. "I'll drop you at your dressing room."
"Thanks," Stephanie said. Jeff opened the door for her and she was surprised to see a bouquet of yellow roses waiting for her. And someone else.
"Chris!" Stephanie exclaimed, hugging her friend. "It's been a week!"
"We've been apart longer," Jericho laughed. "Hey Jeff."
"Hey Chris," Jeff said, waving. "How's your family?"
"Good," Chris said, setting Stephanie to his side. He wrapped a comfortable arm around her waist. "My cousin had a beautiful little girl."
"Great," Jeff said. "See you two around."
"Bye Jeff," Stephanie said.
"It has to have been two years since I've seen you in that t-shirt," Chris said, hugging Stephanie again. He had come to an important realization over the past week. But no need to rush anything.
"This old thing?" Stephanie asked about the Duke's t-shirt she was wearing. When they had been seeing each other Jericho had taken her to the Duke's in Long Beach, California. Stephanie had managed to steal Jericho away for a weekend and took him to the Duke's in Honolulu, which was where the t-shirt was from.
"You look good," Jericho said.
"So do you," Stephanie said. "I especially love these silver pants you have on."
Jericho grinned. "You know me."
"That's right," Stephanie said. "Thank you for the flowers."
"They aren't from me," Jericho said.
"They aren't?" Stephanie asked as she moved toward the vase. She fingered the card. "Probably Shane then."
"Shane and I both know you like calla lilies," Jericho said. "Don't just stand there. Open the card."
"Okay, okay," Stephanie said. "They're from Daddy."
"Good old Vince," Jericho said.
"I'm going to go thank him," Stephanie said. "I want to try and talk to Hunter too."
"I'll be around," Jericho said.
"Hey," Stephanie said. "I wanted to tell you that you are one of the most important people in my life. I don't think I could be here if you weren't."
Jericho smiled softly. He pulled her close and gently kissed her lips. Stephanie's eyes were closed when he pulled away. Her lips curved into a sweet smile.
"Can we do that again some time?" Stephanie asked.
"We'll talk about that later," Jericho said.
"Okay," Stephanie said. "I'll see you soon."
Stephanie walked down the hall and saw that Vince's office was closed. She held her ear next to the door and heard Vince and someone else talking. She shrugged and made a mental note to thank him for the flowers later. She turned around and bumped straight into a large body.
"Oh, I'm sorry," Stephanie said, "I wasn't even..."
"It's fine," Hunter said briskly.
"Hunter," Stephanie said softly.
"Yeah?" Hunter asked.
"Can we talk please?" Stephanie asked.
"I don't know," Hunter said uncertainly. "I don't know if you and I should be in a room alone now."
"I want to get this all settled before we proceed with the divorce," Stephanie said.
"Fine," Hunter said. "My dressing room is just down the hall."
"Okay," Stephanie said. She followed him down the hall. She wished she could have ignored the obvious pain in his eyes, but she hadn't been able to."
"What did you want to talk about?" Hunter asked.
"About what I did to us," Stephanie said.
"I really don't need a trip down memory lane," Hunter said.
"I have to do this Hunter," Stephanie said. "I need to make amends before I can move on."
"I noticed you were friends with Shane and your mom again," Hunter said.
"It was stupid for me to have ever taken sides," Stephanie said. "And I think that was one of the reasons I ended up getting into the position I was in."
"You mean addicted to drugs?" Hunter asked.
"Yeah," Stephanie said. "I'm not blaming them though."
"Why not?" Hunter asked.
"Because I'm the only one to blame," Stephanie answered. "If anyone is to blame at all. The situation sucked and I responded to it the only way I could think of."
"The situation?" Hunter asked.
"When I lost the baby," Stephanie said. "I felt so lost. I know you were trying to help me out."
"I didn't know how to reach out to you," Hunter said, "I know you blamed me."
"I didn't blame you," Stephanie said.
"Then why did you stop making love with me?" Hunter asked.
"Because I blamed myself and I didn't want to risk getting pregnant again," Stephanie said. "I thought I didn't deserve you."
"What?" Hunter asked.
"I had put our baby in jeopardy," Stephanie said, "so I thought I wasn't worthy of a baby, especially not your baby. I think I loved you most when I had convinced myself that you shouldn't love me."
"Then why did you start cheating on me?" Hunter asked.
"So you could discover me," Stephanie said. "Unfortunately I not only managed to get caught, I hurt two really great guys in the process. And I nearly lost my best friend."
"Jericho," Hunter said.
"I don't want to ask permission or anything but..."
"Yeah of course," Hunter said. "I wouldn't resent you two being together."
"Thanks," Stephanie said.
"How are you doing now?" Hunter asked.
"I've been better," Stephanie said. "But I've been much worse."
"I still love you," Hunter said. "But I don't think I could trust you again."
"I understand," Stephanie said. "And I'm not asking for a reconciliation. I think too much has passed between us for that."
"Probably true," Hunter said.
"I'm sorry for everything," Stephanie said.
Hunter saw the tears in her eyes. "I am too," he said.
"You were a great husband," Stephanie said. "I wish I had been able to cope with everything. I know we would have been great together."
"No more 'what ifs' okay?" Hunter asked.
"Yeah," Stephanie said. "I guess I'll see you around."
Hunter pulled Stephanie to him for a hug. "I don't know about being friends," Hunter said. "It will probably be awhile before I could handle that."
"I'd like to try," Stephanie said. "When you're ready."
"I'll let you know," Hunter promised.
"Thanks for coming to lunch with me," Stephanie said. "I really appreciate you hearing me out. I'm not sure I deserved it after the bitch I was to you."
"Most of the time you were pretty great," Jeff said.
"I wish, I don't know," Stephanie said helplessly. She shrugged her shoulders. "You're a great guy Jeff Hardy. Someday you'll find the right woman."
"Hopefully she won't be married when I find her," Jeff teased.
"That would be a plus," Stephanie said, smiling sadly.
"How are things between you and Hunter?" Jeff asked.
"About as good as things between you and Edge from what I hear," Stephanie said. "Civil around others, but otherwise ignoring each others existence."
"I wish I had never been friends with him," Jeff said. "Then it might not have come to this."
"I was friends with him anyways Jeff," Stephanie said. "You haven't told Vince right?"
"That Edge was the one who got you hooked?" Jeff asked. "Jericho told us you didn't want Vince to know."
"I also got him to convince Edge to clean up," Stephanie said. "I knew that if Dad ever found out Edge wouldn't be able to pick his ass off the ground."
"He got you hooked though," Jeff said.
"I got myself hooked," Stephanie said. "Edge was just who I got hooked through. If it wasn't cocaine it would have been something else."
"Did they tell you that at rehab?" Jeff said.
"They said I had an addictive personality," Stephanie nodded.
"Okay," Jeff said. "You look great. Although, a little less...edgy."
"You can say slutty," Stephanie said.
"I didn't mean slutty," Jeff said. "Provocative would be a better word."
"All right," Stephanie said, looking at her watch. "We might as well walk back to the arena."
"Can we be friends?" Jeff asked uncertainly.
"I hope so," Stephanie said. "I don't think I need anymore enemies. And it never hurts to have a great guy as a friend."
"I noticed Shane is back," Jeff said.
Stephanie beamed. She and her brother had rekindled their friendship. When they were younger they had been the best of friends. "He's the best in my book," Stephanie said.
"And Jericho?" Jeff asked.
"Okay, they're tied," Stephanie said.
"I see now," Jeff said omniously.
"Don't go making allusions about any romantic entanglements between Jericho and I," Stephanie said. "I think I have enough on my plate right now."
"I've heard rumors," Jeff said.
"Rumors?" Stephanie said, arching an eyebrow in question.
"About you signing a contract with Shane," Jeff said. "You going to WCW."
"Oh, THOSE rumors," Stephanie smiled. "I was thinking I might need a change of pace. I don't know too many people in WCW and it might be nice to give Hunter some space."
"I'd miss you," Jeff said.
"Oh, I'd be around," Stephanie said. "I still own a quarter of the WWF. I'll just own ten percent of the WCW if Shane and I agree that it's the right thing to do."
"I hadn't heard you were planning on buying in," Jeff said.
"Yeah," Stephanie said. "Nowhere near the interest I have in the WWF, but enough to free up some capital for Shane and to raise a little hell in the WCW."
"So you aren't going to be a good little girl now in the wrestling ring?" Jeff asked.
"Where's the fun in that?" Stephanie asked. "Remember I'm a McMahon."
"Almost forgot about that for about a second," Jeff said. "I'll drop you at your dressing room."
"Thanks," Stephanie said. Jeff opened the door for her and she was surprised to see a bouquet of yellow roses waiting for her. And someone else.
"Chris!" Stephanie exclaimed, hugging her friend. "It's been a week!"
"We've been apart longer," Jericho laughed. "Hey Jeff."
"Hey Chris," Jeff said, waving. "How's your family?"
"Good," Chris said, setting Stephanie to his side. He wrapped a comfortable arm around her waist. "My cousin had a beautiful little girl."
"Great," Jeff said. "See you two around."
"Bye Jeff," Stephanie said.
"It has to have been two years since I've seen you in that t-shirt," Chris said, hugging Stephanie again. He had come to an important realization over the past week. But no need to rush anything.
"This old thing?" Stephanie asked about the Duke's t-shirt she was wearing. When they had been seeing each other Jericho had taken her to the Duke's in Long Beach, California. Stephanie had managed to steal Jericho away for a weekend and took him to the Duke's in Honolulu, which was where the t-shirt was from.
"You look good," Jericho said.
"So do you," Stephanie said. "I especially love these silver pants you have on."
Jericho grinned. "You know me."
"That's right," Stephanie said. "Thank you for the flowers."
"They aren't from me," Jericho said.
"They aren't?" Stephanie asked as she moved toward the vase. She fingered the card. "Probably Shane then."
"Shane and I both know you like calla lilies," Jericho said. "Don't just stand there. Open the card."
"Okay, okay," Stephanie said. "They're from Daddy."
"Good old Vince," Jericho said.
"I'm going to go thank him," Stephanie said. "I want to try and talk to Hunter too."
"I'll be around," Jericho said.
"Hey," Stephanie said. "I wanted to tell you that you are one of the most important people in my life. I don't think I could be here if you weren't."
Jericho smiled softly. He pulled her close and gently kissed her lips. Stephanie's eyes were closed when he pulled away. Her lips curved into a sweet smile.
"Can we do that again some time?" Stephanie asked.
"We'll talk about that later," Jericho said.
"Okay," Stephanie said. "I'll see you soon."
Stephanie walked down the hall and saw that Vince's office was closed. She held her ear next to the door and heard Vince and someone else talking. She shrugged and made a mental note to thank him for the flowers later. She turned around and bumped straight into a large body.
"Oh, I'm sorry," Stephanie said, "I wasn't even..."
"It's fine," Hunter said briskly.
"Hunter," Stephanie said softly.
"Yeah?" Hunter asked.
"Can we talk please?" Stephanie asked.
"I don't know," Hunter said uncertainly. "I don't know if you and I should be in a room alone now."
"I want to get this all settled before we proceed with the divorce," Stephanie said.
"Fine," Hunter said. "My dressing room is just down the hall."
"Okay," Stephanie said. She followed him down the hall. She wished she could have ignored the obvious pain in his eyes, but she hadn't been able to."
"What did you want to talk about?" Hunter asked.
"About what I did to us," Stephanie said.
"I really don't need a trip down memory lane," Hunter said.
"I have to do this Hunter," Stephanie said. "I need to make amends before I can move on."
"I noticed you were friends with Shane and your mom again," Hunter said.
"It was stupid for me to have ever taken sides," Stephanie said. "And I think that was one of the reasons I ended up getting into the position I was in."
"You mean addicted to drugs?" Hunter asked.
"Yeah," Stephanie said. "I'm not blaming them though."
"Why not?" Hunter asked.
"Because I'm the only one to blame," Stephanie answered. "If anyone is to blame at all. The situation sucked and I responded to it the only way I could think of."
"The situation?" Hunter asked.
"When I lost the baby," Stephanie said. "I felt so lost. I know you were trying to help me out."
"I didn't know how to reach out to you," Hunter said, "I know you blamed me."
"I didn't blame you," Stephanie said.
"Then why did you stop making love with me?" Hunter asked.
"Because I blamed myself and I didn't want to risk getting pregnant again," Stephanie said. "I thought I didn't deserve you."
"What?" Hunter asked.
"I had put our baby in jeopardy," Stephanie said, "so I thought I wasn't worthy of a baby, especially not your baby. I think I loved you most when I had convinced myself that you shouldn't love me."
"Then why did you start cheating on me?" Hunter asked.
"So you could discover me," Stephanie said. "Unfortunately I not only managed to get caught, I hurt two really great guys in the process. And I nearly lost my best friend."
"Jericho," Hunter said.
"I don't want to ask permission or anything but..."
"Yeah of course," Hunter said. "I wouldn't resent you two being together."
"Thanks," Stephanie said.
"How are you doing now?" Hunter asked.
"I've been better," Stephanie said. "But I've been much worse."
"I still love you," Hunter said. "But I don't think I could trust you again."
"I understand," Stephanie said. "And I'm not asking for a reconciliation. I think too much has passed between us for that."
"Probably true," Hunter said.
"I'm sorry for everything," Stephanie said.
Hunter saw the tears in her eyes. "I am too," he said.
"You were a great husband," Stephanie said. "I wish I had been able to cope with everything. I know we would have been great together."
"No more 'what ifs' okay?" Hunter asked.
"Yeah," Stephanie said. "I guess I'll see you around."
Hunter pulled Stephanie to him for a hug. "I don't know about being friends," Hunter said. "It will probably be awhile before I could handle that."
"I'd like to try," Stephanie said. "When you're ready."
"I'll let you know," Hunter promised.