TITLE:
Second Chances
AUTHOR: Dannette [ UniqueFandoms@aol.com
]
RATING: PG-13
SUMMARY: On Christmas Eve,
Stephanie gets a glimpse of what her life could have been if she had made
different choices in her life. Inspired by 'The Family Man'. AU
story.
DISCLAIMER: I do not
own Stephanie McMahon, Andrew Martin (Test) or whoever decides to
pop up in this story; They belong to the WWF and Vince McMahon ---- Unfortunately
in my case, I do not own Shane McMahon (Sad I know.)
SPECIAL DEDICATIONS:
To Grace and all the other Andrew/Stephanie fans out there!!
~*~
Andrew walked into his four bedroom
house, he smirked at the distinct smell of cookies, he put his jacket on
the chair and walked into the kitchen, to Andrew's surprise he only found
Shane in the kitchen. "Oh you shouldn't have honey." Andrew said, laughing.
Shane looked up and rolled his eyes.
"I didn't. Stephanie did, she's in the backyard playing with Megan, Chris
is upstairs sleeping. Hey Andrew, have you noticed anything different about
Stephanie?"
Andrew shrugged. "No not really,
why?"
Shane shook his head. "No particular
reason."
Andrew eyed Shane. "What's going
on in your head?"
Shane faced the sliding glass door
that led to the backyard, he stared at Stephanie chasing Megan around the
yard. "I'll tell you when I get it figured out."
Shane didn't know what was going
on, but the young woman in the backyard was not his sister. She may look
like his younger sister and somewhat act like her, but Shane knew what
his little sister acted like, and that was his little sister; And if it
was the last thing he did, he was going to find out what in the world was
going on.
~*~
"Stephanie?" Shane said, shutting
the door behind him, he walked down the porch steps and sat down next to
Stephanie on the last porch step.
Stephanie looked up and stared into
the deep pools of Shane's eyes. "Yeah?" Stephanie said, a little dazed
by the serious look embedded in Shane's deep and dark eyes.
"You're not my real sister are you?
I mean the one that is usually here ... " Shane said, surprised that
he got the words out of his mouth without feeling completely foolish.
Stephanie stared at Shane for the
longest time, trying to see if he was joking or not, but by the look on
his face and the look in his eyes Stephanie could tell Shane was dead
serious.
"I don't understand what are you trying to ask me." Stephanie said, lying
through her teeth.
"I think you do." Shane said quietly.
"Shane ... " Stephanie started but
was cut off by Shane quickly.
"Just answer the question, you're
not the usual Stephanie McMahon-Martin that is here are you?"
Stephanie lowered her blue eyes for
a few seconds but then looked up. "No I'm not. Look Shane, it's a very
long story, a very long and unbelievable story."
Shane zipped up his jacket. "Tell
me."
Stephanie took in a deep breath.
"On Christmas Eve I was at the store and this woman, she looked homeless,
was a dollar short on buying milk and the guy at the counter wouldn't let
her have it, so I bought it for her, and then we got outside I was telling
her how there were shelters for people in situations like hers, and then
she said she didn't need to be saved and I told her everybody needs something.
She then asked me what did I need and I told her nothing because I had
everything I ever needed and then she said that I brought this on myself
and then the next morning I woke up here married to Andrew with two kids.
In my real life, I just got divorced from Hunter; I turned on dad and joined
sides with Hunter at Armaggedon, we just recently got divorced because
he decided to stay loyal to the WWF. See me and you own our own companies.
You are the WCW chairman and I own ECW, we put both our companies together
to make WECW. We challenged dad and the WWF to a match at InVasion, a PPV
event, after a long battle we won. Hunter and Marrisa divorced us, because
of our companies. Well anyways, Lisa said she was giving me a glimpse of
a life I could have had if I had made different choices in my life."
Shane stared at Stephanie, taking
in everything she was telling him. "You know, that story is completely
unbelievable and I shouldn't believe it, but for some reason I do."
Stephanie nodded. "Believe me, I
know how you feel."
"So I own my own company?" Shane
asked smiling.
Stephanie laughed. "Well at least
even in this world you're no different from the old Shane."
Shane smirked. "Hey can I ask you
something?"
Stephanie nodded. "Sure, what?"
Shane ran his fingers through his
hair. "Why did you turn on dad at Armaggedon? Why turn your back on Andrew
... for Hunter of all people?"
Stephanie stared at Shane for
a long time, she then let out a sigh. "Plain and simple Shane, revenge.
The power to get dad back for enlisting me in his feud with Stone Cold
got to me, and then after what happened with the Undertaker, I wanted to
hurt dad."
"But I was the one that had the Undertaker
kidnap you." Shane said, his eyes holding a sad look in them.
Stephanie looked down at her shoes.
"True, I guess I wanted you to feel pain too, the pain I was feeling. We
were a family and I wanted to take away that from you and dad, I wanted
to make you two doubt all you two ever had. And by turning on daddy at
Armaggedon and siding with Hunter was the best medicine of revenge. I'm
not the same person I used to be, I'm not the sweet, naive little girl
I used to be, I'm no longer the same person you used to call your sister."
Shane shook his head. "Deep down,
right there --- " Shane pointed to Stephanie's heart. "I think you are
the same girl and plus your Shane back in your world must really
love you."
Stephanie let a smile cross her face.
"You know what? He does."
~*~
"Got something on your mind?" Andrew
asked, toweling his hair off, he walked over to the bed and sat down next
to Stephanie, he flashed a smile.
"Yeah." Stephanie said, looking at
Andrew, she forced a smile.
"About what?" Andrew asked, crawling
up behind Stephanie, he put his hands on her shoulders and started to give
her a back rub.
"Things." Stephanie said, closing
her eyes.
"What kind of things? Remember you
never win at the 'I'm not in a good mood so I'm going to push Andrew
away' game." Andrew hissed in Stephanie's ear, kissing her neck.
"Andrew, if I had turned on my dad
at Armaggedon and sided with Hunter because my need for revenge clouded
up everything else in my life, would you still love me?" Stephanie asked,
her eyes still closed.
Andrew was silent for a long time.
"I would be mad, but I know that no matter what happened between us, I
would always love you, there would always be a place for you in my heart.
Why do you ask?" Andrew asked, he stopped kissing Stephanie and rubbing
her back, paying his full attention to her.
Stephanie opened her eyes. "No reason."
Stephanie turned around and pushed Andrew down on the bed and leaned over
and kissed him.
"Getting frisky are we?" Andrew said,
laughing.
"God I love you." Stephanie said,
before kissing Andrew again.
~*~
"Ready?" Stephanie asked, looking
down at the CD lyrics sheet.
"I don't sing." Shane said, giving
Stephanie a stern look.
"Oh come on, I bet your marvel at
Garth Brooks." Stephanie said, grinning.
Shane shook his head. "I especially
don't sing Garth Brooks. Sorry not doing it sis."
Andrew laughed, from his seat on
the couch, where he was holding Chris in his arms and had Megan in his
lap. "Ah, that means I'm a chicken and can't sing."
"Come on uncle Shane!" Megan said,
giggling.
Stephanie grinned. "Oh you gotta
do it now Shane, come on, sing with me." Stephanie grabbed Shane's hands.
Shane sighed, shaking his head. "Oh
fine. But if anyone that wasn't here confronts me about this you guys are
dead."
Stephanie smiled, "Okay here we go..."
"Yesterday she thanked me
For oilin' that front door
This morning when she wakes
She won't be thankful anymore."
Shane put his arm around Stephanie's
neck as they continued to sing.
"She'll never know how much I cared
Just that I couldn't stay
And I'll never know the reason
Why I always run away."
Stephanie and Shane began to dance.
"Burning bridges one by one
What I'm doin' can't be undone
And I'm always hoping someday
I'm gonna stop this runnin' around
But every time the chance comes
up
Another bridge goes down."
Megan giggled, as she, Andrew, and
Chris watched Shane and Stephanie sing and dance.
"Last night we talked of old times
Families and home towns
She wondered if we'd both agree
On where we'd settle down
And I told her that we'd cross that
bridge
When it arrived
Now through the flames I see her
Standin' on the other side."
Andrew laughed as Shane dipped Stephanie.
"Burning bridges one by one
What I'm doin' can't be undone
And I'm always hoping someday
I'm gonna stop this runnin' around
But every time the chance comes
up
Another bridge goes down."
Stephanie squeaked and continued
the singing with Shane.
"Likes ashes on the water
I drift away in sorrow
Knowing that the day
My lesson's finally learned
I'll be standing at a river
Staring out across tomorrow
And the bridge I need to get there
Will be a bridge I have burned."
Stephanie twirled Shane around.
"Burning bridges one by one
What I'm doin' can't be undone
And I'm always hoping someday
I'm gonna stop this runnin' around
But every time the chance comes
up
Another bridge goes down."
Stephanie wrapped her arms Shane's
neck as he dipped her over backwards.
"Another bridge goes down."
Shane smiled down at Stephanie and
them both him and Stephanie fell down to the ground as Megan and Andrew
clapped.
"See it wasn't that bad!" Andrew
screamed at Shane, laughing.
