*** Stephanie's POV ***
"Shane," I said firmly. "You better not screw this one up."
"Me?" Shane asked. "It's you he doesn't like. He doesn't want to work with you Stephanie."
"What the hell?" I asked, trying to keep control of my fury. What the hell had I ever done to him? Sometimes wrestlers can be such babies.
"You know he doesn't particularly care for you," Shane replied. "When he found out you would be a part of Invasion he almost walked out on me."
I looked down at my watch. "I've got to catch my plane. I promised Hunter I'd be there."
"Okay," Shane sighed. "I'll ride with you. We need to be away from everyone anyways. I really don't need anyone to overhear."
"I know," I said. He picked up my bag and walked with me to his rented Lincoln. "I'd rather you drive than having to ride in a taxi anyways."
"I hear you," Shane said.
"Now, is there any way you can get him to agree without making my presence non-existent?" I asked, after we had pulled out of the garage.
"I already have," Shane said, "But I think the agreement is a little shaky."
"Do I need to talk to him or something?" I asked, feeling more than just a little frustrated.
"I really don't think that would help our situation," Shane answered.
"He hates me that much?" Stephanie asked. "I know I haven't been the nicest person in the past but he really doesn't need to worry about me double-crossing him so much. He's your employee anyways."
"I know," Shane said. "I guess we'll see. That's not what I really wanted to talk to you about."
"What's up?" I asked.
"Have you talked to Hunter about what he's going to do after he's ready to come back?" Shane asked.
"Not really," I said. "I guess he'll come work with me."
"Are you sure about that Stephanie?" Shane asked.
"I can't be sure until it happens," I said, "but he is my husband."
"I realize that Stephanie," Shane said. "But we do have to face facts. Hunter is one of the best wrestlers in the world. And the WWF is still the best. He still has a contract. Are you sure he'll defect?"
"No," I said. "Look Shane, everything will be fine."
"Are you sure?" Shane asked. "Having Hunter stay with the WWF could really hurt us."
"I know!" I exclaimed.
"Sorry," Shane said, sounding a little hurt.
"I'm sorry Shane," I sighed. "It's just hard. I wish I could separate my marriage from my work. And I can until Hunter comes back. Wouldn't it just be easiest if he decided to retire?"
"That's going to happen," Shane snorted with sarcastic laughter.
"I know," I said miserably.
"How's he doing?" Shane asked.
"Better," I replied. "Plus he's been lifting a lot with his arms and his other leg. I think he really will be better than ever when he comes back."
"That's hard to believe," Shane said. "He was already the best."
"I know," I said, feeling very proud of the man I loved.
"I hope he gets well soon," Shane said. "I know this must be driving him crazy."
"You have no idea," I laughed. "He's getting better about it though."
"Good," Shane said. "Have you called Mom?"
"No," I answered quickly.
"She wants to hear from you Steph," Shane said sincerely. "She still loves you."
"I know," I replied. "But I didn't get into this mess because of her and what Dad did to her. I got into this mess for power."
"I just want to make him as miserable as he made Mom," Shane replied.
"You're such a good son," I said. "At least to your mother."
Shane laughed as he pulled up to the airport curb. "Have a good flight sis."
"Okay," I said, leaning across the seat to hug my older brother. "I love you Shane."
"I love you too," Shane said. "Tell Hunter I said hi."
"Will do," I said. I pulled my bag from the trunk and walked to the check-in counter.
An hour later I was in the plane, heading for Connecticut. Shane had made me think about what Hunter was going to do. Nobody knew better than me how hard Hunter had worked to be the best in the WWF. I wasn't so sure he would be able to the leave the federation that he had risen to unbelievable heights in.
But I needed him. Hunter was always there when I needed him. And I was there for him. In some weird way, I saw acquiring ECW as revenge against Steve Austin for calling Hunter selfish. Hunter had risked his career when he finished that tag-team match.
I closed my eyes and tried to sleep. All I could see were visions of Hunter shaking hands with my father while he turned his back on me.
"Mrs. McMahon-Helmsley," a gentle voice said.
I jolted awake. "Yes?"
"We're about to arrive," a flight attendant said.
"Oh, thanks," I said, smoothing my hair.
I walked into the airport about ten minutes later. A strong hand grasped my arms gently. I felt myself being pulled up against a well-muscled chest.
"Hey beautiful," a husky voice greeted me.
"Hey yourself," I said, looking up into the warm eyes of my husband.
"How was your flight?" Hunter asked.
"Okay," I said. "I guess I slept through most of it."
"Any dreams?" he asked as he guided us to the baggage claim.
"I guess," I said. "They were kind of fuzzy. Are you packed to leave tomorrow?"
"Yeah," Hunter said.
"Great," I replied.
"What's bothering you Steph?" Hunter asked.
"Nothing," I lied.
"Funny," Hunter said. "I don't believe you."
I sighed. "You know me way too well."
"Part of my husbandly duties," Hunter replied.
"I doubt that," I said. "Shane brought something up today."
"What?" Hunter asked.
"Do you know what you're going to do when you're done with therapy and everything?" I asked.
"I'm going to go back to work," Hunter said.
"But for who?" I asked.
Hunter looked at me as if I was dumb. Then a look of grim realization crossed over his face. "Oh Steph. I hadn't even thought of that yet."
"Me neither," I said, leaning against him. "I guess I just assumed you'd want to be with me."
"I do," Hunter said. But there was something about his tone that worried me.
"But you want to be a part of the best federation," I finished for him.
"It may very well be the WCW/ECW when I'm recovered," Hunter said.
"I know," I said. "I wish you'd think about it though."
"Of course I'll think about it," Hunter replied. "That's one of the few things the doctors are allowing me to do. I think about a lot of things lately."
"Anything in particular?" I asked.
"Yeah," Hunter said. "You. Me. Us."
"Sounds like a great topic to me," I said, wrapping my arm around his waist. It was hard for me to believe that a marriage that had started as a business arrangement had turned into one of the strongest relationships I'd ever seen. It was even harder for me to believe how happy I was with Hunter. He wasn't what I had always thought I would want.
"I'm glad you're home," Hunter whispered into my hair. "I got so used to you being at home that I don't know what to do while you're on the road."
I stood on my tiptoes to kiss my husband. "I love you," I said.
"I love you too," Hunter said.
Those three simple words eliminated all of my doubts. It didn't matter where Hunter decided to wrestle. All that mattered was that he loved me and he supported my decisions. But it would be pretty strange to go up against him if he did decide to stay with WWF.
Only time will tell.
"Shane," I said firmly. "You better not screw this one up."
"Me?" Shane asked. "It's you he doesn't like. He doesn't want to work with you Stephanie."
"What the hell?" I asked, trying to keep control of my fury. What the hell had I ever done to him? Sometimes wrestlers can be such babies.
"You know he doesn't particularly care for you," Shane replied. "When he found out you would be a part of Invasion he almost walked out on me."
I looked down at my watch. "I've got to catch my plane. I promised Hunter I'd be there."
"Okay," Shane sighed. "I'll ride with you. We need to be away from everyone anyways. I really don't need anyone to overhear."
"I know," I said. He picked up my bag and walked with me to his rented Lincoln. "I'd rather you drive than having to ride in a taxi anyways."
"I hear you," Shane said.
"Now, is there any way you can get him to agree without making my presence non-existent?" I asked, after we had pulled out of the garage.
"I already have," Shane said, "But I think the agreement is a little shaky."
"Do I need to talk to him or something?" I asked, feeling more than just a little frustrated.
"I really don't think that would help our situation," Shane answered.
"He hates me that much?" Stephanie asked. "I know I haven't been the nicest person in the past but he really doesn't need to worry about me double-crossing him so much. He's your employee anyways."
"I know," Shane said. "I guess we'll see. That's not what I really wanted to talk to you about."
"What's up?" I asked.
"Have you talked to Hunter about what he's going to do after he's ready to come back?" Shane asked.
"Not really," I said. "I guess he'll come work with me."
"Are you sure about that Stephanie?" Shane asked.
"I can't be sure until it happens," I said, "but he is my husband."
"I realize that Stephanie," Shane said. "But we do have to face facts. Hunter is one of the best wrestlers in the world. And the WWF is still the best. He still has a contract. Are you sure he'll defect?"
"No," I said. "Look Shane, everything will be fine."
"Are you sure?" Shane asked. "Having Hunter stay with the WWF could really hurt us."
"I know!" I exclaimed.
"Sorry," Shane said, sounding a little hurt.
"I'm sorry Shane," I sighed. "It's just hard. I wish I could separate my marriage from my work. And I can until Hunter comes back. Wouldn't it just be easiest if he decided to retire?"
"That's going to happen," Shane snorted with sarcastic laughter.
"I know," I said miserably.
"How's he doing?" Shane asked.
"Better," I replied. "Plus he's been lifting a lot with his arms and his other leg. I think he really will be better than ever when he comes back."
"That's hard to believe," Shane said. "He was already the best."
"I know," I said, feeling very proud of the man I loved.
"I hope he gets well soon," Shane said. "I know this must be driving him crazy."
"You have no idea," I laughed. "He's getting better about it though."
"Good," Shane said. "Have you called Mom?"
"No," I answered quickly.
"She wants to hear from you Steph," Shane said sincerely. "She still loves you."
"I know," I replied. "But I didn't get into this mess because of her and what Dad did to her. I got into this mess for power."
"I just want to make him as miserable as he made Mom," Shane replied.
"You're such a good son," I said. "At least to your mother."
Shane laughed as he pulled up to the airport curb. "Have a good flight sis."
"Okay," I said, leaning across the seat to hug my older brother. "I love you Shane."
"I love you too," Shane said. "Tell Hunter I said hi."
"Will do," I said. I pulled my bag from the trunk and walked to the check-in counter.
An hour later I was in the plane, heading for Connecticut. Shane had made me think about what Hunter was going to do. Nobody knew better than me how hard Hunter had worked to be the best in the WWF. I wasn't so sure he would be able to the leave the federation that he had risen to unbelievable heights in.
But I needed him. Hunter was always there when I needed him. And I was there for him. In some weird way, I saw acquiring ECW as revenge against Steve Austin for calling Hunter selfish. Hunter had risked his career when he finished that tag-team match.
I closed my eyes and tried to sleep. All I could see were visions of Hunter shaking hands with my father while he turned his back on me.
"Mrs. McMahon-Helmsley," a gentle voice said.
I jolted awake. "Yes?"
"We're about to arrive," a flight attendant said.
"Oh, thanks," I said, smoothing my hair.
I walked into the airport about ten minutes later. A strong hand grasped my arms gently. I felt myself being pulled up against a well-muscled chest.
"Hey beautiful," a husky voice greeted me.
"Hey yourself," I said, looking up into the warm eyes of my husband.
"How was your flight?" Hunter asked.
"Okay," I said. "I guess I slept through most of it."
"Any dreams?" he asked as he guided us to the baggage claim.
"I guess," I said. "They were kind of fuzzy. Are you packed to leave tomorrow?"
"Yeah," Hunter said.
"Great," I replied.
"What's bothering you Steph?" Hunter asked.
"Nothing," I lied.
"Funny," Hunter said. "I don't believe you."
I sighed. "You know me way too well."
"Part of my husbandly duties," Hunter replied.
"I doubt that," I said. "Shane brought something up today."
"What?" Hunter asked.
"Do you know what you're going to do when you're done with therapy and everything?" I asked.
"I'm going to go back to work," Hunter said.
"But for who?" I asked.
Hunter looked at me as if I was dumb. Then a look of grim realization crossed over his face. "Oh Steph. I hadn't even thought of that yet."
"Me neither," I said, leaning against him. "I guess I just assumed you'd want to be with me."
"I do," Hunter said. But there was something about his tone that worried me.
"But you want to be a part of the best federation," I finished for him.
"It may very well be the WCW/ECW when I'm recovered," Hunter said.
"I know," I said. "I wish you'd think about it though."
"Of course I'll think about it," Hunter replied. "That's one of the few things the doctors are allowing me to do. I think about a lot of things lately."
"Anything in particular?" I asked.
"Yeah," Hunter said. "You. Me. Us."
"Sounds like a great topic to me," I said, wrapping my arm around his waist. It was hard for me to believe that a marriage that had started as a business arrangement had turned into one of the strongest relationships I'd ever seen. It was even harder for me to believe how happy I was with Hunter. He wasn't what I had always thought I would want.
"I'm glad you're home," Hunter whispered into my hair. "I got so used to you being at home that I don't know what to do while you're on the road."
I stood on my tiptoes to kiss my husband. "I love you," I said.
"I love you too," Hunter said.
Those three simple words eliminated all of my doubts. It didn't matter where Hunter decided to wrestle. All that mattered was that he loved me and he supported my decisions. But it would be pretty strange to go up against him if he did decide to stay with WWF.
Only time will tell.