I was thinking of sticking to a Steph/HHH POV format, but then I decided I needed some comic relief. And I wanted a semi-objective POV. I hope it makes sense. PLEASE review! ***
*** Kurt Angle's POV ***
*** One month later (late August 2001) ***
"I do not believe I am helping that, that ho get her husband back," he muttered. "I can't believe I'm helping YOU get Stephanie and Trips back together."
I eyed him warily. Truth be told I couldn't believe I was helping Stephanie either. First of all, it was only about a year ago that I had had a huge, I guess the only word for it would be crush, on Stephanie. Second of all, she always tended to make my life difficult. Whether she was betraying me or trying to destroy the company I was dedicated to, Stephanie had the power to make life a living hell.
"Stop bitching," I said. "You're starting to sound like The Big Show."
Chris Jericho shuddered at the thought. "Please say you were kidding. I just don't think I could take being compared to him."
"You are too strange for words," I said. "This is for a good cause."
"Yeah, you've said that before," Jericho said. "But you didn't tell me why. Because if the Princess just wants to get laid I can think of about a hundred idiots who wouldn't mind the risk of contracting an STD to get with her."
"You're just mad she won't let you into her pants," I said.
"Why would I want Stephanie?" Jericho asked in disgust. I merely sighed and shook my head. "So, how is this a good cause Kurt?"
"Because Hunter really wants Stephanie to become the Stephanie he knew before she acquired ECW," I explained. "If that happens then she will be devoted to her dad again, which would lessen the threat toward the WWF, and she would want revenge on Austin, which would hurt the WCW."
"And how exactly do you know what Trips wants?" Jericho asked. "Last time I checked you two weren't exactly pals."
"Yeah, but he is friends with Vince," I said. "And I'm friends with Vince."
"Secondly," Jericho interrupted, "Why would Vince want the Princess back in his life?"
"Because he loves her," I answered. "And she loves him too. She modeled her own personality on his."
"Austin probably wants her then too," Jericho chuckled.
I couldn't help but laugh at Jericho's allusion to Austin's latent homosexuality. "Why do you hate Austin so much Jericho?"
"Hm, he screwed me out of the Championship, he made sure Benoit and I lost the Tag Title, and he screwed us at Invasion," Jericho said. "I'm pretty sure that's it."
"Okay," I said. "Getting Stephanie and Hunter back together would really good a long way toward making life miserable for him."
"I like the sound of that," Jericho said. "So what's your plan?"
"We have to make Hunter jealous," I said. "And we have to make Stephanie realize that her marriage is more important than destroying the WWF."
There was a light knock on my hotel room door. I went to answer it. I let Stephanie into the room. She still looked beautiful, but her blue eyes looked tired and sad. "Sorry I'm late," she said. She saw Jericho in the room and she stopped, "What the hell is HE doing here?"
"He's going to help," I said.
"No freaking way," Stephanie said, showing some sign of life. "He wouldn't even pull over to help me on the side of a freeway."
"You didn't pull over?" I asked, shocked that Jericho could be so ungentlemanly.
"Give me a break," Jericho said. "I said that to her after what happened at Invasion. If I saw anyone stranded I would help them, which is metaphorically why I'm here."
"I'm not stranded!" Stephanie said.
"Excuse me if I'm wrong Princess," Jericho said, "but you haven't been able to get Trips to take you back have you?"
"Not that it's any of your business," Stephanie said, "But no, I haven't."
"Well, Kurt has a plan to help you," Jericho said.
"Okay," I said. "Stephanie, is Hunter more important to you than the ECW?"
"Of course he is," Stephanie said.
"Would you be willing to give it up?" I asked. I hated having to ask her these questions, but she had to realize what had to happen if she was ever going to get Hunter back.
"All of my savings are sunk in that company," Stephanie said.
"You could sell it," I said.
"To who?" Stephanie asked.
"Heyman, the slimy bastard," Jericho muttered.
"He doesn't have any money," Stephanie said, "that's why he convinced me to buy it."
"How about Vince?" I asked.
"Sell it to Dad?" Stephanie asked. "He hates me. Why in the world would he help me?"
"Vince loves you Steph," I said. "And it would be a good counter to the WCW and Shane and Austin."
"And it's killing two birds with one stone," Jericho said. "You prove to Hunter he's the most important thing in the world to you and you get back in your dad's good graces, which Hunter wanted too."
"And you might just put that jerk of a brother of yours out of business," I said. "I had hoped I knocked a little sense into him when I put him through that glass."
"That's cruel," Stephanie exclaimed. "He is my brother."
"Lucky you," Jericho muttered.
"You have to understand how WWF wrestlers would feel about your punk-ass brother," I said.
"I guess," Stephanie said. "Alright, what's the rest of the plan?"
"You make Hunter jealous," I said.
"How?" Stephanie asked.
"You pretend to date Jericho," I said, preparing myself for a battle.
"No way in hell!" Jericho exclaimed.
"Are you out of your mind Kurt?" Stephanie asked in horror.
"You have to have started doing drugs or something," Jericho continued.
"Why Jericho?" Stephanie asked, nearly shuddering in disgust.
"Excuse me, but plenty of women would be jumping for the chance," Jericho told Stephanie.
"Yeah, women with no class," Stephanie countered.
"Then you fit the bill," Jericho said.
I sat back as they exchanged insults. It's really kind of fun. They hurl them better than most. "You arrogant, conceited, filthy bastard!" Stephanie said.
"What are you two afraid of?" I finally asked them. "That you might like dating each other?"
"No!" they exclaimed together.
"Then you should be able to do this no problem," I said.
"Why does it have to be Jericho?" Stephanie asked.
"Yeah, why does it have to be Jericho, I mean, me?" Jericho asked.
"Because Hunter wouldn't think of me as a threat ever again," I said, "And you two being together is just farfetched enough to catch him off guard. And lets face it, there aren't many other people who would be willing to help you Steph."
"I guess so," Stephanie said dejectedly.
"I suppose I could do it," Jericho sighed. "As long as I know she will be as miserable as I am."
"Oh trust me," Stephanie said. "I will be."
Jericho grinned at her. "Maybe it will be worth it then."
"You really are an ass," Stephanie said, glaring at him.
"Aw, sugar-muffin," Jericho said sarcastically, "is that any way to talk to your new man?"
"God help me," Stephanie pleaded.
"Alright, lets get planning," I said.
For the next hour we decided how we would go about getting Hunter jealous and whether or not to let Vince in on the plan. We decided to tell him and to sell him the ECW as soon as possible. We wanted to keep the sale a secret for awhile. Make it a reunion present of sorts.
"I think we're set," I said. "We'll put the plan in motion tomorrow."
"Thanks you guys," Stephanie said, sounding truly appreciative.
"No problem," I said. She was one of the few people who befriended me in the WWF and I couldn't help but feel obligated to her.
"Yeah," Jericho seconded, sounding slightly enthusiastic.
"I'll see you tomorrow," I said. "Actually, Jericho, walk Steph back to her room. And a little hand-holding wouldn't kill you."
Stephanie eyed Jericho's out-stretched hand in distaste. "Don't worry. It's clean," Jericho said.
Stephanie slipped her hand into his. "Night Kurt."
"I'm not kissing her good-night," Jericho said. "Bye Kurt."
I shook my head to myself as I watched them walk down the hall. What the hell was I getting myself into?
*** Kurt Angle's POV ***
*** One month later (late August 2001) ***
"I do not believe I am helping that, that ho get her husband back," he muttered. "I can't believe I'm helping YOU get Stephanie and Trips back together."
I eyed him warily. Truth be told I couldn't believe I was helping Stephanie either. First of all, it was only about a year ago that I had had a huge, I guess the only word for it would be crush, on Stephanie. Second of all, she always tended to make my life difficult. Whether she was betraying me or trying to destroy the company I was dedicated to, Stephanie had the power to make life a living hell.
"Stop bitching," I said. "You're starting to sound like The Big Show."
Chris Jericho shuddered at the thought. "Please say you were kidding. I just don't think I could take being compared to him."
"You are too strange for words," I said. "This is for a good cause."
"Yeah, you've said that before," Jericho said. "But you didn't tell me why. Because if the Princess just wants to get laid I can think of about a hundred idiots who wouldn't mind the risk of contracting an STD to get with her."
"You're just mad she won't let you into her pants," I said.
"Why would I want Stephanie?" Jericho asked in disgust. I merely sighed and shook my head. "So, how is this a good cause Kurt?"
"Because Hunter really wants Stephanie to become the Stephanie he knew before she acquired ECW," I explained. "If that happens then she will be devoted to her dad again, which would lessen the threat toward the WWF, and she would want revenge on Austin, which would hurt the WCW."
"And how exactly do you know what Trips wants?" Jericho asked. "Last time I checked you two weren't exactly pals."
"Yeah, but he is friends with Vince," I said. "And I'm friends with Vince."
"Secondly," Jericho interrupted, "Why would Vince want the Princess back in his life?"
"Because he loves her," I answered. "And she loves him too. She modeled her own personality on his."
"Austin probably wants her then too," Jericho chuckled.
I couldn't help but laugh at Jericho's allusion to Austin's latent homosexuality. "Why do you hate Austin so much Jericho?"
"Hm, he screwed me out of the Championship, he made sure Benoit and I lost the Tag Title, and he screwed us at Invasion," Jericho said. "I'm pretty sure that's it."
"Okay," I said. "Getting Stephanie and Hunter back together would really good a long way toward making life miserable for him."
"I like the sound of that," Jericho said. "So what's your plan?"
"We have to make Hunter jealous," I said. "And we have to make Stephanie realize that her marriage is more important than destroying the WWF."
There was a light knock on my hotel room door. I went to answer it. I let Stephanie into the room. She still looked beautiful, but her blue eyes looked tired and sad. "Sorry I'm late," she said. She saw Jericho in the room and she stopped, "What the hell is HE doing here?"
"He's going to help," I said.
"No freaking way," Stephanie said, showing some sign of life. "He wouldn't even pull over to help me on the side of a freeway."
"You didn't pull over?" I asked, shocked that Jericho could be so ungentlemanly.
"Give me a break," Jericho said. "I said that to her after what happened at Invasion. If I saw anyone stranded I would help them, which is metaphorically why I'm here."
"I'm not stranded!" Stephanie said.
"Excuse me if I'm wrong Princess," Jericho said, "but you haven't been able to get Trips to take you back have you?"
"Not that it's any of your business," Stephanie said, "But no, I haven't."
"Well, Kurt has a plan to help you," Jericho said.
"Okay," I said. "Stephanie, is Hunter more important to you than the ECW?"
"Of course he is," Stephanie said.
"Would you be willing to give it up?" I asked. I hated having to ask her these questions, but she had to realize what had to happen if she was ever going to get Hunter back.
"All of my savings are sunk in that company," Stephanie said.
"You could sell it," I said.
"To who?" Stephanie asked.
"Heyman, the slimy bastard," Jericho muttered.
"He doesn't have any money," Stephanie said, "that's why he convinced me to buy it."
"How about Vince?" I asked.
"Sell it to Dad?" Stephanie asked. "He hates me. Why in the world would he help me?"
"Vince loves you Steph," I said. "And it would be a good counter to the WCW and Shane and Austin."
"And it's killing two birds with one stone," Jericho said. "You prove to Hunter he's the most important thing in the world to you and you get back in your dad's good graces, which Hunter wanted too."
"And you might just put that jerk of a brother of yours out of business," I said. "I had hoped I knocked a little sense into him when I put him through that glass."
"That's cruel," Stephanie exclaimed. "He is my brother."
"Lucky you," Jericho muttered.
"You have to understand how WWF wrestlers would feel about your punk-ass brother," I said.
"I guess," Stephanie said. "Alright, what's the rest of the plan?"
"You make Hunter jealous," I said.
"How?" Stephanie asked.
"You pretend to date Jericho," I said, preparing myself for a battle.
"No way in hell!" Jericho exclaimed.
"Are you out of your mind Kurt?" Stephanie asked in horror.
"You have to have started doing drugs or something," Jericho continued.
"Why Jericho?" Stephanie asked, nearly shuddering in disgust.
"Excuse me, but plenty of women would be jumping for the chance," Jericho told Stephanie.
"Yeah, women with no class," Stephanie countered.
"Then you fit the bill," Jericho said.
I sat back as they exchanged insults. It's really kind of fun. They hurl them better than most. "You arrogant, conceited, filthy bastard!" Stephanie said.
"What are you two afraid of?" I finally asked them. "That you might like dating each other?"
"No!" they exclaimed together.
"Then you should be able to do this no problem," I said.
"Why does it have to be Jericho?" Stephanie asked.
"Yeah, why does it have to be Jericho, I mean, me?" Jericho asked.
"Because Hunter wouldn't think of me as a threat ever again," I said, "And you two being together is just farfetched enough to catch him off guard. And lets face it, there aren't many other people who would be willing to help you Steph."
"I guess so," Stephanie said dejectedly.
"I suppose I could do it," Jericho sighed. "As long as I know she will be as miserable as I am."
"Oh trust me," Stephanie said. "I will be."
Jericho grinned at her. "Maybe it will be worth it then."
"You really are an ass," Stephanie said, glaring at him.
"Aw, sugar-muffin," Jericho said sarcastically, "is that any way to talk to your new man?"
"God help me," Stephanie pleaded.
"Alright, lets get planning," I said.
For the next hour we decided how we would go about getting Hunter jealous and whether or not to let Vince in on the plan. We decided to tell him and to sell him the ECW as soon as possible. We wanted to keep the sale a secret for awhile. Make it a reunion present of sorts.
"I think we're set," I said. "We'll put the plan in motion tomorrow."
"Thanks you guys," Stephanie said, sounding truly appreciative.
"No problem," I said. She was one of the few people who befriended me in the WWF and I couldn't help but feel obligated to her.
"Yeah," Jericho seconded, sounding slightly enthusiastic.
"I'll see you tomorrow," I said. "Actually, Jericho, walk Steph back to her room. And a little hand-holding wouldn't kill you."
Stephanie eyed Jericho's out-stretched hand in distaste. "Don't worry. It's clean," Jericho said.
Stephanie slipped her hand into his. "Night Kurt."
"I'm not kissing her good-night," Jericho said. "Bye Kurt."
I shook my head to myself as I watched them walk down the hall. What the hell was I getting myself into?