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Hanging by a Moment Part Two

RAW is WAR – Week One

'Play the tape,' Chris demanded, pointing to the large TitanTron above the ramp. This was actually going to be the first time he would see what had happened during the previous night's pay per view, and he was curious as to know what had exactly gone down.

He watched as the screen went from a shot of Austin hitting him with a chair, to Stephanie running down the rampway towards the ring in a short sleeved pink top and…jeans? He hadn't noticed that last night.

She had a look of grim determination on her face, which quickly changed into one of fear and concern as she rolled into the ring. She quickly scrambled towards his fallen body, placing herself over him. She was looking up at Austin, pleading with him to stop.

Austin looked down at her, stunned and extremely confused. He slowly put down the chair, and Stephanie hit him with a low blow. The tape stopped. Everyone knew how it ended.

Chris waited for the crowd's cheers to subside, before raising the microphone to his mouth again. After having seen with his own eyes what had happened, he became even more convinced that he was right. Stephanie was lying about her reasons.

'Now, little Stephy-baby explained her actions away earlier tonight,' Chris started. 'And I'm sure that all the Jericho-holics will agree with me when I call her a liar! She wanted to see Austin lose the Title, right? Know what I think, Princess? I think that you just wanted Y2J!'

*

'Do you any idea how big an asshole you are?' a voice hissed furiously from behind him.

Chris turned around calmly to face Stephanie, and sneered. 'Not the best way to endear yourself to me, Steph.'

She glared at him, her eyes flashing. 'What the hell was that about, out there? Have you gone totally insane?'

'Afraid that the husband might get a little jealous?' he taunted. The thought of Stephanie being interested in him was… It was…

Chris had no idea what to think, or how exactly he felt about it. He did know that for some strange reason he wasn't totally hating the idea. Secretly, he thought she was the prettiest girl in the WWF.

'Drop this insane fantasy of yours, Jericho,' she told him, ignoring his question. 'Because it's not true, and the only way I'm ever going to be interested in you is when hell freezes over!'

He actually laughed. 'Whatever, Princess, but we both know the truth, no matter what you say.'

Stephanie stared at him for a moment. 'Why? Because I made Austin lose the Belt? I would have done the same thing, no matter who his opponent had been.'

'I see, and you storming into my locker room…?' Chris asked, raising an eyebrow. 'Ain't helping you, baby.'

He could see her hands clench into fists by her side. 'Just leave it alone, Jericho.'

Chris smirked. 'Like I'd want the likes of you interested in me anyway.'

'I am not interested in you!' she screamed at him, then whirled around and strode out of the room.

He was a little taken aback by her sudden outburst, and actually took a step back. 'Convince me a bit more and I might just start to believe you,' he muttered, shaking his head.

'So, Stephanie McMahon-Helmsley just wants Y2J, huh?' Benoit laughed, walking into the room only a few seconds after Stephanie left.

Chris smirked. 'You heard her, I take it?'

'I think the whole arena did.'

*

SmackDown

Chris found himself paying closer attention to Stephanie. She had made some changes in her appearance from the Stephanie he had come to expect from the previous year. She kept her hair straight, and she was wearing less slut-like clothing. As she strode down the ramp and into the ring, she was looking extremely good.

'Contrary to what Chris Jericho might want to think,' she started, glaring at a man in the front row who was holding up a huge sign reading 'Steph and Jericho sitting in a tree'. 'I am not interested in him! I'm a happily married woman, and whatever delusions you people might have regarding his looks, I'm not at all the least bit attracted to that…that…that ass-clown!'

Chris actually laughed at Stephanie having used one of his terms. He found it…cute.

'The words of a woman in love,' Jeff Hardy said sardonically, coming up behind him.

Chris turned to look at the younger man. 'You actually believe her over me?'

Jeff grinned. 'No offense, Jericho, but your version is a little bit…well, kinda out there. Everyone knows how much she hates you, and how much you hate her, so why are you so insistent that she's interested in you?'

Before he could answer, the sudden roar of the crowd made them turn back to the TV. They hadn't only heard it on screen, but it had come through to backstage, which meant something huge was going down.

Austin had come up through the crowd, and was advancing towards Stephanie…who was staring back at him defiantly.

He swore under his breath, and surprisingly, so did Jeff. Chris turned back to him. 'We have to go out there and help her!'

But Jeff shook his multi-coloured head. 'Too late. Regal, the ever-regular ass-kisser, is already down there and has managed to talk Austin out of harming Steph.'

With a frown, he turned once again to the screen. Sure enough, William Regal was agreeing to Austin's demand as he was held up by the front of his suit. 'Alright! Alright! You'll get your rematch with Jericho tonight!'

His eyes sought out Stephanie, and she was staring at Austin with a cold hatred in her eyes. She still hadn't moved from where she had stood her ground against the ex-Champion.

*

Not for the first time, Austin was playing dirty. And the chairshots weren't any less painful than they had been at King of the Ring. In fact, they seemed a lot more sharper and more defined, especially over the still visible bruises all over his body.

And, like before, the shots to his body stopped. But this time, no gentle touch. He did hear a heavy thud beside him on the mat. With a small feeling of disappointment, Chris forced himself to look up and see what was going on.

Austin was curled beside him, holding onto his crotch, his face contorted in anguish, swearing heavily. Just over his fallen body, Chris could see the back of a woman dressed in a navy-blue top and dark pants walking away from the ring.

Stephanie.

[ Part Three ]