Hanging by a Moment - 03 blockquote { margin-left: 50px; margin-right: 50px }
Hanging by a Moment Part Three

RAW is WAR – Week Two

Chris had often heard that it was a common fact someone became more attractive to you when you knew that they liked you. He had just never really believed it before. Well, until now. He knew that Stephanie had a thing for him. She had to. And now, all of a sudden, she was all he ever thought about.

She had become a lot more attractive to him. He wondered if her change in wardrobe had anything to do with it as well. She was wearing a lot less make-up, wasn't curling her hair anymore, and was wearing less animal-print and skimpy attires. In essence, she wasn't looking like a totally skanky ho. She seemed more the simple, down-to-earth, yet elegant woman that was just…more attractive.

'Twice in a week,' he said, shaking his head. 'Tell me now that she's just pissed at Austin.'

Jeff just shrugged. 'Whatever, Casanova. Still, you are partly right I suppose. Once was more than enough to get her message across to Austin, so why'd she save you and the Title for the second time?'

Chris smiled in triumph. 'Need I even say it?'

'She's madly, deeply in love with you, etc, etc.' Then, Jeff grinned. 'She just hides it with intense dislike and evil glares.'

'Make fun of me all you want,' he shot back. 'But I know I'm right, and tonight, I'm gonna prove it.'

'Oh, yeah? How?'

'Absolutely no idea.'

*

Chris waited for all most of the cheers to subside before raising the microphone to his mouth. 'Stephanie McMahon-Helmsley-'

The sudden, deafening cheers was a surprise, and he had to stop for a few minutes. He actually smiled, getting even more convinced that his theory had to be right. He wasn't the only one who believed that Stephanie had a thing for him. And not all of these people could be wrong, could they?

Chris waited again until he could be heard. 'Stephy-baby, we have got to stop tip-toeing around this issue! This unresolved sexual tension between us!'

More cheers, more waiting. He couldn't stop smiling. 'I know it's there! You know it's there! All these Jericho-holics know it's-'

He was interrupted by a very familiar entrance music. Triple H's old one. Stephanie. And once again with the cheers.

She was wearing dark purple suede pants and blue top. And a look that suggested irritation, frustration and anger. No hint of interest whatsoever. She was a better actor than he gave her credit.

As she got closer to the ring, Chris found himself walking forward to meet her, and parted the ropes for her. She stopped for a moment, just glaring at him, and then warily stepped inside the ring.

'For the Princess,' he said, offering her the microphone with a smirk.

She narrowed her eyes at him, ignoring the microphone. Then, she smiled, but with a refractory glint in her eye. 'Chris,' she purred, and he took a step towards her.

Stephanie slapped him.

*

SmackDown

Once again, Stephanie was out in the middle of the ring, shooting down 'all talk of me being interested in that disgusting, absolutely arrogant jerk'.

Chris shook his head, watching her. So, his little plan didn't work. But it didn't deter him from proving to the world that he was right. He wanted to be right, because she was beginning to drive him a little crazy. She was all he ever thought about now.

On screen, Stephanie held up a hand to try and silence the crowd, and shrugged. 'Frankly, I'm kind of embarrassed. And, in some very small way, I do kind of feel a little sorry for him.'

He narrowed his eyes, his mind going back to last year's King of the Ring. 'Oh, to hell with this!' he muttered, standing up abruptly.

Chris strode purposely past everyone, not stopping for the few people who called out his name, out behind the curtain and walked down the ramp. Towards the ring. Towards her. He heard the almost instantaneous reaction of the crowd, but he kept his eyes trained on the woman in the ring.

Stephanie.

She whirled around to face him when she heard the audience chanting his name, and a smirk came over her face. 'Back for another slap, are we?' she taunted.

He could feel, almost hear above all the noise, the thudding of his heart against his chest. But he didn't dare back down. Not now. Especially with her only a few steps away.

Chris stepped into the ring, and headed straight for her without pause. A look of surprise and panic crossed her face as he reached out and grabbed the back of the head. He smiled, almost predatorily.

And kissed her.

*

Chris couldn't stop grinning, his eyes bright with triumph. 'I knew it! That girl so is very interested in me!'

Benoit laughed out loud. 'Keep dreaming, Prince Charming!'

'She kissed me back!'

'Not sure what planet you were on at the time, but what I saw does not constitute as 'kissing you back',' he said. 'Man, she shoved you practically halfway across the ring.'

Chris shrugged, not to be taken down from his celebration. 'I'm telling you, she started kissing me back.'

'Right, and that look of disgust on her face was…what?'

'Why are you being so antagonistic about this?'

Benoit laughed out loud again, shaking his head. 'Would you listen to yourself? Why on earth would a woman like that, someone who can practically have any man she wants if she puts her mind to it, ever be interested in you?'

Chris's ego was actually hurt at the question, and he frowned at Benoit. 'What are you talking about?'

'Think about it. Or do you want me to take you for a trip down Memory Lane?'

Chris stared at the other man, a feeling of dread beginning to settle in his stomach.

'Let me see if any of the following words are familiar to you – skanky, brutal, bottom feeding, trashbag-'

'Ho,' he finished, shaking his head.

'You treat her like shit, Jericho,' Benoit said matter-of-factly. 'I somehow doubt that she's going to be falling head over heels in love with you after everything you've ever done to her.'

[ Part Four ]