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Hanging by a Moment Part Six

Fully Loaded 2001

Stephanie's match against Orion Dudley was third in the card for that night, and Chris found himself even more nervous for her than he was with his Title defense. And to make matters worse, she wasn't speaking or seeing anyone. She had locked herself in her dressing room.

'I just want to make sure she's ready,' he muttered, pacing restlessly around his own dressing room he was sharing with the Hardyz.

'It's a match against Orion,' Jeff said loudly, watching the first match of the night – RTC vs X-Factor. 'How is Stephanie supposed to get ready for the kind of match that she has against Orion Dudley?'

Chris sighed. 'Yeah, I know. I just… I just want to see her, you know. Make sure she's settled and as ready as she can be. That she's recovered well enough from Thursday.'

'Oh, by the way, how was the hospital visit?'

He couldn't help the smile that appeared on his face. 'She was doing fine. Just lost a bit too much blood too suddenly, which she wasn't used to. She has got the weirdest sense of humour!'

'Coming from you, I'd hate to see how weird her sense of humour is, Mr Steph-is-in-love-with-me.'

Chris was already used the ribbing he had been getting from they guys for the past few weeks, so he just shrugged it off. He groaned loudly in frustration, his pacing getting more urgent.

'Look, why don't you just go and knock on her door and say hello or something?' Matthew suggested, a small hint of annoyance in his voice. 'All this pacing is making me dizzy.'

'But-'

'Will you just go already!' Matthew interrupted, the annoyance definite in his voice this time. 'You are seriously driving me insane here. Don't be such a cowardly baby about it!'

Although the insult didn't faze him, Chris still glared at the dark haired man. But he knew that his friend was right, so he left the room without another word.

Finding Stephanie's dressing room wasn't difficult. Actually, Lita, ever the romantic, was trying as hard as she could to get him and Stephanie together, and had found out where her dressing room was for him. Not that he had casually mentioned it or anything.

'Who is it?' a soft voice asked from inside after he had knocked. That was a good sign, right? At least she wasn't telling him to go away already.

'It's me, Jericho.'

There was silence, and his heart dropped. She didn't want to see him. With a deep sigh, Chris turned to leave…just as the door opened.

'Hey. Chris.'

Chris. Not Jericho. Chris.

He suddenly felt like some teenage boy on his first date, the butterflies crazily fluttering in his stomach, and he absolutely hated the feeling. He was a full grown man, damnit, and he was going to act like a full grown man.

Chris smiled at her. 'Just wanted to wish you luck for your match, and to make sure things were going okay with you.'

Stephanie crossed her arms and tilted her head slightly to one side, studying him. 'What are you doing here, really?'

He hadn't expected that. 'I…uh…you know, came to wish you luck, and to make sure things were going okay with you.'

She got a thoughtful look on her face. 'And why exactly are you being so nice to me all of a sudden? The past week, saving me, visiting me in hospital. This.'

'Because I love you,' he answered silently, but he had a feeling that he wouldn't be met with a large smile and a big hug. Chris shrugged, hoping his voice sounded casual. 'I've just gotten to know you a little better, and realised that you aren't quite the bitch you are on TV.'

Stephanie's eyes narrowed slightly, and he hoped that she wasn't angry. But the small smile that appeared on her lips eased his fears. 'Well, you aren't quite the inconsiderate jerk you are on TV either.'

*

For the first time since his talk with Stephanie, Chris was not smiling. The match was five minutes old, but already Orion was setting up a table beside the prone figure of Stephanie in the middle of the ring.

'Get up…get up…get up…' Lita was chanting under her breath, all their eyes glued to the screen. But he was too intently focused on the still Stephanie to even have the energy to join Lita.

Table was set. Orion was grinning at the finally-moving-slightly Stephanie, and she slowly made her way towards her.

Chris refused to just sit down and watch, and he stood, more than ready to go out there and save her once again- But he was quickly stopped by Lita, who had grabbed the edge of his shirt and pulled him down. Whether from the TV or from the acoustics of the arena, the sudden roar of the crowd made him look at the screen once again.

Triple H.

Stephanie's husband, with an obvious limp, made his way towards the ring as fast as he could. He pulled his wife out of Orion's grasp, and Stephanie leaned heavily against him. As much as Chris hated the sight of them together, he was nonetheless relieved.

Orion, furious, managed to easily knock Triple H out of the ring, and headed for Stephanie again. But Triple H quickly got back up again, and slid back into the ring…with a steel chair!

A sinking feeling came over Chris. Steel chairs and tables were not a good combination.

And he was quickly proven right. Triple H went to hit Orion, but she quickly pulled Stephanie in front of her, who took the shot right in the back of the head. Stephanie slumped to the mat, and a stunned Triple H was once again easily dispatched by Orion. The sole Dudley woman then easily powerbombed the probably-unconscious Stephanie through the table to win the match.

*

'Jericho-'

'Don't worry about it!' Chris quickly interrupted. Although it did hurt that he had lost the WWF Championship Belt, he knew that he had no one else to blame but himself. He had been way too distracted, not having concentrated enough on Benoit and on the match.

'But-'

'Look, it's fine. You won fair and square!' And it sure wasn't helping that the man continually wanted to analyse everything.

Benoit sighed. 'Look, I know you're worried about Steph. I'm sure she's doing fine.'

But Chris wasn't feeling as confident as Benoit sounded. When he had tried to check on her as the EMTs wheeled her to the ambulance, he had been violently shoved back by Triple H, who had looked furiously at him with a 'This is all your fault!'

Although Lita and the Hardyz, and even Benoit in his own inimitable way, had tried to assure him that none of this was his fault, Chris knew that it wasn't true. Stephanie had been the one who had inadvertently helped him win the Belt, but it had been him who had continually tugged at her arm until she had finally stumbled to his side.

And was now an integral part of his life.

[ Part Seven ]