Fanfic: A Nice Place to Visit - Part Two (part one posted a while ago)
CHANGING SIDES
Part Four

By: Elektra

THURSDAY AFTERNOON

"Glad to see you're such good friends with Lita!" Stephanie hissed as she came up to Jericho, who was busy enjoying his lunch in the hotel's Café.

Jericho furrowed his brow, not sure what she was referring too. He then came to the realization that Stephanie had probably seen Lita coming out of his room that morning.

"Not that it's any of your business," he started, "But Lita and I were—"

"I don't WANT to know what you and Lita were doing!" Stephanie snapped, "You disgust me!" She turned to leave, but Jericho grabbed her wrist, "Let me go!" Stephanie demanded.

Jericho threw some money on the table to pay for his lunch, then dragged a struggling Stephanie out of the Café.

***

Jericho pulled Stephanie down the hallway and into an empty elevator, pressing the top floor. It would give him a few minutes to talk to her at least, "Listen, you're not to tell Matt that you saw Lita coming out of my room!"

"Why not? He has a right to know!"

"He DOESN'T have a right to know that Lita and I were planning a surprise birthday party for him tonight!" Jericho snapped angrily.

"Surprise party? Is that the excuse?" Stephanie asked.

Jericho was growing increasingly impatient with the little Princess, "While I don't know why this is any of your business, YES. We were talking about a surprise party! Don't believe me? Come to the Fox and The Firkin after Smackdown tonight. Maybe you can even help Lita, Trish, and Jeff set up the streamers and balloons!"

Stephanie eyed Jericho carefully, "You're serious, aren't you?" she asked.

"Yes… or is that type of menial work below you?!" he asked.

"I mean, you're serious that you were talking about a surprise party!" she replied, "And yes, that type of menial work IS below me!"

"Don't you have any friends you'd do that for?" he asked, "Or are they all arrogant snobs like you who see a fun little surprise party as low class?"

"Don't start on my friends!" Stephanie snapped, "We have parties… just… not at cheap little pubs named after animals!"

"Whatever!" Jericho rolled his eyes, then decided to change the subject, "So why did you come to my hotel room earlier today anyway?"

Stephanie crossed her arms and leaned against the wall, "Daddy wanted me to talk to you about the Alliance. He really wants to keep the title belt in the WWF… even if it IS you who has to carry it!"

Before Jericho could respond, the lights flickered out and the elevator ground to a violent halt. Stephanie screamed as she went careening into Jericho, throwing both of them to the ground.

"What the HELL was that!" Jericho shouted. The emergency floodlight went on – a bare spotlight that cast frightening shadows on the walls.

"Power outage?!" Stephanie gasped.

"Damn!" Jericho replied, then looked at her, "Hey, I know you've got a crush on me, but really, Steph, this isn't the way to go about asking me out!" Jericho replied as Stephanie made no effort to get off him.

"Oh PLEASE!" Stephanie snapped, and quickly jumped to her feet, "It'll never happen, Jericho!"

"Uh huh…" Jericho replied as he stood up and brushed himself off, "Does Trip know you jump on every man you're stuck in an elevator with?" he asked.

"Leave him out of this!" Stephanie hissed.

Jericho raised an eyebrow, "Touchy touchy. What's going on with you and Trip lately anyway?"

"None of your business! I… I just want to get out of here, ok?" Stephanie banged on the steel doors, "OPEN UP! LET ME OUT!" Her efforts were futile.

"Looks like you're stuck in here with me, Stephie," Jericho smirked smugly, "But I'm sure being stuck in an elevator with a man is nothing new for you,"

"How DARE you!" she sputtered, "I have had it up to HERE with your crude comments and your arrogant attitude! I am Stephanie McMahon, damnit! You will NOT speak to me that way!"

"I'll speak to you any way I want to!" Jericho replied

Stephanie took a deep breath and turned back to the door, "OPEN THIS DOOR!" she shouted, "Open it NOW!"

Jericho leaned against the wall, finding Stephanie's hissy fit rather amusing. Stephanie put an ear to the door, but heard nothing.

Suddenly, the floodlight flickered. The last thing Stephanie wanted right now was to be trapped in the dark with Chris Jericho, who seemed more preoccupied with laughing at her then trying to get out.

Jericho glanced at Stephanie, noticing her stare, "Yes? Can I help you!?"

"Shouldn't you be trying to get us out of here?! She asked.

"You seem to be doing a good job all by yourself,"

Stephanie frowned, "Can you NOT look so amused?!" she snapped, "You're such a---" Stephanie was interrupted by a clap of thunder. The light flickered again.

"I guess the storm warning was justified after all…!" Jericho replied.

"STORM WARNING?" Stephanie repeated.

"Don't you listen to the local stations when we travel? They've been warning about a storm front all day!"

Stephanie turned back to the door, pounding furiously. Stuck in an elevator with her mortal enemy during a storm was NOT her idea of fun!

"Move your over-enhanced silicone chest!" Jericho demanded. Stephanie glared at him. She was about to speak, but was forced to jump out of the way as he charged at the door, which separated ever so slightly. Jericho grabbed his shoulder and winced, "Damn."

"Serves you right!" Stephanie snapped, "And now that we're free, I'm leaving!" Stephanie stuck her hands between the doors, and tried to pull them apart… but to no avail, "Open up!" she shouted again. A clap of thunder wrenched a scream from Stephanie's throat. Ever since she was little, she had always hated storms. Why hadn't she outgrown that?

Stephanie screamed again as Jericho grabbed her shoulder.

"Will you please shut the hell up?!" Jericho snapped.

"Get your hands off me!" she demanded.

"Trust me, Stephanie, I don't want my hands ON you!" he said, "But I figure we'd have a better chance of getting out of here if we worked together!" he grabbed one door and motioned for her to grab the other. "One, two, three… PULL!" the doors slowly pulled apart… to reveal a wall, and just a hint of a ledge. The space wasn't wide enough for them to climb out though.

Stephanie closed her eyes, muttering to herself, "Gotta get out… gotta get out…"

Jericho watched her. Was she hyperventilating? "You're claustrophobic, aren't you?" he asked.

"Shut up! Just… get me out of here!" she snapped.

Jericho cupped his hands and knelt in front of her, "Here. A foot up. Open the ceiling hatch!"

"What? No smart ass joke about my claustrophobia?" Stephanie asked.

"There's a time for jokes and there's a time to get the hell out of an elevator before you pass out!" he replied, "Now accept my help and open the ceiling hatch!"

Stephanie took off her shoes and put her foot in his hands, pressing against the wall for support as she climbed onto Jericho's broad shoulders.

"Word of advice, Steph," Jericho started, "Don't wear a skirt next time you're trapped in an elevator. I'm seeing way too much of you here!"

"PERVERT!" Stephanie snapped, and kicked him in the head with her stocking feet.

"Oh yeah, that hurt…" he replied dryly.

"Did I tell you how much I hate you yet today?" Stephanie asked.

"No. I guess you forgot - what with jumping my bones a few minutes ago and all,"

"I DID NOT—" she stopped and shook her head, "Now you're just trying to make me mad!"

"At least it got your mind off being trapped in an elevator," Jericho muttered quietly.

Stephanie pulled herself up through the escape hatch. Did she hear correctly? Had Jericho purposely angered her to ease her panic attack? Why that was… well… downright HUMAN of him!

"I need help opening the doors here," Stephanie called down, "Can you climb up?"

Jericho spread his legs between two elevator walls, using the handrails on each side to boost himself up to the ceiling. He reached up and pulled himself through the escape hatch.

"Well, that was fun," he smirked as he finally reached Stephanie. He then nodded for her to grab one floor door as he grabbed the other. They pulled and separated the doors just enough to climb through.

"I say we take the stairs and go find my dad," she replied. Jericho nodded, and headed to the stairwell.

Stephanie wanted to say something, but 'thank you' seemed too nice a word.

After all, she wouldn't want him thinking she was actually RELIEVED he was there… now would she!