By: Elektra
WINNIPEG - Thursday night
"Want to see what your dad's up to?" Jericho asked Stephanie as he sat down on the couch and turned on the TV.
"I suppose..." she replied as she sat at the other end of the couch.
Jericho put on SMACKDOWN, and frowned when he noticed who had stepped into the ring, "Oh, it's your almost-ex and his ass-clown, Austin. I wonder what THEY'RE going to blab about for twenty minutes?"
Stephanie was suddenly very quiet as an uncomfortable feeling stirred in the pit of her stomach. Hunter had his sledgehammer. Someone was going to get hurt.
Triple H grabbed the microphone and addressed the crowd, "I'm sure you're all wondering where the hell my beloved wife is," he started, his voice filled with contempt, "Well SO AM I!" he turned to the entrance, "Vince, why don't you come out here and inform me of where you're hiding my wife! I need to talk to her about a certain legal document I recieved yesterday!"
Jericho glanced over at Stephanie. She was looking nervous. He couldn't really blame her.
Austin took the mic from Triple H, "We don't got all day, ya little bastard!" he shouted, "WHAT? I said we don't got all day!" The two waited, then Austin continued, "If Vince McMahon doesn't come out here, someone is gonna get their ass whupped!"
"Oh daddy..." Stephanie said quietly, concern clear in her voice.
"Your dad has the whole WWF behind him, Steph. No one is going to touch him," Chris replied.
Triple H took the mic from Austin, "You leave us no choice, Vince," he said, then signalled for someone to come out.
Like clockwork, the entire Alliance quickly made their way to ringside... followed by a struggling Spike Dudley and Molly Holly. The young lovers were being held against their will by Palumbo, O'Haire, and Kronik.
"Bring them in here," Triple H commanded. Palumbo, O'Haire, and Kronik pulled Spike and Molly into the ring as the Alliance surrounded the outside. There was no escape.
"What the hell is Trip going to do to them?!" Jericho asked as he sat up straight, concerned for the couple on his TV screen.
The rest of the WWF wrestlers quickly ran out, but Triple H halted them on the ramp as he raised his sledgehammer over Spike's head, "Go on. Try me!" he warned the WWFers. Everyone froze, afraid of what he might do.
"Triple H!" a voice shouted from the PA system. Vince appeared on the stage, mic in hand, "Triple H, it doesn't have to be like this!"
"No. You're right, Vince. It doesn't. Not if you tell me where my wife is!"
"I can't do that, Hunter. I won't!"
"Daddy!" Stephanie gasped, "Just tell him, daddy! PLEASE!"
Jericho was surprised at the emotion in Stephanie's voice. She really didn't want anyone else hurt. Especially not the smallest WWFers of all - Spike and Molly. Maybe she wasn't such a cold-hearted bitch after all.
"Maybe you need a little coercing," Triple H continued on the screen, then swung the sledgehammer into Spike's knee, putting all his force behind it. The youngest Dudley fell to the ground, writhing in pain.
"Son of a Bitch!" Jericho shouted. He could have sworn he had heard a sickening crack when the sledgehammer made contact.
Stephanie put a hand to her mouth, eyes wide, "Oh god...! Just TELL him, daddy!" she shouted, "Or I will!" She picked up the phone beside her and began dialing.
Jericho grabbed her shoulders, pulling her away from the phone and back against him, "Who are you calling?!" he demanded.
"Triple H's cell phone! I see it in his pocket!" she said, "I have to stop him! LET ME GO!"
"Listen, your dad wants you here for a REASON. You think Trip wouldn't do the same thing to YOU?" Chris snapped angrily.
"MOLLY!" Stephanie shrieked as she saw Triple H knock Molly to the mat, "NO! HUNTER, don't do it! PLEASE!" she cried, and struggled for the phone again. Jericho refused to let her go. She hit at his arms and shoulders, ignoring his painful wince as she accidentally struck his tender ribs.
"Stay put!" Jericho snapped. "You are NOT calling Triple H!"
Stephanie quickly covered her eyes as Triple H raised his sledgehammer over Molly.
"RAVEN!" Hunter's voice shouted on the television.
Stephanie slowly opened her eyes to see ECW's Raven covering Molly with his own body, taking the brunt of the sledgehammer on his bare shoulders.
"My god..." Jericho gasped, "Raven saved her!"
Raven painfully looked up at Triple H. Jericho couldn't hear him, but could read his lips. Raven was begging his leader not to hurt the Holly girl.
"He cares about her...?" Stephanie asked, surprised at this turn of events.
"You didn't know?" Jericho replied, "Everyone ELSE did!"
Stephanie shook her head, "I had no idea!"
"Were you that self-absorbed during your run with the Alliance that you couldn't see when one of your own guys was falling for the enemy?! Raven was the first guy to chase after Molly when she first showed up!"
"I know!" Stephanie replied, "But I thought it was just to get on Hardcore Holly's case! I didn't think he had real feelings for her!"
"You don't know much about real feelings, do you Steph?" Chris asked quietly as he let her go. No insult was intended in his words. He was simply stating a sad fact.
Stephanie's attention went back to the screen as Triple H cracked the sledgehammer across Raven's shoulders once more. A final punishment for turning on the Alliance.
Triple H smiled at the camera as his music blared throughout the arena. If Stephanie didn't know better, she would say he was staring right at her.
***
"Thanks, Jeff. Talk to you later," Jericho replied, and he hung up the phone in his room. He turned to Stephanie, and explained his conversation. "Spike has a dislocated knee. Raven has a cracked shoulderblade, and Molly is scared to death," he said, "No doubt Triple H made his point!"
"It's all my fault. You, Spike, Raven, Molly..." Stephanie shook her head, "I've never seen this side of Hunter before. I mean, I knew it was there. I'd seen his temper... but..." she was at a loss for words, "I thought he had better control of himself then that!"
"Yeah, that husband of yours is a real winner, Steph,"
"EX," Stephanie spat angrily, "NEVER call him my husband again! I don't even want to be associated with that... that... I can't even call him a MAN!"
"Whatever you want to call him, you're safe from him right now. Not even my friends know you're here." No doubt his friends would jump to conclusions if they DID know Stephanie's whereabouts anyway.
Stephanie paced nervously, "I can't just stay here! I'm going to go crazy!"
"Don't wear a hole in my rug. Here," Chris tossed a bandage roll at her as he sat on the bed, "Make yourself useful and re-tape me. At least it'll keep you busy,"
Stephanie looked numbly at the roll and nodded her head, "Right. Something to keep me busy," she said. She sat behind him and began taking off the old wrapping. His bruises were healing - slowly but surely. It was the internal damage that would take the longest. Still, the bruises were just a reminder of the man... no, monster... she had married.
Jericho sat patiently as Stephanie deftly wrapped the tape around him. She was getting good at it. Chris kept forgetting she was supposed to be his enemy and could use that tape as a weapon ... despite how gentle her hands were, or the sweet smell of her hair when she brushed against him to--
"OK!" Jericho quickly stood up, "Ok. That's good. Thanks," he said.
Stephanie looked up at him, holding the remainder of the tape in her hand, "What? I'm not done yet!"
"No.. no. I'm good. Really. I can do the rest myself,"
Stephanie frowned, "Right. I get it, Jericho! After what Hunter did tonight, you're afraid I might do the same thing. I'm NOT him! I would NOT do that! I told you the other night that I--"
"I believe you, OK?" Jericho interrupted, "But I'm good for now! I'll wrap the rest myself!"
Stephanie threw the tape at him angrily, but he caught it before it could go flying across the room, "Fine. Just don't ask me to come back in here and help you when you're writhing in pain!"
With that, she turned on her heel and left the room.
Jericho sighed. Two more weeks to go. It was going
to be the longest two weeks of his life!
