*** About one month later (mid November 2001) ***
"Hey," Jericho whispered into Stephanie's ear. He wrapped his arms around her waist from behind.
"You scared me," Stephanie said breathlessly.
"I saw you watching the match all alone and I couldn't seem to resist," Jericho said. "How's it going?"
"Good for The Rock," Stephanie grumbled.
"That means bad for Austin," Jericho said, grinning. "There is indeed a God."
"Debra is the only one who can stand him anymore," Stephanie whispered to Jericho. "And even that is questionable."
"Unfortunately you need him in your Alliance," Jericho said.
"Don't even start on the Alliance," Stephanie groaned. "We're never going to agree on it. We might as well stop fighting about it."
"Okay," Jericho said agreeably.
"That was way too easy," Stephanie said.
"I've got other things on my mind," Jericho said. He rested his head on her shoulder as they watched the match together.
After about a week of debate, Jericho and Stephanie had agreed not to keep their relationship secret. Jericho had thought it would get him in trouble with Vince and his friends. Stephanie thought keeping anything a secret just meant they had something to hide. Jericho realized that if they were found out it would look like he was a traitor.
"Like?" Stephanie asked.
"Like how good you smell," Jericho said.
"This sounds like a topic I'm an expert I'm on," Stephanie said. "Me!"
"I'm learning more and more everyday," Jericho said.
"Mom wanted me to invite you to Thanksgiving," Stephanie said.
"I'm Canadian," Jericho said. "We have a different day for Thanksgiving."
"Which is why I'm pretty sure you won't have any other plans," Stephanie said. She took one of his hands and held it in both of hers. "Please come with me."
"Why?" Jericho asked.
"Because I need someone there to keep me sane," Stephanie said.
"What?" Jericho asked, wincing as Austin hit The Rock's face into an exposed turnbuckle.
"Well, since Mom and Dad are doing this whole trial reconciliation thing, Mom wants Dad there," Stephanie said.
"But she wants Shane and Marissa there too. It will be the first time we've done anything as a family in about a
year."
"I'm not family sweetie," Jericho said.
"Which is a good thing," Stephanie said. "A little bit of outside presence might keep things civil. And Dad will feel
like there's someone else on his side in the house."
"But I'm your boyfriend," Jericho said.
"I know," Stephanie sighed. "We could break up for the day if you want."
"You really want me to come?" Jericho asked.
"I really do," Stephanie said. "It would mean a lot to me."
"Okay," Jericho relented. "I will celebrate an American holiday for you."
Stephanie squealed happily as she turned around and kissed him deeply. "Wow, I should give in to you more often," he said when she pulled away.
Stephanie banded her arms around his neck. "Or you could just be wonderful."
"Three months ago," Jericho chuckled.
"What?" Stephanie asked.
"Three months ago I kissed you at SummerSlam," Jericho said.
"Can I tell you a secret?" Stephanie asked.
"Sure," Jericho said.
Stephanie stood on her tiptoes and whispered, "I liked it," into his ear. She lightly bit his ear before pulling away from him.
Jericho shook his head as she pulled away. "You are full of surprises Stephanie McMahon."
"It's one of the things you like about me," Stephanie said confidently.
"Well, isn't this cozy?" a dry voice asked.
Jericho and Stephanie turned toward the person who interrupted their moment. "Hello," Stephanie said, trying to be nice.
"What the hell do you want?" Jericho asked, not bothering with being nice.
"I just wanted to see the most ridiculous thing in the world," Lance Storm said. He looked at his former tag-team partner in disgust. "It's sick to see how she plays you Jericho."
"Shut your mouth Storm!" Jericho said as he lunged for the other wrestler.
"Chris!" Stephanie said, pulling on his arm to keep him from attacking Storm. "It's not worth it. We've heard worse from Lita. And she's your friend."
"He's your employee," Jericho said, still glaring at Storm. "Aren't you going to say something."
"He's entitled to his opinion baby," Stephanie said. She looked at Storm. "But I suggest you get the hell out of here because I can't hold him back much longer and you pissed me off too."
"Whatever," Storm said as he turned around.
"I really hate people sometimes," Jericho said.
"Me too," Stephanie said.
"I remember that well," Jericho said, grinning down at her.
"You're in a good mood again," Stephanie said, smiling at him. "You know, I remember you calling me some pretty mean names."
"I meant every one of them," Jericho said.
"I meant everything I called you too," Stephanie said.
"No you didn't," Jericho said.
"I did too," Stephanie insisted.
"Hey Jeff look," Trish giggled. "They do argue all the time."
Jeff laughed as he looped an arm around Trish's waist. "Well, I'm sure they don't argue ALL the time."
"You don't know us very well do you?" Jericho asked his friend.
"I guess not," Jeff shrugged. "You guys going out to the bar tonight?"
"I don't know," Jericho said. "It's all WWF isn't it?"
"Yeah," Trish said. "But they accept Stephanie now."
"We can go sweetie," Stephanie said, slipping her hand in his.
"Nah," Jericho said. "We'll watch a movie in one of rooms or something."
"Well, okay," Jeff said. "You guys have a good night then."
Three hours later, Stephanie was waiting for Jericho in her hotel room. While she waited she tried to get some work
done. She pounded the keys on her laptop a little hard.
"Don't kill it!" Jericho exclaimed as he walked into her room. He set down the key card she had given him on the table.
"It's so frustrating!" Stephanie exclaimed. "If we could just convince Dad to let someone give us a TV spot we could end this whole invasion thing. We have way too much talent for two shows!"
"So Vince is still blocking it all?" Jericho asked.
"Of course," Stephanie said. "And Shane is more pissed than I am. I hope this doesn't ruin Thanksgiving. Mom wants us to be a family again so badly."
"Don't worry about it right now baby," Jericho said as kneeled next to her chair. He took her hands off the keyboard and he slipped his arms around her waist. "Just worry about you and me."
"That's a much easier topic to worry about," Stephanie said, putting her hands on his shoulders. She leaned into him and they kissed.
Jericho picked her up out of her chair and walked over to her bed. "Roll over onto your stomach," he commanded softly.
"Yes sir," Stephanie said as she rolled to her stomach. Jericho's hands began to attack the knots in her shoulders. "Oh that feels like heaven."
"Good," Jericho said. "You work way too hard."
"Just so I can get you to give me massages," Stephanie said dreamily.
"I see," Jericho said. He continued to work out the knots in her neck and back. "You'll just have to start returning the favor."
"I could do that," Stephanie agreed.
"You sound tired," Jericho commented.
"I'm fine," Stephanie said.
"Sure you are," Jericho said, getting off of her bed. "I'll let you get your sleep."
"No Chris!" Stephanie said, sitting up and reaching her hand out to stop him. "Can you stay tonight?"
"What?" Jericho asked.
"I'm not ready for that yet," Stephanie said. "But I want to be with you. Can you just stay the night?"
"I don't know," Jericho said.
"I trust you," Stephanie said. "I know you wouldn't try anything."
"You might trust me," Jericho said. "But I don't trust me."
"Is that a yes?" Stephanie asked.
Jericho let her pull him to the bed as he said, "That's a yes."
"Hey," Jericho whispered into Stephanie's ear. He wrapped his arms around her waist from behind.
"You scared me," Stephanie said breathlessly.
"I saw you watching the match all alone and I couldn't seem to resist," Jericho said. "How's it going?"
"Good for The Rock," Stephanie grumbled.
"That means bad for Austin," Jericho said, grinning. "There is indeed a God."
"Debra is the only one who can stand him anymore," Stephanie whispered to Jericho. "And even that is questionable."
"Unfortunately you need him in your Alliance," Jericho said.
"Don't even start on the Alliance," Stephanie groaned. "We're never going to agree on it. We might as well stop fighting about it."
"Okay," Jericho said agreeably.
"That was way too easy," Stephanie said.
"I've got other things on my mind," Jericho said. He rested his head on her shoulder as they watched the match together.
After about a week of debate, Jericho and Stephanie had agreed not to keep their relationship secret. Jericho had thought it would get him in trouble with Vince and his friends. Stephanie thought keeping anything a secret just meant they had something to hide. Jericho realized that if they were found out it would look like he was a traitor.
"Like?" Stephanie asked.
"Like how good you smell," Jericho said.
"This sounds like a topic I'm an expert I'm on," Stephanie said. "Me!"
"I'm learning more and more everyday," Jericho said.
"Mom wanted me to invite you to Thanksgiving," Stephanie said.
"I'm Canadian," Jericho said. "We have a different day for Thanksgiving."
"Which is why I'm pretty sure you won't have any other plans," Stephanie said. She took one of his hands and held it in both of hers. "Please come with me."
"Why?" Jericho asked.
"Because I need someone there to keep me sane," Stephanie said.
"What?" Jericho asked, wincing as Austin hit The Rock's face into an exposed turnbuckle.
"Well, since Mom and Dad are doing this whole trial reconciliation thing, Mom wants Dad there," Stephanie said.
"But she wants Shane and Marissa there too. It will be the first time we've done anything as a family in about a
year."
"I'm not family sweetie," Jericho said.
"Which is a good thing," Stephanie said. "A little bit of outside presence might keep things civil. And Dad will feel
like there's someone else on his side in the house."
"But I'm your boyfriend," Jericho said.
"I know," Stephanie sighed. "We could break up for the day if you want."
"You really want me to come?" Jericho asked.
"I really do," Stephanie said. "It would mean a lot to me."
"Okay," Jericho relented. "I will celebrate an American holiday for you."
Stephanie squealed happily as she turned around and kissed him deeply. "Wow, I should give in to you more often," he said when she pulled away.
Stephanie banded her arms around his neck. "Or you could just be wonderful."
"Three months ago," Jericho chuckled.
"What?" Stephanie asked.
"Three months ago I kissed you at SummerSlam," Jericho said.
"Can I tell you a secret?" Stephanie asked.
"Sure," Jericho said.
Stephanie stood on her tiptoes and whispered, "I liked it," into his ear. She lightly bit his ear before pulling away from him.
Jericho shook his head as she pulled away. "You are full of surprises Stephanie McMahon."
"It's one of the things you like about me," Stephanie said confidently.
"Well, isn't this cozy?" a dry voice asked.
Jericho and Stephanie turned toward the person who interrupted their moment. "Hello," Stephanie said, trying to be nice.
"What the hell do you want?" Jericho asked, not bothering with being nice.
"I just wanted to see the most ridiculous thing in the world," Lance Storm said. He looked at his former tag-team partner in disgust. "It's sick to see how she plays you Jericho."
"Shut your mouth Storm!" Jericho said as he lunged for the other wrestler.
"Chris!" Stephanie said, pulling on his arm to keep him from attacking Storm. "It's not worth it. We've heard worse from Lita. And she's your friend."
"He's your employee," Jericho said, still glaring at Storm. "Aren't you going to say something."
"He's entitled to his opinion baby," Stephanie said. She looked at Storm. "But I suggest you get the hell out of here because I can't hold him back much longer and you pissed me off too."
"Whatever," Storm said as he turned around.
"I really hate people sometimes," Jericho said.
"Me too," Stephanie said.
"I remember that well," Jericho said, grinning down at her.
"You're in a good mood again," Stephanie said, smiling at him. "You know, I remember you calling me some pretty mean names."
"I meant every one of them," Jericho said.
"I meant everything I called you too," Stephanie said.
"No you didn't," Jericho said.
"I did too," Stephanie insisted.
"Hey Jeff look," Trish giggled. "They do argue all the time."
Jeff laughed as he looped an arm around Trish's waist. "Well, I'm sure they don't argue ALL the time."
"You don't know us very well do you?" Jericho asked his friend.
"I guess not," Jeff shrugged. "You guys going out to the bar tonight?"
"I don't know," Jericho said. "It's all WWF isn't it?"
"Yeah," Trish said. "But they accept Stephanie now."
"We can go sweetie," Stephanie said, slipping her hand in his.
"Nah," Jericho said. "We'll watch a movie in one of rooms or something."
"Well, okay," Jeff said. "You guys have a good night then."
Three hours later, Stephanie was waiting for Jericho in her hotel room. While she waited she tried to get some work
done. She pounded the keys on her laptop a little hard.
"Don't kill it!" Jericho exclaimed as he walked into her room. He set down the key card she had given him on the table.
"It's so frustrating!" Stephanie exclaimed. "If we could just convince Dad to let someone give us a TV spot we could end this whole invasion thing. We have way too much talent for two shows!"
"So Vince is still blocking it all?" Jericho asked.
"Of course," Stephanie said. "And Shane is more pissed than I am. I hope this doesn't ruin Thanksgiving. Mom wants us to be a family again so badly."
"Don't worry about it right now baby," Jericho said as kneeled next to her chair. He took her hands off the keyboard and he slipped his arms around her waist. "Just worry about you and me."
"That's a much easier topic to worry about," Stephanie said, putting her hands on his shoulders. She leaned into him and they kissed.
Jericho picked her up out of her chair and walked over to her bed. "Roll over onto your stomach," he commanded softly.
"Yes sir," Stephanie said as she rolled to her stomach. Jericho's hands began to attack the knots in her shoulders. "Oh that feels like heaven."
"Good," Jericho said. "You work way too hard."
"Just so I can get you to give me massages," Stephanie said dreamily.
"I see," Jericho said. He continued to work out the knots in her neck and back. "You'll just have to start returning the favor."
"I could do that," Stephanie agreed.
"You sound tired," Jericho commented.
"I'm fine," Stephanie said.
"Sure you are," Jericho said, getting off of her bed. "I'll let you get your sleep."
"No Chris!" Stephanie said, sitting up and reaching her hand out to stop him. "Can you stay tonight?"
"What?" Jericho asked.
"I'm not ready for that yet," Stephanie said. "But I want to be with you. Can you just stay the night?"
"I don't know," Jericho said.
"I trust you," Stephanie said. "I know you wouldn't try anything."
"You might trust me," Jericho said. "But I don't trust me."
"Is that a yes?" Stephanie asked.
Jericho let her pull him to the bed as he said, "That's a yes."
