"What are you doing in our dressing room?" Kurt asked when he walked into the dressing room he was sharing with Jericho and the Dudleys.

"Actually Kurt," Stephanie said. "This is Chris' dressing room. Yours is next door and the Dudleys are the on the other side of you."

"Separate dressing rooms?" Kurt asked. "I thought only champions got those."

"And people who I work with," Stephanie said, smiling smugly.

"She's a woman who gets what she wants," Jericho shrugged.

"Always," Stephanie replied.

*

"I don't know Vince," Kurt said in a low voice. "I think Stephanie's up to something."

"The thing about Stephanie is that I always outsmart her," Vince said confidently. "Plus, she doesn't have any friends left in the Federation. Well, maybe the Dudleys."

"Still Vince," Kurt said. "You of all people know how manipulative she can be."

"That's true," Vince said. "Would it make you happy if I said I would keep an eye on her?"

"An eye on who?" Stephanie asked as she and Jericho walked into the room together.

"Lita," Vince said. "Kurt here thinks she feels like he's a traitor and should be eliminated."

"That's not exactly what I said," Kurt sighed. "I just think she's up to something."

Jericho looked at Kurt with an eyebrow raised, knowing Kurt would never talk to Vince about Lita, the woman he had a huge crush on. "Well," Jericho sighed. "We were just coming to talk to you about tonight's match."

*

"Kurt thinks you're up to something," Jericho said as he came into the dressing room he was sharing with Stephanie. He threw a towel at the wall.

"Calm down Chris," Stephanie said, moving over to the door to lock it. "It's no big deal. We just get Lita to start hitting on him to distract him."

"I guess," Chris said, slumping down onto a couch.

Stephanie went to sit near him. "Chris, we've been planning this for so long. It's been nearly a year since we decided we had to get control from Vince."

"The Alliance thing failed miserably," Jericho sighed. "Do you think that was a sign?'

"No, I think that had a lot to do with the amount of people involved in that one," Stephanie sighed.

"Have you talked to Flair about buying your stock back?" Jericho asked.

"I actually have someone looking into that for me," Stephanie said.

*

"Oh, hey Kurt," Lita said as she bumped into him in the hotel hallway.

"Lita," Kurt said, coming to an abrupt halt. "How are you doing today?"

"I'm pretty good," Lita said. "Better than I've been in a while."

"I've seen some of the crap Matt has been putting you through," Kurt said. "You deserve better than that."

Lita cocked her head to the side at the sincerity in Kurt's voice. She had to remind herself that she was playing Kurt to keep him off of Stephanie and Jericho's path.

"Thanks Kurt," Lita said. "But you know how hard it is to leave someone when you love them."

"Yeah," Kurt said. "I know."

*

"So what are you two up to this time?" Shane asked, taking a gulp of the beer in front of him.

"You two?" Jericho asked.

"Don't play dumb with me Jericho," Shane said. "I know you and my sister are up to something else to get rid of Vince already."

"Well, there's no solid plan at the moment," Jericho said.

"Just keep my girlfriend out of it," Shane said. "I don't need for her to get caught in the crossfire if it blows up in your face."

"Of course," Jericho said.

"How's Stephanie doing?" Shane asked.

"You know Stephanie," Jericho shrugged. "She keeps going to keep herself from realizing how much she misses you."

*

"Did it work?" Stephanie asked.

"Well," Hunter said. "He seems fairly open to it."

"I need to move quick," Stephanie said. "I want at least a quarter of it for Vengeance."

"You don't have any money left," Hunter said.

"Yes, I do," Stephanie said. "I have a trust fund. And there's always other ways of getting money."

"Well, let me know the next time you want me to talk to him," Hunter said.

"Thanks," Stephanie said.

*

"Hunter talked to Flair," Stephanie said as she walked into Jericho's dressing room. "Flair would be interested in selling some of his stocks to Hunter."

"But Hunter's your husband," Jericho said. "How can her think he can trust Hunter?"

"Easy," Stephanie said. "Hunter let it slip that we are getting divorced and that he's a little bitter."

"Which of course he isn't," Jericho said.

"Of course," Stephanie said, grinning at Jericho. "He would like to not have to sneak around to see Jacqueline anymore."

"And I would like to not have to sneak around anymore," Jericho said, pulling Stephanie into his arms.

"The feeling is mutual," Stephanie said. "Very mutual."

*

"Hey Lita," Jericho said.

"Hey there Chris," Lita said, beaming up at her best friend's boyfriend. "What are you up to?"

"Just asking how things are going with you and the Olympic Hero," Jericho said.

"As planned," Lita said.

"Also, I just wanted to remind you that you can't tell anyone about what's going on," Jericho said. "Anyone."

"What about-"

"Anyone Lita," Jericho said. "You know I would normally say that you could tell him."

"Okay," Lita said.

*

"I didn't know you and Lita were still friends," Kurt commented casually when he saw Jericho.

"Yeah, of course," Jericho shrugged. "Some things never end."

"She's a great girl," Kurt commented.

"Yeah," Jericho agreed, trying not to grin at Kurt's obvious infatuation.

"Do you think you could put in a good word for me?" Kurt asked. "You know, if she ever breaks up with Matt."

"Sure Kurt," Jericho said. He knew that Matt could care less, because Lita and Matt had never actually gone out. Matt was just making sure that no one looked too hard to find out who Lita was actually going out with.

"Thanks man," Kurt said.

*

"I can't believe he's actually being buddy-buddy with Kurt Angle," Jeff said in disgust.

"Give him a break Jeff," Lita said. "He's doing what he has to do."

"But he's joined the dark side," Jeff said. "I used to think Jericho would never actually use help from Vince McMahon."

"Maybe there's more to it than he's letting on," Lita said helplessly, wishing she could tell her friend that Jericho hated Vince as much as ever.

"Like the fact that Stephanie went running back to daddy?" Matt asked from the corner of the room.

"Yeah," Lita said. "Or maybe they are still up to something. You both know how much Stephanie hates her dad."

"Are you saying that they are trying to fool everyone?" Jeff asked.

"Kind of how Matt and Trish are pretending to be interested in each other," Lita said. "They are just trying to make sure your relationship with Trish isn't dissected."

"Which is good," Jeff said, rather glumly.

*

"I don't know if Lita is going to be able to keep everything a secret for very long," Jericho said as he came into his dressing room. "Oh, hey Hunter."

"Jericho," Hunter replied.

"What's up?" Jericho asked Stephanie.

"Lock the door," Stephanie said.

"Sounds like plotting," Jericho said, grinning as he followed orders.

"How much does he want?" Stephanie asked.

"It's a lot of money Steph," Hunter said cautiously.

"We've got it," Jericho said, coming to stand behind Stephanie.

"Okay, then Steph," Hunter said, pulling some papers out of his jacket, "I need you to sign these so I can give Flair proof that you and I are divorced."

"Okay," Stephanie said, signing the papers in front of her.

"Congratulations," Hunter said. "You are a single woman. Here's the contract that says I will turn the stock over to you after I buy it."

"Looks like this plan is finally in motion," Stephanie said, sighing happily.

*

"Hey baby," he whispered in her ear. Lita felt chills go up and down her spine.

"What took you so long?" she asked, turning around to wrap her arms around his neck.

"The meeting took such a long time," he replied. "So what are they up to?"

"What do you mean?" Lita asked innocently.

"C'mon Lita," he sighed. "I know you know what they are up to."

"Don't worry about it sweetie," Lita said. "She'll be safe. We won't let anything happen to her."

"Damn it," he whispered. "I don't want you involved in any more of their little plots."

"I'm involved," Lita said. "You can't change that."

"I know," Shane said. "I don't know too many other people who stand up for my sister like you and Jericho do."

"Sure you do," Lita said. "I know you would lay down your life for her."

"I'd lay my life down for you too," Shane said, lightly kissing her lips.

*** I know this all seems like it's fragmented and confusing, but it's intentional. And I know it seems like there's a hundred different storylines, but they will all come together soon. ***