20 minutes later, Chris managed to find his way to the conference room of the hotel the Alliance were staying at and psyched h yvonne Normal yvonne 3 10 2001-10-26T11:19:00Z 2001-10-26T11:20:00Z 2 1037 5914 49 11 7262 9.2720 6 pt 6 pt 0

I apologise now to any Terri fans there are out there but I just couldn't help it…..

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20 minutes later, Chris managed to find his way to the conference room of the hotel the Alliance were staying at and psyched himself up to go in there and meet his "team". He could just hear the introductions now, "Hi, Chris Jericho, remember me? I'm the guy who's been kicking your butts for the past few months". Oh yeah, it was going to be a *real* friendly introduction session… with the local EMTs.

"Chris?" he heard someone question behind him. Turning round, he found himself pressed up against none other then the champion slut herself, Terri. "I thought it was you; how you doing handsome?"

She seemed totally un-phased by how close she was to him. Unfortunately for her, Chris had this thing called "personal space" which he only allowed the people he liked to violate. And Terri wasn't one of those people. Stepping back half a pace, he smoothly replied "I'm fine now Terri. You here for this meeting thing?"

"Oh of course, I just couldn't wait to re-acquaint myself with you". He was going to be sick.

"Gee, I would so love that but wouldn't your boyfriend have something to say about that? Maybe the three of us can go out sometime?"

Stepping back into the personal space zone and slowly running her finger across his now t-shirted chest she smoothly replied "Boyfriend? If you mean Raven, he really isn't into threesome things so I guess it would have to be just you and lil' ol' me"

All the while she was talking, Chris kept backing off as far as he could, until his back with a sudden thud hit the wall. He was cornered and both of them knew it. Chris gulped loudly. He was about to become the next victim of the

"I'm sorry to break up this little…. *rendezvous*, but there is a meeting your both meant to be at that started 5 minutes ago" a frosty voice called out from behind them.

Stephanie. He'd never been so glad to see her in his entire life.

"Someone's got her panties in a twist." Terri remarked "We were just having a bit of fun!"

"Yeah well have it on your own time, not when I'm paying you to work" she snapped back. "Get in the room now Terri, I heard Raven was looking for you"

Sighing, with one last long stroke, Terri detached herself away from him and slowly sauntered into the room. "I guess I'll see you later sweet-cheeks". This time he didn't even attempt to hide his shudder.

Waiting only until Terri had closed the door behind her after a pointed stare, Stephanie launched herself into a verbal assault against him. "What the *hell* was that about Jericho?? Do you mind explaining to me what you were doing back there? With *her* of all people??"

"Gee Steph, anyone would think you cared! And do you mind keeping your voice down – man with a headache here!!"

"Don't you mean hangover?" she smirked

"Whatever, I'm too ill to argue with you. And I just know I'm going to regret asking this but have you got any aspirin I could have?"

The smirk, if it was possible, got wider. "What, no insult?  Actually I haven't but even if I did, what makes you think I'd give it to you? Having said that though, you must be in a bad way indeed if you can't even manage one tiny trash-bag ho"

Did he ever say that he was glad to see her?

"Oh I can always find time to call you a dirty, disgusting, brutal, bottom-feeding –"

"JERICHO, will you stop insulting my sister for one minute and both yet your asses in here???"

"But he/she started it!" they both yelled together

"Did not!" Stephanie stated leaning in to emphasise the point.

"Did too!" Chris replied leaning in too.

"Did NOT!!" She stepped closer to him.

"Did TOO!" So he took a step in too.

"SHUT UP!!!" screamed Shane "And get in the damn room!!" Chris suddenly realised that they were standing basically nose-to-nose, yet his personal space enforcer hadn't kicked in. Weird. Wait a minute, he was standing up close and personal with Stephanie McMahon-Helmsley!!

As if both of them had had the realisation of how close they were standing at the same time, they both simulatiously jumped back guiltily. However, as both trooped into the conference room under orders from their general, Chris couldn't resist one parting shot:

"Did too"

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An hour and a half later, Chris's head wasn't just hurting, it was throbbing big time. An hour and a half of listening to Shane and Heyman rabbit on about how badly the Alliance needed to re-assert itself on Raw by winning all their matches, how with Stone Cold now unavailable for action (although no reason was given for why) how every single one of them needed to lead by example, how the Alliance was the number one……

On and on they went, round and round in circles. Even though he'd zoned out most of it, it had still bored him to tears. Or maybe that had been due to his head and now queasy stomach, he didn't know nor care.

Pausing for the elevator, he reflected on the bits he *had* heard. Raw was going to be tough, it was going to be hard, but above all else it was going to be the chance for him to prove his loyalty to the Alliance. He was scheduled, by request of Commissioner Regal, to fight Matt Hardy, his now former best friend.

Apparently Matt had asked for it after the little incident with Lita the night before. This whole situation was a mess Chris reflected, he hadn't thought he'd loose his friends with his deflection, if he had…. If he had, he realised, he probably would still have made the right choice. It was time he started looking after number one, however much it was killing him to leave all his friends behind.

Wearily he climbed into the elevator and rode it to his level. He was really regretting not packing any aspirin for this trip. Lord knows he needed it now; the amount of effort it had taken not to let on how badly in pain he was to the Alliance members and to cover up the shudders he had going through him every time Terri had looked at him was unbelievable. As soon as he'd stepped over the wrecked remains of his hotel-room door, he dived straight for the bed in the hope that sleep would cure his hangover pains. And promptly smacked his head against something hard that had been left on his pillow.

"Oww…" he muttered holding his head with one hand and the offending item in the other, which turned out to be a bottle of aspirin with a note attached.

^^You were complaining earlier about your headache – don't ever say that the Alliances members aren't well treated. ^^

He just stared at it stupidly, as if by looking at it he'd solve the issue of world peace. There were only two people who'd known that he was in a bad way…

"So you found it then" Rhyno remarked from his scene of destruction, still grinning that made, twisted grin. "She thought you might but wanted me to check you had. Goodbye, Jericho"

Now he was staring at the empty door space. "She'd…" ….. no, this wasn't happening, this had to be a lie. No way, it  just….. no way. Because if Rhyno was to be believed, his very own angel of mercy was Stephanie McMahon herself.