Chapter Three

Part Three

22 April 2005

Stephanie woke up, and a feeling of emptiness swept over her almost instantly. Tears sprung unbidden to her eyes, and she tried to force them back. But it was no use, and she turned, sobbing silently against her pillow. Today it was going to be even harder than usual.

Chris was half a world away.

Although three years had lessened the pain somewhat, she still missed him as fiercely as she had that first morning she woke without him beside her.

Chris…

She remembered his smile. His laugh. The way he said her name. The way he kissed her. The way he held her. All the times he ever told her he loved her. Stephanie remembered the first time he ever laid eyes on his son.

The soft knock on the door interrupted her memories, and she quickly wiped away her tears as she sat up. 'Who is it?'

'Mommy?'

'Prince Charming. Come on in.'

Colby slowly pushed open the door and walked towards the bed, climbing up and wrapping his arms around her. He had been given his own room across the hall from hers. Stephanie knew that he was too young to understand the significance of the date, but his actions surprised her.

'What's the matter, honey?' she asked gently, smoothing back his messy hair from his face.

'I had a bad dream,' he sobbed softly against her neck.

She tightened her hold around him. 'You want to talk about it?' She felt him shake his head. 'It's okay, baby. I'm here, and as long as we're together, nothing can scare us. You remember?'

'Yes, Mommy.'

Stephanie longed to hear the word 'Daddy' from Colby's lips, but knew that if he ever did, it would be…it wouldn't be the same.

Chris…

She missed him so much.

*

05 May 2005

'Hunter?'

He looked up, and smiled. 'Stephanie. What's up?'

She looked uncomfortable, and she avoided looking directly at him. 'I wanted to talk to you about something.'

Hunter felt his heart begin to sink. 'Um, okay. What about?'

'During the past four weeks, you've been so generous to Colby and I,' she started, her voice soft. 'And…and…'

He stared at the woman before him. She truly was a virtual stranger. This wasn't the Stephanie he knew. This broken, withdrawn, timid woman before him wasn't the outgoing, passionate, confident person he had fallen in love with.

Is still in love with.

'Steph, listen to me very carefully,' he said, coming around from behind his desk and walking towards her. He was hurt when she took a small step back from him, but he quickly pushed it away. 'This house is still half yours. You don't have to leave.' He hesitated slightly before reaching out and tilting her head up so she could finally meet his eyes. 'I don't want you to leave.'

'But-'

'Please, don't leave.'

She bit her lower lip, a thoughtful frown coming over her face. 'I'll…I'll stay.'

Hunter smiled, wanting to hug her and hold her, to lean down and kiss her, but didn't. Instead, he dropped his hand to his side. 'I'm glad.'

But there was something else that was on her mind. He had a feeling he knew what she wanted to say. 'We don't have to talk about it now, Steph.'

A look of surprise came over her face.

He smiled sadly. 'I still know you a lot better than you think.'

Stephanie nodded slowly. 'I wish I could say the same.'

'It doesn't matter.'

'I hurt you.'

Hunter pushed down the events of four years ago. 'It's okay.'

'But-'

'Steph, please,' he interrupted gently. 'Let's not talk about it.'

Finally, she nodded with reluctance. 'Thank you, Hunter.'

*

15 July 2005

'So, how are you and Hunter getting along?'

Stephanie put her coffee down and gazed out towards the end of the street. She was having an afternoon coffee with Jessica. She couldn't believe how much she had missed her friend. Jessica reminded her of Courtney, and she made a mental note to get in touch with her Australian friend, to let her know that things were going fine. 'Good. I think.'

'You think?'

What Stephanie loved most about Jessica was her ability to make her feel like nothing had changed between them, that four years had not passed without any contact between them. Although Jessica was curious about many things, Stephanie knew that her friend would wait until she was ready to talk.

Stephanie sighed. 'Well, things are going fine.'

'But…?'

'I don't know. I'm just…it's just…' She shook her head. 'It's not the same anymore.'

'Steph, what do you expect? You have a son by another man, yet he's still madly in love with you, and-'

'What?' Stephanie was stunned.

Jessica just looked at her in confusion. 'What?'

'What did you just say?'

'About?'

'Hunter.'

Her friend looked at her closely. 'You really didn't know, did you?'

But Stephanie could only shake her head, unable to believe it. 'Jess, don't even start talking crazy.'

'I'm not.'

She wasn't sure why she suddenly didn't want to hear what Jessica had to say. 'Let's just change the topic, okay?'

'But-'

'How's Raven coping with the twins?' Stephanie interrupted pointedly. She hadn't liked the direction the conversation had been headed, and she definitely had not liked the way her heart had picked up speed at Jessica's words.

*

'Mommy!'

Stephanie bent down and easily picked up her son in her arms, holding him tightly. 'Prince Charming!'

Colby laughed in delight, hugging her neck and giving her a kiss on the cheeks.

'So, what did you do today?' she asked, walking further into the house. Hunter had asked to take Colby out, and she was pleased to see the two of them getting along quite well.

'Um…I watch a Disney movie,' he replied, his smile brightening even more. 'And I had Maccas!'

'Yeah? What did you eat?'

'Uh…I had a small burger and fries…and Coke!'

'Lots and lots of Coke,' Hunter added, a note of affection in his voice, as he joined them from the living room.

Stephanie looked up, and suddenly saw something she had forgotten a long time ago. The smile she had fallen in love with. She quickly averted her eyes. 'Can't get enough of his Coke,' she joked weakly.

Fortunately, just then someone started knocking on the front door behind her. With Colby still in her arms, she turned and opened it. Stephanie was surprised to see a beautiful woman with blonde hair and the deepest green eyes she had ever seen.

The woman looked as surprised to see her. 'Oh. Hi.'

Stephanie forced a smile, trying to ignore the little nervous flutter in the pit of her stomach. 'Hi.'

'I think I must have the wrong house.'

'No, not at all. If you're looking for Hunter, he's right here,' she quickly assured her, opening the door wider and taking a step back.

'Darna! Come on in!' That was Hunter, his voice excited.

She smiled graciously at the woman as she passed her, and practically flew straight into the open arms of Hunter. The fluttering increased, but Stephanie pushed it away as she tried to keep her head down.

'It's so great to see you!' Hunter exclaimed. 'When did you get back?'

'About two days ago, but the jet-lag and all, I had to rest,' the woman laughed, and Hunter joined in.

The fluttering suddenly came right back

'Oh, I want you to meet someone,' Hunter finally said. Stephanie finally looked up and noticed that Hunter had stepped in between the two women. 'Darna, I want you to meet Stephanie McMahon and her son, Colby. Steph, this is a friend of mine, Darna Stark.'

Stephanie smiled, moving Colby so she could free a hand to shake the other woman's hands. 'It's nice to meet you,' she greeted.

But Darna's eyes widened, and if possible, her smile brightened even more as she clasped her hand warmly. 'Oh, it's a pleasure to meet you! I've heard so much about you!'

Stephanie couldn't help feeling confused. 'You have?'

'Hunter and Jess talk non-stop about you,' Darna replied. She turned to Colby. 'Hi there,' she greeted, offering her hand again.

Colby was obviously pleased, and he imitated his mother's handshake. 'Hello.'

'Do you know that you are the most adorably gorgeous boy I have ever met?' Darna asked him.

Colby blushed. Although probably not fully understanding her words, he had realised that she was saying really nice things about him. 'Um…'

'Thank you,' Stephanie answered for him. 'We'll get out of your way, let you guys catch up on things,' she suggested, already starting to walk away. She smiled once more at the other woman, trying not to look at Hunter. 'It was very nice to meet you, Darna.'

Before anyone could say anything else, Stephanie walked away as quickly as she could, retreating to Colby's bedroom. Or rather, Colby's personal Toyland.

'I like her, Mom,' he said to her simply as she put him down. 'She's nice.'

Stephanie forced a smile, trying to get the image of the embracing couple out of her mind. 'She is, isn't she?'

*

19 August 2005

Jessica couldn't help laughing. 'You're jealous, aren't you?'

'I most certainly am not!' Stephanie replied, sounding slightly indignant. 'I'm just…curious.'

Jessica grinned. 'Yeah, I bet you are.'

'It's not like that at all. Look, forget I said anything at all.'

But she knew she was onto something, and she wanted her friend happy. But first, she had to get Stephanie to admit to her feelings. 'You like him, don't you?'

'Of course I like him. I was married to him after all. And he is a nice man.'

Jessica let the comment slip. Stephanie was still married to Hunter, who had refused to file for a divorce, using the lame excuse that he wouldn't have known where to send the papers anyway. 'No, I mean you really like him. As in maybe love him, like him.'

Stephanie shook her head. 'Jessica! I don't like him in that way!'

'Don't like who in what way?' a third voice asked, entering the kitchen. Chyna. 'Jess, we need some more burger patties and steaks.' Jessica and Raven were having a BBQ party at their house, and although a small affair, it was with the people that counted most.

Jessica walked towards the fridge, grinning. 'Why don't you tell her, Steph,' she teased, taking out the plastic containers with the uncooked burger patties and steaks.

'Nobody in no way,' Stephanie quickly said, turning to smile at Chyna, who was looking at her with obvious curiosity. 'Jess has just gone into one of her silly matchmaking moods again, and is completely out of her mind, and definitely way, way out of base.'

'And this poor deluded girl is just in denial,' Jessica said. She turned to Chyna, her voice lowering to a loud whisper. 'It's Hunter. Steph is getting a little jealous about the amount of time he's been spending with Darna.'

'I am not!' Stephanie denied loudly, though just a glance at her flushed cheeks suggested otherwise.

Chyna laughed. However, before she could open her mouth with a reply, another voice joined them.

'What's so funny?' Darna asked, looking at them all with a smile.

Jessica practically choked on her laughter. Oh, this was indeed going to be very interesting. She quickly cleared her throat, picking up one of the plastic containers. 'Nothing at all, Dar. Chyna, why don't you and I take these outside?'

'Let's go, Jess,' Chyna replied with a wicked smile.

*

'I have a feeling those two wanted to leave us alone together,' Darna laughed, shaking her head. 'And all I came for was a soda.'

That was what Stephanie liked the least about the other woman. She was just a genuinely nice person whom one couldn't help but be charmed with. No wonder Hunter found her attractive, although she certainly wasn't lacking in the looks department either. She chided herself silently for her not-so-nice thoughts. She should be happy that Hunter was with a woman who was nice and charming, and gorgeous.

Stephanie smiled back. 'They weren't too subtle about it, were they?'

'The day those two ever learn the meaning of the word 'subtle' will be the same day you and I learn to fly by the mere flapping of the arms.'

'Too bad a dictionary would never work.'

'Oh, it probably would,' Darna replied airily, grabbing a soda from the fridge. She then grinned. 'But only if you use a really thick one and hit them over the head with it. Repeatedly.'

Stephanie laughed. 'That sounds about right.' She finally felt a little self-conscious as she realised the other woman's eyes watching her closely. 'What?'

Darna was smiling warmly at her. 'I know this is going to sound extremely over-sentimental and all that soppy rubbish, but it really has been an honour to meet you.'

She was surprised, and she felt her cheeks flame almost instantly. This was the first time the two of them had ever been alone, and had a chance to really get to know each other. 'Darna, I'm not too sure what Hunter and Jessica and everybody else have been telling you about me, but I assure you, they are all lies,' she said quickly, keeping her eyes lowered to the tiled kitchen floor.

'Somehow, I doubt that.' The other woman hesitated slightly. 'And it's probably not my place to say, but they've really missed you all those years you were gone.'

Stephanie's head snapped up sharply, not too sure how to feel that this complete stranger seemed to know all about her. She wasn't entirely happy. 'What are you talking about?'

'Jess never told you, did she? And I somehow doubt Hunter ever did.'

'Tell me what?'

'Hunter and I, we're not…together.' Darna sighed. 'Jess and Raven tried to set us up, and he's a great guy. But I never had a chance with him.'

She frowned in confusion even as she was trying to smother the small feeling of joy inside her at the words. 'Never had a…? I don't understand.'

Darna shook her head. 'Hunter already…belonged, if you will, to someone else before I even met him.'

'Oh.' Stephanie searched her brain for any possible clue as to who that person might have been, but came up blank. Maybe it was someone he met after she had already left the country?

The other woman looked at her directly in the eye. 'He was still in love with his wife.'