Title: "No Right" (2/?)
By: twstofate (twstofate@hotmail.com)
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: All wrestling personalities and products are property of the
WWE and the whole thing is fiction.
Distribution: ff.net, my site; otherwise ask first
Summary: Stephanie McMahon has lost the man she was in love with and Edge
is determined to find out why Stephanie refuses to let herself fall in love
again.
Note: Lyrics in this part are from "The Mountains Win Again" by Blues
Traveler.
*
November 2002
*
// I picked up my smile, put it in my pocket. Hold it for awhile, try not to have to drop it. //
"She's back," Kurt Angle said, dropping into the chair next to Edge.
"What?" Edge asked, looking over at the man next to him in curiosity.
"Stephanie's back," Kurt answered. He looked toward the ring. Edge followed his gaze to see the brunette watching the ring crew assemble the ring.
"Did anyone say why she was gone?" Edge asked.
"No," Kurt said. "Shane saw her and he hugged her. Then he left."
"It makes no sense," Edge said. "Why would the general manager of SmackDown just up and leave for a month?"
"Search me," Kurt said, shrugging helplessly.
"Something's weird here," Edge said.
"I wouldn't think you would care," Kurt said, looking over at the man next to him with searching, probing eyes.
"Well, I've always liked Stephanie," Edge said, still watching his boss. He could tell that every now and then she would give someone instructions. He would sense changes in direction in response to her commands. "We used to hang out with her while she was married to Hunter."
Kurt didn't have to ask which 'we' Edge was referring. He knew that Edge rarely said Christian's name aloud. He vaguely wondered what family gatherings had been like since their very public parting.
"I know," Kurt said. "I think a lot of us try to look out for her."
Edge nodded in agreement. He thought of many of the wrestlers who made sure Stephanie would never be without a lifeline. Several of the men who watched out for Stephanie might not have been friends to her like Edge and Kurt had been, but they felt a need to make sure she was never completely unprotected.
Edge leaned back in his seat. He and Kurt had resumed an old tradition they had started while they were members of Team ECK. For the past three weeks they had met before each event in the empty arena to watch the ring crew put the ring together. They would sit up high, so no one would notice them.
They had been rivals. But they had been friends long before they had ever been rivals. Kurt had come to the aid of Edge when Edge found himself being attacked by Benoit, Eddie, and Chavo. It had been a matter of days before Edge realized that Kurt was getting sick of being a person other wrestlers watched warily, sick of being a dirty player.
It had been just a little over a year since Edge had undergone a similar metamorphosis. He had to respect the changes in Kurt, knowing exactly what the man was going through. He knew what it was like to be tempted to revert, just to get the reaction he was used to. He knew what it was like to change.
They weren't exactly friends, but they would be. It would just take time to trust each other fully. But once they trusted each other, they would trust each other forever.
"Did she tell you why she left?" Edge asked, knowing Angle had always been closer to Stephanie than he had been.
"No," Kurt said. He was also focused on Stephanie and her actions near the ring. "She and I haven't really talked since March."
"But you always knew her so well," Edge protested.
"Did I?" Kurt asked. "I don't think I ever really knew her at all."
"What do you mean?" Edge asked, finally tearing his attention from Stephanie.
"I mean, Stephanie obviously kept something pretty big from me," Kurt said. "Nothing trivial could have kept her away for a month. But I've always wondered if anyone really knows Stephanie."
*
Stephanie offered a silent prayer of thanks as she shuffled through the papers Shane had given her before he left. They were detailed, yet brief, summaries of everything that had gone on during her absence. They had talked and he had often briefed her over the phone, but there was still something comforting about knowing everything was on paper.
Stephanie had known when she decided to take a leave of absence that she had to find someone smart and competent to take care of SmackDown. She decided to piss her father off and hire her brother. No one knew the business better than McMahons.
Her decision had been wise. Shane had prevented any major defections during his tenure and he had managed to steer Kurt Angle into the number one contender's position for the World Championship. Rey Mysterio was holding the Cruiserwieght title, a division that was gaining a solid fan base among SmackDown watchers. Chris Benoit still held the Intercontinental belt. He may not have been her personal choice as the belt holder, but he was a SmackDown star.
"Come in," Stephanie answered to the soft knock on her door.
"Hey Steph," Trish Stratus said as she entered Stephanie's office for the night.
"Hi Trish," Stephanie said, rising to shake hands with the blonde. "I'm sorry I wasn't here when you decided to come to SmackDown, but welcome."
"Thanks," Trish said, flashing Stephanie a grin. "I knew my place was definitely not on RAW after Bischoff said no one cared about women's wrestling."
"Well, he makes me sick," Stephanie said, shuddering as she thought about the degrading matches he booked and his goons Rosie and Jamal.
"Me too," Trish said. She shifted on the ball of her heels, looking uncomfortable.
"What?" Stephanie asked.
"Are you okay Stephanie?" Trish asked, looking at Stephanie with concern.
"I'm fine," Stephanie said.
"Can I ask why you went away?" Trish asked.
"You can ask," Stephanie said. "But my answer will just be that I needed some time to myself."
"Shane said you wouldn't tell me," Trish said. She sighed, uncertain if she should offer any sign of humanity to Stephanie McMahon. "Look Stephanie, I know we've never really been friends in the past, but if you need someone, if you need a woman to talk to, I'm here."
Stephanie looked up at Trish, her blue eyes wide with shock. She stared speechlessly at the other woman for several moments. "Thank you Trish."
"Sure," Trish said. "I know something major must have happened to make you leave for so long. You deserve to know there are people who would be willing to help."
"That's really generous," Stephanie said. "I do appreciate it. And if I need to talk I will come to you first."
"Okay," Trish said, she turned as if she was going to leave.
"Hey Trish," Stephanie said. "Is there any other reason you left RAW?"
"Yeah," Trish said. "Jeff Hardy started seeing Torrie Wilson when she defected to RAW."
*
He hadn't gone outside to find her. He had been trying to find her during the show, but he had given up his search as being hopeless. He had simply wanted to catch some breath after his match against Benoit.
She was sitting on a brick wall, staring out at the darkness. He could see a light cloud as she steadily breathed out the brisk autumn air.
She looked so alone, yet strong. She looked like there wasn't a single person in the world that she needed. Her posture was straight, strong.
He didn't realize he was walking toward her until he was next to her. He didn't realize he had said hello, until she turned her head toward him and returned his greeting.
"It's good to have you back," Edge said, smiling softly at Stephanie.
"Thanks Edge," Stephanie said. "How did your match go?"
"Pretty good," Edge said. "Kurt kept Eddie from interfering and Benoit made me tap. But he didn't cheat to do it, so it was okay all-in-all."
"I'm a fan of clean wins," Stephanie said, nodding her head.
"Did you know?" Edge asked, as if he expected her to know what he was talking about.
"About?" Stephanie asked, turning her eyes back out toward the darkness. He knew that she knew exactly what she was talking about from the way her tone became soft and kind of far-away.
"About Jericho and Stacy," Edge said, deciding not to press her show of ignorance.
"I didn't know they were so serious," Stephanie said shrugging. "But yeah, I knew."
"Does it hurt?" Edge asked her.
Stephanie looked questioningly over at Edge. They had been friends for a long time, but they had never been close. It was unusual for him to ask personal questions of her.
"A little," Stephanie said, shrugging as if she didn't really care. "But it always hurts to see someone you were involved with marrying someone else."
"Has that happened often to you?" Edge asked.
"Once or twice," Stephanie said.
"You heading back to the hotel soon?" Edge asked.
"Probably in about an hour," Stephanie said, looking at the watch on her left hand.
"You want to keep me company?" Edge asked. "I have to shower and stuff first, so that would probably work out just about right."
"That's really sweet Edge," Stephanie said, smiling softly at the tall man. "But Shane is picking me up so we can go over everything one last time before he goes back home."
"Maybe some other time," Edge said.
"Okay," Stephanie said.
"Will you let me walk you back inside?" Edge asked her.
"Yeah," Stephanie said, accepting his help in dismounting the wall she was sitting on. "I think I would like that."
*
November 2002
*
// I picked up my smile, put it in my pocket. Hold it for awhile, try not to have to drop it. //
"She's back," Kurt Angle said, dropping into the chair next to Edge.
"What?" Edge asked, looking over at the man next to him in curiosity.
"Stephanie's back," Kurt answered. He looked toward the ring. Edge followed his gaze to see the brunette watching the ring crew assemble the ring.
"Did anyone say why she was gone?" Edge asked.
"No," Kurt said. "Shane saw her and he hugged her. Then he left."
"It makes no sense," Edge said. "Why would the general manager of SmackDown just up and leave for a month?"
"Search me," Kurt said, shrugging helplessly.
"Something's weird here," Edge said.
"I wouldn't think you would care," Kurt said, looking over at the man next to him with searching, probing eyes.
"Well, I've always liked Stephanie," Edge said, still watching his boss. He could tell that every now and then she would give someone instructions. He would sense changes in direction in response to her commands. "We used to hang out with her while she was married to Hunter."
Kurt didn't have to ask which 'we' Edge was referring. He knew that Edge rarely said Christian's name aloud. He vaguely wondered what family gatherings had been like since their very public parting.
"I know," Kurt said. "I think a lot of us try to look out for her."
Edge nodded in agreement. He thought of many of the wrestlers who made sure Stephanie would never be without a lifeline. Several of the men who watched out for Stephanie might not have been friends to her like Edge and Kurt had been, but they felt a need to make sure she was never completely unprotected.
Edge leaned back in his seat. He and Kurt had resumed an old tradition they had started while they were members of Team ECK. For the past three weeks they had met before each event in the empty arena to watch the ring crew put the ring together. They would sit up high, so no one would notice them.
They had been rivals. But they had been friends long before they had ever been rivals. Kurt had come to the aid of Edge when Edge found himself being attacked by Benoit, Eddie, and Chavo. It had been a matter of days before Edge realized that Kurt was getting sick of being a person other wrestlers watched warily, sick of being a dirty player.
It had been just a little over a year since Edge had undergone a similar metamorphosis. He had to respect the changes in Kurt, knowing exactly what the man was going through. He knew what it was like to be tempted to revert, just to get the reaction he was used to. He knew what it was like to change.
They weren't exactly friends, but they would be. It would just take time to trust each other fully. But once they trusted each other, they would trust each other forever.
"Did she tell you why she left?" Edge asked, knowing Angle had always been closer to Stephanie than he had been.
"No," Kurt said. He was also focused on Stephanie and her actions near the ring. "She and I haven't really talked since March."
"But you always knew her so well," Edge protested.
"Did I?" Kurt asked. "I don't think I ever really knew her at all."
"What do you mean?" Edge asked, finally tearing his attention from Stephanie.
"I mean, Stephanie obviously kept something pretty big from me," Kurt said. "Nothing trivial could have kept her away for a month. But I've always wondered if anyone really knows Stephanie."
*
Stephanie offered a silent prayer of thanks as she shuffled through the papers Shane had given her before he left. They were detailed, yet brief, summaries of everything that had gone on during her absence. They had talked and he had often briefed her over the phone, but there was still something comforting about knowing everything was on paper.
Stephanie had known when she decided to take a leave of absence that she had to find someone smart and competent to take care of SmackDown. She decided to piss her father off and hire her brother. No one knew the business better than McMahons.
Her decision had been wise. Shane had prevented any major defections during his tenure and he had managed to steer Kurt Angle into the number one contender's position for the World Championship. Rey Mysterio was holding the Cruiserwieght title, a division that was gaining a solid fan base among SmackDown watchers. Chris Benoit still held the Intercontinental belt. He may not have been her personal choice as the belt holder, but he was a SmackDown star.
"Come in," Stephanie answered to the soft knock on her door.
"Hey Steph," Trish Stratus said as she entered Stephanie's office for the night.
"Hi Trish," Stephanie said, rising to shake hands with the blonde. "I'm sorry I wasn't here when you decided to come to SmackDown, but welcome."
"Thanks," Trish said, flashing Stephanie a grin. "I knew my place was definitely not on RAW after Bischoff said no one cared about women's wrestling."
"Well, he makes me sick," Stephanie said, shuddering as she thought about the degrading matches he booked and his goons Rosie and Jamal.
"Me too," Trish said. She shifted on the ball of her heels, looking uncomfortable.
"What?" Stephanie asked.
"Are you okay Stephanie?" Trish asked, looking at Stephanie with concern.
"I'm fine," Stephanie said.
"Can I ask why you went away?" Trish asked.
"You can ask," Stephanie said. "But my answer will just be that I needed some time to myself."
"Shane said you wouldn't tell me," Trish said. She sighed, uncertain if she should offer any sign of humanity to Stephanie McMahon. "Look Stephanie, I know we've never really been friends in the past, but if you need someone, if you need a woman to talk to, I'm here."
Stephanie looked up at Trish, her blue eyes wide with shock. She stared speechlessly at the other woman for several moments. "Thank you Trish."
"Sure," Trish said. "I know something major must have happened to make you leave for so long. You deserve to know there are people who would be willing to help."
"That's really generous," Stephanie said. "I do appreciate it. And if I need to talk I will come to you first."
"Okay," Trish said, she turned as if she was going to leave.
"Hey Trish," Stephanie said. "Is there any other reason you left RAW?"
"Yeah," Trish said. "Jeff Hardy started seeing Torrie Wilson when she defected to RAW."
*
He hadn't gone outside to find her. He had been trying to find her during the show, but he had given up his search as being hopeless. He had simply wanted to catch some breath after his match against Benoit.
She was sitting on a brick wall, staring out at the darkness. He could see a light cloud as she steadily breathed out the brisk autumn air.
She looked so alone, yet strong. She looked like there wasn't a single person in the world that she needed. Her posture was straight, strong.
He didn't realize he was walking toward her until he was next to her. He didn't realize he had said hello, until she turned her head toward him and returned his greeting.
"It's good to have you back," Edge said, smiling softly at Stephanie.
"Thanks Edge," Stephanie said. "How did your match go?"
"Pretty good," Edge said. "Kurt kept Eddie from interfering and Benoit made me tap. But he didn't cheat to do it, so it was okay all-in-all."
"I'm a fan of clean wins," Stephanie said, nodding her head.
"Did you know?" Edge asked, as if he expected her to know what he was talking about.
"About?" Stephanie asked, turning her eyes back out toward the darkness. He knew that she knew exactly what she was talking about from the way her tone became soft and kind of far-away.
"About Jericho and Stacy," Edge said, deciding not to press her show of ignorance.
"I didn't know they were so serious," Stephanie said shrugging. "But yeah, I knew."
"Does it hurt?" Edge asked her.
Stephanie looked questioningly over at Edge. They had been friends for a long time, but they had never been close. It was unusual for him to ask personal questions of her.
"A little," Stephanie said, shrugging as if she didn't really care. "But it always hurts to see someone you were involved with marrying someone else."
"Has that happened often to you?" Edge asked.
"Once or twice," Stephanie said.
"You heading back to the hotel soon?" Edge asked.
"Probably in about an hour," Stephanie said, looking at the watch on her left hand.
"You want to keep me company?" Edge asked. "I have to shower and stuff first, so that would probably work out just about right."
"That's really sweet Edge," Stephanie said, smiling softly at the tall man. "But Shane is picking me up so we can go over everything one last time before he goes back home."
"Maybe some other time," Edge said.
"Okay," Stephanie said.
"Will you let me walk you back inside?" Edge asked her.
"Yeah," Stephanie said, accepting his help in dismounting the wall she was sitting on. "I think I would like that."