Title: "No Right" (3/?)
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 "Time After Time" by Cyndi Lauper.
*
// Caught up in circles, confusion is nothing new. //
*
Stephanie tapped her fingers against the tabletop, only half-listening to Shane as he went through everything that had gone on while she had been gone. She knew what had gone on. She may have been gone, but she hadn't just dropped all of her duties.
She looked around the restaurant from time to time. It was fairly late and there weren't too many other people there. There was a man with his young daughter. From time-to-time, the little girl would look over at her and smile bashfully when Stephanie made eye contact with her. Stephanie would grin and the girl would return the grin before turning away.
In the far corner was a couple. They were in a world all of their own. But that was how you were supposed to be when you were in love.
And Chris Jericho and Stacy Kiebler were in love.
"Stephanie!" Shane finally exclaimed.
"Yeah?" Stephanie asked.
"Did you pay attention at all?" Shane asked.
"Not much," Stephanie admitted. "But everything you said was probably in the reports you were sending to me, huh?"
"Yeah," Shane said.
"You always were thorough," Stephanie commented. She took a sip of wine from her glass, only noticing the couple from the far table advancing toward her own after she had taken the sip. She forced herself to concentrate on swallowing the drink and not choking on it.
"Shane, Stephanie," Jericho said, stopping briefly next to the table.
"Hey Chris," Shane said, shaking hands with the other man. "Hi Stacy."
"Hi Shane," Stacy said softly, shifting uncomfortably next to Jericho. Their hands were intertwined. They looked so perfect together. "Hi Stephanie."
"Hello," Stephanie said dully. "Did you enjoy your meal?"
"Yeah," Jericho said. "You?"
"It was fine," Shane said, noticing Stephanie's rather stand-offish attitude.
"Well, we just wanted to say hello," Jericho said. "We didn't want to be rude and just walk right past your table when we left."
"It's good to see you," Shane said. "And congratulations on your engagement."
"Thanks," Stacy said happily, beaming up at Jericho. Stephanie envied Stacy that look. She wished she could look up at the man she loved and smile like there was nothing better to do in the world. There was love in that smile.
"Yeah, congratulations," Stephanie echoed. She was horrified at her own lack of manners. But somehow, seeing Jericho and Stacy together just drove home the fact that she was alone.
"Thank you," Stacy said, smiling softly at Stephanie.
"Well, we've got to go," Jericho said. "I'm glad you're back on SmackDown Stephanie. Not to say Shane wasn't terrific in your absence, but you bring something special to the show."
"Thank you," Stephanie said, her eyes catching with Jericho's for only a moment.
"Well, good-bye," Jericho said, taking Stacy with him.
Shane leaned back in his chair and looked at his sister, concern in his eyes. Stephanie shifted uncomfortably under his scrutiny. "What?" she asked him.
"What's the deal with you and Jericho?" Shane asked her.
"Nothing," Stephanie said.
"You seemed kind of weird around him," Shane said. "Was he the father?"
"Shane!" Stephanie exclaimed.
"Sorry," Shane said.
"Jericho and I just haven't talked much since he defected," Stephanie said.
"Really?" Shane asked.
"Why would I talk to someone who assured me one week he was SmackDown all the way and then he showed up on the next episode of RAW?" Stephanie asked.
"Good point," Shane said.
"Are you ever going to tell me?" Shane asked.
"No," Stephanie said. "No one needs to know."
*
He couldn't help but hear the crying. It was next door. On the other side of the adjoining door. It would keep him up all night if it didn't stop. He would wonder why they were crying, if they were alone.
"Who is it?" a muffled, hoarse voice asked at his knock.
"It's Edge," he said, knowing a Diva would be on the other side of the door. "Is everything okay?"
"Yeah," Stephanie answered, opening the door between their rooms. "It's okay."
"Why are you crying?" Edge asked.
"Sappy movie," Stephanie replied.
"Liar," Edge said.
"Have I lost my touch?" Stephanie asked. Edge stood there, just looking at her tear-stained face. Her blue eyes were red-rimmed, but they were still amazing.
"God, you're beautiful," Edge said.
"Don't," Stephanie said, taking a step back.
"Steph! I'm sorry," Edge said. "That wasn't a come-on. It just slipped out. There aren't too many women who look great, even after a crying binge."
"A crying binge?" Stephanie asked.
"Whenever you cry for more than thirty minutes it officially becomes a binge," Edge informed her, smiling softly at her.
"Oh God," Stephanie said. "That's all it takes to become a binge? You sure I haven't been on a crying bender?"
"Could be," Edge said. "Seems like the situation is serious doctor, we need to seriously lighten the atmosphere in the patient's hotel room."
Stephanie giggled as Edge stepped into her room. "First things first," Edge said, heading over to Stephanie's phone. "Room service? Room 376, we desperately need a pint of cookie-dough ice cream. It's an emergency."
"Edge, it's three a.m.," Stephanie said after Edge hung up. "I'll tip the person generously. And I don't have a match tomorrow, you?"
"No," Stephanie said.
"Then we can stay up all night as far as I'm concerned," Edge said. It was then that he realized he was wearing only baggy pajama pants. "Should I put on a shirt?"
"You don't have to," Stephanie said. "You don't have to stay with me Edge."
"I want to," Edge said. "You remember those nights you would stay with me and. anyways, back when you and Hunter would fight you and I hung all night a lot."
"That's true," Stephanie said.
"I'll be right back," Edge said, going to his room. When he came back he was slipping a t-shirt over his head and he held a twenty dollar-bill in his other hand.
"I can pay for the ice cream," Stephanie said.
"Don't be silly, it was my idea," Edge said.
"Okay," Stephanie said.
"What do you say we start prank calling the other wrestlers?" Edge asked.
Stephanie's eyes widened in shock. Then she grinned. "Could they find out it was us?"
"Probably not," Edge said. "But they might."
"Lets do it!" Stephanie giggled.
Edge picked up the phone and called Kurt's number. He put the phone on speaker. "Hello?" a groggy Kurt answered.
"This is the voice of Doom," Edge said, in a booming voice. "You're days are numbered."
"Christ Edge," Kurt groaned. "Will you ever grow up?"
"How did you know it was him?" Stephanie asked in shock.
"Steph?" Kurt asked, in a little shock himself.
"Hey Kurt," Stephanie said.
"What are you guys doing?" Kurt asked suspiciously.
"Don't worry, you're the first of many we intend to wake up tonight," Edge said. "We've got ice cream coming if you would like to come join us."
"I'll be there in five," Kurt said. "Mostly because I don't want either of you getting too severely beaten."
"Okay," Edge said. "It's 376."
"Why are you and Kurt friends again?" Stephanie asked.
"We understand each other," Edge said. He jumped at the knock on the door and picked up the money he had brought with him. "Thanks man."
"I thought you ordered a pint," Stephanie said, looking at the half-gallon of ice cream warily.
"Don't worry," Edge said. "Kurt will eat most of it."
As if on cue, there was another knock on the door. Edge walked over to let Kurt in. Stephanie handed him a spoon and all three dug into the ice cream. "Who's next?" Edge asked Stephanie.
"Hm, Jericho," Stephanie said. "I still haven't gotten back at him for leaving SmackDown."
Edge and Kurt exchanged glances unbeknownst to Stephanie. Kurt dialed the number. "What the hell do you want?" Jericho asked as he answered the phone.
"I thought this was the pizza delivery place, crap!" Kurt exclaimed, making his voice high-pitched and squealy. "Who the hell is this?"
They were greeted with Jericho hanging up the phone.
"This is fun," Stephanie said. "I should hang out with you two more often."
*
// Caught up in circles, confusion is nothing new. //
*
Stephanie tapped her fingers against the tabletop, only half-listening to Shane as he went through everything that had gone on while she had been gone. She knew what had gone on. She may have been gone, but she hadn't just dropped all of her duties.
She looked around the restaurant from time to time. It was fairly late and there weren't too many other people there. There was a man with his young daughter. From time-to-time, the little girl would look over at her and smile bashfully when Stephanie made eye contact with her. Stephanie would grin and the girl would return the grin before turning away.
In the far corner was a couple. They were in a world all of their own. But that was how you were supposed to be when you were in love.
And Chris Jericho and Stacy Kiebler were in love.
"Stephanie!" Shane finally exclaimed.
"Yeah?" Stephanie asked.
"Did you pay attention at all?" Shane asked.
"Not much," Stephanie admitted. "But everything you said was probably in the reports you were sending to me, huh?"
"Yeah," Shane said.
"You always were thorough," Stephanie commented. She took a sip of wine from her glass, only noticing the couple from the far table advancing toward her own after she had taken the sip. She forced herself to concentrate on swallowing the drink and not choking on it.
"Shane, Stephanie," Jericho said, stopping briefly next to the table.
"Hey Chris," Shane said, shaking hands with the other man. "Hi Stacy."
"Hi Shane," Stacy said softly, shifting uncomfortably next to Jericho. Their hands were intertwined. They looked so perfect together. "Hi Stephanie."
"Hello," Stephanie said dully. "Did you enjoy your meal?"
"Yeah," Jericho said. "You?"
"It was fine," Shane said, noticing Stephanie's rather stand-offish attitude.
"Well, we just wanted to say hello," Jericho said. "We didn't want to be rude and just walk right past your table when we left."
"It's good to see you," Shane said. "And congratulations on your engagement."
"Thanks," Stacy said happily, beaming up at Jericho. Stephanie envied Stacy that look. She wished she could look up at the man she loved and smile like there was nothing better to do in the world. There was love in that smile.
"Yeah, congratulations," Stephanie echoed. She was horrified at her own lack of manners. But somehow, seeing Jericho and Stacy together just drove home the fact that she was alone.
"Thank you," Stacy said, smiling softly at Stephanie.
"Well, we've got to go," Jericho said. "I'm glad you're back on SmackDown Stephanie. Not to say Shane wasn't terrific in your absence, but you bring something special to the show."
"Thank you," Stephanie said, her eyes catching with Jericho's for only a moment.
"Well, good-bye," Jericho said, taking Stacy with him.
Shane leaned back in his chair and looked at his sister, concern in his eyes. Stephanie shifted uncomfortably under his scrutiny. "What?" she asked him.
"What's the deal with you and Jericho?" Shane asked her.
"Nothing," Stephanie said.
"You seemed kind of weird around him," Shane said. "Was he the father?"
"Shane!" Stephanie exclaimed.
"Sorry," Shane said.
"Jericho and I just haven't talked much since he defected," Stephanie said.
"Really?" Shane asked.
"Why would I talk to someone who assured me one week he was SmackDown all the way and then he showed up on the next episode of RAW?" Stephanie asked.
"Good point," Shane said.
"Are you ever going to tell me?" Shane asked.
"No," Stephanie said. "No one needs to know."
*
He couldn't help but hear the crying. It was next door. On the other side of the adjoining door. It would keep him up all night if it didn't stop. He would wonder why they were crying, if they were alone.
"Who is it?" a muffled, hoarse voice asked at his knock.
"It's Edge," he said, knowing a Diva would be on the other side of the door. "Is everything okay?"
"Yeah," Stephanie answered, opening the door between their rooms. "It's okay."
"Why are you crying?" Edge asked.
"Sappy movie," Stephanie replied.
"Liar," Edge said.
"Have I lost my touch?" Stephanie asked. Edge stood there, just looking at her tear-stained face. Her blue eyes were red-rimmed, but they were still amazing.
"God, you're beautiful," Edge said.
"Don't," Stephanie said, taking a step back.
"Steph! I'm sorry," Edge said. "That wasn't a come-on. It just slipped out. There aren't too many women who look great, even after a crying binge."
"A crying binge?" Stephanie asked.
"Whenever you cry for more than thirty minutes it officially becomes a binge," Edge informed her, smiling softly at her.
"Oh God," Stephanie said. "That's all it takes to become a binge? You sure I haven't been on a crying bender?"
"Could be," Edge said. "Seems like the situation is serious doctor, we need to seriously lighten the atmosphere in the patient's hotel room."
Stephanie giggled as Edge stepped into her room. "First things first," Edge said, heading over to Stephanie's phone. "Room service? Room 376, we desperately need a pint of cookie-dough ice cream. It's an emergency."
"Edge, it's three a.m.," Stephanie said after Edge hung up. "I'll tip the person generously. And I don't have a match tomorrow, you?"
"No," Stephanie said.
"Then we can stay up all night as far as I'm concerned," Edge said. It was then that he realized he was wearing only baggy pajama pants. "Should I put on a shirt?"
"You don't have to," Stephanie said. "You don't have to stay with me Edge."
"I want to," Edge said. "You remember those nights you would stay with me and. anyways, back when you and Hunter would fight you and I hung all night a lot."
"That's true," Stephanie said.
"I'll be right back," Edge said, going to his room. When he came back he was slipping a t-shirt over his head and he held a twenty dollar-bill in his other hand.
"I can pay for the ice cream," Stephanie said.
"Don't be silly, it was my idea," Edge said.
"Okay," Stephanie said.
"What do you say we start prank calling the other wrestlers?" Edge asked.
Stephanie's eyes widened in shock. Then she grinned. "Could they find out it was us?"
"Probably not," Edge said. "But they might."
"Lets do it!" Stephanie giggled.
Edge picked up the phone and called Kurt's number. He put the phone on speaker. "Hello?" a groggy Kurt answered.
"This is the voice of Doom," Edge said, in a booming voice. "You're days are numbered."
"Christ Edge," Kurt groaned. "Will you ever grow up?"
"How did you know it was him?" Stephanie asked in shock.
"Steph?" Kurt asked, in a little shock himself.
"Hey Kurt," Stephanie said.
"What are you guys doing?" Kurt asked suspiciously.
"Don't worry, you're the first of many we intend to wake up tonight," Edge said. "We've got ice cream coming if you would like to come join us."
"I'll be there in five," Kurt said. "Mostly because I don't want either of you getting too severely beaten."
"Okay," Edge said. "It's 376."
"Why are you and Kurt friends again?" Stephanie asked.
"We understand each other," Edge said. He jumped at the knock on the door and picked up the money he had brought with him. "Thanks man."
"I thought you ordered a pint," Stephanie said, looking at the half-gallon of ice cream warily.
"Don't worry," Edge said. "Kurt will eat most of it."
As if on cue, there was another knock on the door. Edge walked over to let Kurt in. Stephanie handed him a spoon and all three dug into the ice cream. "Who's next?" Edge asked Stephanie.
"Hm, Jericho," Stephanie said. "I still haven't gotten back at him for leaving SmackDown."
Edge and Kurt exchanged glances unbeknownst to Stephanie. Kurt dialed the number. "What the hell do you want?" Jericho asked as he answered the phone.
"I thought this was the pizza delivery place, crap!" Kurt exclaimed, making his voice high-pitched and squealy. "Who the hell is this?"
They were greeted with Jericho hanging up the phone.
"This is fun," Stephanie said. "I should hang out with you two more often."