** I do not own any of the following characters. They are owned by or affiliated with WWE.**
Author's Note: Please read & review! For those of you who have reviewed my story so far, thank you VERY much!
* * *
Jessica Irvine sat alone at a table in the bar area of TGIF's. After eating an appetizer, she ordered a margarita to wash it down. Although she didn't drink
much, she figured having one would calm her nerves. It had taken a lot on her part to phone Chris the other day, let alone ask to meet with him. She was
surprised when he agreed right away.
As she stirred her drink she thought about the past few months without Chris. She had missed him a lot more than she had thought she would. Granted, he
had left her alone when they were together, but knowing that he wasn't going to call her or come home to her at all was quite a shock. She hadn't been
prepared for that.
RAW was still on the air when Jessica ordered a second margarita. She hadn't been paying much attention to the show even though it was being shown at
the bar and all of surrounding television sets. They showed a recap of Chris' promo from last Monday night. Jessica laughed to herself, thinking how good he
was at playing a conceited jackass. That element of his personality did exist, but he was generally quite humble.
After Christian's match, the camera cut away to Trish Stratus for a promo. "Ugh." Jessica grumbled when she saw her on the screen. She and Trish had been
close friends for years until Trish entered the WWF. Jessica had grown jealous of Trish since she and Chris were on the road together most of the time. They
had easily become friends and hung out with the same crowd after most of the shows. At one point, Jessica had even accused Chris of having an affair with
her. Although there had been no affair, Jessica nevertheless withdrew from their friendship. She just did not trust Trish, especially after learning of her affair
with Vince McMahon.
"I'm going to beat Molly tonight and recapture the Women's Title." She proclaimed. "She doesn't deserve to be the women's champion, especially after what
she did to Bubba Ray last week." Trish looked into the camera. "Nobody hurts my friend and gets away with it." Jessica stared at the screen. That couldn't
possibly have been meant for her, could it? Jessica's eyes narrowed as Chris Jericho walked on camera and interrupted the end of Trish's promo. They
bantered with each other, teasing the idea that Trish secretly wanted him. Jessica hadn't watched wrestling for a long time, so she had no idea that
tonight's segment was part of the payoff of a month long build-up.
Chris Jericho insulted Trish, so she slapped him. He stood his ground and laughed at her. When she attempted to slap him again, he grabbed her wrist,
pulled her towards him and kissed her. They turned slightly as Jericho embraced her so the audience only saw Jericho's back and Trish's arms flailing behind
him. Jericho eventually let her go. Trish glared at Jericho as she stomped off camera. Jericho stood there with a satisfied smile on his face as the camera cut
away to the Jim Ross and Jerry Lawler. Jessica was so shocked that she almost choked on her drink. "Bastard." She mumbled to herself. Jessica was fuming.
She asked the waiter for the check and scrambled out of the restaurant.
* * *
Chris waited for Jessica in the lobby of his hotel for almost an hour before he decided to go to his room. He had already checked in, but had left his bags in
the rental car. It was now 1:40 in the morning. He was tired, sore and needed to get some rest before driving to tomorrow's house show.
After gathering his things, he proceeded to the elevator bank. Jessica had just walked into the lobby as Chris stepped onto the elevator. She saw him, but
didn't follow. She went to the registration desk instead. "I'm Mrs. Christopher Irvine. Can you please tell me which room my husband is staying in this
evening? He's expecting me."
Chris set his bags down in the corner of the room, then sat on the edge of the bed. All night long he had been consumed by thoughts of Jessica and
whether or not he was going to give her a second chance. While sitting in the lobby, he had come to the decision that if she wanted to start over, he just
might give it a try. He loved her so much and felt guilty for not being able to spend more time with her. Why the hell would she stand me up? She was the
one that had asked to meet with him in the first place. He ran both hands through his hair. He couldn't think about this anymore. He just needed to sleep
and get his mind off of her. He removed his sweatshirt and tossed it into the corner. As he slipped off his sneakers, there was a knock at the hotel room
door. It was his wife.
"Hi." Chris said as he opened the door.
"Hi, sorry I'm late." Jessica stood outside the door anxiously, avoiding eye contact. "Can I come in?" Chris stepped aside as she walked passed him into the
room.
"How are you?" She asked.
"Tired and sore," he answered. "Nothing unusual." She stared at him blankly.
"Go ahead, sit down." He motioned towards the small couch. "Do you want something to drink?"
"No thanks," Jessica responded, "I'm good." She sat down slowly, a feeling of dread coming over her.
Chris popped open a can of soda and sat down on the other end of the couch. "Thanks for agreeing to see me." She said as she turned to face him. " This
has been hard for both of us."
Chris took a sip of soda then continued looking straight ahead. Who was she kidding? She knew this had been harder on him. "Yeah."
There was tension in the air, but it was to be expected. After a long, deliberate silence, he finally turned his head towards her and their eyes met. They
stared at each other for what seemed like an eternity. Months of unspoken anguish cried out from his eyes. How could you do this to me his eyes asked. Her
face began to flush as guilt began to pool in the pit of her stomach. She stood up and walked to the window. She peered through the curtains; it had
started to rain.
"Was he the only one?" Chris asked, breaking the silence. He placed his soda on the end table.
Jessica was surprised that he brought it up. He had never brought it up before. "Yes." She answered defensively. "...And it only happened once."
"Gee," Chris said sarcastically, "Somehow that makes me feel a whole lot better." He leaned back against the sofa and wiped his face with both hands,
digging his fingers into his own cheeks. Jessica folded her arms across her chest and kept her back to him.
Chris looked at her standing there. He had missed her so much. He especially missed those precious moments when her smiling face was the first thing he
saw when he woke up.
"What the hell happened to us, Jesse?" Chris got up from the couch and walked over to her. He placed a hand on her shoulder.
"I don't know." She replied, walking away from him. His touch had given her a chill. She looked back at him and saw a look of confusion on his face. Jessica
then realized that Chris had come here with an open mind. Despite everything, he still loved her. Her heart went out to him. He really was a good man. She
couldn't bear the thought of torturing him anymore...she needed to get this over with.
"I'm so sorry about everything, Chris." Jessica said sincerely, her eyes pleading with his to understand. He started walking towards her when she put her
hand up, motioning for him to stay where he was. "Chris, I didn't come here to ask you for a second chance. I came here to ask you for a divorce." The pain
in his eyes was unbearable, so she looked away from him and picked her bag up off the couch.
Chris' whole world came crashing down around him. He had been debating if he would still be able to trust her if he took her back and she had already
decided that she didn't want him. It was as if he didn't have any control over his own life anymore. She had taken everything away from him.
An uneasy silence engulfed them as Jessica retrieved a manila envelope from her bag and placed it on the bed. She looked at him standing there, shirtless
and vulnerable. He was devastated, she knew that, but she had to do what was best for both of them.
Chris watched his wife as she swung her bag over her shoulder. "That's it?" He snapped his fingers up in the air. "You can just toss me aside, just like
that?"
"You are the one that originally told me to leave." Jessica stated flatly. "This has been a long time coming, you must've realized that. Things weren't working
out between us for a while." Chris wiped his mouth with his wrist. "Besides, you've obviously had no problem finding solace on your own, I'm sure you'll be
fine." Jessica turned away from him and started walking towards the door.
Chris followed quickly after her, grabbed her by the arm and turned her around. "What the hell are you talking about?"
Jessica pulled her arm out of Chris' grasp. "I saw that kiss you gave Trish tonight. I'm sure she'll be happy to comfort you!" Jessica snapped at him.
Chris rolled his eyes. "That kiss was part of the script asshole!" He yelled. "How many times do I have to tell you that I am not interested in Trish?"
"It doesn't matter now, does it?" Jessica growled.
"Is that why you did it?" Chris' rested his hand on the door to keep Jessica from opening it and leaving. "Did you cheat on me 'cause you really thought I
was sleeping with Trish?"
Jessica was livid. "Chris, not everything is about YOU, ok?"
"What the hell is it about then, huh?" He said, raising his voice. "Tell me, Jessica, what is this about? Is it about HIM?" Jessica sighed at him. ""Are you
leaving me for HIM?" Chris stared at her, his eyes demanding an answer.
Jessica looked down at her feet. She wouldn't give him an answer. Chris lifted his hand off the door and took a step backwards. He felt numb. When she
looked back up at him, he could see tears in her eyes. "I'm sorry," she whispered. Chris' face flushed and his eyes became glassed over.
"Don't you love me anymore?" He asked wholeheartedly. She reached behind her and turned the doorknob.
"I never wanted to hurt you, Chris. You have to believe that." A tear slid down his cheek as she opened the door. She stood there for a moment before
turning and walking away. He listened to her footsteps as she walked down the hall. He knew at that moment that she was never coming back.
* * *
Stephanie and Paul were the last to arrive at the hotel after the show. They were still in the lobby when Jessica stepped off the elevator. Once she noticed
them, Jessica stopped dead in her tracks. She hadn't wanted to bump into anyone. She waited as they kissed goodnight, then Stephanie exited the lobby
and ran through the rain to the limo that had been waiting for her outside. As Jessica made her way to the front entrance, she made eye contact with Paul,
who was waiting for an elevator on the other side of the lobby. Things must have fallen apart for Irvine, Paul thought. He smiled to himself as he got on the
elevator.
Jessica stepped out into the rain. She felt guilty for hurting Chris the way she had. At the same time, she felt like a weight had been lifted off her shoulders.
She was filled with mixed emotions as she ran to her car rental. She started the car and turned on the heat, attempting to dry off as best she could. Her
hotel was about ten minutes away. She would be in a warm dry place in no time at all. He's here she thought to herself. They had not seen each other since
that night, although they had spoken on the phone several times. Maybe she should go see him one more time. She turned off the engine and grabbed her
bag.
* * *
He knew that she was in town and he wanted to be with her. He'd thought about her often. She was a beautiful woman. He had been attracted to her from
the day he had been introduced to her. They knew each other well and he cared for her a lot. That evening they shared together had been magical. He had
never felt that way with any other woman before. He was enthralled with Jessica. There was something about her that made him ache for her.
The soft knocking at the door roused him from his thoughts. He looked through the peephole and he smiled. Jessica stood there in the doorway, soaking
wet. He opened the door and let her into his room.
Closing the door, he turned to her and said, "Are you okay?"
She dropped her bag to the floor where she stood. "I'm much better now that I'm here."
* * *
Author's Note: Please read & review! For those of you who have reviewed my story so far, thank you VERY much!
* * *
Jessica Irvine sat alone at a table in the bar area of TGIF's. After eating an appetizer, she ordered a margarita to wash it down. Although she didn't drink
much, she figured having one would calm her nerves. It had taken a lot on her part to phone Chris the other day, let alone ask to meet with him. She was
surprised when he agreed right away.
As she stirred her drink she thought about the past few months without Chris. She had missed him a lot more than she had thought she would. Granted, he
had left her alone when they were together, but knowing that he wasn't going to call her or come home to her at all was quite a shock. She hadn't been
prepared for that.
RAW was still on the air when Jessica ordered a second margarita. She hadn't been paying much attention to the show even though it was being shown at
the bar and all of surrounding television sets. They showed a recap of Chris' promo from last Monday night. Jessica laughed to herself, thinking how good he
was at playing a conceited jackass. That element of his personality did exist, but he was generally quite humble.
After Christian's match, the camera cut away to Trish Stratus for a promo. "Ugh." Jessica grumbled when she saw her on the screen. She and Trish had been
close friends for years until Trish entered the WWF. Jessica had grown jealous of Trish since she and Chris were on the road together most of the time. They
had easily become friends and hung out with the same crowd after most of the shows. At one point, Jessica had even accused Chris of having an affair with
her. Although there had been no affair, Jessica nevertheless withdrew from their friendship. She just did not trust Trish, especially after learning of her affair
with Vince McMahon.
"I'm going to beat Molly tonight and recapture the Women's Title." She proclaimed. "She doesn't deserve to be the women's champion, especially after what
she did to Bubba Ray last week." Trish looked into the camera. "Nobody hurts my friend and gets away with it." Jessica stared at the screen. That couldn't
possibly have been meant for her, could it? Jessica's eyes narrowed as Chris Jericho walked on camera and interrupted the end of Trish's promo. They
bantered with each other, teasing the idea that Trish secretly wanted him. Jessica hadn't watched wrestling for a long time, so she had no idea that
tonight's segment was part of the payoff of a month long build-up.
Chris Jericho insulted Trish, so she slapped him. He stood his ground and laughed at her. When she attempted to slap him again, he grabbed her wrist,
pulled her towards him and kissed her. They turned slightly as Jericho embraced her so the audience only saw Jericho's back and Trish's arms flailing behind
him. Jericho eventually let her go. Trish glared at Jericho as she stomped off camera. Jericho stood there with a satisfied smile on his face as the camera cut
away to the Jim Ross and Jerry Lawler. Jessica was so shocked that she almost choked on her drink. "Bastard." She mumbled to herself. Jessica was fuming.
She asked the waiter for the check and scrambled out of the restaurant.
* * *
Chris waited for Jessica in the lobby of his hotel for almost an hour before he decided to go to his room. He had already checked in, but had left his bags in
the rental car. It was now 1:40 in the morning. He was tired, sore and needed to get some rest before driving to tomorrow's house show.
After gathering his things, he proceeded to the elevator bank. Jessica had just walked into the lobby as Chris stepped onto the elevator. She saw him, but
didn't follow. She went to the registration desk instead. "I'm Mrs. Christopher Irvine. Can you please tell me which room my husband is staying in this
evening? He's expecting me."
Chris set his bags down in the corner of the room, then sat on the edge of the bed. All night long he had been consumed by thoughts of Jessica and
whether or not he was going to give her a second chance. While sitting in the lobby, he had come to the decision that if she wanted to start over, he just
might give it a try. He loved her so much and felt guilty for not being able to spend more time with her. Why the hell would she stand me up? She was the
one that had asked to meet with him in the first place. He ran both hands through his hair. He couldn't think about this anymore. He just needed to sleep
and get his mind off of her. He removed his sweatshirt and tossed it into the corner. As he slipped off his sneakers, there was a knock at the hotel room
door. It was his wife.
"Hi." Chris said as he opened the door.
"Hi, sorry I'm late." Jessica stood outside the door anxiously, avoiding eye contact. "Can I come in?" Chris stepped aside as she walked passed him into the
room.
"How are you?" She asked.
"Tired and sore," he answered. "Nothing unusual." She stared at him blankly.
"Go ahead, sit down." He motioned towards the small couch. "Do you want something to drink?"
"No thanks," Jessica responded, "I'm good." She sat down slowly, a feeling of dread coming over her.
Chris popped open a can of soda and sat down on the other end of the couch. "Thanks for agreeing to see me." She said as she turned to face him. " This
has been hard for both of us."
Chris took a sip of soda then continued looking straight ahead. Who was she kidding? She knew this had been harder on him. "Yeah."
There was tension in the air, but it was to be expected. After a long, deliberate silence, he finally turned his head towards her and their eyes met. They
stared at each other for what seemed like an eternity. Months of unspoken anguish cried out from his eyes. How could you do this to me his eyes asked. Her
face began to flush as guilt began to pool in the pit of her stomach. She stood up and walked to the window. She peered through the curtains; it had
started to rain.
"Was he the only one?" Chris asked, breaking the silence. He placed his soda on the end table.
Jessica was surprised that he brought it up. He had never brought it up before. "Yes." She answered defensively. "...And it only happened once."
"Gee," Chris said sarcastically, "Somehow that makes me feel a whole lot better." He leaned back against the sofa and wiped his face with both hands,
digging his fingers into his own cheeks. Jessica folded her arms across her chest and kept her back to him.
Chris looked at her standing there. He had missed her so much. He especially missed those precious moments when her smiling face was the first thing he
saw when he woke up.
"What the hell happened to us, Jesse?" Chris got up from the couch and walked over to her. He placed a hand on her shoulder.
"I don't know." She replied, walking away from him. His touch had given her a chill. She looked back at him and saw a look of confusion on his face. Jessica
then realized that Chris had come here with an open mind. Despite everything, he still loved her. Her heart went out to him. He really was a good man. She
couldn't bear the thought of torturing him anymore...she needed to get this over with.
"I'm so sorry about everything, Chris." Jessica said sincerely, her eyes pleading with his to understand. He started walking towards her when she put her
hand up, motioning for him to stay where he was. "Chris, I didn't come here to ask you for a second chance. I came here to ask you for a divorce." The pain
in his eyes was unbearable, so she looked away from him and picked her bag up off the couch.
Chris' whole world came crashing down around him. He had been debating if he would still be able to trust her if he took her back and she had already
decided that she didn't want him. It was as if he didn't have any control over his own life anymore. She had taken everything away from him.
An uneasy silence engulfed them as Jessica retrieved a manila envelope from her bag and placed it on the bed. She looked at him standing there, shirtless
and vulnerable. He was devastated, she knew that, but she had to do what was best for both of them.
Chris watched his wife as she swung her bag over her shoulder. "That's it?" He snapped his fingers up in the air. "You can just toss me aside, just like
that?"
"You are the one that originally told me to leave." Jessica stated flatly. "This has been a long time coming, you must've realized that. Things weren't working
out between us for a while." Chris wiped his mouth with his wrist. "Besides, you've obviously had no problem finding solace on your own, I'm sure you'll be
fine." Jessica turned away from him and started walking towards the door.
Chris followed quickly after her, grabbed her by the arm and turned her around. "What the hell are you talking about?"
Jessica pulled her arm out of Chris' grasp. "I saw that kiss you gave Trish tonight. I'm sure she'll be happy to comfort you!" Jessica snapped at him.
Chris rolled his eyes. "That kiss was part of the script asshole!" He yelled. "How many times do I have to tell you that I am not interested in Trish?"
"It doesn't matter now, does it?" Jessica growled.
"Is that why you did it?" Chris' rested his hand on the door to keep Jessica from opening it and leaving. "Did you cheat on me 'cause you really thought I
was sleeping with Trish?"
Jessica was livid. "Chris, not everything is about YOU, ok?"
"What the hell is it about then, huh?" He said, raising his voice. "Tell me, Jessica, what is this about? Is it about HIM?" Jessica sighed at him. ""Are you
leaving me for HIM?" Chris stared at her, his eyes demanding an answer.
Jessica looked down at her feet. She wouldn't give him an answer. Chris lifted his hand off the door and took a step backwards. He felt numb. When she
looked back up at him, he could see tears in her eyes. "I'm sorry," she whispered. Chris' face flushed and his eyes became glassed over.
"Don't you love me anymore?" He asked wholeheartedly. She reached behind her and turned the doorknob.
"I never wanted to hurt you, Chris. You have to believe that." A tear slid down his cheek as she opened the door. She stood there for a moment before
turning and walking away. He listened to her footsteps as she walked down the hall. He knew at that moment that she was never coming back.
* * *
Stephanie and Paul were the last to arrive at the hotel after the show. They were still in the lobby when Jessica stepped off the elevator. Once she noticed
them, Jessica stopped dead in her tracks. She hadn't wanted to bump into anyone. She waited as they kissed goodnight, then Stephanie exited the lobby
and ran through the rain to the limo that had been waiting for her outside. As Jessica made her way to the front entrance, she made eye contact with Paul,
who was waiting for an elevator on the other side of the lobby. Things must have fallen apart for Irvine, Paul thought. He smiled to himself as he got on the
elevator.
Jessica stepped out into the rain. She felt guilty for hurting Chris the way she had. At the same time, she felt like a weight had been lifted off her shoulders.
She was filled with mixed emotions as she ran to her car rental. She started the car and turned on the heat, attempting to dry off as best she could. Her
hotel was about ten minutes away. She would be in a warm dry place in no time at all. He's here she thought to herself. They had not seen each other since
that night, although they had spoken on the phone several times. Maybe she should go see him one more time. She turned off the engine and grabbed her
bag.
* * *
He knew that she was in town and he wanted to be with her. He'd thought about her often. She was a beautiful woman. He had been attracted to her from
the day he had been introduced to her. They knew each other well and he cared for her a lot. That evening they shared together had been magical. He had
never felt that way with any other woman before. He was enthralled with Jessica. There was something about her that made him ache for her.
The soft knocking at the door roused him from his thoughts. He looked through the peephole and he smiled. Jessica stood there in the doorway, soaking
wet. He opened the door and let her into his room.
Closing the door, he turned to her and said, "Are you okay?"
She dropped her bag to the floor where she stood. "I'm much better now that I'm here."
* * *