** I do not own any of the following characters. They are owned by or affiliated with WWE.**
Author's note: Thanks so much for the reviews... DC, thank you for following my story faithfully! Sorry for the short chapter, but I wanted the story to progress AND enjoy the holiday weekend.....Enjoy!
* * *
They drank in silence, each watching the television with feigned interest. It didn't bother him that she didn't want to talk about her problems, but he wasn't leaving her alone. Somehow, he felt that she needed him to stay, but damned if he knew why. He slowly sipped his drink, wondering where Paul had run off to.
After another round, Chris was quite drunk. It felt good. His head was swimming and he couldn't concentrate much on anything even if he wanted to. He did notice, however, that Stephanie's posture had changed. He knew she was drunk as well, but the atmosphere was suddenly different. She had been sitting with her back slightly to him, facing the television. He leaned over the bar slightly to see her face. He noticed that her eyes were closed, and her cheeks were wet with tears. A knot formed in the pit of his stomach.
"Steph," Chris said in a low voice, leaning closer to her. "Are you ok?"
Stephanie turned her back to him completely. Her shoulders shuddered as she sobbed silently. Chris got up and walked over to the seat on the opposite side of her. "Steph..." his voice trailed off as he watched her wipe her eyes.
"I'll be fine." She said, trying to act like she was okay. "Don't worry about me." Chris reached out and put his hand on her shoulder again. She shrugged it off and gave him a mean look. "Just...just leave me alone." She grumbled, turning away from him.
Chris took a deep breath. "Look, I am not leaving you alone here, crying at the bar."
Steph closed her eyes and shook her head. She wanted him to go away and let her drink until she passed out. She was tired of thinking. He stood up and gripped her gently by the arm. "I think it's time to go. " He said. Stephanie pulled her arm out of his grasp. Looking at her drink, which was almost empty, she realized that he was right. It was time for her to go. She should have left a long time ago. She stood up and swayed slightly. Chris helped to steady her.
"I'll walk you to your room, ok?" Chris said as he collected his change from the bar. She nodded and leaned against the chair. He could barely stand himself, but was determined to make sure that she got to her room in one piece.
They walked down the hallway towards the elevator bank, arms locked together, trying desperately to stay on course. Once inside the elevator, Chris leaned Stephanie against the wall and pressed the button for the fifth floor. As the doors slid shut, he put his hand against the wall and rested his head on his forearm. A dull pounding had started within his head.
"You all right?" Stephanie asked, reaching her arm out and rubbing Chris' shoulder. Instinctively, he reached behind him, took her by the arm and pulled her next him. The door slid open as he pulled her along with him, stepping off the elevator. She dug into her purse looking for her room card.
"Here." She said, handing it to him finally. Chris fumbled with the key card, not able to get it into the slot the first two times he tried. Stephanie slipped her arm around his waist and leaned against him. "I need to lie down." She mumbled burying her face against his shoulder.
In unison, they stumbled into her hotel room after he managed to unlock the door. He closed the door behind them with his foot as they slowly walked towards the bed. He tilted his body towards her, gently letting her slide out of his arms onto the bed. He stood over her for a moment then disappeared into the bathroom.
Chris looked at himself in the mirror as he washed his hands. "Damn." He mumbled to himself, squinting at the fluorescent light that glared at him from above the mirror. He took a sip from the faucet then splashed cold water on his face. He needed to make it back to his room without passing out.
When he emerged from the bathroom, he found Stephanie curled up on her side in the center of the bed. He sat down next to her. She breathed uneasily and furrowed her brow, but she was asleep. Chris leaned towards her and gently removed the wisps of hair that clung greedily to her damp cheeks. 'Poor thing', he thought to himself.
The throbbing inside his head persisted. He turned his back to Stephanie and rested his elbows on his knees. He knew he shouldn't have had all of those shots earlier in the evening. He massaged his temples with his fingertips, only making the throbbing worse. It bothered him that she'd had so much to drink. He didn't think it was like her to do that. He was glad she was sleeping now. In his drunken state, he didn't think he could stand to see her cry again.
Darkness seeped into his vision as sleep threatened to claim him. He wanted to go back to his own room. He willed himself to stand up, but didn't have the energy to do so. He kept visualizing himself getting up, going to the door and going to his own room. Instead, he leaned sideways and rested his pounding head on the bed. Before he could bring himself to sit back up, he passed out.
* * *
Stephanie leaned against the headboard with her arms folded tightly across her chest. Maybe she had pushed him over the edge this time. They'd always fought, but never like yesterday. She remembered crying a lot last night, after she found the note. Was it because she thought he was leaving her for good? No, that would have been a relief. She cried because she was unhappy with Paul and had been for a long time. It was her fault though; she knew that she had brought this upon herself.
Chris slowly started to wake up. He had been stretched out on his side, lying near the edge of the bed the entire night. He yawned as he slowly turned over onto his back. His eyes fluttered open and focused on the ceiling. "Shit." He grumbled, putting one hand to his head. He lie there for a few minutes, not moving. "No more tequila." He mumbled to himself. Suddenly, he reached down between his legs and quickly scratched himself. Stephanie burst out laughing.
Chris gasped, suddenly realizing where he was. He sat straight up and turned around, only to find a giggling Stephanie. He smiled sheepishly at her, blushing slightly.
"Real classy!" She teased, her laugh fading into a giggle. Chris sighed and looked towards the alarm clock. It was nine o'clock. He had to leave for Vegas.
"I'm sorry..." He said apologetically. "I didn't mean to pass out in here last night."
"It's ok." she said. "I probably wouldn't have made it back here on my own."
"No problem." was all he could say. His head was splitting again. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath hoping to make it go away. The faint smell of her perfume managed to tickle his nose, startling him. He opened his eyes immediately and looked back over at her. She was biting her lower lip and staring at him.
"I'm sorry you had to see me like that.... the way I was last night." Stephanie said, hanging her head a bit.
"It happens to the best of us." Chris said. "I wasn't exactly sober myself."
She sighed and looked down at her hands. "I don't usually drink that much..."
Chris was surprised at her sudden lack of confidence. Stephanie had always given an air of absolute confidence no matter the situation was. "You seemed pretty upset last night."
"I was." Chris watched her tug on a piece of string that hung from her blouse. She hadn't changed her clothes yet. "I'll be fine though." She gave him a forced smile. They both felt a little uncomfortable.
Chris stood up and stretched. "I'm gonna get going. I've got to get my stuff and head out to Vegas."
Stephanie eyes opened wide for a moment then she sulked against the headboard. She'd almost forgotten about the long drive to Vegas. "Dammit." She said through gritted teeth. Chris remembered that Paul had taken their rental yesterday.
"Steph?" She looked up at him, annoyed. "You can ride with Jay and me if you want. There's plenty of room."
Stephanie's eyes softened. "I don't want to impose..."
"I insist, c'mon. We're both jackasses, it'll be fun." Chris smiled brightly at her, thinking maybe he could cheer her up.
"Ok." She agreed, somewhat reluctantly. Chris bolted towards the door and was halfway out when she called out to him. "Chris?"
"Yeah?"
"Thanks." He nodded with a smile and softly closed the door behind him.
* * *
"He left?" Chris asked, confused.
"Yeah, he caught a ride with Glen and Jeff." Rob said, as he handed his key card to the man behind the counter.
Chris shook his head in disbelief. "I told him I'd meet him down here at ten thirty."
Rob shrugged. "Here's your keys man." Rob dropped them onto the counter top. "You ok this morning?"
Chris nodded. "Yeah, just a bit of a headache." Rob smiled and nudged Chris' shoulder with his fist. "Thanks again for watching my back last night."
"Anytime, man." Rob turned his head when he saw Tommy pull up outside the hotel.
"Well, I'm outta here. See ya later." Rob took his bag and disappeared through the lobby.
Stephanie approached the counter as Chris finished checking himself out. "Hey." He said as he greeted her. She looked much better now than she had when he'd woken up this morning.
"Ready?" she asked looking around. "Where's Jay?"
"He ditched me." Chris said disconcertedly. "Looks like it's just me and you."
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Author's note: Thanks so much for the reviews... DC, thank you for following my story faithfully! Sorry for the short chapter, but I wanted the story to progress AND enjoy the holiday weekend.....Enjoy!
* * *
They drank in silence, each watching the television with feigned interest. It didn't bother him that she didn't want to talk about her problems, but he wasn't leaving her alone. Somehow, he felt that she needed him to stay, but damned if he knew why. He slowly sipped his drink, wondering where Paul had run off to.
After another round, Chris was quite drunk. It felt good. His head was swimming and he couldn't concentrate much on anything even if he wanted to. He did notice, however, that Stephanie's posture had changed. He knew she was drunk as well, but the atmosphere was suddenly different. She had been sitting with her back slightly to him, facing the television. He leaned over the bar slightly to see her face. He noticed that her eyes were closed, and her cheeks were wet with tears. A knot formed in the pit of his stomach.
"Steph," Chris said in a low voice, leaning closer to her. "Are you ok?"
Stephanie turned her back to him completely. Her shoulders shuddered as she sobbed silently. Chris got up and walked over to the seat on the opposite side of her. "Steph..." his voice trailed off as he watched her wipe her eyes.
"I'll be fine." She said, trying to act like she was okay. "Don't worry about me." Chris reached out and put his hand on her shoulder again. She shrugged it off and gave him a mean look. "Just...just leave me alone." She grumbled, turning away from him.
Chris took a deep breath. "Look, I am not leaving you alone here, crying at the bar."
Steph closed her eyes and shook her head. She wanted him to go away and let her drink until she passed out. She was tired of thinking. He stood up and gripped her gently by the arm. "I think it's time to go. " He said. Stephanie pulled her arm out of his grasp. Looking at her drink, which was almost empty, she realized that he was right. It was time for her to go. She should have left a long time ago. She stood up and swayed slightly. Chris helped to steady her.
"I'll walk you to your room, ok?" Chris said as he collected his change from the bar. She nodded and leaned against the chair. He could barely stand himself, but was determined to make sure that she got to her room in one piece.
They walked down the hallway towards the elevator bank, arms locked together, trying desperately to stay on course. Once inside the elevator, Chris leaned Stephanie against the wall and pressed the button for the fifth floor. As the doors slid shut, he put his hand against the wall and rested his head on his forearm. A dull pounding had started within his head.
"You all right?" Stephanie asked, reaching her arm out and rubbing Chris' shoulder. Instinctively, he reached behind him, took her by the arm and pulled her next him. The door slid open as he pulled her along with him, stepping off the elevator. She dug into her purse looking for her room card.
"Here." She said, handing it to him finally. Chris fumbled with the key card, not able to get it into the slot the first two times he tried. Stephanie slipped her arm around his waist and leaned against him. "I need to lie down." She mumbled burying her face against his shoulder.
In unison, they stumbled into her hotel room after he managed to unlock the door. He closed the door behind them with his foot as they slowly walked towards the bed. He tilted his body towards her, gently letting her slide out of his arms onto the bed. He stood over her for a moment then disappeared into the bathroom.
Chris looked at himself in the mirror as he washed his hands. "Damn." He mumbled to himself, squinting at the fluorescent light that glared at him from above the mirror. He took a sip from the faucet then splashed cold water on his face. He needed to make it back to his room without passing out.
When he emerged from the bathroom, he found Stephanie curled up on her side in the center of the bed. He sat down next to her. She breathed uneasily and furrowed her brow, but she was asleep. Chris leaned towards her and gently removed the wisps of hair that clung greedily to her damp cheeks. 'Poor thing', he thought to himself.
The throbbing inside his head persisted. He turned his back to Stephanie and rested his elbows on his knees. He knew he shouldn't have had all of those shots earlier in the evening. He massaged his temples with his fingertips, only making the throbbing worse. It bothered him that she'd had so much to drink. He didn't think it was like her to do that. He was glad she was sleeping now. In his drunken state, he didn't think he could stand to see her cry again.
Darkness seeped into his vision as sleep threatened to claim him. He wanted to go back to his own room. He willed himself to stand up, but didn't have the energy to do so. He kept visualizing himself getting up, going to the door and going to his own room. Instead, he leaned sideways and rested his pounding head on the bed. Before he could bring himself to sit back up, he passed out.
* * *
Stephanie leaned against the headboard with her arms folded tightly across her chest. Maybe she had pushed him over the edge this time. They'd always fought, but never like yesterday. She remembered crying a lot last night, after she found the note. Was it because she thought he was leaving her for good? No, that would have been a relief. She cried because she was unhappy with Paul and had been for a long time. It was her fault though; she knew that she had brought this upon herself.
Chris slowly started to wake up. He had been stretched out on his side, lying near the edge of the bed the entire night. He yawned as he slowly turned over onto his back. His eyes fluttered open and focused on the ceiling. "Shit." He grumbled, putting one hand to his head. He lie there for a few minutes, not moving. "No more tequila." He mumbled to himself. Suddenly, he reached down between his legs and quickly scratched himself. Stephanie burst out laughing.
Chris gasped, suddenly realizing where he was. He sat straight up and turned around, only to find a giggling Stephanie. He smiled sheepishly at her, blushing slightly.
"Real classy!" She teased, her laugh fading into a giggle. Chris sighed and looked towards the alarm clock. It was nine o'clock. He had to leave for Vegas.
"I'm sorry..." He said apologetically. "I didn't mean to pass out in here last night."
"It's ok." she said. "I probably wouldn't have made it back here on my own."
"No problem." was all he could say. His head was splitting again. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath hoping to make it go away. The faint smell of her perfume managed to tickle his nose, startling him. He opened his eyes immediately and looked back over at her. She was biting her lower lip and staring at him.
"I'm sorry you had to see me like that.... the way I was last night." Stephanie said, hanging her head a bit.
"It happens to the best of us." Chris said. "I wasn't exactly sober myself."
She sighed and looked down at her hands. "I don't usually drink that much..."
Chris was surprised at her sudden lack of confidence. Stephanie had always given an air of absolute confidence no matter the situation was. "You seemed pretty upset last night."
"I was." Chris watched her tug on a piece of string that hung from her blouse. She hadn't changed her clothes yet. "I'll be fine though." She gave him a forced smile. They both felt a little uncomfortable.
Chris stood up and stretched. "I'm gonna get going. I've got to get my stuff and head out to Vegas."
Stephanie eyes opened wide for a moment then she sulked against the headboard. She'd almost forgotten about the long drive to Vegas. "Dammit." She said through gritted teeth. Chris remembered that Paul had taken their rental yesterday.
"Steph?" She looked up at him, annoyed. "You can ride with Jay and me if you want. There's plenty of room."
Stephanie's eyes softened. "I don't want to impose..."
"I insist, c'mon. We're both jackasses, it'll be fun." Chris smiled brightly at her, thinking maybe he could cheer her up.
"Ok." She agreed, somewhat reluctantly. Chris bolted towards the door and was halfway out when she called out to him. "Chris?"
"Yeah?"
"Thanks." He nodded with a smile and softly closed the door behind him.
* * *
"He left?" Chris asked, confused.
"Yeah, he caught a ride with Glen and Jeff." Rob said, as he handed his key card to the man behind the counter.
Chris shook his head in disbelief. "I told him I'd meet him down here at ten thirty."
Rob shrugged. "Here's your keys man." Rob dropped them onto the counter top. "You ok this morning?"
Chris nodded. "Yeah, just a bit of a headache." Rob smiled and nudged Chris' shoulder with his fist. "Thanks again for watching my back last night."
"Anytime, man." Rob turned his head when he saw Tommy pull up outside the hotel.
"Well, I'm outta here. See ya later." Rob took his bag and disappeared through the lobby.
Stephanie approached the counter as Chris finished checking himself out. "Hey." He said as he greeted her. She looked much better now than she had when he'd woken up this morning.
"Ready?" she asked looking around. "Where's Jay?"
"He ditched me." Chris said disconcertedly. "Looks like it's just me and you."
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