Deceit

Part: 5/?
Rating: PG-13
Spoilers: Takes place from RAW 2/4/02 & beyond.

Disclaimer: I do not own anybody. Every character/person belongs to the WWE and Vince McMahon. This story takes part during the 'WWF', so any indication of WWF instead of WWE is intentional. Parts of this chapter are taken from Survivor Series, November 2001.

Feedback: Please R&R!

Summary: Stephanie, despite being honest about her pregnancy, fibs about something very closely linked to the pregnancy.

A/N Whoa! Aren't I behind in updating…well here's the next part! Enjoy and don't forget to review!

Chapter 5- In That One Moment

Triple H

Triple H chatted eagerly and quietly on his cell phone as Stephanie glanced outside the limo window.

" Yeah. They're everywhere right? I don't care. As many as you got. Okay? Good. Thanks man." He responded as he clicked his cell close.

" Who was that?" Stephanie asked bleakly.

" Ummm…no one. We almost to the hotel?" He asked the limo driver.

" Yes Mr. Helmsley."

" Hunter, what's going on?" Stephanie asked anxiously.

" Nuthin' babe. Nothing at all." He replied casually, sloping his arm around her.

" Hunter, are you really happy about this?" Stephanie asked quietly, patting her stomach.

Hunter looked shockingly at her. He couldn't believe what she was asking him.

" Of course Steph. I'm ecstatic. We're going to be parents. We're going to have a baby. A-aren't you happy?" He asked with a tone of fear in his voice at her response. He realised that throughout the night he was showing how much he wanted this baby…but he hadn't realised if she had or not.

" O-of course I am. Nothing's going to wreck this moment right? Nothing's going to make you not happy?" She asked with a small smile.

" Yeah. Well…other than if I lost my Wrestlemania title shot to Kurt Angle. Or if the baby wasn't mine. But…don't have to worry about either, do we?" Hunter said as he placed a kiss on his wife's cheek.

" N-no…we don't. You'll have your shot at the gold." Stephanie sighed as she clutched Hunter's hand in hers, avoiding her husband's other statement. She then looked ponderingly out the window again.

Hunter looked pensively at his wife. He couldn't help but wonder if she was telling him everything he should know. Ever since she had blurted out she was pregnant to him…told him he was going to be a dad…she had been distant. Broody. Why didn't she ever open up to him? He was her husband…she should tell him how she felt.

~*~*~*~

November 19, 2001 Morning-before RAW

" H-hello Hunter?"  Stephanie stammered into her cell. She was worried…you could tell by her voice. How could she have a decent conversation with her husband after sleeping with one of his enemies?

" Steph?" An annoyed voice asked on the other line.

" Yeah. How are you? How's your leg?" She asked quietly. In front of her Shane sighed.

" I'm good. Training. How are you?" His distant voice asked. Stephanie thought she was going to burst into tears at his question.

" I-I…did you see the show last night?" She mumbled.

" No. Sorry hun. I was going to tonight."

" Oh."

" Didn't go so well?" Hunter asked. As she paused, Stephanie heard Triple H have a conversation with someone else at the same time. Something about interrupting trainings. She heard him argue to the other voice that it was his wife.

Hey, at least he sort of cared.

"  Ummm…Hunter if you're busy. I'll call later." She spoke.

" Nah Steph. You sound bad…you're my wife. What's wrong? What happened?" Stephanie slightly smiled. She was glad he cared.

" But I only got a few minutes." His voice added. The smile turned downwards.

" I-I'll call you in the night okay? If you're free. After RAW."

" So it went okay. You still got your business then?"

" No. I'll call you later." Stephanie responded before hanging up, tears welling in her eyes.

" Steph…you okay?" Her worried brother asked. He held her hand in his.

" I-I'm fine Shane. Pick me up from the hotel tonight okay?"

" Sure. You sure you're alright?"

" Yeah. I'm just like I've been for the past few months."

~*~*~*~

Chris Jericho

'This day just gets worse and worse.' Jericho thought as he pulled out of the arena in his rental car. He had just had a brutal match against Stone Cold and The Rock. Despite teaming up with The Undertaker, he had to admit he had his assed kicked. He suffered a concussion and several minor injuries.

Jericho then put in one of his Fozzy CDs and started singing to his own music. Suddenly his cell phone rang.

" Jericho." He answered it.

" Hey Chris, it's Kurt."

" Geez Kurt, I've only been outta the arena for ten minutes. Miss me already?"

" Haha Jericho. I thought we'd discuss our match with Triple H tomorrow."

" What's to it? I kick his ass…you kick his ass…and we flip to see who pins him."

" Can you believe all this pregnancy bullshit? You think Steph's playing him?"

" No, she looks fatter. Wait…that must be her breasts."

" I'd ask her, but she's still pissed off with me after…y'know."

" What?"

" Survivor Series." Kurt replied. A little alarm went off in Jericho's head.

" Kurt, I got to go. We'll talk tomorrow 'kay?"

" Yeah. Whatever…bye." Kurt said. Jericho drove in a trance. Was Kurt's reference to Survivor Series a sign?

~*~*~*~

RAW November 19, 2001

Chris Jericho and Edge drove together to the arena where RAW was going to be held.

" Hey Chris, do you mind parking further away from the arena?" Edge asked one of his best friends.

" Why Edge? You embarrassed of me?" Chris asked mockingly, as he parked a few blocks away from the arena.

" Well actually…yeah. I don't wanna be the guy to bring the traitor to the arena, if you know what I mean?"

" Okay…that hurt."

" I'm just watchin' my back Jericho. And you should be watching yours…Rock's gonna pound you. Plus Vince…y'know he's got some tough crap to throw at you." Edge said as he walked off towards the arena, leaving Jericho trailing several steps behind him.

" This day's so gonna get worse." He mumbled as he entered the arena.

" Hey Chris, got something to say to me!" Kurt exclaimed as he came up to Jericho.

" Uhhhh…got milk?" Jericho asked mockingly.

" No…something like I dunno. A thank you for saving your job."

" Uhhhh yeah Kurt, whatever." Jericho said as he sidestepped the Olympian.

" Oh and did I mention I've got a match with Rock tonight?" Kurt added. Jericho stopped.

" Rocky?"

" Yup. And since you obviously hate the guy, I'm thinking…you might help me."

" I'm not going to help you Kurt. But…I will kick Rock's ass tonight. I guarantee it. I'll catch him by surprise." 

~*~*~*~

Stephanie McMahon

" Hunter, what's the rush to get to our hotel room? I want to eat something in the restaurant first." Stephanie moaned. Triple H had quickly pulled her out of the limo and anxiously started to make his way to their room.

" It's a surprise, Steph." Triple H said with a huge grin.

" For me?" Stephanie asked meekly and Triple H nodded. The two stepped into the elevator to get to their room, which unfortunately was on the top floor.

" Let's just say…you made me the happiest man in the world today…I've got to return the favour." Triple H said as he leaned towards his wife and she responded. Just when their lips were a few centimetres apart Stephanie's cell phone rang. They quickly separated and Stephanie attempted to find her phone from within the crevices of her bag. The shrill of the phone rang on as make up went flying out of her purse. Triple H observed his wife's distress.

" Steph, you okay?" Triple H asked calmly as he took the purse from her hand, found the phone and handed it to her.

" Ummm…yeah. I'm okay. Hello?" She answered the phone.

" Stephanie, it's me. Shane. I was watching RAW tonight."

" Shane…how're you?" Stephanie asked, trying to avoid her older brother's question. Triple H raised an eyebrow in surprise and picked up some of Stephanie's scattered objects from the lift.

" Why didn't you tell me?" Came the excited reply on the other line.

" I just wanted to tell Hunter first." Stephanie responded, smiling at her husband who smiled back.

" In front of the nation? Anyways…congratulations are in order for both of you. Why don't you and Hunter come over to my place tomorrow and we'll have dinner? I'll invite mom and dad too." Shane announced. Shane and Stephanie had both, privately, made up with their father after the whole 'alliance' scheme had failed, but didn't want to publicise it.

Stephanie frowned at Shane's request…her whole family was going to be there. All her loved ones. Could she keep up the charade?

" Yeah sure…I'll confirm tomorrow all right? Bye…take care." Stephanie ended the call, just as Hunter and her stepped out of the elevator.

" Shane called to congratulate you?" Triple H asked her as they walked to their room.

" Yeah, and we're having dinner with him, Marissa and my parents tomorrow."

" Good. But we're naming the kid right? 'Cos I don't want your dad to call it Vincent the Third or something." Triple H said as the two laughed.

" Honey…it's going to be a girl." Stephanie responded with a smile as she gave him a light kiss.

~*~*~*~

RAW November 19, 2001

Stephanie got out of the crappy rental car that Shane and her had been forced to drive to the arena in. The whole day only certain thoughts whirred in Stephanie's mind.

Sleeping with Chris Jericho.

Triple H's disregard.

Her father's anger.

And the humiliation that was in store for her and Shane.

'This day was going to be so bad.' She thought.

The moment Stephanie and Shane stepped into the arena a technician informed them that Vince was calling them to the ring.

" Geez, don't give us a minute to settle dad." Shane muttered as the two made it out to the arena with no pyro, no fanfare, and no music and to a chorus of boos. Stephanie got the worse part of it, as the slut chants began. Stephanie's head began to ache as the chants grew louder and images of her night with Chris Jericho ran through her mind and meshed with the loud "sluts". Tears welled up in her eyes as she listened to her own father make fun of her and force them to apologise.

After Shane's admission of guilt, Stephanie was up. And before she knew it she was begging and pleading. She couldn't help it. She made excuses, blaming the whole thing on Shane and her age. She blamed her older brother for insulting and hurting her parents. Her apology was accepted as fake and more boos had ensued. And then when she thought that the one man in her life, who she knew she could have always turned to during the bad times, was going to accept her apology…she was booted out by security.

" Say goodbye to daddy's little girl!"

Looks like there wasn't going to be a family dinner at the McMahon mansion this Christmas.

It was in that one moment that Stephanie realised that her life was a wreck.