Deceit
Part:
7/?
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.
Chapter 7- Frustration
RAW-November 19, 2001
" Stephanie! Is that you?" Shane called out to the shadows.
Stephanie and Jericho realised that they were about to be caught and quickly separated.
" Steph?" Shane continued as he neared them.
" Quickly, go away…before Shane sees you!" Stephanie hissed.
" T-that kiss…" Jericho mumbled in confusion.
" It was a mistake. Nothing else." Stephanie quickly interjected, guiltily looking back and forth between the blonde wrestler and her brother.
" Didn't seem like it when you had your tongue down my throat." Jericho
" I did not…okay, you know what. It was a good kiss. A *really* good kiss. And clearly, there's some sexual urges and stuff lingering between us…" Stephanie began, throwing a glance at her brother's figure nearing them.
" But it didn't mean *anything*. Look at us. I'm Stephanie McMahon and you're Chris Jericho. We *hate* each other. You call me and ho. And I'm married. I'm going to be on the next flight home to my husband and I'm not mentioning any of this to him…so we're going to forget all this, okay? No memory of it, whatsoever. I'm not going to be back here, probably for a *long* time, so we don't have to even *see* each other." Stephanie reasoned.
" Fine. I'm cool with that. Don't need rumors spreading about you and me anyways. I have a reputation." Chris replied, a hint of bitterness in his voice.
" Good…now get the hell out of here!" Stephanie said as she pushed him slightly.
" I'm gone. And Stephy?" Jericho responded. The two looked at each other for an intense moment.
" What?"
" About that kiss…you *know* you liked it." Chris stated with a smirk and then turned and ran back into the arena.
" Hey Steph! I've been looking for you everywhere. I was so worried." Shane yelled as he ran up to her and quickly enveloped his baby sister in a hug.
" Shane! I-I was so scared." Stephanie cried, putting on an act.
" Hunter called me. Are you okay?"
" I-I think so."
" C'mon let's get out of this hellhole. We're not wanted here." Shane responded as he wrapped his arm around his sister and the two walked away from the arena.
Stephanie then turned her head slightly around and whispered.
" Bye."
A farewell not aimed at the business she no longer was a part of. Nor the father who kicked her out. But to that person that had made her feel good in the past two days in those few moments they were together.
~*~*~*~
Stephanie McMahon
Stephanie dejectedly left the hotel room with her luggage trailing behind her.
" I can't believe that just happened." She mumbled, tears threatening to fall, as she walked to the lift and pressed the down button.
Once the elevator had reached she looked back at the hotel room she shared with her husband and then walked into the lift and pressed a button.
" Great. I'm so glad I'm catching this flight!" She groaned to herself.
Suddenly, Triple H came out of the hotel room with his bag and slightly ran to the lift.
" Thanks for holding it for me, honey." He responded as he leaned in and gave his wife a small kiss on the cheek.
" No problem. Hunter, you really don't have to…" Stephanie persisted.
" Steph, I *want* to come to your doctor's appointment. I want to see the baby, *our* baby. See if everything's all right and if I have to do anything. Y'know husbandly and fatherly duties. I'm really looking forward to this." Triple H declared with a huge smile.
" Me too. I can't wait to see [she inhaled a large amount of air] *our baby*." Stephanie responded with a faux smile.
" Can you travel okay? I mean, you must be like what…four or five months pregnant?" Triple H asked.
" Yeah, I can travel okay." Stephanie replied, ignoring the rest of Hunter's question.
" That's good. So you're sure you want to come to Smackdown with me to see my match? It's only Angle and Jericho, I don't want you to get yourself…"
" I *want* to come."
" Steph…"
" I want to see you…*beat* Kurt and Chris…ummm Jericho." Stephanie quickly responded. Triple H shot her a confused look.
" Okay. But don't come out to the ring."
~*~*~*~
RAW-November 19, 2001
" Stupid bitch…mistake…didn't feel anything my ass. There was…" Jericho mumbled to himself as he walked to the ring for his match against Kane.
" Hey Chris!" Kurt Angle said as he came up to him.
" I'm on my way for a match, Kurt."
" Just wanted to thank you for beating Rock up…although I would've prefer it if you did it during the match. But afterwards…I guess that's alright." Kurt said.
" No problem. So you coming with us afterwards to the bar?" Chris asked.
" Yeah."
" Okay, but y'know they don't sell milk!" Jericho cracked as he began walking away.
" Funny Jericho. Remind me of that, after *I'm* given the title tonight and you're left to be punished!" Kurt retorted with a smirk. Kurt then went off to force more people to thank him and Chris went out to the ring.
----
After the match where he had successfully shown everyone that he had overcome Vince's obstacle, Jericho took a shower and got ready to leave.
" Hey Edge, Christian. You guys comin' or what?" Jericho yelled at his two best friends as he walked into their locker room. He strolled in to see Edge in a heated arm-wrestling match with Matt Hardy. Around them, rooting them on with bills in hand stood Jeff Hardy, Christian, Lita, The Dudley Boyz and Chris Benoit.
" You guys do know that we do this professionally, right?" Y2J remarked. He was shushed or shot back at by most of the people.
" Hey, what you doing here man?" Jericho responded, greeting Chris Benoit.
" Visiting. You had a good match."
" Thanks. How's the neck doing?"
" Healing."
" Oh, how I've missed your lengthy conversations, Benoit."
" Wouldya keep it down?!" Lita quickly shot back.
" Red's getting a little too into it ain't she?" Bubba Ray commented to Jeff Hardy.
" I've got 10 bucks riding on this!" Lita retorted, as she urged her boyfriend on. Matt rolled his eyes and most of the guys chuckled.
" Guys, remember drinks? I've had a shitty day, I gotta drown my sorrows." Jericho stated.
" We're just killing time till Kurt's done." Christian responded.
" What's been shitty?" Lita asked Chris sympathetically.
" Stuff. Will you guys hurry up!?"
" Not our fault we're both strong." Edge retorted.
" Or equally weak." Chris Benoit remarked, causing some laughs.
" Hey, did you guys see what happened to Shane and Stephanie?" Stacy Keibler exclaimed as she ran into the locker room.
" Hello, *men's* locker room! Some of us could have been naked." Jeff declared quickly.
" There's nothing in here that I've not already seen. Plus, she here." Stacy declared pointing at Lita.
" Lita's like one of the guys. Naked guys don't have an effect on her." Matt replied. Lita then whacked his arm, causing Edge to gain the win.
" What was that for? We just lost money. Present money for you!" Matt whined.
" I'm one of the guys?"
" Well you sorta are. You're not into feminine stuff…you're more manly. I mean…not in the manly. I mean…" Matt stammered as Lita guffawed.
" Burn." Edge remarked as he grabbed bills of the guys who lost.
" Leet, I meant…" Matt apologised following his enraged girlfriend, who stormed out of the locker room.
" Whipped." D-Von commented on Matt's behaviour.
" So did you see what Vince did to Shane?" Stacy continued.
" I think all of us have had our share of Vince's anger tonight, Stace." Bubba responded. Jeff and Christian sat down and began another arm-wrestling match.
" I found it quite amusing. Did y'all see how Stephanie was clinging to Vince's leg? That was hilarious!" Jeff replied. A glint of anger flashed in Jericho's eyes. He quickly walked up to the little table set in the middle of the locker room and pushed Jeff's arm down with force.
" Drinks…now!" Jericho responded as he stormed out of the locker room.
" What's his problem?" D-Von asked.
" I don't think he's had any in a while." Jeff remarked bitterly.
" Maybe I should…" Stacy said putting a finger to her mouth and making her way to the door. Jeff pulled her back.
" Hey!" He remarked and Stacy gave him an apologetic pout. The wrestlers then made their way out of the locker room to the bar, leaving Christian alone.
" I won! I won!" He sang as he flicked through the 5-dollar bills in his hand.
" Dude!" Edge yelled for him.
" Coming!" Christian replied as he ran after the others.
~*~*~*~
Chris Jericho
" Where's the 'reeking of awesomeness buds'?" Kurt asked Chris in the catering part of the arena, picking up a tray.
" Edge's trying to hit on Torrie…and Christian's going for Trish. There was a little *too* much blonde there for me, so I came to eat." Chris replied.
" They really think they have a chance?" Kurt scoffed as he grabbed a plate.
" Yeah. They put on their funky E & C glasses and everything."
" I'm sure that'll impress Torrie and Trish!"
" I don't know…they did put perfume on." Chris snickered.
" Perfume?" Kurt cracked up.
" You ready for tonight."
" Yeah, you wanna discuss our match now?"
" Sure. So you want to beat Trips more, considering you've got a match with him in a week? Or would you let me have the honors of breaking that huge nose?" Chris asked as the two took their food and sat on a table.
" I'll do it. You think Steph's gonna be out there?" Kurt asked.
" Don't care." Came Jericho's rapid response.
" Well, if she does. Can you do me a favor?" Kurt asked.
" What?"
" Go easy on her. She's pregnant and well we were good friends a while back."
" Were you really *just* friends?" Jericho asked curiously.
" Yeah. We were just friends. C'mon man, you know that I had the biggest crush on Lita then. I didn't look at Steph in that way."
" Speak of the devil." Chris said as he pointed towards the buffet table. There stood Lita talking to Jeff Hardy.
" Go talk to her. You know she's free after her and Matt broke up a few months ago."
" She got back together with Matt." Kurt protested.
" Dude, that's just an act to get the fans to like them again. They're over and they're just friends."
" I don't know. I can't ever talk to Lita without making an ass of myself."
" Kurt, you're already an ass. Go ask her out."
" Why should I take advice from someone who hasn't had a date since…I don't know, October?"
" I-I have to."
" What did you do? Dump her? Or are you keeping her secret from your best friends?"
" She slipped away from me." Chris responded quietly.
" Oh. Did you really like her? Did you see her after that?" Kurt asked sympathetically, noticing Jericho's change in emotion. Chris then caught Stephanie and Triple H walking into the catering room together.
" I liked her, a lot. And I've seen her again…and she still makes me feel the same way." Jericho mumbled. Kurt, confused, followed Jericho's eye to Stephanie. He raised his eyebrow in surprise and spat out some of his milk.
" Wait…you and…" Kurt asked in shock.
" Dude, you got milk on me."
" You…Steph…you and…" Kurt stammered.
" Ummm…I just remembered I have something to do. I'll see you out there, okay? Talk to Lita." Chris quickly replied as he made his way to run out of the room. Kurt held him back.
" Chris, she's *married*. She's *pregnant*." He responded quietly.
" I know. I-I'll see you out there, all right? And Kurt…don't tell anyone."
" Fine. But…I need details later." Kurt responded as Chris nodded and walked off.
" Geez, sometimes it's as if we're living in a soap opera!" Kurt mumbled to himself as he made his way to Lita.
~*~*~*~
RAW-November 19, 2001
" Where the hell were you Steph? You had me freakin' worried!!" Triple H hollered to his wife, as he met her at the airport. Stephanie winced.
" I-I thought I saw Shane. I was wrong. I'm fine now, Hunter. Nothing happened to me. How are you?" She asked as she hugged her husband. It had almost been months since she had hugged him.
" I'm better now that you're safe. Hey, thanks man for finding her." Triple H thanked Shane. Shane shrugged.
" She's not just your wife, she's my baby sister too. I'll talk to you later Steph, all right? Gotta catch up with the wife." Shane said as he kissed Stephanie on the cheek and left.
" Hey, I'm sorry about…your loss. How are you feeling?" Triple H said sympathetically as they walked to his car. Triple H was on crutches.
" It hurt…a lot yesterday. Kurt's a good friend and he betrayed me. I lost any part of the WWF…any connection to it. Honestly, I feel like shit." Stephanie said.
" You know that if this injury healed earlier I would have been on your side and I would've won for your side."
" I know."
" And when I'm better and I'm back in the WWF…you'll be with me. You'll be back in the business. You haven't lost all your connections." Triple H responded with a smile.
" Yeah, and we can wreak havoc again, right?"
" We'll see. But frankly Steph, I've really missed you these past few months. I was struggling without you." Triple H said.
" Well, I'm here now."
" Yeah, and now I don't have to worry about you."
" Worry about me? Worry about what?" Stephanie asked, slightly defensively.
" About guys."
" What are you talking about, Hunter?" Stephanie asked confused.
" I was worried about the fact that you were surrounded by a bunch of wrestlers 24/7…without your husband there. I know that a lot of guys hit on you when I'm there. I don't even want to *think* about the amount that hit on you when I'm not."
" Hunter…"
" When you were that close to Rhyno, Booker T…or when Chris Jericho put you in the walls, when you were in a *skirt*…" Triple H began, his face going red.
" Honey. It's business. That's what I do. Rhyno, Booker, Rob…they all worked for me. And Jericho well…" She trailed off. Her mind wondered why Jericho did stuff like that. Was it just to purposely humiliate her…was it to get closer to her?
" Still, I felt like pounding each and everyone of them there and then. But, what made those jealous feelings and urges disappear was knowing that no matter what anyone tried, you'll always be faithful to me." Triple H stated. Stephanie began to choke slightly and her face flushed.
" Steph, you okay?"
" Yeah…I'm fine. And you don't have to worry about anything…I'm here now. With you. I'm not going to be near *any* other wrestlers for awhile." Stephanie responded with a smile, planting a kiss on her husband's cheek.
~*~*~*~
Triple H
" It's good to know that everything's going okay." Triple H said to Stephanie. The two had retreated privately in their locker room after eating, away from nosy wrestlers.
Stacy had come up and congratulated them a dozen times. Lita, The Hardys, Trish, Ric Flair, Stone Cold, Rocky, Rob Van Dam, J.R…the list was endless. People had come up to them whenever they were free. It was remarkable how people that both of them had respectively abused over the years were happy for them.
" It's amazing isn't it?" Stephanie declared as she looked at her sonogram again. That little blob was going to be her baby.
" So, I should start getting ready for my match. I saw Angle and Jericho looking at me in the catering place. I'm sure they were discussing the match." Hunter declared as he opened up his sports bag and took out his wrestling gear.
" Yeah, probably." Stephanie replied quietly. Secretly, she doubted that the pain she saw in Jericho's eyes was related to the match he had with her husband that night.
" So…whom does my beautiful, pregnant wife want me to beat the most? Kurt? Or Jericho?" Triple H asked with a grin.
" I don't mind. Just win, honey." Stephanie said with a smile.
" That I can guarantee you." He replied as he kissed her on the head, he then leaned to look at the picture too.
" Funny, ain't it? How that little thing will become our baby." Hunter replied.
" Yeah. I just hope that he or she doesn't feel like wrestling inside me after a few months." Stephanie joked, as they both laughed.
" Hey Steph, didn't the doctor say you were 8-weeks pregnant?" Hunter asked softly, out-of-the-blue.
" Ummm…yeah." Stephanie replied awkwardly as she opened the television.
" Did we…back then? I-I don't think we…" He began, confused.
" Honey, look." Stephanie quickly interjected. Triple H's eyes turned to the screen where Kurt Angle was in the ring mocking Triple H and their baby.
" I'll be right back, Steph. Just have to take care of things." He replied angrily as he got up.
" I understand. Control yourself, though. Okay? You know he's only out there to psyche you out."
" I know. That monkey looks nothing like me!" Triple H stated.
" Well I can see where he's…" Stephanie began and then shut up looking at Triple H's angry look.
" Go and kick Kurt's ass." She ended. Triple H then opened the door to make his way out.
" Oh Hunter?" Stephanie called.
" Yeah?"
" Tell Kurt…that when deciding the baby's looks…he should also take *my* looks into consideration." She replied with a smile as Triple H smiled back and left.
~*~*~*~