Deceit

Part: 9/?
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.

Feedback: Like it. Need it. Want it. Crave it. Love it.

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

A/N Thank you guys soooo much for the reviews and emails! I really appreciate them. I think there's only about 2 more chapters left…maybe 3.

Chapter 9- Emotional Torment

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Chris Jericho

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Cameramen stopped rolling. Fans departed from the arena. Crew began to dismantle equipment. Wrestlers proceeded to their locker rooms.

But Chris Jericho remained motionless in the corner of the ring.

" Jericho, buddy, why the hell aren't you dressed yet?" Kurt yelled as he came down the ramp again. He had showered, changed and had his sports bag flung on one shoulder. Chris was still in his wrestling attire.

Kurt was met with silence. Encouraged and worried by his taciturn friend, the Olympic Gold medallist entered the ring to join him.

" Hey Chris, you okay?" He asked with concern. He slumped down next to Jericho in the ring.

" Kurt, I-I…" Chris stammered, but that was all he could make out. Stephanie's 'our baby' echoed over and over in his head.

" It's Stephanie isn't it?" Kurt asked. Chris looked up at his friend and nodded.

" What's going on here, dude? You and Steph?"

" Shocker. Ain't it?"

" How did it happen?"

" W-well…" Chris began.

" Wait. This bonding requires some type of liquid, doesn't it?" Kurt said as he opened up his sports bag.

" You brought beer?"

" No, milk!" Kurt said with a goofy smile as Chris rolled his eyes in annoyance.

" I'm kidding." Kurt replied as he pulled out two small beers. " Go on. When'd it happen?"

" Survivor Series. W-we…" Chris started as he opened up his bottle, but stopped. Kurt caught on.

" Oh."

" S-she just wanted to get over the pain of losing her company. The pain of you betraying her. I j-just happened to be there at the same time…hiding from Rock." Jericho explained.

" Wait, you're saying I'm responsible for this. Oh crap." Angle moaned.

" Hey, Kirk. Do you mind not making everything about you for a change?" Chris asked sarcastically.

" Sorry. Go on."

" Well, we sorta got hammered and then…y'know. And after that night…or more like after the kiss we shared the next night…" Chris began.

" You kissed her again? Drunk again, eh?"

" It was a mutual kiss…and no, we weren't drunk."

" Oh, so that's when you started liking her…"

" Nah. I-I guess I've always liked her."

" Well, I've always sort of known that. So what now? She's back and it's killing you, right? But Chris, she's a married woman. A pregnant, married woman. And her husband…he's Triple H. He loathes you."

" Trips is going to despise me even more in like…seven months." Chris muttered.

" Why would he…" Kurt began and then realisation struck him. " Nooo. No. No. No." He kept repeating.

Chris nodded as he took a chug of his beer.

" The baby…it's yours?" Kurt spat, in shock.

" Y-yeah. Stephanie told me…after the match. God Kurt, what the hell do I do now?" Chris asked in confusion.

" How about not discussing this affair out loud in an arena?" Another voice spoke. Both Angle and Jericho's eyes widened as they recognised the voice. They turned to the person on the ramp and quickly stumbled up.

" Shit." Jericho mumbled.

" I just encountered a few technicians that claimed that a certain wrestler refused to leave the ring, hence they are unable to dismantle it."

" Umm…" Chris began, trying to think of an excuse.

" So, generally I had to come down here and check it out. I sure wasn't expecting to hear that little tale."

" I-I can explain." Jericho stammered, while Kurt stood awkwardly next to him.

" I think you've done about enough explaining, Jericho." The voice bit out.

" I-I didn't mean…what are you going to do to me?" He meekly asked.

" Do to you? Well, I guess all I can do is owe you congratulations. After all…you are going to be the father of my grandchild." Vince McMahon interrupted Jericho, as he entered the ring and shook hands with a flabbergasted Chris Jericho.

" Congratulations?!? Wait so there's no 'I'm going to fire you'? 'Suspend you'? 'Kill you'?!?!" Jericho exclaimed.

" No, none of that. Chris, why would I do that to my Undisputed Champion? The apparent real father to my daughter's child? I notice, because of that little tale, that my daughter's life is in a bit of a muddle now, isn't it?"

" Well, I guess since I knocked her up…yeah." Chris remarked.

" As a father, Chris. I will need some answers. Considering Stephanie is my only daughter and I love her to death. Tell me…what are you going to do in this situation?"

" She's married, Vince. And not just married to any big-nosed wrestler. She's married to a guy that's sort of kicked my ass with a sledgehammer before when I dissed his wife. And if he found out that I nailed Steph and that she's pregnant with my child…I think the chances of me surviving are very slim."

" Don't forget the fact that you're in love with her." Kurt added. Disbelief covered Vince's face. Jericho momentarily closed his eyes and gave slightly growled at Kurt.

" Oops." Kurt responded.

" You love my daughter?" Vince repeated. Jericho didn't know what to say.

" I-I think so."

" Jericho, I'm going to need a definite answer here. Do you love Stephanie?"

" Yes." Chris replied quietly.

" Makes things more tangled up, doesn't it?" Kurt pitched in as Jericho whacked him on the arm to shut up.

" Vince tell me, as her father, what should I do? She loves Triple H and I…" Chris began.

" Yes, Stephanie does love her husband. She loves him very much." Vince claimed. Chris nodded sadly.

" Despite that, I know that my daughter has a huge soft spot for you. She always has. In all the years I've seen her grow up…I have never seen her speak up against a person as much as she has against you. That shows me something. I also know that my daughter would not cheat on her husband, unless it was with a special person. Overhearing your conversation with Kurt thanks to that mic on you…" Vince continued as Jericho swiftly wiped the microphone on him and mouthed, 'Did anyone else hear?'

" No. Luckily for you. As I was saying, from the time that you say Stephanie and you parted ways…I remember that as being my daughter's saddest months. Everyone thought it was because of the loss of her company, but I knew there was something else."

" So you're saying…"

" I'm saying that my daughter likes you too, Chris. A lot, I gather. And this must be a very difficult and traumatic time for her."

" What do I do to make it better?" Chris asked.

" It's not up to you, Chris." Kurt replied.

" What?"

" Kurt's right. It's not up to you. It's up to Stephanie now to make a decision…does she want her husband or you?"

" So I just sit back and wait? Wait, till she chooses?" Jericho asked bitterly.

" Yeah man. Just tell her that you want to be with her…tell her you are a choice." Kurt advised.

" I'll do that. Guess I'll just have to wait and see." Jericho mumbled.

" Good. Now get out of my ring…it needs to be dismantled before I can leave and I have a family dinner to attend in Connecticut, which I'm sure to go is going to be very awkward for me, as well as Stephanie."

" Are you going to play along?" Angle asked.

" I think that would be the best solution right now. Although my wife will be prying Stephanie for details, that's for sure. I'm hoping the subject of who the baby will look like doesn't come up. Especially after Kurt's little speech today."

" Oh yeah. Tell Steph, no offence." Kurt replied with a grin.

" And after dinner I will travel once again to set up another arena for a weekend show. And that includes two of my main superstars…so get a move on. Business is money." Vince McMahon instructed as he made his way out of the ring.

" Thank you, Vince." Jericho called out. The chairman of the WWF turned around and shot the Undisputed Champion a smile and then continued to saunter up the ramp. Angle and Jericho made their way out of the ring, chatting at the same time. Vince suddenly stopped and turned around.

" Oh Jericho."

" Yeah?"

" If my daughter chooses you. You have my blessing. Just let me name the child." Vince replied with a big smile. Y2J smiled back.

" Thanks. I'll let you name the child, so long as you don't name her Margaret or something."

" Chris, Chris…it's going to be a boy." Mr. McMahon replied as he left the arena floor.

" This is just great. You're going to be like Undisputed Champion forever because you gave Vince his first grandchild."

" Hmmm…that is a good point Kurt." Jericho replied with a huge smile.

" Oh shit, I was meant to meet Lita like fifteen minutes ago. Thanks to your angst love story, I'm officially late for my first date with her."  Kurt grumbled.

" You finally did it, eh?" Y2J asked with a grin.

" I did. And she said yes."

" Guess this is our lucky day, Kurt. I'm father of the boss' married daughter's child and you're going out with a manly redhead." Jericho replied with a smile as Kurt nodded in agreement. He then turned around to look at the whole arena and shouted.

" You hear that people? I've got a date with a manly redhead diva! Who sucks now?!?"

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