And love
Is not the easy thing
The only baggage
That you can bring
Not the easy thing
The only baggage you can bring
Is all that you can't leave behind
And if the darkness is to keep us apart
And if the daylight feels like it's a long way off
And if your glass heart should crack
And for a second you turn back
Oh no, be strong
Walk on, Walk on
What you got, they can't steal it
No-- they can't even feel it
Walk on, Walk on
Stay safe tonight
You're packing a suitcase for a place
None of us has been
A place that has to be believed
To be seen
You could have flown away
A singing bird
In an open cage
Who will only fly
Only fly for freedom
Walk on, Walk on
What you got
You can't deny it
Can't sell it or buy it
Walk on, Walk on
You stay safe tonight
And I know it aches
How your heart it breaks
You can only take so much
Walk on, Walk on Home
Hard to know what it is
If you never had one
Home
I can't say where it is
But I know I'm going Home
That's where the hurt is
And I know it aches
And your heart it breaks
You can only take so much
Walk on
Leave it behind
You've got to leave it behind
All that you fashion
All that you make
All that you build
All that you break
All that you measure
All that you feel
All this you can leave behind
All that you reason
All that you care
It's only time And I'll never fill up all I find
All that you sense
All that you scheme
All you dress up
And all that you see
All you create
All that you wreck
All that you hate
Houston
Stephanie decided to ignore the crushing pain she was feeling in her chest. So that's what a breaking heart feels like, she thought..it really is as painful as it sounds. She swallowed hard, looking at Hunter. She managed to say calmly: "And how is it exactly that you 'don't know'?"
Hunter looked back at Stephanie so intensely she actually almost took a step back. "I swear to you, I just don't know! All I know is that I woke up this morning with my head feeling like my brain was trying to make a break for it, I was in some weird room a few miles outside of Houston and a teenage girl had to give me a ride back here. That's all I remember, Steph! I don't remember sleeping with anyone, much less Stacy.but I remember there was a woman laughing.and I don't know! I just.I." Hunter trailed off helplessly, thinking he was digging his own grave.
"There's no way you were drinking last night." Stephanie said firmly.
"Well, of course he was! When I saw him last night, he was so drunk and after a couple of trips to the bathroom, he was getting better.but that is why Cassandra Wexler called me in the first place. To help him." Stacy said, wiping a fake tear from her face.
"So what? You help him by sleeping with him? Oh, that makes complete sense." Stephanie said bitchily. But now she knew.
She knew.
She knew the bitch was lying. She couldn't explain it, but everything inside of her was telling her that this was all wrong. She decided to trust that instinct, maybe because it was what she wanted to do above anything else. She studied Stacy carefully, and was even more certain. Stacy's eyes were darting all over the room, her foot was shifting ever so lightly across the floor..And how else did she know? Stacy said Hunter had been drunk. That couldn't be true, not if she knew one thing at all about the man she was married to. Hunter rarely drank enough to get drunk-he could take in an amazing amount of alcohol-but he would never, ever get drunk the night before a title match. Any other kind of match, maybe, it depended if he was really ticked off about something.but a title match? Never. Stephanie felt as though a truckload of bricks had been lifted from her shoulders. The relief quickly turned to anger as she wondered exactly what kind of game Stacy was trying to play with her marriage. It was about damn time Stacy Keibler learned that screwing with people was one thing, but interfering in something as serious as a marriage was quite another.
Stephanie felt like laughing, telling Stacy where she could take her lies and shove them but..there was the fact that something had happened to her husband last night. And she was determined to find out what. Stephanie swung around to face Hunter. Poor baby.he looked so genuinely freaked it took everything inside her not to wrap her arms around him and tell him that everything between them was fine. More than fine.for the first time in too long a time, they were on the same side. They were in accord. So instead she slapped him, the crack resounding through the restaurant.
Hunter's eyes flared in shock, so she grabbed his chin and smiled at him, knowing Stacy couldn't see her own face as she was behind Stephanie. 'It's okay', she mouthed silently. Hunter looked down at Stephanie, thoroughly confused. 'Play along, trust me', she mouthed, widening her eyes for effect.
Hunter stepped back, rubbed his cheek, wondering what the hell was happening now. Stephanie didn't look mad..why wasn't she mad? He'd just have to follow her lead since it seemed like she was the only one of the two of them that had a freakin' clue about anything. He racked his brain for anything to say.
"What the hell was that? Did you ever realize that anytime the going gets tough, you go after me physically? Can't you use words, not violence?" He asked inanely, the words almost catching in his throat as he tried not to laugh at the hypocrisy.
"Shut up! You're one to talk, you adulterous jerk! To think, I was about to take you back.well, you can forget all about it now, Hunter! If your taste in women has sunk so low that you'd touch that-that-well, then I want no part of you ever again!"
"Yeah, well, that suit's me just fine! What the hell was I thinking-you're poison, Stephanie! I'd have to be insane to want to be with you anymore!" Hunter said, drawing words from the air.
"Good, that's just great! You liar! I am soooo glad that we're not married anymore! And do you know what else, Hunter? I can do so much better than you!"
"You're glad? You think you're the one who's glad?! Me, I'm so happy, I'm dancing! See, I'm doin' a little dance on the grave of us!" Hunter exploded, doing a neat little half-step, really getting into this fight now. "And you think you can do better? You really think so?" Hunter pulled Stephanie against him forcefully and kissed her passionately. To the outside world, the kiss looked angry, violent, but for the two people sharing it, it was absolute bliss. Hunter had to force himself to pull away from a heavy-lidded Stephanie. She groaned almost audibly. "There! I'd really like to see you ever get anything better than that!" Hunter bit out, loving the expression on both Stephanie and Stacy's faces. The utter shock on Stacy's..the utter rapture on Stephanie's.
"Oh, she definitely can do better." Kurt said, as he came up from behind Hunter.he'd been watching the entire thing of course, and loving every single minute. Nothing could be going any more perfectly! He stepped boldly past Hunter, reached in-and pulled Stephanie in for a kiss!
Hunter's hand automatically went to Kurt's shoulder to pull him off of Stephanie, but he held himself back because Stephanie waved him off behind Kurt's shoulder. Stephanie pushed herself away from Kurt, trying not to let the distaste show on her face. Kurt didn't know it but he'd just added a hell of a lot of authenticity to her little ruse she was doing for Stacy's benefit.
But then she began to wonder: What on earth was Kurt doing? It was highly coincidental that he'd happened to come to the same restaurant as her, not to mention the fact he'd brought Stacy with him. He couldn't be plotting with Stacy, could he? She hoped not, it might just destroy her faith in the entire notion of friendship for good.
"You're right, Kurt! Let's get out of here, leave the happy couple to their..whatever the hell it is that they're calling it!" Stephanie said in her best arrogant tone. Her hand rummaged through her purse for a pen, grabbed a napkin after she found it. Hunter managed to shoot her a desperate look. Stephanie knew he had to be pretty bewildered so she stepped up to Hunter and called him a few choice words as she hastily scribbled a note out of sight. Both Kurt and Stacy were behind her, thoroughly enjoying the show. Little did they know it actually was a show, put on by Mr. and Mrs. Game themselves.
"Bastard!" She said offhandedly, scribbling the note frantically, holding it against her leg but trying to remain absolutely standing so it didn't look weird to Stacy or Kurt.
Moving to her side a little to block Kurt's view of her actions, Hunter returned: "Slut!"
"Asshole!"
"Bottom-feeding Bitch!" Hunter flung out, drawing from Jericho's insults.
"Um-Jerk!"
"Jerk? What the hell kind of insult is that supposed to be? Did you want me to get you a thesaurus?" Hunter demanded.
"Ooh, a word with more than two syllables! Do you even know what a thesaurus is?" She asked scathingly. Stephanie finished writing. Picking up on that fact, Hunter reached out to grab her hand and she slipped him the note.
"I hate you!" Stephanie said, but mouthed 'I love you' silently. He stroked her hand, and she yanked it away, stomping out of the restaurant, Kurt in tow. Hunter turned quickly, as though he was watching her leave. He studied her hastily scribbled note:
Stacy's lying, find out what really happened. I'll call you soon.
Hunter crumpled the note in his huge palm, turned to Stacy. Maybe a direct approach was called for here. "Did we really sleep together?" He asked incredulously.
Stacy was still reeling from the fact that it looked like Stephanie and Hunter were truly finished. "Of course! Why would I lie?"
"Oh, only about a MILLION reasons are coming to mind!" Hunter snapped angrily.
"Hunter, look."
"I want to know exactly what happened, and I want to know right now. Now!" Hunter demanded.
Stephanie felt a little out of breath as she allowed Kurt to lead her outside of the restaurant. Stephanie stopped Kurt with her hand. Meanwhile, she alternated between thinking Kurt was a traitor and that maybe she'd misunderstood everything. "Thanks for sticking up for me in there.I don't know how this all could have happened." She said in her best bewildered voice.
"Oh, Stephanie, it's so much better this way, trust me! You totally can do better than that moron in there." Kurt said reassuringly. This was it! His chance, finally. Stephanie would never be more vulnerable than she was right at this minute.
"It's just-he's he's the first man I ever really loved." Stephanie said, glad to finally be saying something that was the truth.
"Well, meet the next man you're going to love." Kurt pronounced, smiling broadly.
"I mean, Hunter-I-huh? What did you just say?" Stephanie asked, freaking out. No way had Kurt just said that, they were just friends, he knew that, he KNEW that!
"I said I'm going to be the next man you love, the one who's going to help you get over Hunter. Because I love you, Stephanie McMahon!" Kurt swooped down to kiss her but Stephanie saw it coming and managed to duck. She almost tripped over her skirt she was backing away so quickly.
"Oh, my God! How the hell can you be doing this to me? We're friends Kurt, nothing more!"
"Maybe not now, but we'll be more if you just gave me a chance." Kurt replied, reaching over to her and puckering his lips offensively again.
Stephanie felt sick, and it was weird but she thought that maybe the baby was feeling kind of disgusted.her stomach was positively churning. She swallowed down the bile in her throat, determined to find out if Kurt was merely a lovesick fool who'd fallen for the wrong woman entirely.or a manipulative bastard who she'd been fool enough to trust. "Well, Kurt.stranger things have happened." She managed weakly. "And I do-I do feel close to you, you know, we have history." Oh, this tasted bad, bad, bad. Stephanie flushed guiltily, feeling as though she was betraying Hunter. But she wasn't, she wasn't because she was doing this for them, for their future together. She had to know what Kurt was-friend or foe?
"Does that mean you're giving us a chance?" Kurt took her stunned silence for ascent, and happily pecked her on the cheek, not wanting to press his luck. Stephanie held in a shudder. "Let's just.we'll take it slowly, okay? But.I am willing to try." She said, but knowing full well that she'd never be able to look at Kurt the same way again. All this time, she thought the only feelings he'd had toward her were those of friendship, but now.she felt awkward in his presence, and worried that she had never even picked up on any signals. If she hadn't seen something as important as this.what else about Kurt Angle could she have missed? Was there no one in this damn world she could trust anymore?
Hunter. You can trust Hunter..and probably no one else. She thought to herself. Hunter, whom she'd left to be preyed on by that blonde bunny in there. She hoped he was getting closer to finding out what had happened to him last night, she hoped she had bought him that much at least with their ruse. Stephanie looked back at the restaurant longingly.
"Can I give you a ride back to your hotel?" Kurt asked.
"Um, I-well, I came in Hunter's limo and-" Stephanie knew that to take a ride in Hunter's limo would blow their staged fight out of the water, and so she reluctantly climbed in Kurt's car. Thank God they were only fifteen minutes away from her hotel. And thank God Victor and Sam would be in the car with her. She'd seen her bodyguards hanging back, unsure of how to proceed. For the first time she was thankful of their presence and didn't feel like she was being intruded upon. She motioned them closer, they climbed in Kurt's rental car. So she wouldn't have to talk to him, she turned the dials on the radio. She refused to look at him, but felt him looking at her from time to time. She longed to wipe her mouth, it tasted like-like Kurt-she thought, disgusted, but she didn't want to be so obvious. She wondered why she'd found Kurt's kiss more distasteful than the few other times he had kissed her.She thought maybe it was the fact she'd just finished kissing Hunter when Kurt had dove in. It was sort of like going from filet mignon to ground chuck. The difference was huge.
Hunter sat down heavily. Stacy cautiously followed suit, sitting across from him. Okay, it seemed a more subtle approach was called for here, he decided.
Stephanie seemed so certain he hadn't slept with Stacy.he wished he could be. Hunter narrowed his eyes thoughtfully. There was a way. If Stacy was lying about this.she would be unbelievably sorry. And if she wasn't he was going to owe her yet another apology. He impulsively reached out for Stacy's hand.
"Stace, I am so sorry. I keep leading you on, giving you signals.it's no wonder that you're so confused. I could never blame you. It's just- difficult to believe that I could ever forget sleeping with you. I think you'd be damn near unforgettable. You know what I mean?" Hunter intoned.
Stacy meanwhile shook under his gaze. It felt like he was undressing her in his mind.and she loved it. Did she dare? Did she really dare to do this, after all the crap he'd put her through? Yeah, she dared. Good girls always did finish last, that was what momma had always said. "Hey, if you want.I would be more than happy to ah-refresh your memory." She purred.
"I want to remember.I don't usually get drunk, I don't like that it can make a man so powerless. But if you said I was drinking, I must have been.probably didn't even realize I'd had that much to drink. I would be very,." Hunter stood, took two steps toward a still sitting Stacy so that his waist was directly parallel with her face, cupped her chin in his palm, caressed her cheek with his index finger. ".very grateful. Will you come with me?" He asked softly, extending his other hand. Stacy couldn't even speak, just nodded, her blue eyes huge.
The waiter had come up at that point, promptly held out the bill and Hunter looked around helplessly. "I ah-my wallet was stolen this morning." He explained.
"Mmm-hmm. Sure." The waiter sniffed, but fortunately Chad came up behind him and produced a credit card. "Here." Chad said.
"You're a lifesaver, man. Remind me to give you a raise." Hunter clapped Chad on the back.
"Sure thing, Mr. H." Chad said. "Are we leaving?" He signed the credit slip, they started walking out.
"God, yes! Are you really going to come?" Stacy asked Hunter thickly.
"I would think both of us would." Hunter said seductively, causing Stacy to swallow once she finally got his double meaning. She felt like she was on sensory overload. And it felt good. For once in her twenty-two years of life she was going to do what she wanted, not because it would help her get ahead in her career or expand her power-even though, being allied with Triple H himself certainly worked to her advantage in those aspects-but because she wanted to. She didn't care if he was on the rebound, she didn't care that he'd hurt her before, she knew that this was fate lending her a helping hand and she was going to take it, whatever the cost.
"Where to?" Chad queried, holding open the door. Stacy climbed in first, loving that Hunter always traveled in style. Her kind of style. "Yeah, where to?" Hunter echoed.
"We can always go back to the hotel."
"No, Stace. Where were we last night? I told you I want to remember.make me remember, Stacy." He was hoping that she'd trip herself up somehow. And once she did, he'd be waiting. It was kind of sad how easily he had been able to make her stop hating him and start worshipping the ground he walked on once again.but he wasn't about to complain. It suited his purpose.
Stacy's eyes widened even further. "Sure.I'll give you directions once we're going." She missed seeing Hunter's triumphant grin, too wrapped up in her own happy thoughts.
Is not the easy thing
The only baggage
That you can bring
Not the easy thing
The only baggage you can bring
Is all that you can't leave behind
And if the darkness is to keep us apart
And if the daylight feels like it's a long way off
And if your glass heart should crack
And for a second you turn back
Oh no, be strong
Walk on, Walk on
What you got, they can't steal it
No-- they can't even feel it
Walk on, Walk on
Stay safe tonight
You're packing a suitcase for a place
None of us has been
A place that has to be believed
To be seen
You could have flown away
A singing bird
In an open cage
Who will only fly
Only fly for freedom
Walk on, Walk on
What you got
You can't deny it
Can't sell it or buy it
Walk on, Walk on
You stay safe tonight
And I know it aches
How your heart it breaks
You can only take so much
Walk on, Walk on Home
Hard to know what it is
If you never had one
Home
I can't say where it is
But I know I'm going Home
That's where the hurt is
And I know it aches
And your heart it breaks
You can only take so much
Walk on
Leave it behind
You've got to leave it behind
All that you fashion
All that you make
All that you build
All that you break
All that you measure
All that you feel
All this you can leave behind
All that you reason
All that you care
It's only time And I'll never fill up all I find
All that you sense
All that you scheme
All you dress up
And all that you see
All you create
All that you wreck
All that you hate
Houston
Stephanie decided to ignore the crushing pain she was feeling in her chest. So that's what a breaking heart feels like, she thought..it really is as painful as it sounds. She swallowed hard, looking at Hunter. She managed to say calmly: "And how is it exactly that you 'don't know'?"
Hunter looked back at Stephanie so intensely she actually almost took a step back. "I swear to you, I just don't know! All I know is that I woke up this morning with my head feeling like my brain was trying to make a break for it, I was in some weird room a few miles outside of Houston and a teenage girl had to give me a ride back here. That's all I remember, Steph! I don't remember sleeping with anyone, much less Stacy.but I remember there was a woman laughing.and I don't know! I just.I." Hunter trailed off helplessly, thinking he was digging his own grave.
"There's no way you were drinking last night." Stephanie said firmly.
"Well, of course he was! When I saw him last night, he was so drunk and after a couple of trips to the bathroom, he was getting better.but that is why Cassandra Wexler called me in the first place. To help him." Stacy said, wiping a fake tear from her face.
"So what? You help him by sleeping with him? Oh, that makes complete sense." Stephanie said bitchily. But now she knew.
She knew.
She knew the bitch was lying. She couldn't explain it, but everything inside of her was telling her that this was all wrong. She decided to trust that instinct, maybe because it was what she wanted to do above anything else. She studied Stacy carefully, and was even more certain. Stacy's eyes were darting all over the room, her foot was shifting ever so lightly across the floor..And how else did she know? Stacy said Hunter had been drunk. That couldn't be true, not if she knew one thing at all about the man she was married to. Hunter rarely drank enough to get drunk-he could take in an amazing amount of alcohol-but he would never, ever get drunk the night before a title match. Any other kind of match, maybe, it depended if he was really ticked off about something.but a title match? Never. Stephanie felt as though a truckload of bricks had been lifted from her shoulders. The relief quickly turned to anger as she wondered exactly what kind of game Stacy was trying to play with her marriage. It was about damn time Stacy Keibler learned that screwing with people was one thing, but interfering in something as serious as a marriage was quite another.
Stephanie felt like laughing, telling Stacy where she could take her lies and shove them but..there was the fact that something had happened to her husband last night. And she was determined to find out what. Stephanie swung around to face Hunter. Poor baby.he looked so genuinely freaked it took everything inside her not to wrap her arms around him and tell him that everything between them was fine. More than fine.for the first time in too long a time, they were on the same side. They were in accord. So instead she slapped him, the crack resounding through the restaurant.
Hunter's eyes flared in shock, so she grabbed his chin and smiled at him, knowing Stacy couldn't see her own face as she was behind Stephanie. 'It's okay', she mouthed silently. Hunter looked down at Stephanie, thoroughly confused. 'Play along, trust me', she mouthed, widening her eyes for effect.
Hunter stepped back, rubbed his cheek, wondering what the hell was happening now. Stephanie didn't look mad..why wasn't she mad? He'd just have to follow her lead since it seemed like she was the only one of the two of them that had a freakin' clue about anything. He racked his brain for anything to say.
"What the hell was that? Did you ever realize that anytime the going gets tough, you go after me physically? Can't you use words, not violence?" He asked inanely, the words almost catching in his throat as he tried not to laugh at the hypocrisy.
"Shut up! You're one to talk, you adulterous jerk! To think, I was about to take you back.well, you can forget all about it now, Hunter! If your taste in women has sunk so low that you'd touch that-that-well, then I want no part of you ever again!"
"Yeah, well, that suit's me just fine! What the hell was I thinking-you're poison, Stephanie! I'd have to be insane to want to be with you anymore!" Hunter said, drawing words from the air.
"Good, that's just great! You liar! I am soooo glad that we're not married anymore! And do you know what else, Hunter? I can do so much better than you!"
"You're glad? You think you're the one who's glad?! Me, I'm so happy, I'm dancing! See, I'm doin' a little dance on the grave of us!" Hunter exploded, doing a neat little half-step, really getting into this fight now. "And you think you can do better? You really think so?" Hunter pulled Stephanie against him forcefully and kissed her passionately. To the outside world, the kiss looked angry, violent, but for the two people sharing it, it was absolute bliss. Hunter had to force himself to pull away from a heavy-lidded Stephanie. She groaned almost audibly. "There! I'd really like to see you ever get anything better than that!" Hunter bit out, loving the expression on both Stephanie and Stacy's faces. The utter shock on Stacy's..the utter rapture on Stephanie's.
"Oh, she definitely can do better." Kurt said, as he came up from behind Hunter.he'd been watching the entire thing of course, and loving every single minute. Nothing could be going any more perfectly! He stepped boldly past Hunter, reached in-and pulled Stephanie in for a kiss!
Hunter's hand automatically went to Kurt's shoulder to pull him off of Stephanie, but he held himself back because Stephanie waved him off behind Kurt's shoulder. Stephanie pushed herself away from Kurt, trying not to let the distaste show on her face. Kurt didn't know it but he'd just added a hell of a lot of authenticity to her little ruse she was doing for Stacy's benefit.
But then she began to wonder: What on earth was Kurt doing? It was highly coincidental that he'd happened to come to the same restaurant as her, not to mention the fact he'd brought Stacy with him. He couldn't be plotting with Stacy, could he? She hoped not, it might just destroy her faith in the entire notion of friendship for good.
"You're right, Kurt! Let's get out of here, leave the happy couple to their..whatever the hell it is that they're calling it!" Stephanie said in her best arrogant tone. Her hand rummaged through her purse for a pen, grabbed a napkin after she found it. Hunter managed to shoot her a desperate look. Stephanie knew he had to be pretty bewildered so she stepped up to Hunter and called him a few choice words as she hastily scribbled a note out of sight. Both Kurt and Stacy were behind her, thoroughly enjoying the show. Little did they know it actually was a show, put on by Mr. and Mrs. Game themselves.
"Bastard!" She said offhandedly, scribbling the note frantically, holding it against her leg but trying to remain absolutely standing so it didn't look weird to Stacy or Kurt.
Moving to her side a little to block Kurt's view of her actions, Hunter returned: "Slut!"
"Asshole!"
"Bottom-feeding Bitch!" Hunter flung out, drawing from Jericho's insults.
"Um-Jerk!"
"Jerk? What the hell kind of insult is that supposed to be? Did you want me to get you a thesaurus?" Hunter demanded.
"Ooh, a word with more than two syllables! Do you even know what a thesaurus is?" She asked scathingly. Stephanie finished writing. Picking up on that fact, Hunter reached out to grab her hand and she slipped him the note.
"I hate you!" Stephanie said, but mouthed 'I love you' silently. He stroked her hand, and she yanked it away, stomping out of the restaurant, Kurt in tow. Hunter turned quickly, as though he was watching her leave. He studied her hastily scribbled note:
Stacy's lying, find out what really happened. I'll call you soon.
Hunter crumpled the note in his huge palm, turned to Stacy. Maybe a direct approach was called for here. "Did we really sleep together?" He asked incredulously.
Stacy was still reeling from the fact that it looked like Stephanie and Hunter were truly finished. "Of course! Why would I lie?"
"Oh, only about a MILLION reasons are coming to mind!" Hunter snapped angrily.
"Hunter, look."
"I want to know exactly what happened, and I want to know right now. Now!" Hunter demanded.
Stephanie felt a little out of breath as she allowed Kurt to lead her outside of the restaurant. Stephanie stopped Kurt with her hand. Meanwhile, she alternated between thinking Kurt was a traitor and that maybe she'd misunderstood everything. "Thanks for sticking up for me in there.I don't know how this all could have happened." She said in her best bewildered voice.
"Oh, Stephanie, it's so much better this way, trust me! You totally can do better than that moron in there." Kurt said reassuringly. This was it! His chance, finally. Stephanie would never be more vulnerable than she was right at this minute.
"It's just-he's he's the first man I ever really loved." Stephanie said, glad to finally be saying something that was the truth.
"Well, meet the next man you're going to love." Kurt pronounced, smiling broadly.
"I mean, Hunter-I-huh? What did you just say?" Stephanie asked, freaking out. No way had Kurt just said that, they were just friends, he knew that, he KNEW that!
"I said I'm going to be the next man you love, the one who's going to help you get over Hunter. Because I love you, Stephanie McMahon!" Kurt swooped down to kiss her but Stephanie saw it coming and managed to duck. She almost tripped over her skirt she was backing away so quickly.
"Oh, my God! How the hell can you be doing this to me? We're friends Kurt, nothing more!"
"Maybe not now, but we'll be more if you just gave me a chance." Kurt replied, reaching over to her and puckering his lips offensively again.
Stephanie felt sick, and it was weird but she thought that maybe the baby was feeling kind of disgusted.her stomach was positively churning. She swallowed down the bile in her throat, determined to find out if Kurt was merely a lovesick fool who'd fallen for the wrong woman entirely.or a manipulative bastard who she'd been fool enough to trust. "Well, Kurt.stranger things have happened." She managed weakly. "And I do-I do feel close to you, you know, we have history." Oh, this tasted bad, bad, bad. Stephanie flushed guiltily, feeling as though she was betraying Hunter. But she wasn't, she wasn't because she was doing this for them, for their future together. She had to know what Kurt was-friend or foe?
"Does that mean you're giving us a chance?" Kurt took her stunned silence for ascent, and happily pecked her on the cheek, not wanting to press his luck. Stephanie held in a shudder. "Let's just.we'll take it slowly, okay? But.I am willing to try." She said, but knowing full well that she'd never be able to look at Kurt the same way again. All this time, she thought the only feelings he'd had toward her were those of friendship, but now.she felt awkward in his presence, and worried that she had never even picked up on any signals. If she hadn't seen something as important as this.what else about Kurt Angle could she have missed? Was there no one in this damn world she could trust anymore?
Hunter. You can trust Hunter..and probably no one else. She thought to herself. Hunter, whom she'd left to be preyed on by that blonde bunny in there. She hoped he was getting closer to finding out what had happened to him last night, she hoped she had bought him that much at least with their ruse. Stephanie looked back at the restaurant longingly.
"Can I give you a ride back to your hotel?" Kurt asked.
"Um, I-well, I came in Hunter's limo and-" Stephanie knew that to take a ride in Hunter's limo would blow their staged fight out of the water, and so she reluctantly climbed in Kurt's car. Thank God they were only fifteen minutes away from her hotel. And thank God Victor and Sam would be in the car with her. She'd seen her bodyguards hanging back, unsure of how to proceed. For the first time she was thankful of their presence and didn't feel like she was being intruded upon. She motioned them closer, they climbed in Kurt's rental car. So she wouldn't have to talk to him, she turned the dials on the radio. She refused to look at him, but felt him looking at her from time to time. She longed to wipe her mouth, it tasted like-like Kurt-she thought, disgusted, but she didn't want to be so obvious. She wondered why she'd found Kurt's kiss more distasteful than the few other times he had kissed her.She thought maybe it was the fact she'd just finished kissing Hunter when Kurt had dove in. It was sort of like going from filet mignon to ground chuck. The difference was huge.
Hunter sat down heavily. Stacy cautiously followed suit, sitting across from him. Okay, it seemed a more subtle approach was called for here, he decided.
Stephanie seemed so certain he hadn't slept with Stacy.he wished he could be. Hunter narrowed his eyes thoughtfully. There was a way. If Stacy was lying about this.she would be unbelievably sorry. And if she wasn't he was going to owe her yet another apology. He impulsively reached out for Stacy's hand.
"Stace, I am so sorry. I keep leading you on, giving you signals.it's no wonder that you're so confused. I could never blame you. It's just- difficult to believe that I could ever forget sleeping with you. I think you'd be damn near unforgettable. You know what I mean?" Hunter intoned.
Stacy meanwhile shook under his gaze. It felt like he was undressing her in his mind.and she loved it. Did she dare? Did she really dare to do this, after all the crap he'd put her through? Yeah, she dared. Good girls always did finish last, that was what momma had always said. "Hey, if you want.I would be more than happy to ah-refresh your memory." She purred.
"I want to remember.I don't usually get drunk, I don't like that it can make a man so powerless. But if you said I was drinking, I must have been.probably didn't even realize I'd had that much to drink. I would be very,." Hunter stood, took two steps toward a still sitting Stacy so that his waist was directly parallel with her face, cupped her chin in his palm, caressed her cheek with his index finger. ".very grateful. Will you come with me?" He asked softly, extending his other hand. Stacy couldn't even speak, just nodded, her blue eyes huge.
The waiter had come up at that point, promptly held out the bill and Hunter looked around helplessly. "I ah-my wallet was stolen this morning." He explained.
"Mmm-hmm. Sure." The waiter sniffed, but fortunately Chad came up behind him and produced a credit card. "Here." Chad said.
"You're a lifesaver, man. Remind me to give you a raise." Hunter clapped Chad on the back.
"Sure thing, Mr. H." Chad said. "Are we leaving?" He signed the credit slip, they started walking out.
"God, yes! Are you really going to come?" Stacy asked Hunter thickly.
"I would think both of us would." Hunter said seductively, causing Stacy to swallow once she finally got his double meaning. She felt like she was on sensory overload. And it felt good. For once in her twenty-two years of life she was going to do what she wanted, not because it would help her get ahead in her career or expand her power-even though, being allied with Triple H himself certainly worked to her advantage in those aspects-but because she wanted to. She didn't care if he was on the rebound, she didn't care that he'd hurt her before, she knew that this was fate lending her a helping hand and she was going to take it, whatever the cost.
"Where to?" Chad queried, holding open the door. Stacy climbed in first, loving that Hunter always traveled in style. Her kind of style. "Yeah, where to?" Hunter echoed.
"We can always go back to the hotel."
"No, Stace. Where were we last night? I told you I want to remember.make me remember, Stacy." He was hoping that she'd trip herself up somehow. And once she did, he'd be waiting. It was kind of sad how easily he had been able to make her stop hating him and start worshipping the ground he walked on once again.but he wasn't about to complain. It suited his purpose.
Stacy's eyes widened even further. "Sure.I'll give you directions once we're going." She missed seeing Hunter's triumphant grin, too wrapped up in her own happy thoughts.