Stephanie walked into the arena, right beside her was her husband - her abuser - Triple H. A few people looked up when they entered but went back to what they were doing after seeing who it was. Nothing was different. No one had missed her. No one noticed how she limped slightly. Another injury to add to her list, she thought, if only she had kept her mouth shut on the phone, then Hunter wouldn't have beaten her again.
They walked to their dressing-room. Once inside they put their bags down. Stephanie looked around the room; there was a plasma screen television hanging on the wall, in case they wanted to watch the show during the night, a leather sofa, a mini fridge with all kinds of beverages in it, if either of them were thirsty, and a door that lead to an in-suite bathroom. What else would she have expected, her husband was the WWE Champion, he could only have the best? Which he only got once he had married her. She now knew that's why he was with her. The power. Nothing else mattered. Certainly not her.
Stephanie turned around and noticed that Hunter was going towards the door.
"Where are you going?"
"Not that it's any of your business, but I'm going to the gym. I need to work on some stuff. Try not to have too many men while I'm gone OK Steph?"
He opened the door and left. Once Stephanie heard the click of the door when it closed, she sank down onto the leather sofa and let out a tired sigh. She was safe for at least an hour at the most.
She smiled, these were the moments she lived for. Being free. Doing what SHE wanted, when SHE wanted, and right now all she wanted was to take off her black, uncomfortable shoes Hunter had told her to wear tonight and lay back on the sofa relaxing with no interruptions.
=
Chris Jericho was in the WWE gym; he was easily bench-pressing 250LBS, but his heart wasn't really in it. He had arrived at the arena early, hoping to catch Stephanie but she hadn't arrived. He had waited for about an hour but still there was no sign of her. He had begun to get frustrated and headed to the gym, where he currently was right now.
He looked over towards the door as it swang open with a slight bang and his eyes settled on Triple H. He felt a sudden anger as he watched him go about his business like he wasn't the violent bastard he really was. He wanted to go over there and beat him down, see how he would like it, but if he was here that meant that Stephanie was alone. He smiled, put his weights down, got up and left the gym, with one destination on his mind.
Chris moved along the corridors, meeting people he knew, he'd say a quick 'Hello' and then quickly leave. He took lefts and rights until he stood in front of the door he was looking for. His eyes narrowed as he read the sign on the door said 'Triple H'. He had hated the man before he found out what he'd been doing to his wife, but now, now he just detested him to his very core.
He reached his hand up and lightly knocked on to the door. The was no answer. He tried again and there was the same response. He started to get a little bit worried. What if Triple H had hurt her when they had arrived at their room, what if she was in there laying on the floor unconscious? A million thoughts were flowing through his mind and none of them were pleasant. He grabbed the handle and opened the door and walked into the room.
Chris looked around and sighed, Stephanie was nowhere to be seen. She must have went out to get coffee or something. He turned around and headed for the door, just as he was about to open it when the door to his right suddenly opened. He smiled there stood Stephanie McMahon.
=
Stephanie looked up startled not expecting anyone to be in her dressing-room, especially not Chris Jericho of all people. Why was he here, she thought, and why on earth was he smiling at her? He never did that, at least not towards her anyway.
"Can I help you Jericho? Or are you just lost?"
"Steph, hey, how are you, you ok?"
Stephanie looked at him, was he on something? Why was he asking her these questions?
"Not that it's any of your business, but I'm fine thank you."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes, why?"
"I just thought I would apologize for that night when I bumped into you, I didn't mean to cause you any more pain than you were already in."
"What do you mean, 'Pain I was already in'?"
"I was passing by Triple H's dressing-room last week and I heard him talking to you on the phone."
"So that doesn't me...mean an...anything!"
"Stephanie, I know what's going on."
"YOU DON'T KNOW ANYTHING!"
"What, so he doesn't beat you? He wasn't the one who hurt your arm and God knows what else? He's never done anything like that to you, right Steph?"
"..."
"I KNEW IT. That son of a bitch, who does he think he is? HUH? He has no right to treat you like that, no right at all! Stephanie you need to get away from him!"
"How am I meant to do that Chris? Go to my family, yeah right! We don't talk. We haven't since I married him. My friends? What friends! I don't have any! I have nobody to go to. So tell me, please tell me how get away from him?"
"You have me."
Stephanie looked at him. Shock covered her face, was Chris Jericho actually offering her help? That was new.
"Are you serious?"
"Yeah. Do you think I'm going to do nothing while he beats you? Not going to happen. Come on Steph, this is the perfect chance to get away from all this shit. Are you really going to let it slip right through your fingers? If you do you'll be stuck here forever."
Stephanie looked at him. This was her way out. She wouldn't have to live in this hell anymore She would be mad to stay. She smiled at him and nodded her head. Yeah, she would be free.
"How do we get away?"
"Well, I got here early tonight and I looked at the schedule and I'm not scheduled for any matches tonight and Trips is at the gym, so grab your bag Princess."
"Now! We're leaving now?"
"It's the perfect time. Trips is away and I've got nothing to do. Can you think of a better time? No didn't think so. So get your bag and lets go."
Stephanie grabbed her bag and followed Chris to the door. He reached out his hand for hers. She looked down at it, thinking for a moment, then slipped her hand into his.
He opened the door and looked out cautiously, the coast was clear. He gently pulled her as they left the dressing-room, and headed down the corridors to his own dressing-room, picked up his own bag and then headed to the parking lot without meeting anyone. Thank God the show had started, keeping everyone else occupied, leaving them to get away without hassle.
In the parking lot they reached Chris's rental car. Chris helped Stephanie in and then went round and opened the trunk, putting their bags inside and then headed to the driver's side and got in himself. She smiled over at him as the drove away.
"Thank you."
"Anytime Princess, Anytime."
=
Triple H opened the door to his dressing-room and went inside. He looked around confused.
"Steph?"
He walked over to the bathroom and opened the door. He looked inside. There was no sign of her.
"Steph, where are you?"
He looked around the room and noticed his bag was the only one there. A look of disbelief came over his face.
"No she couldn't have. She wouldn't dare!"
They walked to their dressing-room. Once inside they put their bags down. Stephanie looked around the room; there was a plasma screen television hanging on the wall, in case they wanted to watch the show during the night, a leather sofa, a mini fridge with all kinds of beverages in it, if either of them were thirsty, and a door that lead to an in-suite bathroom. What else would she have expected, her husband was the WWE Champion, he could only have the best? Which he only got once he had married her. She now knew that's why he was with her. The power. Nothing else mattered. Certainly not her.
Stephanie turned around and noticed that Hunter was going towards the door.
"Where are you going?"
"Not that it's any of your business, but I'm going to the gym. I need to work on some stuff. Try not to have too many men while I'm gone OK Steph?"
He opened the door and left. Once Stephanie heard the click of the door when it closed, she sank down onto the leather sofa and let out a tired sigh. She was safe for at least an hour at the most.
She smiled, these were the moments she lived for. Being free. Doing what SHE wanted, when SHE wanted, and right now all she wanted was to take off her black, uncomfortable shoes Hunter had told her to wear tonight and lay back on the sofa relaxing with no interruptions.
=
Chris Jericho was in the WWE gym; he was easily bench-pressing 250LBS, but his heart wasn't really in it. He had arrived at the arena early, hoping to catch Stephanie but she hadn't arrived. He had waited for about an hour but still there was no sign of her. He had begun to get frustrated and headed to the gym, where he currently was right now.
He looked over towards the door as it swang open with a slight bang and his eyes settled on Triple H. He felt a sudden anger as he watched him go about his business like he wasn't the violent bastard he really was. He wanted to go over there and beat him down, see how he would like it, but if he was here that meant that Stephanie was alone. He smiled, put his weights down, got up and left the gym, with one destination on his mind.
Chris moved along the corridors, meeting people he knew, he'd say a quick 'Hello' and then quickly leave. He took lefts and rights until he stood in front of the door he was looking for. His eyes narrowed as he read the sign on the door said 'Triple H'. He had hated the man before he found out what he'd been doing to his wife, but now, now he just detested him to his very core.
He reached his hand up and lightly knocked on to the door. The was no answer. He tried again and there was the same response. He started to get a little bit worried. What if Triple H had hurt her when they had arrived at their room, what if she was in there laying on the floor unconscious? A million thoughts were flowing through his mind and none of them were pleasant. He grabbed the handle and opened the door and walked into the room.
Chris looked around and sighed, Stephanie was nowhere to be seen. She must have went out to get coffee or something. He turned around and headed for the door, just as he was about to open it when the door to his right suddenly opened. He smiled there stood Stephanie McMahon.
=
Stephanie looked up startled not expecting anyone to be in her dressing-room, especially not Chris Jericho of all people. Why was he here, she thought, and why on earth was he smiling at her? He never did that, at least not towards her anyway.
"Can I help you Jericho? Or are you just lost?"
"Steph, hey, how are you, you ok?"
Stephanie looked at him, was he on something? Why was he asking her these questions?
"Not that it's any of your business, but I'm fine thank you."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes, why?"
"I just thought I would apologize for that night when I bumped into you, I didn't mean to cause you any more pain than you were already in."
"What do you mean, 'Pain I was already in'?"
"I was passing by Triple H's dressing-room last week and I heard him talking to you on the phone."
"So that doesn't me...mean an...anything!"
"Stephanie, I know what's going on."
"YOU DON'T KNOW ANYTHING!"
"What, so he doesn't beat you? He wasn't the one who hurt your arm and God knows what else? He's never done anything like that to you, right Steph?"
"..."
"I KNEW IT. That son of a bitch, who does he think he is? HUH? He has no right to treat you like that, no right at all! Stephanie you need to get away from him!"
"How am I meant to do that Chris? Go to my family, yeah right! We don't talk. We haven't since I married him. My friends? What friends! I don't have any! I have nobody to go to. So tell me, please tell me how get away from him?"
"You have me."
Stephanie looked at him. Shock covered her face, was Chris Jericho actually offering her help? That was new.
"Are you serious?"
"Yeah. Do you think I'm going to do nothing while he beats you? Not going to happen. Come on Steph, this is the perfect chance to get away from all this shit. Are you really going to let it slip right through your fingers? If you do you'll be stuck here forever."
Stephanie looked at him. This was her way out. She wouldn't have to live in this hell anymore She would be mad to stay. She smiled at him and nodded her head. Yeah, she would be free.
"How do we get away?"
"Well, I got here early tonight and I looked at the schedule and I'm not scheduled for any matches tonight and Trips is at the gym, so grab your bag Princess."
"Now! We're leaving now?"
"It's the perfect time. Trips is away and I've got nothing to do. Can you think of a better time? No didn't think so. So get your bag and lets go."
Stephanie grabbed her bag and followed Chris to the door. He reached out his hand for hers. She looked down at it, thinking for a moment, then slipped her hand into his.
He opened the door and looked out cautiously, the coast was clear. He gently pulled her as they left the dressing-room, and headed down the corridors to his own dressing-room, picked up his own bag and then headed to the parking lot without meeting anyone. Thank God the show had started, keeping everyone else occupied, leaving them to get away without hassle.
In the parking lot they reached Chris's rental car. Chris helped Stephanie in and then went round and opened the trunk, putting their bags inside and then headed to the driver's side and got in himself. She smiled over at him as the drove away.
"Thank you."
"Anytime Princess, Anytime."
=
Triple H opened the door to his dressing-room and went inside. He looked around confused.
"Steph?"
He walked over to the bathroom and opened the door. He looked inside. There was no sign of her.
"Steph, where are you?"
He looked around the room and noticed his bag was the only one there. A look of disbelief came over his face.
"No she couldn't have. She wouldn't dare!"