A/N Hope you all enjoy
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Her head lay in his lap, as they both sat in the front-room watching some silly cartoon on the t.v that made both of them laugh. He would occasionally run his fingers softly through her hair; he liked the way she would sigh contentedly every time he did it. The weather outside was miserable, the rain had started the night before and had yet to stop. It had gotten increasingly worse through the night. Then with the wind joining in, a storm warning had flashed across the television, warning everyone to stay indoors for the foreseeable future. It actually wasn't so bad being stuck at home, he was warm and he had great company.
His parents were in the kitchen where his dad was helping his mom make tonight's dinner, which he could already smell and was eagerly awaiting. Nothing was better than a home-cooked dinner, he thought, especially when it was steak and vegetables, his favourite. Scruffy was laying in front of the fire sleeping, like the lazy dog she was, and he had a beautiful girl right beside him. What more could he want? Well maybe a shot at the WWE Championship in a no disqualification match, where he could beat Hunter until he was a bloody messy and still win the title. Yeah, that'd be fun, he thought with a chuckle.
Stephanie turned her head and looked up at Chris, when she felt his chuckle vibrate through him. As she took in the look on his face she noted that he looked happy, almost content. She wondered what went on in that head of his, would she finally be able to solve the mystery that he was? She wondered if he ever thought of her, like she did with him. She hoped so.
"What are you thinking?" She asked simply.
Chris turned his attention away from the television and looked down at her.
"Nothing I haven't thought before, and probably will think again," Chris replied not giving away anything.
Stephanie frowned and glared at him jokingly.
"Way to avoid answering, come on, just tell me please?" Stephanie asked him with curiosity.
"Why do you wanna know Princess?" He asked her.
"Why do you not want to tell me?" She replied with a question.
"It wasn't anything important, really. I was just thinking that I'd rather be here with you and my parents, than be anywhere else right now," Chris replied.
Stephanie smiled at what he had said; he was such a nice person to be around, if only she had noticed that in the past. Maybe she would have had someone to protect her then as well as now.
"Yeah it is nice, warm and cozy, like a home should be," she told him as the smile that was on her face moments ago disappeared.
"Where'd the smile go Princess? What's wrong?" Chris asked her softly.
"I was just thinking, I've never had any of this. Not when I was with Hunter. We never sat in front of the t.v and just watched it quietly. My parents never helped each other cook dinner, that was always Mom's job while Dad worked away in his study so no one could interrupt him and Shane could never get out the door fast enough. He would rather spend time with his friends than stay home and spend time with his family. Don't get me wrong, I love my family, so much, it's just we aren't the most functional family in the world," Stephanie explained to him.
Chris could see the pain in her eyes when she mentioned her family. It really must have hurt her to leave them when she married Hunter.
"So you miss them huh?"
"They're my family, of course I miss them Chris. I miss the way my mom would hug me when I was leaving to go somewhere, I miss the way Shane always used to play tricks on me. Sure at the time I had been mad, but afterwards I couldn't help but laugh when I thought back. I miss the way my dad got way overprotective whenever a boy looked at me and with just one look he could intimidate them and make them scurry away," she told him quietly.
"So why don't you give them a call?" He asked her.
"Yeah call them, and say what Chris? Sorry for the past couple of years, I know I was a bitch, but my husband made me do it!" She asked sarcastically.
"How about the truth? They'll understand if you explain it to them, they still love you, so call them."
"What if they don't believe me? What if they think I'm not telling the truth?" Stephanie asked timidly.
"How about you call them up and ask if you can come visit them, and then we'll explain it when we get there?" He told her.
She smiled.
"Yeah, I like that idea."
Chris smiled down at her and then reached over and picked up the phone and handed it to her. She got up into a sitting position and looked at the phone.
"It's now or never Princess, do you want your family again?"
Stephanie looked at him as he stood up, and slowly walked out the room, giving her a encouraging look before leaving the room.
Stephanie looked at the phone for a minute longer and then slowly dialed the number she had memorized many years ago.
As she pressed the last digit, the ringing tone was all that she could hear. On the fifth ring it stopped.
"Hello?" A gruff voice answered.
"..." What can I say? She thought.
"Hello?" He asked again with a hint of impatience in his voice.
"Daddy?" She asked in a whisper.
"Stephanie? Is that you?" He asked, in a neutral tone.
"Yeah, Daddy it is,"
"Well, what can I do for you?"
"I miss you daddy, I miss you and mom so much!" She told him, he voice almost breaking.
"Baby girl, what's wrong?" Vince asked in a softer tone.
"I want come home, Daddy can I come home? Please?" She asked in a desperate tone.
"Of course you can! Where are you? Are you with Hunter? He's been looking for you."
"I'm at a friends house, he's going to be coming with me. Daddy please don't tell Hunter you've heard from me, please! He can't know, he can't find me!" Stephanie told him urgently.
"Why not? What's wrong? Are you ok?" Vince asked in a worried tone.
"Yes daddy, I'm ok. Now. I just need to explain my behavior to you and mom. I'm so sorry."
"It's ok sweetie," he told her.
"I'll see you soon daddy, I love you," Stephanie told him softly.
"I love you too Princess," He told her.
"Bye."
"Bye, sweetie."
As she hung up the phone, she realized that she felt better than she had in a long time, emotionally wise anyway and she had Chris to thank for all of it.
Just then the door opened and there he stood, her "White Knight." She stood up from her seat and walked over to him and hugged him. He was clearly surprised at first, but then wrapped his arm around her back and pulled her to him, savoring the feeling of her in his arms.
Stephanie reluctantly pulled away from him and gave him a grateful smile.
"Thank you, Chris."
"What for Steph?"
"For telling me to call my dad, he said I can come home! Isn't that great?" She told him excitedly.
"Of course it is Princess, I'm glad you're happy! When do you want to leave?"
"As soon as possible! Not that I don't love it here, I do. I really do. It's just I want to see my parents so badly!"
Chris smiled at her excitement.
"We'll go as soon as the weather lets up and we can actually leave the house without getting drowned."
She laughed.
"Oh yeah. I forgot about that!" Stephanie said disappointedly.
"It'll clear up soon and the we'll get the first plane out here, I promise." Chris told her hoping to cheer her up.
It worked, her face lit up and she started bouncing on the heels of her feet, excited that she would see her family soon. Once the excitement had passed, she walked up to Chris and gently took his hand in hers. She looked him in the eye and didn't start speaking until all of his attention was on her.
"Chris, I really want to thank you, I couldn't have done this without you. You have been so kind when you didn't need to be. You saved me, just as I was about to finally give up and you took me into your home. You are without a doubt the kindest person I have ever known and I have no idea how I am ever going to repay you. Thank you so much!" Stephanie told him with sincerity.
Chris smiled at her and pulled her closer to him, never breaking eye contact with her.
"You don't need to thank me Princess, and you don't need to repay me ever. Your safety is all I want, I am never going to let anyone harm you ever again, you don't deserve it and you never have. From now on I always going to protect you. I'll always be there for you. Whenever you need me. Night or day. Now and forever. I'm yours," Chris said to her softly.
Stephanie saw the look in his eyes and knew he wasn't lying to her. She couldn't help but be mesmerized by his piercing blue eyes; they were pulling her towards him. She felt herself inch closer and closer, and saw that he was doing the same, until finally they were almost nose to nose to each other and then there lips touched. It wasn't awkward and they didn't feel uncomfortable, no, it was perfect. It held everything they felt about each other. The pain they had once caused each other, the trust they had made and the passion that had yet to come.
Breathlessly they separated, and looked at each other, their flushed faces caused them to smile.
"To now and forever." Stephanie whispered to him, before she leaned in and brought their lips together once again.
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Her head lay in his lap, as they both sat in the front-room watching some silly cartoon on the t.v that made both of them laugh. He would occasionally run his fingers softly through her hair; he liked the way she would sigh contentedly every time he did it. The weather outside was miserable, the rain had started the night before and had yet to stop. It had gotten increasingly worse through the night. Then with the wind joining in, a storm warning had flashed across the television, warning everyone to stay indoors for the foreseeable future. It actually wasn't so bad being stuck at home, he was warm and he had great company.
His parents were in the kitchen where his dad was helping his mom make tonight's dinner, which he could already smell and was eagerly awaiting. Nothing was better than a home-cooked dinner, he thought, especially when it was steak and vegetables, his favourite. Scruffy was laying in front of the fire sleeping, like the lazy dog she was, and he had a beautiful girl right beside him. What more could he want? Well maybe a shot at the WWE Championship in a no disqualification match, where he could beat Hunter until he was a bloody messy and still win the title. Yeah, that'd be fun, he thought with a chuckle.
Stephanie turned her head and looked up at Chris, when she felt his chuckle vibrate through him. As she took in the look on his face she noted that he looked happy, almost content. She wondered what went on in that head of his, would she finally be able to solve the mystery that he was? She wondered if he ever thought of her, like she did with him. She hoped so.
"What are you thinking?" She asked simply.
Chris turned his attention away from the television and looked down at her.
"Nothing I haven't thought before, and probably will think again," Chris replied not giving away anything.
Stephanie frowned and glared at him jokingly.
"Way to avoid answering, come on, just tell me please?" Stephanie asked him with curiosity.
"Why do you wanna know Princess?" He asked her.
"Why do you not want to tell me?" She replied with a question.
"It wasn't anything important, really. I was just thinking that I'd rather be here with you and my parents, than be anywhere else right now," Chris replied.
Stephanie smiled at what he had said; he was such a nice person to be around, if only she had noticed that in the past. Maybe she would have had someone to protect her then as well as now.
"Yeah it is nice, warm and cozy, like a home should be," she told him as the smile that was on her face moments ago disappeared.
"Where'd the smile go Princess? What's wrong?" Chris asked her softly.
"I was just thinking, I've never had any of this. Not when I was with Hunter. We never sat in front of the t.v and just watched it quietly. My parents never helped each other cook dinner, that was always Mom's job while Dad worked away in his study so no one could interrupt him and Shane could never get out the door fast enough. He would rather spend time with his friends than stay home and spend time with his family. Don't get me wrong, I love my family, so much, it's just we aren't the most functional family in the world," Stephanie explained to him.
Chris could see the pain in her eyes when she mentioned her family. It really must have hurt her to leave them when she married Hunter.
"So you miss them huh?"
"They're my family, of course I miss them Chris. I miss the way my mom would hug me when I was leaving to go somewhere, I miss the way Shane always used to play tricks on me. Sure at the time I had been mad, but afterwards I couldn't help but laugh when I thought back. I miss the way my dad got way overprotective whenever a boy looked at me and with just one look he could intimidate them and make them scurry away," she told him quietly.
"So why don't you give them a call?" He asked her.
"Yeah call them, and say what Chris? Sorry for the past couple of years, I know I was a bitch, but my husband made me do it!" She asked sarcastically.
"How about the truth? They'll understand if you explain it to them, they still love you, so call them."
"What if they don't believe me? What if they think I'm not telling the truth?" Stephanie asked timidly.
"How about you call them up and ask if you can come visit them, and then we'll explain it when we get there?" He told her.
She smiled.
"Yeah, I like that idea."
Chris smiled down at her and then reached over and picked up the phone and handed it to her. She got up into a sitting position and looked at the phone.
"It's now or never Princess, do you want your family again?"
Stephanie looked at him as he stood up, and slowly walked out the room, giving her a encouraging look before leaving the room.
Stephanie looked at the phone for a minute longer and then slowly dialed the number she had memorized many years ago.
As she pressed the last digit, the ringing tone was all that she could hear. On the fifth ring it stopped.
"Hello?" A gruff voice answered.
"..." What can I say? She thought.
"Hello?" He asked again with a hint of impatience in his voice.
"Daddy?" She asked in a whisper.
"Stephanie? Is that you?" He asked, in a neutral tone.
"Yeah, Daddy it is,"
"Well, what can I do for you?"
"I miss you daddy, I miss you and mom so much!" She told him, he voice almost breaking.
"Baby girl, what's wrong?" Vince asked in a softer tone.
"I want come home, Daddy can I come home? Please?" She asked in a desperate tone.
"Of course you can! Where are you? Are you with Hunter? He's been looking for you."
"I'm at a friends house, he's going to be coming with me. Daddy please don't tell Hunter you've heard from me, please! He can't know, he can't find me!" Stephanie told him urgently.
"Why not? What's wrong? Are you ok?" Vince asked in a worried tone.
"Yes daddy, I'm ok. Now. I just need to explain my behavior to you and mom. I'm so sorry."
"It's ok sweetie," he told her.
"I'll see you soon daddy, I love you," Stephanie told him softly.
"I love you too Princess," He told her.
"Bye."
"Bye, sweetie."
As she hung up the phone, she realized that she felt better than she had in a long time, emotionally wise anyway and she had Chris to thank for all of it.
Just then the door opened and there he stood, her "White Knight." She stood up from her seat and walked over to him and hugged him. He was clearly surprised at first, but then wrapped his arm around her back and pulled her to him, savoring the feeling of her in his arms.
Stephanie reluctantly pulled away from him and gave him a grateful smile.
"Thank you, Chris."
"What for Steph?"
"For telling me to call my dad, he said I can come home! Isn't that great?" She told him excitedly.
"Of course it is Princess, I'm glad you're happy! When do you want to leave?"
"As soon as possible! Not that I don't love it here, I do. I really do. It's just I want to see my parents so badly!"
Chris smiled at her excitement.
"We'll go as soon as the weather lets up and we can actually leave the house without getting drowned."
She laughed.
"Oh yeah. I forgot about that!" Stephanie said disappointedly.
"It'll clear up soon and the we'll get the first plane out here, I promise." Chris told her hoping to cheer her up.
It worked, her face lit up and she started bouncing on the heels of her feet, excited that she would see her family soon. Once the excitement had passed, she walked up to Chris and gently took his hand in hers. She looked him in the eye and didn't start speaking until all of his attention was on her.
"Chris, I really want to thank you, I couldn't have done this without you. You have been so kind when you didn't need to be. You saved me, just as I was about to finally give up and you took me into your home. You are without a doubt the kindest person I have ever known and I have no idea how I am ever going to repay you. Thank you so much!" Stephanie told him with sincerity.
Chris smiled at her and pulled her closer to him, never breaking eye contact with her.
"You don't need to thank me Princess, and you don't need to repay me ever. Your safety is all I want, I am never going to let anyone harm you ever again, you don't deserve it and you never have. From now on I always going to protect you. I'll always be there for you. Whenever you need me. Night or day. Now and forever. I'm yours," Chris said to her softly.
Stephanie saw the look in his eyes and knew he wasn't lying to her. She couldn't help but be mesmerized by his piercing blue eyes; they were pulling her towards him. She felt herself inch closer and closer, and saw that he was doing the same, until finally they were almost nose to nose to each other and then there lips touched. It wasn't awkward and they didn't feel uncomfortable, no, it was perfect. It held everything they felt about each other. The pain they had once caused each other, the trust they had made and the passion that had yet to come.
Breathlessly they separated, and looked at each other, their flushed faces caused them to smile.
"To now and forever." Stephanie whispered to him, before she leaned in and brought their lips together once again.