A/N: Again, I'm so sorry its taking me so long in between updates, but I've been so busy lately I literally have NO time to write. Thanks for sticking by the story even with the delays, I really appreciate it! Hope this chapter makes up for lost time!

Part 42

The hallway which had only minutes earlier been a scene of total chaos was now still. Anyone who would happen to pass through now would never have guessed that the silent corridor had just been full of insanity. The group of people that had filled that area just outside of Stephanie's hotel room had formed in front of the building, surrounded by swat cars.

From a safe distance, Stephanie watched - Chris, who had just joined the group, by her side - as Paul Levesque was shoved into the back of a squad car, the burly man all the while screaming obscenities at the officers arresting him. She had seen similar outbursts of his before; however, she was normally the one being hollered at. A wide grin lit up her face as two officers hopped in the car with Paul. They drove off, and when the car passed by them and Paul glared out at them in disgust, Stephanie's grin only widened.

"Take a good look at him, Steph," Chris spoke, squeezing her hand. "That's the last time you'll be seeing that bastard's mug for a long while."

She turned to her husband, offering him a smile as she threw her arms around him. Her grin was contagious, Chris discovered as a smile formed on his own lips as well. He wrapped his arms around her, placing a kiss to her collarbone as he rested his head on her shoulder.

"He won't be missed," she said, lifting her head a bit to gaze out at the car, which was now only a small dot in the distance as it sped away.

She tried to calm herself down, but she just couldn't. She was elated, absolutely ecstatic to know that Paul would finally be brought to justice. The ear-to-ear grin would just have to say.

"Come on," Chris said to her, pushing himself back a bit. "Let's get back inside."

Tossing one last glance in the direction the police car had driven in, Stephanie nodded. As the pair turned back to the hotel, the brunette's eyes widened, a gasp slipping from her lips as she bumped into the last person she thought she'd see.

-------------------------------------

Meanwhile, only about fifty yards away from where Stephanie and Chris stood, Trish sat on a bench, watching with tear-filled eyes as Randy shared some final words with Dave. Randy had asked him to stay just a day longer, but Dave had refused, insisting that he had already well overstayed his welcome since having been suspended only hours earlier.

She didn't want to interrupt their discussion - which was why she was sitting in the first place - but at the same time, it was breaking her heart. Both men looked so sad, their expressions alone tore her to pieces. Trish sighed as the two men said their final goodbye, for the time being at least. They locked arms in a tight embrace before Dave turned away to go to his car. His bags were already loaded in the trunk.

As he walked away, Dave shot one last peek over his shoulders... this time not at Randy, but at Trish. The single glimpse along encompassed every single emotion he had been feeling from the night Paul attacked Trish till that very moment. And though she would always be a little uneasy around him, Trish knew his heart was in the right place. She sent him a look in return that sad - despite the drama, the hurt, and all the betrayal she had once felt - all was forgiven. Everything was okay, and Dave smiled.

When Randy realized that Batista was not looking at him, he turned around, suddenly remembering that Trish was behind him. Taking a deep breath, he approached her, extending his hand. Trish took Randy's hand in hers, rising gingerly - her tailbone still ached like hell. They stared at each other in silence for a long moment, and then Randy pulled her to him. He locked her tightly in his arms, running his fingers through her soft blonde hair, and he sighed.

-------------------------------------

"Dad?" Stephanie breathed, her eyes widening in amazement.

Sure enough, her father stood before her, both of his hands in the pockets of his slacks. And if she didn't know him any better, she would have guessed that he looked guilty. Her brow raised curiously at the sigh of him... it was the first time she had stood face to face with him in so long.

From just behind her, her husband's eyes narrowed.

"Whatever it is you want, Vince, make it quick," Chris spoke through clenched teeth. "We don't have all day to stand around and chat with you, as much as I'm sure we'd love to."

Almost immediately after finishing his statement, Chris took a step forward, pulling on Stephanie's arm. To his surprise, the brunette didn't budge, her feet planted firmly on the ground.

When Vince saw that his daughter had frozen, he seized the opportunity to speak, worrying that if he didn't do so right away, he'd lose the chance.

"Please, Stephanie, I just want you to hear what I have to say," he pleaded, reaching out to her. "I think I have a lot of explaining to do."

As he placed his hand on her arm, Stephanie jerked back. Part of her was curious to hear what he had to say. There was no doubt in her mind that she deseved an explanation for the hell he put her through. But did he deserve the chance to explain? He had never given her a chance in her entire life. Did she really owe him anything?

"I'm not sure I want to hear your explanation," she said truthfully.

"Stephanie, please," Vince said, his tone sold imploring it almost sounded as though he would die if he didn't get the opportunity to speak with her. "I know how horribly I've messed up... I just want you to see that."

Though she was skeptical, Stephanie nodded her head. She wanted to hear him apologize. She wanted to hear him beg for forgiveness, so she could laugh right in his face the way he used to do to her.

"Okay, fine. I'll give you five minutes," she said, glancing down at her watch.

Vince exhaled loudly, the air releasing from his body with relief. Not wasting a moment of his time, he began to speak.

"Look, I know you're going to think I'm crazy, but I need you to forgive me, Steph," he said, looking her in the eye. "I know you don't want to, and I know I've done nothing to earn your forgiveness, but please... I only want you to see that, despite the way I've acted, I do love you..."

"Oh, this is precious..." Chris muttered, a little more loudly than he'd originally intended. Both Stephanie and her father heard his comment, and she sighed, turning to face him.

"Chris, just go back to the room... I'll meet you there soon," she instructed, pointing to the entrance of the hotel. Chris's eyes widened in shock, but he left her with Vince when she insisted he leave. "Go."

She turned back to Vince, eyeing him blankly. So many emotions were running through her at the moment, but she'd let none of them become noticeable.

"You were saying?"

"Oh, yes... I just... I need your forgiveness, Steph. Of all the things I've done to make people suffer, of all the people I've hurt in the past, you're the most important to me. You're my daughter... I don't know what I was thinking in trusting Paul over you," he insisted, his gaze lowering to the pavement.

"You're arrogant, Dad," Stephanie reminded him rather bluntly. "You like people who boost your ego and tell you everything you want to hear, and that's exactly what Paul did. I understand why you liked him. What I don't understand is what I did to make you disown me. Do you have any idea what it was like for me, to hear my father tell me I was an ungrateful bitch? To practically disown me? To back me so far into a corner that I had no other choice but to sabotage my own wedding?"

"I don't know..." was all he could come up with. There were no words that could ever justify all he had put her through. "I just don't know what I was thinking. I've done such horrible things to you, to our family... I know Shane will never speak to me again. Your mother will never love me the way she did when we met. But you, I feel like I still have a chance with you, Steph. I need to make things right between us, but I can't do so without your forgiveness."

He had a way with words, that was one thing of which Stephanie was certain. But you could never tell whether or not he was telling the truth. He had an uncanny ability to lie through his teeth, and at the same time inject enough emotion to make his statements believable. But not to her. She'd never believe another word that came from his mouth for the rest of her life.

"I don't know," she repeated his response to her previous statement, a little bit more hesitance in her own than in his.

"Stephanie," he begged once more. "I love you, and I'm so sorry. Please, just please forgive me."

She thought long and hard about it, and she was sure she stood in silence for even longer than the five minutes she had agreed to stay out there with him. He seemed genuine... but she could never know. She went back and forth for awhile, and then finally, she made up her mind. Come to think of it, she had probably known her answer all along.

"I love you too, Dad... but I'll never be able to forgive you."

Instead of waiting around for his response, Stephanie simply walked away. For the first time in her life, their roles had reversed. She had fought her entire life for her father's affection, and now that she finally had it, it was no longer worth it. Time had soured its appeal.

Still, as she stepped into the hotel lobby, a smile harbored on her face. One chapter of her life had closed, and another was about to open.