Disclaimer: I own none of the characters of this story. The WWE or themselves own them. No profit is being made from this story. It's purely for fun!
A/N: First off, a very special thanks to Nina, Jodi, and Liz. You three have been absolutely fantastic during this whole story with your reviews and kind words. You three will never know how much it meant to me so thank you very much;-) To all my other readers, thank you from the bottom of my heart for taking the time to read the story and review. We're coming to a close of Home is Where the Heart is.
Taker took a good hard look at the scum in front of him. He couldn't believe that Stephanie was his daughter. He shook his head. It was time for answers and he was going to get them one way or another. He was tired of the silence and decided it was time to make him talk. "Well Vince, how do you want to do this; the easy way or the hard way?" Taker asked while taking his gun and placing it underneath Vince's chin.
Vince swallowed hard and contemplated his answer. He knew he had been caught but there was only one outcome for him. He was going to die. It didn't matter if Taker pulled the trigger or hung him after his trial; he was going to die.
Did he want to die? Of course not, that was the last thing on his mind but Vince was a practical man. He always had been. Granted he was a cold-hearted man but he was practical. He also wanted to see his daughter one last time. A gleam showed in his eye as he spoke, "I'll tell you what you want to know if you'll let me talk to my daughter one last time."
Chris felt Stephanie's arms tighten around his waist as they rode back towards town. She was holding on to him tightly. It was almost like that if she were to let go of him, he would disappear forever. He knew a lot of it was her reaction to the fact that her father had been so close to her, way too close to her for either of their comfort. "Are you okay back there?"
Stephanie was quiet for a second before answering. "I'm scared." She had been running from her father for so long and to find out that he was there just brought back all those feelings of terror that she had tried so very hard to forget. The feelings were back with a vengeance and made her feel as though she was that little girl all over again.
"I know honey and I don't blame you but you've got to remember, he can't get to you," Chris said covering her hand on his waist with his own. "You've got me, Show, Benoit, and Dave right here telling you that he will never touch you again."
"I know," Stephanie said quietly. "I have just been scared of him for so long. You know, Show and I have fought to stay away from him for so long."
"It's okay, he can't touch you now," Chris said noticing that they were getting close to town. "Besides, we need to get ready for business. The sun will be down in a few hours and you know how busy the saloon gets at sundown."
Stephanie smiled as Chris kept rambling on about the saloon. She knew he was trying to take her mind off of things and she loved him all the more for it. She closed her eyes and laid her cheek against his back. She knew he was the man that she had waited her entire life for and she could hardly wait to spend the rest of her life with him.
Chris, Dave, Benoit, and Show stopped in front of the saloon. Dave and Benoit were tying their horses to the post while Show went inside to check the saloon when a stranger came walking up. He nodded his head at Dave and Benoit before speaking. "Chris?"
Chris turned his face towards Shane with a shocked look on his face. He wasn't expecting him so soon. He hadn't had time to tell Stephanie all that he had wanted to tell her. The fear in his eyes puzzled Shane until he noticed the brunette sitting behind him on the horse.
Stephanie opened her eyes and took a deep breath. She would know that particular voice anywhere. She slowly turned her head and said softly, "Shane?"
"Stephanie?" Shane said with his eyes widening in shock. "Is it really you?"
"Yeah, it's your sister boss and we need to talk," Chris said with fear in his eyes.
Taker had placed Vince in shackles and put him on one of Evolution's horses. He didn't really think Dave would mind too much and he knew Ric was still crying like a baby over his precious son. He shook his head and noticed that Vince was crying. He turned his head straight ahead.
"Regrets?" Taker said quietly not looking at the man that he had just arrested.
"A few," Vince said with the tears quietly falling down his face.
"Maybe you can fix a few things before it's too late," Taker said still looking straight ahead.
Vince nodded his head but didn't say a word. He had told Taker where the stolen payroll was and was nervous about seeing his daughter. He couldn't believe that he almost let that scum Hunter marry his daughter. He couldn't believe the things that he put his family thru. It was like watching his life flash before his eyes as he relived the mistakes on his past. All he could do now was hope to be forgiven for them before it was too late.
"I can't believe that you are really here," Stephanie said hugging her brother for the hundredth time. She closed her eyes and said a silent prayer. She had a lot to be thankful for and she was so very thankful for everything, especially seeing her brother again.
"Believe it sis," Shane said holding his sister while looking at Chris with gratitude in his eyes. He couldn't believe that he had his sister in his arms. He had worried about her since the moment he had sent her and Show away. He hated doing it but it was the only way to protect her from their father. The worst part was not having a clue as to where she was but he did it that way to keep her safe.
Show had heard Stephanie squeal and came running out of the saloon and into the street only to stop dead in his tracks when he saw who was holding Stephanie. He knew that out of all of her family, Shane was the one that she had missed the most. He finally walked over and tapped Shane on the shoulder.
Shane turned around and the smile on his face was all Show could see. His smile turned to a frown when he noticed Show's arm. "I'm glad to see you big guy but what in the hell happened to you?"
"It's a long story," Show said with a grin. "Don't worry, we'll talk later."
Chris walked around the corner and sat down in front of the saloon. Stephanie and Shane had a lot of catching up to do and he didn't want to interfere in that. He also didn't want to see the look on disappointment in Stephanie's eyes when she found out why he was really in town.
He had never planned on falling in love. That was the furthest thing from his mind when he got into town until he laid eyes on her for the first time. He gazed out into the town wondering what the future held for him now. Would Stephanie still love him or would she leave him?
Stephanie noticed Chris walking away. She quietly followed him noticing the strained look on his face. She smiled a little smile before she bent down and hugged Chris from behind. She knew that he was worried about how she would react to him knowing her brother and all the other secrets that he was keeping. Without him, she didn't know where she would be or what she would be doing. All she knew for sure was the man in her arms was the man for her. There was absolutely no denying it. She put her lips close to his ear. "I love you Chris Jericho."
Chris turned his head and kissed her softly on the lips. "I love you Stephanie McMahon. I've loved you from the very first moment that I laid eyes on you." He looked at her and saw nothing but his future. He saw his home, his children, and his happiness right there in her eyes.
Shane cleared his throat while Chris shot him a 'go to hell' look. He grinned at receiving the look. He had to play the part of big brother now and he was going to savor every moment of it. "What exactly are you intentions with my sister Chris?"
Chris stood up and wrapped his arms around her. For the first time in his life, everything felt good and right. He grinned at Shane. "I'm marrying your sister, with or without your blessings."
Shane laughed out loud and walked up to him to shake his hand. "Welcome to the family."
"Thanks," Chris said with a grin. "I'm glad that you feel that way."
Taker came into town slowly with a purpose. He was trying to give Vince enough time to figure out what he was going to say to his daughter. He could only imagine the torture that Vince had done to his children. He wasn't sure what was going to happen but he wasn't going to deny the man the opportunity to speak to his daughter one last time.
Vince's mind kept taking him back to the younger years of his kids. He remembered reading them to sleep each night and tucking them in wanting nothing but the best for them. He remembered holding Linda in his arms at their bedroom doors and watching them sleep while thanking the good Lord above for his many blessings.
What in the hell happened to him? Where did he go wrong? It came to him in a thought that stole his breath for a moment; he had gotten greedy. Having more than enough wasn't enough anymore; not for the one and only Vincent Kennedy McMahon. He silently admitted to himself something that he never thought he would do; having all the money in the world didn't make up for losing his family.
Vince noticed that Taker had grabbed his reins. He looked up seeing not just his daughter but his son as well, for the first time in years. He was shocked but pleased to see Shane standing with his sister. He looked at Taker and asked, "Can you take this off of me? I'm not going anywhere, I promise. I know that doesn't mean much but I want my kids to see me one last time without these."
Taker nodded his head and slid off the horse. He unshackled Vince and helped him down off the horse. Vince nodded his head and headed towards his children standing a few feet away from him.
Chris noticed Taker and Vince before the rest of them did. He couldn't help but feel a little sorry for Vince. He noticed the look on Vince's face and while it looked remorseful, he decided to wait before making any type of judgement. He tapped Shane on the shoulder and said, "Your father is coming this way."
Shane grabbed his sister, pulling her away from Chris inadvertently and put his arm around her protectively. He then turned to face the man that he had once known as his father. Finally, after all these years, it was finally over. Finally Shane would be able to close the book on his father forever.
Vince looked at his two children with pride and sorrow showing in his eyes. He couldn't help himself. Shane was handsome and Stephanie was beautiful. They both looked healthy and while not happy right then, he figured their lives had been good to them.
"Hello Shane, Stephanie," Vince said quietly not knowing what else to say.
"Hello dad," Stephanie said politely.
"Father," Shane said nodding his head.
Vince stood there for a moment just looking at them. They had changed so much and he had missed so much. With regret and love in his eyes, he spoke quietly to his children. "Look, I know I have no right to ask this. Lord knows that I've done some terrible things to the both of you but I have to ask you to forgive me," Vince said his honesty shining in his eyes for both of his children to see.
Shane and Stephanie stood there looking at their father with distrust in their eyes. It was understandable considering everything that he had put them thru. The little girl inside of Stephanie and the little boy inside of Shane desperately wanted to believe him but the adults standing before him just wasn't sure that they could. Suddenly a carriage came down the street and stopped in front of the saloon.
The driver jumped down off the rig and opened the door. He held out his hand and helped the woman out. Linda turned to him and said, "Thank you, thank you for everything."
"My pleasure ma'am," the driver said with a small smile. He then turned his attention away from his passenger and to his horses.
Stephanie's eyes widened when the passenger turned around and she got a good look at her face. "Mom?" Stephanie said with a hopeful look on her face.
Linda thought she heard her daughter's voice and slowly turned around. Her daughter was less than a few feet from her. She couldn't believe it. "Stephanie? Oh my God, Stephanie," Linda said running over to her daughter.
The two women were crying and hugging each other with joy at being in each other's arms. Linda closed her eyes and said a silent prayer to thank God for watching over her children when she wasn't able to. She pulled away and wiped the tears from her daughter's eyes. "You look so beautiful."
"Mom, you haven't changed a bit," Stephanie said with a grin. She turned to her brother and said, "Why didn't you tell me that she was coming?"
"I didn't know," Shane said with a shocked look on his face. "I'm glad to see you but Mom, what are you doing here?"
Linda looked at her son with an embarrassed look. She knew she had some explaining to do but she was so happy to see her kids that it really didn't matter why she was there. "I got worried when you left so suddenly. I found out where you were coming and had to make sure that you didn't do something foolish."
Vince stood there looking at the love of his life with adoring eyes. He couldn't believe that his wife, the mother of his children, was standing just a few feet away. He took in the reunion between his wife and daughter with a sense of relief. He knew that his family would be took care of now; Linda would see to that.
"Linda," Vince said quietly letting her know that he was there.
Linda's eyes widened as she looked at Stephanie and Shane. She knew that voice. She would know it anywhere. It was the voice in her dreams and the one in her nightmares. The voice of the man that she loved and hated. The voice that she never thought she would hear again. She slowly turned around and saw Vince standing there looking as handsome as ever.
Vince couldn't believe how well time had been to Linda considering everything that he had put her thru. She was and always would be a beautiful woman. "I'm so sorry," Vince said walking up to her slowly with tears running down his face. "I am so sorry for everything that I put you through."
Linda stood there watching the man she loved more than life itself walk towards her. She didn't feel any fear. She had looked into his eyes and saw the man she fell in love with. She slowly walked towards him with tears running down her face.
Vince opened his arms and Linda fell into them and grabbed on to him for dear life. Stephanie reached out and grabbed Shane when he started to move towards them. "This doesn't concern us. Let them be."
Shane looked at his sister's face and saw the acceptance of the situation at hand. He somehow knew that his father would not hurt them but old habits died hard. He had spent most of life trying to keep them away from the man that was now holding his mother in his arms.
Vince closed his eyes as he wrapped his arms around his wife. He never thought that he would see her again. Over and over, he whispered in her ear. "I'm so sorry. I love you. I've never stopped loving you."
Linda pulled back and looked at his face. The forgiveness in her eyes took his breath away. He couldn't believe what he was seeing until she spoke. "I've not always agreed with the things you did but I've always loved you Vince, always."
Vince gently kissed his wife on the lips and felt as though he had finally come home. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her body against his. Never in his wildest dreams would have thought that today was the day that all his 'real' dreams would come true. He pulled away from her with regret in her eyes. "I've got to answer for the things that I've done."
"I know," Linda said feeling the tears fall down her face. She knew that Vince had done some terrible things but he was her husband. Finally, after all this time, she finally felt at peace. He was her husband and she would stand by him. "What do you say we do it together this time?"
Vince smiled and kissed her on the forehead. She stood beside of him as he looked at Stephanie and Shane who were standing there with tears falling down their faces. "Kids, I'm so sorry for what I've done. Can you forgive me?"
Stephanie took the first step and walked up to her father. "I've hated you for a long time dad," watching her father's face as he flinched at the words coming out of her mouth. "But I always remembered how you were when I was a kid and you'd read to me at night. Do you remember those times daddy?"
"Yes I do," Vince said holding his arms out with more tears falling down his face.
After a moment's hesitation, Stephanie fell into her father's arms. They stood there for a minute, just holding each other wishing things had went differently. There was so much time lost never to be recovered again. Finally Stephanie pulled away and kissed her father's cheek. "I love you daddy," she whispered.
Vince kissed his daughter's cheek. "I love you too, my little Princess," he whispered watching his daughter bust out into tears all over again. It had been a long time since he had been given the chance to call his daughter that again and he relished in the fact that he had the opportunity to call her that one last time.
Shane stood there clenching his fists and unclenching them, fighting a battle against the man he was and the child he used to be. He finally walked over to his father and looked him straight in the eye, not sure what to say or do.
Vince released Stephanie and looked at the man his son had become. He also noticed his hands clenching and unclenching. He looked his son in the eye and said, "Do it. I know you want to hit me and I deserve it. Hit me son."
Shane made a fist with his hand. He grabbed his father by the coat and pulled his fist back intending to do just that when he glanced at his mother's face. He remembered her words floating thru his head. "I know what you are going to say and maybe he does deserve that but you don't. You don't deserve the guilt that you will feel if you do this."
Shane slowly brought his hand down and released his dad. He looked at his mom's face and saw the happiness radiating from it. He couldn't do it. He had dreamed of this moment for so long and now that the opportunity was there, he couldn't do it.
"I'm sorry son. I'm sorry that I made you grow up faster then what you should have. I'm so sorry for the horrible things that I have done," Vince said the sorrow on his face plainly evident for anybody to see. "I've always been proud of you, even when you were against me. I love you son."
Shane's eyes filled with tears but he couldn't let them fall. He quickly wiped them away with his hand. He looked into the eyes of the his father and said, "I forgive you." He held out his hand for his father to shake.
Vince slowly took his son's hand in his and shook it. He gripped it tightly and pulled Shane into his arms and held him. He could only hope that Shane wouldn't pull himself out of his arms. He only wanted to hold his son in his arms one last time.
Slowly but surely, Shane's arms found their way around his father. The tears that he had been holding in quietly fell across his cheeks. He finally whispered brokenly in his father's ear the last thing Vince ever expected to hear from his son. "I love you dad."
"I love you too son," Vince whispered quietly in Shane's ear.
Reluctantly Vince pulled away from his son's arms. He had his family back but it didn't make him happy. He knew Taker was standing over there waiting quietly for him. He had to right his wrongs and he had been given the opportunity to do just that. He turned to look at Taker and nodded his head.
Linda noticed the tall man moving towards her husband and felt a sense of panic. Vince noticed the look on her face and smiled. "Don't worry honey, everything will be alright. I promise."
Taker walked over and stood in front of Vince. "Are you ready to show me where it's at?"
"Yes sir," Vince said. "If you will, just follow me."
Vince started walking around the saloon and then to the very back of it. Stephanie, Shane, Linda, Chris, and Taker followed him quietly. Vince walked over to a strange looking wall and pushed on it. The wall slid sideways and a small opening appeared. "It's all in there," he said quietly looking at Taker.
Taker reached in with his hand and pulled out a bar of gold. He nodded at Chris to come help him. Slowly but surely, the gold was taken from the secret hiding place. Taker counted each one and was surprised to find them all there. He looked at Vince and asked, "Why did you steal it just to hide it?"
"I don't know. Maybe it was the thrill of it or the fact that I didn't really need it," Vince said with a look of regret on his face. "All my 'real' businesses are legit and always have been. Money was never the issue. Is it going to help me that it is all there?"
Taker took a moment before answering. "I think it will. The gold has never been returned in full before so I think there's a good chance of that. However, we do need to get a move on. I've got a camp outside of town with another prisoner that I'm taking in."
"I understand," Vince said turning back to his wife. "I've got to go."
"Now?" Linda asked with fear in her eyes. "You have to leave now?"
"Yes, it is time for me to be the man that you always knew that I was," Vince said quietly kissing her on the forehead. "I have to answer for what I've done."
Linda looked at Vince and smiled. "Then I'll come with you." She glanced at Taker with a determined look on her face. "I'm coming with him."
"Yes ma'am," Taker said with a small smile. He figured that there was no need to argue with her from the look on her face. He could let her ride with Vince. He knew in his gut that Vince was finished being a villain. He had finally learned that family was the most important thing.
"Mom, are you sure about this?" Shane asked. The concern on Shane's face was very real. His mother had been the one constant in his life. She had always been there for him and he didn't want to see her hurt anymore.
Linda smiled at her son. He was so protective over her and she loved him for it but she had to do this, not just for Vince but for herself as well. "I have to do this son. Don't you see? I've always loved your father and I don't know what's going to happen when he goes to trial. Besides, I won't be alone," Linda said nodding her head at Taker.
"Don't you worry about your mom boy, I'll take good care of her," Taker said with a small smile.
"Ok, if that's what you want," Shane said holding his mother tightly in his arms. "Just know that we're here if you need us."
"Always son," Linda said with tears running down her face. She turned to Stephanie and smiled. "My precious baby girl is all grown up now. I'm so proud of you. I'll be back as soon as everything is settled with your father."
"You have to mom," Stephanie said with tears running down her face. "I'm getting married soon and I'm going to need my mama at my wedding."
"What? Who are you marrying?" Linda asked with a surprised look on her face.
"That would be me ma'am," Chris said walking up beside of Stephanie. He held out his hand and said, "My name is Chris Jericho and I love your daughter."
Linda looked at the man holding his hand out and saw the love for her daughter shining in his eyes. She took his hand in hers and pulled him towards her so that she could take a better look. She smiled as she looked at Stephanie. "He's very handsome."
"I know," Stephanie said with a grin a mile long.
Linda turned her attention back to Chris. "Well, if you're going to marry my daughter, I guess we do need to get to know each other. Promise me that you won't get married until I get back to town. That is all I ask."
"I wouldn't have it any other way," Chris said with a smile releasing Linda's hand.
Taker held out his arm and Vince walked in front of him with Linda holding his hand. Everybody else slowly walked behind them wondering what the future held for Vince and Linda McMahon along with their children. Only time would tell.
The End………
NOT! Just kidding. We have one more to go and it's not really a chapter but an epilogue. While I was writing the story, this seemed like a perfect way to end it. Before you go screaming at me, wait until I post the epilogue. Then if you want to scream, you can! LOL! Thanks again for reading;-)