Disclaimer: All characters are property of Vince McMahon, the WWE, or themselves. No money is made; it's strictly for fun!
A/N: I really and truly hope that everybody enjoying reading this story as much as I enjoyed writing it. Thanks to everybody for being so supportive but especially Jodi! If it weren't for you, Skittles, Home is Where The Home is never would have been posted. Thanks for being such a great friend. It means more to me than you will ever know;-)
Epilogue: 1 Year Later
Chris walked out on the front porch of his house with a smile on his face and a cup of coffee in his hand. He had gone through a lot of changes in the last year but he wouldn't change one thing. Everything was just perfect the way it was and he intended for it to stay that way.
He sighed as he sat down on the porch watching the sunset and sipping his coffee. The main thing was that the changes were for the better in a lot of ways for everybody in the town, not just Chris and Stephanie. He smiled, as he thought of the changes in town in the past year including the fact that the town finally had a name. After much discussion, it was voted on that the name of the town would be Redemption; a befitting name for the town if there ever was one.
Stephanie had finally found out about the land that Freddie had left her shortly after the whole kidnapping fiasco. After much discussion and debate, she decided she would go into the cattle business as long as Chris would let her keep the saloon. Her land joined Dave's land and the two of them were business partners now.
Chris smiled as he thought of the saloon. He would never let it be closed down. It was too special of a place for him and his wife, especially since they had gotten married there. Show was more than happy to take over running the place, which tickled Stephanie to no end. She was just happy to have Show continue to be a part of her life. To this day, she still felt guilty about Show taking a bullet for her. At the thought of his wife, the silly smile on his face just got wider.
How he had gotten so lucky and married that woman he didn't know but he thanked God each and every day for bringing that hard headed stubborn woman into his life. She completed him and made him whole. He chuckled to himself because he thought she was a sweet easy-going woman; boy, did he get fooled. She wasn't quite the angel that he thought she was but she was his angel and that was really all that mattered to him.
There comes a time in every man life's when he realizes that the best part of his life is yet to come. He felt that way every morning when he awoke with Stephanie asleep beside of him. Stephanie becoming his wife and sharing his life was the best thing that had ever happened to him. She was his reason for living and the only person who knew everything about him that there was to know. She had become his saving grace in a time when he had needed saving.
The courtship lasted all of six months; that was about how long it took for Linda to get back to town after Vince's trial. Vince wasn't hung but he did get a sentence of two years of hard labor on the railroad track; a befitting punishment if there ever was one. Taker thought he might get out early for good behavior but it all depended on Vince.
Chris grinned as he remembered the very second Linda got into town. He marched right up to Stephanie and told her that they were going to be married in two weeks. He had waited long enough for his bride and the other weddings that had taken place in the months before had made him even more anxious to marry Stephanie.
Randy and Lita had gotten married in a double ceremony with Kurt and Ivory. They got married right in front of the hotel. Randy got promoted to manager of the hotel while Lita took over the kitchen completely. She was limited what she could due right now due to the fact that she was expecting their first child. Lita was due any day now and Randy was as nervous as a bride on her wedding day.
Ivory was still there at the hotel but not near as much, especially now since she was expecting any day now too. It was an old running joke in the town that it was the first time in the town's history that two couples got married on the same day and conceived on the same night. Kurt was still the foreman of the old Evolution ranch, now called the D & L ranch, and even lived in Hunter's old house now with his new wife.
Dave had built his own house on the East Side of the property. The old house just carried to many bad memories for him to continue to live there. He had offered the house to Kurt rent free as a form of payment for having to deal with Hunter all of those years. Kurt was humbled by his boss and graciously accepted his offer, especially since he had a family of his own to take care of. Chris smiled a little wider as he looked out and saw Dave on his front porch.
Dave had buried his father shortly after Hunter's death. To Chris's knowledge, Dave never shed one single tear when his father died. His father's death had seemed to be more of a relief to him than anything else was. Ric still berated Dave every chance he got, even on his deathbed. Evidently Ric had finally drank himself to death mourning the loss of his precious son in less than a month after Hunter's death.
Dave had fell in love with the singer that finally showed up at the saloon: a very pretty blonde by the name of Lillian Garcia. Lillian was as sweet as they come and Dave fell for her hard. They had been married for about six months now and things were really looking up for Dave. He had become an outstanding member of the community after Hunter's death. It was great to finally have everybody see Dave the way Chris did, as a great friend and a good person.
Shane had moved to town right after his father's trial. He was now the proud owner of the bank and the properties that his father had bought up. He had brought Benoit in as a business partner and the two of them, while a strange pair, worked well together. He even kept on Orlando as his secretary. He was more than fair on his property prices, actually giving some of the properties back to their original owners. He was generous with his loans and made many hearts swoon to his mother's chagrin.
Linda was constantly on him about getting married but didn't push too hard. Her son had had to grow up fast and it was a chance for him to get back those missing years that he had spent going after his father. As long as he had been obsessed with it, it was time for him to have a little bit of time to himself.
John Bradshaw Layfield had been tried and hung for his crimes. Taker had watched the hanging personally. J.B. never admitted to any wrong doing and cried like a baby when they put the noose around his neck. He swore that he was innocent until they final hung him just so that he would shut up and quit his bellyaching.
Taker and Tajiri came by every chance they got which was quite often. Taker had been offered the job of Sheriff of Redemption but hadn't took it yet. Chris knew it was only a matter of time before he did. He could see that the big man was ready to settle down himself, even if Taker didn't want to admit that to anybody.
Christian, Trish, and Tomko had disappeared during the whole kidnapping fiasco as best anybody could really tell. The house that they lived in was empty and there was no sign of a struggle. Everybody thought they had just gotten tired of the small town life and moved on, much to the happiness of the town.
Stephanie walked out on the porch and saw her husband sitting there. She smiled as she thought of how he was just getting more and more handsome with age. She thanked God each and every day for the love of her life. She had always known that he was her soul mate but she never really understood what it meant until her wedding night. She grinned as the memory of that night popped in her head. She then felt a kick in her stomach.
Stephanie gasped out loud and put her hand on her stomach wishing her little child would quit wiggling so much. She had about four more months to go but she was ready. She had always wanted to be a mother and God was kind enough to bless her with that request. She slowly eased down beside of her husband.
"What are you doing?" Stephanie asked laying her head on her husband's shoulder.
Chris gently kissed his wife on the forehead. "I was sitting here thinking that my home will always be with you."
"What makes you say that?" Stephanie asked.
Chris smiled and put his arm around her shoulder. "Because sweetheart, home is where the heart is." He kissed her on her forehead again and turned to finish watching the sunset. For the first time in his life, Chris Jericho was home.