Guess what? I'm done!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I finally gave inspiration a kick in the behind. I just decided that I HAD to finish this, and I did! Yay! Thanks to everybody that stuck with this. Anyway, please leave a review when you're done, it will be very much appreciated. Later!

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The next day, everything was all sorted out. Vince was finally allowed into the room, and he finally got the answers that he desired about his daughter's condition. Upon discovering that there wasn't really anything wrong, they immediately moved Stephanie out of intensive care, but they put her in a room to keep an eye on for a while.

One person, however, had no idea what was happening, no idea that Stephanie was awake, safe, and healthy. One person was being plagued by nightmares. Nightmares that seemed all too real.

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Chris bolted awake as his nightmare finally reached its conclusion. He was panting, his mind reeling over the events of his dream. And yet he knew it wasn't just a dream; it had to be more than that. It always was with Stephanie. He didn't even have to think before he had gotten dressed and was headed out the door.

Chris stood in front of Stephanie's door in the hospital, hand paused over the door. He wasn't so sure he wanted to go in anymore. Maybe she was dead; maybe his dream was real. How else could he have known exactly what room she was in without asking? Maybe it wasn't really her room; maybe it was just a stupid feeling.

That fantasy was quickly shattered as Vince McMahon exited the room. He screeched to a halt when he saw Chris standing there, still frozen.

"Do you want something?"

No answer.

"This is mostly your fault, you know."

No answer.

"You can see her if you want. She's fine; she was just stressed. And starved. And dehydrated. And it's your fault."

A turn of the head, facing the other way.

"You should see her."

With that mysterious statement, Vince took off. Strange, yes, but stranger things have happened.

"Thank-you," Chris whispered to the empty space that had just recently been occupied by Vince.

He was right; it was her room. But she wasn't dead. Thank God. But then what about the dream? What was really going on? Only one way to find out. With a deep breath, Chris resigned himself and entered the room.

Stephanie's eyes darted over to Chris. While they started out with eagerness, they quickly repealed into icy coldness that sent chills to Chris's very core. When had Stephanie turned so hard? So cold? What had he done?

"What do you want?" she asked him, her voice completely void of any and all form of emotion.

Chris had no idea what to say. He didn't even know what he wanted to say. He just wanted to say something. Anything. He finally went with the obvious.

"Are you okay?"

"Of course."

"Really?"

"Yes."

Chris sighed. He wasn't getting anywhere. Clearly she was still angry with him. Although, Chris had to admit, she had every right to be mad. But that wasn't what was bothering him. What was bothering him was that she didn't actually seem angry. She seemed... empty. It was scary. Where had the Stephanie that some part of him had once, still did, love?

"I'm sorry," he managed to choke out, struggling to contain tears that were suddenly threatening his pride.

"For what?"

"For doing this. To you. I'm just... so sorry."

She laughed, a high bitter laugh that was full of resentment, cynicism, and cruelty. Why was Stephanie being this way? Surely this was the real dream. This just couldn't be.

"Don't give yourself the credit," she said. "You mean nothing."

"But..."

"Go. I don't ever want to think about you again. Don't ever bother me again."

"Stephanie..."

"Go."

"Steph..."

"Fine. I'll say this once, but we will never speak of it again. I love you Chris Jericho. I love you with all of my being. I hurt so much right now. I just hurt. Down to my bones. Every inch of my body, my heart, my soul. Pain. All because I love you, and you ridiculed that love. Never, ever come near me again. I'm going to do us both a favor. I'm going to disappear. I need the vacation anyway. I will disappear from your life, so I don't have to depend on you to disappear from mine. I am dead to you Chris, dead. And that's all I have to say about it."

The cold steel that had been Stephanie's manner just moments earlier had melted away into a trembling, crying, hurting little girl. It affected Chris more than any harsh words ever could. He took a step toward her, to say something, to comfort her, anything, but she instantly and almost instinctually coiled back. She was dead.

A tear slid down his cheek. He ignored the salty wetness, and he turned to leave. If she wanted him gone, fine. He would be gone. He froze as he reached the doorway.

"I love you too."

With that, he was gone. He didn't stay to see her reaction. Didn't want to. He couldn't bear to watch her suffer, especially knowing that it was his fault. He turned around the corner, nearly crashing with Kurt Angle as he did. He hurried past him, not eager for a conversation with anybody, let alone Kurt, at the moment.

Once he was past, he turned to watch Kurt enter the room. Stephanie positively lit up at his entrance, and Kurt closed the door.

Good. Maybe she was dead to him, but she wasn't dead to the world. She would be okay. Maybe he wouldn't, but she would. And that was all that mattered.

The End!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!