Title: By My Side

Author: Crimson Coin

Disclaimer: I do not own the WWE or any mentioned wrestlers. They are merely used/borrowed for the purpose of this fictional story.

Rating: PG 13 – R, depending on the chapter

Summery: Continuing from Unstoppable and Endless Love. Will friends and love still flourish?

Timeline: October 2004 – present

October 11, 2004

Chris Jericho sighed, relaxing back into his couch as he tilted his head back, an icepack on both his neck and abs. He was already showered, clean, dressed and in so much pain. He slowly shook his head, rolling his eyes as he thought back over the evening.

Why was it that every person on this planet seemed to want to see him injured? Every week, it seemed that a new person tried to take his head off.

Chris chuckled. Ok. So maybe Dave Batista was the only man who wanted to decapitate him on every occasion. And Chris was not happy with that arrangement.

On the contrary, he hated spending week after week sitting in his locker room, icepacks adorning every part of his body. Truthfully, he was quite sick of this situation.

But nothing could be done about it. So Chris only sat there, content with the ice cold numbing of his pained muscles. His eyes fluttered as he did his best to relax through the pain.

The door slammed.

He jostled at the loud bang, wincing as the quick motion pulled at his taut muscles. He felt a rush of emotion flood his body as his eyes met hers.

Trish Stratus stood in the door frame, her eye intense as she held open that door. "I can't believe this." She stepped into the room, letting the door swing closed as she immediately approached him and knelt at his feet, staring up into his icy eyes. "I can't believe what people are always doing to you."

Jericho offered a weak smile, chuckling softly at her. "It comes with the territory. I have a belt. Everyone seems to want it."

"I have a belt too," Trish said softly. "And you don't see everyone in creation coming after me like they go after you. Even the World Champion has never had it so bad. They always say that 'everyone guns for you' when you're the World Champ. But I don't see Hunter going through the same thing you are. I don't even remember Benoit being this hurt all the time."

He offered a casual shrug, his eyes searching her beautiful face. He smiled. "I see you've become quite attached to wearing ripped shirts. You even wear them now when you're done for the night."

She couldn't help but smile in return, noting his conversational direction change. No fear, she'd bring it up again later. "Yes. I love my shirts all tattered like this. I think it makes me look more badass."

"Badass?" His brow rose with teasing. "Honey, they ain't thinking badass when they see you like that."

Trish narrowed her eyes, playful as she gazed up at him. "And what exactly are they thinking?"

"What do you think we're thinking?"

"I don't know." She teased, crossing her arms over her chest as she stood, leaning slightly into her hip. "Fill me in."

Chris blushed fiercely, ducking his head as he nervously licked his lips.

She laughed, walking away and to his duffel bag. "Do you need another ice pack? You look ready to go. Come on, let's get out of here." She turned to face him.

His eyes were narrowed, focused as he stared. A strange anger surged through him and he quickly stood, walking to her. "What's that?"

"Huh?" She shuddered when he was suddenly in front of her and she ducked her head.

"No no." He said quickly, reaching out and hooking a finger under her chin, forcing her to face him. "Let me see."

She closed her eyes, yearning to pull away but just could not bring herself to shrug away from his touch.

"Your jaw." He said, softly, tracing his fingers over the reddened mark. "That's from that kick isn't it. Stacy. Did you ice that? I saw that and I just ..."

"I'm fine." Trish said, swiftly, pulling away from him, letting her hair fall to the side and blocking her face from his sight. She didn't even acknowledge him as she straightened her clothes. "I'm fine. It's nothing. I ... I'm gonna go now."

Chris watched, shocked as she quickly ran from the room.

Jericho glanced back and forth down the streets of Manchester. He tried to catch Trish as soon as she left, but he was cornered by a group of fans. And he watched helpless as she disappeared through the crowds and down the darkened streets as he signed autographs and took some photos.

But now, staring down the street and the flashing neon lights of the bars, he couldn't get her out of his mind. This was the fifth street he'd searched and over about twenty bars. But he would not give up. He had to find her. And if he was lucky, he'd find her as soon as possible.

Chris walked into the first bar, his eyes searching quickly. A smile pulled at his lips. It was his lucky day. Someone was certainly smiling on him.

Trish sat in the corner of the bar in a small booth, a circular table in front of her. She was alone, her head ducked and a tall tumbler gripped in her tiny hands.

That smile still on his face, he walked to the bar. Grabbing his cold beer in one hand, he held it tightly as he could. Approaching her, he moved slowly so as not to frighten her. "This seat taken?"

Trish jumped, her eyes wide as she looked up. "Chris?"

His smile softened, sweetly as he slipped into the booth beside her, his eyes focused on her. "Do you know how many bars I've been in, looking for you?"

"You didn't have to." She said, lowly, taking a sip of her ale.

"I wanted to." He answered. "You ran off on me. So I had to find you. See how you were doing."

Chris gripped his beer tighter, his hand cold and chilling from the low temperature. She watched him, curious to his actions. "Why are you really here?"

"Maybe I'm worried about you." He said, cocking his head to look in her eyes. "Maybe I saw Stacy give you that hard kick in the jaw. And maybe I want to be worried about you for a change. Maybe I'm sick of being the center of attention and I want you ... to be the center of attention."

Trish flushed.

He offered a slight chuckle. "Oh come on, Sweetheart. You'd don't think I'd be concerned?"

"No, that's not it." She responded, still keeping her eyes away from his.

"I do care." He reaffirmed, reaching out with his free hand and he grabbed hers. She jumped at the touch but he didn't care, instead moved closer to her, pulling her hand close to him. "I care a lot." He whispered, letting her hand drop from his hold.

A smile tugged at the corner of her lips and she giggled, realizing he did that only to get closer. Not that she minded, on the contrary, she liked when he was close.

"So ..." he trailed off, finally releasing his beer and reaching out to cup her reddened jaw.

Trish shivered. "Ooo, that's cold."

Chris smiled, inching a little closer. "Well, you wouldn't give me a chance to put an icepack on it earlier. So I have to improvise."

She shivered again, chilling under his touch and her eyes wouldn't leave his. "It's just ... so cold."

His eyes softened, slightly worried. "Too cold?" He slowly pulled his hand away.

"No," she said quickly, placing her hand on the back of his and placing his palm back on her cheek and jaw.

His heart fluttered at her actions and his stomach swirled with the emotions that one action sparked. Everything finally felt right and he felt about to die.

Her eyes glistened with unspoken emotion, the intensity. "It's not a bad thing."

She was so lovely, her eyes sparkling with something he couldn't identify, but for the life of him he never wanted to lose it. He wanted to just keep it forever. Sighing contently, he stroked his thumb across her cheek then even slower towards her lips.

He shuddered when her eyes fluttered closed and she gently pursed her lips as his thumb trailed down her lips. He stopped then, letting his thumb pad linger on her lips, those soft succulently moist lips. His lips parted, as his eyes darkened with pleasure. He had to resist every urge to brush off the small table and have his way with her right then and there.

Trish's eyes slowly opened as she stopped the soft kiss, her lips relaxed and she watched with heated eyes as his thumb continued over her lips, pulling at that thick beautiful bottom lip and then releasing it before his pad rested on the center of her chin.

"I'm sorry." He apologized in a breathy whisper then lowered his chilled hand from her cheek. But then he raised the other. "You should never touch a woman ... with cold hands." He pressed that hand to her cheek.

Trish sighed, his hand so remarkably warm, his palm hot against her cheek and she couldn't help but nuzzle into the warmth. God, she forgot how warm this man was. How breathtakingly warm. His hands, his beautiful wondrous hands.

Her own hands were cold, her body cold all of a sudden, especially compared to his sudden welcomed warmth. She just wanted to wrap herself in, let him envelop her in such heart stopping warmth. She'd been so cold for far too long.

"Chris?"

He brushed his hot thumb along her lip and then scooched closer still. "What is it?"

She blinked once then twice, her eyes locked on his. "It's so cold."

"Not anymore." He breathed without hesitation, wrapping his other arm around her small body and he pulled her against him, engulfing her in his arms.

Trish sighed, snuggling into his arms and into his body. So warm, so deliciously warm. She wanted to wrap herself in his arms and never leave, just cuddle into his arms where nothing could hurt her, where she could forget everything except him.

He felt abundant joy as she curled further into him, burying her face into his chest for a few moments and he shuddered as she inhaled. He did the same, letting her distinct scent fill his lungs, fill his soul. God, how he loved this woman. She was all he needed, all he wanted.

She nearly died as his scent invaded her, enveloped her in something so pure and so comforting that she couldn't pinpoint what it was. But whatever it was, she never wanted it to leave.

He knew the embrace was extending longer than necessary, but he didn't care. From the feel, from the way she snuggled into him, her arms slipping around his waist, she didn't want him to go anywhere. And he had absolutely no problem with that.

(One more chapter down. WHY CAN'T THEY JUST KISS ALREADY!)