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 25, 2004

Chris Jericho smiled, his grin stretching from ear to ear as he stared down at the body of Triple H, the cocky bastard lying limp in the center of the ring. He felt a hand rest heavily on his shoulder and he turned his head slightly to see who it was.

"Thanks, Man." Randy said, slightly out of breath but smiling nonetheless.

"Not a problem." Chris answered, his eyes taking in the surrounding scene and the cheers of the crowd. He chuckled. "It's about time somebody did something."

Benoit nodded, slipping out of the ring and waiting for the other men. When they stood beside him, the older man turned to walk up the ramp. "We have to be on our toes from now on. We may have just gotten ourselves into something we can't handle."

"We can handle it." Randy said, a smile still on his face as he turned at the top of the ramp, outstretching his arms to taunt to the crowd and to the stirring Hunter in the ring. "We can handle anything."

Maven smiled, an equally pleased look on his face. "Oh yeah. We are so flying high."

Benoit glanced to his side, his eyes meeting that of his former tag team partner, his long time friend. Jericho offered an equally worried look. What grave had they just dug?

Jericho turned his eyes back to the ring, watching as Hunter staggered to his feet, a sinister glare, and angry fire burning strong. He knew that the other men had already walked behind the curtain and he had the sinking suspicion that Hunter had a new target.

Sighing, he walked behind the curtain and he smiled as he was accosted by a pair of delicate female hands.

"Chris, I can't believe you did what you just did," Trish said softly. "God, why did you do that? They're going to be after you now."

"I know," Chris answered, grabbing her hand and leading her down the corridor. "Come on. We've got to get out of here and fast."

"What are you trying to do? Are you trying to get yourself hurt? I mean, the way you brushed past Hunter when he was with that girl I ... it was like you were looking for a fight."

"I was." He said, nonchalantly, grabbing his bag from his locker room then taking her hand again as he rushed down the hall. "Where are your bags?"

"I put them in the car already," she responded. "But don't change the subject. Why were you so pissed? What's the matter with you?"

"Look can we talk about this later." He snapped.

Trish froze, pulling her hand from his.

Chris stopped, releasing a heavy breath as he turned to face her. "I'm sorry," he said, slowly, heartbroken at the look on her face. "I'm sorry, Honey. I didn't mean to snap. We just have to leave before they come after us."

She swallowed hard, offering a quick nod.

He sighed, stepping closer to her and tilting her chin up, his eyes meeting hers. "I'm sorry. Don't be upset. We'll talk back in the hotel, ok? Now Benoit was running to the garage to get our car. We all have to run and you're coming with me, ok? I don't want them anywhere near you."

"Ok," she answered quietly, a small smile pulling at her lips as she grabbed his hand.

"Wait a fucking minute!"

Jericho's eyes fired as he recognized the voice and he quickly dropped his bag, pushing the woman behind him, standing protectively in front of her. His eyes narrowed as he slouched slightly, preparing himself to defend and attack.

Dave Batista snarled, stalking to the two. "You're gonna get it, Jericho."

"No!" Trish cried, throwing herself in front of Jericho, her arms outstretched to stop him.

"Trish, no." Jericho argued, trying to push her out of the way, but Trish wouldn't move. And he didn't want to hurt her.

Dave stopped, standing only a few feet away as he eyed down the woman. "Trish, move."

"No," she said, resistant. "No, I can't let you hurt him."

"Real man standing behind your woman." Dave snarled.

When Chris would shove past her, she outstretched her arms. "Chris, don't." Her eyes saddened as she looked up at Dave, the big man meeting her eyes. "Dave, please." She paused, praying her eyes would say everything she couldn't. "Please."

Dave looked right through her, anger and rage prominent in his eyes. But then he sighed, closing his eyes a moment. And when they opened, a different look reflected. His eyes were soft, forgiving. "For you, Trish." He sighed, glancing behind him. "Run ... quick."

"Thank you, Dave." Trish said with sincerest conviction and she threw herself into the big man's arms, hugging him tightly for a moment. When she pulled back, her smile was bright and brilliant and there was even a tear glistening in her eye. "I knew you weren't a bad man. I knew it."

Dave's eyes narrowed on Jericho. "I didn't do this for you. And this is no contract of what will happen next week." His eyes met Trish's and they immediately softened, a gentle smile pulling at his lips and he reached out, touching the tiny woman's cheek with his large hand. "Get out of here, Sweetheart. They're not far behind me."

"Thank you," she said again, grabbing Jericho's hand and pulling him quickly down the hall. She smiled when she heard Dave call.

"They're not in the parking garage. Try the locker room!"

She raced down the hall, her speed a quick trot as she burst through the door to the garage.

"Wait," he panted. "Slow down, Baby."

She stopped looking back over her shoulder and a small smile pulled at her lips as he bent over, his hands on his knees as he tried to catch his breath. She combed her fingers through his hair. "What's this? No endurance?"

"Jesus, girl." He panted still, trying desperately to control his breath. "You're quick."

"Hmm," she cocked her head, a curious flirtatious smile on her face. "No man has ever told me that before."

Chris glanced up at her from his position and he laughed. "God, woman. You'll be the death of me."

She leaned down then, her smile brightly brilliant.

He sighed, his eyes softened and hazed as he looked on her. God, she was beautiful. That smile, those lips, those eyes. Oh, how he missed that smile.

She placed a soft kiss on the top of his head then grabbed his hand, standing tall to scan the parking lot. "Where's the car? Where's everyone?"

"I don't know," he answered, standing straight as he glanced around the lot. "Uhm ... over there." He pointed. "There's Benoit."

He led her to the car, opening the back door as he spotted Benoit at the wheel and Randy in the passenger seat. "Get in," he said, glancing over his shoulder. "Quick, Baby. I can see them. Benoit get outta here. I'll hold them off."

Trish reached out of the car, grabbing his arm as she tugged him into the backseat. She moved over as he fell into the seat, quickly shutting the door and Benoit sped off. She turned her head, looking out the back window.

Hunter stood in the center of the lot, screaming obscenities and wielding a sledge hammer. A sinister dangerous glare spread across his face as he swung that hammer, smashing the head into the hood of one of the other parked cars.

Trish's eyes widened as she looked to the man next to her. "You were going to stay behind? He'd have killed you."

Chris turned his head, his eyes sad as they focused on her. "And it would have kept him away from you."

"Chris," she breathed, reaching out to cup his face in her hands. "Chris, you listen to me. I never ... NEVER want you to risk yourself for me. Do you understand that?"

He nodded. "Yes." Then he licked his lips. "But that's not going to stop me."

Trish sighed. "Chris."

"Listen to me," he said, cupping her cheek in his hand a moment, letting his thumb brush along her lips then jaw. "What Benoit and I did tonight made us targets, ok? And I want you to listen carefully to me when I tell you that you have to stay away from me."

A look of complete hurt and rejection flickered in her eyes.

"Honey, you have to. I don't know what would happen if Hunter knew that he could get to us ... all of us ... through you."

"He's right, Sweetie." Randy said from the front of the car, addressing her over his shoulder. "We need you to stay clear from now on. We won tonight and it feels damn good. But Hunter is an angry man. And I wouldn't put it past him to go after you."

Trish swallowed hard, feeling tears well up in her eyes. "But ..."

"No 'buts', Sweetheart." Jericho said, softly, placing a finger on her lips to silence her. "No 'buts'. You will not be involved in this. I'd die before I let that happen."

"But, Chris." She argued and when he would silence her again she shook her head. "No, let me talk. I won't let you do this alone. I have a grudge against Hunter too. I have reasons for hating Evolution. Dave might not hate me but he hates you and I can't deal with that. And I can do something, anything. Even if it's just taking care of you, healing your wounds. Just holding you in my arms."

"Trishy,"

"No," she insisted. "All of you are acting like I can't handle myself and I can. I can handle myself and just let Hunter try to come after me. He'll have another thing coming."

Chris smiled, admiring the resilience she so fearlessly exposed. He moved closer to her, pulling the smaller woman into his arms and embracing her tightly, burying his face in her hair as he hugged her tightly. "Have I ever told you how adorable you are when you're stubborn?"

"I'm serious, Chris." She said softly into his ear. "I don't know what I'd do if they hurt you and I wasn't there." She pressed a soft kiss on the shell of his ear. "God, what would I do? At least if I'm by your side, I can take care of you. And Randy."

He sighed, tightening his arms as he nuzzled her neck, inhaling the sweet scent from her hair. "Mmmm, I want you to take care of me." A smile cracked at his lips. "Real good care of me."

She giggled, tightening her arms around his neck. "Will you let me help you? Let me be with you?"

He withheld a groan at the words though he knew she meant nothing sexual by them. "I can't say 'No' to you." He admitted. "You know that."

"So that means you'll let me help?"

"Of course." He answered, his voice on his breath. "But you have to promise me that you'll look out for yourself first."

She cupped his head, easing him back to look on his face, his lovely lovely face. "You know I can't promise that."

"I don't want you hurt."

"I'm a grown woman." Trish said, stroking her fingers across his brow. "And I want to help. And I'm gonna do every damn thing I can."

Chris sighed, pulling her into his arms again, hugging her tightly as he nuzzled her hair.

"I'm sorry you lost the belt, Chris." She whispered in his ear. "I still think you should have won. And that it should still be around your waist."

"I loved having the belt." He said. "But I'd much rather have you here than that belt around my waist."

She smiled at his honest confession. "Well you're still champ in my book."

"Hun?"

"Mmmm, what?"

He snuggled into her, pulling her closer into his embrace, uncaring of the two others that sat in the front seats. "Honey, I know how much you hated what you had to wear on Tuesday, but for what it's worth, I thought you looked beautiful."

"I looked like a whore," she said with a snort. "How could you say that?"

"Because you are beautiful." He said seriously, his voice low and deep. "You are the most beautiful thing in the world." He placed a hand on her thigh, rubbing down her leg then up again. "And you have the most gorgeous legs. And those thigh highs just absolutely made me wild."

Trish shivered.

Chris only smiled. "I know I'm probably overstepping my bounds to say this. But you ... wow, you were so gorgeous. But ... heh ... I'm serious when I say that you're beautiful. And you have such gorgeous eyes. And I could tell by looking into your pretty little eyes on Tuesday that you were absolutely horrified about dressing like that but I still think you looked beautiful. And no other woman is as beautiful as you."

"Oh, Chris," she sighed. "No one has ever said such beautiful things to me."

Randy chuckled. "So are you gonna kiss him after that?"

Benoit laughed. "Yeah, man. After that I don't know what woman wouldn't. Go ahead. We won't mind." He turned on the radio, fairly loud. "We won't hear you!"

Chris chuckled, nuzzling against her throat as he spoke so only she could hear. "You really are beautiful. And I think you looked amazing in that outfit. Though ... heh ... I thought you looked more amazing in that lingerie you wore as Lita's self proclaimed Maid of Honor. That took my breath away."

She tightened her arms around his neck.

"It did," he said, honestly, nuzzling his nose in her hair as he pressed his lips to her ear a few times. "God, you were the most gorgeous creature. And all those men ... hooting and hollering ... I just wanted to rip them all limb from limb." He shook his head slowly, kissing her ear again, this time slower and more sensual. "Mmm, but still, you were gorgeous. And I hated everyone of those men for acting that way. They don't know what they were screaming for. They don't lo ... know ... you."

Trish pressed closer to him, embracing him as tightly as she could. She knew what he almost said. She knew what he almost confessed. And it only made her love him more.

Chris couldn't keep the smile off his face though he was slightly nervous from almost slipping up. "So yeah, sorry if I made you feel weird but ..."

"Chris," she hummed. "Just so you know ..."

He pulled back from her, his head tilted so he could look in her eyes. "What?"

Her smile was brilliant and beaming, her eyes dancing as she cupped his face in her hands. "I still have that outfit."

His smile tweaked, seductively, as his eyes flickered.

"And who knows," she said, tickling a finger down his face to his chin. "Maybe ... you'll get a private showing one of these days."

"I'm holding you to that."

"I know," Trish answered, pulling him the final distance closer and kissing him softly.

(So remember, I like reviews. The more reviews, the more Chris/Trish I give you.)