I couldn't wait to carry on writing this story! So here you guys. You know the usual disclaimer.


It had been about half an hour and Steph had been tied down by Batista's general chit-chat…the usual stuff that was starting to bore her. She was feeling incredibly guilty, her words to Jericho echoing in her head…

'I'll be right back.'

"Hey Dave, I'm just going to the ladies' room. I'll be back in a few minutes."

"Sure," he replied. He watched her disappear through the crowds, eagerly awaiting her return.

As she walked through the groups, someone elbowed her in the side. She was completely off guard and went flying several feet, landing on the floor. Unfortunately she also landed in a puddle of red wine that someone had dropped on the floor. In a daze, Stephanie looked up and saw Trish Stratus looking down at her.

'Did she push me?'

As Trish backed away from the scene, she saw a hand pass in front of her. She looked to see who was to help her up, it was her father. She took his hand and he lifted her up back onto her feet.

"Gosh Steph, fancy seeing you down there?"

"Hey Dad, it's nice to see you. I would hug you, but I wouldn't want to ruin your suit with my dirty dress."

He grinned at her and gave her a kiss on her forehead.

"Then I guess that will have to do for now. Now be a good girl and go clean yourself up."

Stephanie blushed at her father as she quickly made her way to the bathroom. She was just about shut the door when Stacy came in, seeing the whole thing, and offered to help sort herself out. As Stacy go to work with paper towels on Steph's dress and Steph desperately fixed her hair, a cubicle door opened and Trish appeared. Trish was looking down avoiding eye contact with her, but Trish could feel Steph's eyes burning her. The McMahon temper in Steph finally came to boiling point.

"Can you not even look at me?" Steph growled.

After a slight pause, Trish's eyes looked up from the sink to the mirror, where she looked into the reflected eyes of Stephanie.

"Trish, I doubt that we will ever be friends…in fact, I think I will always dislike you. But we can't carry on avoiding each other like this!"

"What do you expect from me, Ms McMahon?"

"For a start it would be nice if you could have the balls to look me in the eyes now and then! Are you too cowardly to do that? You have to resort to bitching about me but never to my face, push me down to the floor to get your personal kicks?"

Stacy, feeling awkward, tried to interrupt the explosive Stephanie…but Stephanie didn't even acknowledge her.

"YOU TOOK MY HUSBAND FROM ME!"

Trish shook her head at Stephanie. "You know, I hope you feel better now. It's been a long time since Paul left you, I can see that it's still hurting you. I'm doing my best to make it easier for you. I never bitch about you Steph and I didn't push you just now. But if you want to use those as reasons to yell at me instead of that third reason you just said, the one and only truth, then that's your problem…not mine!"

Trish turned her back and stormed out of the ladies' room, leaving Stephanie breathing heavily from the anger.

Stacy's voice was kind of squeaky, she didn't want to upset Stephanie anymore. "You know, I was trying to tell you. Eddie fell into you and knocked you down. He was quite drunk, Rey is taking him home. It wasn't Trish's fault."

Steph was left speechless. She felt so guilty that she made such a stupid mistake because of her feelings. She calmed herself and she made herself look good as new. Eventually she left the ladies' room, Batista was waiting for her outside.

"What took you so long?" he asked sarcastically.

"Well, why are you waiting out here for me? Don't you have anything better to do? You stalker!"

The pair laughed as they joined the rest of the party.


It was ten o'clock and the wrestler's had organised themselves into tables sat around the main hall, with a dance floor space. Stephanie had been having a wonderful night with Batista, although she hadn't been enjoying it as much as she hoped. Batista was funny, interesting, caring…but he wasn't Jericho. He was all Stephanie could think about. She just kept telling herself that it wasn't some sort of crush, that it was a deep friendship…and a concern over his recent heartache with his wife.

As Batista talked Steph looked over to Jericho's table. She could see him alone on the table, he looked fairly drunk. He was on the phone and she could hear his voice getting louder and louder, although she couldn't work out what he was saying.

"So Randy and I were in this club and Randy's with this girl but this guy comes over to me and says…"

"Look Dave, I'm having a really great evening. But I'm really worried about my friend over there," she pointed to Jericho. "He's pretty down and has spent most of the night alone. Do you mind if I go and check on him?"

At that instant feelings of jealousy arose in Dave. He couldn't say no to her, but he didn't want her to leave. He wanted to keep her near him, where she would be safe. But she was such a kind person, he knew she had to do what she had to do. He wished that he could just pluck up the courage and say to her…

'Stephanie McMahon I love you! You're the most amazing and beautiful woman I have ever let my eyes on. I know you are vulnerable at this time and you need someone to look after you. Well I want to look after you Steph. I need you Steph…just like you need me!'

Batista looked down at the table and sighed. "Of course Steph, you should go and check on him…it looks like he needs someone like you right now."

She took his chin in her hand and lifted his face so his eyes met hers. He couldn't help but smile as she smiled at him. She brought her face closer to his, his eyes closed…hoping to feel her lips on his. He was disappointed when he felt her lips softly touch his cheek. Her lips then moved next to his ear as she whispered to him.

"Thank you Dave, you really are a good man."

She got up at the table and left him, to be with Chris.


Chris watched as Stephanie walked across the dance floor towards her. His heart began to beat faster. He barely realised he was doing it, but he got up out of his seat and began walking towards her. His body couldn't wait to be near hers. He felt kind of stupid when they finally came together on the dance floor…why couldn't he have just sat and waited?

"I'm sorry I went away for so long…do you want to dance?" she asked him.

"I would really like that."

Chris let Stephanie make the first moves. Stephanie's arms wrapped around Chris' neck and Chris put his arms around her waist.

He tried to lighten the atmosphere between them. "You know, last time I ever had to put my arms around your waist I couldn't get my hands to join together!"

She sarcastically laughed at him. "Ha ha ha! Give me break, I was never that big!"

The pair swayed from side to side gently to the classical music being played. The tables were lit by candle light and the hall was surrounded by beautiful pink, blue and yellow roses. Stephanie found herself being absorbed by Chris and their surroundings. Chris, on the other hand, couldn't stop noticing all the people staring at them…Shane, Vince, Kennedy…Dave.

"Do you mind me asking Steph, is there something go on with you and Dave Batista."

Her head came off of his shoulder so she could look him in the eye.

"Well…we're actually on a blind date together tonight."

"Oh…because if looks could kill I'd be dead on this spot."

Stephanie, slightly confused, looked over to Dave. She noticed he was staring at them, but he had turned away as soon as he saw her looking.

"I wonder what his problem is?" Stephanie asked. "He seemed fine when I said I was coming to check on you."

"He has a crush on you."

Stephanie's body stopped moving and she looked Chris in the eyes again. "How do you know that?"

"Because I see the way he looks at you. It's how Paul used to look at you. It's how most of the single men in here are looking at you. It's the same way that I am looking at you right now."

Stephanie gulped and blushed at his intensity. Not knowing what to say she pulled him closer to her and rested her head on his shoulder again. Content in the moment, the pair swayed to the music for what seemed like an eternity. Stephanie eyes opened and she awakened from her trance as she heard her brother's voice.

He was stood on a platform with a microphone. He was really excited. Marissa was stood next to him.

"Ladies and gentlemen, I would like to thank you all for attending tonight. Tonight has been a great success and so far we have raised over $30,000 for various local charities…I think all of you out there deserve a round of applause."

Dave was quite happy that Stephanie had to finally let go of Chris so that she could clap her hands together.

"Wrestlemania XX111 is a little over a week away and I'm sure all of you wrestling are starting to get butterflies and goose bumps. Wrestlemania…the grand stage of them all, it's everyone's big chance to shine. And when I say everyone I mean everyone, all of you in this room tonight…whether you are a wrestler, a lawyer, a TV producer, the coffee girl…we all contribute to create this spectacular show. This year will be my first Wrestlemania where I have to take responsibility for all of you, but I'm not worried at all, because I know that all of you will never let me down.

The WWE is a finely tuned company that has been passed on from generation to generation. It was first started my grandfather, taken over by my father…now the torch has been passed to me. I look to Stephanie and I know that she will agree with me that it is a privilege and an honour to be a McMahon. As I look into the past of the WWE, I now want to turn to the future of the company. Wrestle mania always means a fresh start and a new beginning. Well, it will be a new beginning for me, as my wife has just told me. Not only am I to be a son and a brother in a traditional family…but I am to be a father as well."

Gasps filled the hall, soon followed by cheering and clapping. Marissa turned to Shane and threw her arms around him in happiness, giving him a big kiss on the cheek. Vince and Linda started to make their way up to the stage to congratulate their son. As for Stephanie, she just stood shocked. Her head was to the floor and she was deep in thought.

Chris turned to her. "Steph, are you OK?"

She looked up to him. "Yeah I'm fine…I've just realised something I should be doing."

Steph ran up to the stage and threw her arms around her brothers neck and gave him a kiss, to the shock of the rest of her family.

"Whoa Steph, slow down! What are you doing?" Shane squirmed.

"I'm so happy for you guys, but I'm so sorry, I have to go!"

"But…where? The night is still young?" Shane's pretty wife said.

"I'm going to the place where I'm supposed to be…I'm going to go be with my baby girl!"

Kennedy overheard her. "Steffie, I'll go get the limo for you. Are you sure you're ready to go?"

"Yes. The sooner then better." Steph turned to Shane. "I really miss Ella. I want to be with her."

"What about you're date?" Shane asked.

Steph looked to Dave who was looking pretty miserable sat at the table by himself. Remembering Chris' words she slowly made her way off the stage and towards his table.

"Hi Dave," she felt so bad leaving him, she couldn't look him in the eye. "I'm so sorry for doing this to you but I have to go."

Dave stood up, he was towering over her. For a moment she was almost frightened by his presence.

"Hey Steph, it's ok. Do you want me to take you home?" his voice was so soft and gentle, absolutely nothing like his appearance.

"No it's fine. Kennedy is going to take me. I just, I need to be with my daughter."

He smiled at her. "I understand."

He took her hand and led her to the door, partly because he was a gentleman, partly because he didn't want her to get the chance to say bye to Jericho. He was just about to ask her for a date when…

"I had a really good time tonight Dave, you are such a good friend. Maybe we could hang out some more backstage…maybe after Wrestlemania?"

Dave sighed. "I'd like that."

As the limo pulled up and the door opened for her she rushed her goodbyes with him. She stood on her toes and went to peck him on the cheek, but she felt his arms wrap around her to keep her balanced on her toes, his head turning so that her lips ended up on his.

The kiss was forced and Steph was shocked, but not disgusted. She loved having his arms wrapped around her…it reminded her of how Paul used to hold her. When she realised how wrong the kiss was, that it was making her think of her ex husband, she pulled away from him and he let go off her. She blushed, turned away from him and got into the limo as fast as she could. The door shut and Batista watched as Steph was driven away.

Dave couldn't stop thinking…Did I scare her away? Did I just make the biggest mistake of my life?


I hope you liked it guys! I'm moving back to Uni on Saturday and have lots of work to do...so I'm not sure when I'll be able to next update ,-( apologises now...i will update a.s.a.p.

take care! x