Chapter 5: Three Hurting Hearts

"Steph, wait up, will ya?" Shawn called as he hurried out of the restaurant right on Stephanie's heels.

"What now, Shawn?" Stephanie asked, exasperated. She stood on the sidewalk and glared at him disapprovingly. She folded her arms over her chest and waited impatiently for him to start talking.

"I'm sorry for what I said back there," he apologized. "I shouldn't have been so insensitive about your relationship with Chris."

"You're right. You shouldn't have been," she said meanly. She couldn't help the little mean note in her voice. What he'd said had hurt her feelings, and it had stung, mainly because deep down inside she had been wandering that exact same thing. Was it really over between her and Chris? What would she do if she really had to spend the rest of her life without the man she loved?

"I totally deserved it when you threw your drink in my face," he went on. "I mean, I waited so long to tell you how I felt. I don't know why I expected you to be happy about it."

"I don't know, either," she commented. She looked down at her watch. "Since this date is over, I'm going to head back to the hotel now."

"Mind if I catch a ride with you?" he asked carefully. "I caught a cab here."

"Fine, but don't try anything funny. Consider yourself warned," she said, walking the short distance over to where her limousine was waiting.

"Don't worry. I know you pack one hell of a mean slap," he replied with a little smile. He followed her over to the limo and insisted on opening the door for her. "After you, Princess."

She rolled her eyes and climbed into the limo. She sat down and he climbed in after her, taking a seat across from her. She thought about his little comment about her having one hell of a mean slap, and she starting laughing.

"Wow. To what do I owe this pleasure?" he asked, pleasantly surprised by this sudden outburst of sparkling laughter from the Princess.

"I slapped the hell out of Hunter earlier tonight," she said, laughing. "You just reminded me. It was hilarious!"

"You slapped Hunter? What did he do?" he asked curiously.

"He kissed my ass," she said simply.

"He kissed your ass and you slapped him for it?" he asked incredulously.

"Well, he was just being way too sarcastic about it," she said, shrugging.

"Ok, explain it to me from the beginning," he said, amused. Stephanie had slapped the hell out of Hunter? Hunter had kissed Stephanie's ass? This had to be an interesting story!

"I stepped out of the elevator on the way to the limo so I could head over to The Gardens..." She went on to tell him everything that had gone down with Hunter in the hotel's lobby. She made sure to recount the whole event in great detail, because she wanted to remember every single detail of how absolutely glorious it had felt to slap the hell out of Hunter...

"You are a mean woman," Shawn laughed when she finished, as the limo rolled to a slow stop. Apparently, they were back at the hotel, so he opened the door and held it, while helping her out at the same time. He closed the door and admired, for what had to be the hundredth time, the way the dress hugged her curves like a second layer of skin. Without a doubt, she was quite a beauty.

"What are you looking at?" Stephanie asked, annoyed when she noticed Shawn staring blankly at her body. Fourteen years ago, Shawn undressing her with his eyes would've made her feel absolutely great. Now, she only felt that great when Chris was the one undressing her with his beautiful blue eyes...

"You. Sorry," he replied, shaking his head to clear his head of the not-so-innocent thoughts he was currently having about her. "So..."

"So I guess this is goodnight," she said. "Goodnight, Shawn."

"At least let me walk you to your room," he pleaded almost pitifully.

"Fine, Shawn, but once again, don't try any funny stuff," she warned him. "Got it?"

"Yeah, I got it," he said, offering her his arm. He knew that even though he was starting to get "up there" in age, he was still quite the dashing image in a suit. He knew she wouldn't be able to resist at least holding on to his arm...and he was right.

"Ok," she said, more to herself then to him. She linked her arm through his, then smiled tentatively. This is just too weird, she thought. Too weird...

Upstairs on the fifth floor of the hotel, Chris was thinking of just how remarkably weird this whole situation was. Here he was, hiding behind some large fake plants at the end of the hallway, waiting, spying. He had been waiting there for nearly an hour, peeking out from between the leaves to see if anyone was coming. He had to know who Stephanie was on a date with. It was killing him. He had to know.

The idea of Stephanie out on a date with a man who wasn't him made him feel like scum. For the past two years, it had always been them going on dates together, going everywhere together. It was like they were attached at the hip, and more than often, attached at the lips. They were THE couple, the WWE's "it" couple. Chris and Stephanie. Stephanie and Chris. You couldn't have one without the other. Everyone was so used to seeing them together. Without her, a part of him was missing. She was his better half. Without her, he was nothing, and he knew it.

Maybe that was why he was hurting so bad.

"You can let my arm go now," came a teasing male voice from around the corner. Chris's ears perked up. He vaguely recognized the voice, but he couldn't put his finger on who it was just yet.

"You jerk. I'll let your arm go when I feel like it," came a sarcastic female voice. "As a matter of fact..." Chris held his breath. It was Stephanie's voice. He could recognize her voice anywhere and anytime.

"Ow!" the male exclaimed. "Do you have to grip it so tight?"

"It's your fault that I broke my heel when we were coming into the lobby," Stephanie said snidely. "I'll grip you as tight as I want to."

"That's what all the women say to me before they throw me against the wall and rape me," the male commented casually.

"Oh shut up, Shawn," Stephanie snapped as she and Shawn rounded the corner, but she couldn't help laughing a little.

Chris gasped silently, putting his hand over his mouth. Stephanie, his Stephanie, had gone on a date with Shawn Michaels. "Wow," he muttered dejectedly, leaning back against the wall. There was no way that he could possibly compete with Shawn Michaels for Stephanie's attention. He knew about Stephanie's history with Shawn, how she'd had a major crush on him when she was younger. He knew it was probably every woman's fantasy to be able to go out with the first guy she'd ever had a crush on and have him return her feelings.

"Is this your room?" Shawn asked, gesturing towards the door they had just stopped in front of.

"Well duh," Stephanie said. "Obviously it's my room if I'm standing in front of it and pulling out my card key."

"You're right," he said, smiling.

"Of course," she said. "I'm always right."

Chris stood there behind the fake plants feeling like he was going to die. He hadn't seen Stephanie since he'd dumped her the previous Friday, and his heart seemed to break all over again as he saw how breathtakingly beautiful she looked in her dress. She was like a goddess with her hair cascading over her shoulders in soft curls. She didn't look like the broken woman Vince said she was. And Shawn... He was wearing a pretty nice suit. Chris hated to admit it, but Shawn and Stephanie actually made a pretty good-looking couple. He swallowed hard and kept watching, feeling like he had been punched in the stomach. Hard.

"Hey, Steph, can I ask you for a little favor?" Shawn asked.

"If it's within reason," Stephanie said. "What do you want?"

"Well, since I was so nice, letting you hold on to my arm after you oh-so-gracefully broke the heel of your shoe-" he started.

"Once again, that was your fault," she interjected.

"Anyway, since I was so nice and gentlemanly tonight, can I..." He looked around quickly, then leaned over and whispered something into her ear, something that Chris couldn't hear, even though he strained his ears.

Stephanie looked down at Shawn's pants, then back up at him. "Do you have to? I mean, can't you wait?"

"I can't hold back anymore," Shawn groaned, putting one hand on her shoulder. "My body can't hold back like yours probably can when the need arises."

"Fine, but just this once," she grumbled, shrugging his hand off her shoulder before turning and opening the door. She stepped inside, then looked back at him. "Well? What are you waiting for? Come on in before somebody sees you!" She grabbed his arm and practically dragged him inside the room.

"Rough, Princess? I never knew it," he said with a loud laugh. "But I think I like it."

And that was the last thing Chris heard before Stephanie's room door closed. He stepped out from behind the artificial plants, unable to believe what he had just seen and heard. He wanted to go kick the door down, drag Shawn out, and kick his ass all over the city. He knew, if the way the two had been talking in the hallway was any indication, that they were probably about to go do something very physical, and it pissed him off. He was supposed to be the only one sleeping with Stephanie, because he was the one who loved her with all his heart. Not stupid, old man-whore Shawn Michaels...

He walked slowly down the hall, stopping in front of Stephanie's door. "Stephy," he whispered, touching the door softly. "I miss you... But you seem like you're finally happy with your old crush, so..." He bit his lip and slowly walked away. This sucked, and it was all Vince McMahon's fault. Vince had made his life miserable for the past few months, and he didn't understand, because Vince had been extremely supportive of his relationship with Stephanie in the beginning. But somewhere in the first year, Vince had changed. His main goal seemed to be for him to do everything in his power to make Chris a miserable man.

Chris could still remember when Vince had approached him with the first assignment. That first assignment had been more complicated than Chris had anticipated, and the consequences had been horrible. Blackmail, that's what Vince had threatened him with, manipulated him with threats. Blackmail. Unless he did more assignments, Stephanie would find out about... It didn't matter. He just couldn't let that come out, and he couldn't let Stephanie find out. Not that way... Not any way... So he had gotten dragged deeper and deeper into Vince's evil plans...

Chris stepped into the elevator and watched Stephanie's closed room door until the elevator doors closed. By the time he reached his floor, located one floor down, he was completely and utterly pissed. By the time he stepped out of the elevator and made his way to his room, only one thing was on his mind... Ok, maybe two: getting revenge on Vince McMahon and getting Stephanie back in the process.

Stephanie sat on the edge of the bed and took her shoes off. "Stupid shoe," she exclaimed, throwing the shoe with the broken heel in some random direction.

"Oh, careful there, Princess," Shawn said, leaning in the doorway of the adjoining bathroom. He bent down and picked up the shoe. "You could've hit me with this, and then I would've had to sue you dearly."

"Whatever. It's not like I don't have the money to pay for it," she said, holding the other shoe. "You're done here, right?"

"Yeah. Thanks for letting me come in to use the bathroom. I really couldn't hold it," he said, dropping the shoe and walking over to the bed. He sat down next to her, put his suit jacket down, and grinned impishly. "Who would've ever imagined it would come true? HBK and the Billion Dollar Princess in bed...together."

"Cut it out, Shawn," she said seriously. She didn't feel like joking around with him anymore, because now Chris was on her mind again. He was always on her mind, but even more so at night, and especially now because she couldn't have him. And she wanted him. Lord, did she want him!

"Guess that's my cue to leave," he said. He looked at her. "Look, tricking you into this date and then saying that you and Chris were over were both big mistakes on my part. I'm really sorry for hurting your feelings."

"Apology accepted," she said, looking at the shoe in her hands. "I shouldn't have thrown my drink in your face. It's just that I really miss Chris..."

"I get that." He touched her chin, then leaned over and kissed her lightly on the cheek. He stood up. "If I know Chris, he won't be able to stay away from you from you for very long. I don't know how the hell I did." They walked to the door.

"Later, Shawn," she said a minute later as she stood at the door to her room.

"Night, Princess," he said, then walked away feeling heavy-hearted and disappointed.

Stephanie closed the door and looked around. She was alone. No Chris to keep her company like he usually did on Monday nights after Raw. She still hadn't seen him since that previous Friday, and every second that she went without seeing him, she felt like she was missing a piece of herself. She could hardly breathe without him, however weird that sounded...

After her shower a bit later, she walked into the bedroom wearing an oversized Y2J "Larger Than Life" shirt. Oh, and he is larger than life, in more ways than one, she thought with a smile. Before she knew it, the tears were coming. Thoughts of Chris were bittersweet. She headed over to the bed and noticed, through her tears, that Shawn had forgotten his suit jacket. I'll give it to him tomorrow at the big meeting, she said to herself as she slipped into the bed.

She fell asleep with thoughts of Chris on her mind and tears on her pillow...

A floor above her, Shawn fell asleep reliving his first kiss with Stephanie in his mind...

And a floor below her, Chris fell asleep thinking of what Stephanie and Shawn were probably doing in her hotel room and wishing that he was in Shawn's place...

A/N: Took me forever to finish this chapter, but I'm already halfway done with the next chapter...