"So this is it, the night before the big day, the biggest day of your young life!"
"I'm not that young Stephers."
"Yeah, that's true," she told him, nodding. "But this is your big evening, I mean, the rehearsal dinner is done, everything is squared away, and you are now hours away from becoming Mr. Trish Stratus. This is HUGE Snooks!"
"I know!" he said, raising his voice to her decibel level. "I'm well aware of what tomorrow is. I have the day marked on my calendars with big arrows and hearts and stars and I couldn't miss it if I wanted to. I know what's happening tomorrow."
"Well, that's good, I'd hate to think that you didn't know what tomorrow was," she told him. "But you're okay right? I mean, no secondary judgments, no need to go sow oats, however wild they may be. No urge to jump off a tall building and think you're Spider-Man with the whole web in your wrists thing. Who would want webs in their wrists? Webs are gross, have you ever walked into a web and just felt so gross?"
"Yeah, it's creepy," he answered distractedly. "I do know what tomorrow is. Trish looked pretty tonight didn't she? She looked…so ready to get married, right?"
"Well, I'm not familiar with that particular emotion," Stephanie said, scrunching up her face a tiny bit. "But yeah, the bombshell looked as put-together as she usually does. She does clean up well, which is more than I can say for myself…I'd totally have toilet paper stuck to my shoe while I was walking down the aisle, I know I would."
Chris chuckled, but it didn't reach his eyes, "Yeah, but you wouldn't care, you never care about that kind of thing. You could probably have a bat stuck in your hair and not even care."
"Now what kind of bat would that be?" Stephanie asked. "Would it be like a baseball bat, because then I'd just play up like I was a prehistoric woman, you know with the bone in my hair. Or would it be like a living bat, because then I'd just be like Lily Munster."
"The living one," he informed her. "But either way, you wouldn't really care."
"No, I'm not like that, but I have complete faith that the blonde bombshell is going to be flawless tomorrow. I don't think she'd let herself walk down the aisle without looking the part of the beautiful bride."
"Yeah, she's like that," he said with a small smile.
"Okay, so what's the game-plan for tonight? We're going to go get drinks and then we're going to come up here and order up a ton of junk food, and then what, streak the lobby?" she asked as she settled herself cross-legged on his bed.
"Actually Stephers, I was hoping to have tonight to myself," he told her, turning to face her and looking at her imploringly, hoping that she would understand.
"By…yourself? Like in alone?"
"Well, that's usually what by yourself means, unless I guess, you're a conjoined twin and you have that other person right there all the time. That might be a little difficult to make some alone time. But since I have no person bodily attached to me, yeah, alone."
"But why?" Stephanie asked, giving him a pouty look. "I thought that we were going to spend your last night of freedom with each other. I mean, you do realize this is the last night, and I mean the LAST night that we can sleep in our adjoining rooms and talk to each other all night right? I don't think the blonde bombshell would appreciate getting woken up at three in the morning for some late-night hijinks."
"I know, but it's the night before my wedding, I think that I should spend it alone and gather my thoughts together, you know, get my vows in order. I have to be extra prepared for tomorrow, you have the rings right?"
"I have the rings, stop asking me Snooks, I swallowed them so that I could get past security at the airport, but don't worry, they should be coming back to us…soon," she winked. "Are you sure you want to spend tonight alone? It really is our last night together."
"Well it's not like we're having some illicit affair or anything, we'll still see each other, you promised."
"I know I promised, so don't be surprised to wake up and find me next to you…either that or a dead horse head, I'm not sure which one you're going to wake up with tomorrow," she shrugged as she got off his bed. "But if you really want to be alone, I can't stop you, I just want you to be okay for tomorrow, if that means my beautiful and wonderful presence won't be needed, then that's fine, I'll see you tomorrow."
"Yeah, you will," he said, pulling her into a backwards hug as he pulled her back into his chest and leaned his head onto her shoulder. "Tell me everything is going to work out, go off without a hitch."
"It will," she told him, patting his hand gently. "Snooks, you're Chris Jericho, you are the cockiest mofo alive, and you can do this. You know you can do this. It is a big step, but you're ready, you've been ready, and I'm so proud and happy for you."
"You are?"
"Yes," she told him honestly. "I'm proud to call you my best friend, and my soulmate. And I don't even believe in soulmates Snooks, but you're mine, see how that works, that doesn't make sense. But it's true. You're going to be great tomorrow, and I'm going to get to smile all pretty because one, we'll be taking tons of pictures, and two, you'll be off my back."
He laughed, "Save a dance for me?"
"Always. Now let me go before our bodies meld into one weird amalgamation. Then you really won't get your alone time."
Chris reluctantly let go of Stephanie and she turned to give him a proper hug. He let himself hug her for a little longer than perhaps he should have. Her body pressed into his, soft and supple against his own. He needed Stephanie's strength right now. He'd never admit it to anyone but her, but Stephanie was so much stronger than he was. She was strong and beautiful and she would go in there tomorrow and kick asses and take names.
"Okay, now you have a nice night, don't get bags under your eyes or I might have to break out some hemorrhoid cream to get rid of the swelling, and I don't think that Trish wants you smelling like Preparation H, oh man, that should be Hunter's new nickname."
"I like Asshole better," he said as he walked her to the door. He opened the door and was surprised to see his parents on the other side, his father poised to knock. "Mom, Dad, what are you doing here?"
"We just wanted to come see you, are you and Stephanie busy?" his mother asked.
"No, I was just leaving, Chris wants to be alone tonight," Stephanie told them. "He needs to reflect or something. Knock some sense into him Dad, okay?"
"We will," Loretta laughed. "Now you two are coming to breakfast tomorrow right, we want to have a nice family breakfast before the ceremony, just the four of us."
"Yeah, I'll be there Mom," Stephanie said.
"I don't know Mom," Chris said. "I'll call you in the morning."
"Well, I'm heading off," Stephanie said, giving Loretta and Ted a hug each. "Bye, sleep tight Snooks, and don't worry."
"Why are you worrying?" Loretta asked as she and Ted walked into the room as Chris closed the door. They took a seat on the couch as Chris leaned against the wall looking at them.
He shrugged, "Wedding jitters, you know how it is."
"Or is that you're finally realizing that there's someone better for you out there?" Ted asked, sending a knowing look to Loretta who smiled.
"Mom," Chris warned. "I'm just nervous, weren't you guys nervous before you got married? I mean, you had to at least be a little nervous."
"Of course," Ted said, "but once you see your bride, everything else kind of disappears. That's when you really know that, that person is the one that you're supposed to be with for the rest of your life. When Trish appears at the end of that aisle with a smile on her face, you'll know. You'll know and you'll be so sure of your decision. And if you panic, Stephanie will be right there to reassure you."
"Yeah, I guess once I see her, everything is going to be fine," Chris said. "It's just this is a big thing right?"
"It is a big thing, but it doesn't have to be so scary," Loretta told her son. "Chris, you just have to be sure of yourself, and I know that you have it in you to be sure of yourself. I know that you are going to make a great husband and somewhere down the road, a great father, if that's in the cards for you. You're a great man Chris."
"Thanks Mom, I guess I just have to get over this nervousness, I'm sure that I'll be ready to go tomorrow. If I don't show up for breakfast tomorrow, I'm just getting ready."
"Okay sweetie," his mother said, getting up and giving him a hug. "Don't worry, tomorrow is going to be one of the most special days of your life and you are going to be so happy. I know it."
"Thanks," Chris said as he watched his parents leave his room and leave him all alone. Loretta and Ted walked down the hallway to the elevator to their own room. Once they were inside the elevator, Ted looked over at his wife.
"So tell me, how much did you just want to tell him that you want him with Stephanie?" Ted asked.
"I resisted the urge," Loretta said. "We can't make their lives for them Teddy. We can't make them see what we see. Maybe they're right and we're wrong. Maybe they are just friends and that's it, nothing more. Maybe we just love Stephanie so much that we want her to be our daughter by any means necessary."
"Do you honestly believe that?"
She sighed, "No, do you?"
"Nope."
Stephanie adjusted her tie in front of the mirror. She had went ahead and gotten a suit for the occasion. She didn't really want to wear that dress that she had bought. It would probably just remind Chris if that kiss that they had shared, and she wasn't sure that should be the image that passes through his mind when he was waiting for his future bride. Chris had called her that morning and she was told to meet him at the church. She shrugged and figured he just needed time. She brushed out her hair, not knowing how to wear it and planning to ask Chris what he thought later.
She went downstairs and got in her rental car to go to the church where the ceremony was being held. The wedding itself was in Toronto, Trish's hometown, and actually a place that Chris and Stephanie visited frequently, even before he had started dating Trish. She was familiar with the area and drove to the church rather effortlessly. There were some people milling about already, ready to go inside, and she knew that Trish and her bridesmaids were here, getting ready. There was a place for them in the rectory to get ready and instead of having to travel in her dress, Trish had decided to just get ready here.
Stephanie looked up at the church and smiled. She was so happy for her best friend. She was practically bursting from happiness for him. She might explode with happiness by the time this day was over. Either that or end up in some random guy's bed, and she only hoped that whatever random guy she was hot…and not Hunter…or Randy. She giggled to herself as she walked inside, wandering around to see if she could find Chris anywhere.
"Excuse me, can I help you?" a woman said.
"Oh, I'm sorry, I was looking for the groom."
"Oh, okay," she said. "I'm the wedding planner's assistant and you would be…"
"The best man," she answered, and the woman gave her a strange look, then it dawned on her.
"Oh yeah, my boss told me that was the special circumstance in this case, well, we have a room sanctioned, let me show you the way," the woman said as she led Stephanie to a small room off to the side of the church. "The groom isn't here yet, but sit tight okay."
"Thanks," Stephanie said as she sat down in one of the chairs, leaning back against the wall. She thought about how things were going to change after this. She wondered how often she would get to see Chris now. Well, she wouldn't see him for the next week since he and Trish were going to Venice for their honeymoon. But after that, things were going to be so different. She didn't know how different they would be.
She closed her eyes, and somehow, fell asleep right then and there. It wasn't until the door flung open, hitting the wall hard that she even woke up. She looked startled as Trish came into the room, her bridesmaids behind her along with her mother. Stephanie stood up and looked around, wondering what the hell was going on.
"Where is he?" Trish demanded.
"What? What are you talking about?" Stephanie asked.
"Everyone and their mother has been looking around Chris, and he's nowhere to be found. Everyone was looking except you Stephanie, and you always know where Chris is, so where is he?"
"Chris is gone?" Stephanie asked.
"Yes, the wedding is supposed to start in five minutes and nobody even knows where he is!" Trish said. "I don't even…I don't know what to do." She started to tear up and her sister took her into her arms and held the sobbing bride, all decked out in her dress and everything.
"Trish, I swear, I don't know where Chris is, but I'll help you look," she told the blonde. "I swear I will."
She pushed past everyone who had come to interrogate her and she went out into the daylight. She didn't know where Chris was, but she had a really good feeling about where he might be. She got back into her car and started the engine, everyone looking distraught as she left them all behind. She had a mission now and she knew that mission was clear.
Find Chris.