Hey everyone. I hope you all had a good New Year. I'm all settled in my new place and my new job and I'm ready to get back to some serious writing. Hope you all like it. Happy reading.

Friday October 25 noon

Mark walked down the hall of the arena, his gaze searching the rooms he passed. Turning a corner he continued to search the maze of hallways.

"Mark." Vince called from behind him.

Impatiently he turned and waited for the older man to catch up. "What's up?"

"Paul told me about his suspicions." McMahon started, looking around to make sure no one was listening. "Do you really think Jayden is capable of doing this?" He asked gravely.

Mark frowned, silently cursing Paul. "Vince, I've only met her a few times. She's a childhood friend of your children. Wouldn't you have a better idea than me?"

Vince waved the words away. "I didn't pay any attention to their friends. I know, I was a bad parent." He said in response to the other man's look. "Do you think I need to take legal action against her?" He asked.

"Vince," Mark said exasperated. "We have no proof that she's the one doing anything. And besides, what are you going to charge her with? Sending ugly presents?"

"How about stalking and harassment?" The older man shot back. "I won't have her doing this to my daughter."

"We don't know she is doing it." Mark threw up his hands in irritation.

"But you're investigating her aren't you?" Vince persisted.

Mark shook his head in frustration. "Have you seen Dave?" He asked instead.

"Are you going to question him about Jayden?" Vince asked excitedly. "If he's been sleeping with her he'll lie to cover for her. If he does that I might be forced to fire him." He continued thoughtfully.

"Actually I was wanting to talk to him about the show tonight." Mark said slowly not believing what he was hearing.

"What? Oh of course. He's around here somewhere." Vince gestured vaguely. "If you happen to ask him about his girlfriend I want a report. Could he have been in on it?" He asked him self as he walked away.

Mark shook his head as he watched his friend go down the walkway. "He's going to be organizing a manhunt soon." He muttered to himself before continuing down the hall.

Fifteen minutes later he gritted his teeth as he searched room after endless room. "Does this place have a damn intercom? He growled looking around.

"Ari, you remember Mark? My strange friend who likes to talk to himself?" A voice drawled from behind him. He swung around to see an amused John.

"Short fuse." He warned the young man before turning to smile down at the little girl. "So you decided to drag your old man back to work."

"He didn't want to come back." She confided. Mark glanced over at the embarrassed John.

John rolled his shoulders. "I didn't leave on my vacation on good terms. They'll probably have me jobbing for the next year."

Mark laughed. "I haven't heard what they have planned but somehow I really don't think it's going to be that."

"I have a meeting with the story people this afternoon." He admitted shrugging.

Mark grimaced at the thought. "Just make sure you don't let them put you into a clown suit. Most of their ideas these days aren't worth shit." He glanced over to where Ari was poking around curiously. "You need anyone to run heard on the midget let me know."

John smiled. "Thanks mark. The next couple of weeks are going to be hard, trying to figure everything out." His eyes tracked the quick moving girl. "Ari, too far." He called out when she rounded a corner.

Bouncing back she frowned up at him. "I told you I have to be able to see you." He admonished.

"It may be harder having her here than you think." Mark said gravely once she was out of earshot.

Raising his eyebrows John waited for the older man to explain.

"Everybody heard what happened." Mark began shifting his stance. "Not everyone approves of you having custody of a young girl. They don't feel you're a good role model."

"Are you one of them?" John asked, staring off in to space thoughtfully.

Mark snorted. "Are you kidding? I think she's the best thing that happened to you. It made you grow up."

"Are you saying I was immature?" The younger man quipped.

Laughing Mark clapped a hand on his shoulder. "You're still immature but it's getting better." He said causing John to chuckle.

"But seriously." The older man said sobering. "Don't pay attention to any of the talk. You're a good father and Ari's lucky to have you."

"Thanks Mark." John responded touched.

"Are we ready yet?" Ari asked popping up between them and ruining the moment.

John laughed as he tugged on her hair. "In a minute."

"I'm bored." She whined looking around the empty hallway.

"Where's your PSP?" John asked exasperated.

"In the car." She answered shrugging. John rolled his eyes as she began skipping around them.

"You haven't seen Dave have you?" Mark asked.

John frowned thoughtfully as he reached out to stop his daughter's exuberant movement. "I don't think he's here yet. He missed the plane this morning."

"He didn't fly over with you all?" Mark asked surprised.

"No. And he didn't answer when Randy tried to call him from the airport. Course he might not have answered because it was Randy."

Mark groaned. "What happened now?"

John explained about the car-towing incident. "Sometimes I just want to tell Randy to grow up."

Mark burst out laughing. "John, how many times have I had to tell you to grow up?"

"Bite me." John responded.

Mark was interrupted from retorting by Ari tugging on her father's arm. "Daddy, can we go meet everyone now?" She asked trying to tug him down the hallway.

"I'll catch you later." John muttered eyeing his daughter with mild irritation. "You know," He started pulling her back until she was even with him. "This is where I work. I have to spend time talking to people."

"Can you at least do it in a room where there's a TV?" She asked gazing up at him and causing him to laugh.

"Here's the fist locker room. Let me check and make sure its okay to go in. Stay put." He warned as he ducked into the room.

Inside he spotted several of his acquaintances. "Hey." He called out in greeting.

"Hey man." Shelton responded, losing his grin as the other occupants of the room glared their displeasure.

John glanced around the room reading their expressions. "Somebody what to explain what I did wrong?" He asked going from face to face. Adam Copeland continued to openly glare while others shifted their eyes, uncomfortable with the tension in the room. Shelton shrugged in embarrassment.

"Whatever." John muttered swinging out of the room.

Shelton caught up with him outside the door. "Adam's just jealous and he's been talking a lot of shit and getting everyone stirred up."

John looked at him in confusion. "Jealous? What, does he want a kid too?"

Shelton laughed. "There had been rumors that you're getting a title shot, wwe title. Adam's not too happy about that and he's been running his mouth."

"A title shot huh?" John asked grinning as his spirits lifted.

"So where is the prodigal daughter?" Shelton asked looking around.

John's eyes went wide as he whipped around in a circle. "Oh shit." Calling her name he rushed down the hall with Shelton in pursuit. Rounding the corner he came to a sudden stop. Shelton had to turn to the side to avoid hitting him in the back.

Ari grinned from her position on the floor. "Look Daddy, a puppy dog. His name is Chloe."

Torrie Wilson looked up from where she was holding the dog. "He won't bite." He said eyeing the stern face.

"Ari." John started, ignoring the blonde. "Where did I tell you to stay?"

"In front of the door." She answered absently as she played with the dog.

"Arianna, what did I tell you?" He responded in a low voice.

Ari looked up at the tone. "Are you mad?" She asked. When he nodded she sighed and stood, stuffing her hands in her pockets. "I'm sorry I wondered off where you couldn't find me." She said dutifully, causing her father's lips to twitch.

Torrie looked worried as she stood up with the dog in her arms. "Sorry." She mouthed looking chagrinned. John waved her apology off. "You've met Torrie and Chloe." He said turning to his daughter. "This is Shelton." He indicated the ginning man behind him.

Ari's eyes opened wide. "You're Randy's friend. The one that plays the practical jokes."

John frowned down at his daughter while Shelton laughed. "Just what has Randy been telling you?" He asked.

She shrugged. "Not much." She answered.

Looker Room

Walking into the room they had grabbed for their use Mark spotted Randy sprawled out on a couch. "You okay?" Mark asked pushing his feet off to sit down.

"Just thinking." The younger man replied sitting up on the couch.

"You do enough of that you might actually get smart." Mark drawled. Concerned when Randy let the barb go unanswered Mark poked him in the shoulder. "What were you thinking about?"

Randy sighed. "Nothing." He mumbled jerking his shoulder.

"Did you get a hold of Dave?" Mark asked watching him closely.

Randy's shoulders slumped even more. "No. Journey said he didn't come home last night. Part of her is worried and park of her thinks he got some last night." He answered giving a little laugh.

"Has she tried to contact him?" Mark asked thoughtfully.

"Yea. But she said when he slammed out of the house yesterday he was mad at her too. Maybe he's just tired of all the shit and is avoiding us."

"Well he's not mad at me. At least not yet." He muttered as he pulled out his phone. Dialing a number he listened to the repeated rings. Grim he hit the end button and dialed a second number. "Paul." He said when the other end was answered. "Have you seen Dave lately?"

"Not personally. He and Jayden stopped by Steph's room last night. Why, what's going on?"

Mark sighed. "He didn't show up for the plane and he's not answering his phone. No one has seen him since last night."

"He was with Jayden. Maybe she did something to him." Paul said worriedly.

Mark closed his eyes in frustration. "You're crazy. Fatherhood has addled your brain. I seriously doubt that Jayden who weighs what, 120-130, could do any serious damage to the animal Batista." He scoffed.

"Don't you ever watch CSI? There are tons of ways to hurt someone besides attacking them physically." Paul argued.

"Unha. If you see him tell him we're looking for him. And stay away form Jayden." He warned as an afterthought.

Growling in frustration he snapped the phone shut and met Randy's curious stare.

"Why would Jayden want to hurt Dave?" The younger man asked.

"She wouldn't. It's all in Paul's imagineation." Mark said in disgust.

"But why would he think that?" He persisted.

"Its this thing with Steph. Jayden's been around for every step so Paul's latched onto her." Mark explained in an off handed way.

"What thing with Steph?" Randy asked carefully.

"Her stalker, the one that has been sending her gruesome gifts." Mark explained. "I just found out about it myself. Paul's been pigheaded and thought he could handle everything on his own. Sound like someone?" He asked pointedly.

"And Paul thinks its Jayden?" Randy asked intrigued.

"Like I said he's being pigheaded." Mark said in disgust.

Hospital.

"Hi," Paul said sticking his head in the door. "Is it safe to come in or do I need to come bearing gifts." He asked.

Steph smiled and motioned him in. "Thanks to you I finally got a chocolate fix and now I'm in a much better mood." She said sitting up to kiss him.

"Are you feeling okay?" Paul asked stilling on the bed next to her.

"I'm okay today. I had some pains last night." She said glancing over at him. "I do have something I need to discuss with you though." She announced chewing on her lip.

"What?" He asked concerned at the expression on her face.

"Dr. Ross came in this morning. He's had some indications of a another problem and is thinking about doing another test."

"What kind of problem?" Paul asked gripping her hands.

"It was rally vague and I didn't understand a whole lot about it." She shrugged. "The thing is the test involves a lot of risk. It's an amniocentesis." She said stumbling over the word. "It sounded really horrible and it can cause preterm labor, which I'm at such a high risk for anyway."

"What happens if we do the test?" Paul asked.

Steph shook her head miserably. "After he told me what the test involved I blocked everything out."

"If it's that bad we don't have to do it." Paul reassured her.

"But what if it really helps baby? I have to do it." She cried.

He gathered her into his arms. "Tell you what. I'll look the test up tonight and get all the information." He said bending down to kiss the top of her head.

They sat in silence for the next fifteen minutes, gazing at the TV and each pretending to be absorbed in the show.

"Have you seen Jayden today?" He asked finally.

"Umm, no not since last night." She replied turning to look up at him. "Why are you interested? You too fight like cats and dogs lately."

Not sure what to say he settled with the truth. "No one has seen Dave since he was here with her yesterday."

Steph grinned. "Maybe they finally did the deed." She said gleefully.

"I hope that's all it is." He muttered.

"Do you think I should call, pump her for details or is it too early yet?" She asked excitedly.

He was saved from having to answer by a knock on the door. "Mrs. Levesque honey, you have a package."