That afternoon, after the rainstorm ended….

"This really is a nice gift, it's pretty…" Stephanie looked at the ring from Mr. Stratus. "Maybe I should take it to a jeweler…?" She contemplated.

"Stephanie!"

"Hm?" She turned at the call of her voice. She turns to see a stranger, yet he seems so familiar.

The man smirks at her, "So, you really are Stephanie McMahon after all." He tore the band out of his ponytail, letting his shaggy hair fall behind his shoulders.

Stephanie thinks to herself before replying, "I know I've heard that voice before." She stares at the ruggedly handsome man, who wears a mischievous grin on his face. She puts on her poker face, "So it is, you're the man with the cold from this morning." He gulps and freezes, wow she was good.

He growls and clenches a fist, "Look, I don't care about that. You're looking better now, and as a WCW superstar that means you are my enemy!"

"So you are one after all, like I thought…" Stephanie smiled to herself. "I just don't feel it in you, what I can sense deep within all the others who have come after me."

"Spare me." The man snarls and charges at her with a battle cry. But she's fast, she dodges and he is thrown into the wall behind a dumpster. "What the…!" He gasps as she pins it up against his torso, trapping him pinned between that and the wall. "Hey!" He sure as hell didn't expect that!

"Nice try. I may not be a diva, but as a McMahon I have to learn quickly how to fend for myself you know, both in body and in mind."

"Damn you." He struggles to get free, wiggling his shoulders to get his arms out from under it.

"Don't waste my time." Stephanie wears a frustrated expression. She sighs, "So I see…"

"Huh?"

"You have potential, you are much different than every other WCW superstar whose come after me and my family."

"Yeah, you've mentioned that…"

"So far scouts have come to steal talent and others have come to hurt me."

"So?"

"I've yet to see you talk to any wrestler, and earlier when I fainted, you let me be."

"So…" The man gulped, getting a little bit nervous.

She looked at him, "You're Canadian…"

"Got a problem with it?" He continues to try hard to break free, she's making him angry. "I'll have you know I was born in New York, so I'm also an American okay!"

"No." She smiled. "I just like the sound of your voice."

"Oh, thanks." He muttered under his breath. "I get compliments about my talking a lot."

"I'll bet you'll sound better without that cold and those cigarettes in your pocket."

"Hey, shut up, mother!" His growl made Stephanie giggle quietly to herself. He really was different than the others.

"Why do you want to get rid of me anyway?"

"What?" The man stopped and thought, he really didn't know, he was following orders like he saw everyone else do. To be honest he didn't really have a place, his contract with WCW was only a temporary trial, to see if they liked him. He wanted to earn his keep and keep his job as a professional wrestler.

"So the WWE will fail and WCW will prosper." Stephanie suggested the thought.

"I don't care who I work for, I just want to be a pro-wrestler, I only care for myself!"

"So I see…"

"Either way, I will do what it takes to ensure the best for me and my well being!"

Stephanie turns to go, "And should you ever cross my path again, WCW superstar… you won't live to tell about it… you will live to regret it."

"Wait!" His voice stops her. "You say that now, but why not act now? You have me right where you want me."

"Because." She glanced back at him. "You spared me, now I spare you…"

"Huh?" He watched her go. Sure, he knew she was the enemy, but still, she was just so amazing…!

Stephanie and Linda continued to travel with the WWE rather than staying at the headquarters where Sable held the fort down with the McMahon men. More WCW people came after them, but time after time they were foiled and sent away as failures.

"Come on mom." Stephanie sat up on the hotel bed and Linda looked over at her. "Let's go back home now."

"Okay." Linda smiles, so they pack their things and leave. They go outside and call for their rental.

Stephanie hangs up the phone and sighs, "You." She says the one word very annoyed.

"Huh?" Linda turns towards Stephanie but then looks past her to see a wrestler.

He stands with a confident smirk as he holds up a fist, opening and closing it in flexing, "So we meet again Miss McMahon."

"Ms. McMahon or Mrs. McMahon."

"Shut up." The man grumbles as Stephanie steps in front of her mother.

"Look here now you." She speaks up as Linda continues to watch her every move out of curiosity.

"I won't give up." The man stood and spoke in a very determined voice. "This will end, today."

"Well, you're right about that." Stephanie smirked.

The man points, "First get that old bat outa here, don't want the scene of a fight to scare her to death. Not that I care or anything…" He smirks.

"Mom, step aside, go out of the way for just a moment."

"But…"

"Trust me, I'll be fine. I promise you that." Stephanie glances back at her. Linda nods and goes up the stairs under the balcony over the hotel lobby doors.

The man thinks to himself as he watches the beauty, "Not a diva, yet so powerful as a McMahon…" He pumps up his fists, arms down by his side.

Stephanie stares at the handsome man as she thinks, "Just a man looking for a place in the world, his contract may read WCW, but I do not feel it deep down within his heart…" She crouches back down in a fighting stance, but before moving she speaks up, "I'm glad to hear that you're health has returned. First, there's something I want to ask of you."

"Yeah? What is it."

"Why didn't you have your way with me last night? I was there, an easy target for you, or anyone else for that matter. Are you one not to kick a person when they're down? Nobility and honor. That's not a WCW superstar trait you know…"

"Yeah." The man blinks. "I'm not the kind to do something so underhanded like that."

"I see." Stephanie chuckles to herself.

"What's so funny!" The man demands in an angry voice.

Stephanie points her finger right at him in his face in warning, "There is one last thing I want to ask of you, WCW dog."

He growls, "Oh, and what's that might be?"

"You must at least have a name don't you? Other than mongrel scout that is. Even though you are one."

"Hey, shut up."

"So tell me, tell me your name then! And I will never call you a WCW dog again!"

"Stop saying that! It's all I hear, again and again, over and over….!" He yells as he becomes increasingly enraged at her taunting.

"Then tell me!"

The man pauses in thought for a second, before muttering, "Chris…. Chris Jericho."

"Chris Jericho." She repeats back. "I will remember that." Chris goes to advance, but Stephanie steps forward and the intimidation stops him. He gulps as he prepares for the worst, how could he strike a lady after all, now that he was thinking about it? But she lowers her hand and turns her back. "Now go."

"Hey…" He speaks up as she starts to go off towards Linda. "Why didn't you finish me off?"

"Be gone with you!" She turns abruptly. "I don't want to waste anymore time. Come on mom."

"Okay." Linda comes down as the car pulls up, they both get in and it drives off.

"Driver, to the airport please." Stephanie speaks up.

"Yes mam." He replies and obeys.

Linda was silent, she could see Chris in the passenger side mirror, still standing there watching them go. She wonders to herself, why didn't she finish him off? It was a mystery to her. Why didn't she respond to him like she did to every other WCW superstar that she came by? That night, and every night after, Stephanie would seem to shower even longer. Was it to cleans herself of that first failure, realizing herself that she couldn't finish him off? Almost every day as it would seem, Stephanie would sense Chris or see him lurking around her, watching, but yet he never revealed himself or went to attack. Was that his purpose, was he just a simple scout out to get secrets rather than talent? No WWE superstar knew of him, so she knew that he never went to try and steal them over to the WCW side of wrestling. So what was his deal anyway then?

Linda was at a street corner flower shop, "These are pretty, I'll get some for Stephanie." She went to select some.

"I know you." A female gasped and Linda looked up. "You're Linda McMahon!" She screams as she grabs her arm before she can run.

"Don't hurt me!"

"Oh don't worry, I'm just going to use you as ransom." Stacy snickered coldly.

"Outa the way!"

"Huh?" Linda turned to the familiar voiced and ducked as a shadow jumped from the sunlight and shoved Stacy aside to free her. "Chris!" She gasped upon seeing him.

"Chris!" Stacy gasps in shock, he may not have been well known by many, but she barely recognized him enough to know they were allies.

"You don't think I would let you have the glory now would you?" He shoves her shoulder and she staggers back.

"Damn you, you won't get away with this!" She growls and runs off.

"Feh." He snorts and pumps his fists again, flexing. "You'll never tell…"

"Thank you." Linda smiles, and Chris looks down curiously, yet annoyed. "You saved me, you're a protector!"

"Don't say that…" He closes his eyes, ticked off. "You're misunderstood." He opens his eyes and looks away. "I just don't want anyone else to be the hero in this battle." Linda continues to gaze strangely at this man, if he wanted to be the one to lead the fight to victory, why didn't he take her hostage instead? Maybe that just wasn't his plan…?

Later…

Stephanie is sitting in the same headquarter courtyard, the wind is blowing her hair as she sits relaxed on the bench among the green grass. "I know you're there, aren't you Chris."

"Huh?" Chris looks out from behind the tree.

"Come on out now." She turns with a smile. "Come join me wont you?" Chris soon finds himself sitting across from her on the furthest end of the bench, sitting stiffly and giving her an uncomfortable look as she continues to gaze relaxed up at the sky. "This is really the first time we've talked up close."

"So, what of it?" He grumbles.

She turns and continues to smile, "I want to thank you, I hear you saved my mother."

"Oh, that." Chris pouts and turns away. "That was just a…"

"Still, I wanted to express my heartfelt gratitude towards you."

"Humph, stop talking so dignified. You smell like a fighter you know… Don't do something that's not like you."

"I'm not sure how to take that, what you mean by it." They're quiet for a moment as the wind blows and they continue to stare out into space. "Chris. What do I look like to you?"

"What?"

"Do I look like a woman? An ordinary young lady? Do I look like a business person? Or like you say, like a fighter."

"What the hell are you talking about?"

She faces him as she explains, "I intend to show my weakness to nobody, not even to my own family. If I were to, anyone could get the better of me or use them against me. I don't want to be the one responsible for my families company's downfall. Even though I'm a woman, I'm no ordinary young lady… I come from a line of business people, and yet with this war I'm thrust into the destiny to live the life of a diva, fighting for her right to exist in this world. You and I are alike. You may be a pro-wrestler on the other side, but you aren't a WCW superstar. I don't sense it in you. Even if WCW were to win, that doesn't guarantee you a permanent career within their company walls you know. We're both different. In a place that's not for us. And, I guess that's why I let you go."

"What, that's it? Stop making excuses." Chris pouts at the complicated explination. "That's not like you." He gets up, turning to walk away, but he stops and glances back at her.

She smiles thoughtfully, "I thought not. That isn't like me at all, is it?" Chris watches as she stands up. She smiles, "Chris."

Chris looks confused, "What?"

Stephanie turns around, "It's nothing…" She starts to go.

Chris gazes at her, he goes to say her name but it doesn't come out…. "Hey." She stops. "Come back here tomorrow okay?" She turns around, and he tries not to blush. "I have something I want to give you."

Stephanie is surprised, but she smiles back, "Okay. There's something I want to give you too."

"The WWE world title!" Chris salivated like a dog.

"No way….! It's something better than that."

Chris gets excited, "Hey, alright." He makes a sexy face and eyes her playfully.

"No it's not that you whore!" Stephanie laughs for the first time.

"Humph." Chris turns away, hands on his hips in disappointment. "Yeah, yeah…"

That night…

"Stephanie, what are you doing?" Linda asks as she looks through the doorway of her daughter's bedroom at their mansion. She is stringing the ring from Mr. Stratus on a chain. She positions it around her neck to see if the length is long enough for a person to wear as a necklace.

"Mom?" Stephanie looses focus as she finally notices her standing there.

"Is that the ring from Mr. Stratus?"

"Yeah…"

Linda comes in and watches her as she strings the thin chain, she blinks, "You're going to give that to Chris aren't you." Stephanie stopped as Linda stood over her watching.

She looks up at her with her eyes as she chuckles a bit, amused, "Sort of… I'm gonna trick him, it might be sneaky and devious but it's for his own good. I have to prevent him from doing something wrong or betraying me even. I will give it to him as a promise, and call him my beloved…."

Linda just stared at her in disbelief at this, "Are you sure you don't need sleep….?" But Linda couldn't help but realize something, this was the first time in a long time that an actually expression of happiness was worn across the face of her daughter.

"Now that I think about it…" Stephanie leans back as she sets it down on the dresser top. "That bitch Sable cursed at me that day we first left… as if making an evil premonition."

"You watch too many of those weird movies Stephanie."

"It's not unlikely for me, the daughter of a McMahon, of a successful millionaire to suffer some tragedies in love life because of what's attached to my name. So why bother worrying, I'm going to have to risk it here."

"Stephanie…" Linda sighs and stares at her.

The next day, in the courtyard…

Chris is standing before Stephanie as he hands her a small case and she asks, "What is it?"

"There's no point in me keeping it." Chris explains as she opens it. "That's why I'm giving it to you." She looks in and sees make up. "My mom left it behind when she died, it's one of the only things I have left from her… other than the name she gave me. My mom loved to watch wrestling, as did I…. We always watched WWF together when I was little, then she died and my dad didn't like wrestling, so I never go to see it as much anymore… then when I want to training, all that there was for me as far as options to go work for, was WCW, and that was because at the time, there was no WWE branch in Canada like there is now in Toronto."

"Oh, I see." Stephanie blinked, then she sighed and looked down at the case in her hands. "I can't take this, something so valuable and precious to you."

Chris turns away, "Don't worry about it. I have my name and my memories, that's good enough… sides, I'm not a transvestite, what do I do with it?" Stephanie giggled again. She walks over towards him and grabs his hand. "Huh?" Chris turns to her confused by this sudden gesture.

"I'm sorry." She says in an apologetic tone. "I had no idea your name meant so much to you, and here all this time I kept calling you, well, you know…"

"Yeah, yeah, don't mention it. It's cool." Chris brushes it off. "Don't worry about it." Finally he smiles, a bit excited, "So, what are you going to give me?"

Stephanie hesitates, feeling very ashamed now about her plan from last night. She opens her purse and reaches in, her hand around the ringed necklace, but she stops and pulls her hand out empty, "Oh, you know what? I think I may have forgotten it. I'm sorry."

"Oh, okay…" Chris sighs with disappointment. "I was really looking forward to it. At least I have you here…"

"Aw." Stephanie smiles down at the case she holds in her hands, and then she puts it in her purse. She turns very happy to him as he blushes. "So, are you sure I can have it?"

"It's fine." Chris assures again, opening his eyes, a more welcoming feeling in them now.

That clear starry night…

Chris is sleeping in his hotel room, Stephanie is sleeping in her bedroom at home…

A wicked tone snickers, 'Chris Jericho and Stephanie McMahon…'

In the McMahon mansion, Linda is in the kitchen downstairs getting a drink. The room is dark except for the light from the refrigerator, but just then a light clicks on. She gasps and turns to see Stephanie in the bathroom. She creeps over quietly and notices her looking at herself in the mirror, brushing her hair out nicely with a happy grin across her face. On the counter by the sink is the case from Chris's mother. She begins to apply the make up carefully on her face. Linda never realized how beautiful her daughter could be, when she was happy… Stephanie gazes into the mirror in awe at the beauty she sees for the first time. But still, Linda could see, that sadness in her eyes…

Chris is leaning in the shadows against the tree in the courtyard, the leaves are no longer green, time has come and gone, they are autumn colors. Stephanie encountered WCW personnel often, they would attack but Chris would always be there to come to her aid. And yet nothing ever happened to him for it, like they would get revenge on him. His eyes are closed as he is deep in thought as the cold air blew the dandy lion seeds.

"Come on Stephanie, play with us!" Two twin little girls are tugging on her hands.

"Alright, alright." Stephanie sighs, having to baby sit the twin sisters Melissa and Marissa was something she had to do often for their receptionist. She picked up the ball, "So what game would you like to play now?" She smiles as she senses the presence again. She looks over with a calming grin, "You want to come over and join us?"

Chris comes out and sits down on the bench, "Don't be ridiculous." He folds his arms and turns away, closing his eyes.

"Let's play in the flowers!" The girls push and pull Stephanie into the bushes down the path. Chris turns and gazes at her through his slightly open eyes.

Later…

"You know mom, you've really taught me a lot, and I can't thank you enough for that." Stephanie was saying as they ate lunch at a cafe across the street.

"But you've far surpassed me and what I could ever imagine teaching you, if anything, I'm the one who should've been learning." Linda smiled as she set down her glass. "I'm impressed."

"Thanks."

"You know…" Linda speaks up, remembering seeing Stephanie putting on the make up at night in the dark by herself in the bathroom that first time. She smiles, "Stephanie…"

"What is it?"

Linda shakes her head, "Oh, nothing…"

Stephanie is a little confused, but accepts it, "Alright." She gets up. "I'm going to go pay the bill now."

"Very well then." Linda nodded. She took one final sip from her glass and set it down empty. She sighed, it was a long time since Stephanie had started putting on that make up at night, but she just wanted to see the best for her daughter, for her to be happy, and to be beautiful, for her to be all that she knew she truly and deeply wanted to be. She wanted to help her, and she thought she was the only one who felt that way, but she wasn't…

Chris Jericho was walking down the street, he passed by the bistro and glanced over at Stephanie from the corner of his eye. She didn't notice him as she paid her bill, nor did Linda. Stephanie smiled and laughed with the waiter as she headed back towards her mother to leave. Chris snorted and rubbed his nose arrogantly, digging his hands into his pockets as he walked off down the road again and out of sight around the corner…