THREE MONTHS LATER

Raw was at its peak; Cena was at his peak; DX was at their peak and WWE was kicking ass and taking names. Now dipping into Hollywood and opening a WWE Films studio, while still selling out shows around the world, the WWE became one of the most successful industries around today. The performers and McMahon's were the ones' most notably recognized for the huge impact that the company made. While Stephanie was thriving in the news, patching up her personal life was a whole different matter. After a full three months of recovering from her accident, Stephanie was now ready to appear, once again, on national television. Her 'diva' Mindy, who was looking to make a huge impact in the company, had been successful during Stephanie's time away from the WWE.

If life was ever fair to Stephanie McMahon then her unborn child would've survived the accident. It was on that fateful night three months ago that Stephanie believed her fate had been determined and sealed. The verity that Stephanie had stormed off angry at Paul, who never had an affair to begin with, and hadn't paid attention to her state of mind when she got in the car, determined that to Stephanie. The fact that she was speeding on the highway when she lost control and it didn't give a damn about the consequences. She had never believed in fate until after that accident. Stephanie knew what no one dared to think or say; she murdered her child. Whether it was intentionally or not didn't matter to her. Everyone pitied her. If she was ever thankful of any of the events that had transpired up to this point in her life, it was the fact that the news of her accident and unborn child was never released to the public. Not even the WWE crew knew about the incident; only Paul and Stephanie's family and few friends knew.

As Stephanie's limo approached the arena, her thoughts wondered to her husband as she looked over the match card for the night. She knew her marriage was falling apart; she felt it. She and Paul were becoming more and more distance as the days went on. They kept up appearances but their life together was anything but romantic. Stephanie knew it was her fault and she didn't blame Paul for feeling the way he felt.

Stephanie sighed deeply and looked down at her lap where her briefcase was laying. A few papers were sticking out of it and Stephanie pulled them out and glanced at them. They were the divorce papers that she had yet to sign. Stephanie believed the only way to give Paul the life he deserves was an out; and that out would be a divorce from her. She put the papers neatly back in the briefcase as the limo pulled in the arena and came to a slow stop. She glanced at her watch and smiled to herself. Four hours until show time. When the door opened to her limo, she handed the man her briefcase and stepped out, brushing her hair back and standing straight, feeling more beautiful and confident then she had in months. She looked around at the parked trailers and trucks as she heard screaming and cheering. Looking up, she saw a few fans standing on the platform, apparently having arrived early for the show, and smiled and waved at Stephanie while taking pictures. Stephanie smiled and waved at them as they yelled out, "We love you Steph!" or "Return to TV!" or whistling at her. Stephanie blushed as she was led in the back by her security. As she walked in, several crew members and CSC members walked up to her, handing her a walkie talkie and a clipboard. "Stephanie, you're late," her father scolded her as he approached.

Stephanie kept her attention on the clipboard and clipped the walkie talkie to her belt not looking up once as she replied, "Hi Dad."

Vince looked at her in her jeans and blouse and frowned. "Are you going out in that tonight?" he asked.

Stephanie shot him a look, suddenly remembering that she and her father had decided that she begin a feud with one of the divas. "What's the difference?" Vince shrugged and before he could say anything Stephanie scoffed and walked away, followed by a dozen of employees. "Where's Mindy? I have to make sure she knows the script perfectly."

Vince sighed. "She knows the script, Stephanie. Things ran fine when you weren't here."

Stephanie stopped. Ouch. She turned around and narrowed her eyes at her father, who realized his slip up. "I understand that, but now that I'm back…I'm running things the way that I want."

Vince nodded slowly. "What do you think?" he asked slowly.

Stephanie continued to walk. "About what?"

"About your diva's quest for the WWE title."

Stephanie turned around again, stopping. "I'm sorry…did I hear that correctly?" she asked, astonished. "Did you just tell me that Mindy, a woman…a girl, wants to hold the WWE Championship belt?" Vince nodded. "You've got to be kidding me," she muttered.

Vince shrugged. "We did it for Carlos…"

"Yeah, and still to this day we're hearing about it," Stephanie said cutting him off. "It's too controversial to do."

"We're the McMahon's," her father reminded her. "Everything we do is controversial. Besides, you could use that to feud with Mindy."

Stephanie shook her head. "It's not a good idea."

"I'll give you time to think it over, Stephanie," Vince said as he started to walk away. "Just remember, I don't need you to sign off on the idea."

"Hey girl!" Stephanie glared after her father as her attention was turned to the voice as Amy came running up to her, hugging her tightly.

"Amy…I…can't…breathe," Stephanie stuttered.

Amy blushed and let go of her. "It's so good to see you."

Stephanie raised her eyebrow. "I saw you yesterday, Amy."

"I know…but I mean back here, at work, at Raw."

Stephanie smiled at Amy and shifted uneasily as several workers who were walking by stopped and looked at her. She grabbed Amy's arm and began to walk towards her office. "Come on; let's go someplace private, I can't stand being stared at."

Paul sat in the stands of the empty arena and watched as the crew members began to set everything up. Despite the fact that his career was soaring…his personal life and marriage was falling apart. The image of Stephanie's car wrapped around that tree would never leave his mind. Night after night he had the same nightmare of his wife dying. For some reason, the fates let Paul and his friends save her but not their child. Stephanie took the loss the hardest; after all, she was carrying it in her womb. Paul knew that everyone in that party; himself, Stephanie, and John, were all responsible in some small and twisted way. John and he had come to blows and ended up nearly killing each other in the ring together, both blaming the other, while Stephanie sat back, lost in her grief, and blamed herself. It wasn't until last month that Paul and John put their differences and past aside and became friends again, both helping Stephanie with the traumatic experience. Paul knew life was never fair; he had nothing but good luck since he came into the business. He knew this bad luck was bound to happen. But he didn't want to lose Stephanie; physically or otherwise. He loved her; still loved her, with all his heart. He thought that giving her the house she wanted in Florida would help, but it didn't. Losing a child was an experience that you couldn't just get over. One week after buying the house, they put it up for sale again. "Hey man," Michael said as he flashed Paul a small smile and took the seat next to him. Paul smiled back at his best friend and looked around the arena again, amazed at how quickly the crew could set the stage up. "How you doing?" Mike asked him.

Paul snorted. "Depends on what day you ask me."

"Things'll get better, man," Michael told him. "You know that."

Paul shook his head. "I'm sure anymore, Mike. Our entire lives are falling apart. We're not the same people we were four months ago."

"Yeah, but its in the experiences and the unfair balance of the world that leads us to become better educated people," Michael told him.

Paul shot him a perplexed look. "What?"

Michael laughed and patted him on the back as he stood up. "That'll make sense to you one day," he said. "I'll see ya out there."

Paul nodded as Michael left and rolled his words around in his head.

Adam and Randy walked into the gym to see John already in there and doing his reps. Adam shot Randy a look and walked over to the machine that John was on. He looked at the amount of weights he was pushing and raised his eyebrows as John grunted. "200? Don't you think that's overkill?"

John finished his set and stood up stretching his muscles. "Nah," he said.

Randy shot him a look. "Yeah, I actually think it is." John shook his head and bent down as he began to do his pushups. Randy and Adam kept their eyes on him, surprised at his coldness and mental state. Adam began his warm-ups as Randy bent down next to John. "Yo, man…what's going on?" he asked calmly.

John shook his head as he breathed in between the pushes. "Nothing."

"Bullshit."

John stopped and looked at Randy then rose to his feet. "What do you want me to say?"

Randy stood up as John did and stared at him sorrowfully. "Look man, I was there, remember? I saw the car in the tree. I saw all the blood and I was in the hospital. You, Paul and Stephanie have got to stop blaming yourselves. Shit like this happens."

John dried himself off with the towel. "I know…but it doesn't make it any easier."

"Dude, I know," Randy protested. "We all want things to return to normal and to be normal but it won't…not for awhile."

John shook his head and threw the towel across the room. "I shouldn't have opened my mouth. I shouldn't have told Stephanie…"

"It probably would've happened anyways," Randy told him.

"Yeah," Adam said as he finished his warm ups. "Besides, if you didn't say something, Trish or Amy would've."

John nodded as he thought about it and Randy patted his arm. "Look man, we're all here now, we're all alive and in good health. The past is in the past. To help Paul and Steph you gotta stop blaming yourself."

John nodded and hugged his best friend. "You're right, man. You're right." As they broke apart they shook hands. "Thanks a lot."

Randy flashed him a smile. "No prob."

The only sound coming from Stephanie's office was from her television. The show had started an hour ago and the fans were beginning to get hyped up for the main event; Cena and DX against Rated RKO and Umaga. The feud between Eddie and John was starting to die down so Stephanie knew she'd have to work on his new opponent while she wrote in DX to challenge Adam and Randy for the titles; another opportunity for Mindy's storyline. Whether Stephanie wanted to admit it or not…the girl was smart.

"So, how have things been here?" Stephanie asked Amy as she sat at her desk with her computer and paper work in front of her.

Her opposite sat across from her in the couch examining her nails and ignoring the show as Stephanie looked over her work. "It's been alright," Amy sighed.

Stephanie looked up at her friend through her glasses. "I meant…personally."

Amy looked up and at Stephanie culpable. "Oh. Fine."

Stephanie raised her eyebrows. "Just fine?"

Amy nodded. "Yeah…just been thinking about some things. But, Matt's on Smackdown now so…the more distance between him and Adam, the better."

Stephanie nodded, remembering watching the match in the hospital the week after her accident. Stephanie remained silent thinking that Amy didn't want to elaborate. Both women looked up at Stephanie's office door opened and Trish walked in. "Hey. Am I still welcome in here?"

Stephanie flashed her a smile and nodded as Amy giggled. When Trish closed the door, Amy grabbed her by her jeans and pulled her to the couch, hugging her tightly. "Are you enjoying retirement life?"

Trish bit her lip and glanced over at Stephanie, who went back to her work and wasn't paying attention, then looked back at Amy and shrugged. "Honestly?" Amy nodded. "I really didn't plan for it so…it's kinda boring."

Stephanie snorted at Amy began to laugh. Trish only smiled, allowing her friends to make fun of her and think what they wanted. "So, who's the champ now?"

"You haven't been following?" Amy asked. Trish shook her head and looked at Stephanie again, who went back to burying herself in her work. "Mindy's the new champion. She and Mickie are feuding while Lisa and Torrie are feuding."

"Ah," Trish said nodding her head. "Shouldn't the two blondes be going at it?" she joked.

"You'd think," Amy laughed. Stephanie stood up abruptly, grabbing a handle full of her papers, and began to walk out. "Where're you going?"

Stephanie opened the door and turned to them. "I've, uh…got to get these revised scripts to some of the girls," she said.

Trish frowned but before she could say anything, Stephanie walked out, not bothering to close the door behind her. She turned to Amy instead. "I'm worried about her."

Amy nodded her head, frowning as well. "I know. I can't imagine losing a child and having your marriage fall apart."

"How's Paul doing?"

"You know…he blames John; John blames himself; Stephanie doesn't blame them but only herself," Amy told her glumly.

Trish shook her head. "Now I wish I never left," she whispered miserably.

Stephanie walked up to the holding area near the curtain and saw Mindy and Lisa standing there. She walked up to them and handed each of them the scripts. "What's this?" Mindy asked.

"The scripts," Stephanie answered. "Nothing but a few lines has changed. I just wanted to give them to you before we go out."

"Cool."

"Hey, Steph, it's good to have you back," Lisa replied. "Your brother was getting a little annoying," she joked.

Stephanie laughed. "Thanks Lisa. That's means a lot."

Lisa nodded as she heard her music cue up. "Well, that's my cue. See ya out there."

Stephanie nodded and turned to Mindy who was looking over the script. "So…I hear you pitched a storyline."

Mindy nodded. "Yeah."

Stephanie stood there, expecting Mindy to continue, and when she didn't she spoke up again. "The WWE title, Mindy?" she exclaimed, completely flabbergasted.

Mindy looked up at her and sighed, closing the script. "Look, I know it's not something that you'd approve."

Stephanie raised her eyebrows. "Oh. And you know what I would and wouldn't approve of?" she questioned.

"No, not like that," Mindy said as serenely as possible. "I meant in relative terms. A woman going after a heavyweight belt isn't logical. But you said it yourself; you want divas to make a statement."

"Not that kind of statement," Stephanie sneered as Mindy threw her words back at her. "We have a weight class for a reason."

"Yeah," Mindy agreed. "And Carlos got the heavyweight belt though, didn't he?"

"First of all, not my idea," Stephanie replied, raising her finger in Mindy's face. "Second of all, he's a man who has sixty pounds on you."

"Okay. Then how about Joanie holding the Intercontinental belt?"

"Once more…she had more pounds then you!"

Mindy chuckled and folded the script up, tossing it aside. "What was it that Bischoff said? 'Controversy creates cash'."

Stephanie sneered at her as Mindy's music cued up and she headed to the curtain. Before she went out there, she turned back to Stephanie. "It really is good to see you're back," she told her candidly. Mindy flashed her a smile and put the women's belt around her waist as she headed out to the ring.