"Have you heard from Lynn today, Mom?" Stephanie asked her mother, whom was currently making a pot of coffee.

"No not today, but yesterday morning she dropped the baby off here," Linda said after pushing the on button on the coffee pot, "and when I asked her what she planned to do during her day of freedom, she said she was going to probably go to lunch with you and catch up. Why do you ask?"

"Because, she called me last night to catch up, I told her I would call her back, but when I did, she didn't answer her phone. I tried the house phone and her cell, but she didn't answer either phone."

"Hmm… that's strange."

"I'll call her in a bit to check up on her," Stephanie said finally, "but in the mean time, where is my nephew?"

"Still asleep. Poor thing got a little home sick last night. I finally got him to sleep at about two o clock this morning."

"Awe, he's so precious. Paul and I have been thinking about having a baby."

"That would be great. My baby having a baby… there's nothing better than that," Linda said happily, "Besides, an old woman can never have too many grandchildren to spoil."

They duo had just settled into a conversation about Stephanie and Paul having a baby when they heard someone walking through the front door. They made their way into the living room to find Shane and Lynn walking through the front door hand in hand.

"Look who the wind blew in," Linda said with a chuckle as she greeted her son and daughter-in-law with hugs.

"Hi mom," Shane said with a smile. He had not failed to notice the scowl that his baby sister was sending in his direction. The ass kissing would have to start soon to get him back on her good side. He would admit that he was an asshole, but he hated the thought of his baby sister being angry at him. Anyone else could kiss his ass with their anger, but not his little sister, she was his best friend, and her happiness meant the world to him, "Steph you look gorgeous as usual." He received a sarcastic smile from the brunette in response. Getting back on her good side would be easier said than done.

"Thank you Shane. You look handsome as well." Her voice was dripping with sarcasm. She noted the curious glance that her mother had given her and her brother. They had not mentioned the incident to their parents in order to keep down the questions and drama. Not to mention that Vince and Linda would without a doubt play peacemakers and only make the situation worse. So they preferred to avoid the whole fiasco and just try to let things blow over. Apparently that had not worked since Stephanie was still upset with her brother.

"Would you two like to join us for a cup of coffee?"

"No thanks mom. I actually need to speak with Steph in private for a minute," Lynn said. The blonde grabbed Stephanie's arm and lightly pulled her down the hall into the family room. She closed the door behind her and locked it. Stephanie raised an eyebrow at the other woman in curiosity.

"What's up Lynn?"

"I just wanted to apologize for yesterday. Shane and I got caught up in the same thing as you and Paul, and well… you know…"

"I get it. I'm not angry or anything. Hell, Paul and I needed the time to ourselves, so it worked out great for us as well that we didn't get together yesterday."

"Great, but I also wanted to speak with you about something else."

"What is it?"

"It's about Shane."

"What about Asshole?"

"Steph he really regrets what happened the other night…"

"And your point is...?"

"You should forgive him, and---"

"Hell no!" Stephanie said immediately.

"Steph just hear me out, please?"

The brunette remained silent and finally shrugged her shoulders in submission, silently agreeing to hear the other woman out.

"Your brother can be an asshole… believe I know better than you do," Lyn stated, her statement carrying more meaning than Stephanie knew, "but he adores you. He can't stand you being mad at him. It is literally driving him crazy. He keeps trying to come up with ways to make amends with you. He's sent you roses, edible arrangements, candy, and giant 'I'm sorry' card. Did get all those things by the way?"

"Yes I did."

"So you know how this is killing him. Shane can deal with anybody being mad at him, including your mom. Anyone else, he would have said to hell with them, but for some reason, he can't deal with you being mad at him. So please just give him a second chance. If not for him, than for me."

The heiress sighed heavily and rolled her eyes before relenting, "Fine, I'll give the asshole a second chance… but I'm doing this for you, not him."

"Oh thank you, thank you." Lynn hugged her sister-in-law happily, "I'll send him in here." Before Stephanie could protest, the blonde had already made her exit in search of the boy wonder.

A few minutes later, Stephanie lifted her head up as her brother entered the room, closing the door behind him. Even if she would not admit it out loud, Stephanie had actually hated being at odds with her brother. She never did like arguing with him, but she would never admit it. He was always the one to apologize and spoil her until she forgave him… and even now as adults he continued that tradition.

"Steph I'm really sorry. I was having a bad night and I should have not taken it out on you. You didn't deserve that and I just wish I could take it back. You don't know how sorry I am and how much I hate myself for what I said to you. Please forgive me," Shane finished his plea and then shoved his hands into his pants pockets. His head was down as he awaited his sister's response.

"I forgive you Shane, but next time I probably won't… so get your shit together." She smiled reassuringly when Shane lifted his head to look at her. He returned her smile and walked over to her, and lifted her off the ground in a hug, "Owe, Shane you're I can't breathe." Shane laughed lightly and pt her back down, releasing the hug in the process.

"Here, I got this for you yesterday." Stephanie grabbed the navy blue velvet box from her brother's hands. She smiled up at him before opening the box. Her smile intensified when she was met with a sterling silver necklace. A pink diamond heart hung off of the sterling silver chain. It was absolutely beautiful. She flung herself into her brother's arms as silent tears escaped her eyes. He was an asshole, but he was her asshole. She broke the hug and looked back down at the necklace, before handing it back to Shane.

"Put it on me." She turned around and pulled her hair up to expose her neck and to allow Shane to put the necklace on her. Once she felt the cool chain resting on her neck, she let her hair fall back down her back and shoulders. A smile graced her face again when she grabbed the heart and examined it again, "Thank you, Shaner."

"You're more than welcome. It's the least I could do after what I said and did to you. Nothing is too good for my baby sister."

Stephanie kissed him on the cheek before leading their way out of the family room. Things were back to normal… at least for now.

"Steph and I are going to head to Los Angeles tomorrow morning."

"For what?" Shane asked his wife as he set on the edge of the bed. They had decided to sleep over at the McMahon estate. Paul had met Stephanie there and the couple had decided to stay the night as well after dinner it had gotten so late that neither couple was rested enough to make the drive back to their own homes.

"To pamper ourselves with spas and nail salons. Do some shopping and probably get our hair done and take some pictures."

"That sounds cool."

"Speaking of cool… I see that you and Steph are back on speaking terms again."

"Yeah we are," Shane said with a absent smile. He was genuinely happy to have his best friend back.

"I also saw the diamond necklace you gave her."

"It's nice, huh?"

"Yeah. I would have loved something like that."

"Well I got it from Jared's. You can go and pick you up one tomorrow. I'll even give you my credit card to do it."

Lynn merely smiled a smile that didn't reach her eyes. He didn't get that she wanted him to surprise her with things like that. It would be nice to have her husband randomly send her flowers and candy, or bring home beautiful jewelry for her.

"I just think it would be nice if you would do little things like that for me."

"For what?"

"I don't know. Just because you love me and you want to see me smile. It's romantic."

"So are you saying that I am not romantic enough for you?"

"No, I'm just---"

"Are you saying that I don't love you because I don't send you flowers or buy you expensive jewelry?"

"That is not what I'm saying Shane and you know it."

"No I don't know it," Shane said standing up and crossing his arms over his chest as he glared down at his wife, "what are you saying?" Lynn was furious now. He was twisting her words and trying to use them against her. With an anger that presented itself out of nowhere, she spoke furiously, yet calmly through gritted teeth as not to wake everyone in the house.

"I'm saying that you're not fucking your sister. You're fucking me, and yet you treat her like your wife, and me like a bitch off the street. That is what I am saying." She regetted the words as soon as they left her tongue. She watched his eyes steel and a familiar darkness cloud them and dropped his arms from his chest. He descended upon her with balled up fist. With a swiftness that she had not been expecting, he punched her in the face. She was shocked for a moment, since he had never actually punched her. A slap or a shove yeah, but never a punch. Before she could recover from the first strike, he straddled her mid-section and laid another hit onto her face. She stifle a scream and tried to curl up shy away from his anger, but he was preventing that by sitting on her mid-section. The next thing she knew she was on the floor and he was standing above her laying swift kicks into her stomach and chest. She could barely breath. After what seemed like forever she felt him grab her by the collar of her shirt and pulled her face to face with him.

"Don't you ever talk to me like that again, you stupid bitch. Do you understand me?" He slapped her when she didn't answer quickly enough for his liking, "Do you understand me?"

"Y-ye-ye-yes." She struggled as fast as she could to answer him, even though she could barely breathe, yet speak. She was thrown careless and harshly back to the floor. She was met with one more swift and hard kick to the stomach before she heard his footsteps leaving her. The bathroom door slammed shut and she curled up in a ball and cried silently to herself. She could feel her left eye swelling and knew that it would be completely closed up by morning. She began coughing and heaving as light blood specs came from her mouth with every cough. Her lip was aching as blood poured from her mouth. She just prayed he hurried up in the bathroom, so she could clean herself up. They would without a doubt be leaving before anyone woke up the next morning.

Paul stood outside the door with his eyebrows furrowed. He was going to try to smooth things over with Shane after hearing that his wife had done so earlier. However, he had heard them talking, but it sounded more like silent arguing. Then he thought he heard a slapping sound. Normally that would make him barge in the room, but he was not sure, and he did not want to get involved in other people's marriages, even if it were his sister. However, if what he heard had been actually what he thought he heard, then Shane Brandon McMahon was about to be in for a physically rude and painful awakening. The blonde walked away from the door and headed back to his room and his wife. He would have a chat with Shane and get to the bottom of all of this in the morning.