Chapter 17

Corey looked expextantly from Aileen to Hunter to Joelle, waiting for an explanation. This was quite a sight, Aileen kneeled on the floor in front of Hunter with Joelle wrapped around her legs, preventing her from escaping. " Let her go." He demanded but Joelle made no attempts to move, so he pushed his ex girlfriend off her sister and helped her to her feet.

" Now, what's going on here?"

" Nothing." Aileen blurted and straightened her clothes.

" That didn't look like nothing. You chased her around the whole arena, you could have hurt her." Corey affronted Joelle who had gotten to her feet as well and stood beside Hunter.

" Maybe, but we'd be even at least." She said firmly.

Corey laughed. " I forgot, you love to hurt people, you and your little toy."

Joelle flinched at his words and shot a glance at Hunter who, to her surprise, stayed completely calm.

" Corey, I told you some time ago you're a smart boy, you should know who your friends are." He said, shooting daggers at Aileen.

Corey nodded. " I DO know who my real friends are, and that doesn't include you two."

Hunter sighed and raised the dictation machine to push the play button, but Aileen interrupted him.

" Honey, they've tricked me, they forced me to say all these things, I swear, they just need someone to load the guilt on." She said, placing her hand on Corey's arm.

Corey looked at Hunter. " What is this?"

" This is the truth, son."

Corey laughed. " This is so weird to actually hear YOU talk about truth and everything, you had some problems telling the truth in the past, didn't you? What makes you think I'd believe you now?"

" Like he said, you're a smart boy." Joelle said, taking the machine from Hunter and pushing the play button.

Corey listened intently to the words that had been spoken, then stared at Aileen with big eyes.

" Did you call Jay?"

" Uh..well..I…uhm…" she stammered, then nodded. " Yeah..uh..I mean…someone had to tell the poor woman what kind of husband she married there…right?..and..I just wanted to..encourage her a little bit…she..doesn't need him..she's better off without him after what he did." At these words Hunter lost it.

" YOU CAN BE SO DAMN GLAD…SO GLAD… THAT I CAN'T STAND ON MY OWN FEET!!" he yelled and Aileen took a step backwards. That old man in the wheelchair was no threat to her, she knew that, but he sure as hell was intimidating.

Corey stepped in front of her. " Don't yell at her, it's not her fault!"

Hunter and Joelle stared at him mouth open, not believing he actually still took Aileen's side who smiled at them sweetly from behind Corey's back.

" No, it's yours. You, you just can't keep your hands to yourself, I hope someone castrates you soon. And you, you let yourself seduce, I can't believe you. I hope you two become very happy together." Corey said bitterly before taking Aileen's hand and walking away.

Joelle stared after them aghasted. Even after hearing what Aileen had said Corey still was under her spell, and Joelle thought desperately of something else that could be done to convince him that it all had been a big misunderstanding.

" We have to think of…" she started to tell Hunter, but stopped when she turned to discover that he was gone. She looked around but he was nowhere in sight.

Joelle sighed and wandered through the hallways in search for him, only to be told by Shane that he had left a few minutes ago with Brice.

Joelle cut her promo, then returned immediately to the locker room to change and drove back to the hotel. She rode the elevator to Hunter's floor and knocked on his door, but received no answer. She tried the knob but found the door locked.

Worried she returned to her own room and opened the door to find a white envelope on the floor. She picked it up and took out the note to read it.

My dear Joelle,

Life's a bitch, and I'm sorry to say that, but so's your sister. She took away the one thing that was left in my life, the most important one, and the one I loved the most. I'm returning home to talk to my wife, wish me luck, maybe she's willing to listen. Thank you for standing by my side, but that's something I have to do by myself. If you ever feel the need to lean on someone, lean on Steph, she wont let you down. And of course you can always count on me too.

H.

Joelle sighed, and then she did something she hadn't done in a long time. She kneeled in front of her bed and prayed, for Hunter to make his wife believe him, for Corey to realize what a snake Aileen was, and for herself to find the strength to get over the nightmare that was her life. After a few minutes she got to her feet and left her room, she needed someone to talk to, and she knew Steph was her only option at the moment.

Arriving at her room Joelle knocked softly, and a few seconds later the door was opened by Chris Jericho.

" Yes?"

" Uh..is..uhm..is Steph there?" Joelle stuttered, feeling like a little kid in the presence of the King of the World.

" She is, may I ask who's here to see her?"

" Uhm..Joelle.."

Chris nodded and disappeared into the room, and seconds later the door was fully opened by Steph.

" Hey, girl..what's wrong?" she asked when she noticed Joelle's miserable face.

" I..I..well.." but Steph wouldn't let her finish, instead she ushered Joelle inside.

" Chris, do you mind?" she asked sweetly and Chris rolled his eyes. " Fine, I'll go." And after giving his wife a quick kiss he left the room.

" Okay what's wrong?" Steph asked after she had settled herself on the couch and pulled Joelle down beside her.

Joelle sighed and started to tell Steph what had happened at the arena and Corey's reaction, then she pulled Hunter's note out of her pocket and gave it to Steph. The older woman read it over before speaking.

" When's the trial?"

" Next week." Joelle said sadly.

" Well, let's pray for him. I've known Jay for a long time, I don't think she'll change her mind so easily. You know, she was devastated then, and I'm pretty sure she's devastated now. It'll remind her of then, and it could happen that she raises herself in the long forgotten pain, and then it looks pretty bad for him."

Joelle nodded and Steph continued. " Your boyfriend really did not believe one word?"

" No..he said there was no reason to believe us, since Hunter'd have problems telling the truth anyway."

Steph shook her head. " We have to get through him somehow."

Joelle sighed. " That seems impossible."

Steph smiled. " Nothing's impossible when your last name is McMahon. I think I know what we have to do."

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Their next destinatin was Columbia, and Joelle and Steph had worked out a plan. And since the WWE was still in South Carolina they were pretty sure it'd work. Steph had talked to Hunter on the phone and had told him what they had in store for Aileen, and Hunter had begged them to get it over with since there were only 2 days left before the trial. Jay had refused to talk to him at all, she had even moved out.

Joelle paced around Steph's room nervously, thinking about her role in the whole thing. Could she face her sister without ripping her apart? She didn't think so, but she had to try. She couldn't let Steph, and Hunter down.

Raw started with the usual explosion and Joelle met up with Steph to get over the plan one more time. Everything was set up, and Joelle left for the gorilla position, her match was up next. Joelle left Luna,one of the newer divas, battered and bruised in the ring after she had imagined it was her sister. When she returned backstage Steph was already waiting for her.

" C'mon, let's go."

Corey's match was up next, and Joelle waited impatiently for the ring of the bell that meant the end of it. Then the sound finally came, and after a few minutes Corey returned backstage where he met up with Aileen. That was the clue. Steph and Joelle approached them from behind and Steph tapped Corey on the shoulder.

" Oh..hey Steph."

" Corey, do you have a minute, there's something I need to discuss with you. Shane's in an important meeting so he asked me to do him the favor."

Corey nodded and followed Steph, and when they rounded the nearby corner she stopped him.

Corey looked at her confused when he noticed a woman standing there, holding a little camera. He opened his mouth to speak but Steph wouldn't let him.

" That's Hanna, one of my best employees." She introduced the woman who eyed him disapprovingly.

" Now, shut up, and watch." She instructed and pointed to Joelle and Aileen.

" I need to talk to you." Joelle said and Ailen chuckled. " About what? You lost, there's nothing left to say."

" I may have lost my boyfriend, thanks to you, yes, but I wont let you get away with destroying Hunter's marriage. He has nothing to do with it."

"Aw, you feel sorry for the old man, huh? "

" No, he's my friend, and he's Corey's Dad. And you…."

Aileen interrupted her. " I don't have time for your whining." And she started to walk away when Joelle gripped her wrist tightly.

" You can go, but not before you tell me why."

" Why? You wanna know why?" Aileen laughed bitterly. " Let me see. Mom and Dad always favored you, you had the better grades, more friends, and you always got the better boys. Now you got the better job, and again a great guy. I'm just sick of watching you destroying my life, so I can as well destroy yours.And since you spent your whole freetime with that stupid old man..well..one could think you really cared for him."

Joelle shook. "I do, but I love Corey, and I know he loved me. I'd never do anything to hurt him. And neither would Hunter, he's married, he loves his wife."

Aileen chuckled. " Well, Corey thinks you did. And it wasn't hard to convince him. He loved you so much it made him insane seeing you with that stupid old bastard. Pfff..Triple H..serves him right anyway."

" But why? What did he ever do to you? You don't even know him." Joelle shouted.

" What he did? Hah, what about he just bored me to death? He's a lousy performer, a second class wrestler, Cerebral Assassin my ass!" Aileen shouted back.

Joelle blinked. " You..you destroy his life because you don't like his character? ARE YOU INSANE? Do you know that his wife has filed in a divorce?"

Aileen shrugged. " Who cares. I certainly don't. But I tell you that, Corey is mine, at least until I find something else to keep me satisfied, so stay away from him. Hey, you can go comfort that stupid little cripple, he might need it. When's the trial? The day after tomorrow? Aw poor Hunter. How's he gonna convince his poor wife that he never touched you?" she laughed.

Joelle had had enough. She punched Aileen square in the face and threw her to the ground.

Behind the corner Steph turned to Corey who was white like the wall. " You heard enough?" Corey gulped and tried to calm himself. There was no affair? Aileen had played with him the whole time? What…

Corey still hadn't moved nor had he said a word. His heart raced as reality sank in. Joelle and Hunter were friends, that was all. Aileen had manipulated him, he had suspected his girlfriend, the woman he loved, and his father.

Corey felt his temper rise and stormed towards the two women who were fighting on the floor. He pushed Joelle of Aileen and gently pulled her to her feet.

Steph adressed Hanna. " You got it?" She nodded. " You bet."

Steph smiled and took the camera from her. She took the tape out and handed it to Hanna. " I need you to send that tape to a lawyer in Greenwich as fast as possible. Here's the address." And she handed her a piece of paper. " Thanks, now hurry!" and Hanna ran down the hallway to fulfil her mission. Steph smiled and watched her leave, then went to join the little group.

" Corey, thank god you're here, she attacked me from behind and…" Aileen groaned and held her hand out to him but Corey made no attempts to help her up.

" How could you." He said shaking and turned to Joelle who looked at him with watery eyes.

" I..I god I'm so sorry.. I shouldn't have doubted you..she…"

Joelle started to cry. " I can't believe you really thought of me like that."

Corey felt like crap. He had hurt the woman of his dreams with his stupid suspicions despite her affirmations that she had never even thought of hurting him, and what was even worse, he had almost destroyed his own fathers life. Realizing that he gasped. The trial was in two days, Jay would divorce from Hunter, not knowing what evil game Aileen had played.

" I..I need to…call.." but Steph held him back. " That's already taken care off, don't you worry."

Corey stared at her. " Uh..the camera..?" Steph nodded. " If Jay isn't convinced by a tape then I don't know what else would."

Corey sighed with relief before turning his attention back to Aileen who had gotten to her feet in the meantime.

" How low can anyone go? Only because you're jealous of your sister? Hell, go find yourself your own boyfriend. And do you have any idea what that divorce would have done to my father? "

Aileen lowered her head and sighed. That was not how she had things planned to happen.

" No, you don't. You don't care for anyone but yourself. No wonder everybody prefers Joelle's company." Corey said firmly and took Joelle's hand.

" Baby, please forgive me, I'm so sorry..I love you."

Joelle sniffed. " I love you too, but you really hurt me. I need time.." Corey nodded in understanding, promising to himself that even if it'd take forever, then he'd wait forever.

He hugged Joelle tightly and realized how much he had missed her. Joelle sighed deeply as she buried her face in the crook of Corey's neck. That was where she belonged, it was clearer to her than ever before, and her mind drifted to Hunter. Let's pray the package will arrive on time, she thought.

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Joelle and Corey had had a long talk with Corey apologizing over and over again, but Joelle had also told him they'd need time to get back to normal to which Corey had agreed wholeheartedly.

The day after Steph had received a phone call from Jay while she, Corey and Joelle had sat together during lunch. Jay had been in tears, thanking Steph and Joelle for saving her marriage. She had moved back in with Hunter and tried everything to make it up to him which Hunter of course greatly appreciated.

The weeks went by and Joelle and Corey slowly started to get back to normal. They'd spend their whole freetime together and Corey was glad to have his precious girlfriend back. Aileen was long forgotten.

Also, Corey started to call Hunter on a regular base, having accepted the fact of him being his father. And it was also Hunter who talked Corey into calling Trina and sort things out with her. Corey agreed and had the longest conversation with his mother, and in the end he forgave her and promised to call her more often, much to Sue's relief.

And the good news continued. Brandon and Kim were expecting their first child, and although Corey hadn't talked to his brother in months he was very happy for him.

His relationship with Jordan became more and more stable, and when the WWE came to town he'd visit her and his two nieces alongside Joelle.

But what bugged Corey, and the whole roster, was that nobody had seen Hunter during the last 2 months, although Corey talked to him on the phone every week, but Hunter would always find an excuse not to join them on the road.

Lost in thoughts Corey sat on the announcers table when he was pulled out of his own world by Joelle.

" Penny for your thoughts."

Corey sighed and put his arm around her shoulder. " Hunter.."

" You miss him, right?"

He nodded. " I haven't seen him for almost 9 weeks now, he acts weird on the phone. I'm starting to worry…"

Joelle squeezed his hand. " I'm sure he's fine, maybe he's just busy with the rehab."

They walked to the back together and Corey tried to call Hunter but all he got was the voicemail. He sighed and flipped his phone shut to prepare for his match.

The show went by as scripted and Corey returned to the locker room to change, but he stopped when he heard loud voices from pushed the door open and stared at the sight before him.

There was Hunter, STANDING in the middle of the room, surrounded by his co workers. His eyes met Corey's and he grinned.

" Surprise."

Corey's face lit up and he almost jumped his father to hug him.

" But..what..why…you didn't tell me!" he shouted laughing and released the man on crutches.

" Well…surprise?" Hunter said still grinning.

" How long?" Corey asked excitedly.

" 3 weeks."

" And you didn't tell anybody." Corey almost pouted and Hunter blushed a little.

" Well…I was busy.." he said, grinning sheepishly.

Corey knew exactly what he was talking about. " Poor Jay."

"The hell! Poor me!!" Hunter said and wiggled his brows. At that moment Jay decided to enter the men's locker room, causing a round of shrieks.

" Oh pul-ease, there's nothing I haven't seen before." She said, rolling her eyes.

" But you still shouldn't see it." Bobby shouted and wrapped the towel he was wearing tighter around the lower part of his body.

Corey changed and left the locker room with Hunter and Jay, and they joined Joelle in the backstage area. The four decided to return to the hotel together with Hunter sprawled out in the back and Jay on top of him, Corey in the driver's seat, and Joelle beside him.

Jay's and Hunter's room was on the floor above Joelle's and Corey's, and after saying their 'good nights' the couples went their separate ways, and when Corey slid between the covers he pulled Joelle in his arms.

" I love you." He whispered and placed a kiss on her cheek. Joelle smiled. " I love you, too."

They lay like that for a few minutes until the silence was broken by the muffled sound of a bedpost hiting the wall in a steady rhythm. Corey and Joelle looked at each other and grinned, knowing exactly from which room the sounds were coming from.

Soon the whole hotel went to sleep, except for two certain couples, the only sound that could be heard was the constant knocking of two bedposts against the wall.

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I don't own Hanna, she owns herself. LoL