Two days later Chris and Ashley walked into WWE headquarters in Stamford, Connecticut. They were meeting with Vince, and Stephanie to take a leave of absent from the WWE. They were sitting in a room where Ashley had often sat while pregnant with her children, as she had once been a writer. She had sense given up being part of the creative team to be a full time diva. Ashley shifted uncomfortably as they waited. "I hate waiting." She whined.
Chris smiled and rubbed her back. "It's okay sweetie. They won't keep us waiting long." Just as the last word was out of his mouth, the door opened and in walked Vince and Stephanie.
"Ashley. Chris." Vince said and shook their hands. Ashley and Stephanie exchanged hugs and everyone sat.
"So what's up?" Vince asked after a moment of silence.
"Uh well Vince we are having some family issues and we would both like to take leaves of absence from the company." Chris said.
Vince looked at him shocked. The Jericho's were two of the WWE's brightest stars. "Can I ask why?" He asked softly.
Ashley held back tears as she bit her lip hard. She nodded and Chris said. "Ashley was diagnosed with ovarian cancer, Vince."
Vince's eyes softened. He had known and loved Ashley since she was about six years old. "I am sorry." He said. "But I have every faith you'll make a full recovery."
Ashley smiled and nodded. "Thank you Vince." She said softly.
"So would you rather just be stripped of your titles?" Vince asked.
Ashley shook her head. "No, I would like to lose it to Mickie." She said softly.
Chris cleared his throat. "Just strip me off mine."
Ashley laughed and nodded. "Alright then. Ashley you were scheduled to face Mickie in a week at Summer Slam. How about we make it an I quit match. Chris and you." Vince said with a smile.
Ashley nodded. "Sounds great Vince."
Monday night brought tears as most of the WWE had now heard of Ashley's diagnosis. Ashley sat in the locker room with Mickie five minutes before their promo. Ashley had her head hung and Mickie was staring at the floor. "Ashley." She said.
Ashley looked up at her. "Yeah?"
"I am glad I finally get to kick your ass and get my championship back." Mickie said laughing.
Ashley's face broke out into a true smile. "Man, I'll be back. We both know I am the better diva, and I am a hell a lot sexier then you."
"Girl! You're tripping! Seriously!" Mickie cried.
Ashley giggled and shook her head. "It'll be a full circle. You were my first and you're going to be my last match." She said.
Mickie shook her head. "Nah, you'll come back bigger and stronger." She said.
Ashley shrugged and stood up stretching. "Take care of the new girls Mick. Most of them won't get pushed without me yelling at Vince and Stephanie." Ashley said.
Mickie smiled. "I will." Ashley herself and Melina over the last five years had turned the women's division of the WWE from just eye candy to something to be proud of. "Plus don't talk like your not going to be coming back."
Ashley shrugged. "You ready?"
Mickie nodded and they got their games faces on. They went from best friends to bitter enemies as they exited the locker room and walked to their promo spot.
Raw went to commercial and when it came back, Ashley stood next to Chris laughing. Mickie walked in with her on-screen boyfriend, CM Punk. "Look CM the golden family of the WWE. Where's the kiddies tonight Ashley?"
Ashley glared at Mickie. "Go away James." She snapped.
"I sure hope those kids of yours are okay. I mean you wouldn't want anything to happen to them would you?" Mickie giggled with a cocky grin.
Ashley raised her eyebrow and then jumped on Mickie and began punching her. "Don't threaten my kids Mickie!" She was screaming as Chris pulled her off.
Mickie held her mouth and glared at Ashley. "Ya know what Jericho, I think our match on Sunday should be an I quit match!"
"Fine! I can't wait to make you quit!" Ashley screamed.
"Let's make it interesting if you're so full of yourself! If I win both you and your husband quit!" Mickie snapped.
Ashley grinned and nodded. "Then if I win you and your man whore quit!" Ashley screamed.
Mickie smiled and nodded. "Fine." And the screen went black.
It was Tuesday morning and all of the WWE was already in Cleveland, Ohio for Summer Slam on Sunday. Chris had just picked up Ash, and the twins Cheyenne and Sierra from Hopkins Airport Chris had wanted to call Jess and ask her not to send the kids but Ashley had insisted. She loved Ash and the twins, as did Austin and Noah.
"Mom said Ashley had cancer." Ash said softly. Even at the age of nine Ash was smart enough to know that cancer could be fatal.
Chris nodded. "Yeah she starts treatments on Tuesday morning." He said.
"I hope she gets better. Life won't be the same without her on Christmas morning. Or her and mom screaming at each other." Ash said with a laugh.
Chris shook her head, Ash had loved the fights his mother and stepmother got in over the silliest things. "She'll be fine." Chris said.
"She better! Or who's going to take me to beach when we are in Texas." Ash said. Chris laughed and messed up Ash's hair. "Is it true I am named after Ashley?"
Chris looked shocked. "Nah." He said and the conversation ended.
Sunday Night came all too quickly for Ashley. She sat in the locker room by herself tears in her eyes. She wanted to just continue wrestling she wanted everything to go back to normal. She wanted nothing more then to watch her sons grow up and become partly second and third generation wrestlers. Second generation on the Jericho side and third generation on the Austin side. She sighed as she donned her trademark lion pants and shirt that she had begun wearing shortly after she had come back from maternity leave from Austin. She sighed as she wiped her tears away and applied her makeup quickly.
A knock sounded on the door. "I am dressed!" She called and in walked her cousin Misha Kendrick with her three kids. The oldest one was three-year-old Troy, then the second boy Taylor was two while Sabina the only girl was only one. "Aunt Ashy!" Troy screeched and ran over to her and hugged her legs tightly.
"Hey Troy." She said and kissed the top of his head. "Hey Misha."
Misha smiled. "You feeling okay?" She asked.
Ashley sighed. "I wish everyone would stop asking me that. Remember when things were rough for you and Brain before Sabina was born?" She asked.
Misha nodded and smiled. "Yeah."
"Well that's how I feel." Ashley said and sat down.
Misha hugged her tightly. The cousins had always been close and Ashley had teased Misha nonstop about marrying her ex fiancée. "You know I'll be there for you always right?" Misha asked.
"Yeah. You better get to your seats." Ashley said.
"Before your kids go psycho!" Misha cried.
Ashley giggled. "Yeah Austin and Noah are bad asses."
"Ya know it." Misha said and walked out with a wink.
Ashley and Chris' hit the arena and they walked down hand in hand. Ashley felt something in her stomach and somehow she knew she would never enter a ring again. Mickie came out with CM Punk and the match began after Ashley gave Chris a deep kiss. The match went by all too quickly for Ashley and soon Mickie was ready for her Mick Kick Combo. She back kicked Ashley's midsection quickly moving so she could front kick Ashley's chest then to finish her off a spinning back kick to the head.
Ashley fell and Mickie rolled her up. The ref counted…1...2...3. With that, she heard JR scream. "The Jericho's have to quit! Ashley Jericho not only lost her women's championship but her job!"
"Don't forget Chris is now stripped of his Intercontinental Championship and his job!" Jerry said.
Ashley was kneeling in the middle of the ring crying. She looked up and at the WWE fans who were chanting. "Rematch." She stood up, walked towards Chris, and hugged him tightly sobbing. She knew the fans thought it was only because she had just lost her job kayfabe but it wasn't. She knew that, no matter what that had been her last match.
Mickie stood by watching her best friend and kayfabe nemesis sobbing. Mickie dropped her belt and ran over to Ashley. They embraced tightly and Ashley whispered into Mickie's ear. "You made this all worth it."
Mickie laughed and kissed her cheeks. "WWE won't be the same without us fighting."
Ashley nodded and then Mickie did something unexpected. She threw up Ashley's arm as if she was the winner. Chris held a mic in his hand and said. "Exiting speech?"
Ashley laughed and shook her head as Mickie grabbed the mic. "Ladies and gentlemen let's give a hand to Ashley AUSTIN Jericho!" A defending applause started and Ashley sobbed harder. It had been a perfect night for her.
Once the applause had died, Ashley said into the mic. "Thank you guys for these last couple of years it's been a pleasure entertaining you!" She said. Ashley hugged Chris and nodded. She walked out of the ring not once looking back.