Once they were clear of her Father Dwayne looked at Stephanie, "so I'm going out on a limb to say the rumour about things being frosty between you and your Dad is a little more than a rumour."

Turning her head she was surprised there were rumours about that, "is there anything this gossip hell hole doesn't talk about?"

"Umm . . . well there's the . . . you know the . . . okay you're right, there is probably nothing that they don't gossip over. Unfortunately right now everything about you and Paul is big business and when I say everything I literally mean everything. Not to be involved in the gossip or anything I think you should probably know that there are a couple of bets going on in the locker room right now."

Sighing she shook her head, "great, fan-fucking-tastic. Why don't you top off my morning and tell me what the bets are please? You may aswell give me as much information as possible so I can make their lives as miserable as I can."

Laughing Dwayne liked the sound of that because he liked Stephanie and it wasn't hard to see how utterly miserable she was, "well first there's a bet on how long it will take you and your Dad to get back talking again, then there's the bet about how long until your storyline with Paul ends and then there is the bet about how long it will be until Paul gets a new girlfriend."

Her eyes widened and she couldn't believe that they would sink that low, "wow, here I was thinking I was working with adults when in actual fact I'm working with a bunch of children. If you want to win any of the bets then I'll give you a scoop, my storyline with Paul isn't ending any time soon."

"How can you say that with any certainty?"

"Because over my dead body will Vince split our storyline up. We still have so much left to explore and I will fight it if he even attempts to split us up any time soon."

He was pleased to see that there was still a fire deep in her stomach to do what she believed in, "between you and I, I think it would be a real shame to split up the McMahon-Helmsley's just yet, the crowd love to hate you and you get the biggest heat of any of the wrestlers."

Chuckling that was one way to put it, "well that would be the polite of explaining it I think. Honestly if I didn't have this storyline I'd probably quit right now."

Shocked by her revelation his eyes widened, "seriously? Are things really that bad?"

Sighing she nodded her head, "I'm miserable. If there wasn't this storyline then there would be no reason for me to be here, I'd rather stay at home and work on the storylines from the offices than be here and feel like I'm back in high school with all of the gossip and back stabbing. If I wasn't here I would be able to run my own life and conduct my relationship as I see fit and not have it dictated by some narrow minded and self-centred assholes."

"You know I didn't have a problem with you and Paul being together right?"

Shrugging her shoulders he was apparently in the minority if what he was saying was true, "well one out of many doesn't really help me. No offence or anything but sadly I don't think that really matters. What happened has happened and I just have to get on with it but that would be so much easier if the boys in the back would take their fat noses out of my business."

"But if they did that what would they do with their lives?"

"Don't know, don't care. If they're that bored they need to take up knitting."

Laughing Dwayne could understand why she felt like she did as he would feel the same as her if he was in the same position but he was glad he wasn't, "well I don't have time to gossip or take up knitting. I should take you to your locker room now though, you need to rest that knee."

Groaning she rolled her eyes at him, "don't you start. I already got a lecture from Paul last night about taking good care of my knee and making sure I rest, elevate and ice it or something like that."

"Then you need to listen to us, we know what we're talking about."

"You like telling me what to do. I know it's coming from a good place and I do appreciate it . . ."

"But right now you're sick of people telling you what you can and can't do and what you should and shouldn't do?"

Nodding her head he hit the nail on the head, "exactly. In the nicest way possible it feels like everyone else is running my life and I'm just being taken along for the ride."

Frowning he felt bad now for telling her what to do, "I'm sorry, I was only trying to help."

Shaking her head she didn't mean him at all, "I don't mean you, I really appreciate everything you have done for me."

"Well that's good to hear otherwise I'd just leave you stranded here with your luggage all by yourself."

Rolling her eyes she tugged on his arm, "come on before I get you in trouble for something."

Smiling at her he allowed her to lead him in the general direction of where her locker room should be before they reached the door and she let go, "I will drop your luggage off and then leave you to it but you know where I am if you need me."

Nodding her head she did but she wouldn't need him as hopefully she'd have Paul, "I know and thank you, for everything."

Shrugging his shoulders he pushed the door open and walked inside but as he entered the room his eyes settled on Paul who seemed as miserable as Stephanie was, "well you two will be great company for each other."

Lifting his head at the sound of Dwayne's voice Paul wished he would just go away, "they do say misery loves company and I'm pretty miserable so the company would be nice."

Dwayne put Stephanie's luggage on the floor, "well I'm out of here, have fun depressing each other."

Stephanie was relieved when Dwayne walked out and she swung the door shut behind him before she walked over to the couch and carefully lowered herself down onto it beside her boyfriend, "so why do you look so miserable? Did you miss me that much?"

Chuckling at her he could see in her eyes that she was only teasing him, "well you know I did actually miss you, it was weird travelling here all by myself."

"But?"

"There aren't any but's Steph although you do have a really nice butt."

Smacking his arm gently she rolled her eyes, "don't start sweet talking me. I know your mood is about more than just us travelling separately so no kisses until I get answers."

His eyes widened that she was blackmailing him, "that's not cool."

"Then start talking."

Frowning he tried to get out of it, "I don't want to."

She wasn't going to let him get off that easily, "then you won't get any kissed until you tell me. I'm not backing down Paul, I want to know."

"But you won't like it."

Shrugging her shoulders she didn't care if she would like it or not, she needed to know, "I don't care, just tell me please."