Cracks in the Crystal

Two

Stephanie's heart clenched tightly as she pulled up into their driveway and saw Paul's car was nowhere to be found. She turned off the ignition, her hands tightening on the steering wheel as she turned her head to gaze back over her three children. She was glad to see that all three girls were asleep but knew that to get them all inside she'd have to wake them up and they would ask where their father was.

Sighing she turned in her seat, stretching her arm out to gently shake awake both Aurora and Murphy. The two girls blinked awake, gazing at their mother sleepily as she explained to them that they were home. She got out of the car then, opening the door for them both and helping them out of the car before walking around to get a sleeping Vaughn out of her booster seat.

Once all the girls were out of the car she closed the doors and locked them, ushering the girls up to the front door of their home. She held her 4 year old awkwardly in her arms as she struggled a little to open the front door, eventually getting it open after several moments of fumbling. She turned on the hallway light as she locked the door behind her and punched in the security code, hoping none of her daughters asked for Paul.

Luck wasn't on her side however when Murphy spoke tiredly, "I want daddy to tuck me in," she told her mother, as Stephanie ushered them towards their bedrooms. The wrestling executive cringed at her words, knowing without a doubt that Paul wasn't home; she actually had no idea where he was.

"Daddy is sleeping Murph. Remember he's not feeling well?" she told her middle child, shifting Vaughn to her other hip as they all walked down the hallway. "You two go get your PJs on while I put Vaughn to bed, please," she instructed them as she pushed her youngest daughters bedroom door open.

The two older girls headed to their rooms, Murphy pouting sleepily the whole way. Stephanie shook her head, placing her youngest on her bed and stripping her of her clothes. She quickly got the little girl changed and tucked her in, pressing a kiss to her forehead sadly. The 4 year old looked so peaceful in her sleep and the wrestling executive couldn't help but wonder how long those peaceful looks would last on her children's faces.

She flicked on her nightlight as she made her way out of the room, crossing the hall to Murphy's room and smiling sadly as she saw her middle child in bed, a Triple H t-shirt firmly in her grasp. Murphy really was a daddy's girl and Stephanie couldn't help but wonder what would happen to their beautiful daughters if they separated. She could only imagine how hard it'd be for Murphy to only see her dad on the weekends; that was if Paul didn't fight for full custody of the girls.

The brunette quickly shook her head at the thoughts as she tucked her daughter in. No, she and Paul were not going to divorce; she was going to try with everything she had to keep her family together and repair the damage she'd inflicted. She was pulled from her thoughts though when she heard the tired voice of her daughter asking for her daddy again.

"I want daddy to tuck me in," she whines sleepily, frowning at her mother.

"I know baby girl but daddy is sleeping," Stephanie tells her softly. Murphy frowns deeper but doesn't say anything else as Steph tucks her in properly and kisses her goodnight. "Goodnight, love you," she says as she leaves the room quietly.

She tucks Aurora into bed too before heading towards her own room, hesitating at the door for a moment. She knows Paul isn't here but there's a ridiculous part of her that hopes she's wrong and he actually is. Her heart sinks as she opens the door, shutting it behind her when she realizes that there are certain things missing within the bedroom.

Stephanie's heart skips a beat as she walks over to their walk in closet and notices one of his duffel bags missing and several items of his clothing. He most definitely hadn't taken those things the night before when he'd stormed out which meant he had come back home before leaving again.

She shut the closet door quickly, tears pooling in her eyes. She changed into her own sleepwear, a knot forming in her stomach as she made her way over to their large empty bed, climbing in sadly. Paul was gone and it scared her but she knew he'd at least be back; he hadn't taken enough clothes to last being away long and he'd never go a day without seeing his girls if he could help it. She fell asleep hugging his pillow, breathing in his scent and regretting most of her actions in the last several months.

Paul sat on the edge of his hotel bed, head in his hands as the television in front of him played some random comedy he didn't know the name of. He was still in the clothes he'd left Vince and Linda's in; too tired and overwhelmed to think about changing. His mind was still inexplicably on the night before and the conversation he'd had with Stephanie.

Anger seemed to be the dominant emotion bubbling up inside him, pushing aside the hurt he was trying desperately to bury. His mind couldn't help but to conjure up mental images of his wife and…that little fucker she'd admitted to sleeping with. In all their 14 years together he had never once doubted her faithfulness to him or even entertained the idea that she would betray him in such a way.

He didn't understand how she could have done this to him, to them. He loved her more than life itself, he had done so for almost 14 years of his life and he had always thought that that had be reciprocated. Apparently it hadn't though. He couldn't not wonder if it was somehow his fault; had he not paid her enough attention? Had he pushed her into the arms of another man? What had he done to cause her to betray her vows? As much as he wanted answers to his questions he also really didn't want to know at all.

The part time wrestler growled angrily, standing up and pacing back and forth in front of the bed restlessly. He was exhausted really, the emotional and mental turmoil was finally taking its toll and he stripped off his clothes angrily before sinking into the unfamiliar bed in his pajamas. He tossed and turned as he tried to sleep, replaying the night before and the events leading up to their confrontation over and over in his mind.

Paul stood stoic in front of their bed as Stephanie fidgeted nervously across from him. His hands rested in clenched fists against his waist as he tried to control his breathing, knowing that whatever was about to happen probably wasn't going to be good. Stephanie looked extremely upset and Paul thought he knew what was about to come, even though he hoped with everything that he was wrong about what he thought she wanted to say.

"Paul," she started, sending a watery smile his way, "You know I love you. So much and this has been killing me… I don't know how it happened but…I…I slept with someone," she admits so quietly Paul thought he hadn't heard her right.

"Who?" he growls out after a moment, his worst suspicions being confirmed. Part of him wished she hadn't told him at all, that way he could pretend that she was still the loving, faithful wife he wanted to so desperately to see her as again.

Stephanie shook her head, stepping closer to him, trying to reach out a hand to touch him. He pushes her hand away however, glaring at her as the hurt was quickly replaced by anger at the fact that she had actually cheated on him. "Who was it huh? Who the hell did you let fuck you?" he hissed angrily, very aware of the fact that his daughters were sleeping just down the hallway.

He noticed how his wife flinched at his angry words and he honestly couldn't bring himself to care. He saw the tears spilling down her cheeks and despite his anger he wanted to comfort her, to dry her tears even as his own pooled in his eyes. Paul of course pushed those thoughts away, instead choosing to focus on the anger coursing through his system at this not so unexpected revelation.

After a moment she finally spoke, "Randy. It was Randy," she whispered, a hand coming up to wipe at her tears as she watched her obviously devastated husband.

"I can't fucking believe you," he breathed, shaking his head. He had had his suspicions for a few weeks but to have it actually confirmed was a whole other matter to deal with. Just looking at Stephanie at the moment was causing his blood to boil and before he knew it he was pushing past her roughly, heading out of their bedroom angrily.

"Where are you going?" she asked panicked as she followed him out of their bedroom.

He got all the way to the front door before answering her, "Away from here, from you before I do or say something I'll fucking regret Stephanie," he spat at her. "Did you really think I was just going to stay here and talk it out with you right now?" he scoffed, shaking his head.

Paul grabbed his coat, wallet and keys before pushing open the door and making his way towards his car. He honestly couldn't stay in that house with her right now. He was hurt and angry and right now he wanted absolutely nothing to do with Stephanie at all. He pulled out of their driveway and drove off, not knowing where he was going as he finally let the tears he'd been holding back fall.

AN: Here is chapter 2! I wrote this in maybe only an hour and a half, I had a very clear idea of how I wanted this chapter to go. The only reason the update took so long was because I wanted to update ABM before this. We've got both Paul and Stephanie's thoughts in this chapter as well as a little flashback that hopefully makes it clear what the situation is. Also, I just wanted to clarify that this all takes place in 2014, current timeline.

Anyway, I hope you enjoyed and please review! :) LT.