Finding Mr Right

Author: PaulenaK

Rating: PG

Pairing: Triple H/Stephanie

Summary: Hunter wants to invest in his a slice of his history but one thing stands in his way… his ex wife!

Disclaimer: Everything WWE belongs to Vince McMahon. 'Mac' (who appears in part 7) is a fictional character and belongs solely to me.

Feedback: Is much appreciated

**

Prologue

**

"Mate, I don't get it… this is a once in a life time opportunity. That place is part of our childhood… our upbringing… we can’t let them close it down."

"Shawn man, we've been through this already. Ever since 'the ex wife' realised she had a brain she's been sucking every spare dollar she can get out of me to pay for uni fee's."

"And that's what I don't get. She's loaded… her fathers loaded… why ARE you paying for her to go back to uni?"

"Because the legal system sucks."

Both looked up from their sitting positions on the bench as a leggy blonde entered smiling sweetly down on both men before bending to drop a kiss on the top of Hunter's head.

"I see the conversation topic hasn't changed. Poor baby," she pouted sitting down in Hunters lap. "Does the mean nasty ex want more money?"

Hunter glared at Shawn. "No. The mean nasty best friend wants money."

Laughing to himself Shawn decides to excuse himself to give the two lovebirds some privacy. 'Maybe Stacey will be able to change his mind.' He thought pausing to look back at them. "Nah," he said to himself shaking his head with a chuckle. 'Stacey may be many things but when it came to Hunter he only knew one woman who could wrap his best friend around her little finger.

'But maybe there was another way' he thought a plan starting to form in his mind.

"What's going on in that pea sized brain of yours hmmm?" Hunter wanted to know seeing the look on Shawn's face. A devious look he knew so well. His best friend was cooking up a plan.

He caught Hunter's gaze for a second before shrugging. "What's one way for you to stop paying alimony?"

Hunter leaned forward that one question sparking his interest. "I'm listening."

Shawn smiled giving his friend a wink as he opened the door to leave. "It's simple really… find her another husband."

**

Part One

**

"I now pronounce you husband and wife… you may kiss the bride…"

Awww's sounded through the cathedral. Flashes of light went off simultaneously as pictures were taken. Tears flowed from both man and woman and the happiness that shone from the newly weds that were now making their way down the aisle was priceless.

"Hunter… Hunter…"

"I'm up! I'm up!" he gasped sitting up in the pew he and Stacey were seated in, embarrassment shining in his expression as he realised he had just slept through his own sisters wedding service.

Shawn was seated behind his friend and he leaned forward in his chair. "Yes, you are… now."

Hunter closed his eyes and groaned. He was never going to live this down.

His newly married sister smiled to him as she passed showing no remorse at his sleeping on her special day. She looked radiant and his face beamed as he watched their progress his eyes coming to a stop when his gaze fell on that of his ex wife, Stephanie McMahon-Helm- He had to stop himself from adding his own name at the end of it… something that had gotten him into more then one embarrassing situation, situations where Shawn loved to take on the responsibility of reminding him that she wasn't ‘Stephanie McMahon-Helmsley’ anymore.

No… now she was Miss Stephanie McMahon, the bitch 'he' was forced to put through university and why? Because he had once said the two words that had sealed his fate forever, 'I do.'

Brushing off the arm his girl friend Stacey Keibler had threaded through the crook of his he made his way over to his ex wife, his face a mask of annoyance and frustration.

"What are you doing here?" he demanded pulling her into the entryway of the cathedral out of sight of the others.

"I came for a wedding," she said pulling her arm from his grasp. "What are you doing here?"

"Don't get cocky with me. What's the real reason? Didn't get your alimony cheque this month?" he grumbled shaking his head as he stared at a spot on the wall just above her left shoulder.

She rolled her eyes at him. "I got invited okay."

"Invited? Invited by who?"

"I may not be your wife anymore Hunter but I am still on good terms with your family." She said her eyes finally settling on those of her ex husbands after watching the bride and groom make their way out to their waiting limo. "Same thing could be said about you if only you could get passed this whole divorce thing."

"I am over this whole divorce thing!" he snarled then quickly lowered his voice when several of the guests looked over in their direction. "I am over the divorce. It's the alimony I can't get over."

"I'm going to make something of myself, Hunter. He watched as her eyes filled with determination. "And when I do I'm going to pay you back every cent."

"Newsflash Stephanie, you 'can' afford to do that now… or daddy can." He added as an after thought.

She quickly averted her eyes. Hunter had to wonder at that, she always seemed a bit put out whenever he mentioned her father… or his money.

"Ah… the bride and groom have left and my rides here." She motioned towards a black SUV parked across the street. "So, look after yourself Hunter, okay?."

Pausing a few steps away from him she turned back. "I will repay all the money you have had to give me, I promise."

He watched as she jogged across the street towards the black SUV, jumping in the passenger side before it slowly pulled away merging with the on coming traffic.

"Wow, she's lost a lot of weight." He heard Stacey say from behind him as she and Shawn joined him in the entryway of the cathedral.

"Uni life must be good for her. She looked practically glowing,"

Rolling his eyes at the grinning Shawn, his only response was to shake his head before making his way out towards his own car leaving his girlfriend and his best friend to follow in his wake.

**

Part Two

**

"Wanna talk about it?" Chris Jericho asked as he pulled up in front of Stephanie's small apartment and shut off the engine.

"There's nothing to talk about," she replied turning to face him in her seat. "Hunter was just being Hunter."

"Long nosed bastard."

She laughed. "Come on Chris, he's not that bad."

Leaning towards her he lifted her chin placing his lips on hers. "After everything he's put you through… he's all that and more."

"Your just biased," she laughed back at him running her finger along his jaw line.

He dipped his head down flicking his tongue along the base of her throat. "Aha,"

"I really should go in… I… ah…" she gasped as his hand began a lazy trailed up her thigh and that's when it happened, that's when it always happened. "Chris, Chris stop…"

He pulled back a hurt and confused look on his face.

"I'm sorry… it's just… I…-"

"It's okay Steph," he smiled back at her bringing her hand up to place a kiss on her palm. "I've waited this long right? I can wait a little longer."

"But that's just it, Chris," her tone and expression had turned serious. "You shouldn't have to wait…"

"Steph we've been through this and my answer then is still my answer now," he said leaning forward again to place his forehead against hers. "Your worth it, Hunter's loss is my gain."

"You're a good man, Chris." She said shifting her head a little to kiss the tip of his nose. "I better go in."

Getting out of his car he walked around to her side opening her door for her before taking her hand to help her out, not letting go of her hand as they walked towards the front door of her apartment building.

"Call you tomorrow?" he asked stopping when they reached the front steps.

"I'd like that."

Leaning forward he kissed her once before walking backwards a few steps back towards his car only getting into his car and driving away when she had disappeared into the building.

**

"Okay, I have a list!" Shawn cried as he burst through the front door of Hunter's home coming to a stop when Hunter practically pushed Stacey out of his lap as he stood up from the sofa. "Oop's, did I interrupt something?"

"Well… Yes!" Stacey pouted getting up rubbing her now very sore backside. "Didn't your mama ever teach you to knock?"

"Didn't yours ever teach you to sit with your legs closed." he smirked not missing a beat then proceeded to glare at her just as distastefully as she was at him.

"Oooooh!" she voiced in frustration. They watched as she marched towards the open door and walked through, coming back a few moments later to pull the door closed with a loud slam.

"Man, how can you put up with that?" Shawn said walking towards the sofa and sitting down.

"She's okay… keeps my mind off some things…" Hunter replied plopping himself down in a chair across from Shawn.

Shawn raised his brows at that. "Some things? Or someone?"

"Some THINGS." Hunter replied shooting his friend one of his don't-even-go-there looks. "So… what list have you got?" he asked getting back to the reason Shawn was there.

Shawn's eyes widened his hand reaching inside his jacket," Oh yeah, here it is." He smiled triumphantly.

"Rob, Deacon, Matt, Jeff, Al, John, Randy… what is this?"

Shawn merely crossed his arms across his chest as he leaned back in his chair smiling smugly the whole time.

"Why, it's a list of possible husbands… oh simple one."

**

AN: ~I wasn't sure on Stephanie's age… so made it up~

Part Three

**

"None of these are gonna work," Hunter said waving the sheet of paper with Shawn's prepared name list of probable husbands.

"What'ya mean? They are the cream of the crop!" Shawn protested snatching the list from Hunters fingers.

"If they are the cream of the crop… then we need new friends."

"Come on Hunter, it's the perfect 'out' for you." Shawn insisted. "Stephanie getting married again plus no more alimony payments for you equal’s the theatre we grew up in, the theatre that basically shaped our teenage years, the theatre that's gonna get torn down if we don't make a bid for it."

"I know that… I'm just saying I don't think these guys look right for Steph."

"Oh you don't… well ole buddy of mine, do you have somebody in mind?"

A wide grin spread across Hunter's face. "As a matter of fact I do."

"So you’re in?" Shawn asked holding his hand out in front of Hunter.

He grinned accepting the other man's hand. "I'm in."

**

Stephanie waited until Chris's SUV was out of sight before stepping out of the doorway to make her way around to the back of the building, descending the few steps to the doorway that led to the small laundry room underneath the building.

Slowly pulling on the handle she peeked inside to make sure no one was using the washing machines located there before removing the duck tape she had secured to the lock on the fire exit preventing it from closing completely and locking her out.

Tossing the duck tape in her hand to the rubbish bin in the corner she breathed a sigh of relief before bolting the fire exit closed. Removing her shoes she silently padded over to a cupboard that held the fuse box to turn up the heat on the thermostat before opening another door and tossing her shoes on the make shift bed that sat in one corner of the room. Pouring a little water into a bowl from the bottle that sat on a small table and picking up the small face cloth that sat folded neatly next to the bowl she dipped it into the bowl feeling the coolness of the water surround her fingers before bringing the cloth up to her face.

'Another day in the life of the disowned and divorced all before she was twenty-three Stephanie McMahon' she thought pulling out a bread roll from her pocket, one which she had wrapped in a napkin and stored in her bag during her lunch with Chris earlier today. 'Well at least I'll have breakfast tomorrow." She added laying the bread roll still wrapped in the napkin on the table beside the bottle of water.

Shrugging out of the sleeveless dress she wore she placed it on a coat hanger before hooking it up to a nail protruding out of the wall forgoing her usual dress code of jeans and a t-shirt for her once sister-in-law's wedding.

Pulling on a pair of sweat pants and jumper she glanced down at her watch, she still had a few hours till the automatic timer lights clicked off so she settled down on top of her fold out bed to work on her essay paper, pulling up the covers as she did so.

**

Part Four

**

"A+, congratulations Miss McMahon."

Stephanie's smile beamed up at her professor as he passed. "Thanks." She couldn't believe she had aced her paper!

She still wore her silly grin practically skipping down the hallway and out the front entrance of the building bouncing on the balls of her feet as she stood waiting for the 'walk now' sign to light up. 'This is definitely a cause for celebration' she thought mentally adding up the coins that were stuffed behind a loose brick in the laundry room.

"Hey baby…"

"Oh please no." she groaned recognising his voice straight away.

Hunter watched, as Stephanie seemed to deflate right in front of him, suspicion entering her eyes as she looked behind him obviously expecting to see Stacey or Shawn there. Her shoulders slumped and the ants in her pants seemed to settle at the mere sight of him and all he had said was 'hey baby.'

"It was the way you said it."

'Damn' he scowled; she always knew what he was thinking. He hated it when she did that. "And how did I say it?"

"Like I was nothing better than a working girl standing on a street corner." She replied starting to cross the street as the lights changed. "What are you doing here?"

Hunter didn't know how she knew he was still there walking slowly behind her… it was uncanny the way their minds worked as if they were one, even if their bodies weren't. 'Eerrrggghhhh! Now where had that come from?' he thought shaking his head to jar the evident lack of sense needed there to unclog his brain cells.

"Do I need a reason to come see my ex wife?" he asked smiling inwardly when she didn't even justify his comment with a response. "Okay, I'll get to the point."

"Please do." She didn't turn his way but he knew she was smiling and he couldn't help but smile himself.

"Well… I've been a little concerned about you, being on your own… and well I know a few guys… and your still in your prime… and you got a lot to offer a man…"

"Let me guess… one of your long time frat buddies is in town and your hoping I will show him a good time." she said stopping to look at him then and he took a step back at the anger he saw in her expression.

His face clouded over and his eyes lowered as he went over all he had said in his mind. 'Shit!' he thought stepping forward and grabbing her arm. "I didn't mean it like that Steph…"

"Look Hunter…" she rubbed a hand tiredly across her eyes. "I'm kinder seeing Chris at the moment-"

"Chris? Chris who?"

"Jericho."

His jaw dropped as he stood stock still his eyes wide in amazement saying the first thing that came into his mind. "But you hate him."

"No Hunter… you hate him."

"I always knew that prick had a thing for you," he grumbled to himself not realising she had started walking again. "It's not a serious thing with Y2Jackass is it?" he called after her.

He saw the way her head tilted to the side from where he walked behind her and knew she had just rolled her eyes. "No I'm not sleeping with him, Hunter."

'Phew!' he couldn't believe how much her words had put him at ease then frowned mentally slapping himself upside the head. 'Snap out of it Hunter!'

They were nearing her building and she didn't want to have to wait around for him to go before she could sneak down into the laundry room, she had to bring this conversation to an end and that meant… "I'll do it."

"You… you'll do it?" 'Damn did he look as stupid as he sounded?'

"Coffee and that's it, take it or leave it."

"Done." He sent her his lop-sided grin… 'That had always been her favourite…'

"I'll be in touch."

He watched her cross the street '…At least it had been.'

**

Part Five

**

'He's up to something,' she thought as she quietly tip-toed her way through the laundry area to the small room in the back, sighing in relief once she had closed the door behind her. "And my guess is it has everything to do with my alimony cheque." She muttered to herself.

Pushing her bed away from the wall she pulled on a loose brick placing it down on the floor beside her before reaching in running her fingers along the loose dust and plaster till they touched on to what she was after, a little pouch which held everything she held close to her heart.

A creased family portrait of happier times, cheque stubs of all the alimony payments Hunter had reluctantly written in her name and a kerchief that Hunter had worn in his breast pocket on their wedding day. It had 'H + S 4eva' sewn in the top right hand corner and she had kept it as a keep sake wanting to pass it down to their daughter as a legacy of the love shared between them.

Bringing the kerchief to her face she inhaled deeply, the scent of Hunter's aftershave though faint still woven in between the fibres. She placed it up on the bed next to her while she turned the pouch upside down emptying it of its contents.

'Hmmm… not much for a banquet,' she thought counting all the coins that had fallen out. "Seventeen bucks, don't spend it all at once." She told herself trying to will back her happy mood from this afternoon as she returned the coins to the pouch; the celebration could wait till after graduation in a couple weeks.

What she had to think about was what she was going to do with her life after graduation.

Gathering her treasures together she placed them back in the wall returning the loose brick.

Filling the tall drinking glass beside her bed she pulled a small stack of envelopes from her folder which all held a copy of her resume ready to be posted. "Here's to now." Picking up the glass she toasted what she had accomplished thus far.

Undependability.

**

"Shawn have you seen Hunter?"

Shawn looked up from where he was stretching out on the floor to see Stacey standing in his hotel room.

"Where did you come from?"

"There," she pointed to an open door. "Did you know our rooms joined?"

"News to me… obviously." He mumbled getting up from his position on the floor.

"So have you seen Hunter or not?" she now stood with her hands on her hips looking very much like the sooky la la blonde she was renown for and he couldn't help the smile that came to his face.

"And just what is that smile on your face for?"

"Settle down, legs," he wanted to out right laugh at her expression, he knew she hated when he called her that.

"Did I here my name?" The man in question walked through the adjoining door flopping down on a chair in front of Shawn.

Shawn nodded in Stacey's direction. "Legs here was just looking for yah,"

"What's up Stace?"

Stacey frowned at the way he had greeted her, no 'hey babe' or 'kiss my arse' or anything… just 'what's up Stace' like she was just an acquaintance instead of his girlfriend. See cast a glance towards Shawn and saw that he had picked up on it too.

"Ah… Scott called… something about a date?"

"Oh great!" Hunter exclaimed oblivious to Stacey's obvious worries. "Did he leave a number?"

"Yeah… I wrote it down and left it by the phone in 'our' room." She emphasised the word 'our' just for his benefit but his mind still seemed elsewhere. He was up and out of the chair only to return a few moments later with his cell phone and the slip of paper with Scott's number written on it.

"Hey Scott, Hunter… yeah, yeah fine… yourself? Yeah… everything's great… hey listen… remember you telling me that you never get to meet any women being on the road all the time… yeah well, how are you with blind dates?"

Shawn's eyes widened as Hunter continued.

"No she's not a dog, she's anything but… and who knows you two might hit it off." He turned to Shawn given the other man a thumbs up. "Great… excellent… well I'll be in touch, okay… take it easy Scott."

Shawn grinned. "You got Stephanie to agree to a date… didn't you?"

Leaning back in his chair Hunter just shrugged in response.

"I didn't know Hall was going to be in town." Shawn mused.

"He's not."

Stacy frowned. As far as she knew Scott Hall was the only 'Scott' Hunter hung out with.

"Then who is Stephanie going on a date with?" She asked coming forward to sit beside Hunter her obvious fears forgotten after hearing Hunter setting Stephanie up on a date with another man.

"Scott Steiner."

**

Part Six

**

"What do you mean you’re stuck at the airport?" Hunter bellowed into his mobile phone. "Your date is in half an hour."

"Uh oh," Shawn laughed from behind him. "Steph is never going to forgive you if he's a no show."

"And you just thought to ring me now… What are you deficient?" Hunter angrily snapped his phone closed before flipping it open just as quickly and hitting speed dial. "Stupid high on muscle tissue walking drug store!" He paced as he waited for an answer. "Damn! She's not picking up."

"Well if you had of just chosen one of the guys from my list-"

"Now is so not the time for an 'I told you so' speech."

"Well let me know when it is and I'll be sure and tell yah." Shawn countered his features softening when he saw the seriousness of his friend's expression. "She's gonna be pissed right?"

"She is gonna be the queen of pissed!" Hunter corrected covering his face with his hands. "And it's all gonna be directed at me."

Shawn clapped a hand on the other mans shoulders. "Look at the bright side bro… at least it's for something you actually did this time."

"Your not helping Shawn," Hunter said as he zipped up his gym bag and started heading for the door.

"Hey where yah going? We have a workout session booked!" Shawn called to the retreating figure of his best friend.

**

Stephanie sat in the café across from her uni and stared at the menu as she waited for a man with a yellow carnation, god she could have killed Hunter when he told her! Talk about cliché! She thought glancing once again at the clock. 'And to top it all off he was now late.'

She had been racking her brain for an escape goat in case this guy was a right dork, which wouldn't surprise her seeing as this was all arranged by her ex husband, but looks like she wouldn't be needing it after all.

'Five more minutes and I'm gone,' she thought her eyes on the clock silently counting down the seconds.

"Refill?" A young waitress asked stopping at her table with a steaming pot of coffee in her hand.

"No thanks," Stephanie replied sending the waitress a smile as she toddled off to the next table. 'I barely have enough to pay for my first one.' She muttered to herself when the waitress was out of earshot.

Looking back up at the clock she saw that it was nearing four minutes and sighed in relief reaching under the table for her back pack, unzipping a side pocket to remove a couple coins placing them on the table by her coffee cup. 'Sorry can’t afford a tip.' She thought as she stood to leave.

Making her way passed the now student packed café she walked through the front door and out onto the sidewalk inhaling deeply as she passed the threshold. 'Never again,' she thought crossing the street to head back onto campus. 'Never friggin' again!'

**

Hunter sat on the doorstep of Stephanie's apartment building, he'd gone to the café she was supposed to meet Scott but according to the waitress he had missed her by at least ten minutes. So after trying to get a copy of her class schedule from the not too helpful and very grumpy receptionist in the office at the university she attended had failed… he had opted to just camp out on her doorstep, she had to come home sometime right?

He just wished that sometime came soon because he was freezing his butt off. Rubbing his hands together he brought them up to cup his mouth blowing into them to help generate heat into his fingers. He realised by being here he was going to get another female angry at him but he knew he couldn't just let it go without at least talking to Steph and trying to make amends, 'I mean sure I hate that a good chunk of my wages goes to her schooling when it could be invested in the old theatre but gee… I'm not that heartless a prick.'

It was nearing dark when he finally saw her walking down the street. 'Where's her car?' was the first thing that came to his mind. This vision of Stephanie walking and carrying her own bags was a new thing for him… probably for her too.

She rolled her eyes when she saw him sitting there on the doorstep like a little street urchin his hands balled up tightly in the pockets of his jacket. She pretended to fish around in her bag for her keys. "What are you doing here Hunter."

She sounded tired to his ears and her words came out more as a statement than a question. "I just wanted to explain about the date…" his explanation died on his lips as she casually waved him off.

"It's okay… he probably saw me and ran for his life." She smiled up at him but Hunter could see that her smile was fake, for one thing it didn't reach her eyes.

He stood then coming to stand a few feet in front of her. "Actually he was delayed at the airport and it just occurred to him to let me know half an hour before he was supposed to meet you. I high tailed it to the café but you had already left…"

"Hunter… it's okay… you don't have to explain… all I want to do is-"

"Have you eaten yet?" he asked knowing he was a cad for cutting her off when she was obviously going to tell him she wanted to go inside… but he felt he had to make it up to her… cheer her up. "How about we get dinner… my treat…"

"I don't-"

"Cool, let's go." He said grabbing her backpack from her and slinging it over his shoulder as he started back down the footpath towards his car. "I know this great little sea food place…"

**

AN: I don't know if Greenwich has a beach with a pier… in my mind it does…

Part Seven

**

The place Hunter took her to for dinner turned out to be a tiny little fish and chip place in Greenwich overlooking the pier, it was a real old rinky dink joint that had been decorated to resemble the galley of a ship with fake lobster and marlin entangled in fishing nets adorning the ceiling and walls.

Stephanie smiled at the old man behind the counter looking every bit the part of the captain with his whiskered chin and eye patch.

"Ahoy, there young lady… what's a pretty thing like you doing with this scallywag…" his voice was deep and raspy as he called to her from behind the counter.

"Always good to see you too, Mac." Stephanie's brows creased as Hunter stepped behind the counter to give the old man an affectionate hug. "You've never met Stephanie have you?"

"Stephanie?" she watched the old man's face brighten as he made his way around the counter to stand in front of her, his hands reaching out to grab hers as he looked up at her. "Well… well… this is a surprise. The one time he brings yah to meet me and it's after your divorce." He cackled at his own joke showing off his missing front teeth. "Let me get a look at yah girl."

"Stephanie, this is Mac… known him since I was in nappies."

"And then some…" Mac added waggling a bony finger Hunter's way.

"How do you do," Stephanie said as Mac guided her to a table. "Hunter's told me… well… absolutely nothing about you."

"That doesn't surprise me lass," he said sitting across from her at the table. "Thick as wood he is up here." He added reaching up with a curled fist to tap Hunter's head. "Don't just stand around boy… get us some coffee."

Stephanie laughed liking this man already.

"We were married for nearly two year's… why is it I've never met you?" she asked once Hunter had moved back to the counter reaching over it for the coffee pot and some cups.

"Fate and all that I guess lassie…" he replied with a shrug. "But your here now, which is the main thing I must confess I was rather proud of the way he handled things back then… carrying yah off like that in true sea man spirit."

Stephanie leaned across the table. "Well… if you promise not to tell him I'll let you in on a little secret."

'That got his attention' she mused as he too leaned in. "I kind of liked it… the carrying off part, I think every woman dreams of being carried off."

"Oh… no doubt girlie and if'n I was a few years younger I would carry you off myself."

Hunter turned back to see Mac grinning his toothless grin while Stephanie blushed prettily across from him. He knew why he had never brought her here before, he had always thought she would turn her nose up at the old man who had been an icon to him all his childhood and she probably would have… if she had been that same Stephanie, but the Stephanie he saw now sitting in a worn down fish and chip eatery laughing and joking with a scruffy old man was a far cry from the Stephanie he had married.

"You growing those coffee beans yourself sonny?"

Hunter rolled his eyes as Mac's voice brought him out of his musings.

'How was it he got stuck behind the counter?'

**

Stacey was livid.

Shawn watched her as she paced from one end of the room to the next, now and then he'd hear her utter a muffled curse followed by Hunter's name but other then that he didn't hear a peep out of her.

"We had plans!"

Until now.

He looked up at her over the book he was reading with raised eyebrows. "It's early yet… don't fret legs."

"I'm not fretting…. And don't call me legs!"

"Fine… whatever you say…" he said going back to his book. "She's got legs… she knows how to use them…" he laughed turning teasing eyes up at her when a pillow came flying at him from across the room.

**

Stephanie was having a ball, she couldn't remember the last time she had laughed so much and seeing Hunter in a spanking crisp white apron and sailor's hat had really made her day. They all stood side by side now at the huge kitchen sink, Hunter washing, Stephanie drying and Mac putting the dishes away.

"I can’t thank you enough,"

"It's been my pleasure lassie, I only wish I had met you sooner… you are far better company then that other girl he's brought here… Tracy or Macy…"

"Stacey." Stephanie said putting her dishtowel down neatly on top of the bench.

"Yeah, that's it… real piece of meat that one…"

Hunter cringed inwardly. Stacey! They had dinner plans with Torrie and Billy… he had been having such a good time here reminiscing with Mac and Stephanie he had completely forgot. "Mac, can I use your phone?"

"Sure, you know where it is." As Hunter left the kitchen Mac couldn't help but see the change in Stephanie's expression and his heart went out to her. "You still love him don't you?"

Stephanie began to protest but gave up when her eyes met his and knew that this man saw right through her façade. "Foolish hey…"

"No lass, never foolish." He continued to hold her gaze seeing the tears concealed behind her eyes. "If anything tis foolish 'not' to have loved."

**

Part Eight

**

Stacey stared out the window of the hotel after calling Torrie with

some excuse about missing the planned dinner with her and Billy,

Shawn just sat on the couch with his nose buried in a book shooting

her the occasional glance now and then but ultimately leaving her

with her thoughts, hell have no fury like a woman scorned and all

that.

"You gonna answer that?" he asked as her mobile phone beep an

in coming call but she just shrugged non commit tally and continued to

stare out the window.

"Sighing he put his book down and reached for her phone. "Yello,"

"Hey Shawn... put Stacey on will yah?"

One look at the leggy blonde told him that was not gonna happen. "She

went down to the lobby for a news paper... did you know our hotel

room hasn’t got any decent reading material?"

"She doesn’t want to speak to me hey."

"Got it in one bro,"

"Will you just tell her I'm sorry and that I'll be back as soon as I

can," Hunter ran his fingers through his hair as he watched

Stephanie laugh gayly at something Mac was telling her. "There's one

more thing I have to do."

"Will do." Shawn promised snapping her phone shut he glanced up just

in time to see Stacey's reflection in the window as she wiped at the

tear that had escaped her eye to trail down her cheek. "He said he

was sorry, Stace..."

Realising he had seen her show of emotion she turned away from the

window seating herself next to the stereo she pressed play to a

random CD grabbing the head phones and placing them over her ears,

effectively shutting her surroundings and him out, something he

noticed she did whenever she was upset.

And right now... friend or not, Shawn wanted to punch Hunter right in

the mouth.

**

"Everything okay?"

Hunter looked up to see Stephanie walking towards him and he smiled

as he replaced the receiver. "Yeah, everything's good."

"I'm sorry to bring this evening to an end but I've really had a long

day and I have class tomorrow... it's exam time you know..."

"Oh sure... no problem... just let me say goodnight to Mac and we'll

head out."

"Thanks." she called after him as he went to find the old man. She

didn’t have to wait long as they both appeared in the doorway a few

minutes later.

Reaching out to her Mac pulled into a hug, "Now you know where I am

girlie, don’t be a stranger..."

To Hunters surprise Stephanie returned the old man's hug even going

so far as to plant a kiss on his old weathered cheek. "Thank you

Mac... for everything..."

"Go on... get outta here..." He laughed herding them both towards the

door.

"Later Mac." Hunter called out behind him as he and Stephanie stepped

out into the cold night air.

"Before I take you back to your apartment there is one more thing I

want to show you..." Hunter said once they were out on the sidewalk

walking towards his car.

"What is it?" she asked intrigued.

He looked at her a teasing entering his eyes, "A part of my history."

They walked for about ten minutes before Hunter pulled her to a

stop. "Close your eyes,"

"Hunter..."

"Please Steph... humour me just this once."

Expelling a deep breath she agreed closing her eyes allowing him to

lead her by the hand a few more steps, stopping her in her tracks to

turn her around.

"Okay, look."

Stephanie opened her eyes and gasped... it was an old, old

building... not yet a ruin but ruin status was definitely in this

buildings future. It looked like it belonged in a Jane Austen

novel. "It's beautiful..."

"It's the old theatre, Shawn and I saw some of the best movies

here... got my first taste of James Dean in this theatre... you could

say this place kept us off the streets... and look over here..." he

said pulling her over to a lone street lamp that shone directly in

front of the theatre doorway. "What do you see?"

"A door..."

"What? No... there carved into the lamp post."

Stephanie peered closer her eyes falling on an etched inscription,

she read out loud, "Hunter and Shawn 1989."

"Fifteen years on and its still there." he beamed down at her, his

expression like that of a little boy who had gotten his Christmas and

birthday presents all in one.

"I think I see now... fool that I am... you really haven’t changed

have you?"

Whatever Hunter had expected to pass through her lips it wasn’t

that. "Huh?"

"This night was all about the alimony payments... the theatre is the

investment you've been wanting to embark on with Shawn but couldn’t

because of the alimony payments."

"No, Steph... I admit this theatre is what I've been wanting to-"

"Hunter don’t okay," she said holding up one of her hands in front of

her to still his words. "You've already ruined a perfect evening...

don’t make it worse with more lies. If the damn alimony payments are

all you care about then your welcome to them... You will have it all

back by the end of the week."

"Steph-"

"Take me home Hunter."

The drive back to her apartment building was in silence, he noticed

she never looked at him once and her body was so pushed up against

the car door he was almost afraid she would fall out.

Hurt and feeling all kinds of a fool Stephanie bolted from the car

before he even had time to bring it to a complete stop. His voice

calling her name carrying on the breeze as she ran across the street

not caring if he saw her enter the building via the laundry door.

Locking it behind her she abandoned her usual routine of turning up

the heat and washing her face instead just falling onto her make

shift bed and only then allowing her tears to fall.

**

Part Nine

**

Stephanie walked around campus in a daze the next day not being able to shake her glum mood. She couldn't focus and had seemed to adopt this clumsy streak that had her continually apologising for one thing or another.

'Hunter had really pulled a number on her to get her this agitated,' she thought then shook her head knowing Hunter had nothing to do with her mood... all he had done was open her eyes to the fact that they were and will always be separate entities, no matter how much her heart told her that wasn’t true.

He had left her untold messages on her mobile phone, her one true luxury which wasn’t really a luxury since she had chosen to leave it connected for safety reasons and it had taken her nearly half an hour to erase them all... unread, her first step at declaring her life a Hunter free zone.

She pushed open a glass door hearing the tinkling of bells as she stepped fully into the little shop weaving her way around all the clutter towards the little old man who sat behind the counter.

"Can I help you miss?"

"I... I wanted to see how much you'd give me for this." Pulling the thin chain that she wore around her neck free and undoing the clasp to place the ring that she always kept there on top of the counter.

"Is it stolen?" he asked at once reaching for a small cloth before picking up the ring in his nimble fingers to hold it up closer to his face, his eyes squinting as he peered more closely at it.

"No, no it's not... if you look at the engraving on the inner band it will read 'HHH&SMH'" her voice caught in her throat as she recited the engraving catching the look of pity in his eyes before they swerved back to the ring in his fingers.

"You sure you want to be parting with such a keepsake?"

"Yes." she whispered barely audible to his weathered hearing but hear her he did as he reached again under the counter pulling forth an eye piece which he placed carefully to his eye already deciding to give the young girl the best price he possibly could.

After about ten minutes he finally put the ring down and picked up a grey lead and note book that were sitting on the counter, he wrote something down before turning the note book to her.

She looked down at it and saw that he had written a figure down on the blank sheet of paper.

Her eyes shone with tears as she signed away her claim to her wedding ring accepting the money order and receipt from the man behind the counter thanking him before she turned and hurried back out the door, the tinkling of bells in the back of her mind quickening her pace before the bank closed.

**

He had a headache.

All day he had been trying to apologize not only to Stacey but also to Stephanie neither of whom seemed to want to give him the time of day and to top it all off he was apparently in Shawn's bad books as well.

He had tried to apologize to Stacey by inviting her to accompany him and Shawn to Mac's that day and thought she was starting to warm to him when she had agreed which only served to darken Shawn's mood more.

It had turned out to be a big mistake, Stacey straight away getting on Mac's bad side by ordering him around like a waiter then declaring loud enough to reach the old man's ears that the drinking glass he had given her was dirty and if that wasn’t bad enough she then screamed jumping up on her chair screeching that she had just seen a cockroach crawl under the counter... Mac's response was to look down at his feet where he was standing behind the counter and purposely step forward, a loud crunching noise filling the room.

"Eeeeh... I'm going to be sick..." Stacey's stifled groan brought concealed laughter to the old man's lips as he whistled happily going about his duties. The small taunts lasted all day between the two with Mac giving off subtle hints about Stephanie which only aggravated the situation more and then the old codger had to go and catch him secretly leaving yet another message on Stephanie's message bank, the disapproving look in his eyes telling more than words ever could.

And it didn't end there...

As the sky darkened and the goodbye's were made to Mac, he and Shawn had stopped at the theatre on their way to the car fond looks on both their faces until Stacey had gotten in on the picture apparently having stepped in something, using the lamp post to lean on she removed her shoe only to bang her spiked her against the post in the exact spot where he and Shawn had carved their names all those years ago. There muffled outbursts doing nothing to stifle Stacey's proclamation that it was only a post.

How his last twenty-four hours had gone from perfect to twilight zone he would never know... all he wanted to do now was go up to his room and go to bed... with the exception of trying to call Stephanie again... one more time wouldn't hurt.

**

Part Ten

**

"Have you seen Stacey this morning?"

Shawn’s brows shot up as Hunter joined him on the elevator. "Well this is a change... usually it’s her looking for you. Maybe she's taking up with her ex like you seem to be taking up with yours."

"I'm not taking up with Stephanie... we... I just wanted to cheer her up after that whole blind date thing." Hunter replied sheepishly.

"Sure." Shawn said not really believing him one iota.

"Is that why you've been moody with me? You think I'm playing them both?"

"Nah man, you’re the most faithful one of us all... I just..." Shawn lowered his eyes in case Hunter saw exactly what it 'was' that was bothering him reflected there. "It's nothing... forget it..."

Hunter watched as the doors opened and Shawn stepped through into the lobby. 'Did Shawn have feelings for Stacey?' he shifted uncomfortably, 'or maybe he had feelings for Stephanie?' jealousy rose at that thought and he quickly squashed it down... 'Shawn was a good man... he'd treat Stephanie well...'

"Excuse me Mr Helmsley," Hunter looked down as a portly doorman intercepted him as he made to follow Shawn across the lobby towards the eating area, "…a young lady left this for you with explicit instructions that I was to give it to no one but you."

He looked down at the package the doorman held out to him before accepting it reaching into his jeans pocket for a tip.

"No thankyou sir, the young lady took care of everything and she said I was to tell you 'It finishes here' she said you would understand." With that the doorman went back to man his post at the doorway.

Hunter turned the package over in his hands but there were no other markings on it other then his name typed neatly on the front. All previous thoughts forgotten he tucked the package under his arm and headed back into the elevator.

Once back in his room he set the package down on the coffee table removing his jacket before sitting down on the couch and tearing the package open.

His brows creased as money spewed forth onto the table in front of him, 'There had to be thousands here,' he thought tipping the bag upside down until every last item had fallen to the table.

His hands latched onto a plastic bag which looked like it was full of cheque stubs. He leaned back into the couch and sighed feeling all kinds of the heel he played as he realised what this was. Stephanie's returned alimony payments.

**

Shawn saw Stacey as soon as he entered the restaurant, she was seated at a table with her back to him, he watched as her hand would sweep up to toss her long blonde hair over her shoulder giving him and every other male in the room a view of the long slender neck behind the tresses.

'Oh boy... are you in trouble.' he thought his eyes boring into her back. 'Get a grip man... she's your best friends girlfriend for gods sake.'

He turned to head back out of the restaurant deciding he and Stacey in the same room just mightn't be a good idea when he caught sight of Hunter stepping off the elevator again.

"Hey bro, the love of your life is sitting alone over the breakfast table."

Hunter paused obviously on his way out of the building. "Huh?"

"Stacey?" Shawn said watching the confusion play over his friends face. "What's in the package?"

Hunter looked down at the package in his hands and knew what he had to do, "Shawn..." he said fingering the opening he had made when he tore it open. "I'm in love with Stephanie."

**

Part Eleven

**

Hunter pulled up outside of Stephanie's apartment building not really

knowing what he would say once he was face to face with his ex wife only

knowing that this felt right, that this had always felt right.

He made his way inside the building realising that he didn't even know her

room number as he headed over to the front desk.

"Can I help you?"

"Can you tell me the room number of Miss McMahon,"

"I'm sorry sir but that’s extremely out of the question, our tenants value their privacy."

Hunter rolled his eyes reaching into his pocket to wave a few bill's in

front of him. "How about now?"

"Now is good." The man behind the counter said without missing a beat as he

tapped the keyboard with one hand while snatching the money out of Hunters

fingers with the other.

Hunter drummed his fingers on the top of the counter as he waited.

"I'm sorry sir we have no tenant under that name living here."

"What? Check again." Hunter's nostrils flared as he saw the man roll his

eyes again.

"No Miss, Ms or Mrs McMahon staying here sir," he turned the computer screen

towards Hunter to confirm his words. "I'm sorry."

Hunter left the building in a confused daze before turning to look around at

his surrounding, maybe he was at the wrong building. 'No.' he thought as he

stared back at the doorway he had sat as he waited for Stephanie to return

home the other night. 'This is the place.'

His face troubled he was about to walk back to his car when he saw the

laundry door Stephanie had entered through the last time he had seen her.

Chancing a glance behind him he made his way to the door and opened it,

stepping through as the door easily opened under his touch.

He walked into a room lined with washing machines against one wall and

clothes dryers along another. 'Didn't make sense that Stephanie would use

the laundry entrance to get to her room... even if she were in a hurry to

get as far away from him as she could.' he thought dryly.

Then his eyes caught onto another door that was partially hidden behind the

buildings utility outlet. He made his way over reaching out to turn the

handle hearing the click of the spring winding the clip back before he

gently pushed it open.

What he saw broke his heart a hundredfold and he inwardly kicked himself for

all the things he had put Stephanie through during their whole divorce.

The makeshift bed in a corner, the small table with a lone candle holder and

a wedding picture it's only ornament. Their wedding picture.

Walking back out to his car with tears in his eyes he sat in the drivers

seat and waited.

**

'denotes thoughts'

/denotes phone conversation/

Part Twelve

**

'Where the hell can she be?' he thought as he stared out the drivers window of his car. He'd been sitting here staring at her... well what he thought was her apartment building for nearly two hours now and he hadn't seen hide nor hair of her.

Flipping open his mobile phone he dialled a number he knew by heart and waited for someone on the other end to pick up.

/"McMahon residence."

"Rosalita, this is Mr Helmsley... may I speak with Mrs McMahon please."

"Certainly Mr Helmsley... one moment..."/

He heard two people talking on the other end but couldn't quite get what they were saying and it wasn't long before he heard the softly spoken voice of Linda McMahon.

/"Hunter... what a surprise..."

"Linda, I'm looking for Stephanie... she's not there is she?"

"Why, no. Hunter she hasn't been back to the house since she and her father had that terrible argument."

"Argument?"

"Yes... Vince was sorely displeased at her wanting to leave the WWE..." he heard the sound of liquid being poured into a glass and a long deep swallow before Linda added. "...and you."

"You haven’t seen your own daughter since the divorce?"

"Well it's not like I had any say in the matter!" she snapped. "No one listens to me... I may as well be part of the furniture."

He heard the slight slur in her words followed by a muffled sniffle. "Linda, I'm sorry... I..."

"It's my own fault... I thought I could change him, I thought my love would be enough but his love of the business has always over shadowed his love for me..." another sniffle sounded through his ear piece. "Find her Hunter, you two are so perfect together... find her..."/

...and then the phone in his hand went dead.

He couldn't help but feel for her knowing exactly what her husband was doing to her, putting his business before his family. In the back of his mind he knew he had done the same thing to Stephanie. That's why she had left him, that’s why the urge to make it on her own was so strong in her, because all through their marriage maybe even all through her life... she had been alone.

Turning on the ignition he put his car into drive and merged out into the steady flow of traffic feeling every bit of the weight of the past year bearing down on his shoulders.

**

"Shawn,"

Shawn looked up from where he leisurely leaned against Stacey and Hunter's hotel room door as Stacey stepped off the elevator.

"What are you doing here?" she asked fishing around in her purse for her key card. "If you've come with another lame excuse as to why Hunter once again stood me up I swear I will-"

"Hey easy on the threats... I come in peace." he replied holding his hands up in surrender.

"Oh... okay... well you better come in then." she said the door automatically opening as she swiped her key card into the slot not waiting for him to answer as she preceded him through the door.

He watched as she dropped her purse on the bed before turning back to him. "Well you coming in or not?"

"Oh... ah... I'm in..."

She raised one delicately shaped eyebrow at him.

"I mean I'm coming... I'm coming in."

A chuckle escaped her lips and he felt himself blushing profusely under her stare. He had to swallow as he watched her sit herself down on the couch, her long legs crossing in front of her.

"So... why are you here?"

"I... umm," he cleared his throat trying to voice what was at that moment flowing through his mind like a banner being strung to the back of a small aircraft as it breezed through the sky. "Ah... Stace... How..." 'Why wouldn't his tongue work?' he thought working his jaw a little as he stared back at her.

"Sometime today would be nice." she said suddenly thinking the worse. 'Maybe Hunter had sent him here to stall her... but why? Had he tired of her?'

Shawn saw the play of emotions that crept there way into her expression and he moved towards her crouching down in front of her, surprising her by taking her hands in his.

"Stace... I have something to tell you." He watched as she inhaled deeply, pulling her hands out of his to smooth down the material of her skirt, her eyes looking anywhere but at him.

"It's okay Shawn... I know what you’re going to say."

"You do?"

"Well it’s pretty obvious to tell you the truth."

"It is?"

"Of course it is." she exclaimed causing him to shift his position as she stood to her feet and walked to stare out the window. "He's never around anymore, always breaking dates, even when we're together it's like his mind is elsewhere."

"Huh?"

Shawn saw her eyes roll in her reflection through the window. "Hunter. Who did you think I was talking about? I may have used my charms to get into this business but Shawn I am not the tart I play on screen-"

"Now hold it right there sweetheart." The forcefulness in his voice brought her gaze back around to stare at him to see that he now stood behind her. "I know for a fact that you’re not a tart and I would thankyou never to refer to yourself in that manner again."

Stacey smiled, she couldn't help herself. He could just be so cute sometimes.

"That’s better," he continued his mouth twitching up in a smile of his own although his eyes stayed serious. "Stace, Hunter isn’t the reason I'm here."

"Then why?"

'It's now of never' he thought letting his actions show her as he gently cupped her cheek in his palm and leaned closer feeling the first touch of her lips on his, sweet, smooth and oh so soft.

"Shawn..." his name came out in a whisper upon her lips and he gently moved his forefinger there silencing her with his touch.

"Shhhh..." he breathed slipping his arm around her waist to pull her closer as his mouth found hers again, catching the small whimper of pleasure that rose in her throat when his tongue decided to work its magic.

None of them saw the man who stood at the door that joined the two rooms or the smile on his face as he quietly stepped back shutting the door behind him.

**

Part Thirteen

**

Hunter found himself walking through the door of Mac's fish shop, the look on his face telling the old man more then if the words had of flowed freely from his mouth.

"You’re a smuck." the old man said slapping his hand down on the counter as he hobbled around with two glasses and a bottle of whiskey.

He placed the bottle and glasses down on the table in front of Hunter before seating himself across from him.

"I said you’re a smuck."

"I heard you, Mac." Hunter replied quietly bringing the proffered glass of whiskey to his mouth, welcoming the feel of it burn down his throat to settle somewhere below his ribcage.

"Are you sure? Cos I'd gladly say it again."

Hunter lifted his gaze to look across the table at his old friend seeing no sympathy in the old mans eyes. "I've been looking for her all day..." He stopped himself before he went on to say that there was one place he hadn't checked because he was too afraid she 'would' actually be there... and that was Chris Jericho's apartment.

Mac looked across at Hunter's furrowed brow, the worry and hopelessness abundant in his slumped shoulders and sodden expression.

"It's mutual, you know."

"Huh?"

"She love's you too."

"You think?"

"Have faith in an old man will yah," Mac said lifting the bottle to refill their glasses. "I seen love in all shapes and forms during my many years on god's green earth and believe me when I say 'she loves you.'"

Hunter lifted his newly refilled glass back up to his lips then decided against it setting the glass back down on the table. He wanted to have all his wits about him just he case he caught up with Stephanie.

"Thing I don’t understand is why your here..." the old man continued.

"Huh?"

He lifted his hand to reach across the table and poke Hunter in the chest. "Why are you here? I mean your welcome to check out the back but I can assure you, Stephanie aint here."

"Are you kicking me out?"

"Yep."

"For real?"

"Yep." Mac replied again grabbing the glasses and whiskey and returning them to the counter. "Go on, get outta here." he returned to pull Hunter out of his chair and ushered him to the front door. "Never mind sitting here listening to an old man talk about love, go out and find her. Do something crazy."

Hunter stared with his mouth agape as Mac pushed him through the doorway and shut the door in his face, a look of pure glee in his eyes as he stared at Hunter through the glass before turning over the closed sign and walking away.

**

"Thankyou for the wonderful day... it's really taken my mind off everything."

"Thankyou for agreeing to come with me. I think Winnipeg, Manitoba will never be the same after having royalty grace its fair city."

She laughed at his silliness knowing she had needed this day away from her life just to get in touch with herself again, feel what it was like to live without the hassles and burdens a hectic city life could put on a person.

But in a way she was also glad to be back, even though it had only been a day trip, coming back after spending the day in another city was refreshing... she felt like she was seeing this city she called home for the first time.

His eyes fell once again to her neck and he couldn't help but ask. "Where's your wedding ring?"

She looked confused.

Chris reached across the table and fingered the chain she always wore around her neck which no longer bore the weight of her wedding ring upon it.

"Oh..." inadvertently she found her hand reaching up to clasp the chain in her fingers and she smiled tentatively back at him. "I just realised that it was time to let go of the past."

"Umm... You... Ahh..." He laughed in embarrassment at not being able to form a sentence as her words fully registered in his mind. He had waited... wanted so long to hear those words and now... now that she had he couldn't even string two words together.

He lifted his eyes back to hers when he heard her laugh fill the air and he couldn't help but be affected by it as he grinned sheepishly back at her.

"Have I rendered the king of the world speechless?"

"I think you know the answer to that one." he replied reaching across the table to cover her hand with his. "You wanna get out of here?" He asked as his eyes caught her trying to stifle a yawn.

"I'm sorry, it's just been a hectic few days for me." she apologized. "But yes, home and bed seem like a good idea."

Placing some money down on the table he got up moving around the table to help her up out of her chair. "Your chariot awaits princess Stephanie."

**

'Something crazy... something crazy...' Hunter racked his brain for something he could do for Stephanie that was spontaneous and earth shattering... something that would knock her off her feet... and hopefully into his arms. 'God, if this were a wrestling match I'd have no trouble coming up with a plan to get what I want.'

"Want? This isn't a want... this is a need." he whispered quietly to himself as he ran across the street from Mac's fish shop to where he had parked his car. He looked up at the night sky to the millions upon millions of stars that twinkled so brightly above.

"Hmmm..." he thought the night sky reminding him of their wedding night... the stars had shone just as brightly then as they were now.

'That's it!' he thought unlocking his car door and sliding in behind the wheel feeling as if he had finally been given a break.

He knew exactly what to do to get Stephanie back.

**

Part Fourteen

**

He watched from the shadows as a black SUV pulled up outside Stephanie's apartment building, feeling like someone had run a knife right through his gut as Stephanie hopped out of the passengers side to walk around to the drivers side as the window slid down and Chris Jericho appeared, then the knife twisted when he saw her lean forward to kiss the other man goodnight.

'But bright side...' he thought as he continued to watch them. '...is that she wont be inviting him in. Ever!' he couldn't help but add a smile coming to his face as the black SUV drove off confirming his thoughts.

Now he just had to wait.

**

Stephanie waited until Chris's SUV had turned the corner before bypassing the main entrance of the apartment building and down the steps towards the laundry, her hand inadvertently reaching for the door handle when the whole area was lit up with sparkling fairy lights.

Instinctively she turned around pressing her back to the door, one of her hands coming up to clutch at her chest while the other stayed on the door handle.

A burly form emerged from the shadow's causing Stephanie's stomach do a flip flops and she could practically see her life flashing right before eyes... well she could have if all these twinkling lights weren’t blurring her vision.

"H-Hunter?"

He stepped closer so she could see him fully in the light. Now feeling rather foolish he bunched his hands into fists before shoving them into the pockets of his jeans while smiling sheepishly back at her.

"Ah... yeah, sorry, I guess I went a bit overboard with the lights." his apology was rushed showing how nervous he was and he breathed a sigh of relief when she smiled.

"It's okay, although, I'm not too sure how you'd fare with the super intendant." She looked down at the ground before suddenly realising where she was and what she was about to do and she released her hold on the laundry door as if its touch burned. Her shoulders stiffened as she boldly met his gaze. "So... ah... what do you want?"

Hunter lifted his hand motioning to the door. "Why didn't you come to me?"

"Huh?"

"I know Steph." he said taking another step closer to her. "I know about you’re... about everything. Why didn't you come to me?"

"And what?" she exclaimed pushing herself away from the door she started back up the steps towards him. "Show up unannounced to the hotel room you share with Stacey? Come to your workplace? A place where I am shunned by my own family?"

"I would have helped!"

"Yes! As long as I agreed to your terms. Don’t you see that would have just defeated the purpose of wanting to make it on my own." She looked at him and shrugged her shoulders in defeat before lifting her arm to point at the closed door. "I may live in a laundry room closet and live from day to day, but I have achieved more now then I have with all daddy's money."

He smiled at her then as pride filled him till he thought he would burst at the seams. This woman before him had stood up to him, her domineering father, poverty and yet here she was telling him she had gotten the better end of the stick.

"I love you, Stephanie." he hadn't meant to just blurt it out like that, he had had a speech prepared and this whole image in his head of her flying into his arms as he gallantly sweeps her up with him atop his white charger...

"Hunter, now your being ridiculous... Hunter!"

"What? Oh..." he shook his head to clear his muddled thoughts, his expression growing pensive as he saw the resolve set in her eyes. "I love you, Steph."

She rolled her eyes and turned away from him only to turn back in the next second to poke her finger into his chest.

"You always do this!"

"What?"

"This!" she waved her arms between them. "This. Just when I think I got my life back on the right track you come along and blow my world all out of proportion!"

He smiled. "I blow your world?"

She groaned. "I'm with Chris now."

"Crap!"

"I am!" she turned away from him again but this time he was the cause of her facing him a few moments later as his arm reached out to twirl her back around.

"Look me in the eye and tell me you're in love with him."

"Now your being childish."

"Do it and I'll leave you alone, I promise." His eyes bore right into hers and she knew then and there that he was serious. "Can you honestly look me in the eye and tell me you're in love with him."

"I... I..." Her eyes caught sight of someone over the top of Hunter's shoulder as her voice trailed off. Hunter’s brows knotting as his own gaze turned to follow her line of sight to see Chris Jericho standing a few feet away. "Chris..."

He stepped forward his expression a myriad of emotions as he faced the both of them. "You... left this in my car." he held up her jacket and scarf that he carried before lowering them as the air started to thicken with the tension that surrounded the trio.

"Steph?"

"I just... I don’t know..."

Hunter let his arms to drop to his sides and backed away a few steps. "I guess I'll let you two talk."

"Hunter..."

"No, Steph... I shouldn't have come... I'm sorry." He turned and left then, his legs although shaking from what had just occurred carried him to his car in a few short strides, unlocking it and slipping behind the wheel. The last image in his mind as he drove off was of Stephanie and Chris Jericho standing outside her building.

Stephanie watched him drive away in a daze, her mind going over and over what he had told her. 'He loved her, still loved her... after all this time.'

"So... can you?"

She lifted her eyes at once remembering Chris's presence and she offered him a half hearted smile. "I'm sorry?"

"Can you, look me in the eye and tell me your not in love with him?"

**

Part Fifteen

**

"You cant, can you?"

"Chris... I..." she shrugged bring her hand up to run her fingers through her long hair. 'What could she say?' she thought knowing he was waiting for an answer but not willing to admit that answer to herself.

She saw the pain in his expression, pain she knew she had put there and she bowed her head her eyes no longer able to meet his.

He reached out then clasping her hand in his as he pulled her towards the steps, motioning her to join him as he sat down with his back to the door.

"I've never told you this, Steph... but I have been in love with you since the first time I saw you sitting in the waiting room outside your dad's office."

"But..." Her eye brows creased as she thought back to the time she had first seen Chris Jericho. "That was years ago."

"I know."

"I... Chris-" she struggled for something to say but he silenced her by cupping her cheek in his hand before pressing his lips to her forehead.

"Promise me something?"

She nodded her response, her throat too choked up for her to voice a reply and he gently took both her hands in one of his.

"Always be you... the ‘you’ I fell in love with."

Stephanie felt her tears fall then as he stood to his feet and walked away, stopping a few feet away to turn back to her.

"One more thing..."

She heard him chuckle as he looked back at her and she saw his own tears escape and trail down his cheeks.

"I never thought I'd be saying this to you," he said looking at her as if he wanted to capture the image of her here and now before he continued. "Go find him."

He smiled half heartedly and sighed before turning on his heel to walk back to his car. She was left with the sound of his car engine roaring to life only to disappear on the wind a few moments later.

**

Stephanie pushed open the door to her little room and went straight to the loose brick in the wall which held all the small change she had collected for emergencies, stuffing all the coins in her pocket along with the photo of her and Hunter on their wedding day.

Not bothering to shut the door as she left, she raced back up through the laundry exit and out into the cold night air.

'This certainly qualified as an emergency,' she thought her hand inadvertently running over the loose change in her pocket.

"Taxi!" she shrieked before lifting her hand and waving it frantically above her as she tried to hail down the passing cab.

It stopped a few feet away from her and she wasted no time climbing in the back, muttering off the address to Hunter's hotel to the driver before closing the door.

For the second time in her life Stephanie McMahon knew exactly what she wanted.

**

Part Sixteen

**

"Whiskey."

Hunter nodded to the man behind the bar before seating himself at the end of it away from the other patrons, he didn't really feel like socialising but he knew soon someone would come over. He had already seen half the roster gathered around a couple of tables on the other side of the room, but paid them no heed as the bar man placed a glass in front of him before filling a portion of the glass with his desired beverage.

"Just leave the bottle."

"Whatever you say Mr Helmsley." The man replied before walking off to serve another customer.

'Who would've thought Hunter Hurst Helmsley would be sitting at a bar drowning his sorrows in a bottle of whiskey.' he lifted the glass to his lips taking a long swallow before pulling the cap off the bottle to refill it. 'definitely not him.' he added lifting his glass in front of him and swirling its contents around, watching as the liquid bubbled with fury only to settle a few moments later.

'Usually when he got like this he looked for the first willing female he came across and drowned himself in her instead.' he couldn't help but cringe at that thought, his past habits being one of the many deciding factors in Stephanie's decision to leave him.

'But not anymore...' he thought his gaze falling on the now half empty bottle before him.

'Maybe she's better off with Jericho...' he thought... then shook his head, 'Nah... Maybe I should start up a feud with that Canadian Assclown...' then he shut his eyes and groaned. 'What the hell am I doing?'

Pushing himself up off the chair he reached inside his pocket pulling forth some money he laid it on the table before making his way unsteadily towards the door.

'Elevator then bed, elevator then bed...' he kept reciting in his head once inside he pressed the number his room was on, sighing as he leaned back against the back wall.

"You okay?"

The voice startled him and he turned to see Trish standing next to him.

"Yeah, I'm fine." he replied rather abruptly deciding to close his eyes and ignore the irritating little blonde diva.

"You look tense," she looked up at him curiously before motioning him to turn around. "Let me help."

"Huh?"

"Turn around." she said moving her finger in a slow circle as she said it and laughed. "I'm not gonna bite."

Doing as she asked he turned his back to her and soon felt her tiny hands working out the kinks in his shoulders and back.

He placed his hands on the wall in front of him and lowered his head. 'He had to admit it was working,' he could feel his shoulders begin to relax with each knead of her tiny fists. What he wasn’t prepared for was her hands moving up under her jacket and around to his chest as she pushed herself against him.

And then the doors slid open.

**

Stephanie arrived at Hunter's hotel fifteen minutes later spilling all the loose change from her pocket into the drivers lap with a mumbled 'keep the change' before she practically flew through the entrance doors and into the elevator.

She had no idea what she was going to say to him and had to wonder if flinging herself into his arms and kissing him senseless would be considered too forward. Then as she came to a stop outside room 312, the room number he always got when he was on the road she thought 'what the hell... he's going to be kissing her senseless when she tells him she loves him back anyway.' and with that thought in mind she rapped anxiously on the door.

It took awhile before she heard some muttered grumblings from behind the closed door and couldn't help but smile. Hunter always was grumpy if roused from his sleep.

The door opened and Stephanie's smile faded a bit at the sight of Shawn in nothing more then a bed sheet wrapped around his waist.

"Steph?"

"Ah... hi, Shawn... is Hunter in?" she asked trying to look over his shoulder into the room. "I really need to talk to him."

"No, Steph... I haven't seen him since this morning." He yawned loudly and lifted his hand to scratch his head. "I thought he'd be with you."

"He was... but then he left... and... I just need to find him, Shawn."

"Well, your welcome to come inside and wait." he offered moving back a step allowing the door to open wider.

Stephanie thought about his offer then shook her head. "No, that’s okay... I doubt I'll be able to keep still... I might just go down and wait in the lobby. Maybe have a drink in the bar. If by some chance I miss him would you let him know I'm down there?"

"No problem," he shrugged and nearly fainted right there and then as Stephanie leaned forward and planted a kiss on his cheek.

"Thankyou." she smiled back at him and with a little wave she headed back to the elevator leaving a very bemused looking Shawn in her wake.

She stood in front of the elevator doors waiting for the elevator to ascend to the floor she was on. 'I can’t believe Hunter and I are going to be together again.' she thought bringing the photo of her and Hunter smiling brightly at the camera from her pocket, her in her white flowing wedding gown and he looking as dashing as ever in his tux.

The bell sounded letting her know the elevator had arrived... and then the elevator doors slid open.

**

Part Seventeen

**

"Stephanie..."

She heard her name fall from his lips as he pushed himself away from the wall he was leaning on, his actions causing Trish to stumble back, the thick plush carpet of the elevator floor rushing up to meet her butt.

If circumstances had of been different Stephanie may have found that funny... but right now she saw little to laugh about.

She could do nothing but stare at them, her eyes taking in the scene that played before her. Trish's hand up his shirt, her body pressed against his back... and him, 'him' who not even an hour before had been confessing his love for her. 'Him' who she had risked everything to come here and say she loved him too, that she had never stopped loving him.

She could vaguely hear him talking to her but his words weren’t registering in her brain. She should never have come here, should never have allowed him to hurt her like this. She had everything so together in her little world and right now it was all crumbling down around her.

Not wanting to be anywhere near him, them, this place... not wanting to be 'her' right now she turned on her heel and fled down the hallway.

"It's not what you think... Stephanie!" she heard him call after her, somewhere in the back of her mind she sensed his footfalls behind her, but all she knew was she had to get out of there... had to escape before this feeling consumed her, suffocated her in it's grip of despair.

Her hand latched onto a handle and pushed on it and she stepped through finding herself in the stairway. Her vision blinded with her tears she hastily reached for the handrail and launched herself down the stairs. 'You'll be okay...' she kept telling herself, 'just keep one foot in front of the other.'

"Stephanie!"

Her head whipped around to see Hunter descending the stairs after her. 'No!' her mind screamed, 'I need to get away!'

Turning back to continue down the stairs she misjudged her next step, a scream inadvertently leaving her lips as she felt herself falling and for a moment she felt herself welcoming that fall... then everything went black.

**

Hunter literally felt his heart leap into his throat when he heard Stephanie scream but that was nothing to what he felt when he found her unconscious form at the bottom of the stairs. Her arm was twisted beneath her at a weird angle and blood seeped from a cut just under her eye.

He felt someone kneel down beside him saw the hand that reached under Stephanie's neck checking for a pulse. "She's alive, Hunter..." Shawn said reaching out to comfort his best friend. "Stace... call an ambulance."

He heard her retreating footsteps climb back up the stairway but his eyes remained on Stephanie's still body.

"Oh my god!"

Hunter looked behind him to see Trish standing a few feet away and until that moment he had never wanted to physically hurt someone as much as he wanted to hurt her.

"Hunter-"

"Get the hell away from me," He ground out between clenched teeth. "Or so help me..."

"Come on, Trish... I'll take you back upstairs." Shawn said nodding for the little blonde diva to make her way up the stairs, a sigh of relief escaping his lips when she did as she was told. "I'll be back soon okay buddy?"

Hunter gave him a small nod in response before the other man made his way up the stairs with Trish.

Once he was alone he reached out to gently touch her cheek, too scared to do anything more in case he caused her more harm. He had done enough of that already.

"Steph?" He hovered over her, his lips close to her ear. "If you can hear me... I'm so sorry baby, I'm so sorry..."

**

Part Eighteen

**

"How is he?"

"See for yourself," Shawn opened the door to the hospital room wider allowing Stacy to see the man sitting at Stephanie's bedside, his body hunched over with his head resting against the edge of the bed. "He hasn't moved since he went in there."

"He really loves her, doesn't he?"

"More then life itself."

She stepped away from the door then and he quietly pulled it closed before following her to a group of chairs to seat himself next to her.

"I always knew, you know... deep down." She felt the weight of Shawn's arm wrap around her shoulders and she turned her head to smile at him. "That he still loved her."

"He loved you also," Shawn replied pulling her closer to him so he could breathe in the scent of her shampoo.

"What about you?"

"I never stopped..." he replied dreamily before he could stop himself and his mouth fell open. "I really just said that didn't I?"

"Yep!" she grinned. "And don’t you dare take it back." she added as her lips met his.

**

She knew he was there, beside her, touching her, whispering words that sounded foreign to her ears. Felt his tears on his hand as he'd bring his lips down to her palm. And she so wanted to wake up and hold him, comfort him... love him. Wrap her arms around him like 'she' use too, feel his arms enveloping her in their protective embrace like 'he' use too.

Yet everything they had shared together, the good times and the bad... all that would cease as images of Trish and Hunter in that elevator would flash through her mind, filling her with pain, a deep pain she knew that no amount of time would heal... even if she were given all the time in the world.

It seemed childish she knew, but for her this pain was just too real... too reoccurring for it not to be a lasting thing. For her this had become the be all and end all, and it had been the latter that had determined her fate, she had nothing left.

She felt herself being pushed towards the outside and she fought it with everything in her, then other images started entering her head, images of her family. Her mother out enjoying the sunshine in the rose garden she loved so much, her father bending down to kiss his wife as he'd join her in the garden, Shane standing up to the playground bully on her behalf... that brotherly protectiveness never leaving him as he matured into adulthood. She saw everything in her mind from the time she got her first pony to the argument her and her father had had right before he had ordered her out of his house.

She had definitely come along way in her life but the thing was no matter how hard she tried she couldn't hate her father for what he did, she couldn't hate her mother for remaining silent and she couldn't hate Shane for not standing up for her this time. All there actions had made her the woman she was now.

So that only left Hunter. The images she had of him were different, not of the now but she sensed they were rather of the future. She saw him sitting in bar after bar after bar, she saw him shut himself away from everybody, heard the cruel words he would hurl at friends and family... saw the wounds he would inflict upon himself until the very last image floated through her mind. An image of Hunter dangling from a rope tied around his neck.

She thought she was alone but in all honesty she knew her family would always be there. She thought she would never feel a deeper pain as she had felt today but the image of Hunter dangling from a rope put a stop to that hurt and started a dull throb of a different kind of pain... the pain of knowing you could of stopped something from happening, but too caught up in yourself to see what your actions do to those around you.

Her heart ached and she knew her choice had been made.

She gave into the pressure that was sending her outside and wholly accepted the pain and hurt that would come with it... and then she opened her eyes.

**

Part Nineteen

**

"Where is she?"

Shawn lifted his head from where it rested on Stacy's as an irate Chris Jericho made his way pass the nurse's station to stand directly in front of them.

"Don’t muck me around Shawn, I know she's here."

"Just settle down, Jericho." Shawn shifted Stacy's still sleeping form from against his side, gently laying her head back down to rest on the chair as he stood to face the man staring down at him. "Coming in here all loud and obnoxious is not gonna get you in any sooner... if at all."

"So it's true. The bastard! I'll kill him."

"And talk like that will definitely not get you in cause you'll have me to contend with instead of the hospital staff."

Jericho smirked, "Anytime Shawn, anytime."

"Shawn?"

"Trish... what are you doing here?" he asked, seeing the blonde diva standing awkwardly behind Jericho.

"I... I came with Chris." she replied hesitantly. "H... how is she?"

"She broke her arm in two places and has a concussion which we are still waiting for her to wake up from."

The tiny blonde gasped while Chris started to pace the waiting room floor muttering a string of expletives only turning back to the small group once he had control of his composure.

"I need to see her." he said making his way towards the closed door he had found them sitting outside of but Shawn stopped him by placing a hand to his chest.

"Right now, she's with who she needs to be with."

"Damn it Shawn-"

"Swear and curse all you want, but there is no way you are going in there."

Trish felt the tension between the two men and pulled on Jericho's arm, raising her eyes heavenward when he finally conceded, allowing her to pull him over to two empty chairs.

"I'm not so sure you should be around Hunter right now," Shawn said his gaze falling on the little blonde. "And to be honest I'm not so sure I would stop him a second time."

Chris's brow creased as he turned to stare at the woman seated next to him. "A second time?"

Trish lowered her eyes and fought the tears that threatened to fall. "It.. it's my fault she's here."

"What?"

"I came on to Hunter in the hotel elevator, when the doors opened Stephanie was standing there."

Chris looked at the woman who had been his friend for so long, in his mind he couldn't comprehend why? She wasn't the tarty blonde who had slept her way into the WWE. She had changed and made a name for herself... by herself... why would she suddenly want to revert to her old ways.

"Why?"

She looked up at him, her eyes shining with unshed tears. "I... I just... since Jeff left I've felt so empty... I just wanted to feel..."

He took her in his arms then, 'How could he have been so blind to what was happening in her life. She was one of his dearest friends and he hadn't even realised the affects Jeff's leaving were having on her.'

"It'll be okay, Trish... I promise."

She raised her eyes to Shawn who still stood over them although his expression had changed and he now smiled down at her.

"I just need to apologise to them both, I know forgiveness may be a long way off... but I have to try."

"I know..." he whispered reaching out to clasp her hand in his. "I know."

**

"Hunter?"

His head remained face down beside her on the edge of the bed.

She curled her fingers around his where her hand lay nestled in between both of his. "Hunter?"

His head shot up then, his eyes meeting hers in a frenzy of worry and regret that now blurred behind his tears. "Stephanie..." his voice broke and he cried openly as he brought her hand to his lips.

"Shhhh... Hunter, its okay..."

She tried to move her other arm and winced as a sharp pain sliced up her forearm to disappear over her shoulder, for the first time noticing the thick white plaster covering her arm from wrist to shoulder.

Her eyes darted around the room taking in all the medical equipment, she breathed in the scent of cleanliness, the smell that you can only find within a hospital and she gasped as everything that had happened came back to her in full force.

"Trish..."

She felt his hand tighten around hers as the other diva's name left her lips and he raised his eyes to meet her.

"It wasn't what it looked like, Stephanie... you have to believe me-"

"Hunter..." She cut in, reaching her hand up to cup his cheek, feeling the warmth of his skin beneath her palm and relishing in that feeling as the image of him dangling from a rope flashed in her minds eye. "Let's leave the past in the past and start fresh."

His brows knotted in the middle, 'had he heard right?'

"You... you..."

"I love you, Hunter."

"You... you..."

A chuckle escaped her lips and she cringed from the pain her laughter caused in her ribs. "I love you," she repeated pulling her hand out of his to wrap her arm around her ribs. "But if you make me laugh again I will be forced to rethink my declaration."

His brows still knotted he lifted his eyes to hers and saw the laughter in her gaze shining back at him, only then did his facial expression relax and his shoulders soften.

"I love you too, Steph... more than anything."

"Good." she smiled back at him. "Now you better get the nurse because I think I'm going to pass out."

**

Part Twenty

**

Thirst brought her out of her slumber, and she tried to swallow hoping the flow of saliva would moisten her parched throat. She blindly reached towards the small table at her side and sensed movement as a small plastic cup was placed in her hand.

She felt another hand at the back of her head, helping her lean forward to drink. The water felt like heaven as it ran passed her lips, over her tongue and down her throat.

"Thankyou..." she breathed letting her head fall back onto the pillows behind her before opening her eyes to gaze upon her helper.

The blonde seemed hesitant as she returned her stare almost as if she were expecting fire and brimstone to rain upon her.

"The elevator... it was all me, Stephanie... Hunter didn't even-"

"Trish... it's okay."

"But Hunter didn't do anything... it was all me."

Stephanie knew this had to be hard for Trish to come to her like this, and if she were the old Stephanie she would have made Trish crawl on her hands and knee's, enjoying the other woman's humiliation. But here and now all she felt for the other woman was pity.

"What the hell are you doing in here?"

Both women turned to see Hunter enter the room, having arrived back to the hospital after Shawn and Stacy had dragged him away from Stephanie's beside to freshen up back at the hotel.

"Hunter I-"

Stephanie saw Trish's knuckles turn white as her grip tightened on the bed sheet from the anger reflected in Hunter's gaze.

"Get out."

"I just wanted to-"

"I said get out!"

"Hunter, stop it!" Stephanie said raising herself up awkwardly on her good arm.

"I don’t want her anywhere near you."

"For awhile I didn't want either of you near me." Stephanie stated giving up her plight of trying to sit up, flopping back down on the pillows. "Cant you see Hunter, we waste so much time hating one another... so much energy. I don’t want to do it anymore."

"Steph?"

Stephanie let her gaze wonder over Hunter's shoulder to see Chris, Shawn and Stacy all in the doorway.

"Is everything okay in here?" Shawn asked putting himself between Hunter and Trish in case his friend lost it and made a mad dash at the little blonde, which judging from his expression, wasn't far off.

"Chris," Stephanie smiled holding her hand out for him to come forward.

"How you feeling?" he asked leaning down to kiss her forehead, something Shawn wished he hadn't done when Hunter directed his angry gaze towards the Canadian.

"Easy fella..." Shawn cooed using the same technique he used when approaching an untamed stallion, smiling when Hunter's knowing gaze turned to him.

"I'm sore... but happy." Stephanie smiled back at Chris before turning back to the others. "Hunter?"

He was at her side in an instant and she took his hand in hers. "Look, I know there's no love lost between you too... but do you think you could try to at least get along now and then?"

Hunter smirked.

Jericho 'pffft.'

Shawn snickered.

Stephanie's gaze met Trish's. "Why are men always so stubborn?"

"Beat's me." The tiny blonde replied with a shrug.

"Leave it to us ladies to be the mature ones," Stacy added with a shake of her head.

"Well, we are the best example to follow..." Stephanie continued the corners of her mouth lifting.

"I agree... they should learn from the best." Trish said with a nod toward the other two women.

All eyes fell towards the two men Chris rolled his eyes, extending his hand towards Hunter. "I can let bygones be bygones if you can."

Stephanie nudged Hunter with her foot and rolled her eyes towards Chris's out stretched hand when she got his attention.

"I... I guess I can too." he replied accepting Chris's gesture of friendship.

"Hallelujah!" Shawn praised stepping forward to clap both men on the shoulder. "This call's for a celebration."

"Ahem."

Shawn turned towards Stephanie to see her gaze trained on him. "Ah... sorry... please continue." he said backing up till he stood next to a smiling Stacy.

Again Stephanie nudged Hunter with her foot, this time her gaze rolled towards Trish and she nudged him again when he scowled.

"Trish..." he began, "I'm not saying that all is well between us after what happened... but I'm willing to give it a try..."

"That's all I ask." she replied releasing a huge breath she hadn't realised she'd been holding.

Stephanie's smile beamed from ear to ear at there words, her eyes closing only just realising how exhausting making amends could be... but also very fulfilling.

"I think that's a sign that our little princess needs her rest." Shawn said as he stepped forward to place a kiss on Stephanie's forehead. "Sleep sweet, little one."

"We'll be back later," Stacy smiled coming forward to give her hand a squeeze.

"We won’t be far away either." Chris said waving his hand between himself and Trish as she leaned down to kiss Stephanie's cheek.

"Thankyou." she whispered next to Stephanie's ear before allowing Chris to lead her out.

"And then there was one." she whispered tiredly as the door was shut behind the retreating couple.

"Only difference is... I'm not going anywhere." he said pulling a chair next to her bed and sitting down.

She yawned and Hunter could tell she was fighting to keep her eyes open.

"I guess you get your wish after all."

"Huh?"

"No more alimony..."

Hunter closed his eyes as he remembered how all this had started, with trying to find her 'Mr Right' to fund his stupid dream of saving the old theatre, when she had been his dream all along.

He looked down to see her smiling up at him. "It wasn't a stupid dream..."

"Yeah, it was," he said reaching up to brush her hair back from her face, the tell tale sign of her even breathing telling him of her slumber. He settled back in his chair to watch her sleep. "Compared to you how can it not be?"

**

END

**

Back to Paulena's page