My Suicide

Author: PaulenaK

Email: toukalah@hotmail.com

Rating: PG

Pairing: Jeff H/Willow, Matt H/Lita, Chris Jericho/Stephanie

Disclaimer: Everything WWE belongs to Vince McMahon. Everything BTVS belongs to Joss Whedon.

Feedback: Is much appreciated.

Summary: Willow finds herself with a whole knew life after discovering Oz’s infidelity.

 

**

 

Prologue

 

**

 

"Oz?"

 

"Willow..."

 

Her eye's widened at the sight of her naked boyfriend sleeping in Veruca's embrace. "Oh my god-"

 

"Willow, wait!"

 

His words were lost on her as she flees her mind a jumble of images and sounds so vibrant and colourful that they blotted everything else out. She hardly knew where she was going! Only that she had to get as far away from him as she could, so far away that even the image of seeing him in the arms of another woman would erase itself from her memory.

 

If such a place existed, she would find it.

 

And find it she had, amidst the squawking seagulls and salty air. She didn't know where she was or how far she had walked all she knew was she was here... and here was where she wanted to be.

 

She watched as a lone seagull feasted on shellfish and longed for the free spirited life that lone seagull must lead. The seagull walked tentatively closer to where she sat on the sand, it's eye's piercing and sharp as it edged closer.

 

Staying perfectly still she watched mesmerised as its beak opened and its head bobbed down to peck at her shoe as if in greeting before it took flight. Her eye's stayed on it, followed it as it flew over the ocean and disappeared into the rising sun.

 

Closing her eye's she imagined it was her flying through the air with the wind in her face and the sun's first rays warming her skin.

 

She felt the waves lapping at her feet and she didn’t know when she had made her way down to the water or even when she had removed her shoes, but the feel of the icy coolness lapping at her bare feet felt wonderful. The water washing over her ankles and swirling between her toes, almost as if the waves were trying to entice her to share in the ocean's depths, to uncover what secrets lay beneath.

 

They would be looking for her, all of them, but here was where she would stay, away from them, away from him and away from the memories.

 

She felt the water at her waist now, felt the sand shift beneath her feet and the sway of seaweed tangle in her toes the pull of the water welcoming her, promising her an end.

 

The last thought in her mind as the water lapped over her head wasn't of who or what she'd be leaving behind, but of being free... just like that seagull.

 

**

 

Part one

 

**

 

It was going to be one of those days she knew it!

 

Willow peered out over the a wide expanse of grey sky which only seemed to darken more, taunting her cheekily, letting the sun shine through in drips and drabs, what a wonderful day she thought shrugging into the first coat she found before grabbing her notebook and heading out the door.

 

She breathed in the scent of the air still damp from the morning showers, she hoped it would rain again soon… she loved the rain. She loved the sunshine too… but there was just something enigmatic about a rainy day… something coaxing and soothing to her soul. And what better way to spend it then at the beach!

 

Making her way down the worn beat up path she frantically held on to the handrail to keep from slipping on the wooden stairway. Finding a spot on the sand which provided her both a view of the ocean in front of her, but also a view of the cliff's to her left which always brought a smile to her face whenever she found her gaze wandering in there direction.

 

Feeling tiny drops of rain fall onto her nose she laid back on the sand, her eyes on the clouds awaiting the down pour which came not long after. This was her time. This was when she felt at peace, when she didn't feel lonely, when she didn't dwell on her lack of a past. Everyday she wondered through the motions of everyday life, playing the part fate had cast her in, but here... like this... was when she just allowed herself to be… to feel… to live.

 

Closing her eyes she gave in to the feel of raindrops on her face and the smell of the ocean wafting all around her… and in that short space of time… all seemed right.

 

**

 

Jeff glared at his brother Matt for the umpteenth time in a span of thirty minutes and pouted.

 

"Vacation time and its bloody raining,"

 

"It won't last forever," Matt chided rolling his eyes at his brother’s dramatic whinging.

 

"He's right Jeff, don't let the weather spoil it for you. We've been planning this trip for months." Lita added.

 

Jeff continued to grumble in the backseat of the four-wheel drive they had rented at the airport for there drive along the scenic cliffs of the ‘Islen Islands’, in search of sun, surf and women. 'And not necessarily in that order,' he thought to himself grinning as if he had just had a 'Eureka' moment.

 

His moment to reflect didn't last long as he looked out the window at the grey sky that seemed to go on forever. Pulling out the brochure the travel agent had given them Jeff held it up in front of him and compared it to what he was seeing outside.

 

"Man, he took us for a ride big time."

 

"Come on Jeff, everyone knows brochure pics are far from the real thing, so we just happened to arrive in the middle of a light storm, it'll blow over soon enough." Matt shrugged pulling the car to a stop. "Here it is, Apollo Bay Resort."

 

"I hope you know my aspirations of Bermuda being a place of sun has thoroughly and utterly packed its bags and left for a more warmer climate." Jeff mumbled shoving at a sleeping Jericho next to him. "Up and atom sleeping beauty, no matter how much sleep you get you'll never be pretty."

 

"Being pretty is the least of my worries junior," Jericho yawned before stepping out of the car to stretch.

 

"Yeah the first being a Billion Dollar Princess," Jeff laughed as Chris Jericho sent him a glare.

 

"Eewww… it’s freezing," Chris said the chill of the wind seeping through his cotton shirt.

 

"I'm glad someone agrees with me!"

 

“Will you two can it, we're here so deal already!" Matt laughed at there downtrodden expressions and tossed their bags towards them.

 

"I might actually check out the… ummm… beach… before I head up to the rooms…" Jeff spoke hurriedly as he tossed his bag back to his brother and took off in a fast paced walk.

 

"But… Jeff-" Matt began but was cut off when another bag hit him, barely hearing Jericho's mumbled explanatory 'I'm with him.' Before he rushed off after the younger Hardy brother.

 

**

 

She was soaked but she didn't care, she had moved to the end of the jetty and now sat perched on the end of it with her feet gently swinging over the edge. Ever since she could remember she had been fascinated with the ocean, she use to dream about the ocean, mostly being high up on a cliff top with the water far below her… and the most enormous wave rushing towards her on the horizon.

 

Not all her dreams consisted of a tidal wave in some she was just walking along the surf when the ocean waves started rushing up to swirl around her feet and others where she woke in a cold sweat clutching her throat trying to draw breath. But the one she always remembered as if it had happened only last night was the dream about the tidal wave. And the funny thing was she always found those dreams comforting and after a while welcomed the watery images that invaded her not only in sleep but also her waking moments too, finding solace in there presence.

 

"Time to go," She sighed as she rose to her feet, "See you." She didn't know to whom or to what she was saying her farewell to, she just knew that she would be back and that she would be welcomed.

 

Sighing she raised her arms in her own personal salute to the ocean.

 

"Hey!"

 

"Don't do it!"

 

"Huh?" She turned and only managed to move out of the way as a flash of colour flew passed her and into the ocean.

 

"What the…" She moved closer to the edge again to see someone's head bobbing up and down in the water.

 

"Now that has to be your most famous leap yet Hardy, you think Vince will want to use it?" Chris teased not even trying to hide his laughter.

 

"Bite me Blondie!" The bobbing head called back.

 

"With relish," The blonde smiled moving to help his friend as he climbed up the ladder.

 

'And I thought I was the only weirdo to venture out to the seaside on a rainy day.' She thought backing away from the two strange men.

 

Sensing the movement Jeff suddenly looked up into the greenest eyes he had ever seen, eyes that were filled with fear then amusement as she took in his wet look. SHE was laughing at him? He quirked a brow in her direction and Jericho turned as if suddenly remembering her presence.

 

"You okay?" He asked.

 

"I think that question would be better aimed at your friend." She smirked nodding in Jeff's direction before turning on her heel to walk towards the shore.

 

Jeff and Chris shared a look before following her quickening there pace till they fell into step along side her.

 

"You mean you weren't going to jump?"

 

Willow stopped then not sure which one of them had spoken and looked up quizzically at the two men, realization settling in her gaze.

 

"You thought I was going to kill myself?" She asked tilting her head to one side, she tried to keep her gaze on his eyes but it was hard when his hair had more colours in it then a rainbow.

 

"Well I have to admit it looked pretty… well… ah…"

 

"Suicidal?" She finished for him.

 

"Well…"

 

"In my friends defence, yes, it did look that way from where we were standing." Chris stepped forward elbowing the suddenly 'Lost for words' Hardy out of the way.

 

They watched as she looked down at herself taking in her jeans, which were rolled up to the knees and a t-shirt, soaked right through and covered in sand like she had been lying in it, which she had been and her hands went to her shoulder length hair tucking the sides behind her ears before offering them a tentative smile.

 

"I'm sorry if I scared you. I guess it would look like I was trying to kill myself to an observer."

 

Jeff seemed to let out a sigh of relief at her statement then shoved his hands in his pockets starting to feel the cold.

 

"You better get your friend into something dry," She said turning to Chris. "And I have to leave you now. Again I'm sorry."

 

"Strange girl," Chris mumbled as he and Jeff watched her scamper off to disappear among the sand dunes.

 

**

 

Reaching the manor Willow peered over a stonewall, ducking back down and counting to ten before jumping up and swinging her legs over to land softly on the other side before making her way through the thicket to the side entrance of the house. Opening a side door she slowly inched her way inside.

 

"You hold it right there young lady!"

 

Shoulders slumping she turned to face an irate elderly woman who stood no more then four feet away from her with both hands on hips, her face turning to one of concern when she took in the girl's appearance.

 

"Oh child," She muttered coming forward to pull Willow closer to the open fire, which was slowly burning at the far side of the kitchen. "I swear you’re going to be the death of me…" She muttered inanely to herself as she pushed the now shivering girl into a chair and immediately set about helping Willow out of her wet t-shirt and then wrapped a throw rug around her shoulders while rubbing her hands incessantly up and down the girl’s arms.

 

"I'm fine Abigail there's no need to fuss," Willow assured the old woman leaning back into her embrace.

 

"Codswallop," Abigail admonished moving to the stove where she heaped a ladle full of soup into a mug before returning and thrusting it in her face. "Now get this in you while I go get you a hot bath ready."

 

"What would I do with out you Abigail," Willow smiled lovingly at the old woman leaning up to plant a light kiss on her cheek.

 

Pausing when she got to the door Abigail turned, "Oh and child," She waited for Willow’s eyes to meet her stern ones. "This is your home, there's no need to sneak in."

 

**

 

Jeff emerged from the bathroom freshly showered and snuggled under the covers of his bed determined to shake the chill that had entered his bones. Just his luck he would get sick while on vacation.

 

He had felt like a cad as Chris had re-laid the events of their walk to his brother and Lita, Matt had laughed non stop while Lita, bless her heart, had turned on her motherly face and ushered the other two men out of the room so she could take care of him.

 

"Feeling any better?"

 

Jeff looked up to see Lita standing in the doorway her long red hair swept up in a make shift ponytail and smiled, nodding in response.

 

"Hungry?" She asked wheeling in a trolley.

 

"Famished," He smiled up at her from under the covers. "But I think I'm too weak to lift the fork to my mouth." He pouted and looked at her with his adorable puppy dog eyes.

 

"No real problem there, I had room service add a straw instead of utensils." She smiled brightly at him as she held up the straw.

 

Jeff raised an eyebrow at her, confusion evident in his gaze.

 

"Yes a straw." She raised the lid off the service trolley so he could see.

 

"Soup?" He blanched inwardly causing her to giggle.

 

"Not just any soup Jeff, bonafied chicken soup!"

 

"And I thought you loved me," He sniffed eye balling the bowl of soup on the trolley.

 

"I do sweet, hence the straw."

 

"And if that don't work you can call on either of us to pour it down your throat." Matt said from the doorway as he and Chris entered.

 

"Not funny, I might need medical attention."

 

"Serves you right little brother, although I can't fault your motives, if I were in the same situation I probably would have done the same thing." He admitted sitting on the end of his bed. "Only, I would have made it look good."

 

Jeff kicked out with his foot causing the elder Hardy to fall on his butt.

 

"Hey!"

 

"Oops."

 

"Ah... sibling rivalry warms my heart."

 

"Bite me!" Both brothers growled at the blonde Canadian.

 

"C'mon Jeff eat up." Lita laughed nodding towards the soup, "While you eat Chris can tell us again about your five minutes of super hero fame."

 

"Oh please no!" Jeff hid his face under the covers as Chris retold everything in graphic detail, which had Matt and Lita on the floor in hysterical laughter.

 

'Well nearly everything,' Jeff thought smiling as a memory flashed through his mind. 'He left out the part about how pretty her eyes were.'

 

**

 

Part Two

 

**

 

"Child you’re going to have to rest some time you know." Abigail stood in front of Willow, her hands planted firmly on her hips.

 

"And I will Abi, just a few more minutes."

 

Willow stood leaning against the open door of the balcony.

 

"It’s so beautiful." She whispered staring up at the night sky, stars twinkling brightly.

 

"Bless your heart," The old lady smiled. "You would see beauty in a trash can." She looked at her young ward with loving eyes, and let her thoughts wonder back in time. Abigail and her husband Connor had been out walking there two pure bred Rottweilers, Warrior and Zeus, when they had happened upon the body of a young girl.

 

Warrior and Zeus had been very protective of the young girl, planting themselves on either side of her still form while Connor went for help, returning not long after to find the young girl's head in his Abigails lap, Abigail singing softly as she rocked back and forth offering all she had to give.

 

The ambulance arrived and Abigail rode in the ambulance while Connor took care of the dogs before leaving for the hospital himself. Abigail was a frequent visitor to the hospital everyday as the lifeless body of the young girl lay in a coma, having found no identification on her Connor had put an add in the local paper then extended his add to those of neighbouring towns, but to no avail. Three months later the young girl awoke, confused and scared.

 

Connor could see his Abigail had a bond with the young woman and didn't protest when his wife wanted to bring her home. That was six years ago now, Connor had passed away two years into the six and for the past four years the young girl known to them only as Willow had been the one thing that kept Abigail from wanting to be reunited with Connor again.

 

Abigail wished she wouldn't lock herself away all the time, but Willow preferred the solitude of the grounds or the ocean on rainy days to community picnics or fetes. And Abigail had long since stopped trying to get her acquainted with young adults more her age. She just wasn't interested. Instead she had thrown herself into study and was now a professional communicator, using her skills in the English language by editing fiction written by college students with English as their major.

 

She smiled as she recalled Willow asking her how they had known her the name Willow. Abigail had explained that they didn’t, that Willow was the youngest daughter of Neptune, king of the ocean, and that was how she came to be with them. The ocean had given her to them. So for the time being during all those months she laid in a hospital bed everyone referred to her as Willow. And though when she woke her name was still lost to her, Willow seemed right, so Willow she stayed.

 

Willow had never regained her memory, and although Abigail knew it pained the young girl, she never once made her or Connor regret welcoming her into their home.

 

"Wakey, wakey…" Willow teased as she came up behind the elder woman and embraced her lovingly noticing the tears in her eyes. "I miss him too… so much… Come on, bedtime for you- Ah! No buts!" She added as Abigail made to protest. "Let me take care of you as you do for me."

 

Arm in arm Abigail allowed the younger woman to lead her upstairs, and then felt herself relaxing into sleep to the sound of Willow's sweet lullaby.

 

**

 

"Will you look at that sky?"

 

"Breathless," Matt mumbled in his sleepy state next to her. They had both risen early and headed straight to the beach and now lay on the sand soaking up the sun.

 

"This is awesome!"

 

"Aha."

 

"The receptionist told me that the weather here is ever changing. The sun can shine one minute, rain the next."

 

"Aha."

 

"Matt are you even listening to me?"

 

"Aha."

 

Lita threw her magazine at him.

 

"Ow!"

 

"Top of the morn to you all," Chris smiled brightly as he plonked down on the sand next to them accidentally kicking sand on the couple.

 

"Oops." He smiled sheepishly as Jeff stretched out on the sand beside them.

 

"Feeling better?" Lita asked ignoring the mother goose looks the other two men turned on her as her hand automatically went to Jeff's forehead.

 

"Yeah, actually I do. Isn't this day amazing!"

 

"Certainly is." She readily agreed. "We came down about nine and we still had to search for a bit of sand to claim as our own."

 

"Yeah, apparently people from all over the island come to soak up the sun." Matt added rolling over onto his back.

 

"Oh my god!"

 

Lita, Matt and Jeff all turned to see what had Chris shrieking 'Oh my god!' about. I mean come on this is Chris Jericho… he never ever said 'Oh my god!'

 

"It can't be!" He added sending a glare toward a snickering Jeff.

 

There, walking towards them from the hotel entrance with a bright smile on her face stood the Billion-Dollar Princess herself, Stephanie McMahon!

 

**

 

"Are you going to waste this beautiful day in a stuffy old study?" Abigail asked as she pulled the blinds open shedding light around the dank dreary room. "Ah there you are." She smiled when her eyes found Willow sprawled out on the floor her head stuck in one of Connors heavy ancient tomes.

 

"Yeah," She replied not looking up. "You don't mind do you?"

 

"Oh no, I don't mind at all… but Warrior might, he's at this moment waiting in the kitchen, leash in mouth."

 

A look of pure shock registered across her features as she scrambled towards the kitchen before kneeling beside the dog and throwing her arms around his neck.

 

"Warrior, I'm so sorry I got caught up reading about this ancient Egyptian called Taita and how he saved Queen Lotus from a loveless marriage…" She continued to babble inanely to the dog as she led him out of the kitchen, picking up the duffle bag she knew Abigail would have prepared for her.

 

**

 

"Hey guys!" Stephanie called as she sauntered over to them. "I didn't know you all were spending your holidays here."

 

"Obviously we didn't know you were otherwise we would have gone somewhere else-"

 

"Yeah we've been planning this trip for a while." Matt cut in shooting Chris a behave look.

 

Stephanie chose to ignore Chris's outburst and merely smiled at Matt.

 

"Its great isn't it? The sun, the surf,"

 

"Sure is. What brings you here?" Lita asked smiling at the other woman, she and Stephanie weren't the best of friends but seeing Stephanie as the only other female she knew here she was willing to be nice, till Stephanie gave her a reason not to.

 

"I’m visiting my aunt she stays a couple miles out of town. Haven't seen her since my uncle passed away which would be four years now." She smiled at the other girl as she crouched down beside them so as not to block out their sun.

 

"Your here on your own?" Matt asked sighing in pleasure as Lita applied more lotion to his back.

 

"Yeah, decided I needed to go it alone… stand on my own sort of thing."

 

"Good for you," Jeff stated rising up on his knee's as he spotted a figure in the distance.

 

"You guys enjoying it so far?"

 

"Not counting yesterday's weather we like it a lot." Matt replied looking quizzically at his brother. "And what has gotten you so entranced brother of mine?"

 

"Well," Chris piped up following Jeff's line of direction. "It's the little save-ee."

 

The guy's turned their heads in the direction of the tiny ice cream stand to see a pretty young girl lazily feeding a huge beast of a dog an ice cream cone.

 

"Save-ee?" Stephanie asked confused.

 

"I'll tell you about it later." Lita promised as both girls stood to get a better view.

 

A huge smile came to Stephanie's lips before she hurried off.

 

"Well goodbye to you too," Chris sneered then his jaw dropped as she floundered over to the girl wrapping her up in a warm embrace. He had never seen this side of Stephanie, all lovey and smiley. Not even one insult had come from her lips… her lips? Oh not a good thing to be thinking about HER lips! He shuddered for a minute giving himself a mental shake.

 

Jeff looked on quietly pondering how he could get Stephanie to introduce him. He saw Stephanie point in their direction and tug on her arm but he saw the girl shake her head before again crouching down to carry on giving her dog its cone.

 

After a few more minutes Stephanie returned to tell them all she would hopefully catch up again with them soon before she hurried back to the girl leaving Chris and Jeff to watch as they walked off together.

 

**

 

"When did you get in? Abi is going to be so pleased to see you!"

 

"And I her," Stephanie smiled back at the girl who had been her aunt's saviour these past four years. "And you have grown, I nearly didn't recognise you."

 

The other girl blushed under Stephanie's scrutiny which caused a warm smile to come to Stephanie's lips, Willow was only three years younger then herself but she still processed her youthful school girlish looks. Stephanie studied the girl as she raced ahead allowing Warrior to take off after her in a wide gait. Her hair which reached just above her shoulders was swept up and fastened with a clip in the back, wild strands falling to frame her face which was bare of make-up showing the spattering of freckles that danced across her nose.

 

"Will you be staying long?"

 

"A few weeks, yes," Stephanie replied as the other girl fell into step be side her again huffing a little from her play with warrior who dutifully walked by her side once more.

 

Stephanie wanted to ask how her aunt was health wise but she didn't know if her aunt had told the young girl yet exactly why Stephanie was there, so she bided her time until her and her aunt could talk alone.

 

**

 

Part Three

 

**

 

"So what do you guys want to do tonight?" Jeff sat himself down on the floor in front of the window and peered out at the people still mulling around on the beach below.

 

"I don't know bout you guys but I'm pooped." Lita exclaimed not even attempting to get up off the bed.

 

"Poor baby," Matt crooned. "I'll be here to look after you."

 

"My hero,"

 

"I am not staying here to listen to that all night." Chris declared rising to his feet. "Come on Hardy junior let’s go find some action."

 

"Yeehaa!" Jeff yelped jumping up to follow Chris out the door. "Don't wait up." He waggled his eyebrows at them before shutting the door.

 

"You know who they're hoping to bump into right?" Lita smiled knowingly at her boyfriend.

 

"Oh yeah," He replied before they both fell into a fit of giggles.

 

**

 

"So... how do you suppose Stephanie knows that girl?"

 

"Family member maybe..."

 

"I wonder if she's inherited the family genes."

 

"I don't even want to think of that!" Chris shuddered at the thought, "Can you imagine another Stephanie McMahon walking around?"

 

"Perish the thought." Jeff agreed. "But you have to admit, Stephanie didn't insult you once."

 

"Yeah as surreal as that sounds she was actually NICE and to ME! Her sworn enemy!"

 

Jeff chuckled at the look on Chris's face.

 

"Maybe she's turning over a new leaf?" Chris spoke more to himself then to Jeff and then added, “Nah… once a trash bag ho always a trash bag ho!"

 

Jeff laughed.

 

"You want to know what I reckon."

 

"Not really but I know your going to tell me anyway." Chris muttered rolling his eyes.

 

"I think you like her."

 

Chris choked on his drink at that.

 

"Don't be daff Hardy…. Sheesh! I can’t stand her."

 

"And denial isn't just a river in Egypt!" Jeff shot back.

 

"Well what about you." Chris accused pointing his finger at Jeff.

 

"What about me?" He replied innocently.

 

"Lusting around after a girl you don't even know."

 

"Well at least I'm man enough to admit it!" He responded poking out his tongue.

 

"Oh real mature Jeff." Chris laughed as waitress brought their food over. "With your luck she's probably more of a spoilt brat then Stephanie." He smiled to himself when he saw the frown mar Jeff's brow, his comment having taken its desired effect.

 

**

 

"Abi?"

 

"In here child,"

 

Willow opened a door that lead out to the gardens and found Abigail resting under the rotunda her eyes closed.

 

"Abi? Are you okay?" she asked her smile immediately falling from her face as she kneeled down in front of the woman.

 

"Yes," She smiled back reaching out to cup Willow's cheek in her hand. "Just wanted to rest out here for a bit. You know Connor planted every tree and bush in this garden, makes me feel like he's with me when I'm out here."

 

"He'll always be with you Abi, in here." Willow smiled as she laid the old women's hand on her chest before motioning a teary eyed Stephanie forward.

 

The old woman looked up confusion in her eyes as she stared up at Stephanie.

 

"Aunt Abi?"

 

"Stephanie..." The tears rolled down her face as realisation set in.

"Stephanie... darling child," She whispered pulling the girl into her embrace.

 

Willow moved back and slipped back indoors, allowing aunt and niece the privacy they needed to reacquaint themselves.

 

**

 

Willow made her way to the big kitchen and settled herself in a chair at the kitchen table. Warrior got up from where he was resting in front of the fireplace to settle at her feet.

 

"How long have you known?" Stephanie asked quietly bringing the young girl out of her thoughts and she sat down in a chair across from her.

 

"Not long." She replied quietly. "That's why you're here isn't it?"

 

Stephanie sighed, "Yes sweetie it is," She saw the tears form in Willow's eyes but she quickly lowered her gaze as she stood walking towards the sink.

 

"It’s okay to be sad Willow."

 

"I know," She replied quietly. "But I will have plenty of time to be sad later, now I have to be strong for Abi."

 

Stephanie's heart broke for the young girl her uncle and aunt had taken in so long ago. Willing back her own tears she took a deep breath before joining Willow at the sink.

 

"What do you say we make a picnic dinner and go back out to join aunt Abi." She suggested before reaching out to give the other girls hand a squeeze letting Willow know she was here for her if needed.

 

**

 

Matt and Lita strolled arm in arm to where Jeff and Chris were seated in the hotel dining room eating breakfast the next morning.

 

"You two are looking rather glum this morning." Lita said in greeting as she sat down next to Jeff and started picking bits of food from his plate.

 

"Hungry are we?" Jeff asked playfully slapping her hand away from his food.

 

"Starved!" She exclaimed. "...Must be something in the air that wets my appetite."

 

"And all this time I thought it was me?" Matt stated perusing the menu before turning to give her a wink.

 

She blushed before turning back to Jeff and Chris.

 

"So why the long faces?"

 

"My guess is…" Matt began as Lita's question brought forth a grunt from Jeff and silence from Jericho - Which was a feat in itself.

 

"That our two boys here never met up with a certain two girls one of whom we know quite well..." He smirked chuckling when both men sent him a glare.

 

"Oh." Lita mouthed the word quietly to Matt her eyes smiling. "So why don't you just call Stephanie up and ask her out?"

 

Chris raised his brow as he realised the question was directed to him.

 

"I don't want to ask Stephanie out." He stated bluntly.

 

Jeff rolled his eyes.

 

"I don't." Chris insisted.

 

"Well, that's a shame. I could've put in a good word for you. I'm spending the day with Stephanie and her friend. We're going shopping." She smiled when Chris choked on his juice.

 

Jeff however was practically bouncing in his chair!

 

"I'm available if you need someone strong and muscly to carry your shopping bags." He grinned hopefully waggling his brows.

 

"No can do I'm afraid."

 

His smiled dropped at her reply.

 

"She called last night and we decided it would be a-"

 

"Girls day," Matt cut in, holding his hands up in front of him and making quotation signals.

 

"But…" She raised her brow at her boyfriend before adding. "...I did suggest we all meet after for dinner." Lita laughed as her comment put the smile back on Jeff's face.

 

Chris just continued to scowl at them, '’He’ didn't have the hots for

Stephanie and ‘He’ couldn't stand each other... right?'

 

**

 

Part Four

 

**

 

"Willow!" Stephanie called as she walked through the lounge room and out onto the patio. This house wasn't as big as her parents but she had spent the better part of the morning looking for the young girl.

 

She hadn't looked very interested when Stephanie suggested the two girls go into town for a day of shopping, but with Abigail's help claiming she herself needed a few things and would really appreciate Willow running a few errands for her, the young girl had agreed.

 

Stephanie had mouthed the words 'Thank you' to her before her aunt got up.

 

"Now I got to go think of some errands," She muttered loud enough for only Stephanie to hear, a twinkle in her eye.

 

And now just a couple of hours away from meeting Lita the young girl was no where to be found.

 

Abigail looked up from arranging the flowers she had picked from the garden a knowing smile on her face.

 

"Does she always do this?" Stephanie asked exasperated.

 

"Yes." Abigail grinned going back to her flowers. "She's probably out with warrior or she's found her a quiet corner of the house to bury her head in one of your uncle’s old books. She'll come when its time."

 

Stephanie had to giggle at that, her and Willow were so different. It was kind of strange befriending the girl because Willow didn't want to do all the things girls her age liked to do.

 

She doubted if Willow had even been to a party or heaven forbid kissed a boy!

 

"I know Willow is more…" Abigail began as if reading Stephanie's thoughts. "...Reserved... then the average person her age, but go easy on her Stephanie. I know she hate's that she can’t remember anything prior to her coming to us, even though she tries not to show it. Its there, every time I look in her eyes. Willow means the world to me. Take care of her."

 

There were tears in her aunt’s eyes and Stephanie knew she wasn't just talking about the girls shopping day.

 

"I promise." She answered wrapping her arms around her aunt. "I promise."

 

**

 

Just as her aunt had said Willow re-appeared an hour and a half later dressed in jeans, t-shirt and runners.

 

"What?" She asked when she noticed Stephanie looking at her choice of clothing.

 

"We are only going shopping." She rolled her eyes walking past Stephanie to lightly kiss Abigail on the cheek before walking out to the car totally missing the look of amusement that lighted Abigail's expression as Stephanie mirrored Willow's actions, shutting the door with a final wave in her aunt's direction.

 

**

 

Lita stood in the lobby of the hotel waiting for Stephanie and her friend. She was so glad to be out of the room. Jeff and Chris had both driven her insane, Jeff even wrote a list on which of his attributes to mention. Clueless Chris was still in denial over Stephanie. 'God his fondness for the woman was so thick it's a wonder he didn't trip over it! I mean the rest of us have…' She thought giggling to herself.

 

"Hey Lita," Stephanie smiled happily surprising Lita by leaning in to give her a quick hug, like you would to one of your best friends.

 

At a loss of what to say Lita just smiled as Stephanie went on to introduce the girl next to her.

 

"This is Willow," Stephanie linked her arm through Willow's gently pulling her forward.

 

"Nice to meet you," Lita smiled warmly at the young girl.

 

"And this is Lita." Stephanie continued linking her other arm through Lita's again surprising the redheaded diva.

 

"Hi." She smiled back shyly grasping the hand Lita offered.

 

Lita was still finding it hard to believe that Stephanie was actually being friendly and was starting to think Chris was right. Maybe this was all an act to play out in front of the family member's she had come to visit.

 

Deciding to just go with the flow Lita pushed all negative thoughts out of her mind, maybe Stephanie had turned over a new leaf. With that thought in her mind Lita allowed Stephanie to lead the way out of the hotel.

 

**

 

"What are you thinking about?" Chris asked as they lounged by the pool.

 

"Probably the same thing you are." Jeff and Matt replied simultaneously.

 

Chris raised an eyebrow. It was uncanny how they did that.

 

"So are we going to just laze around by the pool all day?" He asked poking both brothers in the ribs.

 

"That's the plan." Matt replied squatting Chris’s hand away as if he were shooing away a fly.

 

"Why? What have you got in mind?"

 

"Well…" Chris began waiting till he had their full attention before he continued. "I came across this flyer in reception." He held up a brightly coloured scrap of paper waving it like a banner before their eyes.

 

Jeff and Matt shared a look before turning back to Chris.

 

"We're in."

 

**

 

She was so bored!

 

'This is what young girls your age like to do,' Abigail had told her.

 

"Well all the young girls her age can have it," She muttered as she pretended to look through a rack of tank tops which looked like they belong in a baby store.

 

Stephanie and Lita were once again in the ladies change room. Sighing Willow looked at her watch wishing she were somewhere else.

 

**

 

"Woohoo!"

 

"Yeehaa!"

 

"And you wanted to follow the girls," Chris smirked as his two friends pulled up on the sand next to him, turning off the engines of the ski jets they had been riding.

 

"And I still want to follow them." Jeff declared stomping his foot in the sand.

 

"You are hopeless." Matt laughed.

 

"Yep," Jeff winked at his brother a wide grin on his face. "Hopelessly in love..."

 

"In love you say?" Chris questioned.

 

"Yep,"

 

"You love a girl you have seen a total of two times in as many days, who when faced with the opportunity to dazzle her with your ever failing wit and charm… suddenly lost all concept of speech?"

 

Jeff looked over at Matt.

 

"This coming from a guy who can’t admit when he's got the hots for someone," He said nodding in Chris's direction.

 

"I do not have the hots for Stephanie."

 

"Who said I was talking about Stephanie." Jeff shrugged as he walked past Chris up towards the path.

 

"He's got you there." Matt laughed slapping Chris playfully on the shoulder before following his brother up the path.

 

Chris just stared at the two men he considered his best friends as the realisation of what he'd just said hit him.

 

"Damn!"

 

**

 

"You’re very protective of Willow," Lita said noticing how Stephanie mothered over the younger girl.

 

"She’s the sister I never had." Stephanie smiled back, "Oh look, who am I?" She waggled her eye brows and put on a condescending sneer while slipping her arms into a glittery sliver shirt.

 

Lita couldn't help the laughter that erupted from inside her and soon they were both laughing hysterically. Willow just rolled her eyes and casually moved on to the next store which to her delight was a book store… 'Finally', she thought. 'Something I can relate to.'

 

Stephanie and Lita made there way to the counter to buy there selections, before following in Willow's wake.

 

"How often do you come back here?" Lita asked conversationally.

 

"Not often enough." Stephanie laughed. "But no matter what, I had to come and nothing was going to stop me."

 

Stephanie's gaze took on a far away look before she continued. "My aunts dying,"

 

"Oh Steph, I'm sorry… I didn't mean…"

 

"No that's okay. It's a part of life right? That never ending circle." Stephanie gave her a small smile but Lita saw that the light had gone from her eyes.

 

"No wonder Willow's so quiet… poor thing,"

 

"Yes, it’s hardest on her most. She’s been my aunt’s world since the death of my uncle and vice versa. But she’s strong she would have to be to know what she knows and still go on."

 

Lita frowned at Stephanie's words but when Stephanie made no move to explain Lita let it drop.

 

"You know Jeff already has his eye on her," Lita smiled trying to lighten the mood.

 

"You’re joking!"

 

"Nope… he and Chris kind of had an encounter with her our first day here."

 

Stephanie’s jaw dropped and then her whole face opened up in a grin.

 

"The sneaky thing she never said a word."

 

"Well, from what Chris says Jeff made an ass of himself and she fled."

 

"Well, that certainly is something new for him." Stephanie couldn't hold back her laughter anymore, "The fleeing part I mean." She added quickly still laughing.

 

"I think he's quite smitten."

 

"And what about Chris, did he fall for the charms of Willow as well?"

 

Lita thought for a bit before answering.

 

"No, I don't think he did… anyway he's already smitten with someone else."

 

"Oh," Was all Stephanie could muster up to say not noticing the way Lita grinned knowingly at her.

 

**

 

"Do I have to go?"

 

"Yes."

 

"Why?"

 

"Because your twenty-one years old and you should be out and about enjoying yourself not hanging around a dreary old manor with an equally dreary old lady." Abigail chastised.

 

"But I like this dreary old manor and the equally dreary old lady."

 

Abigail chuckled at Willow's reply but she would have to do better then that before she backed down.

 

"What if you need me?"

 

"I know your mobile number."

 

"What if you’re hurt and can’t get to the phone?"

 

"There are six phones in this place. I'm sure I'll make it to one of them." She chided. "And your numbers on speed dial." Abigail added quickly as Willow made to protest once more.

 

"Your not going to relent are you?"

 

"No."

 

"Okay. But its just dinner then home." Willow said turning to Stephanie and Lita.

 

"Yes!" Stephanie jumped up from where she and Lita had been sitting quietly watching Abigail and Willow. "Let’s go pick out our clothes!"

 

"Great," Willow grumbled. "...Another girlie thing."

 

Both Lita and Stephanie rolled there eyes before latching onto Willow's hands and dragging her upstairs.

 

**

 

Part Five

 

**

 

"I am not wearing that."

 

"Why not?" Stephanie said brushing some imaginary piece of lint off the black backless dress she held in her hands. "You'll knock everyone's socks off."

 

"But I don’t want to knock everyone's socks off." Willow grumbled her chin jutting out stubbornly. "I want everyone to keep their socks on."

 

Lita chuckled from her position on the bed as she lazily fingered the contents of Stephanie's suitcase.

 

"How about this?" She said holding up a figure-form green shirt that secured over the breast with three tiny buttons, leaving the shirt open at the abdomen and had long flowing sleeves. "Black pants, black boots and wah-lah! You are at the halfway mark of socks on and socks off."

 

Out the corner of her eye, Lita saw Stephanie's eyebrow quirk up and a tiny smile lift the corner of her mouth while Willow chewed her bottom lip in thought.

 

"What'ya both think?" Lita continued.

 

Stephanie nodded.

 

"I like it," She said already reaching into her bag for her make-up case, deciding on the best shades to compliment Willow's attire.

 

Willow still looked unsure but even she had to admit that at least what Lita had picked out showed off less skin then what Stephanie had suggested.

 

"Okay,” She began holding up the shirt to feel its softness. "It's only for one night, right?"

 

"That's my girl,"

 

Three sets of eyes turned towards the door to see Abigail standing in the doorway of Willow's bedroom. She walked into the room coming to a stop in front of Willow.

 

"If Connor could see you now," She whispered lovingly.

 

Willow leaned in to hug the old woman.

 

"He sees me." She whispered back. "He sees us both." When they broke away there were tears in Abigail’s eyes and Willow lifted her hand to gently rub her thumbs up over the old woman's cheeks.

 

"I have something for you," Abigail opened her palm and Willow saw two sparkling emerald stud earrings.

 

"Oh, Abi, they're beautiful."

 

"They're yours, Willow - Ah!" She raised her hand as Willow made to protest. "Connor gave them to me to mark our first anniversary, I had always planned to pass them down to our daughter... and... well... it would please me very much if you would accept them."

 

Willow's throat was too clogged up to respond, so instead, amidst all the tears, she allowed Abigail to place the tiny studs in her earlobes.

 

"Oh, Willow, they're gorgeous." Lita exclaimed not able to control her own tears after witnessing such a tender moment.

 

"Truly exquisite," Stephanie agreed.

 

Abigail hastily set about wiping at her cheeks as she backed towards the door.

 

"You girls better hurry now, time flies when happy tears flow."

 

Her words stayed with the three young women whilst they readied themselves for there evening out and it wasn't long before the three were making there way out to Stephanie's rental car.

 

**

 

"Can you see them yet?"

 

"No."

 

"Do you think I've put on too much aftershave?"

 

"No."

 

"What about my hair?" Jeff fingered his newly dyed purple and red locks. "Not too weird?"

 

Matt rolled his eyes.

 

"Has that ever stopped you before?"

 

Jeff smiled sheepishly.

 

"Well, no, but this is different. Stephanie's friend doesn't know that weird and Jeff Hardy are synonymous. I wanna make a good impression."

 

"If she's anything like all the other girls who follow after you, you got nothing to worry bout."

 

Jeff frowned.

 

"Why does that not help me?"

 

"Maybe because she's not like all the girls who follow after you," Chris spoke for the first time, laying the menu he'd been reading on the table. "She has no idea who you are, who we are."

 

"True," Jeff nodded.

 

"But then again," Chris shrugged. "We don’t know that much about her so you two will be in the same boat. For all we know she may like weird."

 

"She maybe weird herself, Matt added. “You guys met her under weird circumstances I mean how many people do you know like to go to the beach in the rain." He continued as he drew little pictures in the table cloth with his fork. "You two sound well suited to me." Matt turned to Chris and winked when his last comment brought a smile to Jeff's face. "...And what about you Chris?"

 

Chris's smile dropped, usually he craved being the center of attention but not when he knew where this conversation would be headed.

 

"What about me?" He replied innocently.

 

Matt turned to Jeff.

 

"Still in denial?"

 

"Afraid so," His brother replied as if this were a matter of government importance. "...Tis a sad case indeed."

 

Chris rolled his eyes and opened his mouth to tell them both what they could do with their delusions of him and the Billion Dollar Princess as a couple when he spotted the girls walking across the restaurant floor towards them.

 

Jeff quirked an eyebrow at his brother.

 

"See what I mean?" He said nodding in Chris’s direction, who now sat with his mouth wide open and his tongue hanging out.

 

Matt chuckled and Jeff leaned across to elbow their friend in the side.

 

"Close your mouth Jerky, unless you’re hoping Stephanie will trip over that tongue of yours and fall straight into your lap."

 

Chris promptly shut his mouth.

 

**

 

Part Six

 

**

 

"Sorry we're late." Lita said leaning down to lightly kiss the top of Matt's head. "Miss me, baby?"

 

"You better believe it," Matt responded before tugging on her arm to pull her into his lap as he proceeded to show her just how much.

 

Willow quirked a brow as a sense of de javu fell over her. In her minds eye she saw a picture of another couple who danced fleetingly inside her mind and she shook her head to shake the thoughts away.

 

"Don’t mind them they do this everywhere they go." Stephanie whispered next to her, misinterpreting Willow's expression.

 

The younger Hardy cleared his throat.

 

"I'm Jeff." He held out his hand towards Willow, bringing Lita and Matt's attention back to the crowded restaurant they were sitting in. Lita giggled but didn't move from her seat on Matt's lap.

 

"Willow." She replied shooting him an unsure smile as she openly stared at his hair.

 

His chest puffed with pride, thankful he had taken the time to dye it again this afternoon. Being the gentleman he was he got up and pulled out a chair for Willow, sending Matt a wink as Chris did the same for Stephanie.

 

'Yep.' He thought sending Chris a teasing smirk. 'Denial, denial, denial.'

 

"The b-blonde man there is Chris," Jeff continued on with the introductions. "...And the guy with the girl in his lap is M-matt."

 

'Tongue work!' His mind screamed, he felt flustered and was thankful when Stephanie spoke taking everyone's focus of him and his current speech problems.

 

"I still can’t believe you guys are here." She exclaimed picking up her menu.

 

"I can’t believe 'Your' here." Chris mumbled more to himself then the people seated with him, then reddened as all eyes fell on him.

 

'Oh god, had he said that out loud?' He was immediately contrite but it was too late, the words had already been said and now as he looked at her, she seemed to be wishing the ground would open up and swallow her. And by the looks he got from the Hardy's and Lita he found himself wishing the same fate on him.

 

Why he was such a cad around Stephanie McMahon he would never know, all civility and nicety went out the window when she was around and he refused to believe it was because he had the hots for her.

 

"So Willow," Chris began turning his eyes away from Stephanie's still flushed cheeks. He swallowed. "Have you lived here all your life?"

 

"All of the life I remember, yes." She replied quietly.

 

Jeff smiled at her answer, it sounded poetic to his ears and deep down he knew he and this girl would be able to have some deep conversations, provided of course that he could actually say something to her without getting all tongue tied. He had only just managed to get through the introductions.

 

Only Matt seemed to notice that she had only answered in part, he gazed around at his friends, Jeff was too into Willow to notice anything but Willow, Chris was trying hard to look anywhere but at

Stephanie and failing miserably where as the two women in question kept their heads lowered as if fearing their eyes would give too much away. He quirked an eyebrow at Lita questioningly and heard her sigh.

 

"It's not my story to tell." She whispered quietly and he nodded in understanding.

 

There waiter for the night came then and after they all ordered the subject of after dinner activities was breached.

 

"So, Willow," Matt began. "...Being a resident here you must know where all the happening after hour parties are." Matt grinned doing a little happy dance in his seat causing Lita to bounce around in his lap.

 

"Well, actually I don’t," She said turning her gaze towards the couple. "That is, I am a resident here... but I don’t know where any after hours parties are... at all... sorry."

 

"There's a dance at the hotel pub later on tonight," Stephanie piped up wanting to take the focus of her friend as Willow seemed to slide lower and lower in her chair.  She pointed to a sign just shy of the exit door that advertised the event. "And there's always someone there organising a beach party for after the dance. At least from memory there was always someone organising a beach party." She grinned at the waiter as he returned with there orders.

 

"Thank you."

 

"No," The waiter bowed and placed a light kiss on the top of her knuckles. "Thank you." He all but whispered never taking his eyes from hers.

 

Willow smiled at the attention the waiter paid Stephanie but her gaze never left Matt and Lita for long. How happy they looked, and content, it was easy to see they really loved one another.

 

'She sure hoped it lasted.' She frowned. 'Now where had that thought come from?'

 

Jeff leaned towards her.

 

"Is everything okay?" Roused from her thoughts she lifted her eyes to his and Jeff gasped at what he saw there. Her eyes were a pool of emotions, love, hate, betrayal, disloyalty, hurt and self hatred all rolled into one.

 

"Willow?" He reached out and gently laid his hand on top of hers when she didn't reply.

 

"I... I'm fine..." She whispered lowering her eyes form his, then pulled her hand away, her eyes widening as if she just realised he had been holding her hand. "I'm fine." She repeated a little more forcibly then before.

 

"We were just all agreeing to check out the pub after dinner, you in?" He asked staring down at his plate of pasta, turning it clockwise then anti clockwise as if trying to determine which angle looked best before digging into it with his fork.

 

"I don’t think so-"

 

"Of course she's in," Stephanie cut in sending a 'Help me' look Lita's way before continuing. "It'll be fun!"

 

"Yeh Wills." Lita added causing Willow to frown more at the shortening of her name. "Let's kick loose and shake our tail feathers!"

 

"If Jeff promise's to behave on the dance floor will you consider it?"

 

Stephanie's brows furrowed at Chris's input to the conversation and then frowned even more when he sent a smile her way. His look alone confusing the hell out of her, surely that was not lust she saw in his eyes.

 

Hadn't Lita told her today that Chris was involved with someone? Or something like that, but either way he was interested in someone else so she must have just mistaken the look he gave her.

 

'It wouldn't have been the first time.' She thought dryly thinking of the time he had come upon her waiting outside her father’s office. He had sidled up to her, pinning her to the wall and she had thought he was going to kiss her and although her mind screamed no her body screamed yes, then in the next instant he shoved her away and walked away laughing.

She remembered the feeling she got as she watched his form disappear down the hallway, rejection uppermost followed closely by embarrassment and then anger. He had had no intention of kissing her, just wanted the satisfaction of knowing that if by some miracle he did, she would be willing. Turning her gaze from his she made a mental note to not give him anymore thought and to keep her distance for the remainder of the night, no, the remainder of her stay on the island! She was here at the request of her aunt and that was all. Her main purpose for being here was Willow and she knew Willow trusted her, but the question was would she trust her enough to leave the island?

 

"Please come," She whispered quietly to the girl beside her.

 

In those two words Willow heard the silent plea from the only real friend she had ever had outside of this tiny world she had found herself in. The thought of being amongst a lot of strangers with music blaring in the back ground didn't sit too well with her but what the hell, one night wouldn't hurt.

 

"Okay." She heard herself whisper.

 

Stephanie reached for Willow's hand underneath the table and wasn't at all surprised when Willow reached back. This was something they would do for each other.

 

**

 

Part Seven

 

**

 

Willow had a bad feeling.

 

She couldn't explain it. It chewed and clawed its way into her subconscious and no matter how much her mind tried to analyse it, the feeling of dread just grew and grew with each passing minute.

 

Her eye's fell on Matt and Lita as they slow danced on the dance floor, both so wrapped in the other that they hadn't realised the slow song had ended two tracks ago. Again she was struck with this unfathomable feeling of knowing and having at some time in her ‘other’ life what Matt and Lita shared - Closeness, trust and complete love.

 

She frowned.

 

'Couldn't have been complete enough if the only thing those thoughts left her with now were a bad taste in her mouth.'

 

She allowed her eye's to move from the couple on the dance floor to rest on the man seated on the other side of the table. His face set in a permanent scowl. A scowl she noticed, that had appeared on his face as soon as Stephanie had been whisked away to the dance floor by the same man who had less then an hour ago been there waiter. And that had been, she looked down at her watch, over twenty minutes ago and Chris's expression had not changed one bit.

 

Jeff chatted away incessantly beside her about everything from insects to his favourite sugar coated cookies. He was cute in a weird kinda way, annoying, but cute just the same. He had the quirkiest sense of humour and she found herself smiling inwardly even if it didn't show on the outside. He too, caused strange feelings to erupt inside her, the same feelings evoked by Matt and Lita... just in a different way.

 

The closeness was more stronger where Jeff was concerned, the trust seemed to be set in concrete and the love was real, whole. Like that of a best friend rather then a lover and she found she liked having that presence around her.

 

But even the comfort that emanated from the younger Hardy brother could not defuse the chill that was now a constant throb in the back of her neck and she shivered involuntarily as her eyes once again swept the room in search of the source. Something was definitely wrong. She couldn't explain it. She only knew it was true.

 

She got to her feet then and hurried away from the table, leaving a still scowling Chris Jericho and a wide eyed Jeff Hardy to stare after her. She had to find Stephanie.

 

**

 

'She was so 'Not' into him.' Jeff thought as he watched her disappear amongst the people vying for space on the dance floor. "Why is she so not into me?"

 

"You got forty-eight hours?" Chris grumbled from across the table.

 

"Shut up, Jerky." Jeff countered. "Can't a man talk to himself in piece?"

 

"Considering we're in a crowded room... I think not."

 

'Considering we're in a crowded room... I think not.' Jeff mocked silently before he noticed Chris's eyes continually moving about the room. "Won't do you any good," He said, leaning back in his chair and resting his elbows on the chair arms. "I saw her walk out into the garden with that waiter chap ten minutes ago."

 

"What?"

 

"Stephanie... Waiter... Door," Jeff said pointing to the French doors that had been opened to let in the evening air.

 

"She went out there..." Chris swallowed the lump that had formed in his throat. "...With him?"

 

"Yep," Jeff confirmed trying to keep a straight face. "...But why should you care... She means nothing to you... right?"

 

"Right," Chris coughed as he straightened himself in his chair. "You’re absolutely right-"

 

"Ah Chris-" Jeff tried to cut in but Chris went right on talking.

 

"She means nothing to me-"

 

"Chris, I think-"

 

"Her going out there with a total stranger just proves that I've been right all along-"

 

Jeff cringed knowing what was coming next.

 

"She is a bottom feeding trash bag-"

 

"Ho?"

 

Chris's head shot up and his eye's locked with those of Stephanie McMahon. Her hands were planted firmly on her hips as she glared down at him and if it wasn't for the tiny wobble of her chin he would have believed she was utterly and thoroughly pissed!

 

"Stephanie-"

 

"Oh, shut the hell up!"

 

Not only Chris's mouth fell open but Jeff's had as well and Chris thanked all the god's that his eyebrows were attached to his head because they rose so high at hearing her usage of 'His' saying that he swore if they hadn’t been they would now in line with the ceiling.

 

"You know Chris, I thought we could be adult about this and just be

Chris and Stephanie, but I see the real Chris Jericho is just as much an ass as his character."

 

"Steph-"

 

"Let her go, man." Jeff said grabbing hold of Chris's arm as he made to follow her through the crowd. "I'd say your face is just not what she wants to see right now."

 

Chris turned accusing eyes on his young friend.

 

"Why didn't you warn me?"

 

Jeff threw his hands up in the air.

 

"I give up." Pushing his chair back from the table he got up and starting walking away in the direction Stephanie had taken.

 

"Hey, where are you going?" Chris called after him, but Jeff had already disappeared beyond hearing range. He slumped back into his chair and scowled.

 

"Great, Jericho, just great."

 

**

 

Part Eight

 

**

 

'I don’t believe that... that... JERK!' Her mind screamed as she pushed open the door to the ladies room.

 

'How dare ‘He’. HOW DARE HE!' She turned the faucet on full blast hoping the sound would drown out the anger that wanted to spew forth.

 

Character Jericho she could handle, it was his job to make her life a living hell... which he did to the full extent of his brain power.

He taunted her. He called her names. He had even compared her to road kill on a few occasions. All those things she could handle as daddy’s little Princess Stephanie McMahon.

 

She snatched a tissue from the box on the vanity and dabbed at her eyes.

 

But here, when her life in the WWE was far... far away, without all the make up and the title all Chris Jericho seemed to do was make her cry.

 

The door opened and Willow burst in, nearly knocking Stephanie off her feet, a look of frantic horror written all over her face.

 

"We have to go, something's wrong."

 

"What-"

 

"We have to go now!" The redhead cut in locking a death like grip on Stephanie's arm and yanking her forcibly out of the ladies room.

 

"Okay, okay. Just let me tell the others we're leaving-"

 

"No time. We have to get back to Abi!"

 

"Aunt Abigail?" Stephanie whispered her eyes taking on there own glow of understanding. "Let's go." She said, taking the lead in pushing a path towards the exit.

 

**

 

"Some friend you are." Jericho declared as he joined Jeff at the bar.

 

The younger Hardy feigned innocence.

 

"What I do?"

 

"Stephanie probably hates me."

 

"I thought you didn't care?"

 

"I don’t."

 

"Then what's your problem?"

 

"I don’t have a problem."

 

"Then shut the hell up!" Jeff growled his brows meeting in the middle as he stared across the room.

 

"Listen, Junior! Don’t be using my catch phrases and... Would you do me the curtest of looking at me when I'm mouthing off! What the hell are you looking at anyway?"

 

He let his gaze follow Jeff's to see Stephanie and Willow standing just outside the rest rooms the smaller of the two tugging passionately on the hand of the other, a desperate look on her face.

 

Stephanie seemed to hesitate turning her head in the direction of the table she had left him and Jeff seated at not so long ago.

 

In the next few seconds they watched as Stephanie's face grew just as anxious as Willow's and then both girls were pushing there way towards the exit doors.

 

"Something's up," Jeff said pulling his wallet out and chucking a few bill's down on top of the bar, but when he looked up again Chris was already making his way towards the exit doors.

 

Following in Jericho's path he caught sight of his brother and Lita still dancing among the crowd. Making a hasty detour he filled them in on what they had seen and soon all three of them were pushing through the other dancers.

 

**

 

By the time Chris had made it out of the hotel Stephanie and Willow were nowhere to be seen.

 

"That can’t be right," He told himself. "I was just a few minutes behind them."

 

A little voice in his mind told him to look behind him, towards the beach. And when he did he saw two shadows silhouetted against the surf, two shadows running as if there lives depended on it.

 

"Stephanie!" He called out hoping his voice would carry to them. He felt the shift of sand beneath his feet and his brow furrowed not even realising he had made his way across the street.

 

"Stephanie!" He called again, but the two shadows didn't stop, didn't even waver.

 

**

 

"There he is!"

 

Jeff took the lead, inadvertently grabbing Lita's hand and pulling her across the street.

 

"Hey!" Matt scowled and followed after them.

 

Lita grinned when his scowl stayed firmly in place even though he had caught up. Leaning up she kissed his cheek.

 

"I love it when you get all jealous like." She said.

 

"Yeah," Jeff couldn't help but add. "And I like making you scowl. It's all apart of being a younger brother."

 

But Jeff's comment was lost on his older brother, Matt's gaze instead going down towards the surf.

 

"What the hell is he doing?"

 

"Only one way to find out," The younger Hardy said taking off after Jericho, not having to turn around to know Matt and Lita followed. He just hoped that when they reached there destination there three friends would be at the end of it.

 

**

 

Part Nine

 

**

 

“Abi!”

 

Stephanie ran up the beaten path that trailed from the beach right up to the side of the house.

 

“Stephanie, wait!”

 

Willow pulled her friend back away from the light that spewed forth out of the open kitchen door and onto the porch.

 

“We have to think about this first.”

 

“What’s to think about? If Abi is hurt or something we need to get in there.” She made to move back towards the doorway but again was pulled back as Willow’s hand latched onto her upper arm.

 

 “Stephanie, believe me I am just as anxious to get in there as you are but unless you know something I don’t, I remember that door ‘Not’ being off its hinges when we left.”

 

All the colour left Stephanie’s face as she spied the door laying flat on the grass as if someone had just pulled it off its hinge and turfed it over the side.

 

“I’m calling the police.”

 

“Good idea,” Willow said somehow relieved Stephanie wouldn’t be going inside. “I’ll be in there.” She added pointing up to the house.

 

“But I thought you said we need to think about this first?”

 

“I have thought about it and I am going in.”

 

“Willow-“ She tried to grab a hold of Willow’s arm but the redhead darted just out of her reach causing Stephanie to stumble and by the time she had righted herself, Willow had already disappeared through the doorway.

 

Wide eyed, Willow inched her way into the house, a feeling of dread overwhelming her as soon as she had stepped across the threshold.

 

“Why does this feel so familiar?” She asked herself. She wasn’t surprised to find that she had no answer for her question. The only thing she seemed to get a grip on was the fact that lately a lot of weird things were happening to her, wether it be a thought or an unconscious act… weird things were happening. Things that would have caused any normal girl to question her sanity, yet to her it felt like she had come home.

 

‘Weird things like this.’ She thought to herself as she picked up a chopstick instead of something heavy like the skillet that hung above the cook top. Now, why she thought that a chopstick would prove a more worthy tool of protection then the biggest, heaviest skillet on the rack she had no idea. All she knew was that it would and that if the need arose, she would know how to use it.

 

Except for the broken door everything inside the house seemed untouched. Not a chair or cushion out of place, until she got to the open French doors that lead out to the garden. A garden Connor had tended to and nurtured into the place of beauty it was today. A place Abi spent a lot of her time loving and caring for the plants and shrubs in memory of her late husband.

 

It was there she found Abigail sitting peacefully under a tree, Warrior lay still at her side with only the moon and the stars to keep them company.

 

Willow knelt down before them and reached out to gently close the old woman’s eyes.

 

Her expression was one of peacefulness and contentment, giving testament of the joy she had to be in wherever the afterlife had taken her.

 

Only one thing marred the image before her in Willows mind. One thing that made her past come back to her in one fowl swoop. A past she had run away from, a past filled with all kinds of weird and all kinds of pain.

 

Molten fire burned within her as she wrenched her gaze away from the claw like wound that ran across Abi’s throat.

 

She took in the tea tray set with two cups, one of which bore a smudge of lipstick not of the shade Abi wore.

 

Abi had had a visitor - A female visitor.

 

Upturned flowerpots and trampled rose bushes told of a struggle but the only wound Abi had was the claw like mark that had slit her throat.

 

Claw marks were also etched into the tree trunk Abi sat beneath and even in the railing on the porch. Such strong evidence of a fight yet Abi only had that one wound.

 

It didn’t make sense.

 

Could someone have come upon Abi’s attacker and fought her off?

 

“My poor sweet, Abi, I should have been here for you.” She whispered only then allowing her sorrow to take precedence. Falling to her knee’s she laid her head in Abi’s lap.

 

And that’s how the others found her.

 

**

 

Part Ten

 

**

 

Stephanie stood on the back porch of her aunt’s home and looked down on the lone figure that stood amidst the graves of the ones she had come to call her family.

 

“Oh, what you must be going through,” She whispered quietly to herself as she watched Willow fall to her knees as a fresh batch of tears over came her.

 

These had been the longest two days of her life. She hadn’t wanted to cause Willow any more heartache then necessary so she herself had handled everything. The funeral, the lawyers, the town folk that had come to pay there respects and she had been there for Willow just as she’d promised her aunt she would.

 

“Steph,”

 

“Yeah,” She replied although she didn’t turn to acknowledge the person who had joined her on the porch.

 

Chris shifted uneasily from one foot to the other.

 

“Steph,” He repeated. “I just wanted to apologise for what I said back at the hotel-“

 

“Don’t worry about it,” She said waving off his apology. “It’s forgotten.”

 

Chris could only watch as she pushed herself off the railing and started down the path that led to the sobbing red head, dropping to her knees at Willows side before pulling the younger girl into her arms.

 

“She’s a far sight different to the Stephanie McMahon we work with, isn’t she.” Jeff said as he came to stand beside his friend.

 

“I wish she would let someone help her, she’s barely slept for longer then an hour at a time, hasn’t eaten or shed a tear.”

 

“Yeah, well, ‘that’s’ the proud, stubborn Stephanie McMahon we do know.” Jeff said clapping his friend in the shoulder. “You know as well as I do that she’s never going to ask for help.”

 

Chris sighed.

 

“Yeah, I know,” He agreed.

 

“Then stop waiting for her to ask.” The younger Hardy said leaving his friend with something to mull over as he walked back inside the house.

 

**

 

Stephanie gently rocked Willow in her arms till the red heads tears were spent and her body was left heaving with the extent of her misery.

 

Willow’s head shot up and her eyes focused on the woods that surrounded one side of the house.

 

“What is it?” Stephanie asked confused by Willow’s behaviour.

 

Willow’s eyes never left the woods.

 

“This is all my fault,” She whispered more to herself then to the woman with her.

 

“No, no Willow,” Stephanie said taking her by the shoulders and shaking her gently. “This wasn’t your fault.”

 

Willow shook off Stephanie’s hold and stood to her feet.

 

“It is!” She cried. “She didn’t come for Abi…”

 

Stephanie stood too, the depth of her concern showing on her face.

 

“Willow, what do you mean?”

 

Willow’s eyes met the other woman’s for a fleeting moment before darting back to the woods.

 

“She didn’t come for Abi,” She repeated. “She came for me.”

 

**

 

Part Eleven

 

**

 

“Who came for you, Willow… what do you mean?”

 

“It’s not safe here,” The redhead whispered slowly getting to her feet. “We need to get back up to the house.”

 

“I don’t understand…”

 

But her words went unheeded as Willow’s fingers bit into her arm and she was hauled up towards the house, the redhead only slowing in her dash up the path when her feet touched the wooden steps of the porch and turning in her haste turned to look Stephanie straight in the eye.

 

“Promise me something,” She whispered her hold on Stephanie’s arm tightening.

 

“If I can,” Stephanie replied.

 

“Promise me you’ll leave this place, take your friends and go as far away from here as you can.”

 

Stephanie was shocked by Willow’s request and it showed in her expression.

 

“I’m serious Stephanie,” Willow continued passionately. “I don’t want you or the others getting hurt because of me or…” She closed her eyes and Stephanie could tell she was trying to hold back more tears her gaze went over Willow’s shoulder to see Lita standing in the doorway.

 

“Just promise me you’ll leave.” Willow continued.

 

Stephanie let her eyes flutter back to the little red head in front of her. She had made a promise to her aunt and to herself and no matter what happened in the coming days she planned to honour that promise.

 

“I’m sorry Willow,” She said shaking her head. “I made a promise to Abi… the only way I’m leaving here is if you come with me.”

 

“And that goes double for me,” Came a voice from behind Willow and she turned to see Lita step forward, her arms out stretched as she engulfed Willow in a hug.

 

“I know we haven’t known each other long and back in the world of the WWE Stephanie and I can’t stand each other, but right here and right now is what counts… I know I can’t speak for the guys, but for me… I am staying.”

 

“But-“

 

“No ‘Buts’,” The taller red head cut in drawing back only long enough to pull Stephanie into her embrace as well.

 

“Aww… group hug,”

 

Willow felt herself being lifted off the ground in a bear hug and resisted the temptation to kick out with her feet, knowing the person who held her in there arms posed no real danger.

 

‘No,’ She thought her eyes going back to the woods. The real danger lay in wait amongst those trees, shrouded in darkness and looking to taste her blood.

 

“Jeff,” She heard Lita’s teasing voice from her position off the ground. “’Group hug’ generally means you hug the group.”

 

Sending his friend a sheepish grin he set Willow back on her feet.

 

Willow saw the amusement shining in his eyes and wished with all her might she could return an equal amount of amusement in her gaze, but she couldn’t. Not anymore, she had ‘Oz’ to thank for that.

 

She frowned.

 

‘Oz?’

 

Pulling away from Jeff she took a couple of steps towards the hand rail and stared out at the four graves that lay disturbed only by the slight breeze that caused the hair on the back of her neck to bristle with its crispness.

 

“Is that you out there watching me?” She whispered, the breeze carrying her silent words towards the woods.

 

She waited for the reply she knew wouldn’t come, but that didn’t stop her from expecting one anyway.

 

She knew her life before coming here hadn’t been a normal one and that with each passing day she would remember more and more of ‘That’ life… the only thing was she hadn’t remembered enough to keep Abi from dying… would that be the fate of her new friends too?

 

“Will’s?”

 

A click of recognition sparked up in her eyes at the shortening of her name.

 

“It’s getting cold,” Stephanie continued. “Let’s get you inside okay?”

 

Willow nodded and allowed the other woman to lead her inside… yet not even Stephanie’s comforting arm around her shoulders or Jeff’s warm gaze could thaw the chill of the stare she felt on her back at she turned away from the woods.

 

‘Soon…’ The wind whispered to her. ‘Soon…’

 

**

 

Part Twelve

 

**

 

“This house is so cool!”

 

Matt and Lita groaned as Jeff burst into there room and flopped down on the bed beside them. It had taken them only a few hours to collect there bag’s from the hotel, but once they had settled into the manor house with Stephanie and Willow tiredness had over taken them.

 

“No hogging Lita, Mattie boy, sharing is caring.” Jeff continued trying to pull Lita out of his brother’s arms and into his own.

 

“Get lost.” Matt grumbled shoving at the younger Hardy till he had succeeded in pushing him over the edge.

 

Hearing a muffled thump followed by silence Lita lifted one eye lid to peer out from beneath the covers.

 

Jeff sat on the floor and pouted back at her.

 

Rolling her eyes she shifted closer to Matt and tucked the covers in around her body before patting the space she had made.

 

Jeff grinned and leaped back up onto the bed.

 

“You’re the best, Li,” He announced before lifting his head to poke his tongue out at Matt who in turn promptly flipped him off.

 

“Li, have I told you you’re too good for that grumpy sibling of mine?”

 

“Not today…” Came her muffled reply.

 

“Well, you are. Anytime and I mean A-N-Y-time at all you feel like you need a real man-“

 

“You’ll be the one I come looking for to find me one Jeffy,” She cut in pulling the covers down long enough to send him a wink before snuggling back into Matt’s shoulder.

 

“Gee, where is the love for Jeffy?”

 

“Two doors down and to the right,” Lita and Matt both said in unison.

 

Jeff sighed knowing all too well whose room they were referring to.

 

“Alas, brother of mine, it seems there’s no love for me in there as well.”

 

“Give it time she didn’t knock you silly after that bear hug so she has to be warming up to yah.” Matt said quickly falling into big brother mode. “She’s got a lot to deal with now maybe you should concentrate more on being her friend first before you take things to the next level.”

 

Jeff nodded thoughtfully before leaping off the bed.

 

“You know Matt I think I’m actually going to listen to your advice this time.” He said giving the couple a little wave and pulling open the door. “Thanks.” He added before closing the door quietly behind him.

 

Lita poked her head out from under the covers and smiled at her boyfriend.

 

“I love you.” She simply said.

 

**

 

“Need any help?”

 

“No thanks.”

 

Jericho stood awkwardly in the doorway and watched as Stephanie packed her aunt’s things into a huge cardboard box noticing that she didn’t look up from her task to acknowledge his presence.

 

“You’re sure?”

 

“Yes.” She replied wrapping what looked like an antique looking glass in a piece of lace before adding it to the box.

 

“I don’t mind…” Chris persisted getting down on his hands and knee’s beside her anyway.

 

“Really, its okay-“

 

“Stephanie,” He cut in sighing when she finally lifted her eyes to meet his gaze. “Please, let me help.”

 

Years of interaction with this man flashed before her eyes, her mind reminding her of all the despicable things he had done to her and all the things she had done back to him in retaliation. When she looked back on it she couldn’t fathom ‘Why’ they had wasted all that time hating one another, ‘Why’ had there feud even started in the first place? So much had happened between them that it now over shadowed the ‘Whys’ and the ‘Hows’. It all seemed rather silly now.

 

Returning to her aunt’s house always had this ‘rose tinted effect’ on her, always made her see outside the square and brought the real Stephanie to the surface. And it was that Stephanie that answered Jericho’s offer of help when she picked up an ornamental figurine of a ballerina and handed it to him, where he in turn wrapped it in some lace before placing it carefully in the box.

 

Words weren’t needed right then, there silence being enough to bridge an age long gap of hatred into one of mutual friendship.

 

**

 

The leaves rustled, crickets chirped and in the distance the snap of a twig breaking under the weight of which ever creature dwelled within there woods went unheard as ‘She’ paced back and forth just inside the edge of the woods, not too far out that she would be seen by the occupants of the house, nor to far in where there scent would be all she had to know of there presence.

 

She sniffed the air twice and her tongue lolled to the side of her mouth in anticipation. She had waited a long time for this moment, a long time of searching and being searched, a long time of trying to keep that one precious step ahead… and now the end to that waiting was finally within her reach.

 

This could’ve all been over if ‘He’ hadn’t of shown up to distract her from that old lady and her dog, yet she had always known he would. He always showed up to ruin things for her, to show her the error of her ways.

 

The girl within chuckled with glee… like he had tried to that night in the Sunnydale cemetery. ‘That’ night or rather ‘That’ morning had changed all there lives in more ways then one.

 

With the red head gone she was sure he would be all hers… And he had been. In body, in mind and in soul… but there was one place she couldn’t penetrate, one place he kept solely for the redhead and that place was his heart. Hence her presence here in these woods, she was going to finish it once and for all and only when the redhead no longer breathed the same air as ‘He’ would she hold his heart as well.

 

**

 

Part Thirteen

 

**

 

She lay on her side, turned and faced the other way and then rolled over onto her back before pounding her fists into the bed at her sides.

 

It was more then obvious sleep would not come tonight, no matter how much her body demanded it. Throwing back the covers she made her way through the familiar darkness.

 

Another day had passed another reminder that Abi was gone and she was left here alone, yet she wasn’t alone was she? Stephanie was here as were all the others. Her gaze darted to the window and see could see the tops of the trees that stood tall and imposing in the distance.

 

“As is the presence in the woods,” She said her voice echoing in the hallway.

 

A clanging sound from the end of the hallway brought her up with a start and instinctively she felt around her for anything in which to use as a weapon.

 

The noise sounded again, louder this time. The kitchen was the only room at the end of this hallway, a kitchen that lead to the back of the house where only a short walk towards the surf brought you to the graves of Connor, Abi, Zeus and Warrior.

 

With her head against the wall she felt her way down the remainder of the hallway until she came to the kitchen door. She saw no light spilling out from under the closed door and her grip tightened on the umbrella she had picked up in the hallway. Her hand clasped the door knob and she poised the umbrella up above her head before bursting through the door.

 

“What the!”

 

Coco pops flew and milk splattered, the glug – glug – glug of milk pouring out of the container the only sound.

 

Jeff took in the image she presented as she stood there in the doorway with an umbrella held above her head ready to strike if need be and saw her eyes trail down his length, clad only in a pair of loose fitting jeans and standing in a pool of milk and coco pops… and then they both burst out laughing!

 

**

 

The sound of laughter had Chris’s head bolting up with a start and he winced as a spasm of pain shot up the back of his neck. He rubbed at the sore spot and stretched out his legs before opening his eyes to see the glowing embers still alight inside the fire place even though the flames had long since died down.

 

To one side of the wall stood five tall boxes all taped and labelled either ‘Storage’, ‘Charity’ or Willow’. They had worked well into the late hours until Chris took it upon himself to insist Stephanie lay down on the couch for a little while. She hadn’t protested much which for him only proved how tired she really was.

 

He looked to the couch now to see her still there sleeping peacefully, he knew she needed the rest, she’d been running on empty for a while now and he felt relief at her finally taking the time out for herself instead of worrying about everyone else.

 

He smiled.

 

Seemed strange that he of all people would be worried about the youngest McMahon, but worried he was – About her health, her mental state, her emotional state… everything.

 

He heard laughter again and tossed up the thought of wether to go check it out or not.

 

He decided not.

 

‘It would probably just be Matt and Lita anyway.’ He thought shifting his position on the one seater chair he had sat in not too long ago to watch Stephanie as she slept.

 

She stirred in her slumber but didn’t wake and he smiled before settling back down in his chair and closing his eyes.

 

**

 

Part Fourteen

 

~Denotes dream state~

 

 

**

 

She was floating on her back in a huge swimming pool looking up at the brightest, bluest sky she had ever seen and floating just as languidly beside her was Chris. She smiled in her slumber stretching her out above her head before opening her eyes.

 

“Hey sleepy head,”

 

She bolted up on the sofa and cast a glance over her shoulder to see Chris standing in the doorway precariously balancing a tray in one hand and a tea pot in the other while nudging the door open all the way before turning in a full circle to nudge it closed again.

 

“Phew!” He exclaimed coming towards her. “I’d rather face your ex and his three flunkies then try an attempt ‘That’ again.” He continued placing the tray and the tea pot down on a little table and then pushing the table towards Stephanie. She cringed at the sound the tables wooden legs made against the floor boards, like finger nails down a chalk board.

 

Chris smiled sheepishly down at her.

 

“Sorry,” He apologised lifting the tea towel that covered the tray to reveal a stack of pancakes. “Breakfast in bed curtesy of Jeff and Willow,”

 

Her brows rose at the mention of Jeff and Willow, but wether or not he noticed was anyone’s guess as he continued talking.

 

“The kitchens a mess, but I guess that’s a small price to pay considering we get pancakes.”

 

“And not just any pancakes either, but Willow’s special funny shaped pancakes,” She said breaking off a bit of pancake with her fork and dipping it into the syrup bowl before bringing it to her mouth. Her eyes closed and Chris swallowed at the look of ecstasy that showed on her face.

 

He cleared his throat.

 

“Ah… I guess they bonded,”

 

Stephanie stuck another forkful in her mouth and then as if just realising she was the only one eating she speared another piece with her fork and held it up to him.

 

He shook his head, but she only moved the fork closer to his mouth.

 

“Come on, it’s good. Willow’s pancakes are the best.”

 

“Oh, I’m not doubting that…”

 

“Well, what then?” She asked still holding the fork to his mouth. Her eyes went to the fork, then to him and then back to the fork. “I aint got cooties if that’s what your worried about, besides you’re a grown man I’m sure you’ve had your quota of girl germs.”

 

The look he gave her reminded her of her father when he was in strict parent mode.

 

“I’m just not sure about consuming something Jeff had a hand in creating that’s all.”

 

She rolled her eyes.

 

“Now he tells me,” She said shoving the forkful of pancake in her mouth. “Mmmm… delicious…”

 

Chris watched her mouth as she chewed and swallowed again.

 

‘Oh boy, are you in trouble.’

 

**

 

“Wow, those pancakes were scrumptious, thank you.” Lita said sitting up higher on the bed.

 

“I second that,” Matt added patting his now full belly.

 

“It was a group effort,” Willow said sending a wink Jeff’s way, but the younger Hardy shook his head and declared.

 

“No it wasn’t, it was all Willow’s doing.”

 

“Bull,” She protested. “We worked as a team.”

 

He grinned.

 

“Who mixed the batter?” He asked.

 

“I did.” Willow replied.

 

“And who exactly flipped all those pancakes from the frying pan to the hot plate?”

 

“I did.”

 

“And who set the tray?”

 

“I did.”

 

“And who brewed the coffee?”

 

“Me again,” Willow said turning as if to address the couple on the bed, but Jeff stilled her actions by stepping in front of her effectively blocking them from her view.

 

“And,” He began looking down at her with a cheeky expression. “Who looked cute covered in milk and coco pops?” He asked lifting his hand to her hair and pulling forth a lone coco pop that had tangled itself within.

 

A half grin appeared on Willow’s face as her mind took her back to when she had burst into the kitchen.

 

Lita and Matt shared a look as they watched Jeff and Willow’s playful banter.

 

“Hmmm?” He pressed when she remained in her musings.

 

Willow stood on her tippy toes, leaned closer to him and then whispered.

 

“You did.”

 

**

 

Part Fifteen

 

**

 

After breakfast Chris had stayed behind to help with the clean up while Stephanie had made her way up the stairs to shower and now that he was all fresh and ready to greet the day Stephanie was no where to be found.

 

“Where’s Steph?”

 

Jeff looked up to see Chris descending the stairs, a towel in his hand rubbed at his still wet hair and Jeff pushed himself off the wall he had been leaning against at the stair way.

 

“I was gonna go for a walk, work off some of those pancakes she forced down me,” He continued with a grin. “Wanted to know if she wanted to tag along,”

 

Jeff’s brows quirked up in amusement.

 

“Oh, so now ‘you’ are willingly seeking her out…I see…”

 

“You see nothing monkey boy, just answer the bloody question.” Chris snapped causing Jeff to hoot in laughter.

 

“You’re too late. Stephanie had the same idea and left as soon as she came downstairs.”

 

“She what?”

 

Jeff sighed.

 

“Poor Chris… what a topsy turvey world of love we live in.”

 

 

And then he chuckled.

 

“You’re welcome to join Willow and I, but I wouldn’t recommend it.” He added then laughed again at Chris’s look of confusion. “Unlike you my son,” He said clapping Chris on the shoulder. “I don’t insult the lady I’m crushing on.”

 

“I’m not crus-“

 

Chris began then found that he couldn’t finish the sentence.

 

Both men turned to see Willow making her way down the stairs.

 

“I’m all set,” She said smiling at Chris, but addressing her words to Jeff.

 

“Then lets make a start,” Jeff replied bending down to pick up a cane basket that Chris only just noticed sat on the floor at Jeff’s feet. “We’re going to walk in the garden and gather some of Abi’s favourite flowers to put on her grave.” Jeff explained.

 

“Together?”

 

“That was the plan,” Jeff replied shooting Willow a look and he let out a relieved sigh when she confirmed his words with a nod, but then his eyes darted to Chris when she added, “Wanna come?”

 

Chris opened his mouth to reply, but before he could say anything Jeff stepped in front of him breaking his eye contact with Willow.

 

“Chris already has plans,” Jeff rushed on turning to pin his ‘Don’t you dare say yes’ glare on the king of Bling Bling. “...With ‘Stephanie’, right Chris?” He continued a smile lighting his expression when he again turned back to Willow.

 

She frowned as she looked from one man to the next and then shrugged.

 

“Okay, but I thought Stephanie had already left for the grocery store.”

 

“Yeah, she did…” Jeff replied. “But I… we…” He added pointing between Chris and himself. “…We wanted to make sure Stephanie didn’t forget the coco pops…”

 

“…And I was just on my way out to see if I could catch her before she left the store.” Chris kindly finished for him.

 

“Oh,” Was all Willow said turning to busy herself in the cupboard under the stairs. “She took the path through the woods...“

 

She giggled.

 

“...said something about not wanting to get sand in her new shoes.”

 

Jeff chuckled also, but Chris was lost in his own thoughts and only when Jeff gave him a nudge did he turn to make his way towards the door only to stop in mid step and turn back with a blank look on his face.

 

“Coco pops?” He questioned.

 

Jeff nodded and then waved him off as Willow shut the cupboard door and turned back to him armed with gardening gloves, shears and a hat.

 

His smile was for her, but his words were for Chris as they walked out the door.

 

“Never under estimate the force of the coco pop.”

 

**

 

“You wouldn’t believe that was the same girl who was bawling her eyes out at the drop of a hat only yesterday.” Matt said as he stood by the window watching Jeff and Willow in the garden.

 

“I know,” Lita said as she came up behind him dressed in a bed sheet and lovingly wrapped her arms around his middle. “I wonder what happened between her and Jeff last night to lift her spirits.”

 

“Come on, Li,” Matt said rolling his eyes. “It’s not that hard,”

 

Lita lowered her hand to just below his navel and gently squeezed what she found there.

 

“No, it’s not hard…” She said her tone thoughtful. “…but it holds an abundance of promise.”

 

“You keep that up and I’ll be showing you that promise and more,” He said turning in her arms and allowing her to wrap him in the bed sheet with her. Her tongue came out to wet her lower lip as she felt his arousal. He started to walk forward and in doing so she had no choice but to move back and she grinned when the back of her legs hit the side of the bed.

 

“A promise I intend to make good on right now.”

 

**

 

Part Sixteen

 

**

 

“I’m glad you were in the kitchen when I came down.”

 

Jeff couldn’t describe the elation he felt in his chest when he felt

Willow’s small hand slip into his and what was worse every single word in his vocabulary left him at that precise moment and all he was able to get out was a stuttered ‘A-di-boo-boo’.

 

The corners of her mouth turned up as she continued, “You know, not many men would have shared with me what you did last night, I mean I can’t remember the last time and I really mean it when I say ‘can’t remember’ the last time I have ever felt so comfortable, so at peace with someone other then those I have come to love over these last six years.”

 

She smiled up at him again and he nearly dropped the basket he was holding.

 

“It’s nice to know there’s someone here who knows what its like to lose someone. It must have been hard losing your mother at such a young age.”

 

“It was,” He said finally finding his voice. “But I think Matt has had a harder time then me. I don’t know what I would have done without him to look up to.”

 

“Come on,” She said squeezing his arm. “Let’s go take these flowers.”

 

Hand in hand they walked through the garden and down to the grave site where they both went down on there knees to arrange the flowers they had gathered and then when that was done Willow reached for his hand. In her other hand she held a single white lily.

 

“This one is special Abi, it’s for Jeff’s mom. He misses her just as much as I miss you.”

 

Jeff was so touched by her actions that his tears ran unheeded down his cheeks. She lifted her hand to wipe away the wetness before slowly getting to her feet and pulling him up along with her.

 

“Thank you,” Was all he said as they made there way back up to the house.

 

**

 

Chris looked down the path in front of him and then turned to look back the way he had come. He’d been following this trail for the past twenty minutes and he just seemed to be getting deeper and deeper into the woods. Surely Stephanie didn’t come this way. With another wistful look back down the worn path he continued on his way.

 

This trip with his buddies had certainly not been what he had expected. Girls, sun, sandy beaches… girls, end less parties… girls… that’s what he had had in mind when he had agreed to join Lita and the Hardy’s instead of going back to Winnipeg. And he had gotten all that despite arriving on the most miserable day ever, but he had found it all rather dull and bland – Something else he had not expected – Until Stephanie McMahon had shown up.

 

He remembered how his back had stiffened at the sound of her voice, not in repulsion or disgust – Which was usually his reaction – But when he heard her voice that day he had been surprisingly pleased. A feeling he could admit now that he was completely alone, a feeling that had grown over the past few days.

 

He inhaled deeply and then let it out in a long slow rush his eye brows drawing together in the middle as the sound of Stephanie’s laughter floated to his ears and then drew together even more when he heard a second voice - A man’s voice.

 

He quickened his step as curiosity and something else he didn’t want to acknowledge as jealousy set in. And then Stephanie was rounding the bend with said stranger at her side, but he found his step slowing down when he actually saw the guy walking alongside her.

 

He was small, hell Spike Dudley had one up on this guy. Stephanie towered over him and yet in his hands he carried two brown paper grocery bags - Which had to belong to Stephanie since she carried nothing - With ease.

 

“Chris! Out for a morning walk?” She called when she saw him standing further up the trail.

 

He smiled for her benefit although his eyes never left the young man at her side.

 

“Something like that,” He replied when they had stopped in front of him. “Who’s your friend?”

 

Stephanie could tell by the set of Jericho’s jaw that his jocks were starting to twist, so she stepped forward forcing him to look at her.

 

“Just someone I met at the grocery store.”

 

“I offered to carry her shopping.”

 

Jericho looked to the young man and then to the bags he still held.

 

“Is that right, sparky?”

 

Stephanie bristled.

 

“Well the lady doesn’t need your services anymore,” He continued relieving the other man of his burden. “But thanks just the same. Coming Steph?” He said not waiting for her as he started back down the path.

 

“I’m so sorry,” She said her embarrassment showing on her face as she turned back to her helper.

 

“It’s okay Stephanie I should be getting back anyway… It was nice meeting you.”

 

“Stephanie!”

 

She rolled her eyes in jest at Jericho’s impatient call, while the young man’s expression remained stoic, but she grinned at him anyway.

 

“It was nice meeting you too, Oz.”

 

**

 

Part Seventeen

 

**

 

"I have never known you could be so rude and impolite and disrespectful and impertinent and so… so insolent and uncivil and… and…"

 

"Brutish?"

 

"Yes!" She exploded her arms waving around frantically in her frustration. "Exactly! How could you…" Her words trailed off again as if she just at that precise second realised who indeed it was she was ranting at. "No… I take it all back." She said causing his brow to quirk questioningly. "You are always rude and impolite and disrespectful and impertinent and insolent… and brutish! The guy offered to help carry my groceries – I reckon he deserves a freaking medal not the attitude you dealt him. He was a very sweet and gentle young man and you would have seen just that if you had of stuck around long enough!"

 

Jericho wisely stayed silent as her words came to an end which only seemed to infuriate her more.

 

"Well?" She pressed. "Don't you have anything to say for yourself?"

 

She bristled and couldn't believe it when he grinned and even went so far as to let forth a little chuckle which made her bristle more.

 

"I do have something to say," He said with ease making her feel like he wasn't the least bit sorry for the way he had acted.

 

"Well?" She said as the manor started to appear to them through the trees.

 

"You forgot uncivil."

 

"What?"

 

He rolled his eyes and without disturbing his burden he started sticking up a finger for every one of the flaws she reckoned he possessed – He on the other hand liked to call them attributes after all they were what made him… him.

 

"Rude, impolite, disrespectful, impertinent, insolent, brutish `and' uncivil," He continued raising both his brows to emphasize his last few words.

 

Stephanie could do nothing but stare at him with her mouth open and it took her a few minutes before she could rouse herself enough to clamp her mouth shut, bring her shoulders back and quicken her step trying in affectively to put some distance between them unbeknownst to her, he didn't mind the pace she had set for herself because it allowed him a very nice view of her backside.

 

**

 

"I wonder what happened with them?" Willow said as both she and Jeff watched from the side veranda as Stephanie stalked up the front steps and into the house only to appear in the doorway again a few seconds later to stare down the steps at Jericho who followed at a more sedate pace carrying two brown paper bags under each arm. There eyes went back to Stephanie only long enough to see her slam the door in his face as he neared it.

 

"Aw… don't worry about them you should see what they do to each other back in the WWE." Jeff replied nonplussed by the arrival of the other pair.

 

"What are they like?" She asked quietly. "You know… back in the WWE."

 

Jeff smiled, his expression telling her he had gone back in time and was enjoying where his mind was taking him.

 

"They hate each others guts." He replied in all honesty. "Chris is always finding some way to annoy and insult her and Stephanie is always hell bent on revenge – It's totally fun to watch."

 

"Why don't they just get it on and get it over with?"

 

Jeff's smile turned into a grin.

 

"That my dear Willow is the million dollar question."

 

"What about Matt and Lita, what are they like?"

 

"They are the perfect couple, on and off screen. I don't know what

Lita sees in that block head brother of mine but whatever it is – It sure makes me jealous at times."

 

"Why?"

 

"Because they've found what most of us search our whole lives for and never find anyway."

 

"That's deep,"

 

"Yeah, I kinda get that way at times, ignore it if you wish."

 

"No," She replied a little rushed. "I mean, I like it."

 

"You do?"

 

"Yeah."

 

"Cool."

 

If ever a chance to kiss her presented itself it was now, Jeff mused and he eagerly leaned forward.

 

"Oh... look Matt and Lita have finally come down stairs!" Willow exclaimed turning away at the last minute.

 

Jeff sat back and sighed as Willow got up to greet them.

 

"Yeah… finally…"

 

**

 

"Is this enough potatoes?" Stephanie asked dropping the peeled spud she held into a basin of water with the rest of the vegetables she had prepared.

 

"Yeah, that's fine," Lita said sparing Stephanie and the basin a glance before going back to preparing the meat.

 

After spending most if not all of the day in bed Lita had taken it upon herself to cook everyone dinner, she hadn't expected any help but Willow offered anyway and it didn't take long before Stephanie joined them claiming anything had to be better then being in the same room as Jericho – Even cooking.

 

"Trouble in paradise?" Lita inquired which had Stephanie in a fit of dry heaves.

 

"Paradise? Where Jericho is concerned the word is `Hell'."

 

"Oh come on, can’t you see that he likes you?"

 

"No!"

 

"I can," Came Willow's quiet revelation.

 

"He does not like me." Stephanie declared.

 

"What would you call it then?" Lita pressed.

 

Stephanie didn't have an answer for that in fact she didn't even want to think of the possibility of her and Jericho as anything other then chalk and cheese, salt and pepper, oil and water… but then again there was that old cliché that opposites attract… Ack! She didn't want to think about it – Not now anyway with Lita watching her like a hawk would its prey and with Willow smiling her all knowing smile, so instead she tried turning the conversation in another direction.

 

"What about you and Jeff?"

 

Willow frowned.

 

"What about it? We're friends. Anyway don't try and change the subject, I'm on to you. What I want to know is what happened between the time Chris left here this morning to follow you and you both returning to once again put him in your bad books."

 

"I couldn't of put it better myself," Lita said wiping her hands on a towel before joining Willow in staring Stephanie into submission.

 

Stephanie's eyes went heavenward, but happily retold what had happened that morning to her two friends.

 

"He was jealous." Lita stated when Stephanie had finished.

 

"Crazy and insanely jealous," Willow agreed.

 

"He was an insolent pig like always!" Stephanie protested.

 

"He's in love," Lita continued to Willow ignoring Stephanie's outburst.

 

"Oh totally," Willow nodded. "It's so cute!"

 

"Isn't it just, I always knew you know. It's apparent to everyone who sees them together."

 

"Will you two shut the hell up!"

 

"See! She even quotes his catch phrases." Lita declared as she and

Willow dissolved into giggles.

 

"I hate you both." Stephanie grumbled flopping down in a chair and folding her arms under her chest.

 

"As long as you love Jericho – It's all good!" Willow chimed in causing the two red heads to break out in another round of giggles.

 

"Seriously though," Lita began when she had control of her self again. "Who was the guy?"

 

Stephanie shrugged.

 

"Just some tourist, he had a really unusual name."

 

"Oh?"

 

"Yeah, Oz… funny huh?"

 

But Lita didn't get a chance to respond as the dish Willow had been carrying to the kitchen sink crashed to the tiled floor – With Willow following not long after it.

 

**

 

Part Eighteen

 

**

 

Her head hurt and she welcomed the pain, it seemed the only thing that could consume her enough to over power the thoughts that one name had evoked, thoughts of another time, another place… another Willow.

 

The sound of a door bursting open and more voices joined into the mix of chaos that was already in her mind and she welcomed it still. Flashes of people with faces she didn’t want to recognise swam at an alarming speed underneath her closed eyelids, pictures of a life she had thought was just a dream, pictures of a boy called Xander and the strange friendship they had with a girl called Buffy and the world she had opened there eyes too. A creepy weird world where everything wasn’t all hugs and puppies like she believed, but more like thugs who wanted to eat the puppies.

 

And then she saw him.

 

Oz.

 

She saw herself inside a club dressed as an Eskimo. She saw him up on stage playing a guitar. She saw a sign that read ‘Dingoes Ate My Baby’. She saw them seated at opposite ends of a couch and then him sitting behind her in a school gym and she could almost feel his fingers on her neck. And then all she saw was his eyes as he leaned forward to touch her lips with his own.

 

He had been her first love, the first boy who had made the butterflies in her stomach do cart wheels instead of just flutter like they had done whenever Xander was near. He had been her first love, the one to show her the joys of making love and he had been the one to show her what it felt like to have that love cut out of her with a jagged knife.

 

“Why now… why did you have to come back now…”

 

She hadn’t realised she had spoken out loud or that six years of unspent tears coursed down her cheeks, couldn’t even feel the material of the shirt her fingers fisted into as she cried or the soft stroke of someone’s hand as it gently rubbed small circles into the small of her back. But the one thing she did know was that here and now she felt safe and as long as she stayed here Oz would always remain a memory.

 

**

 

“No one’s going to hurt you Willow.” Jeff whispered into her hair as she lay nestled against him. After Lita and Stephanie had explained what had happened he had carried her up to her room with the others close on his heels. She had clung to him all the way, not even letting go once he had settled her on her bed – Hence why he was still here with her while the others had left to give them some peace. Her breath had evened out some time ago, the tell tale sign that she had cried herself to sleep, yet her grip on his shirt front hadn’t lessoned any.

 

Why had she freaked when she heard Stephanie speak Oz’s name? What was he to her? If he did indeed know Willow – Why hadn’t he come straight to the manor? Why didn’t Stephanie know him?

 

These were just some of the questions that looped over and over again in his mind. Questions where the answers all lay inside Willow’s head in that one place so Stephanie told him that she hasn’t been able to visit for six long years.

 

A tap on the glass of the closed bedroom window had his head snapping up and his brow furrowing and he’d almost resigned the noise to just being his imagination when it came again and then a third time.

 

Carefully disentangling Willow’s fingers from his shirt he eased himself off the bed and padded barefoot across the carpeted floor to the window where he peered outside. He saw nothing out of the ordinary everything was just as it had been when he and Willow had been out in the garden that day. And then something moved in his peripheral vision and he opened the window to get a better look. But whatever it was he thought he saw was gone now.

 

**

 

Part Nineteen

 

**

 

“Steph, hold up a minute,” Chris said as the door to Willow’s bedroom closed behind him, Stephanie, Matt and Lita. The latter of the four carried on down the hallway hand in hand while Stephanie leaned back against the wall with her eyes closed as she waited for him to speak.

 

“I know you probably don’t want to hear this right now,” He began noting how tired she looked. “But I’m really sorry for the way I acted this morning.”

 

“You’re right,” She said pushing herself off the wall. “I don’t want to hear this.” She turned and began to walk down the hallway again only to stop when he spoke again.

 

“The truth is I… I was jealous... more then jealous actually. I don’t think I have ever wanted to stomp on someone’s face as much as I did his when I saw you with him.”

 

“He only carried my shopping.”

 

“Yes, I know but at the time there was only the ‘Stomp his face’ feeling going on within me.”

 

She looked at him for a long moment – To him it looked like she was pondering over wether to accept his apology or not and his thoughts proved to be right when she finally nodded and said, “Okay, apology accepted.” And then she was moving down the hallway again.

 

“Steph wait,” He said following her. She stopped yet again and he continued with, “…So?”

 

“So...”

 

Her brow furrowed.

 

“So… I... I like you. A lot,”

 

Again she stared at him, but this time he couldn’t have been more wrong in what was going on inside her head.

 

“For now,” She said turning fully to face him. “When we return to the WWE everything will go back to normal. It’s inevitable. There’s too much in our past for us to be anything other then civil to one another.”

 

“You can’t possibly believe that.”

 

“I do. I’ve been down this road before. You do remember Hunter right? Second biggest mistake of my life he was.”

 

“I’m not Hunter.”

 

She smiled.

 

“No you’re not, but I’m not willing to take the chance of finding out if you’re like him in other ways.”

 

“Like?”

 

Her eyes glazed over and he watched open mouthed as she ran a hand through her straight locks.

 

“You saw what my marriage to him was like back stage, I’m sure it’s not hard to guess what it was like behind closed doors. I’m not saying this to hurt you or get back at you or anything, but sharing my life with someone is not something I plan to rush into again. For now, I like my life how it is.”

 

Chris didn’t stop her this time as she once again turned and started to walk away from him. He had never really wondered what her marriage to Hunter was like behind closed doors but now he found himself searching his memories for any thing that would support where his thoughts were taking him. Had Hunter been abusive? Even though Stephanie hadn’t come right out and said it, that’s what his mind was asking. Her ex husband would certainly have a lot to answer for upon there return, wether it be in the ring or out.

 

As for his growing feelings for Stephanie, well, he could wait. But wether she liked it or not – He wasn’t going anywhere.

 

**

 

“What was that?”

 

Matt stirred in the bed next to Lita but didn’t wake fully. Lita pulled the covers up so that only her eyes peeked over the top only to yank the covers back up over her head when the noise came again.

 

“Matt,” She whispered nudging him with her elbow. “Matt get up, I heard a noise downstairs.”

 

“It’s probably just Jeff,” He mumbled tiredly rolling onto his side.

 

A loud clatter from downstairs had Lita sitting up straight in the bed and this time she nudged him so hard he rolled right out of the bed and onto the floor.

 

“Go down there, we might be getting robbed or something.”

 

“Or it might be Jeff doing a swanton bomb off the top of the couch.”

 

“If you want to get back into this bed with me any time soon you will stop your whinging and go down there.”

 

Grumbling under his breath he got to his feet and headed toward the door pulling it open to see Stephanie and Chris standing there, Chris in obvious ‘Knock’ position.

 

“There’s an awful lot of racket going on downstairs.” Chris said as they all started towards the stairs.

 

“It’s probably just Jeff-“

 

Matt began but at that moment Willow’s bedroom door opened and Jeff stepped out.

 

“What’s going on?” He said with a yawn. “Where’s Willow?”

 

“She not with you?” Came Lita’s voice as she joined them in the hallway.

 

“No, I woke up alone.”

 

The sound of a door slamming downstairs and then a loud shattering sound as if a stack of dishes had just fallen to the floor followed by Willow screaming came up the stairs to them and it was the guys who ran for the stairs – With Jeff in the lead.

 

**

 

Part Twenty

 

AN: This chapter back tracks so you see just how Willow got to be

downstairs.

 

 

**

 

The first thing she saw when her eyes fluttered open was Jeff’s face mere centimetres from her own, his expression relaxed in sleep. She smiled and her hand moved up to brush a stray lock of his hair off his face and back behind his ear. It’d been along time since she’d woken up to find somebody in bed with her – Even if they were both fully clothed, it had still been along time.

 

A long... long time… not since Oz.

 

Oz.

 

She sighed and moved away from the sleeping man next to her. She was Willow Rosenberg of 144 McArthur Drive Sunnydale, student ID# 724354-86512, only child if Ira and Sheila Rosenberg, long time friend to Xander Harris and witch to the Slayer. She remembered it all. Every last detail, which only brought her mind back to Oz because seeing him lying naked on that hard stone floor with a naked Verruca wrapped around him was that last detail. She remembered everything her eyes had taken in and ever emotion those images had caused. And what she felt now was exactly what she’d felt six years ago - Hurt, damaged, scarred and above all else cold. Very, very cold.

 

She felt Jeff’s arm reach for her in his sleep and stilled as it wrapped around her waist. Her eyes wide she stared up at the ceiling and waited until his breathing had evened out again before she slipped out from under his arm and eased herself up off the bed. As if in a daze she padded barefoot across the room, out into the hallway and down the stairs and wasn’t at all surprised at finding the front door wide open or the woman who leaned casually in the doorway.

 

“Hello Willow,” She said stepping across the threshold. “Long time no see.”

 

“Verruca…”

 

Willow’s eyes went behind the she dog as if expecting someone else to follow her, an action the part woman – part werewolf picked up on.

 

Verruca chuckled.

 

“He’s not here lovie,” She crooned cocking her head to one side as she cautiously rounded on the red head. “There’s no one here to save you now. With you finally out of the way Oz will truly be mine. The only reason he’s not now is because he never accepted that you were dead, even after all your little school friends had finally accepted it, but not him. No, not him. He kept searching. So I set out on a little quest of my own. A quest to end your pretty little existence once and for all.”

 

“You’re crazy,” Willow said slowly walking back until she felt the wall behind her.

 

“Yes,” Verruca nodded. “I am crazy and it’s all your fault.” She growled and gnashed her canine like teeth as her transformation into the werewolf that she was started to take place. Her eyes turned yellow, her nose sprouted out, her cheeks pulled back to bare her pointed teeth that dripped with drool. And then she charged closing the gap between her and Willow in one leap.

 

Willow jumped out of the way but not soon enough as Verruca’s claws ripped through the material of her shirt. She felt the claws rasp against her stomach and her head quickly dropped to examine the damage, her eyes turning to fire on seeing the shreds of fabric that was all that was left of her shirt from her mid section down.

 

“This is my favourite shirt.” She hissed surprising herself by picking up a fire poker and charging at the she dog herself. Big mistake she soon found out as she sailed across the room and landed shoulder first into the wall, she heard a crack and knew the wound had to be from her body and she was right as a searing jolt of pain ran up her arm to her shoulder.

 

Verruca rounded on her again, stalking her, seeing her as the impenetrable wall around Oz’s heart that she was in her mind.

 

“Willow!”

 

Willow’s gaze looked beyond Verruca to see Jeff charging down the stairs only to get knocked senseless as Verruca’s attention focused on him.

 

She heard a scream next and then another body went flying. The scream came again and it was then she realised it was coming from her. These were her friends, they had no idea what her life had been like before all this, before Abi and Connor. They knew nothing and now they were going to die because of her.

 

Her nostrils flared and her eyes turned black as a string of words she had recited in another life time sprang from her lips. She could feel all the hate and pain of tonight, of losing Abi and of finding Oz with Verruca on the morning that had started this all build up inside her and all she wanted to do was end it once and for all. She could hear Stephanie and Lita yelling but she paid them no heed as all her mind focused on was Verruca snarling and nipping at her huddled friends. Two of which were out cold.

 

Verruca and Willow faced each other. Two enemy’s intent on killing the other and this time one of them wouldn’t survive.

 

The she dog jumped up into the air and with a flick of her hand Willow released the fire ball that had been growing within the palm which singed the hairs on the she dogs back causing a howl of pain to erupt before she retaliated with a thrust of her hind quarters up into Willow’s mid section causing the red head to reel back, her momentum sending her over a low table and within seconds Verruca was there her teeth showing and drool dripping off her fangs and onto Willow’s face. And then she was gone – Just like that.

 

Willow’s brows furrowed in confusion as she pulled herself into a sitting position, her first thought being that her friends had tried to come to her rescue again and she quickly got to her feet only to see not one werewolf – But two.

 

“Oz…” She whispered her eyes immediately returning to normal as she watched her ex boyfriend rip his teeth into the she dogs neck. A gurgling howl screeched through the air as the Verruca heaved her last breath.

 

Willow could only watch as Oz turned to her, his eyes full of sorrow and understanding.

 

‘I’m sorry… for everything…’ She heard his voice whisper in her head. ‘Be happy…’ And then in two leaps he disappeared through the still open door way and out into the night.

 

**

 

Part Twenty One

 

~~Denotes intercom voice~~

 

**

 

“How do you feel?”

 

Willow looked up at Stephanie as she approached. The red head smiled her thanks to the ambulance officer who had treated her arm before he motioned the other woman forward.

 

“Only a sprain,” She said holing her arm up only to wince at the arrow of pain that shot up her arm.

 

"Glad to hear it," Stephanie replied joining Willow where she still sat on the lounge room floor, only cross legged this time not the painful heap she had been after being tossed across the room. "Chris is okay too, he's moaning and groaning as per usual which is like a bright neon sign exclaiming to one and all that he's fine and dandy."

 

"And Jeff?"

 

"Oh Jeff!" Stephanie said as if at that very moment remembering that Chris wasn't the only one who got hurt. "He's fine too. Asking for you he is, that’s why I'm here to take you to his side before he Swanton bombs the medic trying to treat him." She laughed.

 

"And Matt and Lita?"

 

"Not a scratch. Lita had the darnedest time trying to hold Matt back, good thing she succeeded otherwise we'd have no muscle power to lug that huge wall unit in front of the broken door. Don't want anymore wild dogs getting in now do we?"

 

Willow’s brow furrowed.

 

“Wild dogs – Oh… ‘Wild Dogs’.”

 

Stephanie laughed again.

 

“Maybe we should get that medic back to check you again. I think it’s your head that needs attention, not your arm.”

 

The sound of a scuffle on the other side of the room had them both turning to see the second medic officer on his butt with an irate Jeff Hardy glaring down at him from the couch he lay on.

 

Stephanie sighed and looked back at Willow.

 

“You better get over there,” She chuckled and then added as Willow walked over to calm the younger Hardy. “And to think he’s usually the placid one.” Before her own path ended at the chair where Chris sat and her cheery expression now turned to one of annoyance. “If you ever do something like that again I swear that ‘Wild Dog’ is gonna have to take a number because I’m going to kill you myself.”

 

“Gee Steph, generally it’s a ‘Thank you’ that’s warranted from the person who’s life you just saved.” He huffed folding his arms across his chest and lowering his eyes so she couldn’t see the amusement that shone there.

 

“Life you just saved!” She repeated. “News flash – My life wasn’t in danger! I was still half way up the stairs.”

 

“Yeah… so… that’s not the issue.”

 

“Not the issue? What do you mean that’s not the issue?” Her hands went to her hips. “Don’t you ‘that’s not the issue me’.”

 

Chris shrugged and leaned up to grab a hold of her hand and with one quick tug had one Stephanie McMahon toppling over on top of him. His arms fastened around her back holding her captive and he grinned at her.

 

“Okay, no more issues. How bout I kiss you instead?” And he did. And she let him.

 

“Bout bloody time,” Matt said as he and Lita returned from checking the rest of the house to find two of there friends locked at the lips while across the room the other two glared blue bloody murder at each other.

 

“Problem?” Matt asked stepping forward to break this battle of wills that seemed to have erupted between his brother and the little red head.

 

“He’s being a baby.” Willow said her eyes not leaving Jeff’s.

 

“Am not,” He countered. “You’re just being pushy.”

 

“See what I mean?” She exclaimed addressing Matt.

 

“Hmmm…” Matt nodded and looked down on his brother. “Needle?”

 

Jeff nodded.

 

“Needle,”

 

“My brother the wuss.” Matt said with a chuckle. “Everybody knows now.”

 

“I am not a wu-“

 

Jeff began to protest, only to scream like a girl when the medic officer chose that opportunity to stick the IV needle in his arm.

 

Matt chuckled and walked off mumbling, “Yeah, sure you’re not little bro…”

 

“Aw poor baby…” Willow cooed her hand reaching down to smooth Jeff’s hair back. “Did it hurt that much?”

 

Willow’s hand stroking his hair felt good so even though the slight pain from the needle prick had gone already he decided to milk it for all it was worth. His lips turned down in a pout and he had to pat himself on the back when he even managed a wobble in his chin.

 

“Would you like Willow to kiss it better?”

 

‘Oh hell yeah!’ He inwardly cried, but on the outside he lowered his eyes and nodded.

 

Willow leaned forward and gently touched her lips to the area on his arm where a tiny butterfly needle was held firmly in place with a bandaid.

 

He swore the feeling he got when her lips touched his skin was electric and he slowly exhaled the breath he hadn’t realised he’d been holding.

 

“Ah…” He began pointing to another spot further up his arm. “It hurts here too.”

 

Willow smiled and dutifully leaned down again to kiss the place he meant.

 

“And here…” He continued pointing to his shoulder.

 

Again her lips met his skin.

 

“…And here…”

 

She moved in again to kiss the side of his whiskered chin, but this time he turned his head and met her lips with his. And there they stayed.

 

“Aw… will you look at that…” Lita crooned from the doorway after having seen the two medic’s out.

 

“Yeah,” Matt said picking up two cushions and passing one over to Lita, who knew immediately what Matt intended for them to do. As one they aimed and let there cushions fly before declaring, “Get a room!”

 

**

 

Epilogue

 

**

 

~~Flight QF479 is now ready for boarding~~

 

“That’s us,” Chris said getting to his feet and moving towards the gate all the while pulling Stephanie along after him.

 

“I don’t know if I’m ready to step back into the real world,” Willow said as she and Jeff followed the others.

 

“You’ll be okay, you got me.” Jeff replied puffing his chest out.

 

“Way to make the girl wanna ‘Stay’ little brother,” Matt said from behind them.

 

Willow giggled when Jeff merely sent his brother the finger.

 

“I wonder what happened to Oz?” Stephanie asked out of the blue as she took her seat next to Chris. “I wonder if he found who he was looking for.”

 

“He did,” Willow replied quietly. “But he’s gone now. And he’s never coming back.”

 

Jeff leaned over then and kissed her lightly on the cheek.

 

“You ready?”

 

She nodded and settled back in her seat.

 

“WWE – here we come.

 

~~We are now preparing for take off. Please fasten your seat belts and keep them fastened until the seat belt sign is off. Thank you~~

 

**

 

End

 

**

 

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