�This was a good idea, getting an old car.� Stephanie said as she stared out the window, watching the trees go by as they drove down the highway, towards the Firstar Center in Cincinnati where Smackdown was being held. She looked over at Chris. He was very quiet. He�d been like that ever since she told him that she wanted to come back. She didn�t know what was wrong. He wouldn�t talk to her. That hurt her more than anything else did.
�Are we almost there?�
�Almost.� He said as he turned off of the highway. �You don�t have to do this. We can back out. They�re just expecting me to speak; they�re not expecting you. I�m sure they can fill the time slot.�
�I�m doing this.� Stephanie said firmly. �I�m sorry if you�re mad about that but you need to get over it and respect me for this decision that I made.�
She saw a faint smile appear on his lips as he cleared his throat, stopping laughter that wanted to slip out.
�Is that what I have to do to get your attention?� She asked. �Yell at you.�
�That usually works.� Chris said as he looked over at her and smiled. �I�m sorry, I�m just��
�Worried.� She said quietly. �Now you know how I felt on Monday.�
�Touch� Mrs. McMahon-Helmsley.�
She turned away again. She didn�t know what it was but she didn�t like when Chris said her name like that. Her breath caught as he pulled into the private parking garage for all the wrestlers. Thankfully there was no cameraman outside.
�Is it possibly for us to get to the dressing room without getting caught?�
He nodded. �Matt and Jeff are waiting for us by the entrance.�
She looked up at him with wide eyes. �You didn�t tell them did you?�
�I haven�t had a chance.� Chris said. �I�ve been trying to get over the fact that you want to go out there and get yourself killed.�
She groaned in frustration. �Hardheaded.�
He laughed. �I�m going to take that as a compliment.� He grinned.
Stephanie blushed. �You can�t tell them.�
�Yes I can. They�re my best friends.�
�Which is why you can�t tell them.� Stephanie said. �If the WWF wrestlers knew that this was happening they�d probably want to prevent it. Do you know how many of them hate me?�
�Yes.�
�Rhetorical question, Chris.�
He smiled. She was so cute when she was mad. �I�m telling them.�
�No.� She said grabbing his arm as he pulled into a parking spot. �Look, if Matt and Jeff know that means Lita knows and Trish could over hear and we know how much of a big mouth she has. Chris, please. I don�t want anymore people involved. If your friends know they�they could get hurt.�
�Oh I see, so its ok that I�m hurt but not them?�
�That�s not what I meant.�
�Maybe they�re all right, maybe this is a set up.�
Stephanie pulled back as if she had been slapped. She then turned around and fumbled to get out of the car, but managed. �Open the trunk.� She said before slamming the door and walking towards the back of the car.
�Hey.� Chris said climbing out. �Hey, I�m sorry.�
�You think this is a set up? Fine.� Stephanie said. �You wait out here then. I�ll go tell Steve I�m here.�
�Look, Steph.� He took her face in his hands. �Look at me, I�m on edge ok? I�m worried and I�m pissed and I feel like the shit�s gonna hit the fan tonight. Bare with me.�
�I�m not setting you up.� She said. �I thought you trusted me.�
�I do.� Chris said throwing his hands up in the air. �God. I have Benoit and Matt and Jeff telling me not to trust you and you telling me you don�t want my friends hurt and do you know what I felt when I walked in on you and Lita last night when she was discussing what hair color would be best for you if you wanted a dramatic change?�
She looked down at the ground and shook her head.
Chris placed his finger under her chin and tipped it upwards, making her meet his eyes.
�I felt like you were one of us.� He whispered. �I won�t tell anyone else. This stays between you and me. But the second you get hurt��
�I�ll be fine.� She smiled gratefully. �Because I have you.�
Chris sighed and pulled her into a tight hug. �I�ll kill the bastards if they damage one curly piece of hair on your head.�
She laughed against his shoulder. �I�ll be alright. We�ll be alright.�
�It�s time.� Matt said as he came upon them. �We better hurry.�
�Are you ready to do this?� Chris asked as he pulled away and looked into her blue eyes.
�I�m ready.�
�Welcome to Raw, I�m you�re host, Jim Ross, sitting beside me is Paul Heyman and Paul you have to admit. You don�t know what to expect anymore. We haven�t seen Stephanie McMahon-Helmsley in exactly a week. We�ve only seen Y2J for a few minutes and then he left the arena. One has to wonder what is going on.�
�Clearly, clearly something is going on. The question the Alliance has is can we trust Stephanie? Can we trust the billion dollar princess?�
�You can�t trust the whole family.� Jim said.
The two men stopped when they heard Triple H�s old theme music start to play.
�What in the��
�It�s Stephanie McMahon-Helmsley.� Jim said. �The billion dollar princess is back.�
The crowd was a mixture of cheers and boos as Stephanie walked down the ramp in a short suede skirt and a matching suede top. She had curled her hair before they left and her make up was on. She looked like the old Stephanie, but inside she had changed.
�I bet you all wondered what happened to me ever since that little incident with my brother Shane and Stone Cold Steve Austin.� Stephanie said with the microphone in her hand. �I just wanted to say that I�m sorry I upset them so much. Who knew little old me could make a man that upset?�
She smiled directly into the camera knowing that Chris was getting a laugh out of that in the backstage area.
�Tonight I came back to tell Shane and Steve that I accept their apology. I know that we all lost it a little and Debra, I do hope the surgery went well. To prove my allegiance with the Alliance I am going to bring another title to the WCW and ECW wrestlers. Tonight, I am challenging Jacqueline to a match for the WWF women�s championship belt. I will be here all night, so you can just let me know.� She smiled to the crowd. �I�m back and I will not be scared away again.�
With that she dropped the microphone and climbed out of the ring, strutting backstage.
�Did you know anything about this?� Matt asked.
Chris did but he remembered that he promised Stephanie he wouldn�t say anything.
�No. Why?�
�Lita deserves that match. She deserves that title. Ever since Chyna left they�ve been screwing around with it. Stephanie doesn�t deserve a shot.� Matt said angrily.
�I�m sorry for Lita.� Chris said. �I�m going to grab a coffee.�
�You sure that�s safe?� Jeff asked with raised eyebrows.
�I�m going to follow Stephanie. I�m not going to be scared away again.� He headed out of the locker room in his jeans and Jerichoholic tee shirt, making sure he took the back way around the arena so he could sneak into her locker room. �Hey.�
�Everything ok?�
�On my end. Thank you for not fighting with Lita.�
Stephanie smiled sadly. �I hope she can forgive me for not giving her the match.�
Chris nodded. �She will. Everything set with you?�
She nodded. �I�ll see you later.�
Chris laughed. �Who else would take you home?� He was chuckling the whole way out the door as Stephanie threw a box of tissues at him, just barely missing him.
�Who else would I want to go with?� She whispered to herself, as she started to get ready for the match she knew Jacqueline would take.
�Well this definitely should be a quick match.� Jim Ross said as Jacqueline waited in the ring for Stephanie to come down.
�Now J. R. that is not right.� Paul said. �Stephanie has had some great matches and she has also held the women�s championship for a long time.�
�Before Lita defeated her.�
�Before�oh shut up.� Paul said.
Stephanie�s music hit and she stood at the top of the ramp, knowing that it would have to get changed. She smiled as she thought of something that would work. She walked down the ramp in her short vinyl shorts, that one she wore to Smackdown two weeks ago, and matching vinyl sneakers that she had made. She was also wearing her black Stephanie McMahon-Helmsley top that said �Always on Top�. She climbed into the ring and Jacqueline was on top of her, hitting her with hard fists.
�This was a bad idea.� She mumbled as she took a hard bump. �Ouch.�
There was minimal fighting on Stephanie�s part until she poked Jacqueline in the eye and then kneed her, knocking her opponent down. She smiled as she laid on top of her and tried to get a pin. Jacqueline easily kicked out and Stephanie slapped her, hard.
Jacqueline took Stephanie by the hair and threw her over her body, across the ring.
Stephanie let out a slew of curses as she held her hair. She didn�t know her head could throb this much. Suddenly she heard a loud noise in the crowd and she saw another figure in the ring. She smiled as he jumped off the ropes in and performed a lionsault.
Stephanie struggled to crawl across the ring and laid down on top of Jacqueline, listening to the referee count, 1, 2, 3. She laughed as she jumped up and he was there beside her with the belt. She hugged him tightly and he motioned for a microphone behind her back.
�Oh my God! Chris Jericho, sworn enemy of Stephanie McMahon-Helmsley has just helped the Princess win the women�s championship. Could this be a repayment for her helping him?�
Paul was sitting there in shock, running his hands over his face.
�Ladies and gentleman.� Stephanie yelled into the microphone. �Let me introduce you to the new member of the Alliance, Chris Jericho!� She laughed again as Chris hugged her one more time and they headed out of the ring together.
�You were doing pretty good.�
�Stop lying.� Stephanie muttered as she leaned against him while they walked up the ramp. �My body is killing me.�
�I�ll give you a massage later.� Chris said biting back a laugh.
�You need to teach me some moves.� Stephanie said. �I don�t know what I�m going to do if I have to do a rematch. Man, I am not moving till Monday.�
Chris burst out laughing as they headed backstage. �You really did good. Love the shorts.�
She grinned up at him. �Knew you would.�
�Top too.�
�Uh huh.�
He shook his head as he chuckled and stopped when he saw the Hardy boys and Lita walk towards them, frowns on their faces. He sighed. This was going to be harder than he thought.
�Chris.� Lita said softly as she looked between him and Stephanie.
Chris took Stephanie�s hand. �Yes Lita, I defected.�
With that, he led Stephanie away, back towards her dressing room.
�I can�t believe it.� Jeff said quietly.
�She got her claws into him.� Matt said angrily.
�No.� Lita said. �I think Chris has simply,� She looked up at her boyfriend with a small smile on her face. �Fallen in love.�
