Chris looked up at her from where his head was resting in his hands. It had been a long two weeks. The whole WWF avoided him and when they managed to pass him in the hall he received dirty looks and �traitor� whispered under some breaths. He thought he�d be able to handle this but now he wasn�t so sure.
�I�m fine.� He said with a forced smile.
Stephanie smiled sadly as she sat down next to him on the couch. �I would�ve believed that a few weeks ago.� She laughed softly. �I wouldn�t have cared.�
�Thanks.� He chuckled amused.
�Chris.� She said softly. �I know you now. I know you're hurting, I just wish that you would talk to me about it.�
�There�s nothing talking about.� Chris said, getting up and stretching his arms. �Do I have a match tonight?�
�No.� Stephanie said standing up behind him. �But I�ll take you on, knock some sense into your head.�
He laughed as he turned around to face her. �I�m fine, I swear.�
Stephanie licked her lips. �I�ve been thinking.�
�Never good.�
She smiled. �I see you still haven�t lost your humor.�
He grinned. �I�m sorry.�
She rolled her eyes. �Maybe I was wrong, maybe we should tell��
��think he can come in here and take over the Alliance, think he can come in here and be the leader of the Alliance. What? He can�t take over Stone Cold Steve Austin�s role.�
�What in the hell is he doing?� Chris asked as he and Stephanie watched the television.
�I don�t know, but I�ll find out.� Stephanie said.
�No.� Chris said taking her hand. �Stay right here.�
She looked down at their joint hands and smiled, moving a little closer to him.
�No one can take your place, no one can replace Steve.� Shane said.
�I say we test him.� Steve said. �Make him prove his loyal. Tonight he�ll be in a handicapped match with the Hardy boys.�
�No.� Chris whispered.
�Yeah.� Shane laughed. �We�ll get Regal to sign on it.�
�Not if I get to Regal first.� Stephanie said as she headed out of the dressing room.
�Steph�� Chris sighed as he looked back at the television with Shane and Stone Cold laughing.
Could things get any worse right now?
Lita looked between Matt and Hardy. They had both just seen Steve and Shane on the television announcing the handicapped match. It wasn�t confirmed but they all knew that Regal would sign off on it. What she didn�t know was how the boys would handle the match.
�Guys.� She said quietly.
�This is our chance to get him back for turning on us.� Matt said turning to his brother. �We won�t hold back tonight.�
�Right.� Jeff nodded.
�No.� Lita said. �This is Chris here. You can�t go out there and use every trick in the book that you know.�
�Why not?� Matt asked.
�He�s our friend.� Lita said.
�He was our friend.� Matt said. �He turned on us.�
Lita jumped up. �What if I went to WCW? What if I went there and needed your help? Would you say no because you think I turned on you?�
�He did turn on us.� Matt said. �Come on Jeff, we have to get ready for our match.�
Jeff stood up and started to follow his brother into the backroom.
�What if he didn�t?� Lita asked. Matt and Jeff both stopped and turned around only to see a flash of red hair storm out the door.
Jeff bit back a laugh. �I�ll get an extra bed tonight. I have a feeling you�re not welcome in your own.�
�What in the hell do you think you're doing?� Stephanie asked slamming her hands palms down on William Regal�s desk.
�I beg your pardon.� Regal said, standing up. �Is there a problem Mrs. McMahon-Helmsley.�
�Do not sign the match tonight.� Stephanie said. �Chris is my wrestler and I�ll be damned to have the champion injured in a handicapped match.�
�Stephanie, I�m sure��
�Regal!� Steve Austin called as he walked into the office. �Ah, looky here Shane, it�s Stephanie.�
�Hello Steph.� Shane smiled.
�Chris is my wrestler. He will not be fighting a handicapped match tonight.� She said folding her arms over her chest. �Do you want him to get hurt and cause him to possibly lose the WCW title in another match?�
�That�s exactly my plan.� Steve said. �Because this Monday, I�m going to challenge him to a title match.�
Stephanie glared at them and whirled around. �Regal.�
�As a member of the Alliance.� Regal said. �Chris Jericho will fight in the handicapped match tonight against the Hardy boys.�
Stephanie screeched and then turned around to face her brother and Stone Cold. �This isn�t over. Just wait.�
She then strode out of the room with more confidence than she felt.
�Hey Jericho, we just wanted to wish you luck on the match tonight.� D-von Dudley said as he came into the locker room. �We hope you get those damn Hardy�s for taking our belts from us.�
Chris looked up at D-von and Bubba Ray with a small smile. �I�ll try my best, but you can�t blame them for being good athletes. You are too. The WWF gave us the best oppurtunites they possibly could to get out there and showcase our abilities.�
�The Alliance is doing that too.� Bubba said.
�I know that.� Chris said. �That�s why I�m here.� He added slapping his belts. �But what I�m also saying is that I think they�re wearing down your abilities. Have you ever thought about it? You two are the only main tag team the Alliance has. I mean sure they have Lance Storm and Hurricane and Booker T and Test who are working nicely together but no one has the magic that the Dudley boys have. No one else knows how to get the tables like you guys do.�
�We have been working hard lately.� D-von said. �That�s why we lost to the Hardy�s.�
�I know.� Chris said. �I could see you were exhausted.�
�We deserve at least a week off.� Bubba said. �Come on D-von let�s go talk to Regal.�
D-von nodded. �Thanks Chris. Good luck tonight.�
�Thank you.� Chris said as they headed out of the locker room.
�What was that about?� Stephanie asked.
�I was just letting the guys know that the alliance was over working them.� Chris smiled.
Stephanie smiled up at him. �Great job. You ready? I was hoping that you wouldn�t mind if a certain valet walked you down to the ring.�
�Sure.� Chris grinned stretching out his arms. �Tell Trish I�m ready.�
�That wasn�t even funny.� Stephanie said walking out ahead of them.
�I was kidding.� Chris laughed.
�Nope.�
�Come on!�
�I�m surprised you came to the ring with us.� Jeff said as he did his little dance on the ramp while they�re music played.
�Just because I said go easy on Chris, doesn�t mean that Stephanie won�t get involved.�
�I knew you cared.� Matt said giving her a quick kiss.
�Do that again and I�m gonna kick you in the balls.� She muttered before sliding in the ring.
�Just to let you know, I got the two beds.� Jeff grinned. �For your sake, go easy on Chris.�
Matt muttered a curse and slid into the ring with his brother.
Stephanie didn�t know how the other girls did it. Her hand was killing her from slapping the mat so many times, trying to get Chris riled up. Matt and Jeff weren�t going easy on him and it looked like he had a small cut on his eye. She was going to give them some poetry in motion if they did that move one more time.
She groaned as she saw Chris hit the mat in front of her and then she rolled him out of the ring.
He sank to his knees in front of her; gasping for air, sweat dripping down his face. �Remind me to thank Regal for this match.�
�Take a deep breath, you can do this Chris.�
�You have a lot of faith.�
�I do.� She said. �Show them what Y2J is made of.�
�We�re in a match, get away from him.�
Stephanie looked up at Matt. �He�ll be with you in a moment.�
�This is a match, he doesn�t get time to breath.� Matt said pulling her away.
Stephanie turned around and slapped Matt hard across the face. She knew Lita would come after her but she needed another moment or two for Chris. What she didn�t expect was Matt to grab her hair.
�Let go.� She squealed kicking his shin.
�Damn, Lita!� Matt called. She drove him nuts but he would never hit a woman, even if it were Stephanie. He looked over at Lita and she was just standing there, frozen. He soon found out why.
Chris got up and with all the energy he had left he speared Matt across the floor and then punched him once in the eye, making sure he would leave a bruise. He stood up warily, bringing Matt with him and walking back to the ring.
�Don�t even lay your hands on my girl again.� He panted as he rolled Matt into the ring. He then took Stephanie�s hands and started towards the ramp.
�What are you doing?� Stephanie asked as she slid her arm around his back and held his stomach. He really looked like he was in a lot of pain.
�They said I was in a match with the Hardy�s.� Chris said. �They didn�t say I had to fight them nor did they say I had to win.�
�So you�re going to��
�What is he doing?� Jeff asked jumping off the ropes.
�He�s getting counted out.� Lita said holding his arm. �Let him Jeff.�
�But why?� Jeff asked.
Lita looked at Stephanie and Chris as they backed their way up the ramp. They would probably be hell to pay for this on the alliance side but Chris was still doing it.
�Just let him.�
�And winner by a count out, the Hardy boys!�
�Now we need to get the hell out of this arena.� Chris said. �And fast.�
