�That was nice of you, what you did earlier.� Chris said as he walked into the kitchen around eight that night. �Saying Trish could come.�
She stood leaning against the counter as she sliced up some tomatoes that she was going to place in the salad she was making. �You saved me, the least I could do is invite your friends to stay in your other friend�s place.�
She took what she had sliced up and walked them over to the big salad bowl, which held the lettuce, chopped up cucumbers and onions. Ever since she found out his friends were coming she decided that she was going to make them dinner. She had a roast in the oven, boiled potatoes on the stove, and some peas and carrots warming as well. She also warmed up some bread and was putting the finishing touches on the salad.
�I know how uncomfortable Trish makes you.� Chris said following her around the kitchen. �With the history you and her have.�
�What history?� Stephanie asked as she shook some croutons into the salad from a box. �She only tried to seduce my husband and did God knows what with my father.�
She then closed the box and slammed it back down on the counter. �It�s fine.�
Chris winced as she moved over towards the stove where she turned the potatoes and then headed back over to the chopping board where she started chopping herbs.
�The guys will enjoy this, Lita and Trish too.�
�That�s nice.� She said chopping them quickly.
�I can�t remember the last time I had a home cooked meal.� Chris said. �Mom use to say she use to go grocery shopping for two hours the night before I came home because I was always so famished from being out on the road.�
�Your mother sounds like a good woman.�
�She is.� Chris smiled at the thought of his mother. �My father too. We�re a close knit family.�
�That�s great�ow.� Stephanie cried out as she dropped the knife and jumped back from the counter, holding her finger.
�What happened?� Chris asked as he quickly walked over to her. She had a small gash that was causing a lot of blood from where the knife sliced her skin. �C�mere, we have to put it under water.�
�It�ll sting, no, no, ah!� She gasped as he put her finger under cold water.
�Let me find some band aids.� He said. �Keep it there.�
He disappeared out of the kitchen and Stephanie was tempted to move her finger but decided against it. This was probably his way of torture, she thought as it continued to sting.
�No!� She said with wide eyes as he came back in the room with some alcohol. �Absolutely not.�
�You could have infected herb in there.� He said with a small smile.
�Chris, please.� She pleaded. �I�m begging you. You can call me a trash bag ho for the next week and I won�t complain.�
�You won�t even feel it.� He said as he took her finger and dried it off with a paper towel. �Look at me.�
She looked at him with nervous brown eyes. �I�m really a big baby. The littlest things hurt me. Can�t even get near a needle.�
�This won�t hurt.� He said. �You know what hurt?�
�What?� She asked as she hissed a little.
�Getting knocked in the face with a chair.�
She laughed. �That does hurt a little.�
�A little?� Chris scoffed. �Have you ever been hit with a ring bell?�
�No, but Debra has.�
Chris laughed as he ran his hand over her now bandaged finger. �Not too bad.�
Stephanie looked down at her finger in awe. �No, it wasn�t.� She said softly.
Chris smiled and looked back up at her, noticing that the nervous was still there. �No more alcohol, I promise.� He whispered as he brushed some hair out of her face.
Stephanie unconsciously leaned into his hand. It had been so long since someone had touched her this gently and Chris� touch was sending a shiver up and down her spine.
He stepped closer to her, his other hand brushing her cheek. He hated what he was feeling. His stomach had butterflies. His heart was beating fast. The worst part was that Stephanie McMahon-Helmsley was doing this to him. Helmsley, he kept repeating over and over in his head as the both of them moved closer.
�Chris!�
Stephanie gasped and jumped back.
He muttered a few curses under his breath before giving her a lingering look and heading out of the kitchen.
�Note to self.� Stephanie whispered as she went back to the herbs. �She at other end of table from Chris.�
�Hey.� Matt said. �Something smells good.�
�It does, doesn�t it?� Chris murmured to himself as he shook Matt�s hand.
�You ok?� Lita asked. �You didn�t hear us knocking.�
�Oh.� Chris said. �I hope you weren�t out there long.�
�We weren�t.� Jeff said poking around. �How come the dining room table is set up?�
�Stephanie is making dinner.�
�Stephanie is making dinner?� Matt asked. �And it smells like that?�
�Yeah.� Chris said. �And it looks good too.�
�Does she need any help?� Trish asked.
�Um, I�m not so sure that�d be a good idea.� Chris said. �No offense.�
�None taken.� Trish said. �I�ll stay out of her hair.�
�Good idea.� Chris smiled.
�I�ll offer to help.� Lita smiled. �I wouldn�t want you gentlemen to strain yourselves.�
�Thanks babe.� Matt grinned as he patted her shoulder.
�Uh huh.� Lita said with a smile as she headed into the kitchen.
�So tell us, how are things really going?� Jeff asked.
�Not like you would expect.� Chris said. �I think they really scared her out there on Monday because this�this isn�t the Stephanie I�ve grown to hate.�
�What do you mean?� Matt asked curiously.
�She�s making dinner. She had a blast at Walmart.�
�You took her to Walmart?� Jeff laughed.
�Yeah, well, she saw those boxers.�
�Boxers?� Trish asked with raised eyebrows.
Chris sighed. �I was in her room one morning��
�You were in her room?� Jeff asked.
�She felt out of bed once she realized she was wearing my shirt to bed.�
�She wore your shirt to bed?� Matt asked with a small smile.
�Dinner!� Lita called.
�Thank God.� Chris said.
�Oh, no, no.� Matt laughed, placing a hand on Chris� shoulder. �Don�t think you�re getting out of this.�
�Dinner was delicious.� Jeff said as she placed his plate in the sink. �You�re going to have to teach me how to make those herb potatoes Stephanie.�
She smiled. �I didn�t know you cooked.�
�Cook, fashion design.� Matt said ruffling Jeff�s hair. �A man of many talents.�
�I can see that.� Stephanie laughed softly. �If you�ll excuse me, I�ll start the dishes.�
�No.� Chris said. �You go ahead. We�ll do the dishes.� He said motioning to Jeff and Matt.
�We will?� Matt asked.
�Oh, you�re so sweet.� Lita said kissing his cheek. �Thank you.� She then grabbed Stephanie�s hand. �Quick, before they change their mind.�
�I never agreed to this!� Matt called after Lita.
�You�ll be glad you did later!� Lita called back.
Matt grinned and then looked at Chris. �Alright, from the beginning, you wanna tell me how Stephanie wound up in bed with your shirt on?�
Chris sighed as he started to fill up the sink.
�All I�m saying is that I know what it�s like to be screwed over by Vince.� Trish said. �You�d figure she could at least talk to me because we have that in common.�
�Trish, please.� Lita said glaring up at the standing blond woman. She had started to become friends with her, now she wasn�t sure what Jeff saw in her. She then noticed her wiping a crumb off of her exposed breast. She was sure.
�What?� Trish asked. �I was friendly with Test and got screwed over by him, like her, Hunter turned against me as well.�
�Triple H is her husband.� Lita said. �I don�t want to get into this. Just wait till the guys come back in the room. It�ll be easier, like it was at dinner.�
Trish gave an unladylike snort. �It might�ve been easy for you but I was ignored. I don�t get it. The girl gets into one jam and she�s forgiven for everything she�s done. The little things I�ve done are still being held over my head.�
�Little things?� Stephanie asked quietly as she emerged from the hallway.
�Steph.� Lita said standing up.
�You call having an affair with my father a little thing?� Stephanie asked. �You call trying to seduce my husband a little thing?�
�You turned against your own family and had your husband beat the hell out of Chris Jericho.� Trish said. �I pale in comparison to you.�
�My husband beat him in the ring.� Stephanie said. �I didn�t break up a family because I was horny.�
�Oh please.� Trish said. �Hunter wanted it as much as me. I just did to your father what you did to your husband. I used him to gain the power and the respect that I deserved.�
�But you didn�t get it.� Stephanie smirked. �My father had his fun and than tossed you to the wind. And Hunter��
�If you think for one second that Hunter didn�t take full advantage of what��
�Trish!� Chris yelled.
Stephanie glared at her, tears filling up in her eyes. �I�m going to pack.� She said quietly.
�You can�t do that.� Chris said taking hold of her arm gently.
She turned around, pulling her arm from his grasp. �I can�t kick her out, this isn�t my place. And I�m not going to stand here and listen to this. Yeah, I screwed up, I screwed up until the very last second, and I don�t know why on earth you are helping me but you are and I�m trying to thank you by being polite and entertaining your friends and showing them that I am some kind of human but I can�t. Not while one of them is making up lies.�
Trish laughed. �You think that was a lie?�
�Trish, that�s enough.� Chris barked at her.
�Excuse me.� Stephanie whispered as she turned around and ran upstairs.
�Are you happy now?� Chris asked.
�Stop acting like she�s Mrs. Clause because she�s not.� Trish said. �She�s Mrs. Helmsley. I think you need to remember that.�
�I�m remembering why Test and Albert walked out on you.� Chris said. �I�m going to check on Stephanie.�
�We�ll be down here.� Lita said with a small smile as Chris jogged upstairs.
�Excuse me.� Jeff said.
�Where are you going?� Matt asked.
�To call a cab.�
�You�re leaving?� Lita asked worried.
�No, but Trish is.�
�Hey.� Chris said as he knocked softly on her opened door. �Mind if I come in.�
�Yeah.� Stephanie sniffled. �You can probably take some pot shots too.�
He frowned as he closed the door behind him and went to sit on the bed across from her. He noticed that she was leaning back against a few pillows and clutching onto something. Up close he realized that something was his shirt.
�I�m sorry about what she said.� Chris said. �I shouldn�t have told Jeff he could bring her.�
�He�s your friend�s girlfriend.�
�But you�re my guest.� Chris said. �And I don�t want to make you uncomfortable.�
�I didn�t know I was a guest.�
�Your more than a guest.� Chris said taking her hand. �You�re a friend. I don�t want you feeling like you can�t say anything at dinner or run up crying to your room because she got flip.�
�It�s not that.� Stephanie sniffled as her eyes began to fill with fresh tears. �What if she�s right, Chris? What if�what if Hunter did��
�Shh, shh.� Chris whispered as he pulled her into his arms and rubbed her back. �It�ll be okay Steph, I promise, it will be ok.�
Thursday night, on the way to the airport, if someone told her that, she wouldn�t have believed them. But sitting here, with his arms around her, her head resting on his shoulder, she believed him.
