Rating: M
Summary: Stephanie disappears after that disastrous 11 Feb 02 RAW and returns ten months later...and she�s not alone.
Type of fic: Story
Author�s notes: Okay, this idea ultimately came from my father when he basically said to me (regarding the events at the end of 11 February 2002 RAW), �They should put Steph out to pasture for nine months, and bring her back with Hunter�s baby�. Well, that, and my muses just wanted some Hunter-torture. Italicised paragraphs are flashbacks. (They might not show up in the posts, so I�ll let you guys know when it�s a flashback part, or if there�s a flashback part.)
***
Part One
Stephanie McMahon opened the door and grinned. �Hey, Spike.�
Spike Dudley, the youngest of the Dudley family, grinned back. It would surprise a lot of people that the two of them were good friends. �Hey, Steph. You ready?�
�Nearly. Just have to get some stuff from upstairs, and then we�re gone.� She left the door open for Spike as she headed towards the staircase.
�Make yourself at home,� she told him. �She�s in the living room if you�re looking for her.�
Stephanie grabbed Cassidy�s bag of goodies, her own jacket, and after some indecision, her ECW black cap. She gave herself an appraising look in the mirror. Beige pants, printless purple top, and black boots. It was a somewhat dull outfit compared to others she�d worn in the past, but she smiled happily at herself. She felt good, and that was what mattered.
She made a quick mental rundown of all the things she might need, but she was certain that she had gotten everything. She was as ready as she was ever going to get.
Stephanie hurried downstairs. She could hear Spike making incoherent babbling noises in the living room, and she grinned. She had a feeling she was going be hearing a lot of incoherent babbling noises tonight.
*
Stephanie had wanted to get to the arena early, and had made arrangements with her bestfriend, Torrie Wilson, to meet her. Fortunately, Torrie and her fianc�, Tajiri, were waiting for them when they pulled up in the parking lot. There was nobody else around.
As expected, Torrie went directly to the backseat of the car and opened the door. She gingerly unbuckled Cassidy from her seat and picked her up for a hug. Stephanie turned to greet Tajiri, who bowed before giving her a hug and a kiss on the cheek.
�Steph, it�s good to have you back,� Tajiri said enthusiastically.
Stephanie tried to ignore the small flutter of nervousness in her stomach as she smiled brightly at him. �It�s good be back, Tajiri.�
�Steph, is it just me or has Cass grown even more adorable since I last saw her?� Torrie asked, turning to her.
�She�s definitely grown more adorable,� Spike answered as he climbed out of the driver�s seat. �Hey, Tajiri.�
�Spikey,� Tajiri greeted with a grin. He walked around to the other side of the car and gently took Cassidy from Torrie�s arms. �And how is my little beautiful Cassie?�
Stephanie knew she was lucky to have such supportive and caring friends. She didn�t know what she would have done without their encouragement during the past ten months.
�Alright, how about we get this party inside?� Torrie suggested. �Before anyone else shows up and it gets any bigger.�
*
The news of Stephanie�s return quickly filtered throughout the backstage area and the locker rooms, but very few people stopped by to visit her. It was understandable. She didn�t have many friends among the wrestlers to begin with anyway. When she had left, she had been universally hated. Everyone had been shocked and disgusted at what she had done to her now ex-husband. After all, she had hired an actor to pose as a doctor and validate her lie of being pregnant.
�What is she doing back anyway?� Stacy Keibler asked Jeffery Hardy disdainfully. �The last thing we need is the world�s biggest bitch around.�
�I can�t believe the nerve of that girl,� Lita fumed to the Godfather. �Just because she�s a McMahon she thinks she can do whatever the hell she wants.�
�She is so going to get her little bee-hind kicked by Triple H,� Kurt Angle predicted to Test. �And I, for one, can�t wait to see it.�
Surprisingly, a few others gave Stephanie the benefit of the doubt.
�After what she did to Triple H, I�m surprised she�s got the grapefruits to show her face here again so soon,� Trish Stratus commented to Christian. �But good for her, I say.�
And rumours that she wasn�t alone made her topic of the night before the show even started.
�She�s apparently sharing a locker room with Torrie and Tajiri,� ring announcer Lilian Garcia said to Hurricane Helms. �Maybe she�s aligned herself with the Big Show? He and Tajiri used to be partners.�
�I heard she�s called a couple of the old ECW guys,� Al Snow declared to referee Chad Patton. �You think maybe it�s Rhyno?�
�Someone said Booker T,� Bradshaw reported to Jacqueline. �But it might be Kane. Even Taker. For all I know, it could be Farooq! It could be anybody, or even somebody we don�t we even know of yet.�
�What about Shawn Michaels?� Chris Benoit suggested to commentator Michael Cole. �He and Triple H used to be friends. She could be with Michaels as retaliation or something?�
*
Hunter Helmsley stopped and stared at the two men talking just right in front of him. �What did you say?� he demanded.
Benoit and Cole looked at him with surprise. Cole turned a little pale, but Benoit looked back at him steadily. �Excuse me?�
Hunter glared at him. �I just heard you mention Michaels. I assume you�re talking about Shawn.�
�Yes, we were. And what business is that of yours?�
Hunter tightened his hold on his bag and turned away. He made his way towards his dressing room, and noticed more than a few sideway glances directed at him. People lowered their voices to a whisper when he walked past, and moved quickly out of his way. Nobody seemed to want to greet him.
He frowned, wondering what was going on. Everyone was avoiding him, as if they were afraid. Everyone, it seemed, except Kaientai who both grinned brightly at him.
�Hunter! Triple H! You will become eeevil with us, yes?� they asked enthusiastically.
Hunter shook his head. �No, I think you guys are more than enough evil for all of us,� he grinned, then ducked into his dressing room and shut the door. Something huge was going on, and he wondered what it could be. Something that involved him?
Hunter briefly thought of his ex-wife, but then shook his head. Stephanie had disappeared right after that disaster regarding the renewal of their vows. After she had left the arena, nobody knew where she had gone but as the months progressed he became concerned. After some furtive asking of questions, he still hadn�t been able to figure out where she was living. He didn�t care. Really.
That was until the divorce papers arrived six weeks ago. It had arrived in their home - just his home now - from the mailing address of Stephanie�s lawyers. Hunter had been stunned when the papers were delivered. He had never seriously considered divorce, and for it to have been initiated by Stephanie.
He felt the continuous guilt begin creeping up on him, but he quickly pushed them away.
He shook his head, and returned to thoughts of the divorce. He still hadn�t signed the papers, and he wasn�t sure why he was hesitating. He had screamed right into her face that it was over, had called her a bitch, and had done what he had vowed never to do - he had put his hands on her.
Hunter had loved Stephanie at a time. He had truly cared about her, and about being happy with her. A possible future together.
And she had spurned him.
end part one.
