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 Twelve �Are you okay?�
�No. I�m scared.�
�I wish you�d waited for me. What did he want?�
�I knew this would happen! I knew it!�
�Calm down. Tell me what happened.�
�He wants custody of Cass. He�he said that she was meant to be his.�
�Steph��
�Biologically, he is, I admit that, but�I don�t want him to be Cassie�s father.�
�And legally. He has legal rights to Cassidy.�
�All I wanted was to be happy, to be a family. I have that with you. I thought Hunter was going to be out of my life once the divorce papers had been signed.�
�If he�s going to sue for custody, I want you to keep in mind the possibility that we could lose her.�
�What�? I can�t believe you just said that! How could you even think that?�
�Stephanie, listen to me, okay? I just want you to be prepared. This is a very serious matter, and Hunter will sue. He believes that Cassidy is his, and we both know how possessive he is. He�s going to use everything against you. The lie about being pregnant, having kept the truth from him for so long, using the divorce as an excuse to cut him off from his child.�
�I am not going to lose my daughter.�
�You won�t. I promise you that.�
�I can�t lose her, Shawn. I just can�t.�
�I know, baby.�
*
�Edge, don�t do this,� Shawn warned.
But the younger man shook his hand off, a determined look on his face. �Yeah, I do.�
�No -�
�Come on out, little knight in shining armour!� Hunter shouted in rage from the ring. Shawn turned back to the TV. His former bestfriend was literally shaking with fury.
�Edge, please,� Stephanie pleaded, standing in front of the blonde Canadian. �He hurt you pretty bad last time. I don�t want you to go to hospital again.�
�I�m not the one going to hospital this time,� Edge said, resolutely. �And I�m certainly not going to let him intimidate me into running away.�
�What�s the matter, pretty boy?� Hunter taunted from the ring, and from the TV screen. �Afraid to be beaten senseless in front of your little Princess?�
Edge swore, pushing past Stephanie as he rushed out of the room. Shawn reached out and grabbed her arm, stopping her from running after him. �Steph, don�t.�
�But-�
�He�s not just doing this for you, he�s doing it for himself,� he told her. �Edge isn�t going to let anyone bully him around.�
Stephanie sighed. �I know. I�m just worried about him.�
The roar of the crowd penetrated into the backstage area, and the two of them turned to see what was happening on the screen. Edge had come out, but he stopped at the tap of the ramp, a microphone in hand. Shawn smiled with relief.
�What is your trauma, Sir Nose-a-lot?� Edge asked, his anger seemingly gone as a mischievous grin came over his face. �Look, Stephanie has moved on from your sorry excuse of an ass, so get over it! I mean, just look at you. It�s been nearly a year already, and you�re still blubbering about the whole thing. Now, look at me. I lost my absolutely bitching favourite shirt the other week, and you know what I did? I went shirtless!�
Shawn and Stephanie burst out laughing at the Canadian�s words.
�So you think that being funny is going to win points with that little slut, do you?� Hunter snarled.
But Edge didn�t lose his grin. �Hey, Nosey McNose-Nose? A little advice - get a life!�
�How about coming down here and saying that to my face?�
Edge suddenly became serious, his earlier anger coming out as he glared down at Hunter in the ring. �You want a piece of me? How about getting me at the Royal Rumble?�
�Any place, any time, pretty boy!�
�Oh, but just wait, Your Nosiness! Not just any match! How about putting that Title on the line?�
�The only way you�ll ever get this from me is if you pry it out my cold, dead fingers!�
�That can be arranged!� Edge�s grin returned, but there was nothing friendly about it. �Come Rumble-time, the only thing that�s going to be royal is the pain in your ass!�
*
�Is he going to be okay?� Stephanie asked the trainer worriedly.
�I�m going to be fine,� Spike answered groggily from where he lay on the trainer�s table.
Torrie sighed with relief. �Oh, good! You had us worried there for a little while.�
�Spikey, I�m so sorry,� Tajiri said anxiously.
�It wasn�t your fault,� Spike said, smiling wearily up at the other man. �Really, I�m fine. You guys quit fussing.�
Stephanie shook her head. �You guys should have told me how stressful having friends can be. If it�s not Edge wanting to get beaten up, it�s the two of you taking on Big Show and Rikishi. I mean-�
Christian suddenly burst into the room, startling them all. �Steph, you gotta come quick!� he said, a note of panic in his voice.
Stephanie�s first thought was of her daughter, and she felt her heart jump to her throat. �Cassidy?�
Christian was pale with shocked dread. �She�s gone.�
end part twelve.
