DECONSTRUCTING STEPHANIE

RAW IS WAR, MAY 21ST, 2001

Knock, knock, knock.

Benoit angrily clicked the remote control, then jumped up to open the door.

"Hey Y2J," he said coolly.

"Benoit," Jericho nodded. "Can I come in?"

Benoit mirrored his nod, then stepped out the way so he could enter.

Jericho titled his head towards the TV, which was stuck on the AV channel. "Watching your tapes, I see?"

"We have a title match tonight," Benoit replied.

Jericho tried to hide his smile. "You're right. That's good thinking."

Benoit raised his eyebrows. "You wanna take a seat?"

"Hmm, you know that sounds tempting? Maybe in a little while. Say, is Angel around?" He grinned at himself. Oh yeah, that was smooth.

Benoit was less amused, his expression degenerating into a scowl. He didn't speak, he just pointed towards her room.

"Thanks," Jericho nodded. "I'm just gonna go see her."

He knocked, but there was no answer. Shrugging, he turned the handle and opened the door. He stopped where he was and formed a frown. Angel was lying in bed, fast asleep, hugging some sort of huge doll. He almost did a double take, she looked so different to what she normally tried to portray. She was so small, so vulnerable, so peaceful.

Just then, her eyes slowly opened and she reoriented herself, then rolled onto her back. That's when she spotted Jericho.

"Still watching me sleep, freak?" she yawned, giving a catlike stretch.

He held her gaze. "Aren't you a bit old to be sleeping with dolls, baby?"

"Dolls?" she repeated, completely bewildered. "Oh, you mean Larissa. She's not a doll, Jerky. She's my training partner."

"She's what?" Jericho scoffed.

"It's complicated," Angel grinned. "Come work out with me some time and I'll show you."

Jericho nodded slowly. "Sounds like a plan. So anyway, baby. Don't you wanna know why I'm here?"

Angel frowned. "So you can watch me sleep?"

"Ha, you're funny, baby. No, I'm just making sure you're okay."

"Okay?" Angel echoed. "What do you mean?"

Jericho sat heavily on the edge of the bed. "I mean because Benoit screwed you out of your match."

"Oh, you noticed that?" Angel asked bitterly.

Jericho gave a meek nod. "So, you're not okay?"

Angel shrugged. "It's Benoit. You get used to his shit after a while. Besides, tell me honestly. If it had been you and me. Do you really think we'd have won?"

"Honestly?" Jericho asked. Angel nodded. "I really do."

Angel was completely speechless, so he went on.

"You're a great wrestler, Rogue. You really are. Sure, you might not be as big as the other guys, but you're smart, and you're fast, and you're skilled, and no matter what happens to you, you keep on getting up and fighting back. Really, that's all I can ask for in a tag partner."

Angel stared at him as tears pricked her eyes and she sucked on her lower lip.

"Jerky," she whispered, throwing her arms around him. "That's the sweetest thing anyone's ever said to me."

Jericho smiled as he patted her back. "You're welcome, baby. And you know you can call me Chris, right?"

Angel pulled away. "Yeah, I know. But that's Benoit's name, so I'd really rather not."

Jericho gave a little nod. "Fair enough."

"Jericho," Angel said slowly. "Why are you his friend now?"

"We're not friends," Jericho replied, matter-of-factly.

"But you trust him," Angel insisted.

"Yeah, you're right. I do trust him."

"Why?" Angel questioned. "'Cause you used to hate him. What made you change your mind?"

"I don't know," Jericho shrugged. "I guess he changed."

"Uh-uh," Angel shook her head. "He'll never change. He'll always be a jackass."

"You changed, you know," Jericho told her. "Even since I've known you."

"I know," Angel replied quietly. "I wised up."

Jericho grinned. "You got sassy."

"I was always sassy," Angel protested.

"Yeah, maybe," Jericho grinned. "You little sass beast." He reached out and hugged her tightly.

Angel sighed happily. "Thanks for believing in me."

"You're welcome," Jericho replied. "But I'm not the only one, you know."

Angel pulled away and frowned at him. "Who are you kidding? Of course you are. I heard what they were saying. 'She can't fight! She's a girl! She'll just get hurt'. You think I didn't hear that? And most of it wasn't even directed at me. They were blaming you, like I don't have a mind of my own, like I can't make my own decisions. Like I don't exist, just because I don't have a penis."

Jericho cringed. "Benoit believes in you."

"What?" Angel cried. "No, he doesn't. He was worse than anyone. He wouldn't even talk to me about it. It was all about you."

"He does, Angel," Jericho insisted. "If he didn't, he wouldn't be training you."

"Sure he would," Angel argued. "It gives him an excuse to beat the crap out of me."

"Wrong. If he wanted to beat you, he'd beat you. He wouldn't wait until you were in the ring. Yeah, training hurts, but think of everything he's taught you. He's made you a shooter. Now, I know Benoit well, maybe even better than you do. I know he doesn't do anything unless he has a damn good reason. If he's training you to be a wrestler, it's 'cause he wants you to be a wrestler. It's as simple as that."

"No, Jerky. Benoit…ever since he first…well, I guess you could say…won me, he's slowly taken over my life, piece by piece, until I'm irretrievably trapped. He controls everything about me. Everything."

"No one could ever control you, Rogue."

"If only that were true," Angel mused.

Jericho reached out and touched the side of her face. "If you ever need to talk or whatever, you know I'm around."

Angel nodded. "But right now you have to go?" she guessed.

"I promised Benoit I'd humor him and watch some tapes. Like I haven't already fought Triple H two billion times."

"Well, have fun with that," Angel told him. "Oh, and Jerky. If his hands go down the front of his pants, it's time to leave."

Jericho nodded seriously. "Thanks for the tip." He broke into a grin. "So, you're really okay about last night?"

Angel nodded. "Ask me again after tonight's match, where I may or may not have won a belt."

"Yeah," Jericho agreed, catching her drift. "Will do. I'll see you later."

"Bye."

Jericho gave her one last grin.

"Later, Larissa," he called. And then he left the room and closed the door.

* * * *

Chris Jericho calmly walked the halls of San Jose's Compaq Center. He'd only just arrived, but there was plenty of time. Raw hadn't even started yet and Jericho's match was booked for the main event - about two hours from now. Also, he and Benoit had spent most of the day talking tactics and preparing. All they had to do was find out how Triple H and Austin had pulled up from their Judgment Day matches and they were all set. Still, Jericho knew for sure that Benoit would already be in the locker room. That's just the type of guy he was.

Up ahead, Jericho spotted Jeff Hardy, headed his way. Tonight, Jeff's brother Matt had a Euro title defense again X-Pac, but Jericho wasn't sure what Jeff was doing. He'd heard talk that there was some tag match against Edge and Christian. Maybe Jeff was now venturing into the wonderful world of mystery partners.

As they met each other, Jericho nodded at Jeff, who looked serious and focussed.

"Hey, junior."

Bam! Suddenly, Jericho was flat on his back, victim of a sucker punch to the face. Jericho didn't even think. In a second, he sprang up and tackled Jeff, bringing him down to the floor. And then it was on. They rolled around on the floor, trading punches and whatever other shots they could get in. Suddenly, there were hurried footsteps in the hallway and people were prizing them apart. Matt grabbed Jericho while Eddie Guerrero and Lita held Jeff back.

"What the hell's your problem, man?" Jericho shouted, rubbing his head as Matt stood in front of him, making sure he wasn't going to try for another shot.

"My problem?" Jeff screamed. "You're supposed to be my friend, you son of a bitch!"

"Hey! You sucker punched me, jackass!" Jericho shot back. "I have a title shot tonight, Jeff. I don't need your shit."

"Yeah?" Jeff fumed. "Well, maybe now you'll think twice before moving in on my girl."

"What?" Jericho cried.

"You heard me, asshole," Jeff spat.

Jericho slowly shook his head, then slapped Matt away. "Get off me, junior. And get a straitjacket for your brother. I don't have time for this shit." With that, he stared Jeff down and tried to pass him again.

"Why Angel, Chris?" Jeff demanded as Jericho passed him. "You know how I feel about her."

Jericho stopped and turned back around. "Okay, junior. Number one, she's not your girl and if she heard you calling her that, she'd probably kick your ass herself. And number two, I'm not moving in on anyone. Me and Rogue are just friends."

"Rogue?" Jeff cried incredulously.

"Yeah," Jericho insisted. "Rogue."

"But...but…" Jeff stammered. "You kissed her! Last night, after your match."

"That was a 'you're my friend and we just won' kiss. That was a friend kiss!"

"A friend kiss?"

"That's right, junior. Like this." Jericho reached forward, grabbed Jeff behind the head and kissed him, exactly as he'd kissed Angel the night before. Then he pushed him away again. "If that's how you kiss a woman, no wonder you lost her."

Jeff glowered at him and tried to break free from Lita and Eddie, who struggled to hold him back. Eddie turned to Jericho.

"Don't kiss Jeff, essa. It's just not smart."

"What, you want one too?" Jericho challenged and now there were two men trying to attack him. Matt had to help Lita hold them back.

"Relax, I'm not done talking to junior here."

"No?" Jeff cried. "Well, I'm done listening."

"You gotta get your shit together, Jeff!" Jericho snapped.

"I gotta kick the shit outta you, that's what I've gotta do," Jeff shot back.

"Okay, cool down," Jericho scowled. "I'm trying to help you. I swear to you, me and Angel are just friends. But she's not your girl and you've gotta stop pretending that she is."

"Cool it, Jeff!" Matt snapped as Jeff again tried to struggle free. "Chris is right."

"What?" Jeff cried.

"Yeah, I do know how you feel," Jericho went on. "But the thing is, she doesn't. She has no idea. I don't know if she wants you back, but I do know she misses you. So, you have two choices, junior. Either you ask her out again and deal with her response, or you get over it. 'Cause maybe she doesn't want you, and you have to live with that. You can't be running in like a psycho whenever you think she's found someone else. 'Cause guys around here, they are interested. I'm not gonna tell you who because I know what you'll do."

"Benoit?" Jeff demanded.

"No, not Benoit," Jericho scowled. "But if you don't want her, other people around here sure do. So, it's up to you, junior. Either get her back or get over her, 'cause right now, you're just pathetic. That's all there is to it."

With that, he stared Jeff down once more, then continued on his way.

* * * *

Angel pounded the punching bag as, behind her, Benoit and Jericho talked strategy. The two of them had already had a little run-in with their opponents, interrupting Stone Cold in what Angel considered the world's most boring speech. Benoit had made her stay back in the locker room during the ambush, so that was something new.

She really wasn't sure how she felt about tonight's match. When she'd planned for Judgment Day as Jericho's partner, she hadn't really considered what would happen if they won tag team turmoil. It was just about beating Edge and Christian. But now Benoit and Jericho had won, it became about the titles. A title that could have been Angel's. But who was she kidding? Edge and Christian were Edge and Christian. Austin and Triple H were in another class altogether. If they could destroy the Undertaker and Kane, both well over 300 pounds, what could they do to Angel, who was less than half that? It was probably better that Benoit was up for that punishment, even if Angel would love to have a title, especially one as competitive as tag. And besides, Benoit had now left Angel free to do what she did best - cause trouble outside the ring.

"Hey guys," she called out, cutting Benoit off midstream. "You want me to kick Stephanie's ass tonight?"

Jericho turned to her, a smirk on his face. "Baby, if you got your hands on that slut, you'd probably kill her. But don't worry, I won't shed a tear."

Angel nodded slowly, but she didn't have approval yet. "Benoit?"

"Okay," he replied at last. "But only Stephanie. Stay out of the match itself. It's about titles and I don't have to remind you how important they are."

Angel nodded cheerfully. Only Stephanie? Not a problem. Maybe tonight's match would be would be interesting after all.

* * * *

There was a buzz in the air as Angel and Benoit headed down the ramp. They both solemnly focused on the people in the ring - Benoit on Austin and Triple H, and Angel on Stephanie. Angel sized her up. They were about the same height, but Angel was physically bigger and stronger. Whereas Stephanie was built like your average woman, albeit one who had access to the finest plastic surgeons and liposuctionists, Angel was built like a fighter. Stephanie wasn't even dressed for battle in a gold top, matching hot pants and heels, with her hair perfectly crimped. Wearing her wrestling boots, her usual black leather pants and purple 'Crippler' tank top, Angel was confident.

As usual, Angel and Benoit waited at the bottom of the ramp for Jericho. When he reached them, he grabbed Angel from behind and, then followed Benoit into the ring as the ref took the title belts from Stone Cold and Triple H and held them up for the crowd. Angel jumped up into the ring and patted both Jericho and Benoit on the back.

"You guys take out those two. I'll destroy the slut," she said quietly.

Jericho and Benoit both nodded at her as Jericho held out his fists. Angel touched hers to his, then turned to Benoit. Keeping his eyes on hers, he slowly held out his hands. Angel brought her fists down on his, then patted both men on the back again.

"Let's do this, guys," she said as she climbed out of the ring.

Her feet hit the ground as the bell rang and Stone Cold and Jericho decided to start things off.

"Let's go, Jerky!" Angel cried, walking around the ring. She was focused on her own task…and there she was.

"Hi Stephanie," Angel sang sweetly.

Stephanie formed a saccharine smirk. "Oh hi there…Buffy, is it?"

"Angel," Angel replied.

"Oh, that's right. Angel. It's good to see you again. Tell me, are you still seeing Test?"

"No, Test really wasn't good enough for me. But I'm thinking about hooking up with a new man."

"Oh you are? Who is it, tell me?"

Angel frowned thoughtfully. "I'm not too sure. I think he tried to tell me as he had me pushed up against the wall in the ladies room with one hand up my top and the other down my pants."

Now Stephanie was really intrigued. "Try to remember. What did the name sound like?"

Angel grinned. This was gonna be so sweet. "I don't know. I think it was something kind of fruity. Something like…Hunter?"

"What?" Stephanie screamed. "That's my husband, you slut!"

She ran at Angel, who simply raised her knee and sank it into Stephanie's abdomen. Stephanie dropped to the ground as Angel stood nearby, waiting for her to get up. Stephanie rolled so that she was crouching, then glared up at Angel.

"Yeargh!" she screamed, pouncing towards her.

Angel simply stood her ground, grabbed Stephanie around the waist, lifted her as high as she could and slammed her down in a powerbomb. Stephanie lay back, tears filling her eyes.

"You had enough?" Angel asked.

Stephanie formed a scowl and sprang up again. Angel had to give her props - that can't have been easy in heels. Stephanie ran at her, but she just gave her the slip and a quick elbow to the back of the head, then grabbed her legs, hooked them around one of her own and locked in the sharpshooter. Stephanie cried out, and then started tapping.

Angel released the hold and threw Stephanie's legs to the ground.

"If you wanna try again you know where to find me."

Then she calmly walked away.

"How's it going?" she asked Jericho as she reached the corner. He and Benoit had just completed a successful double team on Triple H.

Jericho didn't reply, he simply reached down and patted her on the head. Angel stayed with him as they cheered on Benoit.

"Come on, Benoit! Fight back! Come on!"

Benoit mounted an attack, stopping Stone Cold with countless chops and a knee to the abdomen which made Angel's on Stephanie look tame.

"Yeah, Benoit! Alright!"

Bam! Angel slumped forward onto the apron, then collapsed to the ground. Stephanie stood on the steps, chair in hand.

"Jericho," she spat. "I should have known."

Jericho turned just long enough to acknowledge her existence before concentrating on the action again, obviously not caring that she was carrying a weapon.

"I'll hit you with this chair!" she cried shrilly. "I'll do it, you know," she went on after she got no response.

"You try it and I will beat your skinny ass!" cried a voice.

Stephanie spun around, just as Angel leaped and speared her right onto the steps and forced the chair from her hands. Angel was quickly on her feet. She grabbed Stephanie and climbed the steps, then brought her down for a tornado DDT right onto the chair.

"Whoa," Jericho mused, having caught the end of the fight. "Glad that wasn't me."

Angel rolled Stephanie onto her back. Daddy's little girl was out cold. Angel grabbed her by the wrist and started dragging her around the ring. She hadn't gotten very far before Stephanie came to and began struggling, punching Angel in the hand.

Angel shoved her violently down.

"What, you don't like me holding your hand?" she questioned. "How's this, then?"

With that, she reached down, grabbed a double handful of Stephanie's crimped hair, then dragged her along again. Stephanie's screams were music to Angel's ears. Finally, they reached the other corner.

"Oh, Hunter!" Angel cried out in her best Stephanie voice.

"Not now, dear. Me and Austin gotta win this match," Triple H replied absently.

"Okay," Angel grinned, before speaking in her normal voice and accent. "I think this belongs to you. Enjoy, jackass."

She threw Stephanie down by the hair, cleaned the few strands she had left on her hands, then walked smugly away.

"What?" Triple H cried, jumping down by his wife. "You come back here, girl!"

Angel wasn't stupid - she knew when it was time to run. Triple H grabbed a chair from the announce area and raced after her. Angel sprinted around the ring, leaping over the steps, trying to keep a large distance between herself and Triple H.

"Get back here!" Triple H screamed.

Just then, Jericho flew from the top turnbuckle in a missile dropkick, connected with Triple H's head and knocked him to the ground. Then he raced back through the ring to his own corner. The ref spotted him out of the corner of his eye as Benoit locked the crossface on Austin.

"Get back over there, Jericho!" the ref cried, refusing to turn around.

Meanwhile, Triple H, still holding the chair, pulled himself into the ring and slammed it across Benoit's back, breaking the hold. Then he rolled Benoit over, grabbed Stone Cold's arm and pulled him into the cover. Finally, he raced across the ring, punched Jericho in the face and knocked him off the apron.

Angel ran quickly to her friend's side. "Jerky, are you okay?"

"Yeah," Jericho muttered through clenched teeth. "I'm great."

"Come on," Angel encouraged him, hooking her arms under his and scooping him up. "Up you get."

She boosted him onto the apron, where he used the ropes to hold himself up.

"There you go," Angel grinned, reaching up and patting him fondly.

Suddenly, she withdrew her hand.

'Admit it, girl,' she chided herself. 'You just grabbed his ass.'

She grinned to herself and leaned over the apron. "Come on, Benoit!"

Just then, Triple H grabbed him from the outside and dragged him to the ground, then whipped him right into the steel steps before throwing him back into the ring. Stone Cold made the cover, but Benoit got his shoulder up just in time. Next, Stone Cold tagged Triple H and Angel formed a grin. It was time to play with Stephie again.

The self-described 'most dominant female in the World Wrestling Federation' was back on her feet.

'Not for long,' Angel mused.

"Hiya, Steph," she said out loud.

Stephanie narrowed her eyes, then ran at Angel, who simply ducked and sent her for a back body drop. But, as she turned around, Stephanie sprang at her and knocked her down.

"How do you like that, huh?" Stephanie sneered, grabbing Angel by the neck and slamming her head into the ground, over and over. "How do you like that?"

Angel responded by linking her legs with Stephanie's and flipping her over. She kept on with the tangled legs, changing their position to form a modified but still very painful submission hold. Stephanie cried out, but Angel just leaned back and increased the torque. How cool would it be to break the legs of the boss's daughter? That'd put the bitch in her place.

Just then, Triple H tagged in Austin, but Angel didn't see.

"Hey!" he cried. "Get the hell off my wife!"

Angel's eyes widened and she tried to make a quick getaway, but she'd forgotten that her own submission hold also had her trapped.

'This isn't good,' she thought urgently as Triple H picked her up by the back of her neck and slapped her legs away from Stephanie's. Then Angel flew through the air, bounced off the announce desk and rolled down onto Paul Heyman's lap.

"Hi again," she said feebly.

"Hello Angel. Don't worry, you can stay down there as long as you want. Hey, come back!"

Angel ran to Triple H's corner, climbed up the steps and grabbed his hair. She yanked it down, hard, sending him flying backwards. Then she jumped away and ran as fast as she could. She reached her own corner and climbed up next to Jericho.

"You okay, baby?" he asked, putting a hand on her back.

"Yeah, only Triple H wants to kill me."

"Hmm," Jericho nodded. "You're entitled to a membership card for that."

Just then, Triple H jumped into the ring to help double-team Benoit. Jericho tried to save his partner, but was stopped by the ref and forced to return to the corner.

"So, is Stephanie dead yet?" he asked Angel.

"Not yet," Angel shrugged. "But I just had her in a sweet ass submission."

"Submission, eh?" Jericho repeated. "Stephanie knows all about submission."

Angel laughed. "Hey!" she cried suddenly. "What the hell's that?"

"Abdominal stretch," Jericho replied.

"I know what the move is. But why are they holding hands?"

"They're what? That increases the leverage. That's not legal! Wait here, Rogue!" He raced around the apron. "Get the hell off him! That's not legal! Get off him!"

The ref sprinted over and got right in Jericho's face. "Get over there!"

"But…"

"I don't care! Get over there! Go!"

Jericho sighed and returned to his corner.

"They're doing it again!" Angel cried before nodding thoughtfully. "I know how to fix this. Do you have my back?"

"Sure, but…"

"Great." She leaped off the apron and started running, reaching down to take out her sticks, one for each hand. When she reached the other corner, she climbed the steps, leaned over Austin and slammed the sticks down where his hand was clasped with Triple H's. Benoit immediately scored the hiptoss on Triple H as Angel jumped back down the steps and escaped to her own corner. Then she remembered Stephanie and turned back.

"Hey Steph. Wanna see a trick?"

"Get out of my face, Buffy!" Stephanie whined.

"Wrong answer," Angel smirked, bringing her sticks down across Stephanie's legs and dropping her to her knees. Angel crisscrossed the sticks up and down Stephanie's body before dropping her with an armdrag.

"Stop it!" Stephanie cried. "Leave me alone!"

Angel actually stopped for a second, feeling a pang of pity. What was she doing? Stephanie wasn't a fighter. She was no match for Angel.

"Okay, Steph. One last thing. Hey, Stone Cold! Catch!"

With those words, she hooked the sticks around Stephanie's legs and sent her hurtling through the air in Blackman's old finisher. Stone Cold caught her, then placed her back on her feet, but when he looked for Angel, she was already gone.

"Come on, Benoit!" Angel cried, reholstering her sticks. "Tag Jericho! Come on!"

Benoit tried, but Triple H grabbed his leg.

"Enziguri!" Angel screamed.

Thwack! Triple H was down, courtesy one enziguri.

Angel pounded the mat in encouragement.

"Tag Jericho! Tag Jericho!"

Slap! Jericho in, Benoit out.

But the ref hadn't seen the tag and forced Jericho back into the corner.

"What?" Angel cried. "He tagged, ref! He tagged!"

Triple H threw Benoit down to Austin, who started pounding the crap out of him. Jericho ran in to bail him out, but Triple H got him back in the ring and gave him a pedigree. The ref was busy with Jericho and Austin and didn't see the cover. And then Angel pulled herself up to the top turnbuckle and spread her arms. It was headbutt time. Triple H and Benoit were a long way away, but she was sure she could do it. She inhaled a deep gasp, reached her hand to her talisman necklace, then spread her arms again. Finally, she flew.

Bam! Angel's head slammed into Triple H and knocked him off Benoit.

"Arrgh!" Angel screamed, rolling over onto her back and grabbing her head.

Just then, there were arms around her and she fell from the ring to the ground. She felt herself being dragged along but was too dazed to fight back. Bam! Bam! Bam! Her head slammed into the steel steps.

"Who's smart now, huh? Who's smart now?"

Angel tried desperately to crawl over the steps, so Stephanie couldn't slam her head against them anymore. She crawled and crawled until finally her hands hit the ground and she tumbled forward, onto her back.

Stephanie stared down at her from the other side of the steps, then ran. At the critical moment, Angel raised her knees and the billion-dollar princess hurtled into the barrier. Stephanie turned around. Angel was still flat on her back. Stephanie formed her smirk and ran at Angel again, but Angel slipped around, formed the waistlock and sent her for a German suplex. Don't drop the waistlock. Bam! German number two. Bam! Number three.

Angel had no more left and just lay on her back, pain and fatigue engulfing her. Blood was streaming from where her eyebrow had been busted open yet again. But she'd beaten Stephanie. And so she was happy. She closed her eyes, a smile on her face.

Benoit was standing in the corner, grateful for a break. He sniffed and turned his head. Damn bitch! She was on the ground again and she'd taken Triple H's wife down with her. He jumped to the ground. Great. The bitch was bleeding. Suddenly, Triple H appeared, spotted Stephanie and then glared at Benoit.

"Benoit, you son of a bitch!" he screamed, rushing him.

The two started brawling until Benoit grabbed Triple H and shoved him away. Triple H spun around, but on his way he spotted his tag partner. Austin was trapped in the Walls Of Jericho and about to tap. Triple H leaped into the ring as Benoit crouched next to his valet. He pressed his fingers hard against her eyebrow to stem the bleeding and grabbed her by the arm, dragging her along. He raised the ring skirt and pushed her under the ring, then pulled the skirt down again. That should keep her out of trouble while he and Jericho won the titles. He climbed back to the apron and noticed two things. Jericho had Triple H in the Walls on the announce table and Stone Cold was flat on his back in the ring. Benoit formed his smirk, spread his arms and climbed up top. Bam! He hit the headbutt, then made the cover. But the ref wasn't watching. Benoit was not amused.

"Get in here!" he screamed, leaning over the ropes. "Get your ass in here!"

He heard a noise and turned around, right into a Stunner. Austin made the cover, just as the ref returned. One…two…

Benoit didn't kick out, but there was no three. Jericho had pulled the ref down onto the ground. He then jumped into the ring and started punching Austin before whipping him into the corner and hitting the bulldog, then bouncing off the ropes for the lionsault. Austin raised his knees and they slammed straight into Jericho's abdomen. Austin went for the Stunner, but Jericho reversed and again tried the lionsault. This time he hit it and made the cover, but just then, Triple H jumped into the ring, armed with a sledgehammer, his weapon of choice. He raised it over his head and brought it down, but Jericho had rolled out of the way, so it hit Austin instead. Triple H was shocked, but he didn't have much time to dwell on it as Benoit tackled him and dragged him from the ring. The ref climbed back in, spotted Jericho's cover on Austin and one...two…three. There were new tag team champions.

Jericho leaped out of the ring, spotted Benoit and threw his arms around him.

"We did it, man! We won!"

Benoit just hugged him back as the ref handed them the belts. They raised them in the air and the crowd roared their approval. Then the new champions hugged again.

"Hey!" Jericho cried suddenly. "Where's Rogue? Last thing I saw, she nailed Triple H with a flying headbutt and broke his cover on you."

"That was her?" Benoit frowned.

"Yeah, man. Shooter city. So, where is she?"

Benoit said nothing. He just led Jericho to the ring and lifted the ringskirt. Angel was just regaining her mobility. She spotted Jericho and jumped on him.

"I heard the song!" she cried as he caught her and held her up. "We did it! You and Benoit! I kicked Stephanie's ass!"

"I don't doubt it," Jericho told her. "But what the hell happened to your face?"

Angel raised her hand and felt the dampness of her blood. "Oh, that happened on the steps. But don't worry. After that I countered into three Germans."

Jericho grinned. "You're something else, Rogue."

"And you're the new tag team champion," Angel smiled back. "Let's go celebrate!"

"You bet, baby," Jericho enthused. "Only, let's go get you cleaned up first."

"Okay," Angel agreed, taking his hand and walking with him up the ramp. She was sore as hell, but for some reason, she felt good.

"Hey Benoit," Jericho called. "Me and Rogue are gonna go party. You wanna join us?"

Benoit just gave him a look.

"Okay," Jericho commented. "You go rest up. "Me and Rogue will party enough for all three of us. Right, Rogue?"

"You know it, Jerky," Angel grinned.

Suddenly, a messenger cut off their walk to the locker rooms.

"Angel Torres?"

"Yeah?" Angel frowned.

"Mr. McMahon wants to see you in his office. He said it's urgent."

"Okay," Angel nodded. "There's no arguing with that. Take me to your leader."

"Hey Rogue. Don't you think you should wash your face first?"

Angel stopped and turned back. "I just whooped his daughter's ass. He's probably not too happy with me right now. It definitely can't hurt that I look like I lost a war with a saber tooth tiger."

Jericho grinned. "You're probably right. Well, listen. I'm gonna go take a shower, then I'll be waiting for you. Okay?"

"Okay." She smiled at him, then stepped up for one last hug. Jericho gripped her tightly.

"Argh!" Angel cried. "Protruding title belt hug."

Jericho laughed and released her. "Well, good luck in there, baby."

"Luck?" Angel cried. "I don't need luck! I have a talisman!"

She held up her pendant, gave a confident, sexy smile, then walked away.

'She's still wearing that thing?' Jericho frowned. 'Okay.'

Then he shrugged his shoulders and headed for the showers.

* * * *

"Well, Miss Torres, I think you know why I called you in here."

Angel nodded coolly. "I have a fair idea, sir."

Vince raised his eyebrows at her attitude. "It seems Chris Jericho's been quite a bad influence on you."

Angel shrugged. "That's one man's opinion."

Vince's eyes widened even further. "Well, maybe you should take a seat. This might take a while."

Angel shrugged again and sat on a leather lounge, which practically swallowed her. As soon as her butt hit the seat, Vince hit the roof.

"What gives you the right to assault my only daughter, huh?"

Angel held his gaze, her expression cool. "Uh, that'd roughly be you, sir."

"Excuse me?' Vince boomed.

Angel blinked. "You told me, way back when we made our deal that if I took offense to anyone I could react as I wanted to. Well, I took offense to your daughter, and then I reacted."

Vince did not look impressed. "Stephanie is not anyone. Stephanie is my daughter."

Angel shrugged again. "I only acted on your advice. If that was wrong, I'm sorry."

"Not as sorry as you'll be come Thursday night," Vince snapped.

Angel's expression actually changed.

"That's right, young lady. On Thursday you'll have a match, one on one."

"A match? I haven't agreed to any match," Angel replied uncomfortably. If Vince McMahon himself told you that you were booked in a match, it couldn't mean anything good.

"Of course you have. You signed a one-match release. Unless I'm wrong, you haven't had that match yet. So, I'm free to book you for SmackDown."

Angel's mouth dropped open. Damn Benoit! He'd screwed her over again. Not only wasn't she the tag team champion, not only wasn't she Jericho's tag partner, but now she was face to face with a very vindictive man who had the power to put her in the ring with someone like Kane or Rhyno. That piece of shit Benoit sure had a lot to answer for.

"So," Angel said softly. "Who's my opponent?"

"My daughter, Stephanie," Vince sneered.

"You're kidding!" Angel cried, trying to hide her grin. "I mean…okay. That's fair."

"Now, don't discount my daughter," Vince warned her. "She's a former women's champion."

"Yeah, I know," Angel replied. "I'm sure it'll be a great match and you have my guarantee I'll treat it very, very seriously. So, what are the stips?"

"We can't get anything past you, can we?" Vince asked, actually impressed.

Angel shrugged. "I know what happens around here when you stop thinking."

"No one at ringside," Vince told her. "No Benoit, no Jericho. And no run ins. You win by pinfall or submission, but you have to do it alone."

"And Stephanie?" Angel asked.

"Well, she can have her husband at ringside, of course."

Angel nodded. "So, if Triple H decides to kick my ass?"

"If the referee notices, Stephanie will be disqualified."

'That'd be right,' Angel thought.

"So, what if my friends think I need to be bailed out?" she asked.

"Simple. They'll lose their tag titles."

"What?" Angel cried. That wasn't good. Not good at all. Triple H could attack her and she would just have to wear it.

"So, this is my punishment, huh?" she mused. "Well, I guess this'll make me learn my lesson. Tell me, if I beat the odds and actually win. Would I get a contract?"

"Don't be ridiculous. This is a punishment, not a damn treasure hunt."

"Fine," Angel muttered. "Well, thanks for this. At least I get one match before I die."

After that melodramatic outburst, she jumped to her feet and left the room before Vince could respond.

"Chris Jericho," he murmured as the door slammed shut. "Destroyed a perfectly good young woman. That's too damn bad. It really is."