Rating: PG
Original Date of Completion: July 2003
Disclaimer: Don't own a one of them, wish I did. This is all fiction, conjured in the confines of my demented little mind. That means this is fake, and you can't sue me.
*******************
July 3, 2002
"It came as no surprise to anyone today, when it was announced that Curtis Joseph signed a 3-year, 24-million dollar contract with the Detroit Red Wings, departing his native Toronto after four superb seasons," The radio reporter spoke excitedly, the volume barely increasing. "In the press conference announcing his departure, he wept openly about his love for the team and the community, and wished the Maple Leafs the best of luck in the upcoming season, saying 'It is my sincere hope, that if I can't win a Stanley Cup in Detroit, that the Maple Leafs bring it home.' The tears ceased by the time he reached Detroit for the press conference announcing his signing. He laughed and joked with reporters, and was full of optimism for the upcoming season. When asked his reasons for leaving the Leafs, he said only two words: 'The Cup.' Fans can look for him to wear the Winged Wheel into action for the first time on September 29th against Columbus."
Sighing, Curtis pressed the button on his steering wheel, instantly silencing the excited chatter. He drove mindlessly along the barren highway, with no particular destination in mind. He had needed to clear his mind, after the commotion that had occurred in his earlier day. His initial plan had been simply to drive back to Toronto, but somewhere along the way his destination had faded, and he drove simply now for the sake of driving.
He had done it, just as he had decided in Cuba. He had left Toronto. He had left his home. He had left his friends. He had left Alyn. He had struggled with the decision for the entire vacation, trying to avoid thinking about it by clouding his mind with alcohol. It had only been partially successful; his mind was anything but clouded when Alyn spoke his revelation. The words had shocked him, but they didn't shock him enough to keep him from having a revelation of his own. To salvage his own life, he had to get away from Alyn; the risk of falling into the same patterns that Trish had was too big of a risk to take, regardless of what his feelings may've been. So he had decided in that moment, that he had to leave Toronto, leave everything behind and start a new life. Again. He only hoped this time, it would turn out better.
* * *
"Good fucking job, asshole," The voice on the answering machine snarled. "Cujo signed with the Wings. I hope you're fucking happy, you just cost the team its best player."
Alyn sighed as the machine beeped, trying to play onto the next message, but being stopped by a quick finger. He stared silently at the black box as he plopped down onto the couch, resting his chin on the overstuffed arm. That was the ninth message he'd received that day, with 6 left to go, all of them saying nearly the same thing. He wasn't the least bit surprised by any of them, he had expected them all, from the time he had boarded the plane in Cuba. He knew, when he woke up that morning, alone, what Curtis would do when he returned home. And he knew just how well that decision would go over with their teammates. They hadn't failed to meet his expectations.
The plane ride back to Toronto had been the worst of his life; he had agonized over his decisions the entire way home. He had thought in the moment that he was making the right choice, but the aftermath of it all was making him reconsider his choices. His words, presumably, had sent Curtis packing, leaving angered teammates in his wake, with their anger pointed solely at Alyn. All of them had known of Alyn's treatment of their goaltender, and while all had warned him to stop his antics, none had stepped up to make sure he did. Now, when the effect all had dreaded had occurred, Alyn would be left to face their wrath. He could ask himself only one question on that plane ride, and only one question now; was Curtis really better off for knowing? It was a question Alyn had no answer to, a puzzle he fully expected never to be solved. Curtis had walked away that night without a word, and when he'd returned home, he had walked away for good, leaving Alyn's unasked question hanging forever in the air. Alyn had but one hope as he stared at his answering machine, knowing the remaining six messages were all from irate teammates, venting their deserved anger. He hoped the answer to his question was a resounding yes.
* * *
"Woooo! Miss Stratus, stylin' and profilin', looking fine as ever!" Ric Flair spoke sunnily, strutting spastically as he approached.
Trish turned around with a giggle, running a hand through her golden blonde hair. "What's up Ric?" She asked with a smile.
"Just heard about your boy in TO, that's too bad, he was a great goalie. But now, Chicago all the way baby, woooo!"
Trish flashed a quick smile at Ric as he continued past her, shouting after Chris Jericho. Once he was from her sights, she collapsed back against the wall and breathed a deep sigh. She understood now why Curtis had avoided her since their return from Cuba. He had left days before her, her WWE commitments keeping her island bound longer than originally planned. She had known when he'd left that Alyn had been successful in revealing his feelings, and that that was why Curtis was so stoical when he'd gone. She had asked him to talk to her, to tell her how he felt about everything, but he had shrugged her off, for the first time in their friendship. He had barely spoken to her at all when he'd prepared to leave, saying only 14 words before he'd climbed into his taxi: "I know what I have to do now, thank you for bringing me here."
What he had to do, apparently, was to leave town. For good. It was something Trish had been all but convinced would happen. She herself, when dealing with Alyn, had wanted to run away. She had told herself that the only way to salvage her life, was to escape from the patterns of her life with Alyn, and to start fresh. She had done that, and in the process garnered a life with more success, and more happiness than she had ever known before. She wondered now if her experiences had influenced Curtis' decision, or if it was a choice he'd made based solely on his own situation with Alyn. She knew, in time, she would find the answer to that question. But for now, all she could do was wait, and wonder if there was anything she could've done to change the way things turned out. She was even more glad now that her injury had healed, and she was back on the road with the WWE; being on the road provided more than enough distractions to keep her from agonizing over everything. One major distraction in particular...
"Steph..."
* * *
February 3, 2003
"And the 2003 NHL All-Star Game MVP is..."
The announcer's voice boomed through the arena speakers, being interrupted by a drum roll. Players and reporters alike clamored around the ice, all saying the same thing. Everyone knew that in this season, on this day, with this game, there was only one man fitting to take home the MVP trophy. There was only one man who shined above all others, who played like this game was the most important game of his career. There were many men who had set out to show their ability, but only one man who had done it to the level deserving of the title of Most Valuable Player...
"The Western Conference starting goaltender, Curtis Joseph!"
Curtis stared blankly at the trophy being held out toward him, for just a moment, before his teammates' excited praise shook him from his trance. He accepted the trophy with a humble smile, keeping that same smile on his face as he posed for pictures, but all the while on the inside, he grinned in satisfaction. He had told himself when he'd been voted the Western Conference's starting goaltender, that he was going to show the world everything he had. He'd done just that, putting forth nothing short of a spectacular performance. Forwards had shown dazzling moves around defenders, taking shot after shot against him, but he'd been there to stop them all. Hard shooting defensemen had unleashed cannon shots from the point, but he'd simply deflected them away. He'd earned a 20 save shutout in his one period, then hit the bench, where he sat back and watched the game's young goaltenders show their skills, with a smile on his face.
Since joining the Red Wings, he'd done a lot of things with a smile on his face. Leading into the All-Star break, he led the league in both Goals Against Average and Save Percentage. His 30 wins were only 6 away from his career high, while his losses were yet to crack double digits. He was enjoying the most successful year of his NHL career, just months after suffering from the worst pain of his life. He had wondered after leaving Toronto what his new life would be like. He was terrified to be starting over, with a team so expected to win. The pressures on him were enormous, but he had managed to block them out and concentrate solely on his game, and show the world just how great he could be. He had vowed to never let himself be hurt the way he had been in the past, and to make sure that his life now was filled with nothing but happiness. He had done just that and then some, garnering more happiness than he had felt in years, even beyond the game. He was still amazed at times how much things had changed from the moment he'd put his signature on a Detroit contract.
He had left Toronto and never looked back, proceeding with his new life as if the past didn't exist. Few thoughts were ever given to Alyn, and when they were they were just quick, fleeting moments. His friendship with Trish had survived amazingly well through everything, prospering greatly as both dealt with the changes in their lives. It was she that had helped him through everything, and kept him on the course to the happiness he now felt. He knew quite well he wouldn't have made it to the point he was currently at without her. Her, and one other notable soul...
"Steve," Curtis said, smiling as he felt a pair of arms wrap around his neck from behind. "I didn't expect to see you here..."
* * *
"Alyn, this is Pat Quinn," The Maple Leaf GM spoke into the phone. Alyn's hand tensed around the receiver. "I've traded you to the Sharks in part of a deal for Owen Nolan. I thank you for everything you've done for our organization, and I wish you the best of luck in the future. They wanted you bad in the deal, I think this will be a good move for you,"
"Thanks Pat."
With a sigh, Alyn switched off the phone, dropping it down onto the couch beside him. He ran a hand through his hair, tugging at it gently to assure himself that what occurred had been real. He was disappointed to receive the news, but it wasn't the least bit unexpected. Rumors had circulated for weeks about a possible Maple Leaf trade for Owen Nolan. And while Alyn's name had never been mentioned as the return property, he had known all along he'd be the one to go. Since returning from the offseason, Alyn had been on the outs with all of his teammates. The blame for their struggles was placed solely on him; he had, after all, cost them their goaltender. Curtis' shoes were hardly filled in the Maple Leaf net; his successor was but 18-years old. As Alyn watched the young man flounder, and watched as the Maple Leafs slid further and further down in the standings, he wondered what might've been if he had made different choices.
If he had told Curtis from the first time he'd known that he loved him, would he still have left? If he had never sought to comfort Curtis that night so long ago, would everything still be the way it was? If he had told Curtis of his issues from the very beginning, would he have been patient and helped him deal? Would they have had a real relationship? Those were but more questions for which Alyn had no answers. He sniffled slightly, wiping a stray tear from his cheek as he turned his attention back to the TV. His eyes froze on the screen as Curtis came across it, proudly holding the MVP trophy, smiling brighter than Alyn had ever seen. He couldn't stop a weak smile from crossing his lips, before he hung his head in his hands. He had watched all season long as Curtis had garnered so much success, and he'd done so with a smile on his face. Though his own life was in misery, he took solace in knowing that the two he'd hurt most, Curtis and Trish, were both enjoying happiness in their lives. He had spoken to neither of them since that fateful Cuba trip. Trish had called constantly, or sent letters, or emails for the first few months, unable to visit in person due to her WWE commitments. He had never returned her calls, or her letters, and he'd changed his email address with the sole purpose of avoiding her. He had told himself when he'd left Cuba, that he had to set her free, and allow her to live the life she deserved. The life he should've let her had years ago; the life Curtis took for himself when he'd decided to leave Toronto.
He'd watched both on television, or read about them in the papers, or in magazines. Both were enjoying more success than they ever had, despite everything that he had done to them. They had both moved on with their lives, and were both genuinely happy, as far as he could tell. But he himself was in a perpetual state of misery, much as he'd been for most of his life. As happy as he was that Trish and Curtis were enjoying such bliss, he couldn't help his jealousy, and couldn't help but question if he'd made different choices, if he might be enjoying the same happiness that they were. He knew full well he would never know that answer. And as his phone rang, for the moment at least, he stopped caring.
"Alyn? This is Scott Hannan. Welcome to the Sharks,"
* * *
"Isn't it just a little strange to you Alyn gets traded on the day Curtis is named the All-Star MVP? You think that finally made Pat Quinn snap? I can just imagine him going psycho, throwing his donuts all around the room, jabbing a cigar in someone's eye. Come on Trishy, just picture that," Stephanie McMahon rambled on, waggling her eyebrows.
Trish stared at Stephanie with a look of silent amusement, shaking her head before turning her attention back to the television. She could hardly believe what she saw on the screen; it was strange to an all new level. Curtis skated around onscreen, clutching the MVP Trophy protectively, like you'd see a child do with a teddy bear; the announcement proclaiming Alyn's trade to the Sharks scrolled slowly across the bottom of the screen all the while. Trish had sat devotedly in front of the television for Curtis' one period, squealing and jumping around excitedly each time he made a big save. The rest of the game had went by in a blur, until just moments after the announcement of MVP, when the news of Alyn's trade first scrolled across the screen. Her first reaction was to blink, shocked to see such news on that day of all days. But that reaction had lasted for only a moment, being replaced quickly by much less appropriate laughter. Stephanie had thought her insane, until Trish explained her reaction. A high moment for Curtis coincided with a low moment for Alyn; it all seemed fitting to her, somehow.
Trish had stood back and watched both of them since their return from Cuba, unsurprised to see them head in completely opposite directions. She spoke to Curtis nearly every night, the conversation starting most often with praise for another spectacular game. He remained ever modest, but she knew deep down he was thrilled to be doing so well. She herself was thrilled for him, because for the first time in a long time, she could tell he was truly happy. She had worried about him when the season began, about how he would fair in a new city, on a new team, with a new system...with a new life. The worries had lasted only as long as training camp; by the time camp was over, Curtis was already bubbling over with happiness, and relaying the greatness of his new surroundings. It had made Trish happier than she could've ever imagined to see him that way, after she'd seen him so miserable for so long.
She only wished she could say the same thing about Alyn. Not a single word had been shared between the two since that last morning on the Cuban beach. For months after that day, Trish had tried unsuccessfully to reach Alyn. Her phone calls were never returned, nor her letters, and eventually her emails were returned, citing failed delivery and an invalid address. It soon became apparent that he was pushing her away. She fought hard, as she always did, to not let it happen, but her efforts proved in vain. Being on the road with the WWE provided little opportunity to reach him, and with him being on the road with the Maple Leafs, what little opportunity was there all but vanished. She'd kept tabs on him through mutual friends, and kept track of what little she could with his career. The Maple Leafs were suffering from their worst season in year's, and according to friends, Alyn was more miserable than he'd been since she'd broken up with him. She knew things well enough to know he was shouldering the blame for the team's struggles; since to all those who knew the situation, Alyn had been the one to drive Curtis away. Trish knew Alyn well enough to know he was struggling with that reality, and it drove her slowly insane to not be able to help him, to know he didn't want her help. She had vowed to fight for him, but he never gave her the chance. So eventually, for the time being, she stopped trying, and instead decided to once again fight for herself...
Trish smiled as Stephanie's arm slipped across her shoulders, squeezing her gently. She leaned into touch, resting her head on the brunette's shoulder before speaking. "Strange is a funny word..."
* * *
June 3, 2003
"In 15 short seconds, Curtis Joseph will do what everyone always said he never would!" The announcer shouted excitedly. "And there it is! The Detroit Red Wings are your 2003 Stanley Cup Champions!"
Confetti burst from the ceiling of Joe Louis Arena, filling the air as quickly as the deafening cheers resonating from the crowd. Players and management alike rushed excitedly onto the ice, exchanging hugs and shouts of victory with anyone near. A flurry of white jerseys swarmed towards the net, to where a man in a red mask with "Cujo" scrolled down the side stood, pumping his arms victoriously in the air. Tears flowed liberally from his eyes, just as they had been from the instant the third period dwindled from minutes into seconds. His team had scored 2 goals in the opening period, and from then on it had become a defensive battle. Curtis had been looked to to slam the door on the opposition, and he had done just that, making 31 exceptional saves and leading his team to what he once thought was an unconquerable dream. After years of fighting, countless battles, and multitudes of naysayers telling him he would never do it, Curtis could finally call himself a Stanley Cup Champion.
In just under a year, Curtis had went from absolute misery, to absolute euphoria. While being the hardest decision he had ever made, leaving Toronto had been at the same time the best. He had played the best hockey of his life, winding up the regular season with 49 wins, a Goals Against Average of only 2.09, and a Save Percentage of 94%, all career bests. When the playoffs had come, he and his Red Wings had blazed past Los Angeles, Colorado, and Chicago to earn the Conference Crown, before going on to beat the long standing rival Montreal Canadiens in 5 games to claim the Stanley Cup. Curtis’ playoff stats were nothing short of remarkable; a Goals Against Average of 1.91 and a Save Percentage of 95% had earned him praise from all of his usual critics, and most likely the Conn Smythe Trophy for Playoff MVP. He had put forth the effort of a lifetime in this season of his hockey career, and it had paid dividends in the end. Curtis had finally won the big one, finding happiness he had never thought possible in the process. And all it had taken for him to find it was leaving a home, ignoring a love, and starting a new life. With everything that had happened that season, and especially on that day, he had to ask himself why he hadn't done it sooner.
He had never been at a higher point in life, both professionally and personally. His career had soared to levels he'd never dreamed of. And his personal life was better now than he could ever imagine it being. The pain he'd felt with Alyn was a distant memory now, he had left it all in the past. There were times where the past threatened to haunt the future, but each time it was chased away with a smile. Curtis allowed himself little time to dwell on things of the past; his life's theory was not to worry about the past, as odds are that's where it would stay. That theory had been proven for him this year. He had moved forward, found success and happiness, and found no desire to look back to when things were bad. Things now were too great to taint them with memories of the past. For the first time in his life, Curtis was truly happy. After 36 years, he had finally found the perfect balance to achieve complete and total happiness: success, friendship, contentment, love...
"You did it, baby!" Steve Yzerman shouted excitedly, yanking Curtis into a hug.
Curtis wrapped his arms tightly around Steve, clinging to him for a moment before pulling away. He flashed him a bright smile, Steve reciprocating with one of his own, then leaning forward and pressing his forehead against Curtis' mask.
"I'm so proud of you, Curtis. You were so great. You did everything you set out to do, and then some. I love you, baby. So much,"
Curtis smiled, pulling Steve back into a hug. He laid his head against the other man's neck, squeezing him slightly, then sighed in contentment. "I love you, too. More than you'll ever know. Thank you."
"Thank you? For what?"
"Completing the puzzle."
* * *
"First we must present the Conn Smythe Trophy, for Playoff MVP," The NHL Commishioner spoke boringly, gesturing to the trophy sitting before him on the small table. "And this year's recipient is none other than Luc Robitaille!"
"Boo! Cujo was robbed! I demand a recount!"
Alyn laughed, shaking his head at the man sitting next to him. Scott Hannan flashed him a toothy grin, before turning his attention back to the television. Alyn smiled, moving closer to Scott on the sofa, then turning his own attention back to the screen. He slipped away from the world as he watched the happenings unfold; Luc Robitaille excitedly accepting the Conn Smythe Trophy, then the Stanley Cup being presented. He watched intently as Steve Yzerman accepted the Cup, waiting to see whom he would hand it to first, hoping that it would be one person in particular. All throughout the playoffs, Alyn had watched from the sidelines, he and his San Jose Sharks missing the playoffs by a single point. And all while he'd watched, he had cheered for one man. He had cheered for that one man the entire season, even as his own season had been less than remarkable. The success that one man had felt had filled him with an unexplainable joy, even amongst his own misery. It was mild solace for Alyn to see that one man have so much success, and gain so much happiness, after everything that he personally had put him through. Through mutual friends, Alyn had heard of the greatness of that one man's new life, and smiled all the while; the man deserved it. And that one man deserved to get the Stanley Cup before anyone else, at least in Alyn's mind. So when Steve Yzerman, after skating his lap with the Cup, yelled the word "Cujo!" and handed the Cup to Curtis, Alyn had to stop himself from shouting in happiness.
Instead, he just watched the screen in silence, smiling almost giddily. Tears streamed from Curtis' magnificent blue eyes as he skated the Cup around, pumping it victoriously in the air. For the first time in his life, Alyn was glad to see the tears slipping down Curtis' cheeks; he could see plainly that they were from happiness. Even six months ago, that was a feeling Alyn couldn't have related to. Every day came the same hurt, the same sadness, the same fear; he was stuck in a perpetual state of misery he thought he'd never escape. But escape came, in the form of a trade to the San Jose Sharks. There, after only weeks, happiness presented itself to him. He was terrified to see it, unsure of what to do with it, too scared to even make a move to grab it. Every time he thought about making a move for it, he would be reminded of his past sins, and he'd recoil away back into his misery. His mind refused to believe he deserved happiness; after everything that he'd done in the past, to people he loved, he deserved to spend the rest of his life wallowing in his own grief. He was more than prepared to do just that, but happiness refused to let him. It latched onto him, in the form of a simple phone call, and an even simpler kiss. From that moment on, it had burrowed deep into him and set up home; it showed no signs now of ever leaving.
The phone call had been from Trish. He hadn't answered it, still standing by his decision to set her free. But for the first time in months, she'd left a message. He was never entirely sure what it all had meant, and he knew he would never try to find out. The words were a mystery, wrapped inside an enigma, inside another mystery. But the words were enough to make him realize that he deserved so much more than he was allowing himself. "Thank you, Alyn. You may never realize it, but you made my life so much better than it ever would've been without you. I'm in love, and I'm happy. And I'm not the only one, as I think you'll see at your game on Sunday. You ruined no one's lives, Alyn. If anything, you made them all better. We're both happy. And hey, we're not the only one's who deserve it, you know." He was unsure to this day what exactly Trish had meant with that message; he still didn't know how she was happy, or how possibly he could've made her life better. But that Sunday game had been against the Red Wings, and against Curtis. And while he still wasn't entirely sure, he had seen more than friendly contact between Curtis and Steve Yzerman. That had brought a smile to his face. Trish was happy, Curtis was happy, despite everything that he'd done to them. As he watched Curtis ready himself during a television time out, facing down imaginary breakaways as he'd always done, Trish's words returned to his ears. And some in particular stuck with him: "And hey, we're not the only one's who deserve it, you know."
It didn't take much struggling for him to realize she was right. A week after Trish's message, the simple kiss came, after a Sharks game against the Los Angeles Kings. It lacked pomp and circumstance, or any shred of romance, but it had launched Alyn head first into a state of happiness unlike anything he had ever known. From the moment he'd stepped into a Sharks lockerroom, Scott Hannan had been beside him. It hadn't taken long for him to notice the attraction, but he'd denied himself on the basis of his past. But after Trish's message, the memories of the past were silenced. So after the Kings had went down to defeat, Alyn had kissed Scott, in what he claimed was celebration. Scott hadn't believed him, but he hadn't objected at all; he'd simply pulled Alyn back to him, and the two shared their first of many passionate kisses.
From that day forward, Alyn had lived with a smile on his face, directed at everything in the world around him. He was happy, in love; he'd felt no hesitation in speaking the words to Scott, his past issues fading to where they belonged. Things were far from perfect in their relationship, but both were patient, and more than happy to work on anything that wasn't. There were still times when Alyn wondered if that was how things could've been with Curtis, had his decisions been different. But just as quickly as those thoughts entered his mind, they were chased away, in one way or another. He was happy, Curtis was happy. And as he watched Curtis hand away the Stanley Cup, placing one last kiss to the silver, Alyn leaned over and placed a gentle kiss to Scott's cheek. Things were great the way the way they were, for everyone. He couldn't imagine any way that they could possibly be better...
"Coming up on the 11 o'clock news," The TV reporter interrupted his thoughts. "Local girl Trish Stratus has snagged herself the role of the Invisible Woman in the upcoming movie based on the Fantastic Four comic book. We'll have an exclusive interview,"
Alyn burst into laughter, shaking his head with a grin. "Okay. There's one way."
* * *
"So, sexy movie star," Stephanie McMahon grinned as she stood in front of Trish. "Your best friend just won the Stanley Cup, you just won yourself a role in a HUGE movie. Inquiring minds want to know, what's next for the Toronto Two?"
Trish giggled, shaking her head and smiling. She had asked herself that very same question all through the night, but even more so in the recent moments since Curtis had skated the Cup. She had cried more than he had; the look of happiness on his face had been overwhelming when compared to the way he'd looked even a year ago. She'd cried for him at several points as the year had went by, each time out of happiness. She had watched a miraculous change take place in him. He had been at his absolute worst when the year began, but as time went on he became happier, brighter, and on this very day he'd reached his absolute best. It was a satisfying metamorphasis for Trish to see, especially as she going through changes of her own. Or rather, as she admitted changes that had occurred much earlier. Curtis had stuck by her the entire time, not as if she'd expected any different. The two of them drifted into happiness together, side by side, just as they'd done with unhappiness so long ago. But that time was a distant memory at best, both were too happy now to ever want to remember a time when things weren't exactly as they were now.
But the memories never completely faded, at least not for Trish. That was why months prior, she had made one last phone call to Alyn. She and Curtis had talked, and both realized how better off they were for having gone through everything with Alyn that they had. In recognizing that, and in knowing Alyn, she knew he would never believe that unless he'd heard it directly from her. But she knew even as she dialed that he wouldn't answer, which was why she'd rehearsed a message to give to his answering machine. She had meant every word she'd spoken, and hoped sincerely when she'd hung up the phone that he'd believed her. Through mutual friends less than a month later, she'd found out that her words had had some affect, as Alyn was involved now with a teammate, but this time in a relationship built on happiness. She had smiled when she'd heard, that was something she herself knew all too well. It had taken years, and even through the times when she'd thought it was never happen again, she'd pressed on, hoping one day it would. One day had been, officially, on the night of Wrestlemania 19. That night, after Trish's Womens title victory, Stephanie had kissed her, officially sanctioning a relationship both had known existed for months prior. But that night had been the first kiss, the first of many things, in fact. For Trish, however, one first stuck out above the rest; the first time they'd said 'I love you.'
From that moment, Trish had been head over heels in happiness. Stephanie made her happier than anyone else could ever dream of, even happier than Trish could make herself. It had been Stephanie's idea for Trish to begin an acting career, specifically for her to try for the part in the Fantastic Four. When she'd won the role, Stephanie had been the first there to congratulate her. The love she felt with Stephanie was unlike any other she had ever known; it was as perfect as a love between two women could be in the professional wrestling business. Trish lived her life now with a constant smile on her face. Never did she have to worry about finding Alyn on her doorstep in the morning, remorseful for another night of bad deeds. Never did Curtis call her crying anymore, their conversations were filled with jokes and insults, excited relays of happy events with a non-stop soundtrack of giggles playing in the background. Their friendship was stronger now than ever before; both were happier now than either ever imagined possible. And both of them knew, in some strange way, they both owed that to Alyn. Because without him, neither of them would be on the path that they currently were; neither of them would feel even a fraction of the happiness they felt each day.
For the first time in her life, Trish could truthfully say "Life is Great." Those around her were happy, those that she loved felt love themselves. She herself was happy, and felt a love greater than she'd ever known before. She had a great career, and great friends, and got to do something she loved day in and day out. She had success, friendship, happiness, love, everything she'd ever desired. With that in her mind as she watched the Stanley Cup celebration wind down, with replays of Curtis with the Cup, she knew there was only one answer to Stephanie's question. Reaching next to her on the sofa, she grabbed the remote and pointed at the TV.
"Life is great," She said happily, smiling up at Stephanie. "Only one way it can get better," She smirked as she pressed the off button on the remote.
And with a chorus of giggles and a happy squeal, the screen went black.
THE END
© 2003 Triple X
