CJ watched from his own secluded little area in the Titan Tower parking lot as the car made its way into an empty space. Paul Heyman had come for his first meeting with the front office. This was actually going to happen. A talent merge. Wonder if I'll the first to save Philly, he mused as his mind reflected back to Lance, who he hadn't spoken to in two weeks.
He'd also not spoken to Stephanie in the past few days. This was his own choice, his own little way of protesting her emphatic desire to go to Philly, to go to that dirty little arena and make her presence felt in front of all those animals. She couldn't possibly understand how bad...how evil...that place could get. But CJ could. He'd been there and felt that rush that one gets from hanging around the basest, dirtiest people on earth. It was fun, actually. For a little while, at least.
And she'd be in there, with Shane and good ol' JR, happy to work with Heyman, happy to do anything that would boost ticket sales. Chris bit his lip when he thought of how Shane was supporting his sister in her decision. For God's sake, it was almost as if he'd be turning her out. But Shane couldn't have known. No one could have, except for Chris, sitting there in that car, watching his old employer walk into the building.
So he went along with it. There wasn't anything else he could do, after all.
Chris turned the engine and pulled out of the parking lot. For now, all he could do was go home and wait for the inevitable.
Meanwhile, Shane McMahon sat across from Heyman, staring him down from behind the mahogany desk. Jim Ross was stationed in the cushioned leather seat to the left of the promoter. Stephanie hadn't arrived yet, much to Shane's dismay. He wanted her to be there, to see him in action. This would be the first time they'd done this kind of thing without Vince's guiding hand. So far though, it was JR doing most of the talking. Quick, easy conversation between the seasoned bookers. Ideas passing back and forth. Shane watched silently with a nod here and there and a gleam in his businessman's eye. So far, so good.
Paul's eyes were almost always on the door. He knew the girl would show up...they'd said she'd be here, after all. Now was the chance to get a look, to see her in person and make the judgement. From what he'd seen before, she wasn't bad. A little schoolgirlish, but hey, some guys like that kind of thing. Either way, a McMahon in Philadelphia was guaranteed money. He'd glanced back at JR to feign attention when the door opened.
"Sorry I'm running so late," she breezed. "Traffic was so killer today, Shane, I..." Stephanie paused when she noticed that the meeting was well underway and she'd just interrupted rapid-fire talk between JR and Heyman. "Oh, God, I'm sorry, you guys..."
"It's no big deal," Shane finally found his opportunity to speak, having dismissed his sister's tardiness with the grandest of pardons. "Meet Mr. Heyman."
"Pleased," she said breathlessly with a smile, shaking the outstretched hand. Paul was getting his look now. Not bad...at all. Pretty blue eyes. Sweet smile.
"They've told me you're really interested in being a big part of this," he said as Stephanie sat beside him. He tried his best to keep his eyes off her legs.
"Of course," she returned, pulling at the hem of her skirt when all of a sudden feeling self-conscious. "I knew once Shane told me about this that Chris would be a part of it, and from then on, I wanted to help out."
"He's a good man," JR said, finding his way back into the conversation. "He'll be glad to go back and work for a while."
Heyman hardly noticed Ross was talking. He was concentrating on Stephanie. "You do know that once you're there, it'll be nothing like...what it is here at home, right?"
She shrugged slightly. "I've heard the stories. I didn't really picture it as a walk in the park, but...I'm all right with it. So long as he's there with me."
"Good," he answered. "You'll go along fine over there."
So long as he's there with me, she thought as Ross finally captured Heyman's attention again. God, Chris...I don't know what you're so afraid of, but please, don't shut me out like this... She hadn't spoken to him since New Year's Day about this "wonderful idea," as she called it. He was obviously upset with her decision. Stephanie could piece together a few reasons why this was so, but damn it, I'm not delicate! She folded her hands in her lap and looked at her brother Shane, still with a pleased glint in his eye, happy over his business success. Stephanie wouldn't let him down. She wasn't a little girl, anyway. She wasn't fragile. Not like he thinks I am, at least...
And so it was set now on a calendar date. Four from the WWF would make an appearance at ECW's Guilty as Charged show on January 9th. A night later on Raw, the ECW invasion would take place and the talent trade would continue until the next ECW pay-per-view in March, where the storyline would come to a head. In the meantime, buyrates would go up. Ratings would be through the roof. Paul Heyman could keep his program alive for the cowboys at TNN.
As for the four, CJ knew from backstage talk that Monday night that he would definitely be one of them. He lay there on a bench in the dressing area before Raw, somewhat listening to the buzz from the boys. Chris closed his eyes for a little while, trying to block himself from what they were saying. Adam wouldn't let him forget.
"God, this is gonna be so sweet," he said, kneeling next to the bench to talk to his friend. "Get excited, man, you're gonna be the Savior of Pennsylvania!"
"Hooray," he murmured, less than enthusiastically.
"Dude, I'm never gonna understand you. Ever. You know that?" Adam stood. "Do you know that I would job for six months just to have this opportunity that you're getting? You're gonna revitalize that place. I'd die if they even thought about letting me be the first one to go in."
"You can take my place," Chris said, quite honestly, looking at his friend now.
"Oh yeah, right...sorry, but I don't think my name carries that same star power as yours yet."
"Try jumping ship and becoming a free agent, there's no better ride than that."
"Huh," Adam scoffed. "If I went to WCW, that jobbing for six months thing would be a reality. And I wouldn't even get to build myself back up afterwards."
CJ rolled over onto his stomach and stared down at the floor. "Sometimes I think I should have stayed."
"You're just saying that because she's going with you, huh?" Adam knelt down again, this time staring him in the eye.
"Can't get anything past you, can I?"
"What is it, though? You afraid someone's gonna powerbomb Steph through 6 flaming tables?" Adam laughed at his own joke and started up a slight "she's hardcore" chant.
"It's not funny. And it's not even that...you know...that what we do on TV or whatever."
Adam sensed a breakthrough, and stopped his chant. "What do you mean?"
Chris didn't look at Adam now, instead concentrating on the dressing room floor. "I mean like...what goes on...afterward. You wouldn't know, though, would you?"
"Oh don't bullshit," he smirked. "I'm not naive, I know what goes on after the shows. Don't forget all that time I spent down south."
"Yeah, but it's different there," he said. "Those people...they realize their popularity. They know they're all a bunch of big fish in a little pond, and it's..." Chris shook his head. "I don't know, it's different."
"Different how?" Adam was genuinely intrigued.
Chris looked up at him again. "I don't know how to explain. I just don't want her to see that side of people. They can be really evil."
"You're too late to stop her, if you were planning to," Adam said with finality. "She's going with you. So are the Outlaws."
Now it was CJ's turn to scoff. "The Outlaws?" He chuckled. "Oh Christ...that almost makes it worth going back..."
"Almost makes me want to order the pay-per-view," laughed Adam. "It's gonna be one hell of an interesting few months, I know that much..." He stood up again. "You think everyone's gonna get along when they're with us?"
Chris didn't answer at first, but then spoke. "Not at all," he said. "That's what's going to make it so interesting though, isn't it?"
On the other hand, Chris was about ready to apologize. He'd done a lot of thinking that evening, and he came to the realization that he couldn't stay mad at Stephanie for making her decision. After all, he loved her. And if she was going to go to the ECW Arena with him, she would have to trust him more than anything else. From here on out, he thought, she's really going to need taking care of.
She saw him leaving the dressing area after having his conversation with Adam. Consequently, he saw her as well. "Steph," he said, but was quickly silenced by her voice.
"Chris, I'm so tired of this," she said, walking faster towards him, almost shouting now. "Why haven't you talked to me or called me? This is way too childish, and it's got to..."
"Wait...wait, cool down," he appealed as she halted right in front of him. He'd expected her to be a tiny bit upset, at the least. "Steph, I just needed time to think..."
"Think? Think about what, the decision that I made? Need I remind you that I am not a child, Chris?"
"I wanted to say I'm sorry, babe..." He let his words sink in. Stephanie stood there, poised to say something else but halted all of a sudden by what he'd just said.
"I'm sorry and I want you to forgive me, Steph. I've just been worried and overreacting lately...I guess it's for no reason." He watched her frown fade away as he continued. "I love you and I get worried, you know?" That was the clincher. Whatever anger she had inside had just melted, and now her tone was much softer.
"I...forgive," she said, suddenly ashamed of her outburst. "But why, Chris? What are you so afraid of, and why haven't you told me what it is?"
"I don't know how to say it," he sighed. "Just...come here..." He reached out for her then, and she returned his embrace willingly. Chris rested his head against Stephanie's, enjoying her scent, that familiar warmth and softness of her hair. "I didn't want to be so against this, baby...I swear, but I just have this feeling, you know?"
"It'll all be okay once I'm there with you," she answered reassuringly. "You'll learn I'm not the little naive thing everyone thinks I am."
"I think I found that out just now when you looked like you wanted to break my neck," he chided. "I was afraid it was either that or you giving me back that ring."
Stephanie shook her head. "Never! This little jewel is staying right where it is."
"Promise?" CJ took her hand and fondled at the ring.
"I promise." She tilted up her head to kiss him. "And I can't wait to go where we're going. I can't wait to see your old stomping grounds, meet your old friends...it'll be such a good time, Chris." Stephanie beamed. "I almost wish it could last longer than a month or two. Lance will be thrilled once he finds out we'll be at the pay-per-view. It's gonna be so cool to get to know him and his family..."
Chris blinked at the word 'family'. "Slow down," he said. "I'd thought I'd told you what happened with Lance..."
She shook her head. "No, you didn't. Is he okay?"
"Not really," Chris said, mentally berating himself for not calling his friend to check up on him lately. "He's going through a pretty rough time of it right now. You'll have to remember this when you see him. I should have called him since I last talked to him, but I've been so damned busy..."
"What is it? Is he hurt?"
A nod. "Pretty much. Badly, too," CJ replied. "He's breaking up with his wife."
Stephanie gasped her surprise. "No...oh, Chris, that's awful...why, though? He seems like such a nice guy...but I don't understand. I mean...why is he still working when he should be at home?"
"No other choice, now. He's really got nothing left at home. I guess it's sort of ironic, since it's what busted them up to start with..." Chris' voice trailed off then as he realized how close he could have come to being in Lance's position.
Stephanie interrupted his thoughts. "We'll have to do something nice for him when we get there," she said, taking his arm and leading him down the empty halls of the arena.
"Sure we will," CJ answered offhandedly, checking his watch. "I'll think of something good once we get there."
"There" wasn't so very far away after all. The following Sunday came around with little ado and thus came the much-anticipated trip to Hershey, PA for the pay-per-view. CJ was rather pleased that the show wouldn't take place at the bingo hall. Stephanie's first jaunt into this world shouldn't be that unpleasant.
And it really wasn't, to start with. Once they arrived at the arena (separately from the Outlaws, at Chris' request), things were fairly quiet. They'd gotten there early, just as he liked it. For a little while, Chris thought they were the only ones there. Good, he thought. Better than coming into a full room with everyone gawking at us and wondering why the hell she's here.
"How much time do we have?" Stephanie checked her watch and pulled her coat a little closer around her. "We're a bit early...is that okay?"
"It's all right...I prefer it this way." Chris glanced about, checking to see if anyone other than the ring crew had stepped in behind them.
"You'd know better than I would," she answered, again clutching at her coat. "God, it's so cold in here. It's always like this?"
Chris looked about. The lighting was low and the heating was barely existent. This place was always a shithole, he thought. Heyman knows how to pick them. "Yeah," he said softly. "It's always like this." He looked over at her for what seemed like the first time all day. She'd come in looking the part of the innocent as usual, but of course that wouldn't last. It would all change later.
He felt a slight ache somewhere inside as the thought of change really hit him. Chris put his arms around her then, pulling her close and staring down at her. Stephanie grinned. "What, trying to warm me up?"
"Just felt like I needed to," he said, a little sadly. "For some reason or other, I guess."
"You okay?" Stephanie eyed him a little suspiciously. "You've been acting all gloomy all day."
"I just...heh...I don't know." Chris shook it off with a shrug. "I love you."
"Then keep it up," she smiled. "I'll tell you when to quit."
"You both can quit the Romeo and Juliet now," said Lance, standing there at the rear entrance that they'd just come through. Stephanie turned and saw him for the first time, Lance Evers there by the door, watching them.
"Someone wants to cut in," Chris joked, glancing down at her, then back over to Lance. "You're early too?"
"Just like I like it," Lance said, walking over to hug his beloved friend. "Didn't expect you to beat me here though. We've got company?"
Stephanie tried to hide the blush she felt coming on. "Nice to meet you," she said a little coyly, extending her hand. Lance took it and kissed it.
"You should know already the pleasure's all mine." He held on to her hand, holding it warmly. A true gentleman all the way.
"Class," Stephanie said, nodding approvingly. "You'd think some of it would have found it's way to him." She nudged CJ, who rolled his eyes.
"I was joking when I said you wanted to cut in, suck-up."
"You should remember who you joke with," he returned, kissing Stephanie's hand again and then patting Chris on the back. "None the less, I'm glad you two are here. What about the other guys?"
"I'll be surprised if they make it past the front door," CJ said, trying to hide his laughter. "Crowd's gonna love them, aren't they? Wonder if they'll try one of the magic catchphrases?"
"And be met with a chorus of grand 'fuck you's?" Lance chuckled. "Excuse my language, Stephanie."
"You're forgiven," she said as the three of them walked around to where the ring setup was taking place. Lance motioned towards the ring crew. "Say hello to the hardest working boys in this building. Half of them tonight are problably in some school outside of town and wanting to brush up against so-called greatness tonight." They walked on past the setup crew while Chris and Lance joked about old experiences with setting up rings in dinky high-school gyms. A flash of very noticeable red hair underneath a well-favored baseball cap caught Stephanie's attention as the boys continued chatting. She looked back as they walked on, only to see that the red-haired crewman was staring right back at her. That's a hell of a hairstyle to get noticed by, she thought as she moved on, catching another look back. Coulda sworn I saw him somewhere before.
"Hear what I said?" Chris nudged her as they walked back to the locker room entrance. Stephanie turned to him, broken out of her reverie.
"Hmm?"
"Duh?" CJ nudged her again as he chided her. "I said I'm going to the little boy's room for a sec. Keep Lance out of trouble for me?"
"Don't fall in," she warned as he left them standing by the doors. Lance chuckled softly.
"That guy's a true character, huh?"
"He's the best," she grinned, leaning against the doors, trying not to brush against the chipping paint. "Christ, this place is really falling apart."
"It's been here forever," Lance said, leaning with her. "I remember being cheated out of work here more than once though, so it's always nice to come back and get paid."
"Mmm," she nodded. "I've only passed through this town, really. Dad always held shows here when I was really little, but with all these new places in Penn state popping up, it seems like this place is really getting overlooked."
"Sure, by everyone except for Heyman."
Stephanie wasn't facing him anymore, but still halfway listening. Finally, she spoke again. "Do you know him?"
"Paul?" Lance shrugged. "I don't really know him in a sense, I guess. I think he's a good guy once you do get to know him and how his mind works. I think he's a really misunderstood character."
"No," she said, softly giggling at her misleading words. "I meant him. That guy over there. Red hair, ponytail and cap."
Lance looked over. "Oh, him?" He squinted his eyes a little. "I didn't really notice the ring boys tonight...I may have seen him before. Why? He giving you the once-over?"
"Not really...I just..." Stephanie shrugged and laughed at herself. "I guess I'm just nervous tonight."
"Understandable," he said. "This is all new to you, isn't it?"
"I don't know what to expect," she admitted, a little nervously. "I've heard so many things."
"No one knows what to expect, even the guys that have been here from day one." Lance leaned in a little. "Cold in here...but I know how you feel. Just go out there looking pretty and you'll do fine."
"Pretty," she said, smiling slightly. "I don't know about that...I mean, I don't have the fashion sense that some of the girls here have."
"Ah," he smirked, "they don't either. Paul just brings in people for that. Believe me, I've seen some of these girls in the rough, and...heh..."
Stephanie wanted to ask him how he knew, but CJ was coming back around the corner. "Watch out, I think he backed it up," Lance yelled out, only to recieve a middle-finger salute. "Come on," he said to her then. "You don't want to hang out around the locker room, empty or not. Not the best place for girls."
"None of this place is," Chris answered back, stopping to peel paint off of the arena wall. Stephanie followed the two of them, watching them chat and banter back and forth. Lance was truly alive when he was talking to his buddy. For a while there, she'd almost forgotten how much emotional distress he'd been through.