The talent would arrive not 30 minutes after the three had taken the grand tour of that shoddy little Hershey arena. After the costuming crew had arrived, CJ figured he could leave Stephanie with them until further notice...as far as he knew, they weren't so dangerous.
"Why can't I hang around with you guys, though? I mean, I don't even know these people," Stephanie protested after Chris told her where he wanted her to stay.
"I know, and that's the way I want it. I told you, Steph, some of these people here are ones you really don't want to get to know." Chris looked around to see if anyone had heard this observation.
"Whatever," she said, rolling her eyes. "I just think you're trying to ditch me so you and Lance can run off and steal the show without me."
"Damn," CJ answered with a reassuring grin, "you figured us out." With that, he gave her a playful pat on the bottom. "Now go on and they'll get you all dolled up. You'll be all right."
And so he left her there in the women's dressing area. Stephanie watched him for a moment as he ran off to catch up with Lance, then looked around for a chair that wasn't covered with gaudy-looking dresses or boxes of cosmetics. "Real nice," she murmured, finally perching herself on the corner of a table, watching two makeup artists unload their equipment.
"Oh my God," a voice gasped from behind her. Figuring it was another member of the costuming crew, Stephanie didn't pay the person any mind. That is, until she felt herself being grabbed from behind. What the...
Stephanie didn't even have time to cry out before she was whirled around and being tightly hugged. "God, girl, it is you! Oh my God they said you'd be here but I didn't even believe it until now! Oh Christ, Stephie!"
Finally Stephanie could pull away enough to put a face with the familiar voice. And a pretty, albeit tired face it was...it was Tammy.
"Tam..." she whispered, trying to collect her mental faculties.
"It has been so long, Steph. But look at you...look at you...God, you've grown up, haven't you?" Tammy, with her hands on Stephanie's shoulders, gave her a good once over. "How long has it been, girl? What, last time I saw you, you were a little co-ed in Boston!"
"Too long," she managed to say, with a genuine smile. It had been too long indeed. But I thought she'd have been pissed at me, for some reason...
"Let me hug you again...come here now, that's better...oh man I feel so old all of a sudden," laughed Tammy, giving Stephanie another squeeze. "But let me ask you, how the hell did they persuade you to come here?"
"I...well, I kinda wanted to," Stephanie answered shyly, unaware what to make of Tammy now that it had been two years passing and numerous rumors.
"Following Chris around...I guess I can understand that. I still follow mine around like that," she said, smiling brightly. Stephanie had forgotten how beautiful Tammy was, even though she'd heard all of the bullshit stories from the boys in the back.
"It's good to see you again, Tam," she said, a little more aware this time. "I really mean that."
"I know you do, and I'm actually glad you're in this dump, even though it's temporary. Believe me, we need something pure around here. Maybe we can catch up on things, huh?"
Before Steph could answer, a call came from outside. "Oh Christ, I still have his keys," mumbled Tammy. "Hang tight for a minute, let me give these to him." As she raced back outside she almost ran into one of the crew on her way in.
"Jesus, is it always this crowded?" The woman bristled and looked over at Stephanie. "People everywhere tonight."
"It's my first time too," Stephanie answered, a little glad that the woman hadn't recognized her. She watched as the cosmetics crew flung even more dresses and tacky sequined gowns across chairs and tables. Ugh...please God don't put me in one of those, Steph thought as one of the women lifted a scarlet-red looking thing out of the mix of cloth. The dress had to be about the size of a square of toilet paper (and it looked to be made of the same material), and it was almost the color of...yep...blood. It had to be one of the trashiest dresses she'd ever seen.
"Do you like this one, honey?" The one that raised the dress noticed Stephanie looking and held it up higher.
"You'd look great in that," called Tammy, again reappearing in the doorway. "Do you like red?"
Stephanie opened her mouth to speak. Sure, but not with my ass hanging out of it... "I...is there anything else in there?"
"We got this yellow number right here," said the woman, lifting up a sequined gown straight from 1985. Covering her mouth with her hand, Stephanie found she could only shake her head at the idea of wearing that in front of a pay-per-view audience. Tammy came over to inspect the red dress again.
"This one isn't bad at all," she smiled, holding it against her reacquainted friend and looking her over once again. "It'll make them take notice of you, God knows that..."
"I don't...really know, Tam, this one is kind of...short." Stephanie pictured herself walking out there trying to cover both T and A at the same time with only two hands.
"Well of course it is! That's what makes it so cool. Come on, it'll be a blast. When you're out there in front of everyone you'll forget about being shy."
She had to concede defeat, then. After all, this was Tammy's world and she knew best. Hell, maybe she's right, Stephanie mused as she took the little dress. Got to bust through this little shell sometime soon anyway, why not start tonight?
"You've got to meet some of the other girls," Tammy said, turning away from Stephanie momentarily to pull a very loud, very pink, and very tight top out of her bag. "We all knew you guys would be coming and so I told them all about you."
Stephanie looked at the mirror as she held the dress against herself. "Good things, I hope?"
"Nothing but, babe. I told them that even though I could go on all day about your father, I cannot find one bad thing to say about you." Tammy looked at her again. "And that's the truth, Stephie. I can't say I'm thrilled to be going back, even for a little while, but I really do think you're great." With that, she snapped her bag shut. "Now let's go get changed instead of shooting the bull here and creating gossip for this crew, huh?"
"So how's it going so far?" As he said this to Lance, Chris leaned back against the outside wall of the arena, breathing in the cold Pennsylvania evening air. The two were sitting on a bench near the rear exit, enjoying the cold evening outside of the now-stuffy arena.
Lance closed his eyes as he rested his head back. "Terrible."
"What's been going on since we last talked?"
A bitter laugh. "I've been asked to move out." Now his eyes were open, and glistening with tears.
Chris tried to hide his surprise in order to be calm and level for his friend. "Well...where are you going to go?" Jesus Christ, it's gotten worse than I thought.
"Your guess is as good as mine," Lance answered, dabbing at his eyes. "I wasn't asked until last night. I haven't had time to sit down and plan anything out." After he collected himself, he sighed and shrugged. "I guess there's always Calgary, huh?"
"I'm sorry," Chris answered, unable to think of any comforting words. "I swear I've been racking my brain the past couple of days just to think of something to do for you."
"Steph's idea?" Lance looked at his friend with a hint of humor in his eye. "I know you wouldn't have thought of that."
"Something like that," he answered. "Still...seriously...I want to do something for you. Anything. Anything you need, just ask me for it."
"Appreciated."
Chris pressed on, sensing the depression in Lance's voice. "Well, I mean it. I mean, we're tight. We're brothers. Brothers do things like that for each other, right?"
"Right."
"I guess I just wanted you to know that...I'm here," Chris said. "For whatever."
Lance nodded and exhaled, looking at his own breath visible in the cold night air. "Come on," he said after a moment of thinking. "Let's go back in."
The stuffy and now very warm arena welcomed them back in with shouts of fans from the other side of the building. "Tough crowd tonight," Chris chuckled. "Forgot how much I missed those tough crowds."
"Love your fellow mutant," Lance said. "I'd take a crowd of them any day over some of the spoiled kids you guys get up north."
Chris walked on beside Lance, looking at the familiar faces that were starting to crowd the hallways now. Some nodded to him, some patted him on the back, and others just simply stared ahead at him as if he weren't there. A few of the younger curtain-jerkers looked at him as if they wanted to fall down and worship his feet, but couldn't find the balls to say anything. As they passed through a more crowded part of the hall, Chris felt a hand on his shoulder.
"You passed the ladies yet?" The hand belonged to Jesse...Huh, I guess the Outlaws did make it here in one piece... He didn't allow CJ to answer. "Gotta love your little girl, man. Go check her out."
With that, he winked and walked on. "The hell was that all about?" Lance watched him go, then turned back to Chris, who was now excusing himself past people and walking rapidly towards the women's dressing area.
He didn't have very far to go. There, standing outside of the door amongst the other girls, was a generously painted and scantily dressed Stephanie McMahon. She saw him coming and smiled, her lips and eye shadow just as red as that strip of cloth they decked her out in. Chris had to blink twice and look again, as he barely even recognized his own lover. Is she doing a pay-per-view appearance or walking the street tonight?
"Hey," she said as he finally arrived at her side. Noticing his judging eyes, Stephanie quickly became modest and tried to hide her cleavage behind her hand, while pulling at the hem of the dress with the other. "I...well...it was all they could find, really..."
"What'd they do, cut a piece out of a dress and hand it to you to wear?" Chris peeked behind her to see the rest of her choice of wear. "For God's sake, Steph..."
"She looks fine," Lance assured his friend once catching up with him. "More than that." He nodded to Stephanie. "You look great, kid."
Chris shook his head. "I don't know if I want to go through with this...I wasn't aware they were out to make you look like...this..."
Stephanie rolled her eyes and dismissed him with a kiss on the cheek. "You're getting worse than my father, sweetie. As if I don't have enough to worry about with what he's gonna say." She embraced him then. "Don't look so worried. I like it. Really."
As she pulled away, Chris slightly noticed that her scent was different. Something was different about the way she smelled now. More of a spicy, heavy scent as opposed to the light little breezy perfume she used to wear. Something was different, yet CJ wasn't really aware of it now even though that secret something inside of him had predicted it all this time. It was quiet now, much understated.
Tammy waved to CJ as she grabbed Stephanie's hand and pulled her off to introduce her to someone else. "She's gorgeous like that," Lance said, patting his buddy on the back. "Isn't she?"
"She's always been gorgeous," Chris protested.
Lance laughed. "Don't play choirboy with me. You and I both know she's damn fine like that. Highly sexy, if I do say so myself." He smirked a little and leaned to whisper in CJ's ear. "Fuckable. Am I right?"
Chris smiled slightly as he returned with a low whisper of his own. "She's always been like that too."
Stephanie's point-of-view
She took my hand then and led me around the corner to where even more of them would stop and look at us. You're a hit, she would say to me as she showed me off to another one of the backstage boys or one of the girls. And then they would gawk as if I were some sort of sideshow, or maybe like it was all natural and this had been waiting to happen to me all my life and I was lucky to have it done now. Maybe like I was a butterfly coming out of the coccoon or that bird coming up from out of the fire's ashes. What was it's name? Damn...
Then I met Francine and Frannie asked me how old I was. I said 23 and she laughed and told me I looked like a 17-year old playing in her mother's makeup. I didn't know how to take that at first but then she hugged me and told me I looked great. She told me to watch out for them and I didn't know what that meant, and I didn't want to seem stupid in front of them so I didn't ask. I just laughed with them. I think she knew that I didn't know but she didn't say anything. Problably because I'm new.
Do you want anything to drink? You all right? My God, Tammy is so sweet to me. She told me she'd take care of me and make sure I saw all the right people before the night was over. And I was scared, and I really didn't want to leave her side for fear of being caught alone with someone I didn't know. And dressed like I am...Oh God did you see the way he was looking at you though, Steph? He was trying to play like he was Christ or something but you and I both know you gave him a stiff one. But he looked so upset with me...like I'd let him down or something...Just you wait until he gets you back to the hotel, I'm telling you the truth. Don't you think I've been there? He's going to be all over you...
Then I saw Jesse again and he smiled at me. I haven't talked to him since that fight he had with Chris last year but he looked damn pleased to see me nonetheless. Like this, that is. He looked happy to see me like this. I never liked him. Do you like him, Steph? I tolerate him and you know why I tolerate him. Because he's one of them. As a group I don't tolerate them but when they're by themselves and defenseless I think they're okay. But I won't talk to him. And don't you talk to him either because he looks like he wants it. She laughed then. They all want it, don't they?
And Paul came to look at us. He said we were beautiful and he kept telling me how much he appreciated me. He looked at them for a long time before finally looking at me in the face and telling me how much he appreciated me. I asked Tammy about him and she said sometimes he has a thing for staring openly at a girl's tits. I don't know if he does it just to be playing or if he has some kind of a problem. Don't think anything of it, it's just the way he is. He's harmless, and silly at that. Still, it made me feel...I don't know. It made me feel a little dirty. Not sexy, but dirty. Sexy is sexy on so many levels, you know? Sexy is when Chris is naked there in front of me and I'm naked there in front of him and we're looking but not saying and we can hear what we're thinking and it's love and it's good.
Dirty is...well, dirty. But the way Tammy's talking to me makes it seem like I'm sexy. And I feel like I am. Because you are. Haven't I told you that a hundred times tonight and you still don't believe me? Well wait til they see you out there. Hear them? They're already here.
So then they'll see the butterfly out of the coccoon. Or the...the...
...phoenix.
CJ was standing by the entrance to the ring, watching, waiting for them to screw up. He knew they would, eventually. And maybe it would be Billy and not Jesse, since the latter looked more nervous. Like a fish out of water, Chris thought as he imagined the crowd response that was moments away. Or a fish that's too big to be wanted for this pond.
Everyone knew that the Outlaws were going to make their appearance felt here tonight, and so they had time to prepare and anticipate their arrival. As for CJ and Stephanie, there was only speculation from the net newsies on their appearance, and the real facts were only known by the bookers. Chris wanted to keep the surprise intact, so he steered clear of any wandering net junkie's eyes by staying close to the entrance and making sure Stephanie wasn't too far behind.
Stephanie, on the other hand, had found her way back to his side after having been seen with all the people she was "supposed to meet," according to Tammy Sytch. However, once back with Chris, she found him a little less talkative than usual. Maybe it's just the moment, her mind told her, dismissing any worry. That's what it is. He's just nervous to be back here, and working here. While Chris watched from the back as the Outlaws' theme keyed up, Stephanie rested herself on his shoulder.
"Not now, babe," he murmured. "They're coming out now. See? Look..." Chris' words were drowned in a crescending buzz that must have been coming from the audience. The buzz grew louder and louder and he realized that his premonitions were confirmed...the crowd was booing the hell out of the WWF representatives. "God help them if they were supposed to be faces," Chris chuckled.
However, Steph paid no attention to the goings-on beyond the back. She continued to grasp for Chris' attention by holding on to him tightly, trying to tell him through body language that she was sorry. It won't work though, she thought. Not while I'm like this. Not now.
"Honey," she whispered, rubbing the red of her lips against his bare shoulder. "Chris..."
He turned his head away from the match, seeing that same stranger that he'd seen earlier that evening. "Hm?"
"Are you mad at me?" Stephanie continued to rub her lips against him, not returning his eye contact but instead concentrating straight ahead.
"Let it wait, Stephie. I want to see this."
She pulled herself away then, getting the point. I knew it wouldn't work. Not like this. I have to wait until I'm back where I'm not looking like this anymore. Then he'll talk to me. Yet as she felt her hands slipping away from his waist, Stephanie had an awful feeling that perhaps it may have been too late.
"You okay?"
Stephanie looked behind her and saw trusty old Lance standing there, speaking hardly above a whisper. His eyes went from hers over to Chris, and she understood what he meant. Stephanie responded with a slight shake of her head. I can't reach him, her eyes seemed to say. He doesn't understand.
After her wordless contact with Lance, Stephanie turned to the ring again. The Outlaws were drawing major heat from the crowd. A few people had even found it so bold to chuck a soda or two into the ring in hopes of hitting Jesse or Billy. Chris, in the meantime, was enjoying the proceedings thoroughly.
"Christ, I didn't know it was supposed to be this bad," he said, finally pulling himself from the diversion. "They're setting it up nice for us, aren't they?" Now he was looking at her again, yet not really looking. Stephanie didn't answer. Lance covered for her. "I knew they'd take this here. Being so over up there. I knew the smarts would rip them a new asshole from the word go."
"Hell yeah," CJ said, supressing another laugh. "I just had to see how it would play out." Then he was touching her again. "I'm sorry, babe. Really. What were you trying to ask me?"
Stephanie wasn't in such a forgiving mood. Instead of repeating herself, she looked at him disdainfully. "You mean it matters?" Her blue eyes were cold and convincing, and they held Chris's returning glare rather boldly.
Lance took that as his cue to step away from his company momentarily. "I'm going to go get a coke...anyone want anything?"
No one bothered to answer, prompting Lance to leave even quicker to avoid the inevitabe explosion. After he was around the corner, Chris spoke, angrily yet softly.
"What the hell was that all about?"
"You know damn well what 'that' was all about, Chris. Don't play dense with me. I was reaching out to you just then and you may as well have told me to shut the hell up."
"I was watching them out there, Steph. God forbid I actually act like a professional and scope what's going on at work, huh?"
Stephanie found herself fighting off tears and prayed to God she wouldn't cry and make herself look like a pushover. "That's not the point. I asked you if you were mad at me and I really wanted to know." She paused then. "Guess I got my answer."
"What do you mean?"
"I mean ever since you saw me...like...like this tonight you've been acting like I'm some sort of..." She searched the words in her head. "...some sort of...I don't know, you've just been acting so funny."
He sighed and rolled his eyes. "I can't control what you look like, I'm over it. Nothing's wrong."
She felt her voice start to quiver. "Then why do I feel like I can't really believe you?"
CJ started to answer, but Lance came back around the corner. "Sorry to interrupt, but I just found out we're going next. On in ten minutes."
"Christ," Stephanie whispered, the butterflies ever-present in her tummy. Against her own better judgement, she found herself clutching at Chris' arm nervously.
"Don't be worried," he said, dispersing their harsh words with a smile and a kiss on the forehead. "It'll be all right. Promise."
She couldn't help it then. The tears came flowing like a bursting dam. "I'm sorry," she whispered with a sob, holding on to him now. "I'm so sorry, Chris...I shouldn't have..."
"There's nothing to be sorry about," he said, stroking her hair. There was still a cool detatchment there...still something between the two of them that Chris knew was there but couldn't really name it. Maybe it was something in passing and maybe it would go away later. He refused to concern himself with it now.
Tammy came back around moments later, arm in arm with Dawn. Lance bit his lip in order to prevent a snide comment that would have been so fitting. Tammy, however, spotted his struggle and commented on it.
"Shut it before you can even open it," she smiled. "We're just here to steal Miss Stephanie from you gentlemen before it's time to go out. Just to go over a few 'ground rules'."
"So can I come?" Lance winked at Tammy, who laughed incredulously.
"I'm sure you can, but not while we're around." With that, she took Stephanie's hand and they were gone just as quickly as they came.
"I didn't miss her any," Chris mused jokingly. "Good to see she hasn't changed a bit."
"She has, though," answered Lance, shaking his head. "She's changed a lot since you last saw her. She just doesn't show it on the outside when she's here."
"So when does it show?"
Lance looked thoughtful for a moment. "When you least expect it, I guess."
Meanwhile, not far away, the ladies were walking and giggling as if they'd known each other all their lives. Stephanie was comfortable now, even in such gaudy get-up, and yes, she could even say she felt at home.
"So the deal from what I heard is that you and Chris will be doing the run-in against Lance?" Dawn was warmly holding Stephanie's hand, looking at her questioningly. "That's weird booking concerning how close they are."
Tammy shrugged, answering the question. "It's all a part of credibility. If the Outlaws are coming in as intruding heels it's only right to have her and Chris come in as heels too." She gave that light-hearted laugh again. "Did you guys hear the heat? Jesus, I thought those folks would be screaming for their heads."
"I wouldn't have minded if they took them," Dawn said spitefully. "Did you see the way Mr. Asshole was walking around outside the girls' room like he was waiting on someone? God, I can't stand it when someone does that thinking we don't notice."
"They don't know the code here yet," Tammy said. "Back when I was there they could get away with that shit with no problem. Good to know it's different here."
"Speaking of problem," Dawn said, switching gears, "you don't have a problem with rolling around, do you Steph?"
Stephanie found the suggestion a little confusing. "How do you mean?"
"Well, the boys call it catfighting but it's basically just me and you rolling around and screaming at each other. I know it's gonna happen when you guys do the run-in, I just wanted to know if you're okay with it. If you'd like, we can just push each other around."
Stephanie almost answered, but then remembered the paltriness of her non-dress. "Maybe it would be better if we just pushed each other around...for now?"
"Good God, Steph, I didn't pick that thing out for you just so you could keep your ass hidden in it," Tammy said. "Get in there and give them what they want, babe. They're gonna love you."
"But what if something pops out?" Stephanie was trying hard to keep that from happening now as she simply walked down the hallway.
"It won't matter," Dawn answered. "I'll keep you covered if anything comes out. That is, heh, if you do the same for me..."
The ladies chuckled a little as they walked on. After a moment or two, Tammy re-opened the conversation. "Do you like Lance, Steph?"
Stephanie didn't hesitate to respond positively. "Sure. He's a great guy. Chris told me he would be, though, so I pretty much had my expectations filled." She didn't see the sideway grin Tammy gave Dawn as she praised Lance.
"He's a good guy, you're right," Dawn said. "Just watch out for him sometimes, he can be a real nut."
"But I'm sure he's calmed down a little since all this bad shit has come his way," Tammy interjected quickly, as if to interrupt Dawn. "You know, about his wife and little girl and all. He's been a little down lately."
"He's good at hiding it though," Stephanie said, not noticing how quickly the coverup had taken place. "I expected a broken man."
Tammy shrugged. "I guess we're all pretty good at hiding something sometimes." With that, she tried her best to feign a smile in front of the present company.
Stephanie's point-of-view
When we went out just a few minutes later during Lance's match it was so different, so much unlike what I thought it would be. They weren't just sitting there, staring at me as if I wasn't supposed to be there. They were on their feet, saying things. To both me and him. They weren't just saying, either. They were yelling. Fucking whore! You heard me, you cumsucking bitch! Get over here and see what it's like this far away from your daddy!
Ignore them, Steph, just keep walking. Just up here to ringside, love. I barely saw his lips move but I could hear him distinctly over the crowd.
Did your old man buy you that dress, cunt? I hadn't realized it until much later when I saw myself on videotape, but all through it I was walking. And smiling. Smiling as if they were right and I was proud of what I was. I must say, I put on a very good front. Inside I was confused as hell but outside it looked as if I'd been there all along.
Hey Chris, you're in the wrong place, shithead! Take your bitch back up to Vince! This was the last one I heard before we were at the ring. If the Outlaws were supposed to make us all look evil when they were out cutting promos earlier, they must've done a bang-up job. I watched him get on the apron, and then I heard him say Wait until I hit Lance, then go in. I saw Dawn and she was looking at me but not looking at me, she was looking at Lance in the ring when Chris came behind him to attack. I could tell she was pleased by the way I handled myself already. Or at least that's what I told myself.
I saw him end the match by taking out Lance's knee and then the brawl started. I took my cue and went in, and I could still hear them even from in the ring.
Show your tits, whore! This time I knew I messed up because I felt myself looking out to see who said it. It must have not lasted but a second, because in an instant I tripped over one of my heels, or at least I thought I did. It took me a moment to figure out that Dawn was pushing me down from behind. I was down on the mat and her red face was in mine, screaming something completely unintelligible. The place went insane. I fought back, rolling over and over with her, screaming wildly but not hearing myself. I was too busy trying not to fall out of the dress and trying not to hurt or scratch her up. It was over as soon as it started, though, and then we were both safe. I felt Chris grab me from behind and pull me away, and while I continued to put on a show by struggling, kicking, and screaming all the obscenities I could think of, I heard him whisper in my ear.
Good, babe. It was good. The people were still hollering, but now I couldn't hear them. I tried to stand but the damn shoes wouldn't allow me to get my balance. Chris covered for me by holding me up while I regained composure. Slightly embarrasing, but my job here was done, for now. All I could hear was the din, and when it was done, I found that the whole thing hadn't lasted but two minutes. We left then, looking back at them in the ring while we walked towards the same curtains we came through. I still couldn't hear them but I knew they were still yelling at me. Chris was holding my hand now, and it was all that mattered.
I love you too, he told me before I'd realized I'd even said it to him. Let's get out of here. Don't give them the pleasure. It took me a while to realize what he'd meant. He still loved me, but I knew there was still something upsetting him. Maybe it was because he heard what they were saying to me. I don't know. Maybe he was starting to believe them.
CJ's point-of-view
It's all because she smells different. Yes. That's what's wrong...in my eyes, that is. It's not like it used to be and they shouldn't have made her look like that. But she's fuckable. She's so damned fuckable just like Lance said. They know it and I know it and there's no changing that.
But it will be better once we're out of here tonight. It'll be better when we're back at the hotel where I can believe that she's still the same girl I fell in love with.