"Steph, are you sure you don't want to go to Heat?" Lydia asked for the 1000th time, checking herself in the mirror. "How's my hair?"

"Bright." Edge squinted. Lydia rolled her eyes. "Piss off Blondie."

"Aw, I love you too baby." he teased ruffling her newly cropped bright red hair. Integra wrapped her arms around him. "That better have been sarcasm."

"Yeah." Christain agreed. Edge punched him lightly on the shoulder. "What are you gonna do about it?"

"Not now children!" admonished Integra. She grinned excitedly. "We have a wrestling show to go to!"

"Steph, I can't believe you don't want to go." Christain shook his head in disbelief. Edge grinned. "Or that you didn't try for another two tickets so they can take us."

"You cramp my style baby." Lydia told Christain with a grin. "How am I meant to scream myself hoarse over Diesel if your there?"

"That's my point." He kissed her forehead. "You can't. But since I'm not gonna be there to stop you, then take these."

Everyone laughed as he handed her a box of throaties, Lydia included. She hugged him. "You know I love you."

"I know. I love you too. Now get the hell out of here and have fun." Christain slapped her lightly on the butt. Integra looked at her watch. "Yeah we'd better get moving. If I get to the arena and someone's taken our seats, then there's gonna be a fight before the show even starts. Steph, you wanna lift home?"

"That would be great thanks." She answered as Lydia jangled her keys. "OK, everyone hustle hustle hustle!"

"Have fun girls!" Shouted Edge as they hurried out of the house. Integra insisted on walking Stephanie up to the flat, despite her hurry to get to the show. "Steph.. this has something do to with your past right?"

"What?" Stephanie stared at Integra in shock. Integra shuffled uncomfortably. "Just something Lyd suggested the other day. It's none of our business so if I'm stepping over the boundaries..."

"Yes."

"What?"

"The reason I'm not going to Heat is because of my past. If you two come round for coffee tomorrow morning, I'll explain it all then." Stephanie bit her lip and looked away. Integra hugged her quickly. "You gonna be ok?"

"Yeah of course. Now get out of here."

Stephanie watched as Integra ran lightly down the stairs, before resting her hand on the doorknob. It would be hard, but she'd tell them the full story. Everything from the party with Joey and - she shuddered - why she'd run away from her aunt's place. But there would be one omission. She would leave out the part about being the youngest child of Vince McMahon.

~~~~

The next day, Steph paced the flat nervously. Integra had called to reschedule. Lydia had somehow managed to break her wrist at Heat and was pissed off because she'd had what she'd called 'a no-fail plan' to get backstage and it had failed. Stephanie wasn't brave enough to ask if the broken wrist was the plan. Christain had bailed out early after a night of Lydia's whingeing and complaining, and Integra reckoned that if she went anywhere with more than one story, she was gonna throw Lydia over the side of it.

Chris had also called. His connecting plane had been delayed and he wasn't sure what time he'd get home. Stephanie was on edge, she knew something was going to go wrong. For some reason, she felt that it was all coming undone.

About midday, Chris called again. "Babe, there's still no word on the plane."

"So you have no idea when you'll get back?" Stephanie fretted. He noticed the tone of her voice and tried to keep calm. "Baby - talk to me. What's happened?"

"Nothing's happened. I just - hurry home ok? I want you here with as soon as possible."

Chris nodded. "I know what you mean, that's why I called. Something in the air just doesn't feel right. Go round to the Casa. In the backyard there's a garden gnome with a bong, it's-"

"I know the one." She nodded, remembering when Lydia had brought it home. He laughed nervously. "Yeah. Unscrew the bottom of it and there's a spare key. Use it to get in if nobody's home. I can't explain why, but I don't want you in that apartment."

"Chris, I'll be fine here."

"You're going to the Casa. I don't want any arguments. I'll go home, dump my bags and collect you. If you're at home when I get there, then you are in are in deep trouble. Got it?"

"Got it. Chris - I love you."

"I love you too. That's why I'm doin this. Now get your ass out of there!"

"Fine! See you soon."

"Darling, I promise I'll be there as soon as I can. Be careful and I love you."

"You said that already."

"Well I meant it."

Modina and Neesya called in around 2 o'clock to keep her company for a few hours and report that Sable had been around the night.

"Shoulda seen her Lioness, all dolled up to the nines, makin out she was better than us." Neesya shook her headin disgust. "She may be a 'valet' to some boxing guy now, but when it all comes down to it, she ain't nothing but a street whore like us."

"Only difference is, we're not ashamed of that y'know?" Mo added with an unladylike snort. "And the guy she had with her! Not one of the rasslers, but some other guy. Young, around mid 20s. Smelt of cash y'know?"

Stephanie's heart sank. Shane. Shane had never been able to resist a pretty face. Sable had probably said she was going for a walk around her old neighbourhood and would someone be able to keep her company. Shane would've jumped at the invitation.

About 5, Stephanie was dozing fitfully on the couch, when the creak of the door opening jolted her awake. She sat upright startled, then smiled as footsteps creaked through the kitchen.

"Chris!" Stephanie ran into the kitchen and stopped dead in her tracks at the familiar figure in front of her. "Hello Stephanie."

She stared at him in disbelief. "Daddy?"

Vince McMahon stared into his daughter's blue eyes. Even as he watched, Stephanie regained her composure and looked at him coldly. "What are you doing here?"

"I might ask you the same question young lady." Vince fixed his stern on her. She shrugged. "Waiting for my boyfriend to come home. Want a coffee?"

"Yes, that would be - no!" He shook himself out of it. "How long have you been living here?"

"About 10 months."

"10 MONTHS!" shouted Vince. "How the hell have you been surviving?"

"I lived on the streets for a few weeks, before a nice man took me in. We've scraped by. All that time you spent making me do basic accounting and budgeting really paid off." Stephanie made herself a coffee and sat at the table. Vince sat opposite her. She glared at him. "How'd you find me?"

"Quite a stroke of luck actually. Have you been watching the shows?"

"Enough to know what's going on." Steph replied. She thought for a second. "Sable."

"She was part of it yes." He confirmed. She raised an eyebrow. "The rest?"

"The Kliq couldn't stop talking about Gold's receptionist who was - to quote Scott Hall - cutest little thing. Then Nash wanted a couple of tickets for the aforementioned receptionist whose name was - co incidentally - the same as my daughter's. Upon further investigation, I discovered that my daughter was no longer living with my sister in law and hadn't been, to the best of Sabine's boyfriend knowledge for the better part of a year."

"Congratulations. It's a nice little piece of detective work." Stephanie said dryly. She glanced at the clock. "I'd love to ask you to stay for dinner - well not really - however Chris will be home soon, and I've missed him terribly, so maybe another time?"

"I'm not staying here Stephanie. Neither are you for that matter."

~~~~

"You have reached the Casa Non Sequitor -"

"Don't say that on the machine Integra!"

"- none of us are here right now. Or if we are, we're ignoring you -"

"CHRISTAIN!"

"Or involved in more... stimulating pursuits -"

"You make us sound like a pack of rabbits! Lyd, couldn't you have done the message?"

"-So leave your name and number and we'll get back to you -"

"See? It's not that hard! If Lyd can do it...."

"-once we leave the comfort of the bedroom."

"LYDIA!"

"Uh, charming message guys. Steph, if your there, pick up the phone babe. I'm at the airport, I should be home in half an hour. Love you. And no gagging noises you lot." Chris hung up the phone and sighed. He couldn't explain it, but he had the feeling that half an hour would be too late.

~~~~

"I'm not staying here?" Stephanie repeated. "What're you gonna do, move me into a mansion downtown."

"You got the mansion part right. Pack up your stuff Stephanie, it's time to come home."

She stared at Vince in disbelief before bursting into laughter. "You're kidding me right? I hate to break it to ya Dad, but I am home."

"I'm not joking. Get your things together, you're leaving with me."

"No way." She glared at him angrily. "I'm not leaving. I'm happier here than I ever was in Greenwich or at Sabine's."

"You just said that you'd missed Chris terribly. He's only been gone the weekend. How will you survive when he starts touring with WCW? Take it from me Stephanie, it's a lonely life. Just ask your mother." Vince replied. He laughed at the look on Stephanie's face. "I know Stephanie. After Shane accompanied the lovely Sable -"

"There's nothing lovely about that whore." muttered Stephanie.

"Stephanie!"

"What?" She challenged. Vince realised for the first time that in the year since the party, Stephanie had grown up. A lot. Getting her home would be no easy task. Unless...

~~~~

"Yo?"

"Oh my god, Lyd, I'm so glad I got someone." Chris said breathing a sigh of relief. "Is Steph there?"

"Negatory. We were meant to go round and see her this morning, but Integra's harbouring homicidal tendencies towards me and Edge told her that if she was gonna do me in, then it had to be a little more spectacular than throwing me over a 6th floor balcony." Lydia replied. "Why?"

"She's not with you?"

"No." She replied firmly. "Ow, fuck, do you mind if I pass you over to Christain?"

"Why?" Chris asked impatiently. Lydia spoke through gritted teeth. "I broke my wrist last night. And it FUCKING HURTS!"

"OK ok ok, excuse me for breathing." he muttered. Christain came on the line.

"Chris?"

"Is Stephanie with you?" he repeated, glancing at his watch.

"Nope. Should she be?" Christain replied blankly. Chris slammed his fist against the wall. "Fuck!"

"What's wrong?"

"To be perfectly honest, I don't know. Just a feeling. When I rang home to say I'd been delayed she sounded distressed. I'm trapped at the airport - some fuck up with the luggage and I don't like the idea of leaving her alone there." Chris sounded worried. Christain frowned. "Doesn't sound good. Want us to head over and check up on things?"

"That would be great. If she's there, take her back to the Casa. If not, then leave me a note and start looking for her." He instructed. Christain thought for a second "If she's not there, then where will we begin looking?"

"I have no idea. But I do know this - without Steph, none of the rest of it really matters. Not the wrestling, not even life itself."

~~~

"You wouldn't."

"Try me. Bischoff and I have professional rivalry, but he'd do it. Especially if I offered him a few of our top guys as an incentive." Vince said with a cold smile. Stephanie stared at him in disbelief. "You would get rid of some of your top men, refuse to sign what will most likely be a great assent to the company and make one man's career go nowhere, just because I won't go home?"

"Damned right I would."

"I hate you." She replied, tears brimming over. "I never thought I could hate someone so much. You expect me to chose between the man I love and who loves me no matter what and a family who threw me out at the first sign of soiling their precious reputation?"

"Come on Stephanie, how much does Jericho know? What haven't you told him? Does he know you're my daughter?"

"He knows nothing about who I am. Don't worry, I wouldn't want any of the benefits that might come from being related to you." she spat the last word out angrily. To both their shock, Vince slapped her, an open hand blow that send her reeling backwards. To his even greater shock, Stephanie stepped forwards and slapped him back, before running for the bathroom.

She locked the door behind her and threw up violently several times. Ignoring Vince's knocks on the door, she washed her face and brushed her teeth. Staring at herself in the mirror, Steph smiled bitterly as she realised this had started almost exactly the same way, one year ago. This time however, she had a plan.