Stephanie cursed under her breath as her cell phone woke her from a light nap. Without bothering to check the caller ID, she answered it, and immediately wished she hadn't. "Oh honey, I saw what Jericho did on Raw. Are you okay?"

Stephanie struggled to keep her voice calm. "I'm fine Dad."

"Are you sure?" Vince asked, sounding a little over concerned. "I mean, I know you two do have a bit of a history after all."

'A bit of a history?' She fumed silently. It took all of her self control not to throw the phone across the room. The most amazing year of my life with a man who was my best friend, my lover, the father of my child. The man I loved more than life itself, the same man you forced me to leave. Oh your a piece of work Vince.

"Oh that?" Stephanie replied airily. "You know that was over a long time ago. Chris Jericho means no more to me than Test does. He's just dredging up the past in order get straight to the top. But it's not going to work."

"That's my princess." Vince replied, sounding proud and smug. Stephanie felt sick listening to him call her that. She'd managed to avoid him as much as possible since Wrestlemania. After everything that had happened - Daisy's death, the showdown with Chris - Steph simply hadn't felt up to facing her father. She was still too raw, too emotional. But now it seemed that Vince was going to force a confrontation upon her. His next words confirmed it. "There's something we need to talk about. Can you meet me for dinner tomorrow night?"

Do I have to? Stephanie nearly asked. Instead, repressing a sigh, she nodded, then remembered that he couldn't see her through the phone. "Sure. Where?"

"I'll come to your hotel suite." Vince replied, confident that he would be welcomed. "Oh and Stephanie? You might want Hunter there... for moral support."

She scowled as she closed her phone. The last person she wanted to have dinner with was her father... hell another round with Chris on international TV would be preferable to dinner with her father. With a sigh, she flipped open her phone again to call Hunter and let him know there would be an extra for dinner.

~~~

Chris felt like he was on trial. Which was a fairly justified feeling, considering Integra and Lydia were standing in front of him, with Edge and Christian sitting in the background, seemingly preoccupied with Jason and Lucilla, but listening to every word and ready to interevne if necessary.

"Do you have any idea of the position you've put us in?" Lydia ran a hand through her hair. "There's no way we can remain neutral here."

"Why not?" Chris was getting tired of the soap opera like antics of the two women. "Just stay out of it."

"You're insulting one of our best friends. Just because you feel guilty over her father being an asshole." Integra pointed out. "How can you expect us not to take Stephanie's side, especially considering the fact that we know about everything that's lead up to this."

"It's got nothing to do with either of you!" He snapped. Lydia glared at him. "Shut up and listen to me. Speaking as a mother, do you have any idea what it's like to have a baby? That child grows inside of you for nine months, nearly every little thing you do can affect that life inside you. If you're not careful getting out of the shower and slip, then you could go into premature labour before the baby is able to survive outside the womb. That child could be born with brain damage or something, just because you didn't see a puddle of water. I'm not trying to take anything away from a father's role -" That last sentence was directed at Christian "- but no male can ever imagine what it's like to have that responsibility. Ever."

"Get to the point Mancini." He returned the glare. Lydia's eyes narrowed dangerously. "What my point is, Jericho is that after nine months of pregnancy, there's nothing like the realisation that all the crap you've been through for nine months is worth it." She turned so she was facing Edge and Integra. "Did I explain that okay?"

"Just fine Lyd." Integra took the floor. "Stephanie went through all of that and more and she did it alone. She had Linda's support and help from Shane and Marissa, but can you imagine what that was like for her? To worry about the baby, worry about you, worry about Vince. And then, at the end of that nine months, to find that all that stress was for nothing?"

"Speaking as a mother, if I'd been told my child had died, then I discovered it was a lie then I would do anything in my power to get my child back. Hunter found out somehow and gave Stephanie an opportunity. She took it and I don't blame her for it." Lydia's face softened a little. "Do you understand where we're coming from?"

"I do. But you don't understand where I'm coming from. She knew and she didn't tell me. She fucking knew. I only met my daughter once. Just once. Stephanie betrayed me in the worst way imaginable." Chris looked at Christain who was holding his daughter tightly. "If Lydia had told you that the twins had died, then you later discovered that they were alive and she'd known for several months, how would you feel?"

Christian swallowed, looking at Lucilla, sleeping in his arms. He could feel his girlfriend watching him closely but couldn't meet her eyes. "I'd be devestated. I don't think I could ever forgive her."

Lydia made a noise as Chris nodded in satisfaction. "Exactly. Now you two can preach at me all you want, but Steph betrayed me. Maybe she didn't mean to, but she did. And I will never be able to forgive her for that."