"So what's the verdict?" Jackie asked, munching on a carrot stick. The bridal party had arrived the day before for Friday's wedding rehearsal and were preparing for a celebratory dinner, which included the former members of DX. Chyna slapped at Bradshaw's hand as he started to light a cigar. "No smoking in the house! How many times do I have to say it? We're ready to roll."

"Everyone's in town, except Michaels. One of his young recruits injured herself, so he's taking care of insurance and making sure she's okay. He'll fly in first thing tomorrow morning." added Undertaker. "And the Outlaws will be arriving in about an hour for dinner."

"Oh is Billy bringing Chuck?" Farooq's eyes lit up. The APA had eagerly anticipated the Outlaws reunion and they had numerous bets riding on what was likely to happen. Taker nodded as he threw Steve Austin a beer. "Yup."

Debra took a sip of her water. "Does Stephanie count as part of DX?"

A silence fell over the room as everyone turned to look at Hunter and Lita. Hunter looked back at them. "What? I already knew Steph's going to be at the wedding and that she'll have her 8 month old daughter with her."

"She’s got a kid?" Kane exclaimed in surprise. Farooq blinked. "So that means -"

"Stephanie was pregnant." confirmed Hunter. "But not to me."

"Then to who?" asked Steve. Like a tennis match, every head in the room swung back to Chyna and Undertaker. They exchanged looks. "That's not for us to say. But as soon as you look at her, you'll know."

"Where's she staying?" asked Hunter, getting to his feet. "I'll go and get her."

"Are you sure that's a wise idea baby?" Lita put her hand on his waist. "Maybe one of us girls should go."

"No, I'll do it." He smiled at her. "I'll just explain that there's a special dinner on and it wouldn't be the same without her there."

"Who are you and what have you done with Helmsley?" cracked Kane. Taker kicked him under the table and shook his head and the rest of the room ignored him.

"Does anyone else think this is a bad idea?" Lita appealed to the rest of the room. Everyone nodded in agreement. Hunter shrugged. "Chyna, just call her. Explain that there’s a special dinner on and that I am coming to collect her and her daughter. Anything I may need to discuss with her will be discussed later."

They stared at each other for a few minutes. Chyna was the first to break eye contact. "I’ll call. Car keys are on the hook. I’ll write down directions."

"Chyna!" cried Lita in disbelief. "I don’t fucking believe this!"

"His mind is made up Lita." The older woman said quietly, not taking her eyes off Hunter. "He’ll do it whether we agree to help him or not."

Hunter knelt next to her and cupped her cheek in his hand. "Babydoll, please understand. This is something I need to do. It doesn't change anything between us or how I feel about you."

Lita pulled away and got to her feet. "Please accept my apologies for not being at dinner tonight, but recent events have me feeling sick to my stomach."

She shot Hunter a dirty look, then got to her feet and left the room. They could hear her running upstairs. Jackie hurried after her friend as Kane looked around in confusion. "What was that all about?"

"She’s pregnant and vulnerable." Replied Debra calmly. Hunter bit his lip. "Maybe I should go after her…."

He looked around the room from advice, but none was forthcoming. After a few more moments of inner conflict, he sighed, ran a hand through his hair and stalked out of the room.

~~~~~

"C’mon Lita, it’s not as bad as you think." Jackie hugged the crying redhead tightly. "He just wants some closure."

"Jackie, she’s his wife!" Sobbed Lita miserably. "Who has a child to another man! What if – "

"No. No what ifs.
The other woman replied firmly. "Hunter loves you. Debra heard him telling Steve earlier, that he can’t wait to divorce Stephanie so he can marry you, so that your baby has a family. He loves you."

"But he’s so hung up on seeing her again!"

"Lita, just ya know, hypothetically speaking, imagine if you and Helms had gotten married. Then you discover that a long time before you two even met, that Shane had a child with another woman. Wouldn’t you want to know?"

"Moot point. Shane would never abandon his responsibilities like that." Lita wiped her eyes. Jackie laughed. "Now I know that you can see it from Hunter’s point of view."

"How?" challenged Lita. Jackie hugged her friend. "Because you’re avoiding the real issue. Now come back downstairs. The boys have made several bets about Taker’s cooking and do you really want to miss what happened when the Outlaws arrive?"

~~~~

Stephanie checked her reflection in the mirror again. Against her better judgement, she’d agreed to attend the dinner at Chyna’s place. The fact that the invitation had been issued didn’t surprise her, however hearing that the invitation had come from Hunter had caused her to literally fall off her seat.

After satisfying herself that she looked fine, Stephanie looked at Charita, playing happily. She also wanted her daughter to look good for her first foray out of the safe and cozy haven that she and Shawn had set up. With a smile, Steph chose the red jumpsuit that she and Shawn had picked out together the week before.

"Guess what honey?" Stephanie asked as she changed her daughter. She always talked to Charita, believing that the infant could understand every word. "Tonight we’re going to see Auntie Chyna and Uncle Taker and you’re going to meet some of Mommy and Daddy Shawn’s friends – well, mainly Daddy Shawn’s friends. And very, very soon, you’re going to meet the man you’ll hopefully call Uncle Hunter one day."

A loud knock on the door startled both Stephanie and Charita, the latter letting out a distressed wail. Stephanie groaned. "Not now baby!"

"Hey Stephanie it’s me. I come in peace." Hunter called. "Chyna said she’d she ring ahead, but I wouldn’t put it past her not to. Can I come in?"

"It’s open Hunter." Stephanie shouted over Charita’s screaming. "I’ve just got to calm Char down and I’m ready."

Hunter hesitated. Now that he was here, at the point of no return, standing outside the hotel room of the estranged wife he hadn’t seen in fourteen months, he wasn’t so sure he would be able to keep his cool when he saw Stephanie. But for Lita’s sake and for the sake of his unborn child, he’d do his damnedest.

Stephanie was also experiencing minor doubts about her ability to maintain her composure around Hunter. However, if he was prepared to play it cool, then so was she. God knows this truce isn’t going to last much longer.

As Hunter put his hand on the doorknob, a strange calm settled over him. Without the slightest hint of apprehension or hesitation, he pushed open the door.

The first thing he noticed was how natural Stephanie looked. Not just without the harsh make up or wild hairstyles he remembered, but there was an air about her, something… tranquil. The air of motherhood. He thought. The second thing Hunter noticed was the screaming baby in her arms. Without thinking, he held out his arms. "Let me try."

Stephanie’s head snapped up in surprise. She hadn’t heard him enter the room, although she could barely hear herself think over Charita’s screaming. Reacting out of instinct Stephanie passed her daughter to Hunter. He held the baby carefully, talking to her in a low soothing voice as he walked around the room. Stephanie watched in surprise – the tone of voice Hunter had used when he’d said ‘Let me try’ and his technique to attempt to settle the infant was identical to what Shawn did in the same situation.

However her surprise was nothing compared to Hunter’s when Charita’s crying stopped. Steph laughed at the look on his face. "I think she likes you."

"She’s beautiful Stephanie. She’s just… she’s beautiful." Hunter stated, looking at the tiny baby. Chyna had been right – one look and he knew who Stephanie’s affair had been with. But suddenly he realized that he didn’t care. All he could think about was that in eight months, he’d be holding his son or daughter in his arms. "I think she’s got your nose. Definitely her father’s eyes."

"Thank you." Stephanie smiled at the awed look on his face. "Hunter, I –"

"Not now Stephanie." He shook his head lightly. "Tomorrow night. After the wedding. Um, there’s something I should probably tell you –"

"I know." She said quickly. "I was saving my congratulations until we got to Chyna’s so I could congratulate you and Lita at the same time."

"Wow. Word sure gets around fast." Hunter watched as Stephanie reclaimed her daughter and put her in the baby capsule, then double-checked to make sure she had everything in Charita’s carry bag. Diapers, dummies, bottles, toys, clothes. "Do you really need all that?"

"Hunter, you have no idea." She laughed. "I’m not even sure I’ve got everything. But I’m not going to worry about it. Let’s go."

~~~

"Ready for this?" Hunter asked as he pushed open the front door. Stephanie shook her head. "I'll never be ready for this. But, I don't have much choice. So let's do it."

"Atta girl." He grinned at her, then shouted "End the orgy people! Mother and child in the house!"

Debra came rushing in from the back porch, where everyone was hanging out. "Oh, I wanna see the bub!"

"You remember Stephanie don't you Deb?" asked Hunter. Debra rolled her eyes. "Not now Helmsley. The mother of your child is upstairs, feeling completely miserable. I suggest you go and talk to her. I'll take Steph out the back while you do some damage control."

Hunter nodded. "We'll be down in a sec. Has everyone else arrived?"

"We're still waiting on Jesse." Debra smirked, then turned her full attention to Stephanie and Charita. "She's absolutely beautiful Stephanie. Can I hold - what did you name her?"

"Charita." Stephanie said softy as she placed her daughter in Debra's arms. Debra smiled at the infant. "She has your nose."

"That's exactly what I said." Hunter smiled as Stephanie followed Debra outside, the slumped into a chair. He knew he should go and find Lita, but he needed to give himself time to deal with what had just happened. He'd known Stephanie was having an affair almost from the second it started. It hadn't bothered him; in fact he had been grateful to whoever it was for keeping her out of his hair. But to look at Charita - it was a shock to say the least.

"Are you okay Helmsley?" Chyna came in and knelt in front of him, taking both his hands in hers. "It's a shock, I know. Taker and I were stunned."

Hunter looked down at her. "I knew. The whole time it was going on, I knew and I didn't care. Even when Stephanie said she was pregnant, I was fairly sure it wasn't to me. But still, I hoped it was my child. When I got that call off Linda, my heart broke. Partly because of Stephanie's betrayal, partly because my dreams of being a family were shattered. It hurt so much to think that she would lie to be about something so important. Then it turns out she was pregnant - with her lovers child."

"I'm guessing she wasn't sure if the father was you or -"

Hunter kept talking, as though Chyna hadn't spoken. "Seeing her with Charita brought it all back again. The hurt and pain. Only it's worse than before, because I thought I'd moved on. I love Lita, more than I ever loved Stephanie. And the knowledge that we're having a baby, that just feels me with the most incredible joy. I should be happy - you're marrying the man you love, the old gang's getting together for the first time in years. But instead, all I can feel is the pain of Stephanie's betrayal. I know I should go to Lita, reassure her, but I can't go in there feeling like this."

"It would only make things worse." Murmured Chyna. "Hunter, believe me, Stephanie never meant to hurt you. She still thinks of you fondly and one day she hopes that you'll stop being her ex husband and just be her friend. She just doesn't know whether it's possible."

"Why wouldn't it be?" Something in her voice made him wary. "What's going on? What else do you know that I don't?"

"Just remember that anything that she does to hurt you, it's not intention okay? Just, remember that." She refused to meet his eyes, focusing on something over his left shoulder. Hunter sighed irritably. "Why do I get the feeling that the worst is yet to come?"

~~~~

Dinner went surprisingly smoothly, considering all the tension in the air. Lita hadn't come down for dinner, saying she was genuinely feeling unwell. Jackie was worried about Lita. Hunter was still confused and guilty and Stephanie was just nervous and quiet. Jesse was the same old Jesse and behaved towards Billy as though they had never been a couple, even pulling Chuck aside and saying 'Hurt him and I'll kill you.' Jesse's indifference annoyed Billy, which upset Chuck. The Acolytes seems to spend half the night passing money back and forth under the table.

After dinner was over, Billy Chuck and Jackie all headed upstairs, the latter to check on Lita, while the Acolytes, Undertaker, Austin and Kane headed outside for a cigar. Hunter, still not prepared to face Lita or in the mood to talk to his friends, went out into the backyard. Chyna, Debra, Stephanie and Jesse played with Charita and talked.

"Stephanie, if you ever need a Daddy figure for this little angel, just give me a call okay?" Jesse grinned. Debra rolled her eyes. "As a DX baby, she already has enough misguiding hands in her life."

"Yeah, so what's wrong with another pair?" He replied playfully. Chyna started to reply, then winced as the sound of breaking and swearing came from the front of the house. "That was Austin. We'd better check up on them."

They headed outside and Jesse turned serious. "How you doin?"

"I'm fine." Steph replied carefully. He shook his head. "Steph, this is me. I'm empathic. Let's try again - how you doin?"

"I'm scared Jess." She whispered. "Hunter - I don't know. He's acting strange. We talked comfortably on the way here, then he just… got weird."

"I don't know the whole story." Jesse replied thoughtfully. "It'd none of my business. But if there's anything else you need to tell Hunter, tell him now. Don't drag out this pain for him, because through him, Lita's going to suffer too. And she's not going to sit back and do nothing. "

Stephanie thought she knew what Jesse was talking about. "Are you suggesting I would -"

"All I'm suggesting is that if there's something else that you have to tell Hunter, do it now. Get it all out in the open before he hears it from someone else." Jesse hugged her. "It's gonna be hard and he's gonna pissed, but he'll get over it."

"You know don't you?" She asked. He nodded. "He called and asked me to keep an eye on you tonight. He had a feeling something might go down."

"Thank you." Stephanie hugged him back tightly. Jesse was pleasantly surprised. "For what?"

"For just being you." Her cell rang and he pulled on her hair playfully. "I'll watch the bub."

Stephanie grabbed her phone and headed outside, where the reception was better and she could talk freely. It was Shawn, simply calling to say he was on schedule to leave first thing tomorrow. "Give Charita a kiss for me."

"I will." Answered Steph. "I think she misses you."

"She's only an infant!" exclaimed Shawn. "How can she miss me?"

"Because she's very sensitive to her mother's moods." She teased. "And I miss you."

"I miss you too." He replied softly. "I'll be there early tomorrow. I love you Stephanie."

"I love you too Shawn." She hung up reluctantly and turned around to go back inside, freezing in shock when she saw the figure standing behind her. "Hunter!"

"Well." He said coldly, shaking with barely suppressed rage. "You're in love with my best friend. You had a child to The Rock. Anything else you'd like to tell me?"