TITLE: Along The Way.

AUTHOR: Kelly Rowe

DISCLAIMER: The WWE and all characters belong to the almighty Vince McMahon, except for those which I create.

RATING: PG-13.

SUMMARY: Kurt and Stephanie finally admit their feelings for each other, but fate always seems to be intervening.

SPOILERS: General Smackdown and PPV ones.

TIMELINE: Future

CONTENT: Swearing, Adult Themes

DISTRIBUTION: You want you can have it; just tell me where you put it.

Part 1

Kurt Angle could scarcely trust his eyes when he at the end of the day wandered into the goodbye and good luck get-together that Stephanie was throwing for him after his concluding Smackdown appearance. It seemed as though every single Smackdown superstar was there and they all seemed to be having a good time. Despite that fact Kurt didn't try to delude himself, he knew that nearly every one of them was only there for the free food and drink and not to wish him well, but he didn't really care anyway. As long as *she* came, it would be okay. He carefully scanned the room, his eyes raking over some of the attendees like Benoit, but he wasn't looking to start a fight with his old tag team partner - he was looking for one person, one woman in particular. Kurt ultimately spotted her over near the buffet table, talking business with Dawn Marie and Al Wilson and he shook his head in indulgence. He should've known that no matter what the circumstances, Stephanie would never take the night off from her war with the Raw General manager, Eric Bischoff - especially since that kiss on Halloween.

Kurt unhurriedly walked over towards her, not wanting to interrupt what she was doing - he just wanted and needed to be closer to where she was. In spite of everything it was still amazing to him that he had been in love with Stephanie since the moment that he had first laid eyes on her beautiful face and sweet smile. However she had only ever treated him like a friend. Well, except for those few kisses and that time during The Alliance - when she'd been lonely after she'd had another fight over the phone with Hunter. Things had almost gone much further than the boundaries of friendship, but he had pulled away from her knowing that he couldn't let himself have his heart's desire, because of what he had promised Vince that he would do to Shane and Stephanie's fledgling companies.

Stephanie, almost like she sensed his approach, looked up at him and smiled. She shooed Dawn Marie and Al away and walked over to meet him as he moved towards her.

"Hi," she said giving him a quick hug. "How does it feel to be leaving us?"

Kurt returned the hug and whispered silently to himself, {It's killing me}. "Sad, but excited," was what he ended up  saying out loud to her.

Stephanie steeped away from him and he saw that her usually radiant smile had dimmed considerably. "It makes me sad too," she whispered.

Kurt couldn't help himself, "Why?"

"I just feel like I'm loosing my best friend," she told him sniffling slightly. "We have been through an awful lot together."

Kurt hugged her again, this time much more fiercely. "It's okay, Steph. I'll be back before you even have a chance to realise that I'm gone. Plus I'll bring back some more medals."

"Trust you to think about medals," Steph replied stepping out of the hug. Smiling a little brighter she said, "You probably should go and mingle with your guests now."

"Yeah, Kurt agreed reluctantly. He knew it was for the best though, if he spent any more time in Stephanie's company he knew that he might reveal his true feelings for her and he just wasn't sure that she was ready to hear them.

She kissed him on the cheek and replied, "I'll see you later."

"Bye," he whispered as she walked away from him.

Kurt waited until Stephanie had gone from his sight before he even moved and inch form his spot where he stood. As he moved off to join the other guests he began to wonder if there was ever going to be a time for him and Stephanie.

A few hours later after the party was over, the food and the guests were all long gone and the arena was all but empty. Kurt found himself all alone with Stephanie and offered to return her to the hotel - since it was probably the last time he'd actually get to spend alone in her company for a very long time. Doing the gentlemanly thing, he escorted her up to her suite and then when he went to leave he was surprised when she stopped him and invited him inside.

"I don't think I should," Kurt began even though every nerve in his body was screaming at him, telling him to shut up and go inside. "I have to leave early tomorrow."

"Calm down," Stephanie replied. "I have a couple of papers for you to sign for daddy. I just forgot to bring them with me to the arena. It'll take all of five minutes."

Kurt was relieved and yet disappointed that the only reason Stephanie wanted him in her room was paperwork. "Sure," he said following her inside.

Kurt sat down on the plush, cherry red leather sofa while Stephanie went to grab the papers. A few moments later Stephanie sat next to him, showed him where to sign and it was all over.

"That's it," she told him. "I guess I'll see you when you get back."

Kurt reluctantly stood up, "Yeah. Goodbye Steph."

"Bye Kurt."

Kurt walked towards the door, but stopped and turned back to Stephanie. "I..."

"Kurt, are you okay?" she asked worriedly.

"I can't leave without telling you."

"Telling me what?" she asked confused.

Kurt took a deep breath for courage, "That I love you."

When Stephanie remained silent, Kurt believed that he had made a huge mistake in confessing his feelings to her. He turned once more to leave, but stopped when she finally spoke.

"Where in the hell do you think you're going? You can't just tell me that you love me and then leave."

"Why not? You're not exactly jumping up and down with joy here," Kurt replied testily.

"I'm in shock," Stephanie replied defensively. "I had no idea that you felt that way about me."

"It's not like I really expect you to return my feelings Steph. I just couldn't hide it anymore," he told her.

"Then I guess there's not a problem."

{No problem, except my heart is being stopped into the ground by the woman I love} he thought. "No, I guess there isn't," he replied dejectedly. He turned to leave for the final time.

"I love you too!"

When Kurt heard those magical words he rushed back over to her and pulled her into his arms for a passionate, heartfelt kiss. Neither of them could or wanted to pull away from the other now that their feelings were out in the open. A moment later, Kurt picked Stephanie up into his arms and carried her off to the bedroom.

Part 2

Stephanie awoke the next morning with a immense smile upon her face and feeling better and more content with herself than she had in years. She had at long last been able to acknowledge openly her true feelings for Kurt, feelings that she had clandestinely concealed since she had first met him. She rolled over and realised that she was alone in the bed, that Kurt was gone. She quickly got up and threw on her silk robe and stepped out of the bedroom into the living area of the hotel room.

"Kurt?" she called.

There was no reply and Stephanie wandered over to the couch, sinking down in shock and rejection. She just couldn't believe that he would tell her he loved her, make love with her and then get up and leave without saying goodbye. Kurt just wasn't like that. As the tears began to fall over her monumental stupidity, she spotted something out of the corner of her eye. It was a piece of paper and sniffling she grabbed it.

My Dearest Stephanie,

I'm sorry I left without telling you goodbye, but you so peaceful that I didn't have the heart to do so. Plus the fact I wouldn't have been able to leave you if you managed to shed even one tear.

Remember that I love you and that I'll be back before you even realise I'm gone.

If you need me your dad has the number to reach me by.

Love always

Kurt

Stephanie hugged the note close to her heart for a few moments, before she got up and putting it in with her most personal belongings. Then she simply went along with her regular routine, getting ready and going straight to work. However it was now not only her career, it was also a way for to fill up her lonely days until Kurt returned and she could move on with her life.

Two Months Later

"What?!" Stephanie McMahon yelled in surprise. "That's not funny. Plus it is totally impossible. You have got it wrong... it's just the *flu*."

Dr. Richard Aston - the McMahon's personal physician - just shook his head at her. "Stephanie, I've been your doctor since before you could talk. It's not the flu, you are pregnant."

"Oh My God!"

"There are of course options," Dr. Aston told her.

Stephanie put her hand protectively over where her and Kurt's child lay, "Not for me there isn't."

He patted Stephanie's hand sympathetically, "I'm sure everything will be fine. Why don't you make an appointment for next week and then we'll discuss finding you a good OBGYN."

"Okay," Stephanie whispered getting up.

As if she was on autopilot, Stephanie paid the bill and made herself another appointment. Then she simply walked out of the doctor's office and climbed into the brand new sports car that her daddy had just bought her. Then she sat there shaking in shock. She just couldn't believe that this had happened and that it was happening all out of order. Kurt was supposed to come back, marry her and then they'd start the family she had always wanted. Now she was about to become the Billion Dollar unmarried mommy.

The worst part wasn't that Kurt was gone, she knew he'd be back soon enough and plus she was going to call and tell him. The worst part was that she was going to have to tell her family - her daddy - that she was pregnant and the father wasn't going to be around for awhile.

For the next few weeks Stephanie managed to avoid all phone calls and visits from various family members, paranoid that they would know just by looking at her. She of course logically knew that it was impossible - she was no where near showing yet - but she wasn't quite ready to share her secret yet. Not until she had told Kurt and she couldn't reach him. She had tried and tried to get a hold of him, but couldn't. She had tried the number he'd left with her daddy, Kurt's siblings and hell she'd even tried to get the number of Kurt's freakin' coach - all without success. Now the only choice she had was to call Kurt's mother and beg for his number - not exactly what she wanted to because Kurt's mom didn't exactly seem to like her.

Finally pushing her nerves aside she called Kurt's mother and was told that she hadn't heard from Kurt since he'd left. Stephanie couldn't come right out and call her a liar and there was just no way she was going to use the baby to get her own way. Finally extracting a probably false promise from Kurt's mother to tell Kurt to call her when she heard from him, she hung up. Knowing that sooner or later he would most probably call her, she relaxed slightly. Knowing that the next step was that she needed get the worst over with and tell her family about the baby. She left her office with an impending sense of doom lingering over her head.

Deciding that getting her parents and Shane and his wife in the one location at the one time was an impossible task at the best of times, she simply chose to tell her parents first. So she drove out to her parents home and parked out front. Climbing from the car was one of the hardest things she had ever had to do - not because she had trouble climbing out of the car or anything - but because she knew she was about to disappoint her daddy. Plus she also hadn't quite yet figured out how to break the news to them or to handle them when they did know.

Using her key she let herself inside and was greeted by the unusual sound of her parents laughter. Not that Vince and Linda were unhappy with each other - despite their television image - it was just that they were rarely home together these days to do so. Stephanie walked towards the sound with a smile playing across the corners of her mouth. She thanked God that they were in a good mood, she wandered into the room, clearing her throat loudly and causing Vince and Linda to break apart like guilty school kids.

"Hi," Stephanie said nervously.

"Hi Princess," Vince replied. "What are you doing here?"

Linda stood up and hugged her only daughter, "Never mind him. You know you're always welcome here."

"I know," Stephanie answered as she returned her mother's hug. "I... uh... just needed to talk to you both about something."

Vince looked at his little princess in surprise, "What is it?"

Stephanie looked at both of her parents in turn and then said to her mother, "Maybe you should sit back down."

Linda sat, "Honey... are you sick?"

"No mom, I'm fine. Totally healthy," she replied.

"Then what is it?" Vince demanded as his brow wrinkled further in concern.

"Uh... well... you see..."

"Stephanie, whatever it is it can't be that bad," Linda told her encouragingly.

Stephanie sat down in the leather armchair across from her parents and sighed. "I'm pregnant."

Vince's face contorted in shock, mirroring Linda's own facial expression. Then he broke into laughter, "Funny. Now what's really wrong?"

"I just told you daddy," Stephanie responded as she felt the panic begin to rise in her body. "I'm pregnant."

"You and Hunter?" Linda asked hopefully. After all she had always liked her daughter's ex-husband.

"No, the baby's not Hunter's."

Vince snapped out of his stupor, "Then who the hell put his hands on you?" When Stephanie was silent a feeling of dread spread through him, "It wasn't Jericho was it?"

"Daddy, don't be ridiculous," Stephanie told him. "Chris and I had a purely *business* relationship."

"Sure, sure," Vince mocked. "Just like you and Kurt were just *business* partners." Something on Stephanie's face must have given away her feelings about Kurt because the expression of Vince's face went from bad to worse. "Kurt is the father!"

Stephanie knew it was a statement and not a question, but she answered it anyway, "Yeah."

Vince was visibly shocked, though Stephanie wasn't sure if it was due to becoming a grandfather or the fact that the father of the future grandchild was a trusted family friend. She had a feeling it was both.

"Daddy?" she said nervously, tears forming in her eyes. She just knew that she was about to be drummed out of the family and have to do this all alone.

Vince looked at his princess' sad face and the bitter words faded from his tongue. He stood up and pulled her into his arms offering her comfort.

"It'll be okay princess," he cooed soothingly. "I'll make sure of it."

Part 3

When Stephanie began to show the evidence of her pregnancy she had no actual alternative but to enlighten the superstars on her show of her condition. This way she knew that she could control what they knew and stem some of the gossip that was bound to fly around the locker room about it. Also she had to tell them that within a few months she would be going on maternity leave and would be appointing a replacement - if she could find one that she even halfway trusted.

After delivering the news and being tremendously embarrassed about what questions might follow, she was flabbergasted. It seemed that her employees were much more engrossed in who may end up replacing her while she was away, rather than who the unnamed father might be. Although from the smile and the thumbs up sign she got from Edge, it seemed to her that some may have already figured it out for themselves.

Paul Heyman was rather insistent on knowing who was going to be the temporary General Manager and Stephanie took a perverse pleasure in informing him that there was one certainty about the position and it was that it definitely would not be him who got the job.

After stewing over Stephanie's decision for a little while and coming to the conclusion that Stephanie was making an uniformed, predisposed decision by not even considering him for the job, Paul marched himself off to her office to demand that she at least consider him. After all wasn't he the greatest agent in all of sport's entertainment, hadn't he signed Brock Lesnar when no one else could, hadn't he secretly signed the Big Show and helped to screw Brock Lesnar out of his precious title and then he had performed the coo of all coos and signed Kurt Angle - although that hadn't lasted long.

His big plan to appeal to Stephanie was put on hold when she was not in her office, but not being one to give up he decided to wait for her. Walking around Stephanie's desk, Paul sat down in her plush leather executives chair and imagined that this was all his. When Stephanie's private line rang, Paul answered it.

"Hello, Stephanie McMahon's phone. Paul Heyman, the best agent in sports entertainment speaking."

"Heyman? What are you doing there? Never mind, put Steph on," Kurt said annoyed by Paul's self important speech and the fact that his mother had only just told him that Stephanie had called looking for him months ago. "Now," Kurt ordered his ex-agent. The two of them hadn't parted on the best of terms, Kurt had fired him after he had caused Kurt to not only lose the WWE Title belt, but also be out for three months with a leg injury.

Paul Heyman smiled evilly, he knew about Kurt's feelings for Stephanie - hell, the entire company knew - and since Stephanie had only announced her condition this morning there was no way that Kurt could know about it and he decided to have a little fun with Kurt. "Sorry, Kurt. Steph's not around right now."

"Where is she?"

"Not sure... I know she's probably in the ladies room puking her guts out," Paul told him trying not to snicker.

"Is she sick or something?" Kurt asked concerned for his lover's welfare.

"Not unless you consider getting knocked up an illness."

Kurt was shocked in utter and absolute silence. Stephanie was pregnant. So many questions began to whirl through his brain. How far along was she? Was the baby his? Was he finally going to have the family he had always wanted with the woman of his dreams?

When Kurt remained silent, Heyman continued his speech. "Naturally Steph's keeping pretty quiet on the daddy issue. Hey, with her past history, she might not even know. After all she stills sees Triple H around and then there is Eric Bischoff - have you ever thought that their anger towards each other is a little too contrived? And if it was one of those two, she would want to keep quiet, if she told her daddy about that he'd probably have a heart attack."

Kurt felt his heart shatter into a million tiny little fragments. Once again stupid love-sick Kurt had lost out when it came to winning the heart of Stephanie McMahon. Although he didn't believe that Stephanie had lowered herself to be with that jerk Bischoff, there was always a chance that she and Hunter had put aside their differences and decided to try again. Now all he wanted to do was to be alone and wallow in his self-pity. "Look, I gotta go."

"Sure. Do you want me to tell Stephanie that you called?" Paul questioned trying to keep his voice monotone so he did not reveal his glee at the sound of Kurt's obvious heartbreak.

"No, don't bother," Kurt answered hanging up.

Paul simply laughed as he hung up his end and just in time as Stephanie happened to walk back into her office. When she caught sight of the portly man whom had made himself at home in her office she glared at him.

"Paul, what the hell do you think that you are doing in here? And were you just using my phone?"

"Stephanie..."

She cut him off, "That's Ms. McMahon to you."

"Fine," Paul grumbled. "Ms. McMahon, I was simply in here waiting for you to arrive when your phone rang. Since no one else was around I answered it."

Stephanie sighed in resignation, "Okay. Who was it?"

"It was a wrong number. They were looking for someone called Sandra."

"Oh."

"Well... aren't you curious as to why I'm here?"

"Paul, what do you want?" she asked as she rubbed her temples trying to stop the headache she felt from growing stronger.

"I just think..."

"Before you get going. I simply want to say that there is no chance in hell that I am going to appoint you to run Smackdown while I'm on maternity leave."

"Why not?" Paul whined.

Stephanie shook her head and sat on the overstuffed leather couch that was situated against one of the walls in her office. "Because I have watched you, Paul. You have screwed around with *my* brand and *my* superstars since the moment that you arrived here from Raw. If you really need to know why you'll never be in charge, simply look in a mirror and remember all of the things you have ever done to the wrestlers that have worked for you."

Paul glared at her, but managed to keep his temper in check. "You know what, Stephanie. One of these days all your so-called decisions are gonna come back and bite you in the ass."

Stephanie watched as Paul huffed out of her office before she breathed a sigh of relief. She didn't have the strength or patience these days to deal with childish temper tantrums from him or anyone else. Pulling herself up slowly from the couch, she moved over to the chair Paul had vacated and sat down to do some of the mountain of paperwork that had been piled on her desk by Dawn Marie. However every now and then she couldn't help but glance at the phone and wonder why Kurt didn't call.

The second that a very upset Paul Heyman arrived back at the locker room he found The Big Show just sitting there waiting for him.

"What did she say?" Show demanded eagerly. He knew that if Paul ended up in charge of Smackdown then he would finally get another title shot, not to mention be in a power position over all of the other superstars.

"What do you think she said?" Paul replied sarcastically. "That bitch doesn't realise my potential."

The Big Show sat down on the hard wooden bench provided and sulked. He didn't really care that Paul was upset, he only cared that he wasn't going to get to be second in charge. Hearing noises behind him he turned around and found Heyman pawing through his things.

"What are you doing, Paul?"

Paul found what he was looking for, Show's cell phone. "I'm just borrowing your phone."

"Fine," Show grumbled. "While you play around with my phone, I'll go and get ready for my match."

Paul barely even noticed that Big Show was gone into the shower area, he was too busy looking through his address book for a certain phone number. He eventually discovered it and then dialed, "Hey, Eric. Guess who?"

By the time that Monday night Raw rolled around, Stephanie was encased safely within the confines of her parent's mansion. She had given up her stylishly modern apartment to move back home, figuring that both she and the baby would be better off where they had a built in support base. So far both of her parents seemed thrilled to have her living with them again, she didn't kid herself though she knew a lot of the excitement of having her here was that they would be able to get their hands on their grandchild as soon as he or she was born. Not that she was complaining, in fact she was loving all of the attention she was getting; growing up she had always had to share it with Shane, but now she could enjoy what an only child would experience - if they were in their mid-twenties, pregnant and had seemingly been abandoned by the man they loved.

A few minutes before Raw was scheduled to begin, Stephanie - and a giant bowl of buttered popcorn - settled down next to her father on the expensive leather furniture of her parents family room. Much to Vince's surprise she had admitted to watching Raw, but he wasn't surprised about the reason she gave him; 'To beat your enemy, you have to know your enemies weaknesses.' Stephanie had just gotten comfortable when Raw began, but instead of JR and The King or the first match starting, Eric Bischoff appeared.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, Raw viewers. I would at this time like to congratulate my fellow General Manager, Stephanie McMahon on her pregnancy. No word yet on who the proud papa is, but if I know Stephanie - and I do - she is probably having a tough time figuring out exactly who of her many acquaintances it may be. So now sit back and enjoy Raw, the best show in sports entertainment."

Before Eric had even finished his speech, Vince was on the phone to his secretary, telling her to inform Bischoff to be in his office first thing in the morning. Hanging up he turned to Stephanie and saw the tears filling up his little girls eyes.

"It's okay Princess," he whispered soothingly, as he placed an arm around her. "You know I'm not going to let him get away with insulting you... or *my* grandchild."

"I know, daddy," she sniffled as she snuggled into his embrace.

Vince held onto his little girl and vowed that he would make Eric pay for causing his daughter even a moment of pain from his ill timed and moronic speech.

Early the next morning Vince paced his office as he waited for Eric to arrive. The truth was that the pacing in a small way had stemmed his anger - slightly - he no longer wanted to kill Bischoff, just cause him great pain. By the time Eric finally deemed to show his face, Vince had almost worn a groove into his expensive pure wool carpeting.

"Vince, you wanted to talk to me," Eric said as he made himself comfortable in one of Vince's designer office chairs.

"Well, I didn't call you in here to see your butt-ugly face."

Eric pulled a funny face from the shock of Vince's words. "Look, Vince, if this is about what I said on Raw..."

"You're damn right it's about what you said. You went way too far this time, Eric."

"Vince..."

Vince shook his head violently, "Don't Vince me. You insulted not only my daughter, but my unborn grandchild. Eric, you're on your last chance and if you want to keep your nice cushy job and fat paycheck; then I suggested that you leave my family out of your sick, twisted mind games."

"It was just supposed to be a joke," Eric told him. "I didn't mean for anyone to take offence."

"Eric, you always mean for people to take offence. Next time you decide to play a joke, remember the day that you almost lost your job," Vince forced out in anger. "Now get out of my sight."

Eric walked out of Vince's office grumbling under his breath and Vince smiled in satisfaction, confident that he and his family would have no more problems with Eric Bischoff.

Stephanie had just woken up when her cell phone rang, hoping that it was finally Kurt she rushed to answer it. "Hello?"

"Hey Steph."

Stephanie was shocked into silence momentarily, he was the last person she had expected to call. "Hunter."

"I know I'm probably the last person you want to talk to, but I just wanted to make sure that you were okay after Eric's speech last night. Just so you know every one of the superstars here blasted him about it."

"Thanks and I'll live."

Hunter was silent himself for a few moments. "I also wanted to congratulate both you and Kurt on the baby," he choked out the obviously painful words.

"Kurt?"

"Come on, Steph. There has always been something there between the two of you. Why do you think I acted so insane while we were married and you were his business manager?" Hunter told her. "Back then even I could see it."

"That's really funny, because I didn't see it. I didn't see any of it."

"Anyway... if you need anything and I mean anything. You know my number," Hunter offered.

Stephanie was touched by Hunter's offer, "Thanks."

"Remember, Steph. Just because we didn't work out... it doesn't mean that I don't care."

Stephanie hung up and sighed, even Hunter was showing more interest in her than Kurt was and he was her *ex*-husband. Feeling stressed out and overly hormonal, Stephanie went upstairs to her room to brood all alone.

Part 4

By the time Stephanie was seven months pregnant, she was exhausted both mentally and physically. And as much as she loathed to do it and in fact had put off doing it, she was now looking forward to giving Smackdown away - at least for the interim - even though it would of course give her more time to feel sorry for herself over the Kurt situation.

A substantial element of her didn't want to believe that he had used her, he wasn't that kind of person. But as her father was always telling her, you never can know another person completely. But did that mean that her judgment was totally wrong? Kurt - at least it seemed to her - lived his personal life according to those three I's that he loved so damn much, was that just pretend? Stephanie hoped not.

A brusque kick reverberated from within her engorged abdomen and broke her from her disheartening reverie. She dropped the pen she was writing with and positioned her right hand over where the child lay within her. Stephanie hadn't wanted to know whether she was expecting a girl or boy, preferring to keep the gender a surprise - much to her father's exasperation. If she was truly straightforward with herself then she would admit that it was also - at least partly - due to the fact that she felt dreadful that Kurt was not with her, was not a part of this pregnancy.

"Stephanie?" Vince's voice boomed as he barged into her office without even giving a courteousness knock on the door. "Are you and *my* grandchild okay? You know that we can do this handing over ceremony here in the office and not out in the ring."

Stephanie struggled to get out of her office chair and Vince rushed over to help her up. Standing up straight, she gave him a quick peck on the cheek. "I know, but it just seems more official if we make the announcement out there in front of the fans."

"Fine," Vince grumbled as he offered Stephanie his arm. When she took it, he smiled and then they headed out to the ring to make the announcement about the future management of Smackdown.

Kurt was if truth be told absolutely and unreservedly depressed. The training schedule that he was being obligated to maintain was more intense than he was used to or had bargained for and the worst of it was that none of the other guys left him by himself for even a minute. So when the day was over and he wanted to go back to his room to sulk over Stephanie, he couldn't, not unless he wanted to sulk in front of a bunch of fellow wrestlers. Furthermore his team-mates had now taken to watching Smackdown each week and forced Kurt to watch it with them, asking infinite questions about each superstar and as expected, Stephanie. It was slowly and painfully killing him, each and every week he got to see how beautiful she looked as her pregnancy progressed, but he couldn't look away. At least if he watched he could slip off into his own private fantasy land where he was the daddy and the three of them would live happily ever after.

"Hey Angle," Jon Nixon one of his buddies said as he put his head around the door. "It's time for our much loved show... Smackdown."

Kurt heaved a sigh and obscured his head underneath his lumpy pillow. "Can't you guys watch just once without me?"

"Nope, it's just more fun when you're around to tell us all the backstage gossip."

"I'll give you a thousand dollars to leave me alone tonight," Kurt offered. He just didn't feel strong enough to withstand Stephanie's big announcement - whatever it might be.

"Sorry buddy. It's a special live episode, I can't let you escape."

Unenthusiastically Kurt removed the pillow from his face and climbed out of his cramped single bed. Heaving another sigh he - at a snail's pace - followed his friend down the elongated corridor to where the common room was to be found. Greeting the other guys with a speedy halfhearted gesture, he flopped down on the nearest couch and geared up to have his heart slashed into shreds once again. What he wasn't primed for was the pre-show dialogue going on around him.

"So what do you think Stephanie's big announcement is gonna be?"

"Probably who knocked her up."

"I think it's Triple H."

"They're divorced you dumbass."

"So are my parents, but that doesn't stop them from humping like bunnies."

"That's because your parents are brother and sister. You freak."

"What do you think, Kurt?"

Kurt shook his head, not wanting to be mixed up in this precise discussion. "I don't know."

"Come on. You know her pretty well."

Kurt glared at the younger man, "What is that supposed to mean?"

"It means you work for her. What did you think I meant?"

"Nothing."

The Smackdown credits began to roll and saved Kurt from having to make clear his defensiveness when it came to the topic of Stephanie Marie McMahon. Kurt closed his eyes and hoped that the next two hours would move by swiftly. However somewhere deep inside of him he knew that it wouldn't, at least not until the maximum amount of damage had been inflicted on his weary heart.

Watching apprehensively from behind the scenes, Stephanie saw her father strut assertively down to the ring to introduce her and her announcement. She knew it was absurd, but she just couldn't help being nervous; after all Smackdown had been her whole life for more than a year and here she was about to hand it over to someone else to look after, even if it was to be a impermanent situation. Forcing herself to concentrate on her father's words so that she didn't miss her cue, she heaved a sigh to herself and in secret wished that Kurt was with her to offer his usual reassurances.

"So without further adieu, let me introduce to you my daughter and your General manager, Stephanie McMahon."

Hearing her cue and her theme music start, Stephanie stepped carefully out from behind the curtained staging and began to slowly waddle down the ramp to the ring. After what seemed like an eternity she finally climbed up the steps to the ring and with the help of her father, she made into the ring.

Taking the microphone from her father's outstretched hand, she spoke. "I know that there has been a lot of rumors running around out there about what my announcement might be. However before I make my announcement I feel that I need to address some of the more ridiculous ones. So I have not remarried Triple H, I am not carrying The Rock's love child and Paul Heyman is not going to be put in charge of Smackdown - ever."

The audience broke out into cheers and laughter just like she had hoped that they would and when the noise finally died down she continued. "The truth is my announcement this evening isn't very exciting. I am simply here to announce the new General Manager for Smackdown. It is my immense pleasure to introduce... my big brother, Shane McMahon."

Shane's music hit and her brother appeared to the roar of the crowd, showing their approval over Stephanie's choice of temporary General Managers. Stephanie watched her brother approach and knew that she was incredibly lucky to have gotten him to agree to take over Smackdown from her and she knew he had only accepted the position because it was temporary - he had no real desire to be out on the road again. The instant he climbed into the ring, he shook his father's hand and hugged his sister fiercely.

"Thank you," he said in reaction to the crowd's fervent greeting. "It's great to be back here on Smackdown. I promise you all that I will continue to deliver the same content that has made Smackdown the number one show in sports entertainment."

The crowd went wild once more and Shane reached out, putting a protective around his baby sister. "As my first act as..."

Shane was rudely interrupted as The Big Show and Paul Heyman suddenly came into view. Heyman unfortunately was holding a microphone of his own. "You're kidding me, right? Shane is your replacement. Even that moron Brock Lesnar could runt his show better than him."

Stephanie and Shane exchanged a look of annoyance. "Look Paul, I told you I wasn't about to..."

"If I was a McMahon, you would have appointed me the General manager."

"If *you* were a McMahon, I would've changed my name and gone into hiding," Stephanie replied as she rolled her eyes.

"Before you even open your mouth again, Paul. I have a surprise for you," Shane told him grinning devilishly.

"What?"

"Well... as my first action as General manager, I declare that tonight in this very ring. Paul Heyman and his client, The Big Show will take on the team of Brock Lesnar and The Undertaker," Shane informed the world wide audience. "Oh and by the way, it will be *no* disqualification."

"B-but..."

"Go and get ready, Paul," Vince finally spoke, showing his support for his son's decision.

Paul Heyman slowly walked away from the staging area with the Big Show trailing behind him. As soon as the pair had gone back towards the locker room, the three McMahon's in the middle of the ring hugged - much to the crowd's approval.

Part 5

Stephanie by disposition was not on the whole a nervous individual. Nevertheless the nearer she got to the conclusion of her pregnancy, the more nerves that she didn't know she had began to show. Not that she was on her own in her pregnancy, she had her parents, her brother and her sister-in-law all fussing over her; but still something was omitted and that something was Kurt.

Fundamentally her days were occupied with her mother hanging over her, her father spending all his free time at home indulging her, Shane calling - at least once a day - to update her on what was going on with Smackdown and it's superstars. Hell, even her sister-in-law, Marissa had volunteered to be her labor coach. With all that going on she only just got a moment to think about herself, never mind time to feel sorry for herself over Kurt's nonappearance and what he was missing out on.

After spending weeks panicking over every little hiccup and indigestion attack, the genuine commencement of labor was a considerable disillusionment to Stephanie who had anticipated so much more pain. Nevertheless eighteen hours into labor she had modified her attitude towards the process, at least until she gave birth to her son - who just happened to be the spitting image of his absent father. From the second he came screaming into the world, he was the centre of attention for all the McMahon's.

A small amount of hours later when Stephanie at long last managed to get a private moment with her newborn son, she couldn't do anything but look intently at him and be in awe at how picture perfect he was. Gazing into his diminutive eyes she whispered, "I wish your daddy was here. He'd love you so much... and he'd probably know what to call you."

"Still haven't thought of a name?" Linda asked as she put her head around the door into her daughter's private hospital room.

"Mom? What are you doing here? I thought you and daddy went home."

"We did," Linda replied walking over to her daughter and grandson. "I stayed for about ten minutes and then came back. I just can't keep myself away from the little guy."

"I know the feeling."

Linda sat down in the uncomfortable hospital chair that had been provided for visitors and looked directly at her family, especially at her grandchild. "He just looks so much like Kurt... he's almost a clone."

"Hey," Stephanie objected thinking her mother had insulted the man she loved and her son. "Kurt's a good looking guy."

"I never said he wasn't, Stephanie Marie," Linda retorted smiling at her. "Besides I agree with you, Kurt is extremely cute."

"Mother!"

"I'm old, not dead."

Stephanie laughed like her mother had intended and then turned her concentration back to the sleeping infant. "So... do you have any ideas for a name?"

"All the names I like, your father hates with a passion," Linda told her. "It was your dad's idea to name your brother Shane. I wanted to call him Andrew."

"Andrew? I like it," Stephanie said. "Andrew Vincent McMahon."

Linda grinned at them, "Well I like it and your father will, if only because he got his name in there."

Stephanie smiled back at her mother, but privately her heart felt like it was shattering into a million infinitesimal pieces. She missed Kurt *so* much and wished that he was with her, but that wasn't going to happen. The last time she had called Kurt's mother to ask about him, she had been hung up upon. Staring down at her son she thought to herself that if she couldn't have Kurt, at least she had a small part of him.

Stephanie returned home a few days later with baby Andrew and found that her family had arranged a small gathering, just her parents and Shane and Marissa to celebrate Andrew's birth. As fatigued and weary as she was, Stephanie didn't want to ruin her family's considerate surprise and so she went along with it.

The whole evening was a pleasant affair with presents for Andrew and lively chatter. Stephanie also managed to get infinitesimal satisfaction out of watching her father interact with Andrew, his first and so far only grandchild. Unfortunately towards the end of the evening things turned sour. Vince and Linda had long since gone to bed, Stephanie was so exhausted and had a cantankerous baby to deal with, that was when the fight started.

Stephanie took Andrew upstairs to her room and settled him down before she came back downstairs to see if her brother and his wife had cooled off. They hadn't in fact they were going at it worse than before. Suddenly without warning, Marissa simply walked out in the middle of what Shane was saying, causing him to sink down onto the couch in a fit of despair.

"Shane?" Stephanie asked concerned for her brother.

Shane shook his head, "It's nothing, Steph."

"Yeah, that's what it looked like to me," Stephanie retorted sardonically.

"Don't be a brat."

Stephanie sat down next to Shane and lay a consoling hand down onto his knee. "You know I'm here if you need to talk, don't you?"

"You have enough troubles of your own, Steph. You don't need mine."

"Look you and the parents have always been there for me. I just want to be there for you now. It's what family is all about."

Shane looked closely at his baby sister and smiled sadly. "Thanks, it means a lot to me. However the truth is I don't know what's wrong."

"You could start at the beginning..."

Shane looked tempted by the offer, but in the end he shook his head. "Sorry, Steph. I'm just not ready to talk about it."

Stephanie watched as her brother staggered sadly away and wished that there was more that she could do to help him. Regrettably her relationship guidance wouldn't exactly hold much authority; her first engagement was a catastrophe, her marriage had ended in an exceedingly acrimonious divorce and now she was a single mother living with her parents.

Without forewarning, Andrew's distraught wails began to permeate through from upstairs. Heaving a sigh, Stephanie got up from the couch and went to see to her son.

Two days later Kurt - the masochist - was once again watching Smackdown, when Shane gave an interview backstage. It was on Stephanie and the birth of her son. Until that very second Kurt had not comprehended just how excruciatingly painful it would be to hear of the baby's birth; it was tangible proof that Stephanie had moved on without him and now had a family. All of his personal dreams were now shattered, as was his fragile heart.

Although part of him was pleased for her, that she had found someone to make her happy. That she now had something she had always wanted a family of her own, one that was away from the prying eyes of the public. Something was simply for her. He loved her enough to want that for her, but it didn't prevent the hurt.

After Shane's interview was over, Kurt simply got up and wandered out of the common room. Upon returning to the small room assigned to him, he flopped down on the lumpy single bed and stared at the ceiling. He lay there willing the pain to go away or even better to wake up next to Stephanie and find that these months had been nothing but a nightmare. Turning onto his side he heaved a sigh and closed his eyes to allow sleep to overtake him.

Part 6

Four months later, Stephanie returned to Smackdown and she wasn't alone, she had brought Andrew along with her. She knew it wasn't the usual practice to bring a four month old baby to an arena, but she just could bear to be parted from her infant son for any length of time. Luckily Shane had offered to stay on for the next few weeks to aid in her transition back to work. Although she did have the sneaking suspicion it had less to do with the company and more to do with over protective brotherly feelings that kept him around.

Shane had been acting like an over protective madman since Stephanie had insisted on watching Kurt's performance - and subsequent gold medal win - in the Olympics. Then the day before her father grudgingly admitted that in less than a month, just after the next pay-per-view, Kurt would be returning to Smackdown. Shane was not impressed, but Stephanie wasn't sure how she felt about it. She didn't know how she was going to handle being so near and yet acting with nothing but professionalism towards him, but she was going to do it.

From the moment she walked into the arena on the night of her return, Stephanie was inundated with well wishers and superstars who wanted to see and/or hold the baby. Not that Stephanie was in any way complaining about it, it was extremely nice to know that people she worked with cared about her and Andrew. The worst moment came when she let the last two wrestlers hold Andrew, Edge and Benoit. The second that the two ex-adversaries of Kurt's laid eyes on her son they gave her knowing looks.

"Hey Steph," Edge said smiling at her. "Welcome back."

"Thanks."

Benoit jumped straight in, "Why isn't Kurt here?"

Stephanie tried to keep her voice and expression neutral. "He has a month's vacation before he returns."

Edge and Benoit exchanged another look. Edge chose to speak, "Stephanie... he should be here taking care of you and the baby."

"Why?"

Benoit threw his hands up into the air in frustration, "For God's sake, Steph. You would have to be bloody blind not to see that this is Kurt's son. Hell, he looks just like him."

Stephanie paled with shock and fumbled her way down into her executive's chair. She wondered how many of the other superstars were out there laughing at her and her rampant stupidity over being duped by Kurt Angle.

"Do you want me to beat him up for you? It would be my pleasure to do it," Benoit offered.

Edge elbowed Benoit in the ribs, "Are you okay, Stephanie?"

"I'm fine. Perhaps both of you should go and get ready for your matches."

"Okay," Edge told her leaving the office.

"Remember, all you have to do is say the word and I'll break him in half for you," Benoit replied following Edge out.

Stephanie sighed and sank back as far as possible into the extra large leather executive's chair and tried to regain her composure. She was relatively successful and after a few moments she went next door and deposited her son into her brother's arms, before she headed out to the ring to give her return speech.

Exactly one month later Kurt Angle walked slowly into the arena where Smackdown was being held, all the time his heart was clenching in fear over seeing Stephanie again. How would she treat him now? Like they had never been more than friends or would she ignore him? Sighing he headed back to the locker room area.

The second he pushed open the door to the locker room that he had been assigned to, a deadly silence descended over the other superstars in there. Putting his bag down on one of the wooden benches he surveyed his locker-mates, Edge, Benoit and Rhyno.

"Hey guys," Kurt said trying to be friendly and overcome the icy glares they were shooting his way.

Rhyno stood up and walked over to in front of Kurt, he snorted in Angle's face before storming out of the locker room without uttering a word. The other two simply sat there glaring at him still.

"So... how are you guys? Anything happening around here?"

"Bite me, Angle. I can't believe you actually had the audacity to show your face around here," Benoit told him.

"Huh?" Kurt replied confused. He and Benoit had never actually been friends or anything, but right now Benoit was more hostile towards him than ever before and he had no idea why.

"Oh for..."

Edge cut Benoit off, "Kurt just get your butt over to Stephanie's office."

"Why?"

"Just do it," Edge said as he dragged Benoit out of the locker room.

Kurt sat down on the clod hard wooden bench and wondered what the hell was going on. Everyone was extremely hostile towards him and he was clueless as to why. Getting up he decided that Edge was right and that he should go and see Stephanie, no matter how heartbreaking it was going to be.

Less than five minutes later, Kurt found himself standing just outside of Stephanie's office. Taking an extremely deep breath he knocked on the door and when he did not receive and answer he headed inside. As he poked his head through the door he could hear the sound of running water coming from the bathroom and he decided to wait for her to come out. Hearing a gurgling noise come from the blue bassinet that was set up next to Stephanie's desk, Kurt - against his better judgment - headed over to it. He had to get a look at Stephanie's son, to see what might have been.

Peeking over the side, he received one of the greatest shocks of his life. The baby, Stephanie's baby was the spitting image of his very own baby photos. Kurt involuntarily took a step away from the basinet and tried to sort through the flurried images rushing through his troubled mind.

He never heard the bathroom door open, in fact the only clue that Kurt had that he was no longer alone was Stephanie's strangled cry of anguish. Without thinking Kurt ran out of Stephanie's office, blocking out the sound of Stephanie calling his name. He just had to get away to sort things out. He didn't stop running for a long time.

A couple of hours later Kurt returned to the hotel at which he was staying, going straight to his room and avoiding all the other Smackdown employees. Once he was locked safely inside, he grabbed the phone and rang his mother.

"Hello?"

"Mom..."

"Kurt, honey. What's wrong?" his mother asked immediately concerned.

Kurt took a deep breath, "I saw Stephanie's son."

"Oh baby. Are you okay?"

"He looks just like me."

"What?" she yelled. She didn't and couldn't believe that her baby boy had procreated with that McMahon woman. "Is that why she called here so many times?"

"I guess so. I never got to talk to her, I let Paul Heyman sidetrack me."

"Honey..."

"Mom, I know you don't like Stephanie. However I love her and I want to be with her forever. I need to have my family."

Kurt's mother was silent for a minutes before sighing in defeat, "Then go and get your family. I expect millions of pictures of my grandson."

"I love you, mom."

"I love you too, baby."

Kurt hung up his end of the phone and got up ready to head back to the arena and to Stephanie. He opened up the door but before he had a chance to go anywhere he ran straight into the object of his obsession.

"Hi... can I come in?" she asked holding Andrew close.

"Sure," Kurt answered as he stepped back to allow them access to the room.

Stephanie quickly crossed the threshold and sat down on the couch, shifting Andrew to a more comfortable position across her lap.

Kurt closed the door and locked it before turning towards her. "Why didn't you tell me? Tell the world that it was my child? Were you that ashamed that the baby was mine?"

"That's not fair, Kurt. *You* gave me the wrong contact number and every single time I called your mother, all I got for my trouble was hostility. As to why I didn't tell the world... maybe I just didn't want them all to be laughing at me about how stupid I was to let myself get duped by the man I love."

"You love me?"

Stephanie held onto her son tightly, "Yeah."

Kurt slowly started to inch across the room towards them. "I'm sorry, Steph. I really wish that I had been there for the two of you."

"You had another medal to win."

Kurt looked at her, "You are so much more important to me than any dumb medal."

"I find that hard to believe," she told him as she shook here head.

"It's true, Steph. The entire time I was away all I thought about was you."

Stephanie scoffed, "Yeah. That's why you returned my calls."

Kurt stared, "I did... that was when Heyman told me that you were pregnant and that the father was Bischoff or Hunter."

"You actually thought I'd let Bischoff touch me?"

"Well, you did kiss him."

"He kissed me!" Stephanie corrected.

Kurt sat next to her, "I never thought it was Bischoff."

"But you figured that I was such a slut that I'd get knocked up by my ex-husband?"

"Steph, you loved him."

Stephanie looked into Kurt's eyes, "The operative word there is *loved*. All that was over a long time ago."

"Give me a chance, Stephanie," Kurt suddenly pleaded. "I want us to be a family."

"Why?" she asked as she fought off the overwhelming impulse to simply say yes.

"Because I love you and I want to spend the rest of my life with you. I want to be a father to our son and any other children we may have later on."

"Yes... I want that too."

Kurt leaned in to kiss he, but a sudden whimper shattered the moment. He looked down at his infant son and his heart swelled with love, he placed his arm around Stephanie and for the first time ever, Kurt felt like he was where he belonged.

The End