Now, with the SmackDown taping over, they stood out in the hallway with Jay, Nora, Torrie and Kurt, waiting for Stephanie.  The brunette was still in her office, going through some papers with her brother Shane, who had put in a surprise appearance at the arena.

"What are you two so happy about?" Jay asked as he eyed the redhead and his best friend suspiciously.  He hadn't seen them looking this pleased in at least a couple of days.

"Oh, nothing," Adam said.  "Don't worry about it."  He gave his girlfriend a quick wink, and she squeezed his hand.

"What are you two on?"

Before either of them could reply, Kurt suddenly spoke.

"Why don't you people go on ahead?  I'm gonna stay here and wait for Steph..."  He knew she would not be going back to the hotel with her brother, so the Olympic Gold Medalist thought it best if he linger.

"Are you sure?" Adam asked, eyeing his friend.  "It's no bother..."

"Yeah, you guys go ahead," Angle said.  "We'll be okay."  Then, as the two couples started for their cars, he turned to Torrie.  "Since you've been riding with Steph, you can stay and wait with me."

"Okay," the blonde woman said with a bit of a nervous nod.  She bit her lip as she recalled everything that had been said in Stephanie's office. Thank goodness for Linda McMahon, she thought.  Now, if only the police can catch that miserable bastard...

They looked up simultaneously as Shane McMahon suddenly came their way, and the blonde couldn't help the way her eyes met his.  She managed a tiny smile, and the man smiled back.

"Shane...good to see you again," Angle said, reaching out to shake hands with the other man.

"Hello, Kurt...Stephanie's been talking a lot about you lately."  He was glad his sister had found someone to be close to again, as she'd been a wreck when her relationship with Adam had ended.

"Torrie..."  Shane shifted his eyes to the tall blonde, and his warm smile widened.  "I'm glad to see you're okay," he said.  "I know that you and my sister are becoming close..."

"Yeah," she managed with a small smile.  "She's been like a sister to me since..."  Her blue eyes lowered as she fell silent.  More than anything, she wanted to forget that.

Shane winced as the young woman obviously became a bit emotional, and he kept his gaze on her pretty face.

"Hey...maybe we can have dinner sometime?" he suggested tentatively, hoping the diva wouldn't blow him off for being so bold as to ask her on a date so soon after her ordeal.

Torrie's blue eyes rose to meet his dark brown ones, and Shane was pleasantly surprised to see a smile take residence on her face again.  "I'd like that..."

"Great..."

After a beat, the smile vanishing from his face at their exchange, Kurt said, "Did Steph follow you out?"

Shane looked up, finding it difficult to tear his eyes from the blonde woman.  "Err...yeah...well, actually, she wanted to sort some papers for a couple of minutes - get stuff together for her briefcase...why don't you wait for her in your car?" he suggested.

"Not a bad idea...well, thanks, Shane...see you again soon."

"Later, Kurt...bye, Torrie."

The diva waved with a smile as she followed the Olympian to his rental car.  She was suddenly feeling a lot better about herself.

*

Stephanie glanced at her watch as she loaded the rest of her papers into her bag.  It had been about seven minutes since Shane had left her.  She knew that, although she'd told her brother to tell Kurt and Torrie to go on without her, he wouldn't do it.  Never mind the fact that the Olympian most likely wouldn't listen and would instead stick around to wait for her.

Stephanie raised her head up as she heard her door suddenly creak slowly open.  Had Shane come back?  Or maybe Kurt was looking for her?

The brunette turned around, getting her answer.  Her eyes widened in disbelief and fright as she took in the furious expression on Paul Levesque's face.  He had shut the door behind him and now tiptoed toward her.

Stephanie gripped her bag in front of her, instinctively stepping back as she kept her eyes on the man, not daring for even a second to shift her gaze anywhere else.

"Now, Paul..." she began, deciding that speaking to him was probably the best tactic.  She'd thought she knew this man so well, as she'd been working with him closely for nearly two years now.  How wrong she'd been.

"Shut up, you bitch!" Levesque spat, a deep frown dominating his sharp features.  Quick as a flash, and before Stephanie could even react, he sprang forward, grabbing her by the throat.

The young woman started to scream, but the gripping hand cut off her air supply, her voice along with it.  Instead of a scream, she let out a nearly inaudible squeak.  Stephanie struggled feebly as Paul glared furiously down into her face.

"You want to screw with me?!" he yelled, spraying her face with spittle in the process.  "You fucking little bitch!  It's your fault I'm now in the damned position I'm in!  The cops are after me - because of you!"  He began to shake her slightly.

The brunette grabbed at the man's muscular forearm in a desperate attempt to free herself, but to no avail.  There was no way she could match his unbelievable strength.

"I should choke the life out of you right now!"  Despite his threatening words, Paul loosened his grip on her throat, and Stephanie began to choke, coughing and sputtering as she gulped lungsful of blessed air.  Her eyes widened in terror as the man suddenly lowered his other hand to her breasts.

"N-no..." she muttered weakly.  She tried to kick out at him, but Levesque turned her around so that she was pinned up against the desk, and he trapped her legs between his.

As he squeezed her left breast almost painfully enough to bring her to tears, Stephanie spoke again.  "Paul, no...you - you can't do this!"

"Oh, but I think I can..."

"No!!!"  Stephanie began to squirm and scream as the bulky man continued to fondle her roughly.

All of a sudden, the door was thrown open, and before either of them could react, Kurt Angle brought the steel chair he held down hard on the back of Paul's head.  The burly man collapsed in a heap, releasing the terrified brunette in the process.

Stephanie's eyes were wide as she took hold of Angle's hand, and the two of them fled the arena.  Once in the parking lot, Kurt glanced around furtively, and suddenly, his rental car, Torrie behind the wheel, pulled up to them.  The pair quickly scrambled into the backseat.

"Step on it, Torrie!" Angle shouted.  "Levesque will come to soon..."

The blonde, her eyes now wide as saucers, met the man's eyes in the rearview mirror.  Without any questions, she pressed her foot on the accelerator, and the vehicle screeched its way out of the parking lot and into the night.