So that's why he's been acting so strangely lately! she thought.
The upset diva spoke. "I wanted to tell him last week, but I-"
Stephanie's head was nearly spinning as she stared with even more shock at the other woman. "You haven't told him?"
The redhead met her gaze almost bashfully. "N-no..." she admitted, shaking her head. "I haven't been able to face him since that night...I..." Her voice trailed off as she was again overcome by emotion.
Stephanie felt her heart lurch for the other woman and her serious situation. She came forward and hugged Amy, gently holding her head down to her shoulder. After a moment, the brunette held her out at arm's length as she lowered her eyes to study her. "So...you're about a month along now?" she questioned.
"Yes..." the redhead replied.
Stephanie looked into the other diva's eyes seriously before speaking again.
"Amy...you need to tell Adam..."
The former Women's champion stared at her with widened, frightened hazel eyes. "I...I can't, Stephanie...I don't know how."
"Adam is a good man...I'm sure he'll be understanding - and he'll help you."
Amy shook her head frantically. "I'm scared, Stephanie! I-I keep thinking he'll reject me and my - our baby..."
"I don't think he would do that..." the brunette stated firmly.
The redhead took a seat in the chair situated a couple of feet away. She leaned forward and held her head in her hands before looking back up. Then, her eyes meeting Stephanie's, she slowly began to admit something.
"I...was thinking right after I found out - when I got in my rental car to leave the clinic I visited last week...I was seriously considering getting an abor-" She bit her lip as tears began filling her eyes again.
Stephanie came closer, kneeling in front of the redheaded woman. She took hold of one of Amy's hands as she stared up into her face.
"Well, you still have time to choose what you're going to do...but Amy, no matter what, you still have to talk to Adam..."
Amy stared fearfully into the brunette's large blue eyes, knowing she was right.
*
"I'm gonna go grab some grub," Jay said as he stood up. He turned to eye his best friend, who appeared lost in his own thoughts. The shorter of the two blonds realized that Adam had been distracted ever since he'd told him about Amy's shocking actions about a half-hour earlier. "Want anything?"
"Huh? Oh, no...nothing for me...thanks," the taller man said from where he sat on the couch.
The Women's title match had just ended, and Molly Holly had won, becoming the new Women's champion. Adam thought everything was so surreal. Why would Amy give up the gold like that?
The tall Canadian was so wrapped up in his thoughts that not only did he not see Jay leave the room, he also didn't react to the knock that suddenly sounded on the door.
A moment later, he was completely aware of the visitor when the door was flung open so hard it hit the wall. Startled, Adam leapt to his feet and stared in shock at a very furious-looking Chris Benoit. Before the tall blond man could even react, the Crippler came forward, and, in a flash, Benoit had him by a handful of his shirt. The Wolverine shoved Adam into the wall, and the taller Canadian noted Benoit was so angry his temples were visibly throbbing.
"You son of a bitch!"
Adam put both hands up in an almost shrugging gesture. He had no clue as to what he might have done to offend the other man so badly, why Benoit had barged in like this and attacked him. "Um...may I help you?"
"Don't get cute with me, pal - because obviously, it's not going to work!" the Wolverine shouted, inadvertently spraying the tall man with saliva.
"Back off!" Adam shouted as he too began to get angry. He gave the smaller man a slight shove to get him off of him.
Benoit grabbed at him again, only this time, he balled his right hand into a fist. "You worthless bastard..." he spat. "I should kill you right now for what you did! You think you can take advantage of her and then-"
"What the hell are you talking about?!"
"I'm talking about Amy!"
Adam blinked and glared down at the shorter man, his eyes wide with anger as he spoke. "Oh, yeah, Chris? So, what's the problem? You have a little thing for her?"
"God, no!" the Crippler spat, a look of disgust displayed on his face.
"Then back off!" Adam shoved the man off of him again. "I don't see how she's any of your business." He started to walk away from the other man when Benoit suddenly grabbed him again, shoving him back into the wall a third time - this time so hard the tall blond was jolted and actually saw stars behind his eyes for a moment.
"Look, asshole," the shorter man said between clenched teeth. "The last I checked, my sister was my damned business!"
"What?" Adam wasn't sure he'd heard him correctly. "Your what?"
"My sister...you have some nerve, pal! You knocked her up and then left her high and dry?!"
"What?!" Now Adam was sure he must have misheard the man.
"What's the matter, Copeland, are you hard of hearing?" Benoit screamed into his face. "You had your way with my baby sister and now she's pregnant! And you won't do anything about it?!"
All the color drained from Adam's face. He felt faint. It suddenly all made sense - perfectly logical sense. That was why Amy had given up the Women's title, why she'd refused to compete in the match... She was pregnant - and with his baby.
"Oh, my God..." he murmured, finally rediscovering his voice. He brought one hand up to cover his mouth.
Chris released his grip on the man and lowered his fist as he took in the look of shock on his face.
"You mean you didn't know?"
Adam shook his head, his face ashen as he looked at the man. "No...not a thing, I swear."
"Hey, what's going on? Hi, Chris..."
They both looked up as Jay stepped into the room.
"Not now, Jay...please excuse us..."
The blond eyed both men curiously, noting the serious tone in his best friend's request. Shrugging, and without another word, he stepped back out of the locker room.
Adam crossed over to the couch, sitting down to think. Benoit came to sit near him as he spoke.
"Before I ask you about...Okay, Amy is your sister? How come no one ever knew that?"
"She is my half-sister," Chris explained. "We share the same father..." As Adam's eyebrows quirked upward in surprise, he continued. "My father was a businessman who traveled quite frequently. When I was seven years old, he had an affair with a woman in Florida during one of his excursions...and Amy was the result..."