Day Three
8:04 am
Stephanie woke up with a start, looking around wildly for a few seconds. Something wasn�t right. Something was missing. Or rather, someone. Her son. Rhys.
She felt her entire being tighten as everything came back to her, and all of a sudden she had the urge to throw up. She quickly scrambled out of bed, covering her mouth, as she ran to the bathroom.
After a few minutes, Stephanie managed to empty her already-less-than-full stomach. She flushed the toilet, and sat huddled on the bathroom floor, covering her face. She just wanted everything over, just wanted her son back and for her life to go back to normal.
�Steph?�
She lifted her face, looking at Hunter. But she didn�t move, just stared at him. She was just so� She didn�t know what she was anymore.
He came over and knelt in front of her. �Come here,� he whispered, pulling her gently into his arms.
Stephanie slowly wrapped her arms around his neck, and just held onto him with as much strength as she could muster.
*
10:30 am
Both he and Stephanie had a phone each, and were listening to the man�s instructions regarding the drop off of the ransom.
�I want the full $10 million, tomorrow night during RAW,� he said, his tone not changing at the mention of money. �At the arena, so I�ll be expecting the First Couple of the WWF to make an appearance. Wouldn�t want personal problems interfering with work now, would we? Oh, hell. What am I talking about? You�re the ones who air their dirty laundry every week.�
�What about our son?�
�Read the note, Mr Helmsley, because I know you�re not a complete jock. No money, no kid.�
Hunter was surprised that his grip still hadn�t smashed the cordless phone. �We don�t have all the money,� he said, trying hard to keep calm.
�Oh. I see. The mighty McMahon influence not working on the bank managers, Mr Helsmley?� the man taunted. �Looks like maybe you didn�t marry into enough power.�
�Leave my wife out of this!� Hunter replied savagely.
�Oh, but if it wasn�t for her, none of this would be happening in the first place,� he replied, his tone changing for the first time. It had grown harder, angry.
He looked across the room at Stephanie, who had a look of horror and confusion on her face. Was it someone she knew? Someone he knew?
�What are you talking about?� Hunter demanded, but the line had suddenly gone dead.
Stephanie had dropped the receiver on the floor, her hand covering her mouth and looking as if she was about to be sick again. She quickly pushed her away out of the living room, and he ran after her. He was unsure of what exactly to think of this new piece of information. His wife somehow to blame for the kidnapping of his son?
It couldn�t be true. Stephanie would never endanger Rhys�s life.
�Steph!� Hunter called out, hurrying after her as she ran out into the backyard.
She was breathing so fast that he was afraid that she would hyperventilate. �It was me,� she wheezed. �It was my fault!�
�No, it�s not your fault!� he told her, grabbing her by the shoulders and shaking her lightly. �Listen to me, it�s not your fault! We don�t know who this guy is. He could just be playing with us.�
�He said that if it wasn�t for me, Rhys would be back home with us, and safe!� Stephanie cried out. �Oh god�it was me��
�No, it-�
�It was me,� she whispered, her eyes suddenly going out of focus. Then, she fainted.
*
1:45 pm
Stephanie couldn�t stop thinking about the kidnapper�s words.
�Oh, but if it wasn�t for her, none of this would be happening in the first place.�
Whether inadvertently or not, it was her. Despite Hunter assuring her that it could never be her fault, that the man was just playing mind games, Stephanie knew the truth. Whoever the man was, he fully believed what he had said, and that was more than enough for her to shoulder the blame for the kidnapping of their son.
She felt so guilty and disgusted with herself. She tried to think of everyone she had ever crossed, had ever angered, but there were too many people to begin to even contemplate.
��if it wasn�t for her, none of this would be happening��
Stephanie felt her heart tightening at the idea of her having put Rhys in danger. Hunter must hate her. How could he-
�Steph?�
She didn�t move. She didn�t want to look at him, afraid to see the accusation in his eyes.
�I just want to know that you�re okay,� Hunter said softly, kneeling beside the bed so that they could be at eye level. She quickly closed her eyes, averting his gaze. �Steph, please. Don�t do this, not now. I need you.�
Stephanie felt tears begin to form in the back of her eyes at his words, but she still refused to look at him, burying her head deeper into the tear-stained pillows. �I�m so sorry,� she muffled. �It was all my fault.�
�No! Stop saying that!� he burst out angrily, surprising her. She finally lifted her head and looked at him. He had a look of anguish on his face. �Baby, please, I really need you. I can�t do this by myself.�
�But he said-�
�I know what he said, and I don�t believe him,� he interrupted, looking at her earnestly. �He�s the bad guy here, he�s the one who took Rhys from us. It was all him.�
Stephanie sat up on the bed, and looked down at her husband. She had fallen in love him despite his often tough and angry exterior, despite their non-conventional partnership. After they had their baby she had known that, despite how things had first started between them, they were meant to be.
She reached out and gently pressed the palm of her hand against his cheek. �I love you,� she whispered, looking into his blue eyes.
He smiled softly up at her. �I love you.�
*
6:23 pm
�How�s Shane?� Stephanie asked as the four of them sat down to dinner. Vince and Linda had arrived a few minutes ago, bearing McDonalds. Who would have the patience to cook at a time like this?
�He�s much better,� Linda said, picking up a fry but not eating it. �He�s awake and alert, which is good. Doctor says that he�s going to be just fine.�
Hunter sighed with relief, happy to know that his brother-in-law was finally awake. �And Isabelle?� he asked. �How�s she holding up with Temerity?� Isabelle was Shane�s wife, Temerity their five year old daughter.
�She�s been at his side all this time, but she sends her best. She�ll be stopping by tomorrow.�
�How are you guys?� Vince asked, looking at them closely.
He and Stephanie looked at each other, and he offered her a little smile. �We�re doing fine, Vince.�
�No, you�re not,� his father-in-law sighed. �You two look like you haven�t slept in the past three days.�
Hunter looked at Vince and Linda, and shook his head. It looked like they had aged twenty years since he had last seen them. �You aren�t looking your best either.�
Linda sighed. �We all look like shit, how�s that?� she asked.
For a awhile the four of them slowly and silently ate their way through their burgers and fries. Stephanie ate only half of her cheeseburger. Hunter was worried about her, not liking the blame she was placing on herself for their current situation.
Vince cleared his throat when it was apparent that they had all eaten as much as they could. It hadn�t been much. �I wanted to talk about tomorrow night�s show,� he started, �and I think it�s best that you not show up.�
Hunter tensed at the mention of RAW. �We have to.�
Linda looked surprised. �Of course you don�t-�
�No, Mom, we have to go,� Stephanie explained. �We have to drop off the money.�
There was a moment of stunned silence. �But�but we don�t have all of it yet.�
�We�ll get it,� Hunter promised, determined. �We�ll find a way to get all of it.�
