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Amy abruptly woke up with a start following another nightmare about Chris. Although she didn't wake up screaming like she had the night before, she felt shaken. She bolted upright, recoiling in horror a moment later when she noticed the man lying beside her, the long, silky blond hair. Her eyes widened in her fright, her breathing quickening. She pulled the sheet up against her body protectively and didn't calm down until the man rolled over onto his other side and faced her.
"Oh, my God," Amy breathed, shutting her eyes tightly in relief after she saw Adam's beloved, handsome face. Crazily, because of the multiple nightmares she'd endured throughout the wee hours of the morning, she'd been convinced that it was no longer him laying beside her - that he'd either left during the night or had been disposed of - and that it was Chris Irvine lying there.
Adam was roused from his sleep with the motion of the bed that was a result of Amy's movements. He lazily threw an arm over her side of the bed, moaning softly when he didn't make contact with her warm body. He slowly opened his eyes and looked up when he saw that Amy was curled up at the very edge of the bed, seeming to shrink away from him.
"Amy...what's wrong?" he asked softly. "Baby...?"
Amy winced and moved closer to him, placing herself in the secure comfort of his arms. She held back the tears as he wrapped his arms around her in a tight embrace. "You're shaking," he said, his voice tinged with concern.
"I had more bad dreams, Adam," she said in a quavering voice. "I don't know how much more of this I can handle."
Adam sighed softly, rubbing his chin against her deep red hair. He kissed her forehead, a feeling of extreme rage coursing through him. He thought he might just confront Chris in the locker room later that night, during RAW. He'd be damned before he'd let the man stalk and haunt his girlfriend! If Vince McMahon wouldn't do anything to put a stop to this, he would.
A thought suddenly came to him. He pulled slightly back to gaze seriously into Amy's hazel eyes. "Listen...I'll go talk to McMahon tonight, during RAW. I know you said you've already done that and that he hasn't really done anything, but I can be pretty persuasive. Believe me, Amy...when I'm done with him, Chris will never bother you again."
Amy's eyes were locked onto Adam's, and she would have shuddered at the intensity in his face if it weren't directed for something at her expense. She settled down beside him, snuggling against him as he wrapped his arms tightly around her.
*
Later that night, during RAW, Adam and Amy shared a locker room. Normally, Adam would have shared one with Jay, and Amy would have been with the other divas, but he refused to let her out of his sight after the horrible violation Chris had subjected her to.
Amy's match against Jacqueline was to take place sometime during the first hour of the show. Adam wanted to accompany her to the ringside area, but it had not been written into their scripts for him to do so.
"Adam, I'm worried," Amy admitted reluctantly as she faced him after getting fully dressed.
Adam felt his heart breaking at the crestfallen expression on her face. Placing both hands on either side of her face, he gazed deeply down into her eyes. "Don't worry, Ames," he said, his voice soft but firm. "I'll be right behind the curtain by the ramp to the stage, keeping an eye on you - and on anyone who might go out there while you're in the ring. I promise, I won't let anything happen to you." He moved his fingers back and slid them gently into her hair, and leaned his face closer to hers to kiss her tenderly on the lips.
Amy kissed him back, her arms instantly clasping around his neck, and her fears momentarily abated. She could hardly think of anything else when she was in his arms, when he was kissing her. The entire world seemed to melt away, a welcome respite.
*
Amy's match was going well, and she was able to temporarily forget about the problem that had been plaguing her. She and Jackie had always worked superbly together and had great in- and out-of-ring chemistry.
She was slated to win tonight's match for a number one contender's shot against Trish for the Women's Championship. Still, both she and Jackie wanted to give it their all and give the fans their money's worth.
After a Twist of Fate followed by a moonsault, Lita was declared the winner via three-count. The referee raised Amy's hand in victory, and afterward, she bent over to help Jackie up. The two women shook hands, smiled at one another, and then, ever the good sport, Jackie raised Lita's arm. The crowd reacted favorably, as sportsmanship and camaraderie was so little seen between opponents these days in the world of sports entertainment.
A moment later, as Amy departed the ring and started up the ramp, she was suddenly grabbed roughly from behind. Initially thinking it was Jackie turning heel on her, which she thought odd, as it was not in the script, she whirled around.
She gasped in shock and fear. Chris Jericho - Irvine - whatever - was standing only inches from her, his right arm still gripping her upper arm tightly. Where had he come from?
Amy's eyes went wide with fright as she tried backing away from him up the ramp. But Chris still held fast to her arm, and she couldn't free herself. She struggled in his grasp, and he grabbed her right upper arm as well.
"What's the matter, Amy?" he hissed at her in a low voice. "I just wanted to congratulate you on your win..."
Amy was so terrified that she wasn't even aware of referee Mike Chioda trying to get Chris away from her, or Jackie yelling at him nearby, or even the fans' confusion as they booed Jericho for manhandling her. In reality, everything was happening in a matter of seconds, but to Amy it felt more like hours. She continued to struggle in Chris' iron-like grasp, then finally kicked him in the shin as hard as she could manage. He released his grip on her left arm and loosened his hold on her right. She finally broke free and tried to flee.
The next thing she knew, Adam was flying past her in a blond and blue blur. Already clothed in his evening's ring attire, he flung himself at Chris in a spear, knocking him down in the middle of the ramp. As she backed up to a stop just in front of the curtain leading to the backstage area, she watched the two men brawl, long blond hair and fists flying. She couldn't believe what was happening and wished it were all just another nightmare.
*
Adam had watched Amy's entire match on a TV monitor backstage and had felt proud of her performance. The feeling had swiftly changed to fear for her and rage as Chris Irvine had suddenly appeared and put his filthy hands on her.
Adam realized the son of a bitch must have sensed or seen him backstage, keeping an eye on Amy, because he had to have come from the audience.
He'd rushed out there to save her from the stalker. After delivering the hardest spear he could manage, Adam and Chris were fighting in a way they'd never before done in the ring as opponents. This time, it was a real fight, without a pre-determined outcome or winner. Adam was determined to win this one - he'd fight to the bloody death if he had to. Amy was well worth it. He loved her and refused to allow her to be victimized.
Adam winced and cried out loudly as Chris delivered a knife-edged chop to his chest. The blow stung like mad, as Irvine had a steel plate in his right forearm after suffering a bad break in that arm several years earlier. Adam retaliated with a punch to the other man's jaw.
Irvine staggered slightly backward from the blow, and the referees and security who had run out held him back. A number of other officials grabbed Adam as well, but in his rage, Adam broke free of their hold and lunged at Chris again. He pounded on him relentlessly until they were both on the floor again, rolling over and over on the ramp.
Finally, the officials managed to separate them, and the group that held Chris began forcing him up the ramp to the back. Adam stared after him, wild-eyed, and in the corner of his eye, he saw Amy rush away from where they were bringing Irvine and come over to him.
Adam raised a hand to his face and suddenly realized that blood was dripping from his nose. He struggled against the restraining hands of the officials and shouted to Chris: "This is not over!" He meant it, too. He thought he would kill Chris Irvine if he ever touched Amy again.
*
Adam felt terribly anxious and still furious ten minutes later back in his locker room. Amy had tended to him, and the nosebleed had stopped. However, Adam wanted to get back at Chris and hurt him badly.
Amazingly, Amy found herself reassuring him, trying to keep him calm after what had just happened to her. Somehow, she had garnered up the strength and wits to try to ease Adam's fury.
"It's okay," she said. "After what just happened with you two, I seriously doubt he'll ever try anything with me again. Adam-"
A sharp knock interrupted Amy as they both turned their heads in the direction of the sound. Amy looked back at Adam almost questioningly. She knew it couldn't be Chris Irvine, so she calmly walked to the door and opened it.
"What the hell just happened out there?!" Stephanie McMahon demanded as she stormed into the room. She glanced from Amy to glare at Adam, gesturing angrily and pointing at him. "My father wants to see you in his office, Adam - now."
"I'm not leaving Amy alone," he insisted protectively, a gleam of firm determination in his eyes.
"Not a problem," Stephanie stated. "I'll stay right here with her until you get back. And believe me," she added, noting the skeptical expression on his face, "nothing will happen to her while she's with me."
Adam took in the look of fierce determination on the woman's face and knew she meant every word she'd just spoken. "Fine." Then, turning to Amy, he placed one hand on her cheek and said, "I'll be right back."
Amy's eyes locked with his, and she reached up to touch the hand that felt so gentle on her face. She nodded. She watched as Adam walked out of the room, then turned to face Stephanie McMahon.
*
Adam reluctantly made his way to Vince's office, mentally cursing himself for not going to the boss earlier that night to complain. On the one hand, it would have been embarrassing, in the least, to tell McMahon that he and Amy had been watched by the stalking Chris Irvine while having sex in the middle of the ring. Vince would be furious to learn they'd done such a thing.
On the other hand, Adam could have explained that Chris had been tailing Amy in his rental truck, his intentions not honorable. However Vince may have reacted, Adam sensed it was too late for that now. He knew he was in trouble. Swallowing hard, he knocked on the door he'd finally come to.
"Come in," Mr. McMahon's voice called from within.
Adam complied, and as he stepped into the office, all of the fine hairs on the back of his neck stood erect. Chris Irvine, a shiner beginning to develop over his left eye, was standing with the boss. Although he looked angry, he also had a look of resignation and determination about him.
Before Adam could say a word, Vince spoke. "What in the hell is going on with you two? You are two of my best workers, and there has never been a problem with either one of you. But now this crazy stunt - would you care to explain?" He glared from Chris to Adam, back and forth.
Adam and Chris both started to speak simultaneously, each getting irate at the other as neither was able to get the verbal advantage.
"I would like to get a word in edgewise!" Adam demanded.
"Mr. McMahon was looking at me to talk first, Junior," Chris snapped.
Adam felt a vein throbbing in his forehead as his blood began to boil. He hoped his temper would not get the better of him here, in front of the boss.
Vince turned to him, putting up a restraining hand. "You'll have your chance, Adam." Then, turning back to Chris, he said, "Okay...explain yourself."
With a smile of victory directed at his nemesis, Chris said, "I went out there because I was merely trying to spice up an otherwise bland storyline."
"Yeah - bullshit!" Adam shouted, longing to lunge at Chris again and pound him senseless.
"Shh, you'll get your turn," Vince said, giving him a meaningful look. To Chris, he said, "Go on."
"...I knew that by going after Lita," he continued, putting an emphasis on Amy's in-ring name, "I would rile up Edge. I mean, everyone knows that Edge is banging Lita - so why not have a little fun with an angle like that?"
Adam's eyes widened in shock and anger as he stared at Irvine, whose lips curled in a slight sneer. There was an evil gleam in his crystal blue eyes. Adam wanted to tear right into him and give him a shiner on his right eye to match the one on his left.
Vince nodded as if considering the "idea" Chris had just mentioned. "Okay," he said. "None of this was written in the script, and you are supposed to follow the script. You don't make up part of the writing team, Chris."
Adam was glad that McMahon was putting Irvine in his place. Then, Vince turned to him. "Okay, Adam...go ahead."
"This asshole," he began, pointing at Chris and instantly sorry he'd chosen such a word in front of the boss, "has been stalking Amy for months!" He turned toward Vince, eyeing him seriously. "She has been getting terrorized to the point where she's scared to be anywhere she thinks he is. She confided in me a few months ago, and with my own eyes, I've seen flowers and letters he's left for her - he's snuck into her hotel room while she showers. I finally offered for her to room with me-"
"Yeah, Adam, you knew what you were doing...you knew you had to play savior to get her into bed," Chris quipped nastily, interrupting him.
Pushed past his limit, Adam tried to lunge at him, but Vince held him back. "Stop!" he ordered. "Finish your story, Adam..."
Adam glared at Chris as he continued. "We thought the stalking had stopped, but then yesterday, I caught him following Amy in her rental car."
"I never followed her," Chris protested. "I was merely going in the same direction as her up until a point. As a matter of fact, this idiot was following me!" he cried, looking at Vince.
"You fucking liar!" Adam could not believe that he'd ever been friends with Chris Irvine. He didn't seem to be the same guy with whom he'd shared a friendship for the better part of three years.
Chris smirked, and, looking Adam straight in the eye, said, "Why don't you tell Mr. McMahon what you and your precious little slut were doing in the ring after your practice last night, Adam? Hmm? I'm sure he would be very interested to hear all about it..." His smirk deepened.
Adam blanched momentarily before his facial features once again resumed their expression of rage. "You sick son of a bitch," he muttered between gritted teeth.
Vince said, "What is he talking about, Adam? I'd like to know."
Adam shifted his gaze from Irvine to McMahon nervously. He couldn't believe how Chris had manipulated the entire situation so that now he was the one left squirming uncomfortably. He couldn't find his voice, and Vince stared at him expectantly.
"Ah, it's really not that important, Mr. McMahon," Chris suddenly said. "Forget about all that. How about putting together a storyline where Edge and yours truly are fighting over lovely Lita?"
Adam stared at him in disbelief, a sarcastic smile suddenly forming on his face. If he thought Vince would go for this insane idea in a million years...
"You know, that's not such a bad idea," McMahon said.
"What?!" Adam looked at him with incredulous, wide eyes. "You can't be serious, Vince!"
"Now, now, Adam...Chris does have a really good idea."
"'Good idea'?" Adam realized his anger was suddenly directed toward Vince, and he tried to channel it away. It would do him and Amy a world of harm to physically attack the boss. Still, he could not believe his ears. Chris Irvine was like Mr. McMahon's pet - he had the man wrapped around his little finger.
Vince momentarily appeared to be considering Adam's words, then he spoke. "I really do think his idea is a good one."
"I don't care," Adam said sharply, his voice rising. "Didn't you listen to Amy when she complained to you about him all those months ago? Didn't you take her seriously?"
"Yes, I did," Vince stated emphatically. "But the fact remains that this will do wonders for the ratings, and I can't ever see Chris here," he turned towards Irvine, offering him a smile, "hurting Amy Dumas."
Adam glared at McMahon, reminded, not for the first time, of what an asshole the man could be. Furious, he felt his pulse and blood pressure skyrocketing, but he managed to keep himself from cursing him out or punching him right in his smug face.
On the other side of Vince, Adam glared at Chris Irvine, who stared back at him with a self-satisfied grin plastered across his face. God, how he wanted to kill him.
"So, that's what it's all about, huh, Vince?" Adam finally spat, moving slightly closer to the older man until they were only inches apart. "It's all about the ratings, isn't it? Never mind the fact that you're playing with people's real lives...never mind that one of your female employees is being regularly harassed by some obsessive lunatic...never mind protecting her - go along with her stalker's 'good idea,' all for the sake of the ratings." He glared into McMahon's eyes, using his greater height to his advantage as he noticed the boss suddenly looking uncomfortable.
Vince didn't utter a reply as Adam stared him down for another moment or two. Meanwhile, Chris also remained silent. Then, thoroughly sickened, without another word, Adam forced himself to look away from the both of them. Trying to reign in his anger, he exhaled loudly and ran a hand through his blond locks. Afterward, he pivoted sharply on his heel and walked out of the room. It took all of his will power not to slam the door behind him.
*
While Adam was in Vince's office, Stephanie McMahon stayed with Amy, as she'd promised.
"What's going on?" she asked as she put a consoling hand on Amy's shoulder. The redhead looked frightened, and appeared to be shaking slightly after her boyfriend had left the room.
Amy lifted both hands to cover her face, fighting back the sobs and tears that threatened to come forth. "Oh, God, Stephanie," she cried. Then, moving her hands to gaze into the other woman's eyes, she said, "Chris Irvine has been stalking me for months."
"What?" Stephanie's blue eyes filled with alarm and shock. She wondered why this was the first she was hearing of this. "My God, Amy...are you sure?"
"Of course I'm sure!" She instantly felt badly for yelling at the brunette. "I'm sorry, Stephanie," she apologized. "I'm just...upset."
Steph shook her head, not worried about Amy's outburst. "It's okay...I understand," she said softly, trying to calm the other woman down with a gentle hand stroking her hair. "So...he's been following you?"
"Yes...and leaving me letters and roses. He hasn't actually done that in awhile. But yes, he's always following me. I thought it was over once Adam and I started rooming together, but last night, we discovered otherwise..."
"Have you told my father about this?"
Amy stared into Stephanie's sympathetic face. "Y-yes," she admitted reluctantly. How could she tell Steph that her father wouldn't do anything to keep her safe?
"Well, then don't worry," Steph stated firmly. "I know my dad will do everything in his power to protect you from that creep."
Amy shuddered, then slowly began to cry. She could contain herself no longer.
"It will be alright, Amy," Stephanie said, putting a consoling arm around her. She held Amy's head down to her shoulder and patted her hair. "I promise it will be..."
"But you don't understand," Amy moaned. She lifted her head to stare miserably into the other woman's face. "Your father...I-I went to him months ago, when all of this first started. He...didn't do anything, Stephanie!"
Stephanie stared at Amy in shock. She didn't want to believe that her own father would do nothing to protect one of his female employees from a stalker, even if that stalker was one of his male employees.
Finally, she spoke again. "Don't worry, Amy...I won't let that monster get away with all of this."
Amy felt as if she might start crying again as she looked into Stephanie McMahon's eyes. She wanted desperately to believe in the boss' daughter's words.
Both women looked up as Adam suddenly stormed back into the room. Slamming the door as hard as he could in his rage, he momentarily stood away from his girlfriend and Steph, trying to pace himself. He ran a hand through his long blond hair and shook his head, then looked up and met Amy's worried hazel eyes.
His heart softening at the look in her eyes, Adam came over to pull her into his arms. Amy sank into his embrace and closed her eyes as she felt his hand gently caressing her hair. Adam rested his chin on the top of her head and didn't speak.
After a moment, Amy lifted her head to stare up into his emerald-topaz eyes. "What happened, Adam?" she inquired. She feared that, judging by the way he'd entered the room, it couldn't be good.
Adam hesitated as he gazed down into her beautiful, worried face. How was he going to tell her the insane idea McMahon had decided to incorporate into the storylines? How was he going to tell her that the boss had sided with her stalker? He wished he could just take her back to the hotel - better yet, home - and hold her in his arms, kiss her, make love to her - make her forget that a world outside of them even existed.
As she continued to gaze at him expectantly, Adam swallowed hard. He didn't want to tell her but knew he had to. Before she could question him again, he lifted his hands to her face and lowered his head to hers, planting a firm, passionate kiss on her soft lips. She kissed him back, her arms around him, her left hand traveling up, her fingers gently tangling themselves into his golden hair.
Stephanie McMahon sighed softly as she watched the lovers kiss. It was obvious they had forgotten that she was in the room. She felt a slight pang in her heart for them, for all of the heartache they had both endured as of late.
They stopped kissing abruptly, reluctantly, still in one another's arms as they glanced over Stephanie, having been reminded by her sigh that she was still present. Amy clung to Adam and glanced from the brunette and back to her boyfriend. "Adam...what happened?" she asked again.
Groaning and again becoming angry, Adam finally spoke. "Vince is going to turn this whole thing into a storyline - with us and Jericho." He flinched slightly as Amy's eyes widened in fear. "The bastard told him that he went out there and grabbed you to 'spice up the bland storyline.' He suggested that Edge and Jericho fight over Lita."
"Oh, God..." Amy stared up into his eyes fearfully. "How can he do that?!"
Stephanie, who had thus far remained silent since Adam's return to the room, spoke up sharply. "He can't! I can't believe this! Jericho's stalking Amy, and my dad decides to turn it into an angle?!"
Adam glanced at her, noting the furious expression she wore. "He's the boss..." he spat angrily. And he's the biggest asshole walking, Adam wanted to add but didn't dare say aloud, as he was speaking with the man's daughter.
"Well, my father and I are going to have some words - believe me!" Steph shouted. "Excuse me..." She strode across the room, and once outside, she slammed the door almost as hard as Adam had.