____________________________________________
Chris restlessly paced the length of his hotel room, his mind running overtime as he contemplated a method of telling Trish the truth. And the truth was, he was terrified of letting her know. What if Christian was right? What if he opened his mouth and the blonde diva *did* think that he'd been in on everything with him? It tore him up inside just thinking about it.
"Chris, stop it... come here," the petite woman said softly, her gaze gentle as she looked up at him. He was obviously seriously worried, and it touched her deeply. To think she'd been questioning his sincerity not long ago.
Jericho stopped in his tracks to eye her wordlessly, and she patted the portion of the mattress directly beside her, gesturing for him to sit. He sighed uneasily and came over.
The moment he was seated next to her, Trish sat up on her knees, and he let out a soft groan as he felt her small hands on his shoulders. She kneaded the muscles silently for a moment, thoughtful as she mulled on her own worries.
"Oh, honey... You're so tense..."
"Yeah..." Chris closed his eyes as he began to relax under her expert touch. All he wanted to do was just forget about everything - the fact that only earlier that night, Trish had seemingly hated him, the brutal attack on Lita, the hours in the hospital... Christian's vile confession to him, Edge confronting his brother and then getting the crap beaten out of him. All he wanted to focus on now was Trish's soft, smooth hands on his shoulders and neck and back and on being blessedly alone with her.
But he couldn't do that... There was too much at stake. There would be no resting tonight, no solace.
The little blonde frowned as she felt him suddenly stiffen under her hands, and she swallowed hard, wincing, though he missed it. She looked down for a beat, then they both started speaking simultaneously.
"Go ahead, Trish..."
"No, *you*. Something is bothering you, and it's more than everything that happened tonight," she protested.
Jericho raked a hand through his long golden hair and blinked rapidly, fear coursing through him as he nodded in agreement.
"You're right... you're right, and I..." He halted as he raised his head to meet her deep brown eyes. God, she was so sweet, and seemed so very innocent. How could he ever explain such evil to her?
"It was Christian, wasn't it?"
"What?" Chris nearly did a double-take, the extent of shock he felt at her question nearly knocking him back with its intensity.
Trish looked down, her expression so sad she appeared on the verge of tears for the umpteenth time that evening.
"Christian raped Lita, didn't he?" she elaborated. "And you and Edge knew it and Edge went to him tonight... But he hit him and got away."
Chris shook his head, one of his hands snaking out to gently grasp her left arm.
"How did you know that?"
"Come on, Chris, give me some credit," she replied. "I wasn't pre-med because I was *stupid*, you know."
He nodded rapidly, tenderness filling him at her facial expression and words alike. She was so full of spunk. And *definitely* too smart and clever for her own damn good.
"I know that, Trish... I know. I just didn't want-"
"What?" She placed one hand under his chin, tipping his head up so their eyes met. She could have broken down and bawled at the look in those beautiful crystal-blue eyes of his. He looked so... well, sad wasn't even quite the word for it. There seemed to be an awful hopelessness in those orbs, and she couldn't bear that emotion in him. She couldn't even bear the mere *thought* of such an emotion residing inside this man.
Jericho dared to briefly shift his eyes away from hers, the emotion eating him up. And damn it, but he was actually beginning to feel tears forming. He was afraid - he was man enough to mentally admit it, perhaps even to *verbally* admit it to her - so desperately terrified of losing her.
"Trish... I saw Christian tonight," he explained. "When I left you and Edge at the hospital earlier... I *knew* he had to be the one who attacked her. And I confronted him and the bastard denied it at first, but he finally admitted it and then he threatened me," he blurted. When the blonde woman frowned at that, he plundered on. "He threatened to go to you and tell you that we were in on it together. But that's a lie! I would *never*..." A single tear finally escaped his left eye and trickled slowly down his cheek. "Damn it, I would *never* hurt you or Lita!"
The diva gazed deeply at him, her heart wrenching at his admission. Her heart wrenched at the look on his face, the fact that he was actually crying. In fact, he was suddenly softly sobbing. She couldn't take it anymore.
"Oh, honey... Chris..." Tenderly, she pulled him to her, and he bowed his head, resting his brow against her chest. She could feel more of his tears as she gently stroked his long hair, rocking him back and forth slightly, not unlike she'd done Lita a little earlier. "I believe you." She pulled back and looked directly into his moist blue eyes. "Listen to me, Chris... I *believe* you. I know you would never hurt me *or* Lita. And you don't have to be afraid..."
"So, you're not gonna leave me?" he asked, his voice slightly cracked.
"No," she said, shaking her head vigorously. "Never..."
"Oh, God..." He reached out and pulled her to him, clinging onto her as though she were an anchor and he a drowning swimmer. She tightened her arms around his neck, not wanting to let go, either. And then, after a few minutes, Chris pulled back enough to gaze into her beautiful brown orbs. He thought he could see his entire future in those eyes. And then he moved his face closer to hers, slowly, slowly, until their lips were suddenly touching.
Despite all the horror they'd been through, Trish felt herself relaxing and melting under the force of the kiss, her right hand coming up to cup his cheek as she felt his soft, hot tongue exploring her mouth. The intensity of it had her nearly breathless. And damn it, she wanted him... She needed his closeness, his tenderness, his strength despite the fact that the roles had been oddly reversed and *she* had been the one comforting and reassuring *him*.
Their clothing seemed to melt off, and she sighed as she lay back on the bed, her gaze locked with his, and tenderly, Jericho began to explore her body with his lips and tongue. He cupped one of her breasts in his hands, his thumb finding the nipple, which instantly hardened.
The blonde let out a soft sigh of pleasure as she felt his hardness against her hip, and then his hand found her and began gently caressing. She was already very wet, and all she could think of at this point was having him inside of her. She nudged him almost shyly with her knee, and he looked up to meet her eyes again, and he got the message loud and clear.
Trish cried out as she felt him slip into her, her gaze locked on his as it started. She reached up for his head, pulling him down to her and kissing him deeply, and Jericho returned the passion in kind, both wild and tender at the same time as his thrusts began to increase in speed and pressure.
It went on and on, and in no time, the blonde woman felt that delicious peak hit her, and she let out a moan. She started to squeeze her eyes shut, but then she heard him speaking to her - telling her to keep her eyes open, as he wanted to see every raw emotion and sensation within them.
That was enough for Chris, and he let out her name in a moan of his own, his body stiffening above her as he came. He kept his gaze locked on hers the entire time, and Trish climaxed a second time, her cries louder as her pleasure increased triply.
"Oh, God... I love you," she said breathlessly when it was over.
Chris turned over onto his side to face her, his hand coming up to caress her cheek. He kissed her softly, and she felt as though she were drowning, but in a deliciously good way.
"I love you, too, sweet Trish..."