Stephanie's eyes fluttered open and she sighed as the bright sun shone into her bedroom. She swung her legs over the edge of the bed and stood, stretching before she went into the bathroom to take a steamy shower. Wrapping an oversized towel around herself she stared at her reflection. "Yuck," she said and smirked at herself. "All this time on the road has got me all shot to shit." She poked and prodded at the bags under her eyes and sighed as she grabbed her make up bag and began to make the bags and dark circles disappear. When she was done she smiled at her reflection. "Presto change-o. I'm brand new," she mumbled and went to get dressed, opting for a royal blue turtleneck and black dress pants. Hearing the doorbell she smiled as she glanced at the clock on the night stand. "He's right on time."

She immediately threw herself into Hunter's awaiting arms. He pulled her to him and ran a hand through her still damp hair. "I missed you," she said, her voice muffled by his shoulder.

"Missed you too," he said and kissed the crown of her head. "You ready?" She nodded and grabbed her things before heading off to the airport.

At the airport Hunter was bombarded by fans begging for photos and autographs. Stephanie smiled politely to the fans, who all either ignored her or basically spit in her face. Keeping the polite smile she followed Hunter through the terminal, never once letting the public know that their angry words hurt her deeply.

The flight was uneventful and they made it to the hotel without too many fans. "Hey look it's the whore," a fan yelled as she and Hunter climbed out of the limo in front of the hotel. The word cut like knife, but Stephanie just plastered the same polite smile on her face and walked on with Hunter. "Hey Hunter! Dump the whore! She's no good for you!" Hunter glared over his shoulder and glared at the woman who had yelled, knowing how much her words cut through Stephanie.

"Hunter come on," Stephanie whispered to him. "She's not worth your time." He looked down at her and saw the pain that she tried so hard to hide. He nodded and gave one last look over his shoulder at the woman before heading into the hotel with Stephanie.

"Finally," Stephanie said kicking off her pumps and sitting down on the bed. Hunter went to the phone to check his voice mail and to order room service as Stephanie picked up the TV remote and flipped through the channels. She stopped at a replay of Smackdown. As she listened to the crowd calling her names the tears came to her eyes.

"Steph," Hunter said softly when he realized she was crying. "Honey turn it off." He took the remote and turned off the TV before pulling her into his arms. "What did you tell me about that woman outside. They're not worth your time." She hiccuped and nodded, wiping her eyes. "They don't see you the way that I do," he said tilting her head up so that her blue/gray eyes were staring into his hazel ones. "They don't see the beautiful, intelligent, loving woman that I fell in love with."

"You only see that because I let you," she said and looked away. "I never let anyone in before you Hunter. Sometimes...sometimes I wonder why you chose me over all the women you could have."

Hunter tilted her head up to meet his gaze again. "Because you were a challenge and I like challenges." He smirked at her and she buried her face in his chest, his arms wrapped protectively. What Hunter hadn't told her was that the other thing that made him fall in love with her was how innocent and childlike she seemed at times, like now.

When her sobs had subsided she looked up at Hunter and smiled shyly. "Thank you," she whispered.

"For what," he asked.

"For making things seems so right in my life," she replied. "I never knew that love could make me feel like this."

"Like what," he asked with a smiled.

"Naked," she replied and he quirked a brow at her. "Like I can be myself and not worry about what everyone else thinks. You make me feel free." He smiled and nodded that he understood before he pulled her into an embrace and kissed her lips sofly.