Why Me?
"There has to be another exit," Stephanie said pacing around.
"Well if there is another exit it's just going to be just as covered in snow as this and we still wouldn't be able to get to our cars." Eric ran a hand through his dark hair trying to get the snow out of it.
"What about the garage entrance?" Stephanie asked.
"I'm not even sure if it would open because of all of the snow." Eric looked at the door which was blocked with snow. Of all the people in the WWE to get snowed in with, why Stephanie McMahon, he thought. "Look, let's go upstairs and look out some of the windows. We can see if there might be a way out of here."
"If that's what you want to do go ahead," she pulled out her cell phone, "I'm calling for help." Eric rolled his eyes as he walked to the elevator and disappeared from Stephanie's view. "Damn it!" She slapped her phone shut stomping her foot. "No service." She looked around and then went to go upstairs where Eric was. She pushed the elevator button and stepped inside pulling her jacket around her for warmth. The elevator stopped and the doors opened and she walked out running right into Eric. Instead of falling this time, Eric caught her and smiled.
"You know you really should watch where you're going." He smiled as Stephanie pulled away. "I was just coming to find you too."
"Why?"
"Well, I have looked through almost every window on this level," he started, "and I can tell you two things."
"And what would they be?" Stephanie asked.
"Well one, there is probably no one in this building except for us."
"Well, that's just great," she said rolling her eyes. "What's the second one?"
"That we are completely snowed in." He motioned to a nearby window. Stephanie looked out to see nothing but white. She couldn't see cars or anything, just a very large and deep blanket of snow. "It's like that around the whole building so I think we're going to be stuck here for a little while."
"Great." Stephanie turned around and leaned on the wall. "Snowed in, in an arena with Eric Bischoff.this is just great." Eric frowned slightly before making his comeback.
"Well it's not like I like the idea of being stuck here with you." Eric turned his back on Stephanie.
"You're impossible, you know that?" Stephanie said to his back.
"If you say so," Eric turned around and pushed the elevator button. "Look, I'm going to try and find us some food and blankets since it looks like we're going to be here for a while. You can either come with me or do.do what ever the hell you want. I'll be back soon." He walked through the elevator door and disappeared leaving Stephanie all alone up stairs. She watched as the little lights above the elevator say he was on the first floor. She started to walk back to the office she and Eric were in earlier when the lights suddenly went out.
"Why me!" she cried. The emergency lights kicked on and Stephanie quickly found the stairwell so she could go join Eric downstairs.
~*~
Eric stepped out of the elevator and started walking around hoping to find one of the arena's many concession stands. Then suddenly the lights went off.
"This is just great," he said trying to see around him. The emergency lights kicked on and he was able to see where he was going. He smiled when he saw the concession stand that was right in front of him. He hopped the counter and started looking for food when he heard footsteps approaching.
*Guess she got scared* he thought. Once the steps got closer he popped up from behind the counter.
"Get scared princess?" She jumped up against the wall when he did this and he couldn't help but smile.
"Eric don't do that! You scared me to death!" She yelled hitting him on the arm.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you," he laughed. He started looking in the back for food again.
"What are you doing back there anyways?" She looked over the counter in curiosity.
"I'm knitting a sweater. What does it look like?" He looked up at her and rolled his eyes. "I'm looking for food." He hoped someone would dig them out soon.
*********************
Second Thoughts
"Did you find anything yet?" Stephanie called while peering over the counter.
"Well," Eric said coming out of a room behind the snack counter, "I found some frozen hot dogs and some frozen pretzels. The only problem is that we don't have a way to cook them now do we?"
"I'm sure there's a microwave somewhere around here," Stephanie said looking around. "Wasn't there one upstairs in the lounge next to the office?"
"And exactly how do you propose we do that Stephanie?" She looked at him absently as he rolled his eyes. "The power went out Princess. A microwave won't work without power."
"But the lights."
"Are on a back-up emergency generator. That generator is probably not powering anything in this building except the damn lights which means it's going to get very cold in her soon." Eric went back to looking around the back room for food leaving a now scared Stephanie standing on the other side of the counter. "Bingo. We have food!"
"You found something," Stephanie said trying not to show how scared she was actually getting.
"Well, I know it's not exactly healthy, but I found a ton of candy and the soda fountain still works so we aren't going to starve." Eric came back out front holding a box of M&M's and another box of Starburst with some cups resting on top of them.
"Right," she said rolling her eyes, "now all we have to do is worry about freezing to death."
"I'm sure there is a souvenir stand somewhere around here and they will have some shirts or something. We can use those to keep warm," Eric said rationally as the power surged again and Stephanie jumped. "Come on; let's go look around for a souvenir stand." Eric jumped back over the counter and walked down the hall with Stephanie trailing behind him.
~*~
"Having any luck?" Stephanie asked through her chattering teeth. It had been almost 3 hours since they left the concession stand and they had found a souvenir stand about an hour ago, but Eric was having problems opening the door.
"Almost," Eric groaned from the floor.
"Eric, you said almost an hour ago! I'm freezing!" She complained while pulling her coat tighter around her. "Are you going to get that damn door open any time before we freeze to death?"
"Maybe if I didn't have you breathing down my neck every five minutes I would get this door." *click* "open. See, I told you I almost had it." Eric smiled triumphantly as he opened the door and looked around the stock room for anything that could possibly help them keep warm.
"Sweatshirts, T-shirts, I think I'm in heaven!" Stephanie smiled as she went for one of the open boxes and pulled a very over-sized sweatshirt on over her coat. Eric rolled his eyes and picked up the box of sweatshirts and a box of T-shirts and put the candy they had found earlier on top of it and carried it out of the room.
~*~
"You know Princess; you're going to have to eat that candy sometime or another." Eric said popping another Starburst in his mouth.
"I'm on a diet," she said stubbornly.
"More for me then." Eric shrugged. He smiled sweetly popping another piece of candy into his mouth as Stephanie just glared. "Is it me or did it just get colder in here?" Eric couldn't help but laugh at his own joke as Stephanie continued to glare at him.
"How can you joke in a situation like this?" She demanded. "Eric we are trapped in an arena for God knows how long, with no electricity, no real food, and.and.each other! Eric it's still snowing out there!"
"I know," he said looking out the window, "it's kind of nice looking isn't it?"
"Nice looking? Eric that snow will probably be the death of us!" Stephanie said starting to breathe hard. It was obvious to him that she was starting to panic.
"Stephanie, calm down. That's probably just the hunger or maybe the cold talking. Look, just eat something and here," he took off his black leather jacket and draped it around her shoulders, "take my jacket. It should keep you warm. Don't worry Stephanie; we're going to get out of here."
"Why are you being so nice to me?" Stephanie asked curiously. In all the time she had known Eric she had never seen him be quite so nice to anyone but his goons.
"We're in a tight spot right now Stephanie," Eric admitted, "and I know that the last thing we need to do right now is fight."
"I guess you're right," Stephanie said quietly looking at Eric in almost shock. It was amazing that he was being so nice right now, perhaps she didn't know him as well as she thought she had.
"Now are you going to eat Princess?" Eric smiled sweetly and offered her a bag of M&M's and a Pepsi. Stephanie gave a small smile as she pulled his jacket tightly around her while reaching for the candy. She couldn't help but notice the musky smell of the leather and smiled a bit more.
*Eric always did smell good,* she thought.
"Thank you." She said opening the bag and eating the candy. Perhaps this won't be all that bad after all.
