She was standing in the kitchen, looking at the granite counter top. She wasn't focusing on anything in particular, just staring into the shiny, expensive stone.

Her world was a rush right now, and she was stuck in a weird place. She had a chance to be on the top of the mountain, to have a shot at the top prize in the game, but she also had to fuck a sweaty old man on national television or it would all go away. She knew what it was doing to Chris.....

.....but she also knew what he was doing to her. He speared her, he wants to get involved with her Mandii business, and he thinks that because he is a champion he is all the sudden better than her. His smug look, she just wanted to smack him.

He sat out there, drinking his drink. He hadn't been right since Savage, but she didn't believe it for a second. He was always testing her, playing brain games and what not. She never knew when he was serious and when he wasn't, which is why she didn't feel guilty about staying mad at him.

She wanted to get this off her chest, she wanted to give him a piece of her mind. She walked towards the door, and went over in her mind how she was going to undress him verbally.

Jenny opened the slider door and came out, sitting in the chair next to him. She didn't say anything, but looked out over the balcony with him.

Damnit, why couldn't she attack him? She had so much to say, but her mouth was drier than the desert she grew up in.

He was so passionate about everything he did. He wore his heart on his sleeve, and she admired that about him. He was re-building a brand that never died in the first place, just took a hit. She admired him for that. She knew everything about him, but outside of his tough exterior, she knew about his inner demons too.

"I'm not going to fight you" he said out loud, his voice firm and unwavering.

"We don't have a choice, Chris" she shot back, "plus....I mean, you did spear me on Savage last week."

Chris sighed, and inside it killed her.

"You know what wasn't intentional. I was going for Mandii."

"Oh, you mean the one whose chest you want to stare at, and the one who, oh, I don't know, I can't beat?!"

Here it was. He had opened Pandora's box now, she was going to let him have it!

"You can be mad all you want, but I am not fighting you."

Chris got up and walked inside, shutting the slider door then walking into the bedroom, shutting it with no quite a slam but a firm close.

She sighed.

After an eternity went by--when in reality it was only about 20 minutes--she entered the bedroom and got into bed with him. Curling up next to him, she could tell he was awake, but neither one said a word.