A/N - In this story, Trish has retired from the WWE as well, but was never married

RAW 15th Anniversary, December 10, 2007

He felt his heart thumping wildly as he made his way out. Walking alongside his friend and former tag team partner, Randy Orton, he couldn't see a thing aside from her, couldn't hear anything but her adorable laughter.

Adam Copeland was grateful for this final segment of the night. It had been a long show for the WWE's fifteenth anniversary of RAW, and now he would get the chance to talk to her again in the flesh... Everyone was out of character, enjoying themselves in or around the ring. Mr. McMahon had played his part extremely well, as the tall blond man stepped just past him as the Chairman lay on the arena floor. He'd taken the Stone Cold Stunner brilliantly, selling the move better than probably anyone else in the company.

Austin had invited every single superstar in the locker room to come out to the ring to join him in a "beer." In reality, the beverage was Diet Pepsi, since Steve had quit drinking in 2003 - but the fans didn't have to know that. And even if they did, they liked to pretend it was beer.

Adam entered the ring with Randy, and he was unable to keep the grin from spreading across his face. Steve handed him a can, and one to Orton as well. After popping them open, the two friends smashed cans in the air, liquid sloshing out and on them.

He didn't mind. He was too excited to be here, and to see her... She was standing a mere five or so feet away with Trish Stratus, another diva who had returned for the special night.

Compelled, he felt his gaze drawn directly to the redhead, unable to look elsewhere. He didn't want to stare out of worry he would make her feel uncomfortable, but damn it, he couldn't help himself. She looked so beautiful, more so than ever if such a thing were possible.

She met his gaze, and her hazel eyes seemed to sparkle as she smiled. For a beat, she leaned closer to Trish and whispered something to her, causing the petite blonde to grin and say something back.

The next thing he knew, Adam found himself closing the distance between them. He approached the two women, his gaze still trained on Amy Dumas. And then, he was before her, a small smile touching his lips as she looked up at him.

"Amy... Hi," he said, nearly breathless by the sight of her. He glanced at the woman beside her, always a friend to them both. "Hi, Trish."

"Hi, Adam!" The blonde grinned and instantly threw her arms around him for a hug.

As he hugged his fellow Canadian back, the tall blond man couldn't help but keep his eyes trained on the redhead. Once they parted, his heart quickened again as Amy stepped forth to hug him. It was curt and maybe even a tiny bit awkward, but she also placed a quick kiss on his cheek.

"Adam, it's great to see you," she whispered.

Just then, one of the women who'd appeared earlier in the night as one of the Godfather's hos sidled up to him. She bumped him in the hip, causing his attention to go elsewhere for the tiniest fraction. The woman made a sort of come-hither face at him, and he smiled but put up a hand, telling her in a nice way to get lost. How could she have enough nerve to bother him while he was talking with the one and only Amy Dumas?

Amy and Trish exchanged glances as the girl tried with the blond man again. This time, Adam's smile faded and he voiced a firm "no" to her - and lo and behold, she got the message. She moved on, but not far as she bumped into the enthusiastic Orton next.

The Canadian man turned his attention back on his two friends - well, mostly on the redheaded goddess...

Amy smiled at him, and he felt his heart pretty much melt into a pile of mush. It was the same old feeling he'd always had about her, ever since their first meeting back nearly eight years earlier.

"How have you been, Adam?" she asked. She knew he had just returned to action a couple of weeks prior, following his most recent pectoral muscle injury. He'd been World Champion and had had to relinquish the the title due to it back in July. She'd watched that episode of SmackDown, and it had broken her heart to see him so sad. He'd even had tears in his eyes. She'd actually wished she'd never retired from wrestling and had been there with him during such a rough moment.

"Me?" he asked innocently. "I've been great." He stared at her, unable to move his eyes elsewhere in spite of the fact that Trish was also talking to him. He thought of his current storyline with Vickie Guerrero and wished, not for the first time, that he didn't have to do it. He wondered how it had been that anyone could have envisioned him in such an angle after the one with Amy... No one could replace the Edge and Lita romance storyline, because, just like with Lita, no one could ever serve as a substitute for Amy... No one.

No one... The two words echoed in the blond man's head, and they bowled him over like a ton of bricks. What was he doing in his life? He realized right then and there, as he continued to gaze at the redhead, that he needed to make some changes.