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kyiziDeceiver of Fools
By Kyizi
Disclaimer: The WWE and all related items do not belong to me; only the story is mine. No copyright infringement intended.
Rating: 12A/PG-13
Pairings: Lita/John, Shawn/Lilian, other pairings possible, I haven’t decided yet.
Spoilers: Set during Wrestlemania 22, but with a few differences. The rosters have joined up again, so everyone’s been working together for a few weeks. The match for the Women’s title is a triple threat; Trish vs. Mickie vs. Victoria.
Feedback: Please, it makes me smile :)
Notes: This is a response to the Lita/John and Lita/Randy Ficathon.
Written for:![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
brokengem (Kristi)
Quotes:
03] "It says she thinks you're an annoying jerk." // "It's a pet name." (Wilson and House from House, MD)
32] "If I didn't love you so much, you would have been dead."
15] "I'm not here for your entertainment. You don't really want to mess with me tonight" (U and Ur Hand, Pink)
Must Haves:
21] Bittersweet, happy ending for the couple
08] Party with a game of "I Never" causing some secrets to come up and people to get really drunk.
Title comes from the song ‘Deceiver of Fools’, by Within Temptation
A/N: I didn’t really want to make Edge a bad guy again, but it worked and I had to go with it. Sorry.
~x~x~x~x~x~
Prologue
~x~x~x~x~x~
She took a deep breath, trying not to flinch at the sight of the bruises on her cheek and shoulders, trying not to imagine what she was likely to look like if he found out what she was planning. What they were planning.
Tonight was the night. It was all going to end, but she didn’t know if she was ready, didn’t know if she could remember what it was like to live a life without him. He was comforting, in a twisted sort of way. She knew what to expect and it wasn’t as if he hit her all the time. He rarely got drunk and angry and she consoled herself with the fact that, if they were truly an item, she would have walked away from him. She’d never put up with that kind of relationship again, not even for all the protection he supposedly offered her. But things were rarely that simple, not in her life.
They’d tried at first, tried so hard to be the item they pretended to be, but it was too much. They weren’t in love and they soon discovered that they weren’t even really friends anymore. No, she reasoned, that had come after, when he had realised that pretending to be with her meant he couldn’t, in good conscience be with anyone else. Well, that hadn’t lasted long and she’d been the one to suffer. She didn’t stay with him because she loved him, she stayed with him to punish him. He’d promised to make her life better and all he’d done was offer her a new life she could hate with an equally reverent passion. The fact that his ‘protection’ put him in the firing line was an added bonus.
She was expected to treat him with respect, to do everything he told her to do; his obedient little puppy. And, oh, she played the part, but she hated him. Every time he did something that made her feel cheap, every time he hit her, every time he got drunk and had sex with another skanky, nameless slut that would spread rumours about her…every time… he just added fuel to the fire that was burning inside her.
She’d tried to keep other people out of it, she’d pushed people away and acted her part to the point where she almost believed it herself. But he had forced his way into anway, he’d got through her defences. They both had and now she had them championing at her back, despite her attempts to push them away. And they weren’t the only ones. They all had their ideas, they had each planned everything out…she only wished she could go along with it. But she wouldn’t let them get hurt.
This was her cross to bear and she was going to do it alone…she had to, because she didn’t think she could handle being disappointed again. And she was always disappointed. People always left or betrayed her and she couldn’t go through that, not again.
She picked up her make up bag and took out the contents one at a time, with methodical precision, and slowly started covering up the small bruises on her face. It was time once again to become the person she hated.
It was time to start learning to do it alone.
x x x x x x x
Part One
x x x x x x x
“Help! Help! Please!”
Victoria jumped and looked up at Lilian, startled. “What’s wrong?”
“He stayed the night.”
Trying to fight the smile playing at her lips, Victoria attempted to look confused. “He?”
“Oh, don’t even bother,” her friend retorted, glaring. “You know exactly who I’m talking about.”
“I do, I really do. I mean it’s not like you’ve been sleeping around. No, you just refuse to believe that a relationship is when you end up sleeping with the same guy over and over and over and over and- ouch!”
“The only relationship Shawn and I have is a friendship,” Lilian hissed, keeping her voice low.
“Yes. One where you sleep together,” Victoria said, nodding. “Lots.”
“I hate you.”
“No, you don’t. You hate that I’m right, there’s a distinct difference,” Victoria pointed out, smugly.
“I don’t like him as anything more than a friend,” Lilian said, glaring in a way that almost dared Victoria to contradict her.
Victoria, however, lived to contradict. “Yes, a friend who gives you mind-blowing orgasms. But, hey, if you’re not really that into him, maybe you wouldn’t mind if I-”
“Shut up!”
Victoria smirked at her and shook her head, opening her can of coke. She quickly glanced around the hallway, making sure that no one was about, before turning back to Lilian again. “Have you seen her today?” she asked softly and Lilian shook her head.
“No. God, she’s so quiet now you’d think she was mute. She only talks to be mean and most people don’t want to see that she’s just playing a part and…is there any way we could get her to just sit and talk to one of us?”
Victoria shook her head. “Can you honestly say we haven’t already tried everything to get that to happen?”
“You’re right and this is the only way, but…I really miss her, Vic.”
“I do, too. I seriously would like to hurt Kane.”
Lilian frowned. “I think there are a lot of people who generally feel the same way, but it’s not like he’s the only one who’s to blame. We all let her close herself off and now? She’s…she’s broken, Vic.”
“Then it’s time we did something to help fix her.”
Lilian sighed. “Do you really think that this will work? I mean, I know that he’s planned everything, but I don’t think Lita’s likely to trust us all. Especially not-”
“I know, but he wants to help. He wants to, Lily, and she needs all the help she can get. Even his. Whatever he’s done to her in the past, and it really has been a while since he did anything, doesn’t matter. He’s the one that found out Kane was planning to go after her again.”
“Yeah and that he wasn’t working alone.” Lilian shook her head in disgust. “I just don’t understand how anyone could do this and I’m still trying to figure out who else is helping us. I tried everything to get Shawn to tell me and-”
Voctoria, who had been taking a drink whilst Lilian was talking, was now laughing so hard that she had snorted coke out of her nose, causing her to cough. “I’ll just bet you tried everything,” she choked out. She coughed a few more times, before cleaning up the mess she’d made.
Lilian glared. “I hate you.”
“Didn’t we have this conversation?”
“No, really, I hate you.”
Victoria opened her mouth to reply, but stopped when she spotted Lita and Edge coming through the door. Lilian turned to see what her friend was looking and tried to catch Lita’s attention, but the redhead wasn’t looking up, she was staring at her feet and following behind Edge so closely she would likely walk right into him if he stopped moving.
“I really hope this works,” Victoria said, watching Lita and Edge until they turned the corner.
“Yeah,” Lilian said softly. “So do I.”
x x x x x x x
Part Two
x x x x x x x
She took a deep breath and checked the hallway, making sure that there was no one there, before running quickly towards the locker room at the end. She knocked on the door, quickly and sharply, taking another moment to glance around.
The door opened slowly and Mick double checked the corridor before letting her slip inside.
“Where did you say you were going?” he asked, running a hand through his hair and trying not to wince at the way she was trying to cover up with the shirt she was wearing.
“I didn’t. I just left the room. He’s probably too busy trying to make sure that everything’s ready for the match.” She frowned. “He’s taking a baseball bat out there with him.”
Mick shrugged. “I’ve had worse.”
“Mick-”
“No, Lita,” he said, grasping her shoulders. “I promised you I’d help you get away from him and I meant it.”
“I didn’t want you to get involved.”
He smirked. “Yeah, well, I kinda wish you hadn’t decided to tell me that with a well placed forearm,” he said and she winced as she remembered that low blow. “Lita, I’m going to help you.”
“Whether I want you to or not,” she mumbled, sitting on the bench along the nearest wall.
“You need someone.”
“Yeah, well, the last time I asked I got stuck with Edge. Excuse me if I don’t want the same thing to happen again.” She sighed and he tried not to focus on the fact that she was shaking slightly. “Look, I know you’re not him, but I can’t expect you to hang around and protect me and, God, I hate that I need protecting, but if Kane…if Kane ever comes after me again, I…”
“I know.”
She took a deep breath. “I won’t put anyone else in that firing line, Mick. I’m happy leaving Edge there. He gets to pretend to the world that he has me in his bed and I get to pretend that he’ll be the one that gets hurt if Kane comes after me again.”
“I wish you’d let me tell someone.”
She shook her head emphatically. “No. We’ve had this discussion, Mick. It’s bad enough that you and Shawn know, I…just no.”
“You realise that if this plan fails Michaels is going to ride out there on his white steed, right?”
“I asked him not to.”
Mick snorted. “Lita, that man has a soft spot the size of Texas when it comes to you and there’s no way he’s going to leave you out there if this goes the wrong way.”
Lita sighed. “If the plan fails and I end up getting hurt…well, I made the bed, I can lie in it.” She let out a huff that was too bitter to be called a laugh. “I mean, it’s not like the fans don’t already think I know enough about beds.”
“Stop it.” Mick growled. “I don’t ever want to hear you talking about yourself like that. Not ever again.”
“I’m not the same person I used to be, Mick. It doesn’t matter what you or Shawn try to do…you can’t fix me.”
“Well, we can damn well try.” Mick sighed and sat down next to her on the bench. He took one of her hands in his, her other hand still holding the shirt closed over her almost-bare chest, and tried not to think about how small it seemed in his. “Are you sure you can hold out until the end of the night?”
“I’ve held out this long.”
“I know, but…you can’t try to help me during the match, not if we’re going to stop Edge when he goes after Cena.”
“I know.”
“You’re sure he’s still planning on going out there for Cena’s match?”
She turned to him, nodding, and smirked. “I’m not sure why he thinks he’d be able to beat Triple H in a match for the title when he can’t even beat Cena fair and square.”
“Cena’s a good wrestler, Lita…and a nicer guy than you think.”
“The guy’s a jerk and I hope he rots in hell, I just happen to hate Edge more. Helping Cena tonight is just choosing the lesser of two evils.”
“I know he’s been an ass to you-”
“That’s putting it mildly.”
“Yeah, but…” Mick sighed. “Never mind. Look, you better get back, before he starts looking for you.”
“You mean before he realises he doesn’t have his little accessory on his arm?”
“You’re more than an accessory, Lita, whether Edge realises it or not.”
She smiled sadly. “Maybe I used to be, but I don’t know how to be that person anymore, Mick. I just don’t.” She kissed his cheek and walked quickly to the door, opening it slowly and checking that the hall way was safe, before ducking out.
Mick stood up, about to say something to the empty room, when she ducked her head back in the doorway.
“I know I can’t help you during the match, Mick, but that goes both ways. You can’t protect me. Not tonight. Not out there.”
He grimaced. “I know,” he said softly and she nodded, smiling sadly before leaving.
He waited a moment, making sure she was really gone before turning to look at the closed door in the corner.
“She’s gone.”
The door opened and the two men came out, looking worriedly at each other. Shawn sighed and sat down on the chair he had been sitting in before the redhead had interrupted them.
“She’s gonna hate that I know,” the other man said quietly and Mick and Shawn both nodded.
“Yeah, she is,” the Showstopper replied, “but the most important thing is that she’s kept safe. The most important thing is that she never knows that Kane’s really after her again. Not until we’re in a position to look after her properly.”
“Can we really be sure that Kane is coming after her?” Mick asked and he and Shawn looked up at the other man.
“Yeah. He might be playing the nice guy, but trust me. I’ve heard him talking, he’s hiding it well. The guy’s a phsycho, but he’s not the one we have to worry about.”
Shawn growled. “Hardy’s a dead man.”
“Think I could get away with beating him to death with that handy suitcase he’s trying to get his hands on tonight?” Mick asked.
“I’ll hold him down,” the other man said.
“I can’t believe that jackass is working with the guy who raped his ex-girlfriend when she was trying to keep him safe.”
“That’s your problem, Shawn, you’ve spent so long trying to find the best bits of yourself you’ve forgotten people, in general, are worms.”
Mick snorted. “That was a little deep for you.”
“Hey, I’m only in this because Shawn asked me and because I think that guys like Hardy and Kane are scum. I’ve had problems with the redhead before, but I’d never do something like this.”
“We know,” Shawn interrupted, before the two men could start arguing. Again. “That’s why we trust you to keep her safe out there. I can’t guarantee I’ll be up for anything after my match and neither can Mick.”
“Then I guess it’s lucky we’re not the only ones looking out for her, isn’t it?”
They all nodded and Mick glanced at the door again, trying not to remember how scared and alone Lita had looked when she had left. He only hoped that she wouldn’t hate him for what he had done. He only hoped that, when all was said and done, the six of them could help put her back together again.
He hoped she’d let them.
x x x x x x x
Part Three
x x x x x x x
She glanced at him again, out of the corner of her eyes so that he wouldn’t get suspicious. No, being suspicious was her job and that the moment she was very suspicious. It wasn’t something he’d said or done, but there was something different; a smugness that hadn’t been there the previous evening, or maybe she just hadn’t noticed it. Whatever it was, she trusted him even less than she had before and she hadn’t trusted him as far as she could throw him.
“Come here,” he said suddenly and she jumped.
“No.”
He growled. “Get your ass over her, bitch.”
"I'm not here for your entertainment. You don't really want to mess with me tonight," she said in a low voice, glaring at him.
In four quick strides he was across the room, his hands grasping her arms so tightly she knew she would bruise. He backed her up against the wall and leaned so close to her that his nose kept knocking hers.
“You will do as I say. I helped you out, remember, time to return the favour.”
“I am not your slave,” she said, hoping that her fear wasn’t showing in her voice. She didn’t want to give him the satisfaction and she didn’t want him to know that he affected her that way at all. And, really, compared to the way Kane made her feel, he really wasn’t that scary at all.
Whatever he was about to say was interrupted by a sudden, loud knock on the door and Edge stood back, straightening himself up and walking to the door with a large smile pasted on his face. Lita rolled her eyes and fought the urge to gag.
Trish slipped into the room and the door shut suddenly. It took all of two seconds for Edge and Trish to become fused at the mouth and she let out a noise of disgust before leaving the room. She tried her hardest not to slam the door, She didn’t want either of them to think she was actually jealous. Personally, she was of the opinion that they deserved each other and Lita like to think that people eventually got everything they deserved. She hoped they made each other as miserable as they’d made her over the years. Not always together, no, together they were capable of creating a whole new variety of problems to make her miserable.
“Hey.”
Lita jumped, but smiled when she realised who was calling her. She glanced around before slipping into the door that was being held open and grinned at the occupants.
“I didn’t think you were here yet,” she said, throwing her arms around the man at the doorway. “Why didn’t you tell me you were coming in early?”
Hugging her tightly, he picked her up, swinging her legs out the way he’d always done. “Wanted to surprise you,” he said and she laughed.
“You always give the best surprises.”
“And what about me,” the other man said, feigning hurt. He pouted adorably at her and she crossed the room to hug him.
“You’re always full of surprises,” she quipped, her voice clearly stating that that wasn’t necessarily a good thing.
“I get the distinct feeling I’m being insulted,” he said.
“You should be used to it, Orton.”
“Up yours.”
“Now, now, boys,” she said, her earlier feelings of being alone suddenly forgotten. “Play nicely.”
Randy smiled at her and leaned in for another hug. “Are you okay?” he asked seriously.
“Will you watch where you’re putting your hands? That’s my sister.” Frowning, the other man added. “But seriously, Lita, how are you?”
Lita rolled her eyes and stepped back to look at them both. “I’m fine. Really.”
Her brother sighed and ran a hand over his face, sitting down on the nearest chair and looking at her properly. “No, Li, you’re really not. And don’t get mad at me, you know I’m right.”
“Don’t worry about me, big brother,” she said, sitting in the chair next to him and leaning against his arm. “I can take care of myself.”
“No, Lita, not this time.”
She opened her mouth to protest when Randy crouched in front of her. “You know he’s right. He’s right and you hate it, but we’re not going to let you get hurt again.”
“Why does everyone suddenly have the urge to save me?” she burst out, anger getting the better of her. She used their momentary shock to stand up and move away from them. “No one cared enough to help me when I was with Kane! No one cared enough to tell me that Christian had a bet to get me into bed, no one cared when Matt used to beat the crap out of me and no one gave a damn at all those other points in my life when I was alone and scared and hating life, so why now? What’s going on now that everything’s suddenly all about saving me?”
“I take it Mick’s still planning to help you out?”
“Oh, my God!” Lita cried. “Grow an emotion!”
Her brother growled. “I’m angry, Lita, but I’m angry at myself and that’s not something I’m going to go on about in front of you. I let you push me away a long time ago and I did nothing even though it was killing me to watch you go through all that, but I did nothing. I know I fucked up, okay, you’re my baby sister and I fucked up. I messed up a long time ago and I should never have left you alone when our parents divorced. I should have been there for you the minute we started working in the same damn company, but I didn’t try hard enough and you ignored me and I let you. I’ve got plenty of emotion, Lita, but it’s something I’ve got to deal with on my own.”
“Then let me deal with mine on my own.”
Both men shook their heads.
“No,” Randy said and there was something in his voice that sent a chill down her spine.
“What? What aren’t you telling me?”
They men looked at each other, talking with their eyes and Lita wanted to shout and scream at them and make them tell her what was going on. But there was a small part of her that really didn’t want to know what put that look in their eyes, especially not if whatever it was was coming after her.
“We don’t know, exactly,” her brother said. “But something.”
“Then how do you-”
“Because Hardy said something the other night and…” Randy trailed off. “Trust me, he’s up to something.” Glancing at her brother for the okay, Randy continued. “He’s made a deal with Kane. He wouldn’t tell me what, but he’s up to something and I know that, whatever it is, will not be good for you.”
Lita froze. “So it’s happening,” she said softly. “He’s finally coming for me again.” There was silence as Lita tried not to think about all the ways she was suddenly terrified. She’d known this day was coming, known it since the moment he had uttered the words ‘you’ll always be mine’ the first time she’d tried to run from him. Leaving him for Edge had always been a risk, but she’d finally reached the point where she just couldn’t take it anymore. But she’d always known he’d come for her.
And now it was time.
“Kane’s gathering forces,” her brother said suddenly, making both her and Randy jump. “He approached me, I said I’d think about it. It might be an idea to have someone on the inside, but I need to know you’re protected before I say yes.”
“I can handle Matt,” Lita said determinedly, trying to keep the fear out of her voice. “But…but not Kane. I won’t…I can’t…” She took a deep breath, trying to relax as Randy wrapped her in an embrace, but she couldn’t stop shaking. She’d been through that once and she couldn’t survive Kane again.
Her brother stood up and crossed the room, nodding at Randy as the man stepped back. He crouched slightly, his hands in a comforting grip on her shoulders, and looked Lita in the eyes.
“Lita, I need to know that you’re protected, or to hell with figuring out the plan. The main thing is that you’re safe.”
“What do you want me to do?” she asked softly.
The two men exchanged a look and her brother took a deep breath. “I want you to go along with Mick’s plan. Something tells me there’s more to it than he’s told you. Even if Randy hadn’t confirmed that Hardy was making a deal with Kane, I think they know, that’s why they’re acting tonight. And something tells me that it wasn’t Michaels or Foley that got that information. Mick has help somewhere else and I don’t have to like it, but if it keeps you safe I’ll go along with it.”
Lita nodded shakily. “I’ll go with Mick.” She turned to look at Randy. “What about you?”
“I stay with Hardy,” Randy said, sounding so disgusted with the thought that she couldn’t help but smile at him. “We need as much information as we can get. But when this is all over and done with I get to be the one to beat the hell out of him.”
Her brother nodded. “Kane’s mine and someone’s got to deal with the little shit.”
Randy smiled. “Good.” He looked down at Lita. “You have any idea who might be helping Foley?”
She shook her head. “No, but he made it sound like he’d been planning this for a long, long time. Since I first left Kane.”
“Was he even around then?” her brother asked.
Randy smiled. “Something tells me that’s not a detail to get in Foley’s way. I should know, I’ve been on the receiving end of the guy’s anger. If he wants something done, he’s not going to let anything get in the way.”
“Okay, so you stick with Foley and if you hear anything else, let one of us know.”
“Okay, big brother. But what do I tell them when they wonder where I’m getting my information?”
”We’ll figure that out later.”
“The main thing is that you’re with people you can trust,” Randy said, nodding his head. “You let us worry about the little details.”
“Edge is up to something,” she said. “I just thought you should know.”
The men frowned, glancing at each other.
“We’ll keep an eye on him.”
“And speaking of the asshole,” Randy said, nodding towards the door. “You should get back to him.”
They both looked as pleased by that as she was. She took a deep breath and tried to push all her worries about Kane out of her head. It was harder than it sounded, but she forced a smile onto her face.
“Thank you,” she said and stood on her tiptoes to kiss them both on the cheek. “I’ll see you later.”
“Lita,” Randy called as she reached the door.
“Yeah?”
“Just…”
“Be careful.”
She tried to smile, but this time it didn’t work. “Don’t worry, big brother, I will. And Randy? Good luck tonight."
x x x x x x x
Part Four
x x x x x x x
She hadn’t wanted to watch his match, but Edge had been in a sour mood ever since Trish had left and she wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of asking him to turn off the monitor. She’d never really forgotten how scary the man was, but, somehow, watching Kane and Big Show walking through that match with such ease, seeing just how much bigger they were than everyone else…it scared the shit out of her.
“Stupid has-been,” Edge muttered, causing Lita to look at the screen.
She suppressed a smile when she heard Shawn’s voice. The Heartbreak Kid had troubles of his own, but he’d been helping her for a long time. When he’d first approached her, she’d tried warn him away. He hadn’t really listened, but then she’d teamed up with Edge and, for a while at least, things had been okay. Not perfect, by any stretch of the imagination, but okay. When it had all fallen apart again, he’d found her and she hadn’t questioned it. She had, however, gone out of her way to be horrible to him, she’d almost began to believe she was the person she pretended her to be and it had taken him a long time to make her believe that she was still a good person. But she’d still warned him away.
Looking at the way things were now, she was glad he hadn’t listened. She was glad when he had told her he wasn’t the only person who wanted to help. That was when Mick had approached her and she’d tried so hard to push them both away, but they wouldn’t listen to her. They’d told her they were helping her whether she wanted help or not and now her brother and Randy, possibly the only two people she’d thought she had left in the world, were telling her to let Shawn and Mick help her.
“Who the hell does he think he is?” Edge growled. “He thinks he steals the show? He hasn’t seen anything yet.”
It took Lita a lot of self-control not to bite his head off and point out that there was a reason the man was still around after all this time. Shawn Michaels might not have Edge’s youth, but Lita knew it wasn’t just her belief in her friend that made her believe that the Heartbreak Kid could beat the crap out of Edge.
Lita tensed when Matt’s music started and, this time, she couldn’t just sit there and watch. She stood and crossed the room, deciding she’d rather wait anywhere that didn’t have a monitor on the action. Maybe she could even find a few moments to spend with her brother or Randy… No, she knew that was a bad idea, but either way it beat sitting watching the man who had already made her life a misery and was now, according to Randy, planning to help cause her even more pain.
“Where the hell do you think you’re going?”
“Out.”
“I don’t think so,” Edge ground out, reaching for her as she opened the door.
“Go screw Trish Stratus and leave me the hell alone,” she said with a growl, slamming the door and taking great pleasure in the muffle of pain she heard coming from behind her. She’d caught his fingers. Smirking, and not caring that he’d make her pay for it later, she walked aimlessly through the halls.
She spotted Victoria at the end of the hallway and swiftly changed direction, turning along a narrowed corridor. The woman kept trying to talk to her, but Lita wasn’t dragging anyone else into this, not if she could help it. She liked Victoria, Lilian had always liked the woman and Lita had always trusted her best friend’s opinion. She really missed Lilian, but the ring announcer was one person that Lita refused to hurt. If there was one person, more than anyone, that Lita would do anything to protect, it was Lilian. Whether her old friend knew it or not.
Hearing a noise, she looked up and spotted Shawn Michaels making his way towards her. He was likely going to his dressing room after his interview and Lita wanted nothing more than to be able to stop and talk to him. But she couldn’t.
He glanced at her as he passed and, she couldn’t be positive, but she thought he winked. Shaking her head and ducking so that her fond expression was hidden by her hair, she smiled briefly. She wasn’t sure what she’d done to deserve Randy and her brother in her corner, let alone Shawn and Mick. But, even if she hadn’t known that Kane was after her again, she was glad to have them.
She didn’t know what they had planned, but she really hoped it worked, because Edge had his own plans. Hardcore match or not, the man was gunning for Cena tonight and the only way Lita could truly destroy him was to get in the way of whatever it was he was planning to do.
She only hoped that Mick was willing to keep him alive for long enough to reach that point in the evening. She hoped she would be able to play her part and stay in the right corner. And maybe, if she was lucky, she wouldn’t get caught in the crossfire.
x x x x x x x
He’d knocked her over.
In fact, he’d landed on her. He was so sure she’d let go before they tipped over the ropes, but she had help on and he’d hurt her. It really didn’t matter that he could console himself with the fact that she seemed to be fine, the truth was that he’d knocked her over. So much worse than that had been the fear in her eyes later in the match. It might have been aimed towards him, but something told him that she knew. Somehow, she knew that Kane was gathering forces and intended to claim his ‘bride’ all over again. She knew and she was terrified. And it was up to him to make sure that Kane didn’t get her. He didn’t know what had changed, but he could see it in her eyes; she was finally agreeing to let him help. And he’d gone and hurt her.
He knew that, in reality, he’d done worse in that match than just knock her over, but she’d told him not to go easy on her and he’d let that instinctive rush take over. And he’d hurt her. Somehow, focussing on the fact that he’d inadvertently fallen on her and knocked her over was easier to deal with. And, to be fair, she’d hit him with that bat in a particularly painful place. Oh, yeah, and she’d set him on fire.
“What the fuck was that?”
The growl made him turn, his guard instinctively up. “It was what it was.”
“Don’t give me that bullshit, you went after her with barbed wire! I thought the idea was to save her tonight not to beat the shit out of her with sharp objects.”
“She told me t-”
“I don’t give a shit what she told you,” the man snarled, backing Mick against the wall and it was a credit as to exactly how angry the man was that Mick allowed it to happen. “After all the shit you made me…after everything…God, I can’t even…”
“It’ll all be over tonight,” Mick said, knowing that it really wouldn’t. He knew the memory of everything he’d done would be with him for a long while.
“Then you’d better pray she forgives you,” the man said. “I know I’ll be praying the same.”
The man glared at him once more and Mick wondered once again if it had been wise not to let the others know he was working with them, because it was going to be hard enough to ask Lita to forgive him, but asking Lita and the others to believe that he was on their side? That might just be the hardest thing of all.
x x x x x x
TBC
I know, I know, you’re all wondering where John is. Give me time! ;)
Hope you like :)
~x~x~x~x~x~
On to Parts Five and Six
By Kyizi
Disclaimer: The WWE and all related items do not belong to me; only the story is mine. No copyright infringement intended.
Rating: 12A/PG-13
Pairings: Lita/John, Shawn/Lilian, other pairings possible, I haven’t decided yet.
Spoilers: Set during Wrestlemania 22, but with a few differences. The rosters have joined up again, so everyone’s been working together for a few weeks. The match for the Women’s title is a triple threat; Trish vs. Mickie vs. Victoria.
Feedback: Please, it makes me smile :)
Notes: This is a response to the Lita/John and Lita/Randy Ficathon.
Written for:
brokengem (Kristi)Quotes:
03] "It says she thinks you're an annoying jerk." // "It's a pet name." (Wilson and House from House, MD)
32] "If I didn't love you so much, you would have been dead."
15] "I'm not here for your entertainment. You don't really want to mess with me tonight" (U and Ur Hand, Pink)
Must Haves:
21] Bittersweet, happy ending for the couple
08] Party with a game of "I Never" causing some secrets to come up and people to get really drunk.
Title comes from the song ‘Deceiver of Fools’, by Within Temptation
A/N: I didn’t really want to make Edge a bad guy again, but it worked and I had to go with it. Sorry.
~x~x~x~x~x~
Prologue
~x~x~x~x~x~
She took a deep breath, trying not to flinch at the sight of the bruises on her cheek and shoulders, trying not to imagine what she was likely to look like if he found out what she was planning. What they were planning.
Tonight was the night. It was all going to end, but she didn’t know if she was ready, didn’t know if she could remember what it was like to live a life without him. He was comforting, in a twisted sort of way. She knew what to expect and it wasn’t as if he hit her all the time. He rarely got drunk and angry and she consoled herself with the fact that, if they were truly an item, she would have walked away from him. She’d never put up with that kind of relationship again, not even for all the protection he supposedly offered her. But things were rarely that simple, not in her life.
They’d tried at first, tried so hard to be the item they pretended to be, but it was too much. They weren’t in love and they soon discovered that they weren’t even really friends anymore. No, she reasoned, that had come after, when he had realised that pretending to be with her meant he couldn’t, in good conscience be with anyone else. Well, that hadn’t lasted long and she’d been the one to suffer. She didn’t stay with him because she loved him, she stayed with him to punish him. He’d promised to make her life better and all he’d done was offer her a new life she could hate with an equally reverent passion. The fact that his ‘protection’ put him in the firing line was an added bonus.
She was expected to treat him with respect, to do everything he told her to do; his obedient little puppy. And, oh, she played the part, but she hated him. Every time he did something that made her feel cheap, every time he hit her, every time he got drunk and had sex with another skanky, nameless slut that would spread rumours about her…every time… he just added fuel to the fire that was burning inside her.
She’d tried to keep other people out of it, she’d pushed people away and acted her part to the point where she almost believed it herself. But he had forced his way into anway, he’d got through her defences. They both had and now she had them championing at her back, despite her attempts to push them away. And they weren’t the only ones. They all had their ideas, they had each planned everything out…she only wished she could go along with it. But she wouldn’t let them get hurt.
This was her cross to bear and she was going to do it alone…she had to, because she didn’t think she could handle being disappointed again. And she was always disappointed. People always left or betrayed her and she couldn’t go through that, not again.
She picked up her make up bag and took out the contents one at a time, with methodical precision, and slowly started covering up the small bruises on her face. It was time once again to become the person she hated.
It was time to start learning to do it alone.
x x x x x x x
Part One
x x x x x x x
“Help! Help! Please!”
Victoria jumped and looked up at Lilian, startled. “What’s wrong?”
“He stayed the night.”
Trying to fight the smile playing at her lips, Victoria attempted to look confused. “He?”
“Oh, don’t even bother,” her friend retorted, glaring. “You know exactly who I’m talking about.”
“I do, I really do. I mean it’s not like you’ve been sleeping around. No, you just refuse to believe that a relationship is when you end up sleeping with the same guy over and over and over and over and- ouch!”
“The only relationship Shawn and I have is a friendship,” Lilian hissed, keeping her voice low.
“Yes. One where you sleep together,” Victoria said, nodding. “Lots.”
“I hate you.”
“No, you don’t. You hate that I’m right, there’s a distinct difference,” Victoria pointed out, smugly.
“I don’t like him as anything more than a friend,” Lilian said, glaring in a way that almost dared Victoria to contradict her.
Victoria, however, lived to contradict. “Yes, a friend who gives you mind-blowing orgasms. But, hey, if you’re not really that into him, maybe you wouldn’t mind if I-”
“Shut up!”
Victoria smirked at her and shook her head, opening her can of coke. She quickly glanced around the hallway, making sure that no one was about, before turning back to Lilian again. “Have you seen her today?” she asked softly and Lilian shook her head.
“No. God, she’s so quiet now you’d think she was mute. She only talks to be mean and most people don’t want to see that she’s just playing a part and…is there any way we could get her to just sit and talk to one of us?”
Victoria shook her head. “Can you honestly say we haven’t already tried everything to get that to happen?”
“You’re right and this is the only way, but…I really miss her, Vic.”
“I do, too. I seriously would like to hurt Kane.”
Lilian frowned. “I think there are a lot of people who generally feel the same way, but it’s not like he’s the only one who’s to blame. We all let her close herself off and now? She’s…she’s broken, Vic.”
“Then it’s time we did something to help fix her.”
Lilian sighed. “Do you really think that this will work? I mean, I know that he’s planned everything, but I don’t think Lita’s likely to trust us all. Especially not-”
“I know, but he wants to help. He wants to, Lily, and she needs all the help she can get. Even his. Whatever he’s done to her in the past, and it really has been a while since he did anything, doesn’t matter. He’s the one that found out Kane was planning to go after her again.”
“Yeah and that he wasn’t working alone.” Lilian shook her head in disgust. “I just don’t understand how anyone could do this and I’m still trying to figure out who else is helping us. I tried everything to get Shawn to tell me and-”
Voctoria, who had been taking a drink whilst Lilian was talking, was now laughing so hard that she had snorted coke out of her nose, causing her to cough. “I’ll just bet you tried everything,” she choked out. She coughed a few more times, before cleaning up the mess she’d made.
Lilian glared. “I hate you.”
“Didn’t we have this conversation?”
“No, really, I hate you.”
Victoria opened her mouth to reply, but stopped when she spotted Lita and Edge coming through the door. Lilian turned to see what her friend was looking and tried to catch Lita’s attention, but the redhead wasn’t looking up, she was staring at her feet and following behind Edge so closely she would likely walk right into him if he stopped moving.
“I really hope this works,” Victoria said, watching Lita and Edge until they turned the corner.
“Yeah,” Lilian said softly. “So do I.”
x x x x x x x
Part Two
x x x x x x x
She took a deep breath and checked the hallway, making sure that there was no one there, before running quickly towards the locker room at the end. She knocked on the door, quickly and sharply, taking another moment to glance around.
The door opened slowly and Mick double checked the corridor before letting her slip inside.
“Where did you say you were going?” he asked, running a hand through his hair and trying not to wince at the way she was trying to cover up with the shirt she was wearing.
“I didn’t. I just left the room. He’s probably too busy trying to make sure that everything’s ready for the match.” She frowned. “He’s taking a baseball bat out there with him.”
Mick shrugged. “I’ve had worse.”
“Mick-”
“No, Lita,” he said, grasping her shoulders. “I promised you I’d help you get away from him and I meant it.”
“I didn’t want you to get involved.”
He smirked. “Yeah, well, I kinda wish you hadn’t decided to tell me that with a well placed forearm,” he said and she winced as she remembered that low blow. “Lita, I’m going to help you.”
“Whether I want you to or not,” she mumbled, sitting on the bench along the nearest wall.
“You need someone.”
“Yeah, well, the last time I asked I got stuck with Edge. Excuse me if I don’t want the same thing to happen again.” She sighed and he tried not to focus on the fact that she was shaking slightly. “Look, I know you’re not him, but I can’t expect you to hang around and protect me and, God, I hate that I need protecting, but if Kane…if Kane ever comes after me again, I…”
“I know.”
She took a deep breath. “I won’t put anyone else in that firing line, Mick. I’m happy leaving Edge there. He gets to pretend to the world that he has me in his bed and I get to pretend that he’ll be the one that gets hurt if Kane comes after me again.”
“I wish you’d let me tell someone.”
She shook her head emphatically. “No. We’ve had this discussion, Mick. It’s bad enough that you and Shawn know, I…just no.”
“You realise that if this plan fails Michaels is going to ride out there on his white steed, right?”
“I asked him not to.”
Mick snorted. “Lita, that man has a soft spot the size of Texas when it comes to you and there’s no way he’s going to leave you out there if this goes the wrong way.”
Lita sighed. “If the plan fails and I end up getting hurt…well, I made the bed, I can lie in it.” She let out a huff that was too bitter to be called a laugh. “I mean, it’s not like the fans don’t already think I know enough about beds.”
“Stop it.” Mick growled. “I don’t ever want to hear you talking about yourself like that. Not ever again.”
“I’m not the same person I used to be, Mick. It doesn’t matter what you or Shawn try to do…you can’t fix me.”
“Well, we can damn well try.” Mick sighed and sat down next to her on the bench. He took one of her hands in his, her other hand still holding the shirt closed over her almost-bare chest, and tried not to think about how small it seemed in his. “Are you sure you can hold out until the end of the night?”
“I’ve held out this long.”
“I know, but…you can’t try to help me during the match, not if we’re going to stop Edge when he goes after Cena.”
“I know.”
“You’re sure he’s still planning on going out there for Cena’s match?”
She turned to him, nodding, and smirked. “I’m not sure why he thinks he’d be able to beat Triple H in a match for the title when he can’t even beat Cena fair and square.”
“Cena’s a good wrestler, Lita…and a nicer guy than you think.”
“The guy’s a jerk and I hope he rots in hell, I just happen to hate Edge more. Helping Cena tonight is just choosing the lesser of two evils.”
“I know he’s been an ass to you-”
“That’s putting it mildly.”
“Yeah, but…” Mick sighed. “Never mind. Look, you better get back, before he starts looking for you.”
“You mean before he realises he doesn’t have his little accessory on his arm?”
“You’re more than an accessory, Lita, whether Edge realises it or not.”
She smiled sadly. “Maybe I used to be, but I don’t know how to be that person anymore, Mick. I just don’t.” She kissed his cheek and walked quickly to the door, opening it slowly and checking that the hall way was safe, before ducking out.
Mick stood up, about to say something to the empty room, when she ducked her head back in the doorway.
“I know I can’t help you during the match, Mick, but that goes both ways. You can’t protect me. Not tonight. Not out there.”
He grimaced. “I know,” he said softly and she nodded, smiling sadly before leaving.
He waited a moment, making sure she was really gone before turning to look at the closed door in the corner.
“She’s gone.”
The door opened and the two men came out, looking worriedly at each other. Shawn sighed and sat down on the chair he had been sitting in before the redhead had interrupted them.
“She’s gonna hate that I know,” the other man said quietly and Mick and Shawn both nodded.
“Yeah, she is,” the Showstopper replied, “but the most important thing is that she’s kept safe. The most important thing is that she never knows that Kane’s really after her again. Not until we’re in a position to look after her properly.”
“Can we really be sure that Kane is coming after her?” Mick asked and he and Shawn looked up at the other man.
“Yeah. He might be playing the nice guy, but trust me. I’ve heard him talking, he’s hiding it well. The guy’s a phsycho, but he’s not the one we have to worry about.”
Shawn growled. “Hardy’s a dead man.”
“Think I could get away with beating him to death with that handy suitcase he’s trying to get his hands on tonight?” Mick asked.
“I’ll hold him down,” the other man said.
“I can’t believe that jackass is working with the guy who raped his ex-girlfriend when she was trying to keep him safe.”
“That’s your problem, Shawn, you’ve spent so long trying to find the best bits of yourself you’ve forgotten people, in general, are worms.”
Mick snorted. “That was a little deep for you.”
“Hey, I’m only in this because Shawn asked me and because I think that guys like Hardy and Kane are scum. I’ve had problems with the redhead before, but I’d never do something like this.”
“We know,” Shawn interrupted, before the two men could start arguing. Again. “That’s why we trust you to keep her safe out there. I can’t guarantee I’ll be up for anything after my match and neither can Mick.”
“Then I guess it’s lucky we’re not the only ones looking out for her, isn’t it?”
They all nodded and Mick glanced at the door again, trying not to remember how scared and alone Lita had looked when she had left. He only hoped that she wouldn’t hate him for what he had done. He only hoped that, when all was said and done, the six of them could help put her back together again.
He hoped she’d let them.
x x x x x x x
Part Three
x x x x x x x
She glanced at him again, out of the corner of her eyes so that he wouldn’t get suspicious. No, being suspicious was her job and that the moment she was very suspicious. It wasn’t something he’d said or done, but there was something different; a smugness that hadn’t been there the previous evening, or maybe she just hadn’t noticed it. Whatever it was, she trusted him even less than she had before and she hadn’t trusted him as far as she could throw him.
“Come here,” he said suddenly and she jumped.
“No.”
He growled. “Get your ass over her, bitch.”
"I'm not here for your entertainment. You don't really want to mess with me tonight," she said in a low voice, glaring at him.
In four quick strides he was across the room, his hands grasping her arms so tightly she knew she would bruise. He backed her up against the wall and leaned so close to her that his nose kept knocking hers.
“You will do as I say. I helped you out, remember, time to return the favour.”
“I am not your slave,” she said, hoping that her fear wasn’t showing in her voice. She didn’t want to give him the satisfaction and she didn’t want him to know that he affected her that way at all. And, really, compared to the way Kane made her feel, he really wasn’t that scary at all.
Whatever he was about to say was interrupted by a sudden, loud knock on the door and Edge stood back, straightening himself up and walking to the door with a large smile pasted on his face. Lita rolled her eyes and fought the urge to gag.
Trish slipped into the room and the door shut suddenly. It took all of two seconds for Edge and Trish to become fused at the mouth and she let out a noise of disgust before leaving the room. She tried her hardest not to slam the door, She didn’t want either of them to think she was actually jealous. Personally, she was of the opinion that they deserved each other and Lita like to think that people eventually got everything they deserved. She hoped they made each other as miserable as they’d made her over the years. Not always together, no, together they were capable of creating a whole new variety of problems to make her miserable.
“Hey.”
Lita jumped, but smiled when she realised who was calling her. She glanced around before slipping into the door that was being held open and grinned at the occupants.
“I didn’t think you were here yet,” she said, throwing her arms around the man at the doorway. “Why didn’t you tell me you were coming in early?”
Hugging her tightly, he picked her up, swinging her legs out the way he’d always done. “Wanted to surprise you,” he said and she laughed.
“You always give the best surprises.”
“And what about me,” the other man said, feigning hurt. He pouted adorably at her and she crossed the room to hug him.
“You’re always full of surprises,” she quipped, her voice clearly stating that that wasn’t necessarily a good thing.
“I get the distinct feeling I’m being insulted,” he said.
“You should be used to it, Orton.”
“Up yours.”
“Now, now, boys,” she said, her earlier feelings of being alone suddenly forgotten. “Play nicely.”
Randy smiled at her and leaned in for another hug. “Are you okay?” he asked seriously.
“Will you watch where you’re putting your hands? That’s my sister.” Frowning, the other man added. “But seriously, Lita, how are you?”
Lita rolled her eyes and stepped back to look at them both. “I’m fine. Really.”
Her brother sighed and ran a hand over his face, sitting down on the nearest chair and looking at her properly. “No, Li, you’re really not. And don’t get mad at me, you know I’m right.”
“Don’t worry about me, big brother,” she said, sitting in the chair next to him and leaning against his arm. “I can take care of myself.”
“No, Lita, not this time.”
She opened her mouth to protest when Randy crouched in front of her. “You know he’s right. He’s right and you hate it, but we’re not going to let you get hurt again.”
“Why does everyone suddenly have the urge to save me?” she burst out, anger getting the better of her. She used their momentary shock to stand up and move away from them. “No one cared enough to help me when I was with Kane! No one cared enough to tell me that Christian had a bet to get me into bed, no one cared when Matt used to beat the crap out of me and no one gave a damn at all those other points in my life when I was alone and scared and hating life, so why now? What’s going on now that everything’s suddenly all about saving me?”
“I take it Mick’s still planning to help you out?”
“Oh, my God!” Lita cried. “Grow an emotion!”
Her brother growled. “I’m angry, Lita, but I’m angry at myself and that’s not something I’m going to go on about in front of you. I let you push me away a long time ago and I did nothing even though it was killing me to watch you go through all that, but I did nothing. I know I fucked up, okay, you’re my baby sister and I fucked up. I messed up a long time ago and I should never have left you alone when our parents divorced. I should have been there for you the minute we started working in the same damn company, but I didn’t try hard enough and you ignored me and I let you. I’ve got plenty of emotion, Lita, but it’s something I’ve got to deal with on my own.”
“Then let me deal with mine on my own.”
Both men shook their heads.
“No,” Randy said and there was something in his voice that sent a chill down her spine.
“What? What aren’t you telling me?”
They men looked at each other, talking with their eyes and Lita wanted to shout and scream at them and make them tell her what was going on. But there was a small part of her that really didn’t want to know what put that look in their eyes, especially not if whatever it was was coming after her.
“We don’t know, exactly,” her brother said. “But something.”
“Then how do you-”
“Because Hardy said something the other night and…” Randy trailed off. “Trust me, he’s up to something.” Glancing at her brother for the okay, Randy continued. “He’s made a deal with Kane. He wouldn’t tell me what, but he’s up to something and I know that, whatever it is, will not be good for you.”
Lita froze. “So it’s happening,” she said softly. “He’s finally coming for me again.” There was silence as Lita tried not to think about all the ways she was suddenly terrified. She’d known this day was coming, known it since the moment he had uttered the words ‘you’ll always be mine’ the first time she’d tried to run from him. Leaving him for Edge had always been a risk, but she’d finally reached the point where she just couldn’t take it anymore. But she’d always known he’d come for her.
And now it was time.
“Kane’s gathering forces,” her brother said suddenly, making both her and Randy jump. “He approached me, I said I’d think about it. It might be an idea to have someone on the inside, but I need to know you’re protected before I say yes.”
“I can handle Matt,” Lita said determinedly, trying to keep the fear out of her voice. “But…but not Kane. I won’t…I can’t…” She took a deep breath, trying to relax as Randy wrapped her in an embrace, but she couldn’t stop shaking. She’d been through that once and she couldn’t survive Kane again.
Her brother stood up and crossed the room, nodding at Randy as the man stepped back. He crouched slightly, his hands in a comforting grip on her shoulders, and looked Lita in the eyes.
“Lita, I need to know that you’re protected, or to hell with figuring out the plan. The main thing is that you’re safe.”
“What do you want me to do?” she asked softly.
The two men exchanged a look and her brother took a deep breath. “I want you to go along with Mick’s plan. Something tells me there’s more to it than he’s told you. Even if Randy hadn’t confirmed that Hardy was making a deal with Kane, I think they know, that’s why they’re acting tonight. And something tells me that it wasn’t Michaels or Foley that got that information. Mick has help somewhere else and I don’t have to like it, but if it keeps you safe I’ll go along with it.”
Lita nodded shakily. “I’ll go with Mick.” She turned to look at Randy. “What about you?”
“I stay with Hardy,” Randy said, sounding so disgusted with the thought that she couldn’t help but smile at him. “We need as much information as we can get. But when this is all over and done with I get to be the one to beat the hell out of him.”
Her brother nodded. “Kane’s mine and someone’s got to deal with the little shit.”
Randy smiled. “Good.” He looked down at Lita. “You have any idea who might be helping Foley?”
She shook her head. “No, but he made it sound like he’d been planning this for a long, long time. Since I first left Kane.”
“Was he even around then?” her brother asked.
Randy smiled. “Something tells me that’s not a detail to get in Foley’s way. I should know, I’ve been on the receiving end of the guy’s anger. If he wants something done, he’s not going to let anything get in the way.”
“Okay, so you stick with Foley and if you hear anything else, let one of us know.”
“Okay, big brother. But what do I tell them when they wonder where I’m getting my information?”
”We’ll figure that out later.”
“The main thing is that you’re with people you can trust,” Randy said, nodding his head. “You let us worry about the little details.”
“Edge is up to something,” she said. “I just thought you should know.”
The men frowned, glancing at each other.
“We’ll keep an eye on him.”
“And speaking of the asshole,” Randy said, nodding towards the door. “You should get back to him.”
They both looked as pleased by that as she was. She took a deep breath and tried to push all her worries about Kane out of her head. It was harder than it sounded, but she forced a smile onto her face.
“Thank you,” she said and stood on her tiptoes to kiss them both on the cheek. “I’ll see you later.”
“Lita,” Randy called as she reached the door.
“Yeah?”
“Just…”
“Be careful.”
She tried to smile, but this time it didn’t work. “Don’t worry, big brother, I will. And Randy? Good luck tonight."
x x x x x x x
Part Four
x x x x x x x
She hadn’t wanted to watch his match, but Edge had been in a sour mood ever since Trish had left and she wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of asking him to turn off the monitor. She’d never really forgotten how scary the man was, but, somehow, watching Kane and Big Show walking through that match with such ease, seeing just how much bigger they were than everyone else…it scared the shit out of her.
“Stupid has-been,” Edge muttered, causing Lita to look at the screen.
She suppressed a smile when she heard Shawn’s voice. The Heartbreak Kid had troubles of his own, but he’d been helping her for a long time. When he’d first approached her, she’d tried warn him away. He hadn’t really listened, but then she’d teamed up with Edge and, for a while at least, things had been okay. Not perfect, by any stretch of the imagination, but okay. When it had all fallen apart again, he’d found her and she hadn’t questioned it. She had, however, gone out of her way to be horrible to him, she’d almost began to believe she was the person she pretended her to be and it had taken him a long time to make her believe that she was still a good person. But she’d still warned him away.
Looking at the way things were now, she was glad he hadn’t listened. She was glad when he had told her he wasn’t the only person who wanted to help. That was when Mick had approached her and she’d tried so hard to push them both away, but they wouldn’t listen to her. They’d told her they were helping her whether she wanted help or not and now her brother and Randy, possibly the only two people she’d thought she had left in the world, were telling her to let Shawn and Mick help her.
“Who the hell does he think he is?” Edge growled. “He thinks he steals the show? He hasn’t seen anything yet.”
It took Lita a lot of self-control not to bite his head off and point out that there was a reason the man was still around after all this time. Shawn Michaels might not have Edge’s youth, but Lita knew it wasn’t just her belief in her friend that made her believe that the Heartbreak Kid could beat the crap out of Edge.
Lita tensed when Matt’s music started and, this time, she couldn’t just sit there and watch. She stood and crossed the room, deciding she’d rather wait anywhere that didn’t have a monitor on the action. Maybe she could even find a few moments to spend with her brother or Randy… No, she knew that was a bad idea, but either way it beat sitting watching the man who had already made her life a misery and was now, according to Randy, planning to help cause her even more pain.
“Where the hell do you think you’re going?”
“Out.”
“I don’t think so,” Edge ground out, reaching for her as she opened the door.
“Go screw Trish Stratus and leave me the hell alone,” she said with a growl, slamming the door and taking great pleasure in the muffle of pain she heard coming from behind her. She’d caught his fingers. Smirking, and not caring that he’d make her pay for it later, she walked aimlessly through the halls.
She spotted Victoria at the end of the hallway and swiftly changed direction, turning along a narrowed corridor. The woman kept trying to talk to her, but Lita wasn’t dragging anyone else into this, not if she could help it. She liked Victoria, Lilian had always liked the woman and Lita had always trusted her best friend’s opinion. She really missed Lilian, but the ring announcer was one person that Lita refused to hurt. If there was one person, more than anyone, that Lita would do anything to protect, it was Lilian. Whether her old friend knew it or not.
Hearing a noise, she looked up and spotted Shawn Michaels making his way towards her. He was likely going to his dressing room after his interview and Lita wanted nothing more than to be able to stop and talk to him. But she couldn’t.
He glanced at her as he passed and, she couldn’t be positive, but she thought he winked. Shaking her head and ducking so that her fond expression was hidden by her hair, she smiled briefly. She wasn’t sure what she’d done to deserve Randy and her brother in her corner, let alone Shawn and Mick. But, even if she hadn’t known that Kane was after her again, she was glad to have them.
She didn’t know what they had planned, but she really hoped it worked, because Edge had his own plans. Hardcore match or not, the man was gunning for Cena tonight and the only way Lita could truly destroy him was to get in the way of whatever it was he was planning to do.
She only hoped that Mick was willing to keep him alive for long enough to reach that point in the evening. She hoped she would be able to play her part and stay in the right corner. And maybe, if she was lucky, she wouldn’t get caught in the crossfire.
x x x x x x x
He’d knocked her over.
In fact, he’d landed on her. He was so sure she’d let go before they tipped over the ropes, but she had help on and he’d hurt her. It really didn’t matter that he could console himself with the fact that she seemed to be fine, the truth was that he’d knocked her over. So much worse than that had been the fear in her eyes later in the match. It might have been aimed towards him, but something told him that she knew. Somehow, she knew that Kane was gathering forces and intended to claim his ‘bride’ all over again. She knew and she was terrified. And it was up to him to make sure that Kane didn’t get her. He didn’t know what had changed, but he could see it in her eyes; she was finally agreeing to let him help. And he’d gone and hurt her.
He knew that, in reality, he’d done worse in that match than just knock her over, but she’d told him not to go easy on her and he’d let that instinctive rush take over. And he’d hurt her. Somehow, focussing on the fact that he’d inadvertently fallen on her and knocked her over was easier to deal with. And, to be fair, she’d hit him with that bat in a particularly painful place. Oh, yeah, and she’d set him on fire.
“What the fuck was that?”
The growl made him turn, his guard instinctively up. “It was what it was.”
“Don’t give me that bullshit, you went after her with barbed wire! I thought the idea was to save her tonight not to beat the shit out of her with sharp objects.”
“She told me t-”
“I don’t give a shit what she told you,” the man snarled, backing Mick against the wall and it was a credit as to exactly how angry the man was that Mick allowed it to happen. “After all the shit you made me…after everything…God, I can’t even…”
“It’ll all be over tonight,” Mick said, knowing that it really wouldn’t. He knew the memory of everything he’d done would be with him for a long while.
“Then you’d better pray she forgives you,” the man said. “I know I’ll be praying the same.”
The man glared at him once more and Mick wondered once again if it had been wise not to let the others know he was working with them, because it was going to be hard enough to ask Lita to forgive him, but asking Lita and the others to believe that he was on their side? That might just be the hardest thing of all.
x x x x x x
TBC
I know, I know, you’re all wondering where John is. Give me time! ;)
Hope you like :)
~x~x~x~x~x~
On to Parts Five and Six
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
(no subject)
Date: 2007-08-18 07:16 pm (UTC)Looking forward to more!!!
(no subject)
Date: 2007-08-18 08:13 pm (UTC)I wasn't entirely sure that I was fooling anyone with who her brother and the two mystery guys were, but I figured that might be because I already know who they are!
When I originally wrote this it was Lilian/Randy, but I had to have Shawn in it! As for Mick? I don't think I've ever written him before, but I thought I'd give it a go :)
Glad you're enjoying!
(no subject)
Date: 2007-08-18 08:17 pm (UTC)I love that you've included Mick... He's just such a cuddly guy. It made me want to go and work on Ignorance is Bliss - one of my Lita/Cena fics that features Mick as a wonderful person...
(no subject)
Date: 2007-08-18 10:07 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2007-08-18 10:16 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2007-08-18 10:26 pm (UTC)Actually...thinking about it...I think I can change it without it being too much of an issue...will think on it. I'm just glad you mentioned Ignorance is Bliss, otherwise I'd likely not have noticed at all.
(no subject)
Date: 2007-08-18 10:33 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2007-08-18 10:41 pm (UTC)I'll try :) I think it was just the shock of realising that, yeah, holy crap, the similarities can't really be missed.
Although now I'm pretty sure I'm right about who Lita's brother's supposed to be...
Yeah, I didn't think it would fool you! I think I might be okay to change it, though. I think if I swap one of the 'mystery guys' with her brother, then it works just the same. That way I have the same characters but a different set up. I actually toyed with that idea before I posted it, but decided I liked it the way it was. It doesn't really make that much of a difference to the fic if I do.
(no subject)
Date: 2007-08-18 10:45 pm (UTC)I'm currently (slowly but surely) working on an update for Lies...
(no subject)
Date: 2007-08-19 12:51 am (UTC)I'm currently (slowly but surely) working on an update for Lies...
*squee*
(no subject)
Date: 2007-08-19 12:54 am (UTC)As for Lies... Part 45 is now up at my fic journal... Though for some reason, it still hasn't posted to my yahoo group. (I've tried sending it twice, the message activity log says the message has been accepted way more than that, and yet it is still not posted an hour and a half later...)
(no subject)
Date: 2007-08-19 01:11 am (UTC)As for Lies.. *squee* *goes to read*
(no subject)
Date: 2007-08-19 01:20 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2007-08-19 11:07 am (UTC)I've discovered that late nights that go to 2:30am make me the laziest bum on the face of the planet. I just got up at 12:15pm *headdesk*
(no subject)
Date: 2007-08-19 09:12 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2007-08-19 09:45 pm (UTC)I started making icons today and gave up. I've been very blah about making them. So many ideas and no actual motivation to do anything!
(no subject)
Date: 2007-08-19 09:49 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2007-08-26 11:45 pm (UTC)and kyizi is back!
lilian&&shawn = soooo cute.
i reckon i know who the brother is too!
but i really wanna read more sooon !! <33
lovin' this fic. =)
(no subject)
Date: 2007-08-27 05:08 pm (UTC)