| Fly Away From Here By Lilly V I don�t own the WWF characters, and unless we suddenly become involved in an intergalactic war I don�t think this could ever conceivably happen. I�m not making money. Why not? I don�t know. But I�m not and there it stands. �Hurricane, pull up.� �I�ve got it, Red.� �I told you to pull up, Hurricane.� �And I told you I�ve got it.� �Dammit Shane, pull up, you�re too close.!� �I know what I�m doing! Lemme do it!� Lita watched the screen closely, following each of Shane�s maneuvers with a growing sense of fear in her chest. �Bogey at 5 O�clock Shane.� �Got it!� He reassured her. Then, �Dammit! I�m hit!� �Then get the fuck out of there!� A long pause. �System malfunction. I�ve gotta go to emergency procedures.� �You�ve gotta learn how to do this yourself.� �A little help here?� �You�ve gotta do this one on your own.� �I�m going down!� There was a flashing red light over the screen, alerting Lita to Shane�s doomed condition. She did nothing as she watched the ship blow up in mid dive. Lita sighed heavily, rolling her eyes. �Now do you get what I was trying to tell you?� she yelled. Shane exited the simulator, �Yeah, yeah, I get it. I get it. Be prepared and alert at all times.� �Very good. Now, when you can pilot that mission without dying you get your wings. Until then you�re grounded.� Shane nodded. �I get it, I get it.� He sulked as he walked away. The red haired girl shut down the program and sighed again. Why oh why did the boys keep insisting they could do this when this was the third time this week one of them had failed the simulation? And the one that did pass only got away with it because of his completely insane tactics. She was sick and tired of seeing Jeff risk his life any time he left the base. Her com went off. �Yes?� �Lita? Jericho. I need to talk to you.� �Be there in a second, oh captain my captain.� �Don�t call me that.� Lita headed for the chambers of the ship�s commanding officer. When she arrived he motioned her in. �Sit down,� he instructed. �Lita, listen. I know that being positioned out here wasn�t exactly what any of us had in mind.� �Chris, I don�t mind it that much,� she told the blonde man. She adjusted the zipper on her top for comfort�s sake. She had to keep it pulled up further during sims so the guys would concentrate. �Don�t tell me that,� Chris handed her a drink and sat down across from her in what was supposed to be his living room. �Look, this isn�t a place you ask to be assigned. Border patrol is far from glamorous, and it�s also the most deadly job I could imagine taking. I hate it, you hate it, the guys mostly hate it. But you�ve handled it well.� �Is this going somewhere?� she asked before taking another sip of her drink. �Speaking of going anywhere, what�s up with you and the older Hardy Boy. And when does he become a Hardy Man?� �Very funny.� �Lemme guess, you�ve already made him a Hardy Man?� �Chris, if we weren�t friends I�d probably be failing at an attempt to kick your ass right now. And for your information, our relationship is just fine, thank you.� �Just wondering,� Chris defended himself. �I just wanted to know, because, as you know, we have an inspection coming up.� Lita nodded. Sure enough, that bitch Stephanie would be dragging her ass out there, along with her brother and their bastard friends who�d stuck her out here. �But what does that have to do with me and Matt?� �Well, Lita, you know how I�m kinda lax about that whole �chain of command� thing? If I wanna keep my job, they�re gonna expect me to have a second in command.� �And you want me to tell Matt it�s him?� �Not exactly. Matt�s good�but he�s not what I need. I need somebody that knows what�s going on. You�ve been training the guys in sim for how long now? A year?� �Around that, yeah. Why am I training them, anyway?� �Well, you know how you kinda got up to level 19?� �Yeah.� �Well, you�re kinda only the second female around here to do that. The first was Chy before she left.� �Why didn�t you tell me that before?� �Well, see, that�s not the only thing. The percentage of guys who make it to level 19 is pretty low. In fact, it�s around a 5 percent chance of making it that far.� �Are you saying what I think you�re saying?� �Lita, I want to appoint you my second in command.� The girl sat in silence. �Okay.� �But, it kinda requires you to do something you might not be comfortable with.� �And that is?� �Well, I need you to watch the replay of last week�s encounter.� Lita turned to face the screen in Jericho�s room. The battle replay began and Lita heard every transmission over the radios. �X-treme 1, I want you backing up Edge.� �Red, I�m coming to help you.� �No, you�re going to back up Edge, I have this one.� �Red, listen to me. I�m not losing you.� At this point Lita watched as Matt�s ship on the screen dove towards her, leaving Edge�s alone heading into a large concentration of enemy ships. �Dammit X-treme 1, he can�t handle them all on his own! Turn away from me and go back him up!� �Fuck him!� �X-treme 1, if you do not turn around right now and go back up Edge I will personally kick your ass if we make it out of this. NOW!� Lita watched as Matt came after her anyway. In Edge�s sector she saw Jericho�s ship come out of nowhere to aid him. Jericho�s voice. �I�ve got him Red. And X-treme 1, we will talk about this back on base.� Jericho stopped the replay. �What do you think?� �I didn�t know he came after me. My sensors were pretty shot from the dog fight before hand.� �Well, he wouldn�t turn around. He came after you and put the life of another member of the crew in danger. Lita, I want to give you the second in command position, but I need proof that you�re going to be able to put personal feelings aside.� �In other words, I have to punish Matt for this.� �Basically.� �This is kind of sudden Chris.� �I know. But we have days until the inspection, Red. Make your choice.� Lita set down her glass, carefully. After a pause she pulled out her com. �Matt, I need to see you in Jericho�s quarters, now.� After a few minutes, the serious looking boy showed up. �What�s going on?� He asked when he saw the look on Lita�s face. Jericho looked at the two of them. �I�ll leave you two alone to talk,� he announced as he left the room. Matt looked at Lita again. �What�s wrong?� After a pause. �Aw shit, you�re pregnant.� �No, no, I�m not pregnant Matt. I need to talk to you.� �About?� �Last week, the encounter where you disregarded my orders, blatantly.� �Lita, listen. You know I love you, and I just couldn�t leave you there to die.� �Matt, I understand, but still, you shouldn�t have abandoned Edge when he was in more danger than I was.� �He got out of there.� �Because Chris risked his life to save him. Matt, I�m sorry, but what you did was a danger to the entire team. You can�t just dash in and save me because there�s a big bad in front of me. I was fine. Edge was about to die.� �What is this all leading up to?� �Matt, are you able to not do that?� �Lita, I can�t help it. Every time I think of something happening to you, I just have to come after you. I got scared and came for you.� �Can you control it?� Matt paused. �No. I am in love with you, and I will risk anything to save you.� Lita sighed. �Then I�m sorry Matt.� �Sorry for what?� There was a long, uncomfortable pause. �For grounding you for three weeks. After that your return will be purely based on whether or not you�ve gotten over this.� �WHAT?� �I�m sorry Matt, but you�re endangering the team.� �WELL WHO THE FUCK DIED AND MADE YOU MISS HIGH AND MIGHTY?� Matt yelled at her. �Jericho appointed me second in command earlier. Right before you came in.� �And so you just decided to abuse your power and fuck with my head?� �This isn�t easy for me Matt. But I have to do this. I have to prove I�m not going to let you off easier just because we�re together.� �So you�re gonna fuck me here and then you�ll just fuck me tonight, right?� �Matt, please. This is what I have to do.� �And you have to do it to me?� �Matt�� �After everything we�ve been through?� �Matt�� �I can�t believe you�d do this to me. I thought you loved me.� �MATT!� The boy stared at her as she fumed. �NOW YOU LISTEN TO ME!� she screamed. Then calming down. �I would treat anyone the way I am treating you. Just because we happen to sleep together doesn�t mean you get preferential treatment. And if you do not stop arguing with me this instant I will ground you for six months. I don�t want this to affect our personal lives, but I will also not let our personal lives affect this. Now, are there any questions?� Matt was silent. He nodded with a dark look on his face. �You can go,� Lita said, turning away from him. �I am,� Matt responded. Lita heard the door slam shut and wished she�d made a different choice. �So, you�re saying that you actually used that in sim Jeff?� Shane asked as he sat down with his friends in the mess hall. �Yep,� the boy replied, pushing a strand of purple hair out of his face. �Lita was gonna bitch, but I did get through the simulation, and you guys know she�s pulled some stupid shit before.� �Like?� Shane asked, skeptical. �The time she got into a dog fight with Malenko just to prove she could,� Edge mentioned as he sat down with the other boys. �And the time Chyna decided to challenge her. She�s done some stupid stuff in her day.� Jeff sighed as he pushed the same strand out of his face so it didn�t cover up his left eye which was lined ancient Egyptian style with black liner. Shane was staring at that eye now. �What�s with the eye makeup?� Jeff laughed. �That�s a deadeye mark. Common out here in other cultures. You see, when you�ve done something exceptional out there, made some kind of amazing save or risked your own life with incredible results, you earn the right to wear it.� Helms looked skeptical. �And what did you do to deserve it?� �The first TLC mission.� Edge shuddered, remembering the beating each of them had taken during that. �That was hell.� �Edge here earned his deadeye that day too, but he won�t wear it,� Jeff mentioned. �Yeah, and if I remember right so did your brother,� the blonde interjected, pointing his fork at Jeff. �And he doesn�t wear it either.� �Yeah, but Matt�s not the kind to do that kinda stuff,� Jeff pointed out. �And neither is Chris.� �Chris has a deadeye?� Shane squealed. �Third TLC mission. Lost his partner soon after,� Jackie seated herself with the boys. �What�s going on?� �Not much. Shane�s bitching about not having his wings yet.� �Feel lucky you�ve even come close kid. Most people don�t. Or they do and then something stupid comes up and makes �em leave. Like Chy�� Jackie shook her head. �There was a tough bitch.� �I�ve heard the same thing about you,� Rob Van Dam mentioned as he sat with the growing group. �Heard that you�re the top in hand to hand around here.� �No, you�ve heard that I get into more bar brawls than most people. Don�t soften the damn blow.� Then, �Anyone mind if I smoke a cigar?� All the boys shook their heads. �Good, �cause if I did mind, I�d beat you until you didn�t.� Jackie removed a metallic silver tube and tapped the end until a cigar came out. �Not the best in the world, but better than some of the shit I�ve had.� �Well, they told you to stay away from that Carnathian shit,� Tori told her as she joined the group. �And do you listen? Noooo, you don�t.� �Up yours sunshine,� Jackie spat as she lit her cigar. �Where are Matt and Red?� As if on cue, Matt stormed into the mess hall. �The audacity of that BITCH!� �What are you talking about?� Edge asked as Matt sat down and put his head in his hands. �Lita just grounded me for three weeks for saving her life.� There was silence. �You mean grounded as in�revoked your flying privileges?� Jeff asked. �Yes. For getting her out of that mess last week.� �Oh,� Edge brought up, �the mess you nearly got me killed during?� Matt nodded behind his hands. �She told me I unnecessarily risked the life of another in order to protect my girlfriend.� Silence again. �Well, speaking as the life you unnecessarily risked, I say �Good for her,�� Edge finally said. �But how can she? She doesn�t have that kind of power around here.� �Jericho made her second in command about an hour ago. Apparently he needs to look good for the inspection crew so he doesn�t lose his post.� �Can�t blame him for covering his ass,� Jackie admitted as she puffed the cigar. �But why Red?� �Not real sure. I guess because she made level 19. Like that�s an accomplishment.� Tori paused. �Uh, Matt, I never made level 19.� �Well, Jackie, what about you?� �Are you stupid or something? I don�t fly, I can�t make level 19!� �Guys, back me up here�� Jeff shrugged. �I did, but I�m too risky for a second. Chris knows that.� �And it doesn�t hurt that you�re completely immature,� The group became aware that Chris had entered the conversation. �And that Lita has also shown that she�s capable of training you people. She�s good, and I don�t wanna hear any more questioning of my decisions.� This was directly aimed at Matt. �And I thought there was no smoking in here,� that was aimed at Jackie. �Like you ever enforced the rules before. I asked �em if they minded.� �Which we didn�t,� Rob backed her. �At all.� �Inspection crew, three days.� The entire assembly stared at him. �WHAT?� �They moved it up. I can�t do anything about it.� �Who�s coming?� Edge asked as he finished his chicken. �Regal, Stephanie and her husband, Hunter. Other than that I don�t know.� �Stephanie�s coming?� Tori asked, slyly. �So, Chris, how good are you trying to look for this again?� �Shut up Tori,� Chris ordered. �I don�t like her.� There were stifled giggles around the table. �Riiiiiight,� Edge smirked. �I don�t!� �Then why are you always commenting on her breasts?� �Because I�m making fun of her.� �But that means you�re looking at them.� �How can I not? They�re so huge it�s hard to get around them.� More laughter, except for Matt, who still looked like he was ready to hunt down his girlfriend and kill her. The door opened again, and Lita walked into the room. �Hello guys,� she smirked as she sat down at the opposite end of the table from Matt. �Hey Red, congrats,� Shane smiled at her. �Thanks Shane,� Lita opened her bottle of water and took a swig. �Feels good.� �Yeah, must feel real good to punish someone for getting you out of a certain death situation,� Matt grumbled. Lita set down her bottle of water deliberately. �Matt, I explained this before,� Rob picked up his tray. �I�ve got to go�� The rest followed suit. �STAY,� Lita ordered. They all sat down again. �Matt, all of you, listen. You are all my friends, at least I like to think you are. We are all very close. But if you, any of you, except Chris, decide to question my authority again, I not be very lenient. I want the same amount of respect you give Chris.� There was a long pause, before Matt stood up angrily. �Then EARN it.� He stormed out. |