Lita hummed softly to herself as she twisted the cap off the water bottle and tipped it upside down over her head, sighing happily as the cool liquid temporarily relieved the stifling heat that permeated the Gund Arena.
Shaking the excess droplets from her now soaking hair, she casually tossed the empty bottle into the garbage and turned to go find the boys. They were supposed to meet up before the show to discuss their game plan for her tag match with Trish against the WCW women, something she definitely wasn�t looking forward to...
Still humming, Lita made her way around a corner and then abruptly skidded to a halt, her eyes widening when she saw the group of men standing at the end of the corridor, talking amongst themselves in hushed voices. Standing in the center of them was a short, balding man in a sports coat and baseball cap�
�Heyman�shit.� Lita whispered silently to herself, turning around to leave. Matt and Jeff had warned her repeatedly to stay away from the newly reformed ECW, knowing that her past involvement with the company made her a likely target for their harassment. Keeping her head low, Lita started walking back from where she�d come.
�Hey cutie, where you off to in such a hurry?� Stopping in her tracks, she glanced up and saw Lance Storm eyeing her from where he was leaning against a vending machine across the hall from her, a predatory grin stretched across his face as he watched her movements. Where the hell did he come from�?
Pushing away from the machine, Lance sauntered over to her and reached out, fingering a lock of her dampened hair between his thumb and forefinger. His grin widened when he saw her discomfort.
�What�s the matter Lita? Aren�t you glad to see me?� Smiling faintly, Lita reached out and plucked her hair away from his grasp, forcing herself not to spit in his arrogant face and instead forcing a sickeningly sweet smile onto her face.
�Of course I am Lance,� she stammered nervously, her eyes darting around, looking for a way to escape. � I mean, we�re old friends right? We used to hang out and stuff�� Oh God�please let him go away!
A sharp glint in his obsidian eyes, Lance cocked his head to one side as he sized her up. Then, smiling again, he turned and started waving down the hallway towards the rest of ECW, trying to get their attention. Panicked, Lita grabbed his arm and forced it back down to his side, her mind racing to placate him when he fixed her with a suspicious look.
�It�s okay Lance, I�m sure they�re busy right now,� Lita giggled nervously, fixing him with the best smile she could muster. �I�ll catch up to the guys some other time, okay?� Smiling one last time, Lita patted him on the shoulder and then turned around to leave.
She made it less than five steps before she was roughly grabbed from behind and held in place, her squeak of surprise drowned out by Lance�s booming voice.
�Guys! Look what I found!� Struggling a little, Lita yelped when Lance dug his fingers into her upper arms, effectively stopping her from moving. Lita whimpered quietly as she heard the voices at the end of the hall abruptly cease and then pick up again to the accompanying sound of footsteps.
I�m fucked� Lita thought dejectedly as the voices grew louder. Slumping her shoulders, she resigned herself to the confrontation.
�Well, well, well�if it isn�t the lovely Lita.� Biting her lip, Lita closed her eyes and took a deep breath, allowing Lance to turn her around in the hallway. When she opened them again, it was to look into the cold calculating eyes of Paul Heyman. The rest of ECW stood around them in a circle, blocking any possible escape routes.
Yep�utterly fucked�
***********************************
�I�ve been meaning to talk to you, my dear. You seem to be avoiding us for some reason�� Shrugging as much as Lance�s grip on her shoulders would allow, Lita looked down at the floor and kicked at an imaginary dust spot.
�Well, you know�� She muttered lamely, �I�ve been really busy lately with the boys and all�Matt�s the Euro champ�Jeff�s the Hardcore�I was gonna come see you Paul, honest.�
Snorting loudly, Paul sneered at her and reached out to grab a handful of her hair, yanking it so that she was forced to look him in the eye.
�You never could lie very well, my dear. You know damn well that this invasion was coming - you've known ever since I let Vince steal you right out from under my nose.� Her eyes widening in shock, Lita gasped as she felt Lance�s hands leave her shoulders and travel down to her hips, his fingers stroking where her thong was exposed.
Angrily, she swatted them away and whirled around to punch Storm, brought to an abrupt halt by several pairs of hands latching onto the back of her pants and yanking her backwards. She landed hard on the floor at Heyman�s feet, the ugly man staring down at her with frank amusement in his beady eyes.
�The time has come to show where your allegiances lie, Lita. Your name and hair color may have changed, but you�re still ECW at heart - you always will be. What I need to know is what side you�re on. You�re either with us�or you�re with that Pig McMahon, so which is it?. Oh, and before you answer�� Paul paused and squatted down so that they were face to face.
�Remember what happened to Tajiri when he betrayed the brotherhood.� Knowing damn well that he was threatening her, Lita looked up and shivered when she saw the hard looks on all their faces. If she didn�t join them they would hurt her, and they would hurt her bad�
�Can�can I have some time to think about this?� She whispered shakily. Straightening up, Heyman scratched his chin thoughtfully for a second before offering his hand to her. Reluctantly accepting it, she allowed herself to be pulled to her feet.
Moving to pull her hand free from his, Lita squeaked when his grip suddenly tightened and pain shot up her wrist all the way to her elbow. Smiling grimly, Paul yanked her to him and wrapped his fingers around her neck, squeezing lightly. The warning was all to clear�
�You have until after the pay per view tonight to decide. Make the wrong choice�� Paul broke off and made eye contact with each and every man standing in the circle before returning his gaze to her.
��and my boys will fuck you up so bad you�ll wish to God you were never born. Now get out of my sight.� Releasing his hold on her, Lita stumbled backwards into the human wall surrounding her.
Raven caught hold of her elbow before she crashed to the floor, his piercing gaze drilling into her as she struggled to regain her balance. Looking into his eyes, Lita felt a shiver go up her back as she lost herself in the intensity that burned there.
Ever silent, Raven nodded briefly in recognition and, noting her reaction to him, smirked a little as he let go of her and swept his arm out towards the hallway. A little confused at first, Lita suddenly realized he was telling her she could go.
�I�thank you�� Lita whispered as she pushed her way through the men and started down the hallway on shaky legs. Looking back over her shoulder a few seconds later, she saw that all the men were now making their way down the hallway behind Heyman - all except Raven, who was still standing where she�d left him, watching her with the same searing gaze he�d always watched her with�
A little unsettled by his close scrutiny, Lita suddenly turned and ran down the corridor. She didn�t stop until she was safely inside her own locker room and the door was locked. The severity of her situation finally dawning on her, Lita whimpered and collapsed onto the couch, covering her face with her hands as she battled within herself for the right answers�
Dear God�help me�please help me�
***************************************
Lita staggered into her dressing room, her tears of hurt and betrayal mixing in with the streams of blood that seeped from the laceration above her eyebrow. Finding her way into the bathroom, she flipped on the light and stared at her reflection in the mirror, the tears coming harder when she saw the bruise forming on her neck - the product of Matt�s Twist of Fate�
Why, Matt�? Grabbing up a wet facecloth, Lita dabbed gently at the cut on her face, pictures flashing in her mind�s eye from the match minutes before�
�Come on baby! You can beat her!� Matt yelled at her from outside the ring, cheering her on as she lined Stacy up for the moonsault. Climbing up to the top turnbuckle she quickly positioned herself and then flashed the gun signal to the crowd before launching herself into the air.
A smile on her face as she sailed down towards the canvas, she felt her heart leap into her throat when Stacy was suddenly yanked out of the way and Lita hit the mat with a dull thud. Moaning as pain shot through her ribs, Lita was completely unprepared for the kick Trish delivered to her face - blood suddenly pouring into her eyes as the skin above her eyebrow split open.
�What are you doing!� Lita cried, blocking her face with her hands as Trish continued to lay a beating into her, Stacy and Torrie now joining the mix as kicks and stomps rained down upon her prone body.
�Get off of her!� Relief flooded through her when she heard Matt�s voice. He�ll help me�Lita thought drowsily as the kicks ceased and she was left blissfully alone. She whimpered as Matt slid his hands underneath her arms and gently pulled her to her feet.
�Are you okay baby?� Matt crooned as he cradled her head against his chest, stroking her back with his free hand as Lita stood shaking against him.
�Uh-huh�� Was all she could manage in her disorientation. What happened next however, would shock the hell out of everyone - her included.
�Good bitch, �cause I want you to feel this!� By the time his words registered in Lita�s head, she was already being thrown into the headlock and twisted around underneath Matt�s body - her body hitting the mat face first and laying still. Moaning lightly, she turned her face in time to see Matt locked in a passionate kiss with Stacy Keibler, his arms wrapped around her as they humiliated her in front of the entire world�
Shaking the last image from her head, Lita sniffed and tossed the bloodied cloth into the trash, groaning when a dull throbbing made itself known inside her skull. Turning to leave, she made it two steps before her throat closed up and her vision was blinded by the wetness of her tears.
Slamming her hands into the wall in frustration, Lita closed her eyes and hung her head forward in shame as it all came crashing down on top of her head - the pain, the memories of her and Matt�his callous betrayal of her trust and love�
�Here Angel, let me help you�� Snapping her head up in shock, Lita moaned as a wave of dizziness caught her off guard and sent her reeling towards the floor. Raven caught her easily and gently scooped her into his arms before she hit her head on the corner of the counter. With a wry grin, he carried her out to the couch and laid her down.
�Fallin� for me already, huh? That�s what - twice tonight so far?� Grimacing as the dizziness stubbornly refused to go away, Lita managed to lift her hand up and extend her middle finger in his direction, flipping him off.
�Angel, you wound me.� Raven chuckled, settling down on the couch beside her and lifting her legs over his lap. Still reeling, Lita looked at him in confusion.
�Why�re you here Rave? Why aren�t you off somewhere licking Heyman�s boots with the rest of ECW?� Looking at her strangely for a second, Raven reached over and gently ran his knuckle down her cheek, a ghost of a smile tugging at his lips. Lita watched him, curious.
�You haven�t called me that in a long time, Angel�I missed it.� Her gaze softening, Lita reached up and caught his hand in hers, pressing it against her face.
�That was a long time ago�things were different.� She said softly, her hazel eyes brightening as fresh tears began to well up - this time not out of grief, but out of bittersweet remembrance.
�But they don�t have to be different, not anymore Angel. We can go back to how it used to be.� Raven said fiercely, his dark eyes flashing with sudden emotion.
At his words, Lita closed her eyes and released her hold on his hand, letting her head fall back onto the armrest of the couch. Sighing, Raven reached over and slid his hands beneath her body, drawing her up so that she sat cradled in his lap. He knew she was still hurting after Matt�s betrayal - both physically and emotionally�
�Hardy isn�t worth your pain, Angel�� He murmured gently into her ear. Nodding sullenly into Raven�s shoulder, Lita sniffed and reached up to wrap her arms around his neck.
�Why are we doing this?� Barely hearing her voice it was so soft, Raven raised his eyebrow and shrugged.
�Doing what, Angel?� Pulling back in his arms a little, Lita fixed him with a wistful look, her hazel eyes filled with questioning as she boldly faced him.
�This. This is the first time we�ve talked to each other since I left the company, let alone the first time we�ve been alone together�why now all of a sudden?� A contemplative look crossing his face for an instant, Raven fixed her with his piercing gaze.
�I guess because now Hardy is out of the way. I have you all to myself again Angel��
�Why do you keep calling me that?� Lita asked him curiously, her cheeks flushed at hearing the intimate term of endearment. Smiling tenderly, Raven pushed a lock of stray hair out of her eyes and draped it back over her shoulder.
�You used to love it when I called you that,� he murmured. Blushing a deep shade of red, Lita averted her eyes - too embarrassed to look at him. Chuckling deeply, Raven gently caught her chin between his thumb and forefinger and lowered his face to hers.
�Come here�� Lita gasped as Raven touched his lips against hers, softly at first but swiftly growing more daring when she didn�t resist. Sighing quietly, she parted her lips and moaned when she felt the wet heat of his tongue teasingly tracing around hers, coaxing her into responding.
�My sweet Angel�� Raven groaned as he suddenly crushed her hard against his broad chest, his fingers burying themselves in the thick, fragrant mass of her long red hair. Moaning louder this time, Lita clutched at his shoulders and thrust her tongue between his lips, stroking at his with wild abandon.
�Oh God�� Lita cried when his fingers suddenly found and cupped a breast, his thumb gently rubbing over her now straining nipple. In their frenzy to rediscover their passion for one another, neither one of them heard the dressing room door open�
Paul stared with undisguised interest at the couple writhing on the couch before him, his own palms becoming damp as he continued to watch. A lewd smile stretched across his meaty face as Raven�s other hand found its way underneath Lita�s crop top.
�I had no idea you two were so close�� Stiffening in alarm, Lita wrenched her lips away from Raven�s and twisted around in shock - gasping when she saw Heyman and the rest of ECW watching them. Sliding off of his lap, she jumped to her feet and faced them awkwardly. Without preamble, Heyman reached into his pocket and pulled out a large piece of paper - her contract for ECW�
�Time�s up my dear, what�s it going to be?� With nervous fingers, Lita reached out and took the contract from him, briefly scanning it over.
If she signed it, she knew there was no going back�she was in with no chance of escape. On the other hand, if she didn�t�Lita shuddered as she thought about Heyman�s threats from earlier. But could she do it? Could she really turn her back on all her friends and loved ones?
Good bitch�I want you to feel this� Matt�s words unconsciously made their way into her thoughts, reminding her that she no longer had anyone in the WWF worth staying for - no one who would give a damn if anything happened to her. There was nothing left for her in the WWF�
And then there was Raven - sweet, sweet Raven� God, how she�d missed him. They�d drifted apart after she�d been sent to work for Vince, and then by the time he had joined her it had already been too late�she was already assigned to Matt and Jeff and was just starting the budding relationship that would lead her up to this moment in time� But now she had the chance to be with him again, for them to give it another chance� Taking a deep breath, Lita looked up from the paper and smiled.
�Where do I sign?� Taking the offered pen, she turned around and faced Raven, the longing she saw in his eyes strengthening her resolve. Gifting him with a brief smile, she closed her eyes and signed her name on the dotted line. Instantly, the contract was snatched from her hand and stuffed back into Heyman�s pocket before she could reconsider and rip it up.
An arrogant smirk on his face, Heyman clasped her wrist and pulled her into a suffocating embrace, his fat-laden arms forming a tight band around her as he celebrated another victory over the McMahons and the WWF.
�Welcome home�Angelica��
The End?