Title: Past The Cliches

Author: Rachel

Email:

Category: WWE

Pairing; Batista/Lilian

Disclaimer: Everyone belongs to the WWE and themselves

Distribution: Ask please

Rating: PG

Spoilers: Vague for Raw 7/12/04

Notes: Companion piece to "Secret Keeper." Blame my Batista muse.

Summary: She's always there to comfort him.

Feedback: Is loved and much appreciated :)

Lilian shifted in her sleep, rolling over to snuggle closer to her lover, only to find the space empty and cold. Opening her eyes, she scanned the room, the bathroom door was open the light was off. Where was he? He was there when she fell asleep; why would he just up and leave in the middle of the night? A blot of panic ran through her, what if something happened to him? Quickly tossing back the covers, she was about climb out of bed, when his voice stopped her.

"Baby, where are you going?" Her head spun around and she saw him, dressed only in a pair of track pants, sitting in a chair on the other side of the bed by the window, pensive expression now covered with concern. She was always stunned by how he looked in the moonlight, how the rays caught in his dark hair, how the sadness lying beneath seemed to surface. "Lily?" She suddenly realized she was staring at him, he was here, he was okay. Before he could blink, she launched herself in his arms.

He was surprised by the appearance of a tiny blonde in his arms, face buried in his shoulder, clutching him for dear life. Reaching up a hand, he started to stroke her hair. "Shh," he whispered to her, "it's okay, I'm here, whatever it is, it'll be okay." She nodded, easing her grip on him. He wrapped his free arm loosely around her waist, taking the other one from her hair, using it to lift her chin till their eyes met. "You wanna tell what that was about?"

She shook her head, "It was nothing." She tried to turn away from him, but he wouldn't allow it.

"You don't react like that over nothing, what's wrong?" he asked, brushing his thumb over her cheek.

"I woke you and weren't next to me. I thought you'd left." she said so quietly he almost didn't hear. "I just didn't know where you were."

"I'm right here." he told her, putting both arms around her waist, securing her in his lap.

She sat up in his embrace to better met his eyes, "What are you doing up?"

He sighed, leaning over to kiss her shoulder. "Couldn't sleep so I was watching you," he paused in contemplation, "And thinking about how much I don't deserve you."

"Dave," she started, but he silenced her with a gentle kiss,

"I don't, I probably never will. I've done things and I'm doing things that make completely unworthy of you. But even worse than that is I can't be without you, I just can't, it's too painful. And I'm too selfish to let you go, even if it's for your own good."

She smiled up at him in the dark, pressing a kiss onto his forehead, before setting her back into his chest, resting her head against his shoulder.

"Why can't you sleep?" she wanted to know, reaching a finger up to trace his tense jaw line.

"Can you keep a secret?" The familiar words meant she was getting to the root of the matter, with a gentle smile she answered.

"For you, always."

He was quiet for a moment, his thumbs dancing over the exposed skin between her tank top and her pajamas bottoms. She noticed that he always had to have contact with her when he spoke, whether it was holding her, or running his fingers through her hair. She liked to think she could bring him comfort, simply by being there.

"I don't like what I did." He spoke softly and the self loathing was more than apparent. "But I did it anyway, I did what I was told and I didn't ask questions; the perfect hired muscle."

"Baby," she whispered, putting her hand on top of his, rubbing the back of it with her thumb.

"You know, what I do, it's never really bothered me before. What we did with Jericho and Michaels and Benoit, it's how the game is played, those are the rules and you know them going in and if you don't, you learn pretty damn fast, but..." He looked down, trying to find her eyes. She turned in his arms again, sitting up to face him. "What we did tonight was wrong...and it's killing me."

She put her arms around him, burying her face in the crook of his neck, placing a tiny kiss there, "I'm so sorry this sucks for you, I love you and I don't want it to be this way."

"I know, but I can't do anything about it right now, if I left I don't know want to know what they would do to me... or you." he finally said, "They'd find out about us and they'd come after you, I can't let that happen. Ever."

She nodded in understanding, keeping her place next to him. He reached a hand up to brush her hair again. It felt nice, having her there, the feeling of her body pressed against his. He was sure he didn't merit anything nice, especially her, but she wanted him, and couldn't bring himself to deny her.

"I don't deserve you Lil, your company or your love," he breathed into her hair, "I never will."

"Everyone wants to be loved, everyone has done things they wished they hadn't, and no one wants to be alone." she lifted her head, cupping his cheek and forcing him to look at her. "Now that I've gotten the cliches out of the way, let me say this; I don't hate you. Maybe I don't like some of the things you've done, but you've never hurt me and I will never hate you; Angry? Upset? Disappointed? Yeah, those will probably happen, but I will never, ever hate you." She brushed a kiss across his lips. "You're just human, I know that and I still love you for it."

He stared into her eyes. She was amazing, the most beautiful creature he'd ever been graced with knowing, inside and out. He leaned forward and kissed her passionately, hoping the action would express what words couldn't even begin to cover. She sighed as he released her, resting her forehead against his.

"You should go back to bed."

"Not without you." she informed him. He unraveled his arms from his waist, then scooped her up, carrying her the short distance to the bed. He set the blonde down before lying beside her. Instinctively she curled up close next to him, her head tucked underneath his chin and his arms going back around her middle.

"I love you, Dave." she told him sleepily, he simply kissed the top of her head, holding her as she drifted of into dreamland.

A/N: This might end up as a series, muses abiding. Anyone interested?