Disclaimer: I own no person, place or thing mentioned. Title inspired by the song of the same name by Pat Benatar.
Spoilers: Nothing that isn't mentioned in the calender at WWE.com
Brief Chapter Summary: Same ole, downtime and what not until it reaches a televised event, ie. RAW, SmackDown or PPV.
Notes: See the previous chapter for the most recent notes. And always, my thanks to the reviewers. That is what really keeps me going..especially since this is a very new pairing for me (Lita/Dave).
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Saturday, April 17. 12:00 p.m., Donald E. Stephens Convention Center , Chicago, Illinois.
With their bags already checked and nothing to do until their flights that afternoon to Edmonton or Vancouver, Stacy, Dawn, Torrie and Lita left the airport for the nearby convention center. The guys had already made themselves at home in one of the resturants, especially since Ric had recently re-joined the ranks; so the girls opted for the sight seeing aspect.
"So" Stacy sipped her iced latte, eyeing the red head. "How was your date?"
Lita shrugged, sipping her fruit smoothie. "Date? What date?"
Dawn lifted a brow. "What do you mean what date? Navy Pier with Dave. That ring a bell?" She swirled her iced tea. "Spill"
The red head glanced to the side, leaning against the wall to finish off her smoothie, "I still have no idea as to what you're talking about."
"You brat" Dawn stuck out her tounge, slipping past the red head and the wall to stand in front of her. "Stacy informed me that you arrived back to the suite rather late, the pier closes at 10:00."
Lita nodded, sipping her smoothie. "Yes..you're correct on both parts."
"So" Torrie sighed impatiently behind Lita. "What else did you do?"
"Why should I tell y'all?" Lita batted her lashes. "And why is it of so much interest."
"Because" Stacy sighed, leaning next to Lita. "Dawn, Torrie and I thrive on gossip..and well, we already know what we did last night."
"Interesting" Lita toyed with the straw, moving to one of the trash cans. "You still haven't given me a good reason why..and I kinda doubt you're gonna get any details from Dave."
Dawn huffed remaining next to Lita. "So..you need to tell us because if you didn't have a good time, I need to take courses for travel agents and improve my cupid skills."
"Gossip mongers" Lita rolled her eyes, tossing the cup in the trash can. "I only repeat things that are worth saying once, so listen well."
She paused sitting on a bench with Dawn, waiting until Stacy and Torrie had taken a seat before she began. "As you know already, we went to Navy Pier most of the evening. But before that we went to the park, to see the fountain and what not." She hopped up from the bench, snapping her fingers. "And it looks like they're opening for that Antique show now, so let's go"
"You can still talk and walk" Dawn walked along side her. "So..keep talking."
Lita shrugged, checking her watch. "As I said, we stayed almost until closing time..that gave us most of the evening to see and do everything at Navy Pier. And can you believe? I got a new teddy bear."
"A teddy bear?" Stacy lifted a brow, exchanging a look with Torrie. "That's nothing out of the ordinary."
"Normally no" Lita conceded. "But, when it's made at one of those Build a Bear places. Can you picture that? Hmm?"
"He made you a teddy bear?" Torrie grinned. "That is soo sweet"
"So score a point in the cute and cuddly category" Dawn smirked, nudging the red head as they entered the hall. "What else?"
Lita paused at the first table to eye a candle holder. "Well..I wouldn't exactly call pizza the most romantic dinner date food, but it works." She shrugged, running her fingertip along the base. "So after dinner, we walked along the pier."
"So you got the bear first, then had dinner?" Torrie picked up an ornate door knocker. "Who picked the order of events and who ordered the pizza?"
"What does that matter?" Lita raised a brow at the blonde, moving to the next table. "I did if it makes a difference."
"So he's willing to let the woman lead" Torrie linked arms with the red head as they walked down the row. "That's why it matters, he's looking out more for your interests than his."
"Whatever" Lita shrugged it off, stopping in front of a display of dolls. "So, after we walked a little bit we went on the few rides they have. Seeing the city from the top of the ferris wheel was nice."
"And then?" Dawn rubbed the hem of one of the dresses between her fingertips. "That only accounts for very little of the evening."
"Yeah" Stacy removed her wallet, removing a few bills and nodded to one of the dolls. "And I know for a fact, you got back to the suite around 3:00 last night."
"Well mother" Lita made a face, moving to the next table. "We also saw the city from the top of the Sear's Tower."
"Uh huh" Dawn paused at the table long enough to purchase a vase. "And then?"
"We stopped back at the hotel to change." Lita turned the corner, heading down another row. "And went to a club..somewhere we were sure y'all wouldn't be."
"Like we would try to spy." Dawn pouted playfully, cradeling the newspaper wrapped item in her arms. "Then what?"
"What do you mean then what?" Lita shot a look to the fellow diva, running a hand over the pieces of lace. "We left the club around 2:00 a.m."
"So what did you do for an hour?" Stacy held the doll in her arms, fluffing one of the curls.
Lita rolled off easily "Traffic of course" She stopped again at one of the tables, finally deciding on a small printed picture. "And as mother bear has said, we got back to the hotel at 3:00 a.m."
"One hour of heavy traffic at 2:00 a.m. in the morning?" Dawn raised a brow. "Somehow, I don't believe that."
"Believe what you want" Lita checked her watch again. "We should probably head back to the airport. Our flight leaves in an hour and a half." She linked arms with Stacy looping the bag around her wrist.
"Oh no you don't" Dawn pushed between the two. "One hour of traffic? What did you do?"
"Well we did get in the suite at 3:00. Pool's open 24 hours a day." Lita slipped her shades back on as they exited the convention center. "So we talked until we thought it would be best to get some sleep."
"Sounds like you had a good date then" Stacy tsk'd slightly as they slipped into the rental car. "How would you rate it and are there plans for a second date?"
"I need to find y'all a new friend..go bother her about her love life." Lita made a face, waiting until Dawn and Torrie were settled before she pulled out of the parking lot. "Rating on a scale of 1 to 10, 10 being the best..I'd say 8."
"With all that you did?" Dawn leaned forward, peering at the red head. "Why only an 8?"
"Because" Lita gestured with a hand slowing down when they apporached the airport parking lot. "I still don't know him that well."
"You are impossible" Dawn shook her head as she sat back. "Second date?"
"No plans actually." Lita parked the car in the rental car's lot. "But if he asked..yeah I'd say the chances are pretty good."
"Good" Dawn slipped out of the car, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "I hope this works out for you Li, you deserve to be happy."
"You act like I'm an old maid" Lita shook her head, sweeping her hair out of her face as they walked back to the airport. "And if it works out, it works out. If it doesn't than it doesn't. But, speaking of relationships." She shot a look over her shoulder to Torrie. "How are things going with Chris?"
"Working out quite well actually" The blonde grinned, slipping her shades up. "He's kinda pissed that he can't be there for me all the time, but other than that..things are good."
Lita squeezed the blonde's shoulders. "Good to hear it. Chris is a great guy" She shook her finger, and continued in a mock warning tone. "So if you don't treat him right..I'll kick your ass."
Torrie raised a hand to her forehead, saluting the red head as they made their way to the terminal. "You have my word m'am."
"Oooh" Stacy grabbed both diva's by the forearm. "Photo booths! Come on"
"So" Lita huffed as she was half dragged to the photo booth. "What did y'all get up to last night?"
"Usual" Dawn lagged behind, carefully setting down the vase. "Club hopping..nothing too out of the ordinary."
Lita and Dawn stepped aside as Torrie and Stacy wedged themselves in the booth. Finally with all four diva's posing, Lita blinked. "I do not want to see another camera again."
Dawn rolled her eyes at Lita and the camera. "Then you are in the wrong profession"
All four hammed it up for the final shot, and in a heap of arms and legs they tumbled out of the booth. "Who wants the first one?" Stacy looked between them, tugging patiently at the four photo strip. "I want the last"
"Why are you actin' like we're never gonna see them again?" Lita picked up the painting she had bought. "And I'll take the third."
"Might be kinda boring with all of us traveling together again" Torrie shrugged, "I'll take the first."
"We see each other at every photo shoot anyway" Dawn cradled the vase in her arms again, accepting the second shot. "But still..might be nice to really travel together."
"The way the schedules have been?" Lita tucked the picture in her pocket. "I'm sure we'll have plenty of time to spend together."
"True" Stacy tucked the picture in her purse. "We'll have it all in pictures anyway."
"Anyway" Torrie smoothed her hair out of her face. "We should get to our own terminal, the flight to Vancouver leaves in an hour and a half. Kurt will flip if we miss out for the meet and greet"
"I'll see you on Tuesday or Monday" Lita tucked the painting under her other arm, addressing Dawn. "And do you have any specifications on the cake? Or am I just decorating?"
"Just decorate" Dawn shrugged, linking arms with John as he approached. "And how about Tuesday..afternoon?"
"Sounds like a plan." Lita grinned, linking arms with Stacy. "See you then"
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Stacy and Lita met back up with Evolution in the terminal. Dawn handing off a photo album of the San Antonio trip to Lita before they parted ways. And as the RAW crew waited for the flight to board, Lita and Stacy flipped through the photo album. They shared a few giggles, recalling the trip then more giggles as they came to the pictures from Lita's birthday party. Just before the album was tucked away in Lita's gym bag, the most recent photos (the pictures from the 'makeover') were slipped in. And with Stacy and Randy across from them, Hunter and Ric in front of them; Dave and Lita settled in for the flight to Edmonton.
"Ric's not coming for the Hawaii trip" Dave glanced to his side, "So it'll be us, Stace, Randy, Hunter..and I believe Hunter mentioned Dawn and possibly John."
"Why Dawn and John?" Lita lifted a brow, re-adjusting the pillow cushioning her neck. "Or is there something you're not telling me?"
"Hunter hasn't mentioned anything..just that they might be joining us." He shrugged, leaning his seat back a touch. "Other than that..I know as much as you."
"Hmm" Lita bit her lip, bringing the arm tray out to rest her arms. "Just makes me wonder you know? I can understand if we're traveling near the SmackDown roster, but Hunter said this was just an Evolution thing."
He nodded, re-adjusting the cool air stream above them. "I know..guess we'll find out in Hawaii."
"Should make things interesting." She shrugged, bridging her hands on the tray. "Has he said anything else about the trip?"
He shook his head, "Nope. He and Ric were mostly discussing strategy for the re-match tomorrow and Ric's match with Shelton. Of course, they both had a hard time trying to talk the nerves out of Randy."
"Big night tomorrow" She closed her eyes a moment, collecting her thoughts. "You and Stace are the only one's not on the card."
"You worried about your match?"
"I'm trying not to think about it actually." She shifted her gaze to the window. "But yeah..I am a little worried."
He brought a hand over hers, squeezing gently. "You're going to win..and even if you don't. Just train harder."
"That's what I'd do, win or lose" She smirked, looking back to him.
"I wouldn't doubt that." With a yawn, he closed his eyes but still addressed the red head. "And we can go out, celebrate later."
"Sounds like a plan" She tucked the arm tray back, leaning to the side. "I just hope Randy's okay for his match tomorrow, Mick's got a lot more experiance than Randy."
"He knows that" He slouched slightly, allowing the red head to rest more. "But he's not focusing on that. He's focusing on winning."
"Well still" She closed her eyes stretching her arms as the plane made it's way down the runway, "Especially with y'all banned from the area...but I'm sure he'll do fine."
With Lita, Dave, Randy and Stacy sleeping for most of the flight to Edmonton; Hunter and Ric continued to discuss strategy for both of their important matches. Also mentioned was Lita's big match, whether she would say yes on RAW and the issue of one Texas Rattlesnake. By the time the plane touched down in Edmonton, all of Evolution's members were sleeping. A hold up at the terminal and then to the safety of the limo. And now, with all of them safely tucked away in one of the suites, Stacy and Lita settled in for the evening.
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"This is a really cute picture" Stacy held the Old West photo out at arm's length. "I want to do one of these again."
"Yeah it is" Lita stretched out on the couch. "And I'm sure we'll have plenty of opportunites to do so."
"Are you looking forward to Hawaii?" Stacy tucked the photo back in the photo album. "I can't wait..it's going to be so much fun."
"Well duh Stace" Lita tossed a pillow at the blonde. "It's Hawaii."
Stacy rolled her eyes, tossing the pillow back. "But a photo shoot too?" She huffed. "We have enough of those already."
"Technically it's not a photo shoot." Lita waited a moment before tossing the pillow at her again. "It's a DVD..and-"
"Partly a re-taping for the enterance video" Hunter joined the diva's in the living room of the suite. "Which might be a tad..presumpteous of me." He shot a look to Lita. "But I'm fairly confident, we'll be announcing our two newest members by the end of RAW."
"Would you be terribly upset if I said no?" Lita lifted a brow at Hunter. "Because..there is still no guarantee."
He perched on the arm of the loveseat. "I've known you long enough to not expect the ordinary." He shrugged, eyeing the red head. "But, I also know how much you love having the title; whether you admit to it or not..that title is a driving force."
"Hypothetically speaking" Stacy glanced between the two, picking at the pillow in her arms. "If she lost..would you care what her answer was?"
"Even if she lost, she always has a shot" He slid down into the chair. "And she already knows the answer to that question."
"Just leave it alone" Lita pressed her lips into a firm line, hopping up from the couch. "I'm heading out. I need to eat."
"Ric's still got jet lag to shake off" Randy stepped into the living room. "So it looks like it's just the five of us."
"We're ready whenever you all are" Dave joined Lita by the door. "Anywhere you want to go?"
"Nope..just want food" Lita grabbed her jacket from the hall closet. "So let's go"
He nodded, offering his arm as the they exited first, Randy, Stacy and Hunter following suit. After a lengthy dinner, club hopping was skipped. With the big night for most of Evolution tomorrow..a good night's rest was in order. However, by the time that Hunter, Dave, Randy and Stacy were settled, Lita found herself wide awake. With the only light coming from the television, the red head pulled her knees to her chest, staring blankly at the screen. Backlash, RAW and everything that was upcoming raced through her mind as she half watched the images. Win or lose, Evolution would have a new member..she just hoped it would be as the new woman's champion.
