A/N: Here it is, the final song-fic. I want to thank everyone for their reviews; I wasn't sure how I felt about this challenge when I started, but I grew to really enjoy it, and now I'm kind of sad that it's over. *tear*. In particular, I want to thank Heel Princess and Writinglove101. You two have been faithful reviewers, and your support meant a lot to me.

Thank you to Nastygrl25 for reviewing the last chapter! You're awesome, Rosie!

#10 – "Rest In Pieces" by Saliva

November 24, 2008

"Oh my God!" Mickie James raved, turning toward the raven-haired Diva on her left. "That was amazing, Mel! Did you hear the crowd go nuts when you hit that sunset driver?"

"Yeah!" Candice Michelle chimed in, looking over at well. "Seriously, Melina…you've still got it!"

"Aw…thanks, you guys!" Melina Perez lifted her gaze off the floor, smiling at the other two Divas. She lowered her voice. "To tell you the truth, I was a little nervous—that was the first time I've hit that move outside of a practice ring."

Mickie slung an affectionate arm around her shoulders. "Well, you could have freaking fooled me!" All three Divas burst into peals of laughter at this.

The trio was walking down the hall from the gorilla position. They had just been victorious in their six-Diva tag match against Jillian Hall, Katie Lea Burchill, and the Women's Champion Beth Phoenix. More importantly, Melina had been the one to get the pin and earn the victory. It was her first match back after being out with an ankle injury for five months, and both Mickie and Candice knew how crucial a win was on your first night back.

The Dominant Diva was brimming with excitement; she felt like her feet weren't even touching the ground. After five excruciatingly long months, she was back in a wrestling ring, doing what she loved most—competing. And now that she was back, her first order would be to get back in the title hunt ASAP and earn a championship match against her former best friend, Beth Phoenix.

Melina's dark eyes narrowed. Beth might not have been responsible for her injury, but she had been behind all of the humiliation and pain leading up to it. When the Glamazon had turned on her, Melina had floundered for a while in the locker room hierarchy. Most of the other Divas were still wary of her…or just plain afraid of crossing Beth. Luckily for the Dominant Diva, Mickie James had stood up for her, and her support had gone a long way toward Melina's gradual acceptance. It was funny sometimes how things turned out: a year ago, she and Mickie were bitter enemies. Now, Melina considered the former Women's Champion one of her closest friends.

"So what should we do now?" Candice ventured, pushing her dark tresses back from her face.

Melina glanced in her direction. There were times when the Candy-Coated Diva still irritated her, but nowadays, she just let it go. Candice really had worked her ass off to break free of the "useless Diva Search eye candy" stereotype, and the fact that she had battled back from a serious injury, not once but twice, was enough to earn her some respect in the Dominant Diva's eyes.

Melina tapped her chin with her finger. "Hm…" she mused thoughtfully. Her eyes lit up. "I know! Let's go back to the locker room and, when Beth and her little crew come in, we start bragging about our big win tonight! You know, just totally rub their faces in it!"

Candice giggled. "That sounds awesome!" She glanced over at Mickie, and a warning expression flashed across her pretty face. "Although, if we do…please, Mick, no incest jokes in front of Katie Lea this time."

The brunette Diva shrugged, trying to look innocent and failing miserably. "I don't know what you're talking about," she protested. "All I did was casually mention that she and her brother seemed just a little too close—"

"Mick, you told that they should move to the South, because at least there, it wouldn't be against the law!" the Candy-Coated Diva interjected. "Which doesn't make any sense because—aren't you from the South?"

Mickie waved the remark off nonchalantly. "Not that far South. Besides, I don't have to worry about stuff like that." A mischievous grin appeared on her face. "My brother's not that cute!"

Melina held up both of her hands in mock protest, trying to talk through her laughter. "Please! TMI! TMI!" Her words soon dissolved into giggles, and she bent over, putting her hands on her knees to try and catch her breath.

The other Divas stopped and joined her in the hilarity of the moment—their laughter dying away instantly as an unmistakable new voice cut through theirs.

"Hey, Melina, congratulations."

The Dominant Diva froze, still hunched over, her black hair covering her face. From her vantage point, she could see a pair of booted feet—and she had a pretty good idea who they belonged to. She felt Mickie and Candice both inch closer to her, as though offering her silent support. Melina slowly straightened up, pushing her raven tresses back over her shoulder. She stared back at the Raw Superstar in front of her, boldly meeting his gaze.

"Hello, Randy."

Look at me, my depth perception must be off again

'Cause this hurts deeper than I thought it did

The Legend Killer was the same as she last remembered her; the changes Melina was recalling went back a lot further than a few months. She broke eye contact with him, making a subtle sweep of his face. She could remember when those handsome features used to light up in a broad smile at the sight of her; now, it seemed that they were capable of nothing more than an expressionless mask. Even more, in the midst of offering her congratulations, the only emotion Randy Orton seemed able to muster was a slight twitch at the corner of his mouth, as though he was fighting back a smirk.

The Dominant Diva felt her heart clench painfully within her chest, but refused to let it show on her face. Randy had already gotten enough enjoyment out of the pain he had caused her; she was not going to give him any further satisfaction.

It has not healed with time

It just shot down my spine

At her side, Mickie glanced nervously from Randy back to her. "C'mon, Mel, let's go—"

"Actually," Just hearing his voice sent chills down Melina's spine. There were all the normal inflections, all the normal rises and falls of a human voice, but there was no emotion behind the words. It was like listening to a robot; a sophisticated one with artificial intelligence…but a robot none the less. The Legend Killer's blue eyes never wavered from hers as he spoke. "I wanted to talk to Melina alone."

"Like hell you will—" Mickie shot back with a surge of protective anger, but the Dominant Diva silenced her by gesturing for quiet.

"It's okay, Mick," She was amazed at how normal her voice sounded. "You and Candice go back to the locker room; I'll see you in a bit."

Mickie peered at her, her arm still wrapped around Melina's shoulders. "Are you sure, Mel?" she asked doubtfully.

Melina nodded slowly, her eyes still fixed on Randy. "Yeah…yeah, I'm sure. It'll just take a minute."

"Well…all right." Reluctantly, Mickie dropped her arm back down to her side. She and Candice both inched away from Melina, taking care to cut a wide swath around the Legend Killer. If Randy was bothered by their overt avoidance of him, he didn't show it.

But then again, when did he really show anything?

Melina watched the other Divas until they disappeared around a corner, then turned her attention back to the former WWE Champion. She pressed both feet to the floor, reaching up to cross her arms over her chest.

Except for her and Randy, the hallway was deserted.

You look so beautiful tonight

Remind me of how you laid us down

And gently smiled before you destroyed my life

Randy cleared his throat. "Listen, Mel—"

Just hearing her voice uttered in that awful dead tone made Melina's stomach turn, and without realizing what she was doing, she stormed toward the Legend Killer, grinding to a halt just in front of him. "What do you want, Randy?" she demanded, her voice teetering on the edges of calm.

Randy looked down at her, his azure irises still registering nothing. No love, no hate, no anger—no emotion of any kind. "I wanted to talk about us—"

Melina couldn't suppress a laugh, a harsh mirthless bark that burbled up from somewhere deep inside her. "Us? There is no us anymore, Randy." Her voice faltered, but did not break. "Now, if you'll excuse me—" She started to sidle past the Legend Killer, but he abruptly grabbed her arm, preventing her escape. The Dominant Diva stared for a second or two at his fingers closed around her upper arm, then brought her gaze back up to his face. "Let go of me," she whispered furiously.

Randy turned his head, his penetrating stare pinning her in place like a mouse under the gaze of a snake. "Or what?" Melina thought she could almost detect a note of amusement in that robotic voice of his. "You hit me with that leg drop or whatever the hell you use to win your matches?"

Melina's beautiful features twisted with hate, and she tried to wrench her arm free. "You bastard!" she hissed under her breath.

The Legend Killer didn't react to her epithet. "Look, Mel, I don't want to do this—"

"Good!" the former Women's Champion shot back. "That makes two of us!" She briefly considering prying Randy's fingers off her arm, but rejected the notion. She probably would be unsuccessful, and doing so would put her into even closer physical proximity to the former WWE Champion. Instead, Melina tried once again to pull free—and once again, Randy held her back.

Could you find it in your heart

To make this go away

And let me rest in pieces

"I'm not finished with you!" he ordered. His tone sounded forced, as though he was clenching his teeth. Melina should have been glad to evoke some emotion from the Legend Killer—but it was the one emotion she did not want to be on the receiving end of: his rage.

"Well , I'm finished with you!" she spat, and to her surprise and relief, Randy loosened his hold on her hand enough to let her wriggle free. The Dominant Diva backed up a pace or two, holding her arm (which she was pretty sure was going to bruise), all the while staring at Randy. The former WWE Champion watched her retreat, his face still an unreadable mask, making no attempt to stop her.

Melina felt words rise to her lips; words, which, after five months, she no longer wanted to hold back. "Who the hell do you think you are?" she whispered. "Do you honestly think that you can come to me, after what you did, and pretend like there's a you and me anymore?"

Look at me, my depth perception must be off again

You got much closer than I thought you did

"What I did?" There was definite anger in Randy's voice now. "Last time I checked, you dumped me!"

"Because of what you turned into!" Melina cried. "I may have dumped you—but you broke my heart first…when you decided to become a monster!"

I'm in your reach

You held me in your hands

The Legend Killer closed his mouth, his jaw tightening. Tilting his head up, he studied the Dominant Diva in front of him.

Melina should have been frightened by this sudden absence of emotion, but she didn't care anymore. She was long past caring. Her voice shook as she spoke. "I don't know who you are anymore…what you are. You do these terrible things…and I wonder if you can even still feel your heart beating. I loved you, but not anymore. I would rather…" Her voice broke, and she paused a minute before continuing. "I would rather think that you hate me…than accept that you feel nothing when you look at me." She backed away, her steps picking up speed. Turning, she raced down the hall, ducking her head to mask her tears.

"Mel, wait—" Randy reached out after her, but she was already gone. He stood there for a moment, arm still outstretched, the memory of his ex-girlfriend still fresh and vivid in his mind's eye.

Why had he stopped her? Why had he tried to explain everything to her, knowing she would never understand.

"Why do I still love you?" he murmured to the empty corridor in front of him.

Can you find it in your heart

To make this go away

And let me rest in pieces

Could you find it in your heart

To make this go away

And let me rest in pieces