Chapter 25: Challenges Along the Way

That week went by pretty fast for Batista and Lauren. They spent every moment they could together; going to dinner, dancing, clubbing, playing X-Box, or Twister. Neither of them spoke about the match coming up that Monday night. But Lauren knew that it had been on his mind ever since it was announced. Sunday night, Lauren woke up to find that Batista wasn't there. She quietly got up, wrapped a blanket around her and looked for him. She found him sitting out on the balcony looking up at the stars with a concentrated look on his face. She knew what he was thinking about, and he had good reason to. Lauren slowly and quietly made her way out there.

"Hey," she called out softly to him. Batista turned to see her standing there, looking radiant as the moon fell upon her.

"Did I wake you?" he asked her. Lauren simply shook her head and stood next to him looking down into his eyes.

"You're thinking about your match tomorrow aren't you?" she asked him. Batista nodded and looked down as if in shame. "I could tell that it's been bothering you all week. You wanna talk about it?" Batista didn't really give a definite answer. "Batista, it won't help you to keep it locked inside."

"It's just...hard to believe that this is really what it's come down to. Me fighting a man I've been friends with for about 2 years. I'm not saying I have any intention of backing down, but..."

"I understand. Tell you the truth I'm not all too excited about it either. Frankly, HHH deserves it, but Ric...besides you he was the most gentlemanly to me. He never disrespected me like HHH did. Nonetheless, he didn't really help you when HHH started bringing you down, and I don't think he has any intention of backing down to you either." Lauren stated sadly looking up at the stars.

"I guess this is something that has to be done. Once I'm through with Flair, HHH will be next," Batista said with a bit more confidence.

"I know, and you'll kick his ass too. I'll just be the one taking pictures," Lauren chortled. Batista chuckled with her at the thought. Lauren noticed that he wasn't wearing anything but his pajama pants, and rolled her eyes. "Oh sure, get a cold the night before your big match!" she smirked sarcastically. "Here," she slipped off the blanket she had wrapped around her and put it around him. While doing so, she wrapped her arms around him from behind. "I don't want you getting sick. I'll just go back to–eek!" Without warning Batista had flung her around the side of the chair and into his lap.

"Stay out here with me a little longer," he whispered. Lauren smiled and nodded as she laid her head against his chest, while he wrapped the blanket around her too. About an hour later, Lauren had fallen asleep, making Batista smile. She looks so beautiful when she's sleeping. He lifted her up into his arms and carried her back to the bed as he laid down alongside her. What would I do without her? Batista smiled and fell asleep with his angel in his arms.

That morning they both woke up and got ready to leave for the next town. On the plane ride there, Batista couldn't help but keep staring at Lauren. "Something wrong?" she asked him.

"No. I just...really appreciate you being there for me. Our talk last night really helped. So...thanks," he smiled softly and kissed the back of her hand.

"Anytime. I'll always be here for you, just like you've always been there for me," she smiled back and kissed his cheek.

The rest of the plane ride was a silent one, but they both felt fine with it. Silence just seemed to be the best thing at the moment, since words couldn't really describe their feelings as greatly as they wanted to.

Once the plane had landed both Batista and Lauren checked into their hotel room and unpacked their things. After they'd finished, Batista decided to go workout in the gym downstairs. "I'll be back up in about an hour or so. You gonna be okay by yourself?" he asked her before he opened the door.

Lauren rolled her eyes and opened the door for him. "Stop worrying so much, okay? I'll be fine so go enjoy yourself down there. Bye!" she sang and closed the door on him. Batista just smiled and walked down to the gym.

Trish Stratus was standing and talking to Molly Holly in the gym until Batista walked in. "Well, well. Look at what we have here," Trish smirked. Molly Holly turned in the same direction and knew what her comrade was thinking.

"Don't get any wild ideas, Trish. He's taken," Molly stated.

"Yeah, by that good-for-nothing piece of trash. He needs a real woman, like me," Trish growled. It was a good thing Batista was out of earshot of them or they'd be in trouble. "I can't get any other guy but him, and it's all because of that...that Vixen or whatever her name is. But then again," Trish said smirking over in Batista's direction. "I do love a challenge." Molly Holly simply smiled at her friend, knowing that this was going to be good.

Trish and Molly had hated Lauren since she had arrived. It was so easy for her to end up with the top wrestlers of the industry, like Evolution. Trish had been trying to get them to let her join for what seemed like forever. But for Lauren, it was just like saying 'Hi!' and she was in. Plus, Trish was an actual slut. She felt she could get any man she wanted, and she had wanted Batista for a while. Only she would sometimes get distracted by other guys she felt she could get. Such as, Chris Jericho and Christian, along with others. Trish had made her decision, and would do anything possible to get Batista and Lauren torn apart, and her claiming her prize afterwards.

"Watch this," Trish whispered to Molly and started walking over in Batista's direction. Batista was already lifting weights as she walked over. "Need a spotter?" she asked sweetly.

"No thanks," Batista replied bluntly. He knew what kind of woman Trish was, and if she started to talking to you, (especially if you were a guy), she only wanted one thing.

"Are you sure? Because you know me, I'm stronger than I look," she said getting closer to his face.

"I'm sure you are, but I don't need a spotter," Batista stated. However, this woman wasn't taking a hint.

"Oh come on, Batista! You know we wouldn't want you to get hurt the night of your big match with Flair," she said. Batista simply glared at her, stopped using the weights and walked over to another machine. Once again, Trish walked over with a 'sweet' smile on her face. He couldn't help but notice that she had readjusted her shirt a little bit to show a little more of her chest. "Are you mad at me? Did I do something to upset you?" she asked him pretending to be sensitive.

Being the gentleman that he was, he couldn't just tell her that he hated her because she was a slut and wouldn't leave him alone. So he came up with the only excuse he could. "Listen Trish, I apologize if I seemed harsh. I just have a big match tonight, and I really don't like being interrupted during my workout. Okay?" he asked putting on a smile that took all his strength to keep on his face.

"Okay, I understand," Trish replied and walked off to where she had left Molly.

"So how did it go?" Molly asked anxiously. Trish simply looked over at Batista with a smirk on her face.

She turned back to Molly and said, "I think I can make this work. Like I said, I love a challenge." Molly just smiled deviously back at her friend as they came up with a plot to put them together, and break Batista and Lauren apart.

Once Batista was done with his workout, he headed back up to the room to take a shower and get ready for the show. "Lauren?" he called out as he walked in.

"I'm in here!" she called out from the bedroom. Batista put down his gym bag and walked in to find almost ten outfits laid around the room. Lauren was simply standing in the middle with just a robe on. When she saw him come in she ran up and grabbed a handful of his shirt in both hands. "Help me!" she whined desperately.

"Hey, clothes and outfits are your business, not mine!" he laughed. Lauren simply looked up and put on a pouting face, biting her lower lip. Batista gave a long, heavy sigh and looked around the room at the different outfits. "That one," he said pointing to the strapless top with sky-blue ribbon crossing down the sides, with a short jean skirt & black belt, along with boots that would almost reach her knees.

"Are you sure?" she asked him picking it up into her hands.

"No, but you wanted my opinion," he smirked. Lauren simply gave him a playful glare as she examined the outfit more closely.

"I'll trust your judgment. But if I get booed out of the arena because no one likes it, I'll never forgive you, or let you forget it," she stated. Batista just chuckled as he walked into the bathroom to take his shower. Lauren smiled and started to change into the outfit he had picked out. Once she looked in the mirror, she nodded in agreement and satisfaction.

Batista walked out of the bathroom drying his hair with a towel, when he saw Lauren looking in the mirror. "Guess I made a good choice," he smirked and walked over to her.

"I guess you did," she replied and turned to face him. Batista started approaching when she put a finger to his chest to keep him from coming closer. "No, no, no. You're all wet. You need to go dry off before you can get any thoughts into that brain of yours. You don't want me getting my outfit all wet, do you?" she said raising a brow. Batista just sighed in playful annoyance and watched as she started walking around him to put the other outfits away. He just shook his head, dried himself off a little more, and got more than halfway dressed. He was buttoning his shirt when he saw Lauren putting the very last pair of shoes back into her bag.

So while she had her back to him, he lifted her up into his arms and brought her to the bed with him on top. She squealed in surprise when she felt him lift her, but just started laughing as she saw him above her. "I'm dried off now," he smirked.

"I can see that!" she continued laughing and wrapped her arms around his neck. Batista captured her lips with his as she tangled her fingers in his dark hair. "As much as I would love to continue this, you need to finish getting dressed and head down to the limo" Lauren told him as she continued to stroke his hair.

"You're no fun," he growled and simply stayed as he was.

"Oh after a show, I'm tons of fun!" she giggled and lightly pushed him off. Batista got off completely and helped her up. He continued buttoning his shirt when Lauren shooed his hands away and finished doing them herself. Batista slipped his jacket on when he started looking for his sunglasses. "Looking for these?" Lauren asked. Batista smiled and looked behind him to see Lauren standing by the door, swinging his sunglasses in her hand. "You want'em? Come get'em!" she laughed and darted out the door. Batista ran after her down the hallway as she just disappeared behind a corner. Once he rounded it himself, he saw her already in a closing elevator biting the frame of his glasses playfully. The doors closed just before he could reach them.

"Oh she's gonna get it!" he laughed and waited for the next elevator.

Lauren jumped out of the elevator and started heading through the lobby to the limo. Only she accidentally ran into someone very big. "Oh excuse me! I wasn't–" her voice was then lost to her when she found she had run into the Game himself. Oh great! She started backing away slowly when he grabbed her arm roughly. Uh-oh. Not good.

A/N: AAAHHH! Sorry for the over-due update. I hope you can forgive me. Please? Well the next few chapters might be a little random and weird, but bear with me! Things will get pretty interesting, trust me. Anyways, thank you all for the reviews, they mean a lot to me. Keep on guessing. And I'm sorry to say, that it won't be a story on Randy Orton, or John Cena. They were awesome guesses though. Until next time:)