Chapter Fifty-four:
Everyone is packing up their gear to head home.
"I will meet you at home tomorrow." Lita informs everyone.
"Why?" Joan and Johnny asks. They thought they would come with them to rest.
"They did tell me I am cleared, but they want me to come for final tests." Lita reluctantly mentions.
"So you are not coming with us." Joan pouts.
"No sweetie, I am not. I will see you tomorrow." She kisses Joan's forehead.
"Joan, Johnny, if you want to stay you can come to the hospital with us." Jeff offers.
"Jeff." Lita hits him in the arm not liking that idea.
"What? I thought it would be exciting we can drive home as a family. It can be like a mini road trip." Jeff request.
"You two are not flying home?" Michelle inquires.
"We could, but I don't know how my head will feel with the high altitude. I think it is safer to drive home."
"What do you two say?" Jeff reverts back to his children. Joan, Johnny, and Jamie huddle up to discuss the answer. Edge tries to take a peek however Jamie gives him a cute scowl. Everyone else just chuckles at him getting in trouble.
"We have decided." Jamie starts.
"That we are going with everyone else." Joan continues.
"We have a little surprise for you two when you two come home." Johnny adds.
"Ooo… I love surprises." Lita is thrilled that their children are going to surprise her.
"Yes mommy, be excited because two are going to love it." Joan smiles.
"Okay, you two let's head off to the airport." Mrs. Dumas informs them.
"We will send you guys off." Jeff offers picking up Joan in his arms.
"Great."
As they are about to head out of the arena, Vince calls them. "Good thing I caught all of you before you left."
"What is it, Mr. McMahon?" Jeff inquires.
"Lita, Jeff, Edge, I need you tomorrow for the Smackdown taping."
"Of course, is this about the Mickie gauntlet match?" Edge inquires.
"It is. This is the last part of the storyline. I need all of you to participate in it including you Christian."
"Okay, what do you have in mind?"
"Okay, what do you have in mind?"
"I will speak to all of you tomorrow." Vince mentions.
"Sure."
"You all have a safe flight home for the rest of you." Vince waves before he heads back to his office.
"I guess we are staying later than we expected." Lita acknowledges. They look at their children to see big grins on their faces. "Are you three okay with this?" They include Jamie because Edge is not coming home with them either.
"We are okay with you two staying longer." It gives them more time to succeed in their surprise. "You can take that honeymoon alone that you didn't take before. We will have everything ready on Tuesday." Joan assures her parents.
"Tuesday?" Jeff and Lita say puzzled thinking they will be home probably earlier than that.
"You two have to say your farewell to the crowd, right? You can't leave them without an explanation." Joan explains knowing they will say goodbye on Monday during Raw.
"You are right this Monday will be our last show for now." Lita agrees.
They are at the gate as they are about to board the plane. Everyone else is their waiting for them to arrive on the plane.
"You all have a safe flight we will see you on Tuesday." Lita waves only to be strong for her children.
Johnny and Joan run back their parents to give them another big hug before they head on the plane. Jamie pauses a bit before she runs to Edge.
"We love you guys." Joan hugs Lita while Johnny hugs Jeff.
"We both love you the most." Jeff and Lita simultaneously say to Joan and Johnny.
"I always believe you are a good person." Jamie hugs Edge. "You never show it, but I have always known."
"Thank you, Bumble Bee." He pecks her on the cheek. Michelle just watches their cute moment looking so innocent. "Come here." He waves her over for their special goodbye. "I will probably see you sooner than Lita and Jeff." He acknowledges.
"I hope so." She simple gives him a one second peck on the lips.
"Nope." Edge pulls her back for a longer kiss which Lita grabs her body around Edge. Everyone whistles as Christian jokingly rolls his eyes in annoyance. He is happy that his best friend has a girlfriend who will be there for him.
"Okay enough of that it is my turn." Christian once again jokes after the kiss broken off.
"Mr. Christian." Jamie flexes her finger to signal him to squat to her height. "Thank you for keeping everyone safe." She gives him a cheek kiss.
"You are welcome." He stands back up. "Are you jealous now?" Christian asks showing off a kiss from Jamie.
"Yes, where is my kiss?" Edge acts all upset.
"You don't need one because you are with me most of the time; mommy and I are a package."
"Of course, are you jealous?" Edge repeats his best friends question back to him. Christian answers with a huff.
"Bye." Michelle, the children along with their grandparents wave their finally goodbyes for now before the gate door closes.
"What do you think Vince wants to do tomorrow?" Lita inquires in the embrace of Jeff's arm.
"I hope it is nothing physical." Jeff is quite still sore from the ladder match against his brother.
"Me too." Edge agrees with him being still sore as well from his match against Matt.
"I hope it is." Christian disagrees very thrilled with that idea.
"Really Christian." They are all in shock that he would want to hurt Mickie.
"Guys, I don't mean that type of physicality." He wiggles his eyebrows to signal a different form of it.
"Eww gross, man." Edge and Jeff are disgusted with what he means.
"No." Christian denies again. "I mean to kiss her for a distraction. I don't want to be that level of physical with her."
"Yah, right." Edge nudges Jeff as they laugh at him covering up his true intentions.
"Hey, no laughing at him. I think it is sweet that Christian has a crush on Mickie. I bet that is one of the reasons you two didn't come out when you are supposed to." Lita defends Christian from them.
"Now that I think about it, Christian did blush when she was around. He is very argumentative when Mickie try to save Matt from the Con-Chair-To." Edge replays the situation in his mind.
"No I didn't." Christian argues being very protective of his feelings.
"Okay, what is your other theory?" Jeff questions to have him admit his true feelings.
"Fine, I do a small bit." He motions his thumb and index finger to be a quarter of an inch. "It is not a big, huge crush." He admits.
"Whatever you say." Edge accepts knowing that he really does like Mickie.
Smackdown:
Mickie is already out in the ring ready for her gauntlet match.
"King, for the viewers that don't know, how did Mickie get involved in this whole situation between Matt and Lita?"
"Well Cole, we thought she was just innocent bystander in the beginning. She was the one who faced Lita in the first match that Jeff return to the WWE. After that, she seemed to not be involved with anyone until Edge and Matt's street fight last Friday. During that match, she revealed that she likes Matt Hardy. Apparently, she is Matt's girlfriend and partner for his revenge against Lita. She distracted Edge and Christian so Matt can his revenge during his ladder against his brother. The consequence for that is that she participates in her own gauntlet match." King concludes.
"To add to that, Matt had some pressure on him during phrase two of his gauntlet match. He had to face either Mickie or all the female wrestlers in the WWE. If she lost to anyone of them a stipulation would be added to Mickie's. He picked having a match with all the female wrestler which he lost twice."
"That is correct, let us now watch who will give the stipulation to her."
Stephanie's theme music plays throughout the arena. "Hello everyone, I hope you are not expecting Lita or Jeff to announce the stipulations." The crowd cheers for the mention of Lita and Jeff's name. "They are both here tonight, although they will come out a bit later in the night." The crowd places their disappointment on the news. "Don't worry it will be worth the wait. Now onto business, Mickie-" She smiles at her. "You seem ready for your match or matches since it is a gauntlet match." Mickie bellows at her that she is. "That is good, I like your attitude. Your gauntlet won't be as severe as Matt's, so you can breathe easy with that. Furthermore, you won't get off so easy. This will make you not want to betray out trust again. The first gauntlet will be an idea that Lita came up with for Matt with my twist on it. If anyone doesn't know which one I am talking about, it is when Matt screamed the phrase 'I love you Lita.'" Mickie shakes her head in anger that she would have to utter those despicable words too. "Relax Mickie, you are not going to repeat that phrase." Mickie sighs a breath of relief. "Moreover, you did do two people wrong which you have to apologize to." She gulps. "You will apologize to them during your first match. Your phrase will be 'I am sorry Edge and Christian.' You will be saying this phrase every time you do your kicks or any legs movements that are involve. Your opponent for this will be Melina." Stephanie announces.
Paparazzi plays earning cheers from the crowd. Melina walks down the red carpet down the ramp before she climbs on top of the ring. She jumps and lands on the ring performing her splits entrance.
"This match is set for one fall." Lillian starts to announce. "Mickie has to yell 'I am sorry Christian and Edge' every time there are kicks or any use of legs in the match. Introducing first from Hollywood, California; Melina. Her opponent from Richmond, Virgina; Mickie James. The crowd jeers at her while she rolls her eyes at the reaction.
Before the match even starts, Stephanie comes out again. "Wait, I forgot a stipulation. Mickie, at the end of the match, whether you win or lose, you have to cheek peck a certain person the amount of times you have bellowed the phrase. Good luck." Mickie is steamed that she is being put through this torture just because she is the girlfriend of Matt.
The match starts off with a lock-up. Mickie James wins the battle with a choke hold on Melina. Melina pushes her into the ropes to give her a bulldog to punch her in the face. Mickie blocks them as much as possible until Melina goes for a pin. It results in just a simple one-count. Melina picks her up to do a simple kick to the stomach before doing a second bulldog. She waits for Mickie to own up to the stipulation.
"I am sorry Edge and Christian." Mickie yells out. As Melina tries to get her up again, Mickie her in the head. "I am…" She kicks her at her legs. "Sorry…" She continues with a kick to Melina's stomach. "Edge and Christian." Mickie does her signature Chick Kick. Melina falls to the mat to give Mickie a two count. She brings Melina up to do her Long Kiss Goodnight, but it countered with a kick to her head. Melina then switches their position to set up for the Primal Scream. She screams before doing a split-legged pin. This maneuver gives her the victory. Before the referee raises Melina's arm, the referee puts a microphone to Mickie's mouth.
"I am sorry Edge and Christian." She says for the kick to the head. "I am sorry Edge and Christian." She repeats for the Primal Scream finisher to official end the match. The referee rings the bell to raise Melina's hand in victory.
"Oh too bad Mickie, I guess Melina is too much for you." Stephanie comes out a third time to speak out her sympathy towards her. "Now you have said the phrase four times, you have to cheek peck a certain someone four times. I have someone who volunteered for this. Christian's Just Close Your Eyes plays throughout the arena. Mickie is shock to see that he volunteered to do this.
"Hello Mickie." Christian greets already in the ring. "I heard you have four cheek pecks for me." Mickie spits at him however it just lands on the mat. "Wow, why the hostility? I was going to give you a chance for one kiss, but you ruin it." He proposes a deal for her.
"No please." Mickie pleads. She rather has one kiss than having to kiss him four times.
"Here is my proposal, you have to kiss me on the lips for four seconds instead of four separate kisses."
"Deal." She accepts automatically. This surprises him expecting more argument for her.
"Okay." Christian waits for Mickie to give him the kiss. Mickie mouths to herself that it is only for four seconds. She puckers her lips to kiss Christian. During the short four seconds, Mickie feels something. She pulls away from him quickly as she touches her lips.
"Disgusting." She covers up her last action.
"Whatever, thank you for the kiss." Christian leaves the ring.
Matt, who is in a hotel suite not far from the arena, sees the kiss. "No, this is not happening again." He rushes out to head to the arena.
Later on:
Mickie is in the middle of her last gauntlet match. She is facing Candice Michelle in a bra and panties, paddle match. The stipulation is that if Mickie losses, she has to accept that she won't get a title match for a year and a half.
In the middle of the match, Candice is in her panties while Mickie is still fully covered. Mickie is about to win when, on the monitor, she sees Matt enter through the loading docks. He has a baseball bat that he hits anyone who is in his way.
"Look King, someone is back." Cole mentions.
"Yup, he is not a happy camper."
"From what happen last Monday, I am not surprise."
Superstars try to restrain him from coming to the ring, but they are hit before they can. Back in the ring, Mickie is distracted by this. Candice Michelle notices this to sweep Mickie's feet for her to hit her neck on the top rope. This give her the opportunity to strip her pants off; they are equal now. After that, Mickie focuses on the match to get it quickly over with. She gets the upper hand again with many attempts to win, but Candice always wiggles herself out. Her momentum continues until everyone starts to boo. Both women look up to see Matt come down the ramp. He still has the baseball in his hand which makes Mickie gulp in terror. She hopes this has nothing to do with what happen with Christian earlier in the night.
"Hello honey." She waves at him.
"Shut up you, cheater." He yells while he gets into the ring.
"What?" This distracts her for Candice Michelle to rip Mickie's top off for the victory. Matt gives Candice a stare as he grabs the paddle from her.
"I saw you kissing Christian. I thought you were different and not slut like Lita."
"I am not it is just a four second kiss; it was my stipulation. If you didn't lose last Monday, I wouldn't have to do that." She argues back.
"Of course it is my fault. You could have kicked him the jewels before performing it, but no you didn't want to. I bet you wanted to kiss him. You were just playing with me to get into the storyline."
"No, I wanted to help because I like you. I tried to stop them to do a con-chair-to, but they outsmarted me." She can't believe he is acting like this. This is not the man she knows.
"Yes, you are easy to be outsmarted." He admits.
"Is that why you are here, you don't trust me?"
"Nope, you are just someone I use to get my revenge." He again admits.
Mickie slaps him. "How are you? I am not a person you can use. I guess Christian and Edge were right you are the wrong person to like." She loudly whispers.
"What, you let them get into your mind. I shouldn't have come here you are a waste of time." Matt exits the ring.
"Yup, we are both correct on that. You are a waste of my time too. I should have let you get beaten by Edge and Christian."
"What do you mean?" Matt re-enters.
"Edge and Christian was supposed to attack you during the ladder match, but I distracted them."
"Yes, I will never understand that. I mean you are not as pretty as Lita is."
"Get out of here!" She exclaims.
"Make me." He flirts standing his guard.
"Leave." She pushes him.
"Come one." He chuckles at her anger and strength.
"Leave." She kicks him in the jewels. "Never mind I'll leave." As she takes a step, Mat grabs her ankle.
"No one leaves me." He knocks her down to have her hit her face on the mat. He gets up to have her on her back. "You know what happens to people who leave me." He picks her up to perform is signature Twist-of-Fate. Before it is executed, Christian comes out to save her. They fight until Christian does the Killswitch on him. When Matt gets up, security escorts him to the police; he is an unwanted person in the arena.
"Are you okay?" Christian asks Mickie.
"Fine, thanks for coming." She appreciates before heading up to the Women's locker room. This confuses him with her attitude now.
"Maybe she didn't feel it." Edge pats Christian's shoulder when he arrives backstage.
"Yah maybe."
