Title: Stay

I remember the day I had met Lita, as if it were just yesterday. I saw her wrestling against a woman who had years of experience compared to her. I could see that she was giving it her all, though it went to no avail, the other woman overpowered her. Jeff was watching the match, entranced as he was in any matches that he attended to. The referee counted when the other woman covered Lita. The three count passed, the woman getting back on her feet. I could see that Lita was talking to the woman, I just wasn't sure what they were talking about.

What surprised me next was when the woman help Lita up, hugging her. Lita high-fived her, a smile on her face. She waved goodbye to the woman as she hopped off the apron. Her hair was a mess, the smolderen red hair pulled up in an untidy ponytail, a bright glint in her eyes that could only have come from a good match. Lita was wearing gray sweats, a sports bra that complimented her figure.

Jeff rushed up to her as she came near the seats.

"Great match Lita." I heard him say enthusiastically, a friendly arm wrapping around her shoulders.

Lita laughed, hugging him back lightly.

When I heard her laughter, and her embracing Jeff, I felt a sudden wave of jealousy consuming me. It was unlike any emotion I had ever experienced. I never envied Jeff; I didn't know why I had been that day.

"Hey Matt, come here I want you to meet someone." Jeff beckoned to me.

I jogged towards where the two were, trying to look neutral, inside knowing that more than anything I wanted to find out who this woman was that had made me desire her so.

"Lita, this is Matt, Matt this is Lita."

Lita held out her hand, her face open and friendly, "Nice to meet you Matt, I've seen you wrestle in a couple of your matches in the shows, you're really talented."

When her hand came into contact with mine, I felt a surge of electricity go through my hand from hers. She too felt it, because she gazed back at me, a look of surprise and amazement on her face.

"Likewise." I grinned.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

From then on each day, I began to build a friendship with Lita. I knew I wanted something more, yearned for it, I just knew it wasn't the right time, not yet.

When I walked by the cafeteria in the wrestling gym, I heard Lita talking in a hushed tone near the back of the room, I almost didn't realize she was in the room until her voice started rising.

"Nick!..Please you know I can't go home right now, I'm in the middle of training…no I can't take time off they might find a replacement….why not? WHY NOT? You know that it's been my dream to become a wrestler…of course I care about you, but if you make me choose between wrestling and you, I would have to choose wrestling…hello? Nick?…HELLO?" Lita hooked the payphone back on the crib, slamming it down with frustration.

I touched Lita's shoulder, knowing if she needed a shoulder to cry on I would be more than happy to lend mine.

She raised her striking brown eyes, making it seem as though she could see right through my soul. I held my breath, as if I was afraid she might see that what I felt for her was stronger than friendship.

The moment passed, she wiped the corner of her eyes with the back of sleeves.


I handed her a kleenex from my backpack, waiting till her tears were gone.

"Thanks Matt, it's just my boyfriend.."

Maybe Lita saw my face drop, because she immediately stopped saying quickly "Of course you don't want to hear about a boring old relationship I'm sorry I should have—"

I shook my head, smiling so she saw that I was spellbound in every word she spoke, more than she knew. "Friends listen to friends, I'm your friend, I'll help you if you need me, and it seems that you do."

Lita smiled back through her tears, taking time only to wipe them away, "Thank you Matt, you're the best friend I've got right now, you and Jeff are the only people I know that doesn't have a hidden schedule behind their words."

She hugged me, resting her head against my chest.

"Yeah…" My voice trailed off, what else could I have said?

I almost backed down right then, I've never been the one to break people's hopes, something inside me stopped me though, whispering in the back of my mind, that she would come around, all she needed was time, and space to breathe.

Although I felt bad for doing so, I thought of Lita as a goal. Because I knew that once I had set a goal, I would rather die trying then to have not tried at all.

I knew if I made the first move, the friendship was lost, I just needed to find out a way to make her fall in love with me, as I already was for her.

"So Lita, if you lose this match, you'll have to go out with me, Dean Malenko. I mean, who wouldn't want to go out with someone of my looks and body?" Dean smirked, walking along the top of the ramp, Lita in the middle of the ring after a match she had against Molly that she had won.

The past few weeks, Dean Malenko had been interfering in Lita and Jeff and I's matches, although it was more like harassing.

He seemed obsessed with Lita, doing anything to get her attention; getting continuously frustrated when Lita didn't know that he existed.

I didn't blame him at all for trying to win the affections of Lita that's what I had been trying to do for so long it seemed.

When Dean Malenko challenged Lita to a match, although it sounded ridiculous match, I knew this was my chance to prove to Lita that I was worthy of more than her friendship, maybe her love.

I had been outside the ring, supporting Lita. I slid into the ring, walking over to where Lita was. She seemed frozen in her spot, as if not knowing what she should do.

I whispered into her ear, "I have a plan, accept the match."

She seemed to watch me with reluctance, before nodding, whispering, "I trust you."

I put an arm around her, so she knew that I would support her.

Lillian Garcia handed Lita a microphone, in which she spoke into it; "I'll fight you. All you have to do is show up."

She appeared to be confident at that moment, except after she had went back stage, she began shivering.

I touched her shoulder, telling her, "It's okay, I have a plan. I won't let you get hurt."

Her smile slowly reappeared, "Okay Matt. I just hope your plan works."

The day of the match between Lita and Dean Malenko, even though I didn't show it, I was a nervous wreck. I had been so sure the plan would work until that day, now I was beginning to have my doubts. It wasn't a full proof plan, if any of Dean Malenko's "Radicalz" team members attacked him from behind, the plan would be useless.

The match had started only minutes before, but already Dean was easily overpowering Lita.

He powerbombed her onto the mat, her limp body laid out on the floor.

I had almost jumped into the ring right then, I knew though it was better to wait.

Dean went for the cover, only to jump back from his cover on the second count.

I could see that even though her body was wracking in pain, her face was filled with humiliation that this match caused her that Dean caused her.

I couldn't wait anymore, if I had left Lita for a minute longer, Dean would have beaten her in to unconsciousness.

I went into the ring, a steel chair in my hand. I remained in the position, as Dean trash-talked Lita, when he turned around; I hit him squarely in the head, causing him to crumple to the ground.

The referee was at the other side of the ring, his back turned, seeing if Lita was all right so he didn't see when I had harmed Dean.

I slid out of the ring quickly before the referee caught asight of me. Lita saw me get out of the ring, giving me a thumbs up. She made her way up the ropes, pushing the referee away to give out her signature Litacanrana.

She covered Dean Malenko, one arm resting over his shoulder.

It seemed like the slowest three count I had to watch through, although in reality it was only a few seconds.

The bell rang, finalizing the match. Dean was holding his jaw, advancing towards her, only to stop and get out of the ring when he saw I was outside the ring.

I hugged her when I got into the ring, having our own celebration.

Lita was beaming, her smile not nearly big enough for her face. She kept on exclaiming, "Did that really happen? Did I really beat Dean?"

I nodded embracing her again, her hair tangled in my hands, "You did it Lita, you beat Dean."

She broke the clasp, looking up at me with excitement.

Her beauty mesmerized me; she didn't seem to have looked more beautiful than she had that day.

Her flaming red hair that seemed hot to the touch, her deep brown eyes, her lips, there wasn't any word that could describe her lips, indescribable.

Lita appeared to notice my sudden change; she tilted her head, asking if anything was wrong.

My eyes closed for a moment, to keep all the feelings for her in bay, but when I gazed down at her, her face filled with the light I wished had so been because of me, I kissed her.

I kissed her with every ounce of passion that I felt, as if to tell her, to prove to her, that I was worthy of her love, that I had been waiting in the shadows for her to realize that I was in love with her.

I pulled back, out of breath.

Lita had a glazed look in her eyes; she touched her lips to confirm what had happened.

When she didn't give any kind of reply, I began to apologize to her, I was near tears, even though I tried my best to cover it up.

She still didn't answer.

I had to get away from her then; I couldn't face what was plain as day to everyone else but me until now, she didn't see me as anything other than a friend.

I walked down the stairs, beginning the long journey up the ramp.

The crowd began deafening. They were laughing at me because I was turned down by the one person I loved most in the world? I didn't see what was so funny.

A hand touched my shoulder; I turned to be met again face to face with Lita.

"Lita listen let's just forget this ever—"

Her hand covered my mouth, leaving my sentence trailing.

A tear fell from the corner of my left eye, I knew she was going to tell me we were friends and nothing else, I knew that friendship was all we were ever going to have, I knew…

Her lips met mine, the passion that had been lacking from Lita, now there, with more response than he had ever thought to imagine.

"Are you sure about this—"

She kissed me, pulling back to whisper, "Live for the moment, Matt."

The few months after that was heaven. I hadn't realized I had so much in common with her until I started a relationship with her. But as every one knew, heaven wouldn't last for long.

"Jeff, I'm only trying to look out for you!"

"Well I'm not a little kid anymore Matt, you out of everyone should know that! I'm my own person, don't you trust me to make the right decisions?"

"You never make the right decisions Jeff, that's how you got hurt in the first place!"

Jeff shoved me aside, saying over his shoulder, "I don't need to listen to this. When you're willing to listen to me, you know where to find me."

I slammed the wall next to me, turning to Lita, "Is it just me or has Jeff gotten really stupid lately?"

Lita had her back against the wall, deep in thought until she replied, "I think you're being a little unreasonable Matt. Jeff is right, he has a choice with what he should or shouldn't do with his own body."

"What?" I looked Lita, anger and hurt in my eyes.

"Matt, you know I don't want to fight you. It's just…I think Jeff has a point, of course you do too but he's his own person you know he won't deliberately do something just to set you off."

I didn't know whom she was anymore, the Lita I knew had always seen and agreed with my point of view, now she was going with my brother's. I turned my back to her, saying coldly, "That's what Jeff has been trying to do lately. Honestly Lita, I thought you were smarter than that."

I didn't know at that time, why she would suddenly choose to back Jeff up, except all those questions were answered only too soon.

"What is wrong with you Lita? Aren't you on my side anymore?" I yelled.

It had been the second fight Lita and I had that week that was more fights than we ever had when we were friends.

"I am on your side Matt! I just don't see why you need to treat Jeff as if he were a 5 year old!"

"I'm just trying to look out for him, I have a responsibility that comes with being an older brother, I don't want to let him down."

"Can't you see you're letting him down already by not letting him be who he wants to be?"

"Get out, I'll talk to you when you cool down."

"Cool down? If I need to cool down, then what does that make you?" She stormed out of the room, slamming the door behind her.

I regretted saying that immediately after she had left, I knew I had to apologize. I had never been one to lose my cool; just lately I had been losing it more and more, until I couldn't control myself anymore. I didn't recognize myself in the mirror anymore, who am I?

I jumped up from the couch, running down the halls, trying to look for her.

I heard two familiar voices just around the corner, I slowed my steps.

When I saw it was Lita and Jeff, I almost called out to them, except something once again held me back.

Jeff wrapped an arm around Lita; her tears were running freely as she tried to wipe them away.

Jeff moved her hands away from her face, kissing her forehead.

She looked up in surprise, as he moved in, gently pressing his lips to hers.

Her eyes closed, melting into the kiss.

I backed away to the hall I had just walked down from. That answered any questions about why Lita would back up Jeff.

I kept repeating to myself, "Men don't cry."

A tear slipped out anyway.

I had went to Vince McMahon that day, telling him straight out I no longer wanted to be tag teams with Lita and Jeff. He didn't seem to understand, because he didn't know the whole story. I didn't plan on telling the story to anyone. Vince agreed hastily after I threatened to quit, I didn't find wrestling as treasured as I had before, now it all just seemed empty, a routine. He booked a match, me against Jeff and Lita being the guest referee, but I didn't care. Anything to get myself out of tag teams with Jeff as soon as possible.

The scripts had me lose to Jeff, and with me blaming Lita for the loss. It hit too close to home, though none of the roster or the fans knew that.

The final scene I had to do with Lita was the one where I broke up with her. I hadn't spoken to Lita at all except when necessary since the incident between her and Jeff, she followed me around like a lost puppy, she didn't know that I had seen her kiss Jeff as if he was the one she had spent her life with the last couple of months.

While the last segment was being taped, every scripted word I said, I said it with meaning. Every word was true, I knew she grasped what was going on, because I saw a light that was flickering in her eyes die. "As of now, Team eXtreme doesn't exist." I slammed the door, separating Lita and me forever, not just in the scripts but in real life as well.

It was a twist of fate that brought Lita and me together, now it was a twist of fate that tore us apart.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Please R&R