Title~ Texas Grace (4/?)

Author~ Cristal

Rating~ PG13

Disclaimer~ All characters belong to the WWE.

My Group~ http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Cristal-FanFic You should go and join. Expand your horizons!! ;)

Feedback~ Feedback would be great for this one since I'm rather excited at how it's turning out!! ^^

Spoilers~ None really.

Notes~ Roster split IS in affect.

Summary~ Lita has an unexpected savior…

            She woke up suddenly, remnants of a dream escaping her subconscious. 5:30am is what read across the front of the alarm clock, the red numbers casting brightly on the table. She sighed as she rolled over onto her back, her thoughts still cloudy with sleep. After covering up once more, there was tossing and turning as sleeping the rest of the night escaped her once more. Lita bit her lip with a frown. This week just hasn't been that great...

            Sighing once more, she stood, grabbing her clothes from her suitcase to change into. It may have not been the safest idea to go out at five in the morning, but she needed to get out. Besides, she wasn't leaving the hotel. She just had to make sure no one else figured out she was wandering around way to early in the morning.

            Changing into the loose shorts and tank top, she pulled her hair back into a bun at the back of her head, keeping it from her face. She slipped on a pair of sandals and grabbed a towel before tacking a note to the door for Molly in case she woke up. Lita left quietly, not wishing to draw attention to herself as she made her way down the desolate halls. Finally making it to the elevator, she stepped in with a tired sigh. Even if she couldn't sleep, she was going to at least make good use of her time. Who cared if it was five in the morning?

            Yet another sigh left her lips as she got off the elevator, looking tentatively out the box. Starting down the hallway, she made it to the gym in the hotel. Shaking her head at her less-than-energetic behavior, she quietly slipped into the well-lit rooms. She paused in the entrance area as she heard someone else in the adjoining room. This isn't good: she can't even work out a few minutes and blow steam. Damn...well, everyone!!

            Pouting a moment, she reconsidered. If it were Matt or Rob, she wouldn't care. She knew it wasn't Jeff because, well, Jeff liked getting up at the crack of noon. No sooner if he could help it. Matter of fact, he would get up only to get into a rental car and then promptly fell asleep again. Always. Anyways...back to the problem at hand. However in the hell was in the next room, unknowingly annoying her.

            Well...it depended on who was there. The only problem was whomever had attacked Bradshaw last week...he hadn't told her and she didn't even think to ask...shit... Well, she knew mostly who she could trust. If they weren't in that very select group, she wouldn't go into the room: easy enough. Peeking tentatively around the corner, looking into the main weight room, she heard the metal weights clink as they were dropped again.

            Looking over, she saw him lifting weights: heavy weights. She knew he was strong: very strong arms, she took note of that before. She was unaware how much though... She watched him quietly as he lifted, his full concentration on his task at the moment. His intense eyes focused beyond the bar of the weight set now over his head. Her right foot shifted slightly: almost beyond notice. Yet it caught his attention and he immediately dropped the weights on the cross bar and stood, whirling around.

            Lita stepped back at the offensive nature of his pose. Her eyes inadvertently trailed down his form taking in his strong body and what he wore: or rather, what he didn't wear. She swallowed nervously as she noticed her was just wearing gym shorts and tennis shoes. Not that she was complaining... there was a slight glean of sweat on his body that caught her attention as well. He stepped back slightly with a nod. "Sorry about that Li...I'm a little tense."

            She nodded as she stepped from the corner. "Uh...yeah, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to startle you or anything...I just didn't know who was in here and-"

            He nodded. "Yeah, no problem."

            She nodded, watching as he grabbed his towel before leaning back to finish his reps. Lita hesitated a moment before sitting on one of the exercise bikes. She was quiet as she started, thinking of the man in the same room...the one not talking to her at the moment. For some reason, that hurt her a little...but then she realized he was busy and it wasn't even six in the morning.

            He on the other hand was busy trying to concentrate on what he was doing. Several reasons for not looking at her: all of them very good actually. For example, the heavy bar over his head at the moment with two hundred pounds on it: that wouldn't feel good crashing into his chest. There was also the issue of just how adorable she looked. If he were too busy staring at her at least two things would happen. He would kill himself dropping the weights and she would probably slap the stupid smile off of his face for staring. See, perfectly logical reasons. Even if he did want to talk to her...he wanted to know more about her...okay, sure, he can talk, just don't look. Perfect solution. "So...you always up this early?"

            She looked up with a start at the sound of his rumbling voice. His focus was still on the ceiling as he worked out and she couldn't help but stare a moment with his attention redirected. Very rarely did he actually pull his hair back in a ponytail, but it was now. She wasn't sure, but she thought maybe she liked it better down. Nor was she sure why in the hell she was thinking about that right now instead of answering his question. Nothing like getting caught staring twice within ten minutes. "Uh, no, not usually. You?"

            He managed half a shrug as he hefted the weight set again. "Up kinda early I guess. Usually not before seven though." There was silence between them again as both made an effort to not concentrate on the other. The quiet was starting to get to him. "Couldn't sleep?"

            She sighed as she looked across the room at his profile. "No…no, not really."

            "What's wrong?"

            She gave a harsh laugh. "Gee, what ISN'T wrong Bradshaw?" she shook her head before a contrite look crossed her features. "Sorry…"

            "That's all right Li. I can understand." He paused, setting the weight bar back up before standing and starting to take off the round weights. "Well, I can't entirely I guess. But I can try…"

            She smiled with a shake of her head. "I guess you can't understand totally. You're like, what? Six and a half foot tall and weigh almost three hundred pounds. I don't imagine many people annoy the hell out of you."

            He chuckled. "Nah, not usually. And even when they do, it only happens once."

            She smiled with a shake of her head. "I don't know…I was just thinking about everything going on, you know?"

            He nodded, unhappily watching as the smile slid from her lips into a pout. He wanted to figure out a way to make the smile stay a little longer: hell, it made him feel better. "All you need to do is watch out for yourself."

            "Mm hm." She nodded. "But you never told me something."

            "I haven't told you much of anything." He bit his tongue as he rolled his eyes at himself.

            He was relieved at the soft laughter coming from her. "That's true I suppose. And we really do need to work on that. But I meant that you never told me who it was that jumped you last week. I think it'd be best if I knew."

            Bradshaw had just turned and was looking closely at her. He would have sworn up and down she was flirting with him. Well, he would have sworn it if it didn't sound so totally impossible. He shook his head, clearing all of those probably embarrassing things that wanted to come out of his mouth. "Uh, yeah. Well, there was dickhead Heyman of course. He didn't get involved though he was just in charge. But there were four guys. One was Regal. Another was Big Show. I didn't know who the other two were: just a couple of hired thugs I'm guessing."

            Regal and Show…what a nasty combination. She nodded. "You're lucky someone didn't find you unconscious."

            He shrugged as he wrapped the towel around his neck and had a seat on the bench, facing her. "I guess. But I woke up when Rob came around. So I figure it's all right."

            She frowned at him before shaking her head again. "It's not all right to get the shit beat out of you because of someone else Bradshaw…"

            He sighed as he looked at her. "I know. But it happened. We can't change that now. But I will tell you this." She looked over at him as he looked directly into her eyes. "I would do it all again. I wouldn't change a damn thing I did, just so you know." He got up, grabbing his t-shirt from under the bench and was halfway to the door before Lita jumped up, grabbing his arm.

            She felt the strong muscle in his arm as she wet her lips nervously before looking up at him once more. "I-I'm sorry. I didn't mean to upset you…really, I'm sorry Bradshaw…I-"

            He sighed before hesitantly pulling her into his arms. How he hated to see her so unhappy. And now it was his fault. He felt her shift slightly to a more comfortable position in his strong arms. "Not your fault Li-"

            She shook her head, pulling suddenly from his embrace as she looked up at him. "I'm sorry. You don't have to be so nice to me. I know I'm about the last person you want to be helping and me holding onto you while I bitch probably isn't helping your opinion of me. I'm sorry I-"

            "Please stop." His warm hands gently held her face, forcing her to look at his eyes, his soft husky voice catching her attention. "Don't be sorry. I got involved because I felt I should. No it wasn't my business. But it is now. And I'm staying involved by my own choice: no one's making me do a thing. Okay?"

            "I don't want you to get hurt." She mumbled with a shake of her head.

            "I know Li…" his fingers moved gently into her red hair that was piled haphazardly behind her. He looked down at her face, contemplative look on his features. As much as he wanted to, he knew kissing her would be a bad idea. Until she accepted that he did care and was doing this with no strings attached, she had no reason to accept him or his attention. "I'm not trying to. I'll try and stay out of trouble if it'll make you feel better. But that's the only promise I can safely make right now. All right?"

            She looked up, meeting his honest gaze. She knew he was being sincere: he was well known for just how honest he was with people. And she could see that in his gaze and expressions. He may have acted like a tough redneck bastard but…he was a lot more than that. A lot more than people gave him credit for. She took a deep breath, contemplating…her fingers trailed up his arms, just brushing his neck on either side. She wanted something: she wanted him. She had no idea how it happened: but it did. But she didn't know what he thought. She knew if she asked him, he would tell her exactly what he thought. She just didn't know if she could handle rejection at this point in her life: she had enough turmoil.

            He watched her thoughtful hazel eyes taking in his face before she quickly disentangled herself from him, stepping back with a sad smile. "T-that's fine Bradshaw. I understand."

            She grabbed her towel and left as quickly as she could. He stood stalk still a moment, the ghost of her touch still tingling his skin. "No Lita…I don't think you do…"

            Jeff moved smoothly through the throng of people in the dining area underneath the hotel. He yawned as he sat next to his redheaded friend who actually managed to look more tired than he did. "Morning Lita…"

            She gave him the best smile she could muster at the moment. "Morning Jeff. You're up early. It's only nine o'clock you know."

            "Matt was being evil and left the balcony door open when he went to the gym this morning. Said getting up would be 'good for me'. Which I still think was a crock of shit."

            Lita laughed softly as she kissed his cheek. "It can be good for you depending on what happens you know."

            "I guess…" he grumbled as he wolfed down one pancake as he looked at her barely picked over plate. "You all right?"

            She looked up as she toyed with her fork. "Y-yeah. Of course. Why?"

            "You've ate less than normal if that's possible. And you look tired."

            "You mean I look like shit?"

            "Well." Beat. "Yeah."

            She was laughing. "No wonder you don't have a girlfriend!! Can't even keep a lady's ego up…geez Jeff…"

            He grinned at her with a shrug. "Hey, you have to accept me as I am."

            "No matter what kind of task that may be?" she asked dryly.

            He grinned again with a wink. "Hey, tough love baby."

            She just laughed. They were both quiet while Jeff finished off most of his breakfast in about ten minutes time. Lita still picked over her plate, only taking a bite when she couldn't move it around the plate anymore. Jeff sipped on his coffee as he looked over at her. "So…" she looked up and he continued. "What's this I hear about you and another certain member on the RAW roster…?"

            Lita sputtered slightly into her orange juice. "What the hell are you talking about?!"

            Jeff smirked slightly as she blushed pleasantly. "I heard this…I dunno, rumor I guess, about you and a sudden liking to Texas men."

            She glared at him as he grinned. "I don't know what you're talking about. And who were you talking to? Molly? She has no clue-"

            "Jackie actually."

            "What she- what? Jackie?! What the hell?!?"

            Jeff chuckled at his still red friend. "Bradshaw catch your attention Red?"

            Lita started stabbing one of the pancakes on her plate in a rather violent fashion as she mumbled. "Don't know what you all are talking about. So we've been talking more lately. Big deal!"

            "I'm not gonna give you a hard time Lita. I was just curious actually…" he rolled his eye with a soft smile.

            Lita looked over before sighing deeply, stopping the stabbing of the pancake as she dropped the fork to the plate. "Just…don't start a gossip train, all right Jeff?" he was about to speak when she stopped him. "I'm serious Jeff. Just don't. I don't want to hurt him."

            "So you do like him?"

            She swallowed nervously. "Yes. I don't know when it happened: hell, I don't even know HOW it happened."

            "But happen it did."

            She nodded. "Yeah…it did Jeff." She whispered. "I just- I can't date anyone right now. Not until I can give them my full attention: he wouldn't deserve anything less. I know I sound greedy, but-"

            "No you don't." he interjected. "You're being realistic and reasonable. So he has asked you out?"

            She shook her head. "No. That's another thing: I don't even know what he thinks of me Jeff. For all I know, he could think I'm totally not interested and that would be bad. Or he might not even care about me that way…"

            "Maybe…" Jeff began as he finished off his coffee. "But I'd say you're wrong on that aspect."

            "What makes you say that?"

            "Call it…a hunch Lita." He paused. "What caught your attention?"

            She was silent a moment as she looked over into her friends incredibly green eyes. She released the slightest of sighs, the ghost of a smile touching her lips in thought. "I'm not quite sure…but there's something there…"

            Jeff nodded with a smile as he watched a genuine smile pull at her lips. "Must be that Texas grace…"

Author's Rambles~  Hope you enjoyed! Feedback is appreciated!! Thanks to everyone that's reviewed so far!! ^^