Chapter Two

A/N: It continues…fics might take a little more time coming out 'cuzza school and all. =\

            He wasn't sure why his jaw wasn't responding to his controls. He couldn't bring himself to speak. The month of just wanting to speak to her had rendered him mute. And he went into his vegetable state, regardless of the fact Lita had initiated the conversation. She kind of stared at him oddly, probably because his usual calm, cool, 'whatever' attitude seemed to instantly stiffen up the minute he laid eyes on her. He forced himself to calm down, realizing just how big of a chance he was getting. She was in HIS locker room ALONE. No Jeff or Matt or any sort of bodyguard that would otherwise prevent him to speak to her as if they weren't on opposite sides. Not that he was expecting her to want to speak to him as though they weren't on opposite sides. She was kind of eyeing him with the utmost caution, especially because of his erratic behavior. He didn't blame her. He'd be suspicious too, the way he had just suddenly been acting.

                "W-would you like to sit?" he managed to say, taking yet another breath. He had to chill out.

                "Mm, no." she spoke, tersely. "I…don't really know why I'm here." She looked around, holding her left arm loosely with her right hand. "Well, actually, guess I'm just here to uh…thank you?"

                "I see." He spoke slowly, raising a brow.

                "Yeah. Thank you for stopping that Tommy guy from hitting me. Now what do you want from me?"

                The question surprised him. He looked up at her and saw her eyes were narrowed on him. She thought he wanted something from her? That he had some ulterior motive? "I don't know what you're…"

                "I know you must think I owe you something for our past experiences with each other." She accused. Her voice was a bit tight and vindictive sounding. "I knew you'd pull this…"

                "Pull WHAT?" Rob asked, suddenly defensive.

                "I know that after the stuff you did for me, I'd end up paying for it. I owe you a lot for what you did…a lot. So name it. Want me to pull a match? What?"

                "I don't want you to do anything." He insisted. "I just did it because you were…in trouble."

                She eyed him quietly again. He was hoping that she was considering what he just said. He couldn't believe she could even think he'd be capable of using someone like that. Especially how close they were back then – did she really think he was that evil to just turn that all around and use it against her? Perhaps he didn't blame her – her fear wasn't actually completely misguided. He could see why she would feel he was up to something but…

                "Then why did you help me?" she asked, suddenly, pulling him out of his thoughts.

                "You were in trouble." He repeated. "It's not cool to hit girls. Especially when you aren't doin' anything wrong…just walking."

                "I'm on the WWF team, isn't that enough?"

                "Not in my book." He shook his head. "'Specially because you're…well, you. Couldn't sit back and watch one of my old friends get destroyed without even being able to put up a fight."

                She just quirked a brow, a bit surprised at his sincere voice and words. She bit her lip, moving her body weight from one leg to the other, almost nervously. Rob considered what to do next. He had managed to carry a halfway decent conversation with Lita. Or at least a conversation, since most of it so far was him trying to clear his name of something he wasn't even attempting to do. It was still talking, none-the-less. So what now? Grab her and kiss her? Tell her exactly what he felt? No…

                "Okay, if you really want me to for some reason use my past actions against you…"

                And then he stopped. He knew he had broken some unwritten rule of dating. She instantly glared at him again, pointing a finger accusingly.

                "I knew it!"

                "Nonono, wait. I'm sorry." He shook his head. "I didn't mean it like…alright, let me start over." He rubbed the back of his head, a bit nervously. "I'd like to take you out for one more late dinner. Just one."

                She stared at him like he had just grown another head. "What?"

                "No strings attached or anything…uh…just for old time's sake, huh?" He offered weakly. Already he regretted his decision to ask. "You are free to decide. I just wanted thought I'd put the offer on the table."

                She seemed to consider this. He highly doubted she'd agree, though. It was obvious that their company rift could complicate the entire idea because if either were caught…

                "I'm paying." She finally said, looking down at her feet. "And just once. Much later tonight, say around 1 AM?"

                He was, for good reason, stunned at the easy agreement. "…You mean, you're saying yes?"

                "But you better watch yourself." She warned. "I've got my eye on you, Van Dam. Wouldn't even trust you if I didn't remember how you used to be…"

                "No trouble. One, then? Where?"

                "There's a café three blocks from the hotel. You aren't there 5 minutes after I get there, I'm leaving."

                "Alright." He agreed to the terms. She gave him another look over.

                "…I've got to go back." She said, shaking her head. "I'll see you later."

                He watched her turn and walk out of the room, cautious of course. He didn't move until around two minutes after she left. Finally he blinked out of his daze, a big smile widening on his face. He had done it. He just got his chance. And if it weren't for…

                "Tommy!" He said to himself. He had forgotten all about him. If it weren't for him, he would have never gotten this far. Had he actually done that on purpose? Did he know it would happen that way?

                …And he punched him in his stomach. Didn't even let him explain himself. Some best friend HE was. Apparently he would have to patch up their friendship before he went to work on gaining Lita's trust.

                He looked at his watch. Tommy had to have gone home by then. With no match scheduled at all, he decided to just pack up and leave too. Maybe he'd catch him before he had to go meet Lita.

~~

                He was glad he remembered Tommy's room number, because the guy at the desk didn't seem to want to give him any sort of information. He was only going to ask the deskman for the room to make sure, but when the information wasn't forthcoming, he gave up and decided to check it out himself. Walking up to the door, he knocked on it once, then twice. After a couple seconds, the door opened, and he stood face-to-face with Tommy, who squinted in the bright light of the hallway. Looking past him, he realized the lights were off in his room and the TV was on. He guessed he had been watching a movie, since that was how he always seemed to view them.

                "You here to finish the job?" Tommy asked, abruptly. Rob didn't blame him for the way he seemed hurt.

                "Can I come in?"

                "Are you going to stand out there until I do?"

                "Yes." He lied. Well, he would stand out there – until 1 AM. So it was only a slight lie.

                "Alright." He said, sighing. "But only for a bit."

                He moved aside, allowing the pony tailed man to enter. He turned on the light as Rob looked around the room. On the TV, an old horror movie was showing, and the remnants of a bag of popcorn were lying the mussed up bed. He wasn't surprised at the movie choice.

                "You did that just to get Lita to see me as Mister Hero, didn't you?" he asked, turning his attention to Tommy, who grabbed the empty bag and threw it in the garbage.

                "You could say that." He nodded.

                "And I punched you in the stomach."

                "Knocked the air right out of me."

                The two stared at each other for a moment.

                "So, did you mess up your chance?"

                A smile instantly rose on Rob's face. If anything, Tommy always would be a great friend. "She agreed to eat a really late dinner tonight."

                "For the hit you gave me, she should be in your bed right now." He joked. Rob blushed slightly.

                "I don't think I'd want to if she asked. Too quick." He shook his head. "…But anyway, yeah, I'm sorry."

                "I really wasn't ever mad. Figured you'd flip your top. I just wanted to hear you apologize."

                "Oh, I see how it is now." He rolled his eyes, smirking.

                He shut the TV off. "So, what happened? Did you actually speak?"

                "Of course I spoke. Especially because apparently she thought I was trying to use her for something. I don't think she trusts me yet."

                "Probably doesn't." he sat cross-legged on the bed. "Don't blame her or anything either. All of a sudden you come to her rescue when your best friend attacks her."

                "That's not…that…suspicious."

                "I think you need to wear your glasses more if you don't see that as suspicious."

                "I have contacts." He replied proudly. Tommy rolled his eyes.

                "What you need to do is act normal. And not do anything stupid."

                "Stupid? Me?"

                "Don't you remember the last time you went out with that girl…?"

                "She asked for ROB. I'm ROB. How was I supposed to know she was looking for a different one? I was on a blind date!"

                "You got popped in the eye when the real date came too."

                "That was the past!"

                "That was two months ago." He responded dryly. "I'm just saying not to screw up."

                "That was past Rob, acting like that. I'm not like that anymore. I'm going to be cool and suave and…hey, wait, what the hell am I going to wear?!"

                Tommy groaned. "You have a million dress shirts. Chill."

                "You're coming with me." He grabbed Tommy's arm. "I need a second opinion!"

                "W-wait! Ack!" Tommy only managed to grab his key as Rob rushed him out. Halfway there he ripped his arm from the grip and dusted his shirt off. "I can WALK myself."

                "I can't wear crap tonight. I have to look good. I don't even know how to dress for these things." He explained as they neared the door. Rob pulled out his key and opened it when they reached the room. The minute he got in he started digging through his stuff.

                "You know, I'd think I'd have to deal with this if I had a girl as a best friend…not when I have insane hardcore psycho as one." His answer was a resounding thud of a shirt smacking him in the face. "And watch where you're throwing your crap."

                "You mean it's all…crap?"

                Tommy would have said yes jokingly if not for the fear Rob would completely lose it and start crying or something. He didn't remember the last time he ever saw him so wound up over something. "No, Rob. All this stuff is fine."

                "No it isn't." He flopped down into the pile of clothes he threw behind him and hit the side of his head against the bed's wooden frame a couple of times. "I am going to look like a dumbass."

                "No you're not."

                "Look at this stuff! LOOK AT THEM! I'm going to look like I'm 80 in this stuff!"

                "80 year olds wear the checkered pants and the weird hats…"

                "No, they dress like me." He insisted, shaking his head. "I'm not going."

                "…WHAT?"

                "I can't go. She'll take one look at me and laugh at me." He explained mournfully. Tommy, at that point, had enough of his complaining and pulled him up by his shirt, nearly making him gag in the process. He got up with the pulling, not wishing to die of lack of oxygen. Tommy spun him around.

                "Rob, you're acting like a 16 year old girl!"

                He sighed. "So?"

                "Who are you?"

                "A dumbass?"

                "No. You're RVD. You're the guy everyone wants to be. You're cool, confident, and you're NOT GOING TO MESS THIS UP BECAUSE I TOOK A HARD HIT FOR THIS DATE!" Tommy let go of his shirt. "Now pick something out before I kick your ass. God."

                "But…"

                "You have an hour." Tommy spoke, glancing at the old clock in the room.

                Rob of course knew he had a point. He was acting crazy. He knew he was quickly losing his nerve. Again. Sighing, he really started looking through his clothes, which was not at all close to old people clothing. And, in the end, he was ready even a half hour before he had to leave. And, well, even though he was already feeling the effects of nervousness, he left with more prodding from Tommy. He already swore to himself that he wouldn't wimp out, but every step he took made him feel like taking two steps back the other way. He couldn't imagine what he'd do when he saw her, if just walking as he was made him forget the English language.