Title: Nothing Stays the Same.

Author: Cathie McMath. (email: penrithpanther_03@yahoo.com.au)

Disclaimer: I don't own Jeff, Lita, Trish Stratus, Edge - or any other WWE wrestlers that I may mention in this fic. I dream about owning them every night.. but in reality I don't. Good ol' Vinny Mac does.

Summary: Change happens all the time in the WWE. In fact, both Jeff and Lita are going through some major changes. But how do they deal with what's happening around them? What are the consequences of their actions?

Rating: PG. It's nice and clean. For now.

TimeLine: Now. Starting from January through to right now - June 2003.

Distribution: Just email me and let me know if you'd like to have it.

Author's Note: You all know by now that I'm creating my own little world now for this fic. Jeff's gone, and Lita's still unable to wrestle.. but not in my world! Well, Jeff's still gone in my world but - Oh, just read the fic!

Feedback: Oh please! Please, please read and review! I haven't recieved any reviews for the last chapter of this fic, so it sure would be swell if you could review now! I always love hearing what you guys think about my writing. So get busy readin' and reviewn'!

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It was different.

She had to admit that. Smackdown was completely different to RAW. Within minutes of stepping into the arena, Lita had realised that. And then she realised that she was practically a stranger in a new world.

Sure, she knew alot of the people on Smackdown. Most of them good friends, actually. But being that arena, working with them all... it was different. It was the first time Lita had been on a Smackdown show since the roster split. The first time she had worked with many of these superstars since the split. And she was feeling a little like a fish out of water. It wasn't so much that the way things worked was different to that on RAW, it was just the atmosphere. It was different.

Making her way to her locker room with her gym bag tossed over her shoulder, Lita nodded to other superstars who she passed in the corridor. Most of these people she hadn't seen in months, some even longer than that. Working on different rosters made it hard to get into contact with people, and when she had gotten injured the distance had just grown. Now that she was here.. working on Smackdown, it was nice to see some old friends again.

Lita spotted the Divas dressing room up ahead, and bit her lip as she made her way towards the door. She didn't know Dawn Marie or Nidia very well at all, she had never even met Sable before and her past with Torrie Wilson had been pretty shaky. She didn't know what to expect when she walked through that door.

Stopping in front of it, she took a breath and adjusted her gym bag nervously. Then she pushed the door open, a wary smile appearing on her face. She immediately saw Dawn Marie and Nidia sitting on the couch on the opposite side of the room. As she entered, both women looked up at her. "Um, hi."

Dawn Marie and Nidia stood from their places on the couch across the room, and both women made their way over to the redhead with bright smiles. Dawn surprised Lita by opening her arms in an invitation for a hug, and holding her warmly. "Lita, it's great to have you here!" She pulled away, and this time Nidia wrapped her up in a hug. "Welcome to the Smackdown family."

Lita smiled as she set her gym bag down, happy that her welcome into the new roster had been a pleasant enough one. Granted, it was only two women that she had met... it was still a good start. "Thanks. It's nice to be here." She tucked her hair behind her ears. "Nice, but a little weird."

"Bit of a culture shock, hey?" Dawn Marie asked, nodding in understandment. "I guess that's expected. Must be different coming over here from RAW."

Lita shrugged. "It is, but I haven't really been a part of RAW now for over a year. So.. maybe it would feel this way even if I was back there, you know? It's still my return to the WWE, either way."

Dawn nodded, understanding where Lita was coming from. "You'll get used to it in no time." She paused, smiling widely and giving a small laugh. "It really is great to have you here. We're finally building a decent women's division over here!"

"Oh, just because I'm here doesn't make it any better..."

"Yes it does. You are going to add so much here on Smackdown, Lita. The fans have been absolutely crazy since they heard you were relocating here!" Dawn commented.

Blushing slightly, Lita ran a hand through her hair. "Well, I really don't see what all the hype is about. I just hope I live up to everyone's expectations."

Nidia gave a slight smile. "Don't worry. You'll do fine here. Everyone's been looking forward to your arrival so much..."

"Everyone?" Lita cleared her throat, not even sure why she was asking this question. "Even, um, Matt?"

Nidia shot a quick glance at Dawn Marie, who focused her gaze on the floor. "Well, Lita, about Matt. There's probably something you should --"

"No, you know what? I don't even want to know. I don't know why I asked." Lita let out a forced chuckle, and bent down to pick up her bag. She stood back up, making her way over to one of the benches. She turned back to the two divas who stood in the middle of the room, noticing the disbelief on their faces. "Really, it's okay. Let's just.. drop the subject."

"Okay." Dawn Marie nodded, giving Nidia a pointed look. "Okay. We won't talk about Matt Hardy." The brunette walked back over to the couch she had been sitting at earlier and looked back over at Lita. "So how's Jeff doing?"

Lita froze at the youngest Hardy's name, her breath catching in her throat. It amazed her, that simply hearing his name could give her such a reaction. That her breath would catch, that her heart would race, her knees shake, and her stomach roll. Such a violent reaction, all from his name.

She was missing him terribly. Lita hadn't spoken to Jeff since that night in the RAW arena, when she had tried to stop him from leaving the company. She had tried and failed. The final papers had been signed, and Jeff was no longer a part of the WWE. And since that night, Lita had not heard a word from him. No phone calls, no visits, no letters - nothing. The only reason she knew he was still alive was because she had talked to Christian, who had gone to visit him. The blonde canadian said Jeff was coping, but seemed different. Even more different than what he normally was. Christian said that he seemed more quiet, and morose. And that was something that Jeff definitely was not.

Lita had wanted to speak to him. She tried ringing, but her was never home. Or her never picked up... whatever it was, he never returned any of her phone calls. She had wanted to go over and visit him at home, but she had been so busy getting ready for her arrival on Smackdown...

As quickly as she could, Lita regained her composure and kept unpacking her bag, pulling out her ring attire. "I um, I really wouldn't know how Jeff is."

"You wouldn't know?" Nidia asked, obviously confused.

"I haven't spoken to Jeff in a month. Not since.. uh, not since he quit."

The brunette diva spoke up from her place on the couch. "Oh, I'm sorry to hear that. We all just thought you two would've still kept--"

"So, where's Torrie and Sable?" Lita interrupted, gathering her ring attire on top of her bag and glancing over at Dawn. "I was looking forward to meeting the famous Sable, after all."

Noticing the prompt subject change, but deciding to ignore it, Nidia made her way over to the television monitor, switching it on as she spoke. "Sable's doing a promo in the ring with Steph. You know, build up their new feud and all."

Lita watched the monitor as Stephanie McMahon and Sable glared at each other, each holding a microphone in their hands and taking turns to spit insults at each other. The volume was turned right down, so Lita couldn't hear exactly what they were saying, but from the look on each of the women's face, she could bet it was something nasty.

"And Torrie is spending time with her boyfriend before his match." Dawn Marie shrugged. "She spends more time with him than with us most of the time anyway. Nothing unusual there."

The redheaded diva's eyes lit up, eager to know the going-on's of behind the scenes. "So who's Torrie's man? I heard that she and Kidman had split, unfortunately. They seemed very happy together."

"They were... in the beginning. But you know how these things go. When you're in this business, relationships die out. Sometimes there's nothing you can do, but end it before it gets ugly. Otherwise you're forced to sit there and watch it die."

Lita nodded slowly, a painful reminder of the end of her relationship with Matt flashing through her head. "Yeah, I know what that's like. So who's the new guy in her life?"

"It's --"

Dawn Marie was interrupted as the door swung open, Torrie Wilson stumbling through the doorway, giggling loudly as she clutched at the man beside her. The two figures entered the room, laughing and smiling at each other. His arm was wrapped around Torrie's waist, pulling her as close to him as possible.

Lita looked up at the pair, and for the second time that night, her breath caught in her throat. Her gaze involuntarily stayed fixed on the man with Torrie, her mouth agape as she stared at him. And it was then that his eyes fell on her, his own reaction quite similar to her own. The two stared at each other, each unable to form words.

"My lipstick is in my bag, I'll just be a second." Torrie said to the man, oblivious to the tension and shocked looks that passed between him and Lita. The blonde diva let go of his arm and flounced across the room towards her bag.

The man stood unmoving in the doorway, his fixed eyes never leaving Lita. He didn't say anything, though it looked like he was trying to get something out. Lita felt her palms begin to sweat, and her heart beat wildly in her chest. Finally, he opened his mouth.

"Hi Lita."

Hearing his voice ringing in her ears, Lita tried to will the sudden tears that sprang to her eyes away. She wasn't going to cry. No, godddamn it, she wasn't. She didn't care about him anymore. And it was obvious that he didn't care about her. So why waste any tears on him? As she tried to steady her breathing, Lita found herself desperately wishing that she had Jeff by her side.

"Hello Matt."