A/N: Wow, thanks for all your input guys, and enjoy the next chapter. Just
so you know a little in advance the next chapter takes place about seven
and a half months in the future, but I'll note that at the beginning
anyway.
Thanks again,
Samantha.
**************
"What in hell is this all about?" Drew asked loudly as the RAW employees began to settle, the last people hurrying so that they wouldn't be late.
"We need to discuss a serious issue with the RAW roster." Eric began.
"We aren't splitting up are we?" Chris Jericho asked, wincing as Trish elbowed him in the ribs. "What was that for?" He asked her.
"Just shut up and listen." She answered, her eyes sad and worried.
"Most of you would have noticed that Lita hasn't been herself lately. She hasn't gotten in the ring for four weeks, and she's been very quiet, but jumpy." Steve told everyone.
As he spoke, Jeff Hardy and Christian walked up to them.
Trish immediately pulled away from Chris and hugged Jeff. "How did you go?" She asked quietly.
"She's away." Jeff told her. "She cried at the airport, begged us to go with her, but I think everything is going to be okay. I think she'll make it."
"What's going on?" Scott called out.
"We, Eric Bischoff, myself, and three others had an intervention for Lita earlier. Instead of being sick for two weeks as she originally claimed, she told us that she had been abducted and held against her will."
A series of gasps went through the room, with many of the divas moving in closer to one another, comforting themselves and their friends.
"Is she all right?" Stacy asked, her voice quavering.
"We're hoping that she will make a full recovery." Eric told her, his voice gentle, a far-cry from what everyone was used to from him. "We don't know whether or not she'll return to work though."
"Why wouldn't she come back to work?" Molly asked, the same quaver of fear in her voice.
"Because the people who assaulted her work here." Trish said angrily, though it was clear her anger was not directed at the dark haired diva.
"So she knows them?" Stacy asked, trembling as she stood between Scott and Drew.
"We all know them." Steve told her, "And they know who they are."
"Will they be charged?" Scott asked, wrapping his arm around Stacy, almost as though he was worried she'd be taken right in front of him.
"She filed a report with the police." Jeff answered him. "We're still trying to get her to press charges, but the situation is complicated."
"Complicated how?" Chris asked. "Whoever kidnapped her should be thrown in jail."
"They also... sexually assaulted her." Trish said quietly, her voice deeply pained. "Lita's pregnant."
"Sons of bitches." Christian swore again, though he'd already known.
"Calm down dude." Jeff told him.
"Not a bad idea." Trish turned her face up to look at him. "One step at a time. Because Lita is Catholic, she's not willing to have a termination. Her religion frowns on it, and for Lita the sacredness of life has always been the founding point for all of her beliefs."
"What happens now?" Rob Van Dam asked, concerned about the fiery red haired diva, then suddenly he put his hand to his mouth. "Sons of bitches."
Trish moved over to him and hugged him. "Don't do this now Rob. Let's just concentrate on getting her the therapy she needs, and supporting her."
"Trish is right." Steve told the man. "All we can do now is wait for her to get better."
"We will be arranging the diva's flights home, or to wherever they wish to go." Eric told them. "You will be picked up from your hotel room by an escourt, led by either Steve or myself, and taken to the airport."
"We know that everyone is upset." Steve told them. "And I understand how you feel, Lita is a very close friend of mine, and has been for a long time, despite several incidents with steel chairs. The most important thing to remember ladies is that Lita has identified the men who attacked her, and we are watching them. Very closely I might add."
Several of the divas began to cry, or tremble, being comforted by close friends.
"I have a question." Gail said, waiting to be heard. "They hit her, didn't they?"
"Repeatedly," Jeff answered, the pain evident in his voice. "Whenever she struggled against them, they would beat her. But it didn't matter; she just kept right on fighting. She's never taken any shit from anyone, not ever." As he spoke Trish pulled out of his arms and raced out of the room.
"Let me go." Stacy said quietly as Chris moved to follow her, walking out of the room after the blonde Canadian diva. Drew followed her, not wanting the two blondes to be alone when he didn't know who had assaulted Lita.
"Gail and I saw the bruises on her. In some places it was hard to tell what color her skin really was, some of them were so extensive." Molly said quietly. "She said she'd just been clumsy. No one could have been that clumsy. We should have known something was wrong with her." She began to cry, comforted by the Hurricane and Rosey.
"We expected something like this to happen," Steve told everyone. "So Eric and I have organized for a team of counselors to be here for anyone who wishes to speak with them. All of the sessions will be completely confidential, and anonymous if you wish."
"Where's Lita now?" Scott asked.
"We've sent her away, somewhere safe." Jeff told him, and then his voice hardened. "If anyone wants to find her they won't. She's not going to home Florida, or to North Carolina either. So don't bother looking for her. We've made sure she can't be found until she wants to be."
"Do you know where she is?" Gail asked.
"I do, but I can't say. You don't promise my sister something and then do the opposite, and you sure as hell do not mess with her and expect that no one will do anything."
"What would you know pip squeak?" Randy Orton asked him, the first member of Evolution to speak.
"I know that Lita put enough evidence in a safety deposit box to convict the men who abducted her, and I also know that there will be no shortage of superstars, from both rosters who will want to take apart the people who hurt her, and anyone else involved. She's been in this industry a long time, and she's made a lot of friends." Jeff fixed his eyes on Randy, forcing the taller man to back away several steps. "I hope those bastards know what kind of Pandora's box they've opened."
*********
Rey paced a little, waiting for Lita's flight to get in.
When she walked through the gate, clutching her dog in her arms, Rey breathed a sigh of relief, and waved to her.
A smile graced her features and she hugged him, allowing him to take her dog and put her on the ground.
"How are doing, luchadora?" He asked, using his old nickname for her.
"Es vale." She shrugged as he took her carry on bag.
"It's all right now, mami. You're safe here." He tentatively put his arm around her and led her towards the baggage claim area.
Lita smiled at him, taking a firm hold on Lola's leash. "Thank you for having me here Ray." She said softly.
"You're my sister Lita, in all but blood." Rey told her. "You know that you're always welcome here."
She nodded, tears sparkling in her brilliant eyes.
"It's okay now." He reassured her again, a little shocked at the woman who had walked through the airport gate, such a far cry from the boisterous, lively, funny woman he knew and loved. "No one can hurt you here."
Thanks again,
Samantha.
**************
"What in hell is this all about?" Drew asked loudly as the RAW employees began to settle, the last people hurrying so that they wouldn't be late.
"We need to discuss a serious issue with the RAW roster." Eric began.
"We aren't splitting up are we?" Chris Jericho asked, wincing as Trish elbowed him in the ribs. "What was that for?" He asked her.
"Just shut up and listen." She answered, her eyes sad and worried.
"Most of you would have noticed that Lita hasn't been herself lately. She hasn't gotten in the ring for four weeks, and she's been very quiet, but jumpy." Steve told everyone.
As he spoke, Jeff Hardy and Christian walked up to them.
Trish immediately pulled away from Chris and hugged Jeff. "How did you go?" She asked quietly.
"She's away." Jeff told her. "She cried at the airport, begged us to go with her, but I think everything is going to be okay. I think she'll make it."
"What's going on?" Scott called out.
"We, Eric Bischoff, myself, and three others had an intervention for Lita earlier. Instead of being sick for two weeks as she originally claimed, she told us that she had been abducted and held against her will."
A series of gasps went through the room, with many of the divas moving in closer to one another, comforting themselves and their friends.
"Is she all right?" Stacy asked, her voice quavering.
"We're hoping that she will make a full recovery." Eric told her, his voice gentle, a far-cry from what everyone was used to from him. "We don't know whether or not she'll return to work though."
"Why wouldn't she come back to work?" Molly asked, the same quaver of fear in her voice.
"Because the people who assaulted her work here." Trish said angrily, though it was clear her anger was not directed at the dark haired diva.
"So she knows them?" Stacy asked, trembling as she stood between Scott and Drew.
"We all know them." Steve told her, "And they know who they are."
"Will they be charged?" Scott asked, wrapping his arm around Stacy, almost as though he was worried she'd be taken right in front of him.
"She filed a report with the police." Jeff answered him. "We're still trying to get her to press charges, but the situation is complicated."
"Complicated how?" Chris asked. "Whoever kidnapped her should be thrown in jail."
"They also... sexually assaulted her." Trish said quietly, her voice deeply pained. "Lita's pregnant."
"Sons of bitches." Christian swore again, though he'd already known.
"Calm down dude." Jeff told him.
"Not a bad idea." Trish turned her face up to look at him. "One step at a time. Because Lita is Catholic, she's not willing to have a termination. Her religion frowns on it, and for Lita the sacredness of life has always been the founding point for all of her beliefs."
"What happens now?" Rob Van Dam asked, concerned about the fiery red haired diva, then suddenly he put his hand to his mouth. "Sons of bitches."
Trish moved over to him and hugged him. "Don't do this now Rob. Let's just concentrate on getting her the therapy she needs, and supporting her."
"Trish is right." Steve told the man. "All we can do now is wait for her to get better."
"We will be arranging the diva's flights home, or to wherever they wish to go." Eric told them. "You will be picked up from your hotel room by an escourt, led by either Steve or myself, and taken to the airport."
"We know that everyone is upset." Steve told them. "And I understand how you feel, Lita is a very close friend of mine, and has been for a long time, despite several incidents with steel chairs. The most important thing to remember ladies is that Lita has identified the men who attacked her, and we are watching them. Very closely I might add."
Several of the divas began to cry, or tremble, being comforted by close friends.
"I have a question." Gail said, waiting to be heard. "They hit her, didn't they?"
"Repeatedly," Jeff answered, the pain evident in his voice. "Whenever she struggled against them, they would beat her. But it didn't matter; she just kept right on fighting. She's never taken any shit from anyone, not ever." As he spoke Trish pulled out of his arms and raced out of the room.
"Let me go." Stacy said quietly as Chris moved to follow her, walking out of the room after the blonde Canadian diva. Drew followed her, not wanting the two blondes to be alone when he didn't know who had assaulted Lita.
"Gail and I saw the bruises on her. In some places it was hard to tell what color her skin really was, some of them were so extensive." Molly said quietly. "She said she'd just been clumsy. No one could have been that clumsy. We should have known something was wrong with her." She began to cry, comforted by the Hurricane and Rosey.
"We expected something like this to happen," Steve told everyone. "So Eric and I have organized for a team of counselors to be here for anyone who wishes to speak with them. All of the sessions will be completely confidential, and anonymous if you wish."
"Where's Lita now?" Scott asked.
"We've sent her away, somewhere safe." Jeff told him, and then his voice hardened. "If anyone wants to find her they won't. She's not going to home Florida, or to North Carolina either. So don't bother looking for her. We've made sure she can't be found until she wants to be."
"Do you know where she is?" Gail asked.
"I do, but I can't say. You don't promise my sister something and then do the opposite, and you sure as hell do not mess with her and expect that no one will do anything."
"What would you know pip squeak?" Randy Orton asked him, the first member of Evolution to speak.
"I know that Lita put enough evidence in a safety deposit box to convict the men who abducted her, and I also know that there will be no shortage of superstars, from both rosters who will want to take apart the people who hurt her, and anyone else involved. She's been in this industry a long time, and she's made a lot of friends." Jeff fixed his eyes on Randy, forcing the taller man to back away several steps. "I hope those bastards know what kind of Pandora's box they've opened."
*********
Rey paced a little, waiting for Lita's flight to get in.
When she walked through the gate, clutching her dog in her arms, Rey breathed a sigh of relief, and waved to her.
A smile graced her features and she hugged him, allowing him to take her dog and put her on the ground.
"How are doing, luchadora?" He asked, using his old nickname for her.
"Es vale." She shrugged as he took her carry on bag.
"It's all right now, mami. You're safe here." He tentatively put his arm around her and led her towards the baggage claim area.
Lita smiled at him, taking a firm hold on Lola's leash. "Thank you for having me here Ray." She said softly.
"You're my sister Lita, in all but blood." Rey told her. "You know that you're always welcome here."
She nodded, tears sparkling in her brilliant eyes.
"It's okay now." He reassured her again, a little shocked at the woman who had walked through the airport gate, such a far cry from the boisterous, lively, funny woman he knew and loved. "No one can hurt you here."