Disclaimer: I own no person, place or thing mentioned. Title inspired by the song of the same name by Pat Benatar.
Spoilers: nothing that isn't mentioned in the calender at WWE.com
Brief Chapter Summaries: Next few chapters..from Wed. 4/21 to Sun. 4/25 will cover Hawaii.
Notes: see the Story Recap for anything that is withstanding. And..even if it is raining where they are..perfect weather dagnabit. A thank you to all reviewers..I can't say that enough.
*************************************************************
9:00 a.m. Friday, April 23. Wailea, Maui.
Stacy and Lita sat in the living room of the hotel suite, before them an open suitcase from the photographer.
"You want black with red stripes?" Stacy held up one of the bikinis. "Or red with black stripes?"
"Actually" Hunter looked between the two, removing his cell phone. "You two will be changing three or four times today. Doesn't matter what you pick, red and black is your color scheme"
Lita rolled her eyes, "No really" Her voice dripped with sarcasm as she picked out a few of the bikinis. "At least it's a good color scheme"
"I'll meet you four down at the pool" He flipped his phone open. "Give me about fifteen minutes to settle a few things."
"You got it" Stacy saluted Hunter as he ducked into his room. "Well..let's go make ourselves look good" She smirked to Lita, grabbing a bikini, before heading to the bathroom.
Fifteen minutes later, as planned, the five members of Evolution were posing poolside. First up a few shots of the guys, then a few shots of just Stacy and Lita. Following that, a series of shots with Hunter, Stacy and Lita..then a friendly game of voleyball in the pool. A short trip to the beach for the lone segment there, and then they were off to the yacht. With Stacy and Lita in the red and black, Hunter in black, Randy and Dave were left with red.
***********************
11:00 a.m. On the yacht
"Pass me that sunscreen please" Lita tugged her shorts off, settling on the railing. "How long are we on this yacht? And when are we meeting back with Dawn and John?"
"Later this afternoon" Hunter tossed a bottle of sunscreen over to Dave, addressing the red head. "And we'll be on here until 2:00."
"Peachy..we're on this boat, drifting towards who knows where, during peak sun hours" Lita made a face, yanking her tank top over her head. "Mid back and shoulders please" She grinned, turning slightly on the rail.
"At least we have the evening free" Dave shrugged, squirting some of the sunscreen on her shoulders. "And since we couldn't spend the day on our own, how about the evening?"
She glanced over her shoulder, slipping her sunglasses on. "What about John's birthday?"
"You have from the time we meet back up with them" He rubbed her shoulders, "Until sunset..come on. We're in Hawaii, vacation spot of a lifetime. Away from the other annoying piss-ants on RAW."
"Are you actually begging?" She cupped his cheek with her hand. "Let me just double check with Dawn. I won't make promises, but I'll think about it."
He rolled his eyes, slipping his own sunglasses on. "Can you get my back and shoulders please?" He handed the bottle to her. "And no funny marks..I don't need a sunburn tattoo."
"Thought never crossed my mind" She smiled sweetly, slipping her sunglasses down to send a wink to Stacy before she complied.
***********
Stacy and Randy were directed to one end of the yacht and Dave and Lita to the other. With Lucille calling the shots and Hunter overseeing it all; time on the yacht passed rather quickly. At least if you had a camera in your hands or weren't on camera. The first hour dragged on, until Lucille decided they had enough and could finally break for lunch. At the whines and demands of Stacy and Lita, the yacht was directed closer to the island. And now, with everyone in the air conditioned living room below deck; lunch was served.
"We've got enough for the magazine" Hunter addressed the group from the head of the table. "Now we just need to get some footage for the DVD. They want to shoot things like this; Randy and Stace you're up first" He swallowed down a bite of his food, nodding to the couple in question. "Dave and Li, that means out of sight until you're needed. When Stace and Randy are done." He took a sip of his wine, sitting back in his chair. "You'll switch. After the two of you are done" He gestured with his fork to Dave and Lita. "They need the girls and myself and finally all five of us." He took another bite of his food, looking around the table. "We have one more thing to do after all of that is done, then we're off to meet with Dawn and John, so you three" He looked to Stacy and Lita "Can get your dresses fitted for the ball. After we're done with that, I'm presuming we'll go out to celebrate John's birthday..if not you're on your own."
Lita swallowed down a bite of her food, before addressing Hunter. "Now for this ball..are they actually expecting us to dance? Or can we just go and be pretty looking objects."
"Interesting way of putting it" Hunter smirked, taking another bite of food. "You'll have to do at least some dancing, enough to be on the DVD. Other than that..yes, you can just be a pretty looking object."
"Can I take a wild guess" Stacy sat back, sipping her water. "Are the dresses going to be in the same black and red color scheme?"
"That I don't know" Hunter shrugged, pushing away from the table. "Now if you'd all excuse me..I need a siesta." He stood, dropping his napkin on his plate before he left for one of the bedrooms on the yacht.
***********
Before the remaning could pick up conversation, the camerman appeared at the top of the stairs to inform Randy and Stacy they were needed. With a patient sigh, Stacy pushed back from the table; following Randy to join the cameraman.
"I just want one day to relax" Lita huffed, grabbing her water as she and Dave sat down in the living room area. "This is supposed to be a vacation." She sunk into the leather couch, setting her water on the coffee table.
"Hopefully the next trip won't be like this" He shrugged as he sat next to her, resting a hand on her thigh. "Why don't you just take a nap?"
She raised a brow, resting a hand over his "To be rudely awakened when we have to be on camera?" Her head tilted back, "No thank you..I just want to relax."
He nodded, resting an arm across the back of the couch. "Well at least you don't have to worry about title defenses, getting attacked or any of that other on the job stuff."
She smiled ruefully, "That's the truth..on days like that, I wonder why I'm in the business." With a sigh, she answered her question. "And it's for the love of it. Until that dies, I'll keep going."
"Did you get the chance to speak with Matt?" He smoothed her hair away from her face, "You looked pretty damned determined to do so."
She shook her head, lacing her hand with his. "Unfortunately no..that and Jeff wouldn't let me out of his sight after we got backstage. But, it is a priority for Monday."
He placed a kiss to her temple. "Just be careful, alright?"
"Well if you walk me out to the ring" She rested her head on his shoulder, a small smirk forming on her lips. "Then I should have nothing to worry about."
"That might be true" He rested his head on hers. "Just be careful anyway"
She lifted her head, tipping her face slightly to kiss his cheek. "I'll try my best"
***********
Just as he was opening his mouth to continue the conversation, Stacy and Randy appeared at the top of the stairs. With Dave and Lita now on deck, Stacy and Randy took over the spots on the couch. And unlike Dave and Lita, Stacy and Randy took advantage of the time they had away from the camera. By the time Dave returned, to both retrieve Stacy and inform Hunter he was now needed; Stacy and Randy were fast asleep on the couch. And with the girls occupied, Dave and Randy sat back in the living room area of the yacht.
"Looks like things are working out good" Randy took a sip from his water. "With Lita and Evolution I mean. And to think..you and Ric had so many doubts it wouldn't work."
"I still have my doubts to tell you the truth" Dave shrugged, sitting forward. "Somehow, things just seem too peaceful."
Randy cocked his head, eyeing the man across from him. "Calm before the storm you think?"
Dave responded by bridging his hands on his knees. "Something like that. Honeymoon period, whatever you want to call it. It's just..the way things have been in the past. I didn't expect for Lita to fit in this well. Stacy, I had no doubts..but she and Lita are different."
"In some ways, yes they are" Randy shrugged, setting his water on the table. "But in many ways? They're one and the same."
"How do you figure?"
"I can't pinpoint it exactly" Randy rubbed his chin in thought.
"Just that, those two are almost like the glue that will keep us..keep Evolution from splitting at the seams. Maybe that- because of Stacy. Maybe that's why it was so easy for Lita to fit in." He smirked slightly. "Or the other way around."
Dave raised a brow in question "Meaning what?"
"Meaning that..maybe Lita wasn't the person who had to evolve for this to work." Randy raked a hand through his hair. "You ever think of it that way?"
"Well.." Dave scratched his head, sitting back on the couch. "I don't know. I mean, the only people who really knew her are Stacy, Hunter and Ric a little bit. So they already had an idea of what type of person she is..but to answer your question? No, the thought hasn't crossed my mind."
"Think about that" Randy sipped his water as he stood, crossing the length of the living room to the stairs. "Maybe then you'll figure out if her fitting in so well is just good luck or if it's the calm before the storm." He set his water down on the counter, moving up the stairs to view the going's on from the doorway.
***********************
3:00 p.m. The Shops at Wailea
Lita emerged from the dressing room first, stepping up on the footstool to get a good look at her dress. Stacy emerged next, standing on the stool next to the red head. And finally, Dawn emerged, taking the spot on the other side of Stacy. With all three standing in the dressing room area, the seamstresses at their feet; the girls had a chat.
"This dress..is too tight at the waist" Lita sucked it in. "Take it out a little bit and we'll be just fine."
"At least yours covers most of your upper thighs" Stacy made a face. "I've worn short dresses, but this? This is just silly."
"Why don't you two switch?" Dawn glanced to the two. "Or maybe we can just get new dresses all together."
"They all look fine" Hunter leaned against the doorway. "Make her's a little bit longer, it needs to reach mid-thigh" He addressed the seamstress working with Stacy. "And if the other two need anything done..do it."
"Thank you" Stacy smiled brilliantly. "If we're done here..can we go now?"
"Go ahead, get changed" Hunter shrugged. "We have to get suits, so you three have an hour to just wander around."
After they had changed, Stacy, Lita and Dawn did in fact wander around the mall. By the time they reached the end of one wing, they had eight bags between them. Now, as they exited the Dolphin Galleries, Lita added another one to the cache. A quick trip to the upstairs and they were ten minutes late, meeting the guys at the designated stop. A few stops later, and they re-joined the guys at Lapperts Ice Cream and Coffee, twelve bags in hand. After their shopping bags had been traded off for ice cream cones, the group left the mall..but not before they stopped to oogle at the jewelry boutiques just before the exit. Just before they retreated for the safety of the rental cars; Hunter and John lingered behind with last minute requests from the other males in the group. And finally, with ice cream consumed, the bags in the trunks; they all made their way back to the hotel.
***********************
8:00 p.m. Wailea, Maui
John's birthday was celebrated in a much quieter fashion than Lita's. A small dinner, a few gifts and the party was over. And now, with Stacy and Randy relaxing poolside, John and Dawn in the hotel suite; Dave, Lita and Hunter walked along the beach.
"Can you give us insight on tomorrow's agenda?" Lita glanced to her right. "Please"
"Jet skiing, snorkeling and a banana boat ride are in the morning." Hunter frowned thoughtfully. "A trip to this one little island just off the coast of Kaua'i, plus one little adventure I am not at liberty to share..I promise you'll enjoy it though" He wiggled his eyebrows at the diva. "And as I mentioned previously, afternoon from 3:00 to 5:00 is free. The ball starts at 5:30, so we'll make a fashionably late enterance at 6:00. That ends at 9:00, so after that you're free until we leave for Oahu at 11:00."
"When are we leaving for Kaua'i?" She stopped as the reached the breaking point of the waves. "It's not like we can just jump over there since it's the farthest of the main islands."
"We're leaving in an hour" Hunter slipped his hands in his pockets. "John and Dawn are packing your things..but can I ask?"
"What?"
"Why did you buy so much when we haven't even reached Oahu?" Hunter glanced sideways as he sat down. "Oahu has more shopping areas."
Lita lifted a brow as she stepped forward, dipping her toes in the wet sand. "Do I really need to answer that question?"
Hunter shook his head, eyeing the diva as she stepped further. "Typical woman."
"What are the plans in Oahu?" Dave spoke up for the first time since they arrived at the beach, "Since we're leaving that night for Kansas"
"Island tour most of the morning, starting at sunrise so be ready for that." Hunter raked a hand through his hair. "After that we hit the waterpark for an hour, Polynesian Cultural Center is our destination until dinner..and then we head back to the hotel for dinner." He stretched his legs forward, resting his palms flat in the sand. "We fly back to the mainland at 1:00 a.m."
Lita let out a breath, tilting her head back to look at the stars. "Do we have to go back?"
"Do I really need to answer that question?" Hunter cocked his head. "As much as I'd love to stay here..duty calls."
She nodded, leaning back against Dave as she brought his arms around her waist. "At least we have two more days"
Dave rested his chin on her shoulder. "We can always come back..one of these days."
She nodded, yawning slightly. "That would be nice."
"We'll do that then" He kissed the side of her neck. "But..we should probably head back to the hotel. Time to say aloha to this island and aloha to Kaua'i."
***********
She nodded in response and the two turned, heading back for the hotel. Dave extended a hand to Hunter as they passed and the three walked back up the beach. With everyone else sleeping the inter-island flight to Kaua'i, Dave was left to think over the conversation he and Randy had earlier. If this was just good luck, let it be never ending. But, if it was the calm before the storm, start sending the S.O.S. signals now.