Title: In The End
Disclaimer: Standard, I as a lowly, would be writer own nothing. Title inspired by the song of the same name by Linkin Park.
Rating: R- harsh language, suggestive dialogue, violence in later parts.
Spoilers: Kane-Lita-Matt story line but my way
Pairings: Feh
Summary: When Lita confronts the father of her un-born baby, it only leads to a bigger nightmare. Can they overcome their differences to make it work?
Notes: Well, lets see. My muses have been finicky as of late but I will be running with this piece as long as I am able. I can say that the chapters may get shorter, but it will all depend.
Many thanks to: LittleKnux2008, Gwenny the Penny and Latisha C. for sticking with this piece. And rest assured, I am ending the torture this chapter.

Part 6: So, what now?

A few hours later, the food consumed; the trio sat comfortably in each other's presence. While they had yet to go back to the topic of how they would handle everyone, for all intensive purposes it appeared that the situation was under control. For her part, Lita was currently lounging on one of the beds, next to her best friend and adjacent from the man that would play such a big role in her future. She would have been content to stay that way, had they not realized the time.

"Um" He began, scratching the back of his neck akwardly. "I really should be getting out of here."

The diva nodded, swinging her legs down. "I'd offer to walk you back but--"

He shrugged slightly, "Understood..it'll give me some time to think.."

The red head bit her lip, her head tilting in curiosity. "Do you know what you'll tell them?"

He raised a brow, "Do you know what you'll tell them? I'm going to wager that I'm not on Chris' good person list."

"I haven't figured it out yet" She shrugged, her arms swinging freely by her sides as she sunk her toes into the carpeting. "I just think, we should be careful..even more so than we have been."

"That would be the best route to take" He conceded easily. "We'll bide our time, wait until the right moment.."

"Are you two sure that's the best route?" Jeff's questioning tone broke in. "I mean, yeah, it might look like the right route to take. But--"

Lita's tired voice broke in "Then what would you suggest Jeff?" Curious hazel orbs turned to the man in question. "It's just, given the present circumstances and the underlying facts. I mean, it's not like we can throw some party or send out baby annoucements...our circles of friends do not mix."

"I know that" He shrugged, green eyes flicking between the two before him. "I'm not sayin' you should just propose some sort of truce or whatever..Lord knows that'd never work."

"Then what are you proposing?"

A flicker of something passed in those green eyes, "That you should tell Li's friends first. They might take the news a little bit easier."

Lita raised a brow at the thought, "I suppose but--"

"Given how Hunter feels about you, and how his influence has quite possibly tainted Randy's view on you" He shrugged. "I honestly don't know Ric's opinion, not that it would really matter at this point. But--"

"I understand" Lita looked between the two in the room. "Then I guess we'll tell my friends first..not all of them, but the one's that I can trust the most."

"Just wondering but, would the one's you trust most, be the one's that hate me the most?"

The red head frowned slightly, "I wouldn't exactly say they hate you Dave, but.." She bit her lip thoughtfully, searching her mind for the right words. "It takes awhile to hate someone..and I'd safely say that they're not overly fond of you at this point in time. Besides which, I can't really say that I trust a lot of people. One of them already knows." She gestured offhandedly to the green eyed Southerner.

"And as for others?" She shrugged. "There's really only a handful on RAW and the rest are over on SmackDown."

"I see" He crossed his arms, leaning thoughtfully against the wall near the door. "Then who exactly would you need to talk to on RAW?"

"Chris, Chris, Edge, Stacy" Her brows furrowed a moment as she mentally crossed off the names in her head. "Victoria and Shane. I could just take care of that tonight..they're all down the hall."

The big man shrugged, "Randy and Hunter mentioned that they would be out all night and Ric went home for the week." He paused a moment and in that moment..

"Do you have any friends on RAW?" Green eyes glinted with curiousity at the enforcer of Evolution. "I mean, I'm not tryin' to piss you off..but--"

"I wouldn't exactly say I have friends on either show" Batista shrugged, shifting his weight from foot to foot. "Out of the people on RAW? Randy's probably the closest I've got to a friend.."

Jeff interrupted when Batista paused for a breath. "And is that by--"

"Its because the less people I have to put my trust into, the less people I have to worry about betraying that trust." He stated rather matter of factly, as he settled back against the wall. "And the less I have to worry about such simple things, the more I can concentrate on what matters to me."

Jeff nodded in understanding "Which would be?"

"Being the best, with or without that title belt."

"So you're tellin' me that having a title belt mean's nothin' to you?" A brow raised as the Southerner rolled to his stomach. "I find that hard to believe...given the company you keep."

Batista raised a brow at the question, his mouth opening, only to close when the words would not come. After another moment of silence, he finally found the words.

"At one point in time, yes having the belt meant everything. It became an obsession and something that I lived for." He shrugged slightly, moving to the chair. "But..after witnessing firsthand what it can really do to a person; it changes how you, yourself feel. You become a machine, living and breathing only for the title; using whatever means and whatever people you can to ensure that the title stays around your waist." He shook his head, a grim smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.

"That's when it started to change. Instead of me going after a title belt, I became a tool to ensure that Hunter would always have a shot or that Randy could get further ahead. It was never about me, or about being the best anymore. It was about them."

Jeff listened on, stealing a glance to the red head before he focused his attention once more on the other man. "I guess you can only take so much before you break."

"I wouldn't exactly say it was just that. I mean, yes it did have a good deal to do with it. Not having my own glory to go after, but that's not entirely it." He frowned a touch, scratching his chin in thought. "The other part of it..I lost the desire, lost the drive I had for this business. I became another tool instead of a being a wrestler. I mean, look at Evolution. Everyone of us has a designated role to play. Before, I was one half of the tag team champions. And now?" He scoffed,

"Randy is riding his own wave out to glory, gunning after whatever he sets his eyes on. Hunter is still so wrapped up in getting that title that nothing else matters. And Ric, well..Ric is just Ric. Which leaves me to pick up the pieces, do the dirty work."

"And in the process, puts you in the shadows. Out of the chase so to speak." Jeff concluded, watching Batista's facial features. "Or am I wrong?"

"Partly wrong--I've always been in the shadows to some extent."

"Until now" Lita's voice broke in quietly. "Now you're in the thick of things to get the Intercontintental Title."

"Well yes, but if I don't get it, I don't get it. I'm not going to let some belt dictate my life." He sat back in the chair, looking between the other two. Knowing full well what sort of company he was in. "It'd be nice to have, but I want to be in this business for the desire, for the love of it. Not because I have to have a title belt."

"I can understand that" Jeff let out a breath, rolling to his back; arms tucked beneath his head. "After you lose that desire to wrestle..it becomes more of a chore than anything. It loses it's gleam and something that was fun, something that you once enjoyed..it becomes a thorn in your side."

"It's happened to all of us at one point" The red head concluded, settling back against the headboard. "Somewhere along the lines, you just get fed up of everything and everyone. Sick of the bullshit and the drawbacks. You lose your focus--at first just on the business. Then it slowly extends to other aspects of your life."

Hazel orbs fluttered shut for a moment before they focused upon the ceiling. "And until you can find something to live for, something new to work for--"

"Or until someone opens your eyes to the truth that you've been so blind to."

A tiny smile tugged at the corners of the diva's mouth before she continued. "Until then, all you do is exsist to exsist. Now at least, I have something else to live for."

"As do we all Li" Jeff removed a hand, only to find his fingers fisting in his hair. "This won't be easy for the two of you..but don't forget about me. We may not be family by blood Li-Li, but for what it's worth? We're family."

The red head turned to her side, hazel orbs focusing on the green eyed man. "Thank you Jeff..that means a lot. And I do mean that, considering I still don't know how everyone is going to take this."

"It'll take time Li, believe me I'm still trying to absorb this."

Batista focused on the window, "I'd be willing to wager that they'll accept this easier than Hunter."

"If Hunter accepts it all" The diva scowled, "But if he can't accept it then I guess--"

"I don't need Hunter's approval and quite frankly I'm not expecting it. Just that, if he does accept it..maybe it means that he is a friend."

"Yeah" Lita let out another breath, her eyes fluttering shut as she collected her thoughts. "Well, I won't hold my breath on it, but for your sake..let's hope that Hunter can find some shread of humanity." She sent a shaky smile in Batista's direction, her eyes softening when it was returned.

Batista was just opening his mouth to respond when his cell phone went off. He frowned noticeably at the display before the offending object was brought to his ear.

"Yes?"

Lita and Jeff strained to hear the conversation, just catching the slurring..and yet still cocky..voice that they knew as Hunter. Both exchanged a look before they resumed their ceiling staring.

"Gotcha. I'll see you two lucky dogs in the morning then? Right. You too, H."

"Well, I'm off the hook..but" He stood, pocketing his cell phone. "I still think it's best for me to return to my hotel room. Just to be on the safe side."

The red head nodded her agreement, sliding off the bed. "Yeah.." Almost hestiantely the diva walked to his side. "Thanks for stopping by."

Batista nodded, a hand coming to rest absently on her shoulder. "We'll talk later this week..figure out some sort of plan.." He shrugged akwardly, unsure of what else to say.

"That works for me" Her hand came up to rest on his for a moment, gently squeezing before she reached past him for the door knob. "Stay safe, okay?"

"You too" He nodded his farewells before he ducked into the halls, the door closing softly behind him.

No sooner had the red head flopped back on the bed, when another knock was heard at the door. Lita rolled her eyes, raking a hand through her hair as she made her way over.

"Unless you come bearing food, you are not entering this hotel room."

"Oh come on Li, it's just us" Chris Jericho's voice answered for the three in the hall. "We'll make it up to you--"

"Lita just open the door" Edge cut him off, waiting until the door opened before he continued. "We really need to talk."

End Part 6.

Notes: Just a few things..normally I don't use cliffhangers, or if I do I don't use them to close every chapter. Two, part of the reason this piece has taken a bit more from me is b/c well, for once I want to try and stick with the character's in ring persona's a bit more. Visibly yes, some are different but for the most part I want to stick with their in-ring persona's. Will it change? Perhaps in time.