Part Ten
He approached the living room carefully, almost apprehensive to enter. He could hear the laughing coming from the room, knowing
that his friends were in there, waiting on him actually. What made him nervous was that one of the laughing voices was female - Lita's
to be exact. He wasn't sure how she was going to feel about him being there, regardless of what Jeff had said earlier.
He squared his shoulders and took a deep breath, forcing what he hoped was a realistic looking smile on his face before turning the
corner and walking into the room. Quickly, the smile became a real one when he saw his friends gathered there. Edge and Shane were
sitting in the floor in front of the TV, engaged in a wrestling video game, their own characters attempting to beat each other up.
Shane appeared to have the upper hand at the moment. Lita sat in the recliner, her cane leaning against the wall next to her. She
was laughing as she watched the two men playing. She looked good; beautiful in fact. Matt walked farther into the room, making his
presence known.
"Give it up Edge," he said. "Hurridork has you cornered."
"Hey!" cried Shane. "Never underestimate the powers of a superhero. It's Hurricane," he said, emphasizing his name.
"Yeah, maybe you're right," said Edge, setting his controller down. "I don't think I can beat a computer enhanced version of
him. The real thing though is not even a challenge."
Shane turned towards Edge at his comment, taking his eye off the game to return a comment. Instantly, Edge took advantage of the
distraction, picking up the controller again and attacking his character. It was too late for "Hurricane" as "Edge" speared him
flat on the virtual mat.
Matt chuckled, then turned his attention back towards the redhead sitting in the corner. He walked over and sat down next to her on
the edge of Jeff's couch.
"How you doing?" he asked.
"Good," she answered, looking at Matt. "Great actually. My therapy has been going really well and I am strong enough now to be out of
the wheelchair. All I need now is that stupid thing," she said, nodding towards the cane in the corner.
"That's great, Lita. See, I knew you could do it. I'm so thankful you're going to be ok."
"Yeah. I'm getting more strength back every day. I bobble a little, but overall, it's ok. Slow, but ok."
"Well, why don't you show me how well you're doing. Will you take a walk outside with me?"
Lita looked at Matt momentarily, knowing he was really asking if they could talk in private. She knew it was important that they
talk about everything that had happened. She had dodged him long enough.
"Yeah, let's go."
Matt reached his hand out to help her to her feet, but she waved him off, opting to do things for herself. She reached around and picked
up her cane and lifted herself out of the chair. Gingerly, she took a few steps, stopping to speak to Edge and Shane, who were still
embattled with their on-screen personas.
"We'll be back, boys. Just gonna take a short walk while it's still nice out," she said.
"Ok," Edge said, not looking up.
Matt and Lita walked slowly down the hall and out the back door into the sunlight. For November, it was a beautiful day. Matt was
surprised when Lita reached out and placed her hand on his arm as they headed towards the swing under the giant Oak tree. He wasn't
sure if she did it for balance or for comfort, but it made him feel better.
Back in the house, Edge pressed the "freeze" button on the controller, halting their fight momentarily. "You think they'll work everything out?"
"Maybe," Shane said thoughtfully. "They have to start somewhere. At least they're talking again. I was afraid they wouldn't even get
to that point. You know how stubborn they can both be."
Just then Jeff entered the room, clean once again. He held a plate of sliced fruits in his hands. "Uh, guys, I just tossed my cookies," he said, setting the plate down on the coffee table.
"Ugh, Jeff, I do not need to picture that image," Edge said, looking up at the younger Hardy. "Your inability to keep food down isn't
exactly appealing to others," he said.
"Ewww, flashbacks," Shane added. "I've actually seen Jeff toss his cookies after a few particularly raucous nights in our past. It's
not pretty."
"Shut up, you morons. I meant that the cookies I was baking for Lita burned. I had to throw them out. Where'd she go?"
"Out," answered Edge. "With your brother."
"Good," Jeff said. "I'm glad to see he didn't chicken out. I told him to go talk to her."
Outside
Matt held Lita's arm for balance as she sat herself down on the swing, then he joined her, releasing her arm.
"I see you got your hard cast off," he said, pointing to her wrist.
"Yeah," she said looking down at her wrist which had an elastic wrist band around it. "It's a little sore, but I'll be fine. It was all I could do to keep Jeff from decorating it though. He begged me to let him paint the cast. "She looked up and smiled a little at the thought.
"Aw, I don't know," Matt said. "He is a talented artist. He would have made it colorful."
"Well, I'm just glad to have it gone. It itched me to death." She looked away, staring out at the setting sun. Both were quiet for a
few minutes. Finally, Matt spoke.
"Lita, look. I really wanted to talk to you about everything that's happened. I know Shane and Jeff haven't told you everything. It's
time you know what's going on, and why I've behaved the way I have."
"Yes, Matt, I think it is time. Why are our lives so screwed up now?"
"Well, it's like this. Edge and Shane overheard Heyman talking to Bischoff one night at a show. They were alluding to a "master" plan
they were hatching. They didn't think much of it at first, but you know, curiosity kills the cat, so they hung around and eavesdropped
long enough to find out that Bischoff is plotting to take over the WWE."
"Really? I don't believe it."
"Really. Worse, Heyman and Lesnar are in on it. Bischoff's planning to announce his takeover at the PPV. They've been playing
all these little games, gaining power, building their little empire."
"How do Shane and Edge know this? I mean, I love them both, but they're not exactly Dick Tracy's."
"Actually, you'd be surprised. Once they caught wind of what's going on, they've been all over it. Shane actually got help hacking
into Bischoff's investment accounts. He's been buying stock, Lita. Lots of it. He gets enough ownership and he gets a majority seat on
the board. It's all downhill from there."
"Wow. Why didn't they just go to the McMahons? I mean, Vince has tons of money and power. He could stop this."
"That's just it. They did go to Vince. He brushed them off, right before he and Linda left the country. Said Stephanie would deal
with it. He doesn't think they're serious, and it's just one of Hurricane's misguided fantasy superhero stories. Stephanie of
course, is very interested. She's behind us, and is giving us the opportunities we need to keep digging. She figured it would be
easier to have us nosing around then all of a sudden have strangers show up and start nosing. She's going to help make sure Bischoff
doesn't succeed."
"Yeah…." Lita said, trying to take everything in. "So, I take it those two pulled you into this when you turned on Jeff?"
"I never really turned on Jeff, Lita. But,yeah. They explained that they needed someone to get in there and get close to Heyman and
Lesnar. To get into situations to keep tabs on them. I was able to do that. "
"Thank God. I couldn't believe that after everything that prick Heyman did to me last April, you would actually befriend them. That
hurt me, Matt, deeply. Heyman is a prick, and the comments he made to me made me sick. I couldn't believe you all of sudden were
buddies with him."
"I hate Heyman, Lita. I still plan to pummel him for what he did. Trust me, I have not forgotten that. I hate him for what he did
to you and how he made you feel. I was going to explain it to you."
"Don't forget how he sicked Brock on you, Matt."
"Oh, I haven't. But we've had to be smart about it. I have to be patient or I'll blow it. It kills me to see you hurt, Lita. You've
got to believe me. I'd never hurt you, or Jeff for that matter. I've been so worried about your welfare in all this. Afraid that
Bischoff would find out we're on to him and come after you or Jeff. He torments you enough as it is."
Lita had been looking down at her hands, intently focused on her fingernail polish. She looked up at Matt knowing what he was going
to say next. She knew him so well.
"So, you had Shane jump to Raw to look out for Jeff and me, didn't you?"
Matt smiled sheepishly. "Among other reasons. We needed someone inside Raw, and it did give him the opportunity to keep an eye on
you. It helped me sleep a little better at night."
"Matt, why didn't you just tell us what was going on? I'm a big girl, I can handle it."
"I did try to tell you Lita. You wouldn't take my calls, remember?"
"I mean before you did this, not after. You should have trusted me enough to tell me. And Jeff for that matter. We would have wanted
to help."
"Which… is why I didn't tell you. I know now, it was a really stupid move. It cost me some friends, my brother, and…" he broke
off, not sure if he could finish. "And you, Lita. I lost you because of my stupidity."
"Matt…"
"No. Let me finish. It seems I never learn, do I? I care about you so much. I have this overwhelming desire to protect the people
I love. You and Jeff are those people. I get focused on it, and don't always use good judgment. You are very capable Lita. I
should have told you and Jeff what was happening and asked for your help. I just don't know what I'd do if something happened to either
of you."
"Ironic isn't it that I got jumped anyway," Lita said wistfully.
"And I wasn't there for you."
"You were Matt. I know that you rushed to the hospital that night." She reached out and took his hand. They were quiet again
for a moment.
"So, where does this leave us?" he finally asked.
"Matt, I would be lying if I said I wasn't horribly hurt. Trust isn't something that has come easily to me. You know my background,
my history. I can't get over it that easily or quickly. But, I also understand that you acted out of a sense of love. I know that
Matt."
"But I still screwed up."
Lita didn't answer him, just smiled sadly. Looking closer, Matt noticed she had teared up, despite her attempts not to. "Let's just
take one day at a time, ok?" She wiped futilely at the tears running unchecked down her face.
"I would love that chance, Lita." Matt reached up and wiped at her tears softly with his thumbs.
"No more keeping secrets, Matt. No matter how dangerous you think it is, or how badly you want to protect me. It's the only way to
earn my trust again. And for my part, I wasn't exactly kind to you after you jumped. I should have at least took your calls or read
your letters. I was just so angry and hurt. I wasn't willing to try to understand. I promise to listen when you want to talk to me,
no matter how angry. Ok?"
He started to say more, but Jeff chose then to appear at the top of the stairs on the deck. He called down to the two to come inside.
Looking around themselves, Matt noticed that it had grown almost completely dark now. They'd been outside for quite a while.
"C'mon. Let's go inside. We need to talk about what our little team is going to do next."
"Ok," she said. Lita then held her hand out to him, and he pulled her up out of the seat. Keeping a hold of her hand, they began the
slow walk back up to the house.
TBC