Disclaimer: If you recognize it, I don't own it.

Spoilers: None

Summary: She wasn't expecting company, and she never expected him.

Notes: This may be a short series, this may be a long series. I haven't made up my mind yet. Anyway, I hope you enjoy, and please review.

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It didn't matter that the party was in full swing and it didn't matter that she was surrounded by friends. Sure, the food was okay, the atmosphere was nice, but that did nothing to negate the fact that Lita was bored out of her mind. So bored in fact, that she contemplated leaving to seek refuge in other parts of the city. But then she knew, she just couldn't up and walk out of Lillian and Shawn's engagement party; she had helped plan the party in the first place. That and the party was in her backyard so it wasn't like she could excuse herself to go home. So instead, she resolved to continue what she had been doing. Playing the part of hostess and convincing the party goers that she was fine. Little did she know that would all change.

"Li?" Lillian Garcia approached, the redheaded Diva noting that Shawn was now surrounded by Chris Jericho, Chris Benoit, Eddie and Rob. "Li? Are you okay?"

"Hm?" Hazel orbs snapped back to the questioning voice, the redheaded Diva offering an apologetic smile. "Sorry about that..I must've spaced out."

Lillian smiled gently, squeezing her friend's shoulder. "I just wanted to thank you again. The party is great."

Lita shrugged, tucking a rebellious strand of hair behind her ear. "It's not a big deal Lil, you know that."

"Still," The petite blonde ring announcer's smile widened. "We couldn't have pulled this party off without you."

The redheaded Diva waved it off easily, "All I did was provide a locale and pay off Jeff and Matt to help me cook..mother nature did the rest."

Lillian simply smiled, "Speaking of that, I'll have to get the recipe for those ribs from you. Shawn's gorged himself all night on those."

A melodic laugh escaped the redhead's parted lips. "You can ask Jeff for that actually. He should be around here somewhere."

"Are you going to be okay?"

Lita nodded, "Of course I'll be okay. Just go. Find Jeff, bug him and enjoy the party."

Lillian shook her head, but walked away shortly after in search of the younger Hardy brother.

Lita in turn, flopped into one of the deck chairs that Jeff had brought; a neon green plastic cup clutched in one hand. It was then she noticed it was empty, and since the beverages seemed to be running on endless; the redhead sought out one of the coolers lining the fence. Just as she was reaching for the last wine cooler amidst the sea of melting ice cubes, another hand plucked it out for her. Hazel orbs followed the arm attached to that hand; the Diva raising a brow as her eyes shortly locked with John Cena's.

"Nice party." He mentioned, handing the wine cooler over to the Diva.

Lita smirked, opening the wine cooler before she spoke. "Yeah, really kicking isn't it?"

John raised a brow, "You ain't havin' fun at your own party?"

Lita rolled her eyes, "For one, it's not my party and it's not just a party. .It's Shawn and Lillian's engagement party, I'm just hosting. And two, why does it really make a difference?"

John rolled his eyes right back, "Umm, maybe because it's a party and usually the point of a party is to have fun?"

The redheaded Diva shook her head, "Whatever."

"You wanna talk about it?"

Lita shrugged, picking at the label of the wine cooler. "There's really nothing to talk about."

"Then how about a dance?"

Lita raised a brow, "I don't think so."

John took the wine cooler from her, setting it on a nearby table. "Give me a good reason why."

"I'm really not up for dancing right now." Lita faked a yawn, "Sorry."

"Just one an' then I'll leave ya alone for the rest of the night."

The redheaded Diva rolled her eyes, "You sure are persistent."

John cracked a lopsided grin, "It's one of my many good qualities.." He held out his hand to her, a hopeful look in his eyes.

With a sigh, the redhead placed her hand in his. "Just one."

He nodded solemnly, leading her to the makeshift dance floor that Jeff and Rob had set up earlier. "Just one."

Lita rolled her eyes in spite of it all, the two shortly falling into an off rhythm with the rest of the couples on the dance floor.

"So," Cena began, his hands cupping the small of her back. "You wanna tell me what's buggin' you or.."

Lita rolled her eyes, resting her hands lightly on his shoulders. "There is nothing wrong, alright? Just leave the subject alone."

"If you change your mind.."

"I doubt I will, but thanks anyway." The redhead quirked a smile, hazel orbs focusing on a spot in the distance.

John glanced over his shoulder, trying to follow her intent gaze and soon enough, he put two and two together. "It's funny but, I never woulda pictured those two together."

A wry smirk crossed the redhead's features. "You're not the only one, believe me."

"Must've been a shock, huh?" John inclined his head a touch, "Your best friend and your ex."

Lita snorted indifferently, "Try ex best friend ..Trish and I haven't really been on the best of terms for the better part of a year."

"Alright, no need to get hostile." John shook his head a fraction, "Still..Matt and Trish? I never woulda thought."

The redheaded Diva smirked. "It's been a long time in the making I think."

John raised an eyebrow, "Really now? I always figured she was after the other Hardy."

A dark look crossed Lita's face for a moment. "So did me and Jeff..but she proved us wrong." The Diva shook her head, hazel orbs intently seeking out the younger Hardy. "But, he's taking it pretty well."

John nodded, one hand splaying over her mid-back. "And how're you holdin' up?"

The redheaded woman's shoulders lifted in a shrug. "I'm living, I'm breathing..all in all, I'd say I'm fine."

John raised a brow, "Now why don't I buy that for a minute?"

Lita rolled her eyes, "Believe what you want Cena, it's the truth."

John snorted indifferently, "Whatever Li, I know we haven't hung out that much.. But I'd like to think I know ya."

Lita raised a brow then, "Do you really? What's my favorite perfume? My favorite foods? Do you know what my favorite movies are?"

"Alright," John shrugged his shoulders a touch. "Then how about we get to know each other over dinner..say next Wednesday night?"

The corners of her mouth lifted into a smirk, "I'm touched really..but my schedule's pretty full."

"Then, how about we ditch this party."

The redhead raised a disbelieving brow, "Say what?"

He shrugged in turn, "You're obviously not havin' a good time. Why don't we just take a drive or something."

"It'd be pretty inconsiderate of me to just up and leave a party that's being hosted in my backyard." Lita informed him matter of factly. "So, I'm afraid the answer is no."

An indifferent sigh escaped him, a mischievous look in his eyes all the same. "Ya know? I was really wrong about you. I always figured you were the type to just do things on a whim, think about it later instead of right now…"

Lita's mouth opened in shock, "Well forgive me for disappointing you."

"You haven't," He held up a hand then, "Not yet anyway. Just come with me..show me the countryside, whatever..it don't really matter."

Lita's lips pressed into a thin line, "Why are you doing this?"

"Because you look like you really wanna be somewhere else." John raised a brow then, "It's just a drive Li, what's the harm in that?"

"But what about the party?" Lita shook her head, her fingers curling slightly before they relaxed completely tosplay over hisshoulders. "I can't just leave."

John nodded in the direction of Jeff, Rob and Victoria. "Seems to me they got in under control."

"There's really nothing to do in Sanford."

"Then we'll just drive until we find something." John raised a brow at the woman, "Come on, where's your sense of adventure?"

Lita's brow furrowed in thought, "One hour…but then we absolutely have to be back."

Cena nodded solemnly, "You have my word, one hour and we'll come right back.."

The redhead nodded in turn, "Alright…let's go then." She dropped her hands from his shoulders, one seeking out one of his. "Come on, I bet Jeff's so plastered he won't notice if we borrow his car keys."

John stopped for a moment, "Are you sure that's a good idea?"

Lita raised a brow, placing her free hand on her hip. "And where did your sense of adventure go? You really want to go for a drive and see the countryside? Then we're taking Jeff's car."

John just nodded, following after the redhead as she wove through the small crowd and towards the trio.

"Jeffrey…" Lita began, dropping Cena's hand then to wrap her arms companionably around the younger Hardy's waist. "I need a favor."

Jeff let out a high pitched giggle, "Hey Red…how's it hangin?"

Lita rolled her eyes, "We ran out of soda…can I borrow your car, pretty please?"

"Yeah sure," Jeff fumbled in his pockets a moment, "Pick up some more ice, will ya?"

Lita nodded, grasping the keys as soon as they surfaced. "Yeah, yeah sure….can you three keep an eye on things?"

Victoria blinked, looking between Lita and John. "It's gonna take you that long to run to the convenience store?"

"Just in case," Lita stated primly. "You never know…the house might burn down or something. I mean look at this place Vi." The redheaded Diva made a sweeping motion with her arm, "My backyard is filled with drunk people, I'm fairly certain that Jeffro here stashed fireworks somewhere. The sun is already starting to set…"

"Alright, alright," The raven haired Diva held up her hands in mock defeat. "We'll keep an eye on things."

Lita grinned, "Thanks a bunch." She turned back to Cena then, tossing the car keys in the air. "Ready?"

John nodded, swiping the keys before the redhead could catch them again. "Not every day I get to drive a corvette…even if it's only to the store."

Lita rolled her eyes, tugging on his hand impatiently. "I'll let you have your moment then….let's go."

John rolled his eyes, the two waving back to Victoria as they exited the backyard. And no sooner had the gate shut behind them, did a sigh of relief escape the redheaded Diva.

"Thank you," Lita stated quietly as they made their way to Jeff's car.

John sent her a sideways glance, confusion etched on his features. "For what?"

Lita rolled her eyes, tucking a rampant strand of hair behind her ear. "For getting me out of there…"

John shrugged, giving her hand a light squeeze, a warm smile offered then. "It's really no biggie."

Lita shrugged in turn, "Still though…I really didn't want to be there much longer…."

"So I noticed."

The redheaded Diva raised a brow, "Have you been stalking me or something?"

John rolled his eyes, the two pausing at Jeff's car. "It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure it out….your ex boyfriend, showing up with your ex best friend at an engagement party? Come on now, I might not be a woman but I've been around enough of 'em to know when they don't wanna be somewhere."

Lita raised a brow, the redheaded Diva seemingly not believing a word of it.

"And well…Vikki, Dawn and Lil kinda suggested I talk to ya."

Lita nodded slowly, "I should've known…"

John raised a brow, opening the passengers side door for her. "Hey, give me some credit here….all they said was go talk to ya. They never said anything about stealin' your friends car to go for a little drive."

Lita rolled her eyes, strapping on the seatbelt as she waited. "We're not stealing…he handed over the keys without a problem, thank you."

Cena shot her a disbelieving look, "Would he have been so willing if he wasn't plastered?"

Lita shrugged, batting her lashes innocently. "Does it really make a difference?"

"Yeah," John snorted as he settled in the driver's seat. "It's the difference between being arrested for auto theft an' sleepin' easy."

"Just relax," Lita rolled her eyes, turning on the stereo the minute the key was in the ignition. "Jeff won't press charges, please…I'm here."

John merely nodded, turning the key to start the engine. "You think he'd sell this car?"

Lita snorted, reaching into the glove compartment for a pair of sunglasses. "Yeah right. I've tried already and if he won't sell to me? He ain't sellin' to you."

"It's worth a shot," Cena shrugged checking the rearview mirror. "Where we goin'?"

Lita shrugged, toying with a strand of hair. "First things first, we pick up some food…then we just hit the road."

"Works for me," John nodded easily, backing the car out of the driveway. "Just tell me where to go."

Lita nodded in turn, "You just head down to the intersection, keep goin' a few miles up and we'll be at the store…" She trailed off then, the redheaded Diva kicking off her sandals to rest her feet on the dashboard. "So technically, we are making a soda run…we just won't be back for awhile."

John shook his head a touch, "Whatever you say."

The redheaded Diva shrugged all the same, the only words escaping her, were directions and further instruction on exactly what to buy. And while John ran into the store, Lita took inventory of her wallet. If she really needed to, she could use her credit card, but as of this moment…she had exactly $200 and change on her. She silently thanked Lillian and Shawn, the two insisting that they at least pay her something for hosting the party in the first place. All the same, she still wasn't sure exactly what else the night had in store for her, but it was only an hour…right? What could possibly happen in one hour?

Authorly notes:

I realize I have other stories up right now, but…I had to write a Lita/John Cena fic. I'm not sure if this will turn into a long series, so right now…I'm shooting for short series. But, we'll see what we'll see. I hope you enjoyed the chapter!