Disclaimer: I own no person, place or thing that you recognize. The persona's are property of the WWE and Vince McMahon, people own themselves. I'm just borrowing them for a little torture that is referred to as fan fiction.

Notes: Thank you, thank you, for sticking with me while I got my muses and ideas in line.

……………..

Although they had departed the diner in good time, the redhead never counted on the remnants of traffic from the nightly road construction. That and, it was the middle of summer and Myrtle Beach itself was a popular destination. The weatherman on the radio was calling for a hot, humid and sunny day; a day that would be best spent indoors in the air conditioning or outdoors at the beach. And as the corvette slowly inched along with the rest of traffic, Lita presumed that everyone and their grandmother was heading for the beach.

"I should've taken the damn back roads." Lita groaned as traffic stopped again. "At this rate, we'll never get there."

"We'll get there woman, just chill." John leaned his seat back a touch. "It'll just take us a bit longer."

"Yeah?" Lita gestured to the bumper to bumper traffic. "At this rate, we could walk and get there faster."

John raised an eyebrow, "An' would you like to test that theory?"

"Why the hell not," Lita huffed, sweeping her hair from her face. "You go ahead, get out an' I'll meet you in Myrtle."

"Have I done something in a past life to offend you?"

The redhead raised an eyebrow, and as she opened her mouth to reply; he cut her off.

"All I'm sayin' is that, you get all hostile in five seconds, plus, this morning you pinched me for no reason."

"I had a reason," Lita quipped dryly. "What's your point?"

"Why the need to be all uptight an' shit?"

The Diva snorted in disbelief, "I am not uptight."

"Really? Then what is your problem?"

"I don't have a problem." the redheaded Diva rolled her eyes, "I just don't like sitting in bumper to bumper traffic with a car that apparently has a broken air conditioner."

"Yeah, you ain't got no problem." John rolled his eyes, "I don't buy that for a minute."

"Alright then," the redhead paused as the traffic inched forwards. "Since you seem to be such an expert, what is my problem?"

"One of three things," John began. "One you permanently got a stick up your ass, two you need to get laid, or three .. There's something botherin' you that you ain't talkin' to no one about."

"You-"

"I doubt it's the stick, cuz otherwise you wouldn't have left the party in the first place .. Plus, if it was that? We wouldn't be sittin' here in bumper to bumper traffic."

Lita rolled her eyes, but didn't have a chance to comment since he continued on.

"As for the getting laid part? I really don't know, an' hey, if its your choice, s'all good.."

"Are you quite finished yet?"

"Almost," He sent a charming smile to the redhead, "Which means that there's something botherin' you and you won't talk to no one about it."

Lita swept her hair from her face, absently wiping the thin film of sweat from her brow. "An' I suppose you expect me talk about these supposed problems?"

John shrugged, resting his feet on the dashboard. "That's up to you."

The Diva shook her head, "Look, even if I did have problems, which I don't; I wouldn't talk about them with you. I don't talk to many people about my 'problems'-"

"That much is obvious."

"And the few people I do talk to, aren't here right now."

"So…"

"So, instead of talking to you, I'm going to find something on the radio so I can ignore the fact that my thighs are sticking to the chair."

John snorted, "Maybe I wasn't wrong about that stick up your ass."

The Diva gritted her teeth, "Do you know what it's like, seeing your ex and one of your supposed best friends, showing up together for an engagement party? Do you know how that feels? Especially when that party is in your own backyard? Do you know what it's like, having another one of your best friends breathing down your neck about how pathetic your love life is? Do you know what it feels like, to go from being one of the better wrestlers in your division to being almost nothing? Do you-"

"Now back up there," John cushioned his hands behind his head. "You aren't nothing, alright? You're still on RAW, still competing for the belt, so that's gotta count for something. As for the other shit, no I don't know what it feels like, but I can imagine it'd hurt like a bitch to see that. An' for your information, yes, I do know what it's like to have people breathin' down your neck. Askin' you when are you gonna settle down."

Lita snorted, "I guess it's some big crime to be single huh?"

"Apparently," the Smackdown wrestler shrugged, "Or at least in Dawn's world it is."

Lita rolled her eyes, "Dawn just needs to keep her nosey ass out of other peoples business."

"Then just tell her that," John sent a sideways glance to the redhead. "I'm not sayin' she won't listen, but at least you tried."

"I have told her that," Lita shifted slightly as the traffic started moving again. "You have no idea, how many times I've told her. I am not looking."

"Then do something else about it."

"Like what? Go up to some random guy and ask him to date me?" Lita rolled her eyes, "thanks, but no thanks. I'd rather stay single."

"I wasn't implyin' that." John rolled his eyes right back, "what I meant was, if outright telling her don't work, then find another way to get your point across."

"How?"

"Look, from what I know about Dawn and from what she says about you? She's only wants to see you happy. Apparently, that means you hafta have a man in your life-"

"Which I don't."

"So, just prove to her that you are happy… if you always go around like you got that stick up your ass, yeah .. Dawn is gonna think you're unhappy."

"I guess," Lita shrugged again, settling back in the seat when traffic slowed. "I just want her to leave me alone about it."

John smirked, "Well if that works, let me know .. Cuz I've been tryin' to figure out how to keep her prying nose out of my life."

Lita rolled her eyes, a wry smile sent to the wrestler. "Well it's slightly comforting that I'm not the only one at her wrath."

He shrugged, "Her intentions are good."

"Just misguided."

"Severely."

"Definitely."

"So, you feel any better?"

Lita half shrugged, shifting again in her seat. "Yeah a little .. Aside from the fact that my thighs are still sticking to the seat."

John chuckled, "Well if I could help ya with that, I doubt you'd let me, so.."

"Yeah well," Lita rested an arm on the window, "Nothing that can really be done about it until the traffic starts moving."

He shrugged, "If it's any consolation, at least you ain't wearin' jeans."

Lita snickered, "Well that's your fault, not mine. No one in their right mind wears jeans in the middle of the summer in the South."

"Yeah an?" John snorted, "When I got to that party, it was mid-afternoon, it wasn't that warm an-"

"I have my other pair of shorts, but I doubt those would fit on you."

"Yeah.." John shook his head, "That'd be a little tight in all the wrong places."

Melodic laughter filled the vehicle then, the redhead clutching lightly at her stomach.

"An' there ya go, laughin' at me again."

"I'm sorry," Lita squeaked out innocently, "It's just .. No offense, but that's something I just don't want to picture."

"Me wearin' your shorts or me wearin' your clothes period?"

"Both." the Diva shook her head, a small smile settling on her features. "Sorry, it's just .. I highly doubt my style is anywhere near yours."

"That's funny, cuz I thought it would be the size that made the difference."

"Well that too," Lita swept her hair from her face, "but I still couldn't see you wearing fishnet."

"Couldn't or you wouldn't want to?"

"What kind of question is that?"

"Just a question."

"Yeah, okay.." Lita rolled her eyes, letting out a sigh of relief as traffic started moving steadily. "I just couldn't see it, that's all .. You just don't strike me as the type."

"But that doesn't mean I never would," John shrugged slightly, "I'll admit, it ain't exactly what I look for when I go shoppin' but.."

The redhead sent him a sly smile, "So you're telling me that, if you had the opportunity, you'd wear a fishnet shirt?"

"Well.."

"What about black, cargo pants or something?"

"Not much different from the jeans I already wear."

"And hair dye? Makeup?" She smirked then, "Would you paint your nails?"

"You want me to dress like Marilyn Manson? Alright, I'll do it.. But only if you dress like …"

"Like what?" Lita prompted, "Trust me sugar, there ain't much that I won't wear or haven't worn for one of those Diva's photo shoots."

"I'm thinking.." John rubbed the back of his neck in thought, "I'll hafta get back to you on this one."

Lita snorted, "Well good luck with that then, like I said between my ring outfits and what I've worn for the photo shoots? There isn't much left."

"Much," John pointed out then, "Which means there's still something."

"Whatever," Lita shrugged it off, her free hand reaching to change the radio station. "So.."

"What kind of music do you listen to?"

The redhead blinked, "Well, punk rock .. Rock mostly. You?"

"Hip hop, mostly."

"I figured as much."

"An' just what is that supposed to mean?"

"Nothing," Lita stated in a blink of an eye, "Just that you don't strike me as the type to show up to Linkin Park concert."

"Just like you wouldn't go to say, Eminem or Dr. Dre?"

"As if we have the time to do such things.."

"But if you did?"

She shrugged, "I don't know .. It's not really my thing so.."

"What's your favorite food?"

Again she shrugged, "Mexican, Japanese .. That sort of stuff really.. What about you?"

"If it's edible, chances are that I'll eat it." John glanced out the window, "So what exactly is there to do in Myrtle Beach?"

"Welll.." Lita chewed thoughtfully on her lower lip, "There's the amusement park, where we're meeting Jeff, Chris, Dawn and Vikki .. There's a water park, the beach of course .. Some golf courses, mini-golf, there's a bunch of stuff to do there."

"Sounds like fun," the Smackdown wrestler settled back in his seat, "You ever been up to Boston?"

"To sight see type of thing? No, not really." Lita half shrugged, "The only time I've really had the chance to go there was through the company."

"Yeah.."

"So, what do you do on your time off? Normally, I mean."

"Head back home, hang out with my family .. Work out, I dunno, just chill I guess."

The redhead nodded, "An' you said you have…four brothers, right?"

"Yup," A wry grin crossed his face, "I'm the second oldest."

"Must've been crazy then."

"You have no idea," He shook his head, raking a hand through his hair. "But it was fun, provided lotsa opportunities to play sports-"

"Create havoc?"

"That too."

"What sports do you watch?"

"Football, baseball .. Basketball.. You?"

"I watch hockey, catch the occasional football game, but I'd rather play than watch."

"Any favorite teams?"

The redhead's nose scrunched, "No, not really..you?"

"Boston teams of course." John shrugged a touch, "Ya know? Red Sox, Patriots .. Celtics."

"Hmm." Lita replied in thought, "I watch the Superbowl, so.. Yeah, I know who the Patriots are."

"How'd you meet Dawn?"

A wry smile touched the corners of her mouth, "In ECW. I went there after some inde work.."

"So, what got you into wrestling?"

She half shrugged, "I can't say really .. Just that I like it, what about you?"

"Well, it started mostly because of my dad. We'd watch it together, an' that was when I got interested in it."

"That's cool." Lita mentioned with a small smile, "Who were some of your favorites?"

"Hulk Hogan."

"Ahh.. I can't say I have one favorite."

"Alright, what are some of your favorite movies?"

The redhead shrugged, "Dunno .. " she smiled wryly, "You wanna know all the answers? Buy the book."

"One more question.."

"Fine."

"If you weren't wrestling.."

"Honestly? I don't know .. When I was out with my neck injury, I had more time to volunteer, so .. Maybe do that full time, but career wise? I can't really say."

"Well, what did you do before you wrestled?"

"Odd jobs," Lita shrugged, "I did play bass for a bit, did the whole roadie thing.. But, now that I'm in the WWE, there's really nothing else I'd rather be doing."

"So…" John trailed off, glancing at the Welcome to South Carolina sign. "How much longer to Myrtle?"

"Given that we just sat through that much traffic just to reach the border? Who's to say.." Lita shrugged again, "I'd say another two hours though.. So long as traffic isn't bad."

"Alright," the West Newbury native yawned, "Wake me up when we get there."

The car fell silent then, the redhead finally settling on a radio station while John napped. Thankfully traffic wasn't as bad from the border on through, and as such, they did arrive in Myrtle in two hours. And, as he had requested, Lita did wake him up when they got there, the first question out of his mouth was to inquire about food. To that, the Diva had merely gestured to the street, stating that they could find food wherever .. All they had to do was get out of the car. She informed him then that, it was a little after 11:30, which gave them two and half hours to kill. At that bit of information, the two exited the vehicle, their first stop to a nearby store to pick up a change of clothes for John. Even if Jeff had said he would bring the promised change of clothing, it was nearing mid-day and the hot weather was only getting hotter with the ever rising sun.