Disclaimer: Still not mine.. Sadly, this is true.

Spoilers/Summary: All in the previous chapters

Notes: Nothing new to add… two more chapters to go until the end.

…………

They weren't sure how long they stayed at the hotel pool.. Not that it really mattered anyway since none of them had to be anywhere important. Or at least not anytime soon. That translated into plenty of free time, if only for that night and tomorrow. Lita, had at least, come out of her little world…Jeff coaxing her into a game of Marco Polo. And since it was near impossible to play said game with only two participants, the other pool goers quickly joined in. The game had been going for a good twenty minutes now and currently, the redheaded Diva was 'it'. She had -yet- to tag anyone…but perhaps that was due to the fact that, Dawn and Victoria had both retreated back to the whirlpool. Chris and Jeff were currently sitting on the pool deck, their legs dangling in the water.

Lita expelled a huffy breath, "Why do I get the sinking feeling that no one else is playing this stupid game."

A hand fell on her shoulder, "Because Dawn an' Vikki are sittin' in the whirlpool.." the hand moved, "Jeff an' Chris are sittin' over on the side."

"Which means, unless you're the boogeyman.." the redhead rolled her eyes, ducking quickly beneath the water. "I'd ask what point there is in just abandoning a game, but.. Given present company.."

"Yeah well.. Dawn had said something 'bout talkin' to ya." John rolled his shoulders, the two currently waist deep in the pool. "I don' think this is the best place to talk, but whateva."

Lita snorted, "That's because it isn't…the chances of Dawn or Jeff eavesdropping are higher."

The West Newbury native nodded, "Exactly.. That an' I don' really know what she was referring to."

She smiled wryly, "I think I have a pretty good idea.." She regarded him curiously, "I've a good feeling that Jeffrey was eavesdropping earlier.."

He held up his hands in defense, "I did no such thing.. It ain't my style. If I really need to know something, I'm gonna go to the source."

Idly she nodded, "You don't strike me as the type anyway so…" Lita chewed thoughtfully on her lower lip. "There's really no point in playing Marco Polo, when there are only two people are playing."

"As you an' Jeff found out earlier.."

"Yeah," Damp red locks were gathered back, "I think.. I'm gonna head back upstairs." Lita inclined her head, "You staying here or what?"

John shrugged, "Well I am startin' to get all wrinkly an' shit.." A smirk curled at the corners of his mouth, "An' I really don' like that prune look.."

Her nose wrinkled, hazel eyes twinkling with mirth. "Yeah.. It's not very flattering."

The brown haired man huffed, a mock pout on his face. "You tryin' to insult me again?"

She laughed, "No.. just pointing out the obvious. The pruny look isn't flattering for anyone." Lita waited a beat before adding: "Unless of course you're a prune.. Which, you don't really--"

"Alright, that's quite enough.." John shook his head, blue eyes twinkling with mirth. "But, you ain't nearly as wrinkly as me.."

An eyebrow raised, the redhead started walking back. "Don't you even think it.."

He smiled lazily as he advanced towards her. "Think what?"

Lita snorted, eyeing him doubtfully. "You have that same look that Jeff had earlier." She took another step back. "An' like I had said, I'm heading back upstairs."

"So you did.." John rolled his shoulders, the smile never fading from his face. "What's stopping ya?"

"Nothing," she took another step back, expecting to encounter the hand railing. A wary glance over her shoulder, "When did you get back in the pool?"

Jeff grinned broadly, "Right 'bout when you stopped payin' attention to what was goin' on 'round ya.." Shrugging he added: "That an' I heard my name.. Twice, I might add. But, I was back in the pool the first time 'round."

Lita sighed, glancing warily between John and Jeff. "Great.. That's just great.."

"Relax," Jeff grasped her by shoulders. "You said you were headin' back upstairs.. We're just gonna help."

John nodded solemnly as he took another step forward. "Problem is.. You never said which stairs."

Lita stuck out her tongue, "I don't think it'd take a rocket scientist to figure that one out."

The West Newbury native wiggled his eyebrows, "Now, I know you don' really mind P. D. A's but uh.. Right in front of Jeff might be a little rude."

Jeff grimaced, "Ya think? Thanks for that little offer there, but I'd rather not see y'all playin' tonsil hockey in front of me."

The redhead rolled her eyes, "Right so.. How about Jeff let's go of my shoulders so I can leave the pool.."

"We could do that," Jeff conceded, his hands sliding down to her elbows. "But I don' think we will.."

Lita smiled thinly, "Thanks guys…really, I appreciate it."

"We thought you might," Jeff wrapped his arms around her waist, as John grabbed her legs. "John was right 'bout ya not bein' as pruny.."

"You two are such idiots." The redhead let out an overdramatic sigh, as they made their way out of the pool. "Either that or--"

"Now, you jus' hush up an' let us have some fun."

Jeff and John stopped once they reached the deep end, Lita tossed into the pool after a count of three. But, rather then stop there, they extracted Dawn then Victoria from the whirlpool.

"I think I can mange this on my own," Chris stated when the duo made their way over. "Really, I'm a big boy and all.."

……

Jeff merely shrugged in response, the three then doing side by side by side cannonballs into the pool. And when the trio surfaced, the three Diva's were in safer water…or so they had thought anyway. Dawn had paused in her ascent out of the pool, looking back long enough to note the guys weren't in visible view. The short time it took for the brunette to relay this information, gave the guys enough time to catch up with the Diva's. And, not but five seconds later, did the Diva trio find themselves lifted out of the water. But, while Dawn found herself falling backwards, Lita and Victoria remained upright.

Dawn huffed, eyes narrowing at the blonde wrestler as she surfaced beside him. "Well that was just rude.."

Chris rolled his eyes, "I lost my footing.." A mischievous grin crossed his features, "We could help everyone else lose their footing.."

Lita glared from atop her perch, wringing out her locks in vain. "I don't think so.."

"Well ya know," Jeff began, opposite the body that Lita was perched on. "What goes up, must come down.."

Victoria shook her head, "Then what are you waiting for, huh? An invitation?"

John shrugged as best he could, "I'd say now is as good a time as any."

Lita and Victoria exchanged a look, the redhead smiling as she said: "Well in that case, I'm takin' ya down with me."

"Yeah," the raven haired woman hooked her feet behind Jeff's back. "Fall when ready."

Dawn pinched the bridge of her nose when the four surfaced. "So, can someone tell me what the point of that little stunt was?"

Jeff grinned, "To get Li all pruny.. That an' I couldn't just let you, Chris an' Vikki sit by idle like."

The Sanford resident rolled her eyes, "Well if it's alright with the rest of you.. I'm heading back upstairs." With a look to Jeff she added: "Hotel room upstairs, not up the pool stairs."

Dawn glanced between Victoria and Jeff. "You should really have someone go with you Li.. I mean, even if we are at a hotel, you never know what kinda of psychopaths could be lurking around.."

Lita snorted, "Of course Dawn, I mean, it would make perfect sense for the next would-be Freddy Krueger to come leaping out at me from an ice machine."

The brunette shrugged, "You never know.." One meaningful shove later, "We'll all be up later anyway."

Lita smiled wryly, "You know if it'll get you to shut up, fine.." Hazel eyes turned to her designated 'escort'. "Let's go, I want to take a shower."

Jeff, Victoria, Chris and Dawn watched on as John and Lita exited the pool area. Of course, the keycard to the hotel room the Diva's were staying in….was in Dawn's possession. John had the keycard to the guys room and the connecting door had been locked from the Diva's side.

"Damn it.." Lita grumbled when they reached the hallway. "Dawn has the keycard."

"So? It really ain't a big deal." John shrugged it off as he brought out the keycard for the guys room. "You can jus' use the connectin' door."

Lita raised an eyebrow, "If Dawn has the keycard.. Somehow I doubt things will be that simple. Add Jeff into that mix and--"

John opened the door to the guys room. "We'll find out in a minute then." He held the door open for her, "An' they're just downstairs anyway, not like ya can't go down an' ask one of 'em for the keycard."

Lita shrugged, filing past him to enter the hotel room. "It's just with Dawn and her not so subtle efforts.." she shook her head, "I doubt Dawn is gonna stop with this mess either."

"'Prolly not.." John rolled his shoulders, the brown haired wrestler checking the adjoining door. "Do you wanna take a shower or something first? I can go bug 'em for the keycard."

Her nose wrinkled, "All of my stuff is next door.."

"So, just borrow Jeff's clothes or whateva." John shrugged, "I doubt he'd mind an' it's only until ya can get your own stuff. Or you can go back downstairs an' ask 'em for the keycard."

Lita eyed him cautiously, "You don't want to take a shower?"

John smirked, "Unless you feel like sharing that shower with me?" He held up a hand when she opened her mouth to retort, "Look, it ain't gonna take me as long to take a shower as it would for you.. That's all I'm tryin' to say."

The redhead nodded, a small smile quirked. "Thanks.. I appreciate it."

He grinned, grabbing a t-shirt from the bag Jeff had brought for him. "No biggie, alright?" Hand on the doorknob, he offered a short wave. "I'll jus' go get that keycard."

…….

Lita waited until the door had shut behind him, the redhead then making her way to the duffle bags on the floor. And by the time she had started her shower, John had just made his way back to the pool.. Only to find it empty. So, instead of heading back up to the hotel room, he searched the downstairs…but to no avail. He also took a moment to stop at the Diva's hotel room, knocking several times without an answer.

Lita blinked when she exited the bathroom, the shirt she was wearing just reaching before her knees. "Don't tell me they've just up an' disappeared.."

John chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck. "Well.. Uh.. I checked the pool an' they weren't there. I checked the lobby, the bar an' the hotel restaurant.. An' they weren't there. Hell, I even knocked on the damn door.. An' I got no answer."

Lita let out a low sigh, "So they could be anywhere…running around in their beachwear. Which means, none of them have a cell phone."

He nodded slowly, "Pretty much yeah.. Honestly, I would've expected for them to be next door or something."

Idly she chewed on her lower lip, "Well I guess we just have to make the best of it.." She inclined her head, "Who's credit card is this room charged too?"

"Jeff's I think," John shrugged. "But I don' really know.. I wasn't around when they made the reservations."

Lita frowned, "If it was Dawn's.. I'd say lets order a lot of room service." She smirked slightly, "It'd serve her right."

He laughed at that, "Yeah well.. If you wanna order, go ahead an' order. If it's Jeff's credit card, jus' pay him back or something." John grabbed another shirt and a pair of gym shorts, "I'm gonna take a shower.. Who knows, maybe them fools'll show up."

She snorted, flopping back on one of the beds. "Somehow, I don't see that happening."

John peeled his shirt off, tossing it in a corner. "I don' either but, stranger things have happened."

"Like what?"

He shrugged, "Well for one.. In the past forty eight hours, we've shared a hotel room. Granted yeah, we don' know 'bout tonight, but for argument sake.."

She nodded, "I can't exactly say I would've sought you out for a room-mate."

"I can't say I'd seek you out either," he opened the door to the bathroom. "Not that I've minded it much.. At least when you ain't actin' all uptight or puttin' up a front--"

"I had my reasons," Lita interrupted shortly. "An' besides which, I was getting cranky."

"Or when ya ain't getting all violent on me."

The redhead rolled her eyes, "Each and every time, buddy, I warned you." Lita tossed a pillow, pegging him square in the face. "Except maybe that time."

John rolled his eyes right back, the pillow soon in his hands. "Now I know you ain't expectin' for me to jus' do nothing.."

Lita sat up on the bed, the second pillow in her hands. "An' just what are you gonna do about it, hmm?"

The West Newbury native shrugged, "For all you know, I ain't go do a damn thing."

She scoffed, stating rather loftily. "Yeah, yeah…all talk and no--"

John cut her off, not by tossing the pillow at her, but by tossing the pillow down to tackle her. The pillow that had been in her hands, was now laying on the bed.

"You were sayin'?"

Lita scowled, arms pinned above her, lower half pinned to the bed. "I thought you were going to take a shower.."

John cracked a lopsided smile, "I changed my mind." The redhead stuck out her tongue and he raised an eyebrow, "Either you're tryin' to be a tease or you're pissed off at me again."

Her eyes narrowed, "Well considering you did just tackle me, gee, I wonder."

Wrists now grasped in one hand, he raised an eyebrow. "All you gotta do is ask me to move."

"I could.." she drew her lower lip between her teeth, chewing thoughtfully. "But, I do want to talk to you about something."

He shifted, supporting more of his weight on his elbows. "What about?"

Hands free, she swept her hair from her face. "Earlier.. On the beach…and at the diner, I told you I didn't want to be in a relationship." One hand lifted to touch his face. "Part of me thinks that's the best thing for me."

Blue eyes gazed questioningly at her, "An' the other?"

She smiled slightly, "That part says screw it.." Fingers splayed over his cheek, "I don't want to get into a relationship and--"

John held up a hand, "If you don' want that, then you don' want it. Simple as that."

"If you'd let me finish," she stated with a smirk. "I was going to say, I don't want to get into a relationship just so I can forget about my other problems.. I don't want to get into a relationship only to regret it." Hazel eyes softened, "I do like you and I enjoy spending time with you but--"

Closing sparse distance between them, he cut her off. "Look, I ain't gonna ask you to be in a relationship with me if you don' want to be." One hand threaded with one of hers, "I like you.. I ain't gonna lie an' say I wouldn't want to be with you."

The corners of her mouth twitched, "I guess we could give this a shot.." Lita rolled her eyes, "Dawn claims we're good for each other."

John smirked, "Does she really.." his eyes softened, "If you want to give this a shot, we'll give it a shot.. If not, then we always had this weekend."

Lita smiled fully, the fingers of her free hand grasping the back of his neck. "For once, I think I'll listen to Dawn…see if she's right." The Diva lifted her face to bring her mouth to his. "If that's okay with you, anyway."

He kissed her again, "Yeah, I'd say that's okay with me." One more lingering kiss, before he pulled back, his forehead resting against hers. "But, now.. I really do need to take a shower.. I smell."

Lita giggled, "Nice way to ruin a moment, but.. I do agree."

John rolled his eyes, stealing another kiss before he moved. And while he did that, Lita rolled to her stomach, pillow propping her chin. A small smile crossed her features as she reflected over the past forty eight hours. It had gone up and down and back again. And while the whereabouts of the missing four were as of yet, unknown, the redheaded Diva didn't care. Granted yes, part of her wanted to kill Dawn and company for doing what they had done.. But at the same time, she was thanking them.