Title: Unrequited (10/10)
Rating: K+ or PG-13
Content: Angst, fluff, mentions of sex
Disclaimer: Don't own any of the characters mentioned herein and make no implications about real persons mentioned. Also no profit is made.
Summary: Lita is falling. Will someone catch her?
A/N: The final chapter! Excuse the exclamation mark abuse, but I'm kind of happy to finish this, it's been draining, but hopefully worth it. I have a few ideas for a sequel though, so that may happen some time in the future. Let me know what you think, good and bad.

Randy was on a plane within three hours, and at Lita's home by daylight. He didn't care if he woke every person in the neighbourhood as he rapped on the door; he just needed to see her.

Finally she answered. She looked exhausted, pale skin almost luminescent against her vivid red hair. She was wearing one of Randy's 'Legend Killer' T-shirts, and when he saw that he fell in love with her a little more. He must have left it there one time he stayed over.

"Randy? What are you doing here?" Her voice was tinged with fear, as well as a little hope.

Suddenly he was lost for words. She'd slept with another man, and that was the vindication and proof he needed that she loved him? Never was a situation so bizarre.

"You slept with Masters." She looked as if her heart was about to break as he let her digest those words, so he continued, "you said my name. You said you loved me."

She stared up at him, utterly broken and bereft. It was as much as she could do to nod. Everything that had happened with Matt and Edge, that hadn't broken her. She'd been strong, ever since she was a little girl she'd been strong. But this, hearing hurt in Randy's voice, having him here on her doorstep saying those words, it brought everything crashing down. The walls and barriers and masks, they all crumbled. As did she, falling against the wall and slumping to the ground, sobbing bitterly tears that should have been shed before, that should have been shed months ago.

"Oh Li," Randy sighed and dropped his bags inside the door, stepping into the house. He knelt down beside her and pulled her close, leaning over to slam the door shut. As she sobbed into his shoulder he hated himself for causing this, but knew it was necessary. This had to end. Gently, he wrapped his arms around her and picked her up, carrying her into the lounge and placing her almost reverently on the couch. He knelt on the floor and stared at her, unsure of what to do. She was still sobbing, even now, and flinched away every time he tried to touch her.

Tenderly, he brushed her hair away from her face, and caressed her cheek, not moving even when she flinched at the contact. "Li, talk to me honey. Please, tell me why you're doing this to yourself."

"I… don't… deserve… any… anything… better," she choked, still refusing to look at Randy. Shame was too much for her to bear, hurting him hurt her much more than she'd ever thought it would.

"How long are you going to punish yourself for Li?" She shook her head, not willing to respond, so he continued, "how long are you going to punish me for?"

That forced her to look at him, shocked and a little scared. She was sure now that she'd pushed him too far, pushed him away and now it was too late.

"I'm not Matt, and I'm not Edge. Stop punishing me, stop punishing yourself, and let it go. You're destroying yourself and me and everyone who comes into contact with you because you refuse to let go of your guilt. Please, Li, please stop this." Randy didn't know when he'd worked out all of this, but it did make sense.

"I… I didn't mean to hurt you," her voice was small, timid, it almost sounded like it was coming from someone else, he'd never seen or heard her like that before. "I never meant to hurt anyone."

"I know that sweetheart," his voice softened. He regretted getting angry at her already, "I know you didn't mean to hurt anyone… but people are hurt. And the person I'm most worried about is you."

"I don't deserve it. I deserve to be unhappy," she attempted to look away from him, but a gentle hand under her chin forced her eyes to meet his.

"Stop it. Li, I love you. You told Masters you love me. Do you?" Randy licked his lower lip nervously. If only he could see and hear her say those words, then he'd know all of this was worth it, and would jump through hoops to make her happy.

She was silent. She did love him, she knew she did, and one part of her was screaming in her head to tell him that. The other half of her was scared. Scared that if she admitted it she'd also have to admit that she was broken and scared and lonely and vulnerable, and she'd have to stop trying to destroy herself and start living again.

"Say it Li, please,"

She was battling herself, battling him, battling Matt and Edge and everyone else in her life who had either hurt her or been hurt by her. She wouldn't let them win, she had to be strong again, and to be strong she had to be scared and vulnerable, she had to show weakness and vulnerability. She had to get herself back, so she had to do this.

"I love you."

Randy hardly realized it, but he'd been holding his breath the whole time. He'd seen a multitude of emotions cross Lita's face, and he knew how hard this was for her, how much she was relinquishing, yet how much she was hoping to gain from doing this.

"Let me help you Li," Randy closed his eyes. He wasn't emotional, he didn't ever cry, a tough guy dad and short stint in the armed forces had taught him that. This was as close as he got to it though. Seeing someone he loved suffering like this was hard to bear.

"Please, Randy, put me back together." She acknowledged all she was, all she had become. Now she was holding out her hand and seeking what he had been offering all along.

"I can't put you back together Li," he hated saying this to her, but it was important; he wasn't a miracle worker, he wasn't her saviour. "I can't put you back together babe, only you can do that. I'll be there for you though, right by your side while you do it."

"I can't Randy, I'm scared… I've always been strong… independent… I can't do it anymore. I can't be who I used to be… cos if I go back to being that person… I'll make the same mistakes… and I don't want to hurt anyone again," she shook her head and moved so that she was enveloped in Randy's arms. She felt safe there. She felt like she belonged.

"Angel, you're still strong…" Randy didn't know what to say to her, he wasn't a counsellor; he wasn't usually that good with words. If she'd asked him to describe how he felt he wouldn't have the words to tell her, only love. It was all he had and everything he'd give. "Babe, no one's asking you to be something you don't want to be…"

"I know… I've just spent so long trying to destroy myself, I'm not sure where, or who I am anymore," she rested her head on his shoulder and closed her eyes. It was a long time since she'd felt this peaceful. She knew it wouldn't be easy to change the way she had been, but it wasn't impossible. And Randy believed she was strong: that meant a lot to hear him say that. Now she'd opened her eyes to him, she realised what they could give each other, what they could learn, how they could grow. That realisation hit home hard, and made her more determined to get through this.

"No more hurt Li, no more pain. Let everything else go, yeah?" He held her more tightly, needing to feel her to know that this wasn't a dream. "I'm there for you, OK? Always."

"You always have been," she looked up at him and smiled. "It just took me a while to realise."

He nodded, not knowing what else to say. To see that smile, that brief, but real, touch of happiness in her eyes, it was worth it.

THE END!