Notes: This one skips forward to the Summerslam (I'm pretty sure it was Summerslam, anyway) with WWF vs. ECW/WCW winner take all event. I can't remember how many weeks there were between No Mercy and Summerslam, but I took there to be a couple of months.
xheavilybroken: You have no idea how tempted I was to make it Lita/Rock! But this is so old and I'd already written half of it, so it would have involved loads of time changing the fic instead of finishing it! ;) Glad you're enjoying and still reading :)
Huge thanks also to LatishaC, wwechick1619, and DCFanatic4Life. Thanks so much for your reviews :) (I'd use the wee reply thing, but I don't get a lot of time online anymore)
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Chapter Nine: Ladders and Lingerie (or T&A and TLC), Part Axxxxx
Torrie smiled stupidly at Stacy, trying to pretend that the IQ she guarded so preciously wasn't slowly dribbling out her ears the tall bimbo talked at her. She nodded and giggled, hoping it wasn't entirely out of place, because, truth be told, she had stopped actually trying to listen to what Stacy was saying a long time ago.
It's almost over, she repeated in her head. It was her new mantra. It seemed that, the closer she got the moment where it all ended, the longer time seemed to stretch out. She was the cartoon character running towards that inevitable goal that seemed to get farther away the closer she got; a paradox infinitely more interesting than whatever Stacy was harping on about, anyway.
She wasn't exactly sure why the tall blonde had 'forgiven' her and was making nice with her at the moment. Likelyit has something to do withto her annoyance about their lingerie match being cancelled due to a challenge being issued the previous week. Torrie was pretty sure a lot of the fans were going to be disappointed. Although, why, she wasn't sure; Stacy didn't exactly wear a lot to the ring no matter what the occasion.
"Torrie!"
She jerked her head in surprise. "Eh…yeah?"
"My God, I know you're stupid, but I'm totally talking to you here! You could at least pretend to listen."
"I was." Stacy didn't understand the insult. "What's wrong?" Torrie asked, deciding to continue humouring the woman.
"It's this stupid challenge! I can't believe that some unknown WWF Diva has decided she wants to wrestle me. I mean, what's that all about?"
"Maybe someone just decided they want to see what you're made of."
Stacy frowned. "Whose side are you on?"
"I'm sorry, Stacy, Tajiri's fighting tonight and it's just, like, so exciting that I don't know what I'm saying."
"You're turning on him tonight, right? I mean, Shane said that whatever you had planned had to happen tonight, didn't he?"
Torrie smirked. "Oh, don't worry, Stacy, everything's happening tonight."
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"Just, please, don't try to maim The Rock at any point tonight," Lita intoned wearily. "You guys agreed to work together until this Alliance thing was all over and if I have to threaten castration to ensure that happens I will."
Torrie chuckled as she slipped in through the doors. "I see everything's in hand here."
Chris raised his eyebrows. "After that comment, I want nothing to do with Lita's hands. Hardy can keep them."
"Was that comment necessary?" Steph asked, closing the magazine she was reading. She was sitting cross-legged on the table next to Jeff.
"I agree. That was uncalled for, Jerky, I've had more than enough visual the past few weeks, thanks," the younger Hardy said, slipping off the table and walking to greet her. "You doing okay, sweetie?" he asked, before kissing her.
Torrie smiled widely and nodded. "I'm fine, great, swell, in fact." Her sarcasm wasn't missed. Jeff raised his eyebrows and she dropped her head onto his chest. "If I have to listen to Stacy Keibler's irritating, whiny, obnoxious, ignorant voice again I may cry."
"You swallow a dictionary this morning?" Chris asked and the others chuckled.
"This is nothing," Jeff said, smiling down at her. "Yesterday she managed to use discombobulation, prehistoric, and triptych in the same conversation, along with some foreign words I've never even heard of. I only asked her if she wanted pepperoni on her pizza."
"I can't help it," Torrie whined. "I'm afraid I might be getting more stupid just by association with Stacy. I think I forgot my name the other day."
Matt winced. "That's 'cause you were too busy screaming Jeff's."
"Again, unnecessary!"
"Matt!" Lita squealed, hitting him repeatedly.
Torrie, however, buried her face in Jeff's chest, convinced her cheeks were about to start a fire.
"Don't worry, baby, I'll kill him later."
"It's okay, I need to go find Tajiri. I just wanted to wish you all luck. However, I've changed my mind about Matt; Bubba can put him through a table." She stuck her tongue out at the older Hardy, knowing her face was still bright red. She turned narrowed eyes to look at Jeff, poking him in the chest. "And you! You try not to kill yourself out there, you hear me?"
He smiled. "I hear you." He kissed her and tucked her hair behind her ears. "You be careful, too."
"I promise."
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Torrie shifted nervously on the balls of her feet. She was standing in the ring next to Stacy, waiting to see who her 'friend's' challenger was for the evening. Needless to say, her prediction about the crowd's reaction to the cancellation of their lingerie match was correct and the chant for 'puppies' had been going strong since they entered the arena.
Stacy sauntered around the ring, flashing her ass as she walked due to the length of her shorts. Really, the crowd weren't getting any less than they'd paid for, except her clothes weren't made of lace.
"As you know," Stacy said, her voice echoing round the arena. "Someone decided to ruin our fun and issue me with a challenge. So, whatever WWF Diva it is that thinks she can actually beat the Alliance, come on out here so I can kick yo-"
Torrie had to hide her smile as Stacy almost keeled over. Lita's music blared from the speakers and the audience went wild. People were already chanting 'Lita' and Torrie couldn't wait to see their reaction to the news Lita was about to deliver.
When her music stopped and Lita was still at the top of the ramp, it became apparent that Lita had something to say and, eventually, the crowd died down.
"Hi, Stacy," the redhead said, a smirk on her face. She gave a little wave.
"Y-you already have a match tonight," Stacy said, sounding as terrified as she looked. "You can't wrestle me, as well!"
"Actually, I could." She chuckled at Stacy's reaction and waited for the cheering crowd to quiet again. "But I'm not going to. Instead, I'm going to let someone else have that pleasure. Someone I have personally helped train; the WWF's newest, brightest, sexy Diva."
Stacy rolled her eyes, her confidence suddenly returning now that she knew Lita wasn't her opponent. "I'm sure I can take anything she can dish out."
"I'm glad you agree." Lita smiled. "Allow me to introduce her to you."
When nothing happened, Stacy smirked, assuming that the WWF's new Diva had chickened out. She turned to share the joke with Torrie…only to be speared into the nearest turnbuckle.
"And that," Torrie said, looking down at her old friend, "is for having to listen to your whiny ass for as long as I can remember."
"I don't understand!" Stacy yelled.
Torrie rolled her eyes. "There's a surprise."
She grabbed the leggy Diva by the hair and proceeded to show her that training with Lita was something that paid off, especially when you were willing to learn and had everything to lose. Torrie was fed up losing and she was a quick learner.
Stacy Keibler didn't stand a chance.
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End of Chapter Nine
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Well, this one's almost over. A few more parts and that's it all done! It's crazy to think that this is the second WWE fic I ever wrote and I'm still not done with it after all this time. As for Cry Me A River, it was the first Lita/Shawn Michaels fic and it's now surrounded by others and, again, not done. Must remedy that!