Note: I noticed a glaring error between the previous two parts and have changed accordingly. In Chapter 17, Edge offers to watch Lillian's back during Rob's match, and Rob says that he doesn't want to ruin Edge's chances since his match is after theirs. But then in chapter 18, I had Edge telling Ivory that he was up after Y2J. Have amended to say that Edge had an interview with Coach after Y2J's match.
Note 2: I had been hoping to finish this in 20 parts, but there's not a chance! There will be 22-25 parts, I reckon.
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Part Nineteen
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"I really hate those men," Jeff said, glaring at the screen. "I mean, they really suck."
"I know they do, sweetie, but I also know that Rob and Billy are going to hurt them."
Jeff turned to smile at Lita, before smirking at Shawn, who still had his arms around the redhead. He chuckled slightly and Shawn rolled his eyes, shaking his head at the younger man. The UnAmericans were making their way down the ramp and, as far as Jeff was concerned, the sooner they got there the sooner Rob and Billy would get out to kick their collective asses.
"Oh, no, put the mic down Test," he called at the TV. "No one wants to hear it." Despite his words, he crawled over to the television and turned up the volume.
"-his little tramp when we all know she wanted it-" Test smiled as he was cut off by the audience booing.
"Oh, Rob is really going to hurt him," Lita growled. She turned to Shawn and noticed he was frowning. "What is it?" she asked.
"I'm not sure." He leaned closer, waiting until the camera panned back to show all three of the men in the ring. "Is it just me," he asked, "or does Lance not look particularly happy about what his buddies are saying?"
"Yeah, I think you might be right," Jeff agreed, leaning back on his elbows to watch. "If Test and Chris aren't careful, they may have some in fighting on their hands."
Lita scowled as Edge and Christian continued to mouth off, hissing, "Yes!" the moment Rob's music cut the man off. She bounced a little in her seat as Rob and Billy ran into the ring, Rob instantly throwing himself at Test. While Billy had thrown begun his fight with Christian, it was actually Lance that was the other man involved in the match, and it didn't take a genius to work out why. The moment the bell rang, Christian slipped from the ring and made his way towards the petite ring announcer, distracting Rob for long enough to let Lance get the upper hand. For his part, Lance had yet to realise what Christian was doing.
"That little shit!" Shawn was about to get to his feet when Lita pulled him back into a sitting position.
"You too, small fry," she said to Jeff, who was also getting to his feet.
"Li, Lillian's your best friend, how can you be trying to stop us?"
"Two reasons," she began, waiting until Jeff sat before she would continue. "Number one, you both have matches coming up tonight, and if Matt and Triple H really are working together, I would not put it past them to try something. In fact, whether they're working together or alone, I wouldn't trust them not to.
"Number two, I have been instructed to keep you both back here." At their confusion, she smiled. "Rob and Billy assured me that they have things in hand."
"What do you…is that who I think it is?" Jeff leaned closer to the television, incredulous.
"It might be." Lita smirked.
"I don't get it," Shawn said with a frown. "What a hit! Care to explain to me, thong girl, why Benoit is currently taking it to Christian?"
Lita shrugged. "Chris is actually quite a nice guy."
"Coulda fooled me," Jeff muttered.
"He's been biding his time. When Rob went to tell him that he wasn't going to take the title match because of what Test did to Lillian, Chris decided that he wanted to make sure that Rob was in one piece until they can have their match. Plus he really hates the UnAmericans apparently."
"Doesn't everybody?" Jeff asked, punching the air as Benoit threw Christian into the steel steps. The match continued with Benoit in their friends' corner, stopping Christian whenever it looked like the Canadian was about to head in Lillian's direction. Lillian, too, had seemed shocked by Benoit's arrival, but she smiled warily at him when the man helped her out of, yet another, tight spot with Christian.
"This is not going to go well," Shawn muttered, spotting something out of the corner of his eyes. "Shit!"
The three of them left the changing room at a run, careering through the hallways without a care as to who they were going to meet. By the time they had reached the top of the ramp, they could hear the crows going wild and Lita realised that a camera had been following their movement through the building.
They made their way quickly down the ramp, watching as Matt and Triple H headed into the crowd, sledgehammers in hand, Dawn-Marie hurrying to catch them up. Shawn got the message. Again. Triple H was not just planning on beating him, he wanted to paralyse him.
"Hey, you okay?" he asked, turning back to Lillian. During the confusion, Benoit had been taken out by Matt while Dawn-Marie had gone after Lillian. Luckily the blonde ring announcer had put her microphone to good use and belted the woman across the head, stunning her for long enough to get away. While Lillian could hold her own in a fair fight, she hadn't wanted to test herself against Dawn-Marie.
"I'm okay, but Rob-"
"Rob will be okay. I'm sure he's more worried about you, sweetie." Shawn checked around, noting that Lita was with the Rabid Wolverine, making sure that the man was all right. When he was on his feet, Benoit - with Lita's help - made his way over to them.
"How can the ref have missed that?" Jeff asked angrily, as he and Edge joined them. The other man had instantly entered the arena when he spotted Triple H, Matt and Dawn-Marie in the crowd and, luckily for him, had come to no serious injury before his match.
"My guess is that he had a little something lining his pockets," Shawn said darkly, watching the titantron. Matt and Dawn-Marie were back in their dressing room, drinking champagne and enjoying themselves. But what worried Shawn was that Hunter was not with them.
"Oh the bright side," Lita said sighing, "at least we have confirmation that Matt is working with Triple H."
"My bet is they knew we'd figured it out," Shawn added, wincing as Billy's head connected with the turn buckle. The match had continued, and they were still standing by the Spanish announcers' table, keeping watch. "Hunter would never tip his hand this early unless their was a reason. He wanted to show us that he was one step ahead."
"Yeah, I guess." Lita leaned her head against his arm and he wrapped an arm around her without thinking.
"And definitely on the up," Jeff added, breaking into a grin. "Did you see that limp?"
Shawn chuckled. "You sure got him a good one, all right, petal."
Jeff rolled his eyes and pretended to gag, ducking when both Lita and Shawn attempted to swat him. He stuck out his tongue and turned back to the match. Test was arguing with the referee and gesturing wildly, and they soon found out why. The referee walked to the ropes and indicated for Lillian to approach him. Upon her arrival, Howard Finkle had left in a strop leaving Lillian as the only announcer.
A few moments later, she raised her mic, glancing apologetically in their direction. "The referee has banned all wrestlers from ringside. Only those directly involved in the match are to remain." When the referee heard this statement, he gestured again, clearly stating that Christian was allowed to remain. After a few moments debate with Billy and Test, Lillian raised her microphone again. "Both Christian and Chris Benoit may remain to support their teams."
Lita tugged on Shawn's sleeve, pulling him towards the ramp. Jeff and Edge followed closely behind and all four kept their eyes on the screen as they were leaving. When they reached the backstage area again, they turned their eyes to the screen, aware that there was a camera watching their every move.
The match continued rapidly, the tempers of all six men rapidly approaching critical. Rob and Test were in the ring, battling back and forth, when suddenly Rob dropped Test to the floor and pulled him into a quick roll up.
"Three count!" Lita yelled as they all began to celebrate.
"I think Test is a little pissed," Shawn said with a smirk.
"A little?" Jeff asked, raising his eyebrows. "I'd say…what the hell?" They were all preparing to rush out to Lillian's aid, noting that Benoit and Rob had both been taken down by Test and Billy was still in the corner, clutching his swelling ankle.
"Wait," Edge called.
They turned back to the screen, watching as Lance hit Christian over the back of the head with e steel chair, the younger man promptly slumping to the floor. Lance nodded to Lillian and glanced back into the ring, where Billy and Benoit had recovered and were beating Test to a pulp in the corner. Rob was making his way quickly around the ring to Lillian's side. Lance nodded again in their direction before dropping the chair and making his way up the ramp.
Shawn smiled a little and glanced at the others. "Well, I'll be damned."
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End of Part Nineteen
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Next part…Edge vs. Eddie. And possibly Jeff and Lita vs. Matt and Dawn-Marie as well…