Title~ High-Speed Stakes
(3/?)
Author~ Cristal
Email~ Talis13@yahoo.com
Rating~ PG13
Disclaimer~ All character names belong to the WWE and their respective selves: the rest really does belong to me. ;)
Distribution~ Interested in hosting this fic? Please ask permission. ;)
Notes~ Totally AU.
Summary~
Edge filled out his paperwork on the car as Lita took his ID's to photocopy and grab temporary tags for the vehicle. She stood at a filing cabinet as she pulled out a set of temp tags, looking over at the young man at the desk. Tall and lanky with scruffy blonde hair, intense look in his gunmetal grey gaze. Handsome, yes, very. She'd be a liar if she argued that point. She still hadn't seen Christian come out since the first time he saw Edge...she wondered about the obviously volatile history between the two...
Shaking her head she stepped back to the table, smile on her face as she sat. She went through, double checking all of the paperwork a final time before calling over Taker first chance he got. "How did you plan on paying?"
"Cash."
She stopped before looking up at him. "What?"
He gave her hints of that grin again. "I said cash. Is that all right?"
"Of course. Undertaker will have to handle that though." she shook her head again as she looked up, catching his smile again. She couldn't help but smile back: it was kind of infectious.
Taker tepped over, questioning look on his face: one that SAID he was gonna be asking about THAT later. "What did you need Red?"
"Um, he wanted to pay cash for the car Taker."
He arched an eyebrow before nodding, motioning towards a small office at the side. "Fine. And your name...?"
"Edge." Grin.
Taker arched an eyebrow before nodding. "Follow me. Lita, stay on the floor until I get through."
"All right."
"Go ahead and clean up that Mustang too."
She nodded, watching as the two went into the office, the door shutting. She picked up some clean buff rags and started over to the cherry red car that was practically shining in the window.
Taker had a seat behind the desk, motioning for him to do the same. Edge had a seat expectantly. "Now. Before we continue, who are you working for?"
"What do you mean?"
"Unless you had an inheritance, there's no way you can be paying for that car, racing stock AND your entry fee. I just want to know who it is."
He gave a sneaky hint of a smile. "Now I don't have to do that you know... I am a paying customer after all."
"True." he leaned back before shrugging. "You aren't planning on bringing in the Ferrari are you?"
He couldn't help but look slightly surprised. "No. I hadn't heard that yet."
Taker arched an eyebrow. "Well, your sponsor better get on top of it, because that's the rumor. Just don't know who it is yet."
Edge shrugged, leaning back. "Probably just Hardy being an ass again."
"Maybe. But Jeff has pulled some amazing stuff before: wouldn't surprise me. Especially if his brother is running parts like I heard."
"Have they actually come here?"
Taker snorted derisively. "You could say that. I KNOW those two punks broke into my garage last year. Matt mysteriously had a lot of garage gear right after that which looked conspicuously like mine. Call it a hunch."
He grinned. "Yeah, well they're both sneaky little shits."
He nodded once more. "True. Now, down to business."
Lita finally finished cleaning up the car before sticking her head into the garage. "Christian! Need help!"
"Coming..." he cleaned up a little before stepping back into the showroom.
She sent him towards the Honda that was being looked over by the young man he had been dealing with lately about the car. She stopped near him. "I have to run to the back to get a shipment that came in: watch for me."
He nodded and she hurried to the back, looking through the miscellaneous boxes that were stacked up, different motor parts and components in each. She pouted before heading farther to the back where she had sorted things by customer a couple of days ago... she stopped as she heard a scuffling noise. "HEY! What the hell do you think you're doing back there?!?"
A lanky young man popped up from behind one of the full motor boxes, a slight smile on his lips, green eyes twinkling merrily. He shrugged, pushing colorful blue streaked hair over his shoulder as he did so. "Shopping?"
"GOD DAMN IT HARDY!! MAAAARK!!!!" She jumped over two boxes, tripping on one and snagging the cuff of his baggy jeans. He kicked out, popping Lita in the face with his boot before heading towards one of the back doors.
Christian's head jerked at Lita's yell and he started running towards the door. "I'll be back in a minute!!"
Taker heard the same as he looked over at Edge. "I'll be back in just a second…"
Both hastily made it back to the stock rooms, Christian hopping over Lita as he took off after Hardy at full tilt. He put on a burst of speed, tackling the other younger man to the concrete floor. Christian sat on him with a frown as Taker helped up Lita who's mouth was bleeding from the boot to the jaw. She pushed him away, wiping at the blood, serving to smear it across her face. "Help him…"
He nodded, letting go of her and stalking over to the struggling Hardy boy on the floor. He grabbed the young man by the shirt collar, yanking him up as soon as Christian moved. A low rumbling growl issued deep in his throat at the young man who was becoming the slightest bit uneasy. "Um…hi?"
"Yeah, hi." Taker yanked on him, sending him stumbling after him as he walked, dragging the other man behind him. He stalked out of the back room's, Christian trailing behind him as they entered a side room near the show arena.
Lita sighed as she rubbed her jaw gently, wincing as she did so. She walked slowly back into the show arena, waving off people's concerns as she made her way to a back bathroom. She stepped into the garage, heading for the sink situated near the door. She watched the water run cold before grabbing some peroxide to wash off whatever cut she managed to get that time around.
Hearing the door open once more, she pushed a clean cloth under the cool water. "I'm fine Christian…you should help the people out there otherwise Taker will be more pissed than he already is. And besides-"
She stopped as she turned, not hearing him leave. She found out it was the wrong 'he'. "You're not supposed to be back here."
He tilted his head, almost looking concerned in her opinion. "Are you all right?"
"Do I look all right?" she hissed as the peroxide hit the cut painfully.
"You know that isn't what I meant-"
"Sorry, I'm not in the mood to pay really great attention right this instant." She sighed. "Seriously though, Taker will be pissed if someone besides me or Christian are back here. Even if you ARE buying a car."
He shrugged. "I'll deal with it then."
She shrugged as well as she cleaned off all the blood and tossed the cloth into a hamper. "If you're going to stand there, can I ask you something?" he shrugged with a nod. "How do you know Christian?"
His eyes took on a sad afterglow at that question. "Long story…"
"Think you could give me the slightly condensed version then?"
He smirked. "I suppose. We've known each other…a very long time. Stopped talking about three years ago."
"Why?"
"That's not my place to say."
"Uh huh." She crossed her arms over her chest. "Who's place is it?"
"...Christian's. I can respect that for him. He ever tells you, and trust me, I'll know if he does, you hunt me down and we'll chat." he smiled slightly before crossing his arms over his chest, smirking down at the redhead he towered over. "Why...? You worried about him?"
"Well, he IS my friend." she pouted endearingly.
"Right." the sarcasm was as unmistakable as his smirk. Might as well see how much she'll take. "What? He banging you on the nights you two 'work'?"
He didn't even get a moment to react because she was over and smacked him across the face as hard as she could, making his head snap with the force. "I don't know WHO you think YOU are, but don't you EVER talk about one of my friends like that again. Now get the hell out of this damn garage."
Shock would have been an understatement. He rubbed his cheek as he stepped back, eyes narrowing. "I can talk however I want about whoever I want you little redheaded race rat." he turned, storming out the garage door, leaving a furious Lita in his wake.
One nervous Hardy sat in the quiet room with one very large unfriendly looking man with a Texan accent. Green met green as they met each other's gazes quietly. Undertaker folded his hands behind his back. "How the hell did you get in?"
"Um, through the frontdoor?"
Taker stormed over, slamming the chair he sat in against the wall, eye to eye as he leaned down. "I just asked you an easy question. Answer."
He swallowed nervously. "Ah...through the back door..."
"I see." he stood, looking down. "Who's your sponsor?"
"I don't-"
"I said don't lie to me boy!! I meant it! Now answer the damn question before you get up close and personal with my fist!"
"Dwayne Johnson. He-he's my sponsor this time..."
He nodded, picking the phone up from the wall, dialing quickly. He waited a moment before frowning slightly. "Yeah, hello. I need to speak to The Rock. Yeah, it's Undertaker." he paused a moment before frowning again. "Yeah, Rock, it's me. I have one of your little brats here. The little ass is trying to rob me blind again!!"
"What?!" there was a distinctive sigh. "Which one...?"
Taker gave a harsh bark of laughter. "Jeff Hardy of course! You need to put a leash on the little ass!! He's gonna get you thrown from this race next if you ain't careful!"
"I know." he growled. "How can I convince you to NOT report this one...?"
"Well let's see..." he smiled slightly. "I'll take three grand in reparations."
"Isn't that a little much?"
"Not when you consider he and his brother ripped me off last year and he tagged one of my mechanics in the face with his boot."
There was grumbling over the line. "Fine. I'll just transfer it to your account and you don't call the man about this."
"Deal so long as you keep this little boy under watch."
"Fine. Check your account in half an hour."
"Pleasure doing business as usual Rocky." he chuckled.
"Likewise." he ground out before slamming down the phone.
Taker hung up, looking at the still nervous Jeff Hardy who was twisting his hands together in his lap. "Well boy, you just got your ass saved like normal. Damn good thing you drive a hell of a lot better than you steal things."
"So...what happened?"
"Oh, you didn't hear?" Taker asked with a grin as Jeff shook his blue head. "Well, Rocky's paying me the 3K's."
"Oh shit!!" Jeff cried, head dropping to his hands. "He's gonna so take that out of any wins I get!!!"
Taker just laughed.
Lita worked quietly on her car after the shop closed. She sighed as she finally sorted all of the new wires of the engine casing. She sighed again as she sat on the front of the car, looking into the engine housing. The only good thing to happen today was catching Jeff and his getting the hell beat out of him with a fine. But...that guy Edge pissed her off. He seemed nice; she mentioned Christian and he turned into a prick. And then Christian...she hadn't talked to him since earlier. She wasn't sure if he left for the day or what...she sighed.
The door slipped open and she looked back, meeting a pale blue gaze. Christian looked down sheepishly before meeting her eyes again. "Sorry about...well, about bolting earlier. Didn't mean to leave you high and dry or anything."
"I'll forgive you as soon as you tell me what was going on..."
He sighed, holding up a bag of takeout. "Food?"
"Sure." she hopped out of the car and sat at the bench with him as he set food out for them. Both were quietly eating a few moments before she took a drink of pop. "So, you sold that Honda?"
"Finally!" he smiled slightly, his face lighting up with the gesture. "I have nothing against the car, but I'm SO glad to see it gone!!"
She nodded. "Yeah, that's cool. I heard Taker wanted to look into buying an old 2+2 Fastback next from that one guy...bright, loud as hell…who was that..."
"Randy Savage."
"Yeah!" she finished off her sandwich as she leaned back, looking over at her car. "He called me a race rat..."
"Who the hell called you a race rat?!"
"Calm down Christian." she sighed before her lips twisted into a frown. "Edge."
"Don't listen to a damn thing he says. Trust me."
"Can I ask you something...?"
He was silent a moment before shrugging with a nod, the gesture looking oddly familiar. "I suppose..."
"How do you know him...?"
"Lita, it's nothing against you but I don't really wanna talk about him right now."
"Later?"
"Maybe..." he sighed again. "Anyway, what are you working on tonight?"
"I was going to hook all the new wiring up in the housing. You?"
"I finished with repainting the paneling, so I'll just reinstall that tonight. I should have some time to pull of the dashboard and install new wiring in there too."
"Fantastic!" she smiled brightly again. "Thank you for helping me. I know you didn't have to or anything…"
He shrugged, glancing at the floor underfoot. "Actually, I did because you helped me last time you know."
"…true, you did."
He just laughed as they cleaned up and started towards the car. "Well, let's see what we can get done tonight."
End Chapter 3