Lita sat watching the monitor in the catering room. It was empty then. They were well into the event that night and everyone was busying themselves getting ready for their prospective matches. Hers was finished, she'd gone out first that night and now, she sat with a towel draped around her neck, watching her ex-boyfriend work through a match on the little screen.

The redhead knew she could go down to gorilla and watch the fight from there but she didn't want him to see her. Sure, they'd gone out for coffee a few mornings ago and it'd gone well but she wasn't sure she was ready to throw in the towel just yet. He'd hurt her…

Lita sighed heavily and rubbed at her eyes. He seemed so different now. All of that anger he held onto for so long seemed to have vanished. He was acting like the old Matt again.

They'd sat in the all night diner attached to the hotel until way past sun up laughing…just like they used to. She'd told them about their trip to the bar in Detroit and he'd even expressed interest in seeing the place next time they were out there. It was so unlike him! So unlike the Matt he'd become.

Once upon a time, the three of them even, she, Matt, and Jeff would pull all-nighters just so they could see what kind of night life each city they stopped in offered. It had been so much fun… Lita couldn't help but smile at the memories.

What if Matt could be like that again? What if they could pull their little family back together?

A little thrill went through her at the thought. Those nights on the road had been the happiest time of her life.

A loud cheer brought her out of her revelry.

Lita glanced back up at the hazy monitor and saw Matt on the turnbuckle celebrating.

"Way to go Matt." She grinned in spite of herself and turned away from the monitor, heading into the hall.

After the solitude of catering, the hallway seemed like pandemonium. She couldn't help but grin. This was her life and she loved every minute of it.

Lita waved to Sara as she skirted a woman pushing a large box marked makeup and rounded a corner. She found herself standing just inside the curtain with Matt's music still blaring through the arena's speakers.

For a long moment, she stood there listening wondering how it came to be that she was lurking. How did she end up waiting for him to come back through that curtain just so she could catch a glimpse of him as he headed back toward his locker room.

"Look at me", the redhead chuckled, "I'm fan girl."

Suddenly, the curtain parted. Lita's stomach dropped even as she glanced over.

"Good match Adam!" She said good naturedly as a tall, sweat-soaked blonde made his way through.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah…" He muttered smiling and waved off the compliment as he headed down the hall. Lita shook her head softly and tucked a strand of long red hair behind her ear as she leaned back against a crate.

Matt's music was still blaring. Lita smiled softly. She loved Monster Magnet and she'd been so happy when he picked one of their songs for his entrance. At the time, he said it would make him think of her every match.

She chuckled and glanced down, wiping gently at her eyes. Who'd have thought those memories would still mean so much?

"Hey…" His soft South Carolinian drawl caught her.

"Hi."

"What are you…uh…doing out here?" He panted and dabbed at the sweat on his face with a towel.

"That was a good match." She answered trying to keep from walking over to him.

"Oh, uh… thanks." Was he blushing? Lita couldn't tell if it was the exertion from the match or if her tiny little compliment had actually touched him. "I've got to go get showered." The redhead nodded and crossed her arms over her stomach.

"Well… I won't keep you." Now she felt the heat rising in her cheeks. "I just wanted to say hello I guess…and congratulate you on your match." Matt shuffled his feet and nodded before he reluctantly headed down the corridor.

Lita stood watching him go quite unsure of what to do with herself. The former love of her life had just turned a corner and disappeared and it was all she could do to keep from following him. She knew that this was best for her. He'd changed so much! He wasn't her Matt anymore…was he?

The redhead's thoughts traveled backward to the morning they'd had coffee and she couldn't stop her brain from swarming all over it, analyzing every detail of their conversation, of their time together. Not once did he give her 'the look'…

So many times she'd tried to tell him something she was excited about only to get…'the look'. She rolled her eyes. The look said 'yes, I look like I'm listening, but if you continue I'll have to rip my own head off'. It was usually followed up shortly by a smile and a nod. She had hated it.

However, he hadn't done that. Not once! She'd prattled on and on about her little adventure with Kane and he'd taken it all in, laughing at all the right moments and appearing quite concerned. It was like he'd taken a new interest in her life now that he wasn't a part of it.

That was another thing… More than once, she'd brought up her best friend. Before, she'd gone out of her way not to mention Kane. It seemed for so long that the mere sound of his name was enough to send Matt into one of his sulking fits or, worse yet, into a useless rage. But no… She'd told him all about what was going on between Kane and Robin and he'd expressed concern. He'd even asked how they were doing and said to let Robin know that if she needed anything to let him know.

That was Matt! That was her Matt and the distance between them now was turning her insides into a mess of knot work.

"Hey Lita?" She started when he spoke. She'd been so lost in her own thoughts.

"Wow, I didn't even hear you walk up." She chuckled and turned away trying to hide her discomfiture.

"Are you ok? You looked like you were about to cry?" He said. Lita chanced a glance over to him and found herself caught in his deep brown eyes. There was no malice in them, no hidden agenda, just…Matt.

"Oh, I wasn't crying." She lied. "I guess there's just some dust in the air…or something." Matt nodded and crossed his arms over his chest. "I thought you were going to get in the shower."

"I did." He said slowly. Lita felt a heat rise in her cheeks as she slowly raised her eyes to his. He was smiling that little knowing smile and it made the redhead's cheeks heat up further.

"I didn't realize I'd been standing here that long."

"I was sort of hoping you were waiting for me." Now it was Matt's turn to blush slightly. He covered it well, casting his eyes down at just the right moment.

Lita took a deep breath and closed her eyes. "I…guess I was."

"Really?" He was breathy. Lita looked up and saw the shock on his face.

"Yeah." She smiled. "Really."

"Did you want to go grab a bite to eat maybe?" Matt's voice sounded like a kid asking for what he wanted from Santa. Lita opened her mouth but no words managed to work their way out. "You don't have to." He began. "I mean, I know it's sort of late and all."

"I could eat." She smiled and it went all the way to her eyes. Matt sputtered.

"Seriously?" He was so excited.

"Yeah, seriously." She laughed. He was so cute when he was caught off guard. "I've still got to shower and change but if you still want to go in say, half an hour, I would not be opposed to it."

"I'd stand here all night if I had to, Leets."

"Well let's hope my shower doesn't take that long." She teased and poked him playfully in the chest. Matt reached up and touched her hand.

"Go do what you've got to do, girl. I'll be right here." He said in his soft southern drawl and hoisted himself up to sit on a crate.

Lita nodded still smiling. She couldn't help herself. The man on the crate was Matt Hardy. Her Matt Hardy and he was watching her walk away with a look she hadn't seen on his face in a very long time.

"Keep your eyes in your head Hardy." She teased as she walked away. "I'll be back in a minute."

Lita's grin got wider as she turned the corner. She could hear him laughing the whole time.