In This Together

Disclaimer: I own nothing that you recognize.. Title inspired by the song, We're In This Together by Nine Inch Nails

Rating: M, to be on the safe side, for language and violence

Spoilers: Vengeance 2006, specifically Edge vs. RVD

Pairings: Lita/Cena, Victoria/Hunter, possible Lilian/Shawn

Summary: She never expected to need someone who was supposed to hate her..

Notes: well, the muses and I fought and the muses won… this story shall go on.

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Lilian Garcia bit her lower lip, the blond woman currently standing in the hallway and hopefully outside of John Cena's hotel room.. Victoria had said that the former champion was on this floor, the older woman having overhead the information when she was checking in earlier. But, that still didn't mean that he was at the hotel or that he would answer the door. And then again, the person she was looking for might not be there…the thought causing Lilian to take a step back, her arms hanging at her sides, an unsure expression on her face. The ring announcer was going on information from Maria…the younger woman telling her that she had seen Lita leaving with John but she didn't know where they were going. At the very least, however, Cena would know where the redhead had been most recently.. Lilian doubting that her friend would go to the hospital…a frown crossing her features as she took another step back. After everything that had happened, the blond woman was unsure of her relationship with Lita. The redhead had pushed her away or maybe it had been Edge, Lilian wasn't quite sure on it because she hadn't been able to speak with Lita.

Before, Lita had gone to her…talked to her about anything and nothing. Along with Victoria, the three women had spent countless nights talking, watching cheesy movies…occasionally Lilian was able to coax the other two into makeovers.

And then things had changed, the redhead had started to fade away from them.. Leaving Victoria and herself at a loss for what to do.

They had been unable to do anything as their best friend was taken away from them.. The blond woman nearly jumping out of her skin as a hand came to rest on her shoulder, Victoria offering a quick apology, the two women then standing in the hallway.. The two women standing there, Lilian still unsure if she should even be there.. All she knew was that, when Lita had left the ringside area with Edge…the blond man hadn't been happy. And if Lilian's suspicions were correct about the Canadian….well that only meant trouble for the redhead. Heaving a sigh, the blond woman turned towards her friend, a little surprised to see that Victoria had all of her gear with her.. Certainly, Lilian had informed Victoria of Lita's last known whereabouts at the arena…the blond woman then presuming that Victoria would just meet her at the hotel later. But now..

Victoria set down her bags, "I went to the local hospitals…asking about Amy Dumas, Lita Dumas.. Any other name she's been known to check in with. No sign of her there so I came back to the hotel.. Didn't bother going to my room yet."

Lilian gave a slight nod, "if you had told me, I would've gone with you." She glanced to the door of the hotel room, then back to Victoria. "I'm worried about her Vicki.. What if--"

"He probably did Lil," Victoria sighed, running a hand through her dark hair. "I know you've had your suspicions and so have I.. I don't even know if she went back to that asshole or not."

The blond woman sighed, "well I guess there's only one way to find out.." She sent another glance over to the door, "and you're sure that John Cena is staying in this room, right?"

Victoria rolled her eyes, "positive Lilian.. I overheard him when I was checking in. Anyone who was standing within five feet of him could have heard which room he was staying in."

"Alright," Lilian said softly, the ring announcer stepping forwards, her hand raised to knock at the door when it was swung back.

John arched an eyebrow at the two as he shut the door, an empty ice bucket in his hands. "Can I help y'all?"

Lilian cleared her throat, her hands coming to clasp in front of her. "Have you seen Lita? And don't tell me you haven't John.. I asked Maria and she said that she saw you leaving with Lita and--"

"She's in there," John informed her shortly, "I was just goin' to get some ice--"

"What happened to her?" Victoria interrupted him, something pleading in her eyes, "I mean.. is she okay?"

Cena smiled wryly, "I wouldn't exactly say she's okay.. Maybe she'll be okay in the future but right now? She ain't okay.. Probably hasn't been for awhile now." He gestured down to the ice bucket, "ice is for me though.. I busted up my knuckles a bit…knocking that bastard unconscious."

And while Victoria managed a small smirk at that, Lilian sniffled, her lower lip quivering. "Can we see her?"

John nodded easily, handing over the keycard in his free hand. "I'm doubting that y'all are here to start shit.. Plus, she mentioned she had friends once upon a time.."

Lilian let out a choked sob, "Li was our best friend…until he took her away from us."

"Then I'm sure she'll appreciate the fact that y'all are here." John offered the two a smile, leaving then so he could find the ice machine.

The two women exchanged a look, Victoria grabbing her bags before inserting the keycard into the slot, waiting for the green light before she pushed the door open. Both women's eyes instantly looking for signs of their friend. And when they saw her, Lilian had to fight not to cry, eventually losing the battle when Lita noticed they were there.. They could easily see the bruise on her face, the redhead curled on her side facing the door. Lilian and Victoria couldn't see her back, which was probably a good thing since the redhead's back was currently waiting to be bandaged and iced.. The cuts hadn't been deep, but they had bothered her enough.. Thanks to the shirt she was wearing, they couldn't see the hand shaped bruises on her upper arms.. The redhead still wearing the shirt that Cena had given her at the arena, along with a pair of her own gym shorts. And then she was turning away from them, her expression pained as she did so.

"Li.." Victoria finally let go of her bags, the keycard set on the dresser in the room as she made her way over to the bed. "Please.. We just wanted to check on you. If you want us to leave, we will, but please.."

Lilian pushed back a few strands of loose hair, the ring announcer looking at her feet. "Lita please.. We missed you." She crossed the room wordlessly, tears spilling over her cheeks, "I don't care why you pushed away but…please.. We just want our best friend back."

Something in the redhead's expression changed, a sad smile touching her lips. "I'm sorry.."

Victoria shook her head, taking one of Lita's hands in hers. "There's no need to apologize Li. We just want to talk to you.. Help you if you'll let us.."

"I don't deserve--"

"Stop it," Lilian spoke up quietly, though her voice held a forcefulness to it. "Li, just stop.. It doesn't matter anymore, alright? We just want our best friend."

Lita bit her lower lip, worrying the soft flesh, her expression still guarded and unsure. "I.. I just.."

Victoria smoothed her friend's hair back from her face, "tell us when you want to and what you want to, okay? And don't push Shawn and Hunter away either…they're worried about you."

Lilian cleared her throat, seating herself on the bed. "Is it alright if I call Shawn or Benoit maybe? Just so they know you're okay?"

The redhead nodded slowly, starting to say something when there was a knock at the door…hazel eyes flashing with fear until John identified himself, Victoria moving from the bed to let the man in.. Lilian moving to another part of the hotel room to make the call.

"Made a side trip to the vending machines," he set down the ice bucket first, removing a few bottled waters before picking up the ice bucket again, heading to the bathroom, re-appearing shortly with a washcloth. "Don't give me that look, Lita, we made a deal."

Victoria glanced curiously between the two, "let me guess.. Bribery?"

John shrugged, "whateva works ya know? She didn't want to ice that bruise on her face, so--"

"And I can see that your knuckles are already bandaged, quite neatly in fact." A bemused smirk touched Victoria's lips, "and you even have a smiley face on one of them."

Cena rolled his eyes, seating himself on the other side of the redhead. "Part of the deal, alright?"

The dark haired diva merely smiled, watching with amusement as the blue eyed wrestler put the washcloth on Lita's face, a part of her surprised that the man was capable of being so gentle…and that the redhead was letting him help her.

"Hey Vicki.. Ya got any Neosporin in that bag of yours?"

Victoria raised an eyebrow, a questioning look sent to John as she moved from the bed…rummaging in one of her bags. "What else did he do to her?"

John hesitated, glancing to the redhead for permission it seemed…and when Lita nodded, he motioned for Victoria to move, the man carefully lifting the back of the shirt.. Victoria flinching when she saw the welts there.

"It ain't as bad as it was," he told her quietly, uncapping the Neosporin, "bled a little but.."

Cena trailed off when he noticed that Victoria wasn't listening.. The woman sitting silently beside her friend, tears flowing down her face.