Tears in the Rain

Disclaimer: Vince owns the personas, people own themselves.. I own pocket lint and the story idea.

Spoilers: Nope… it's A/U.

Rating: M.. upped to be on the safe side as there's some stuff that's not so happy ahead.

Summary: A high school reunion answers questions and stirs up countless memories. When all is said and done, can they survive the aftermath? Or has the drama only just begun?

Characters: Lita, Trish, Victoria, Dawn, Lilian, Stacy; Jeff Hardy, John Cena, Batista, Randy, Chris Jericho, Tyson Tomko, Triple H and Christian. Many others will also be making an appearance, but, my main characters are the ones previously listed.

Notes: All in the previous chapters.

-x-x-x-

Obviously, she knew who was sitting there…but that didn't mean she was quite ready to talk to him. That was probably foolish, bordering on immature on her part, but…things were just awkward. Perhaps it was the time of night.. She couldn't very well call it day time, because it wasn't day time…it was well past midnight. Or perhaps the awkwardness between them was due to one particular moment at the reunion. Or maybe it was just because they were just who they were, regardless if it had been ten years, at the very root of it all…they were still the same people. Certainly, they had changed physically, and back then they had only been children, teasing and living each day with no care in the world. Time passed and they grew into teenagers.. Horrid at times, vulnerable and curious…and yet they had retained some of their childlike innocence. But that, like everything else in life, had slipped out of their reach, perhaps it had occurred after they had turned eighteen or perhaps it had happened when they had graduated. Fresh faced and just on the threshold of being adults. And now…well, now they were adults. They had more responsibilities, no parents to answer to, no one to really run to when they made mistakes. By being adults, and with those ten years passing them by, there were things that they didn't know. And maybe that made it easier.. Easier to face their past, but…maybe it just made things harder. Maybe there was more to it then that and maybe there wasn't. the redheaded woman wasn't quite sure on the matter, nor did she wish to discuss it with the man occupying the porch swing with her. Whether she wanted to admit to it, or whether she even realized it, they were all connected…still connected, the intricacies of their childhood having forged a common thread. From the very first day to this particular moment…things had changed in so many ways, but so many things had stayed the same. And just like the last time she had found herself in this particular spot, with this particular person.. Lita was an absolute loss for words.

One of them would have to break the silence and since she seemed so reluctant to do so… "If we were still in high school… you would've told me to get the hell away from you by now."

Lita smirked, very slightly and it was gone before it was even there. "Yeah well, this isn't high school.. And I might not have the best memory in the world, but I don't think this particular situation ever occurred."

John's shoulders lifted in a shrug, "not at this exact time…but, I seem to remember one time this did happen."

Hazel eyes regarded his profile with a mixture of curiosity and surprise. "You remember that?"

Blue eyes met hers in the dark, "not right down to every second, but yeah I remember that. It was the night of the Senior prom."

Lita shifted her attention away from him, "I know.. I was probably the only person who didn't go to the Senior prom."

"But you had a reason.." His hands cushioned behind his head, "your ankle was twisted or sprained…and you had told Trish and Dawn that you couldn't get crutches to match your dress."

"Sprained, mild sprain, from stealing third base." Lita rolled her eyes at the memory, "and it wasn't even from a regulation game, it was from gym class.. Boys vs. girls."

And he nodded, "I know.. I was there when it happened because I was at short stop. They took you up to the nurses office and then you had to go to the hospital, no one saw you until the next day."

"Yeah well, after playing softball at Tandem for six years, it was almost embarrassing.."

He raised an eyebrow at that, "why would it be embarrassing? So you screwed up your ankle stealing a base. It happens to everyone."

"Whatever," Lita clutched the blanket tighter around her form, "it still happened, I still had crutches, which meant that there was no way I was going to the Senior prom."

John smirked a little, "Trish and Dawn thought you had done it on purpose.. So you'd have a good reason for missing the prom or whatever."

She shook her head, "I actually wanted to go.. I don't know why, but I did want to go and I had a dress picked out.."

"Which you ended up wearing in your mom's wedding."

The redhead blinked, hazel eyes sliding back over to him. "You remember that?"

He offered another shrug of his shoulders, "I was there.. My mom was sitting at the end of the row, next to the aisle, I was sitting next to her…my brothers and my dad were in the row too." John made an offhanded gesture to the backyard, "wedding was right out there and your mom had been worried about rain."

"And the reception was in the barn," Lita held his gaze for a moment, "I can remember dancing with you and later that night, the three of us...me, you and Jeff, went for a drive so we could see the sunrise at the lake."

"Which was three hours away.. And we went back there after graduation."

She nodded, her mouth opening then shutting quickly…a thought suddenly occurring to her as she looked away. "I wasn't the only one who missed the Senior prom."

"And you remember that how?"

The faint traces of a smile appeared at the corners of her mouth. "Because Jeff had wanted to know how you knew to get to the exact spot at the lake…where the view was perfect to watch the sunrise or to watch the stars." Smiling a little more fully she added: "it was the spot that he and I always picked."

John's forearms came to rest on his thighs as he leaned forwards. "I do remember you telling me that… though I didn't really understand why.. Didn't really think much of it, I guess."

"Jeff and I.. Even before our parents got married, we've always been close. I was always closer to him than I ever was to Trish, Vicki, Dawn or Lil.."

"But there were still some things that you left out, that you never really told him."

A slim hand reached upwards, tugging back a few strands of hair. "I told him.. I just didn't tell him right away. There were just a few times that he wasn't there and I didn't want him to worry, so I put it off."

"And yet, you told me…"

"Or you found out because you were there," she said quietly, hazel eyes meeting blue once more. "Why are you out here?"

John was silent for a moment…he had a few reasons for being out here. "Couldn't sleep.." and that was one of them, but not the most important. "Why are you out here?"

That same ghost of a smile graced her face. "Same reason.. I can't sleep."

-x-x-x-

He didn't need to see her fully to know that she wasn't telling him the complete truth. Just like she didn't need to see him to know that he wasn't telling her the complete truth. Because, even after ten years, that was just how things were between them. Of all the people she had grown up with, John Cena was the one who knew the most about her, the one who knew her the best. And that went both ways, though neither was exactly sure how that ever came to be. On the surface, they were opposites.. Save for a few minor things here and there, but they were opposites…always bound to clash. Except when it mattered.. During the times that they needed someone to talk to, someone they could rely on. And it was strange, really, how that even came to be. Perhaps even more strange, after graduation, they had lost touch…of all the people she had grown up with, he was the only one that she hadn't spoken to since graduation. And yet, here there were now, like nothing had ever changed…like they had always been around each other. That was yet another thing that puzzled Lita about the man that was sitting next to her. Another thing that was puzzling her, was how the space had diminished when they were talking. John had been sitting at the other end of the porch swing, a comfortable distance away from her…and now, if not for the blanket covering her, their legs would be in direct contact. This moment, one of those supposedly sleepless nights, reminded the redheaded woman of another night. Only this night hadn't occurred in Waynesboro, nor had it even occurred in Virginia… it had happened in Italy, during the cultural immersion trip for Latin class.

- Flashback -

Rome, Italy, Junior Year

Their trip to Italy had started in Rome, logically so, since Rome was really the heart of it all. And the students had visited the Coliseum, they had been to the Forum and the Circus Maximus…and that was just the first day. Their second day there, they had gone on a tour of the catacombs, while tomorrow would take them to Pompeii. The trip would end in with two days in Sicily, but that was still three days away.. And then, they would board the plane and be on their way back to Waynesboro, having a day or two to rest before the Spring break trip. They had known that coming into the trip, just like they had known that this trip would occur over one week that they should have been in school and one week that Tandem normally reserved for academic perusal by special interest.. This trip, fell into that category,. But, even with these packed itineraries, and the additional homework that their Professor had felt was necessary.. A few of the students were still restless. Perhaps it was the atmosphere or perhaps it was just being away from home. Whatever the case, four of the students were currently standing on the balcony of the villa that the school had rented.. Two turning in, while the other two remained…the girl perching on the railing while the boy was leaning against it.

"Did ya get a look at the itinerary for tomorrow?"

Lita wrinkled her nose, "yes .. I'm not thrilled about having to wear a toga but.. I suppose it's better than what we had to wear for the England trip."

John smirked, "technically they're putting us tunics, not togas."

The strawberry blonde rolled her eyes, "and here I thought you never paid attention in class."

He shrugged slightly, "I do pay attention, I just think it's boring most of the time."

An eyebrow raised at that, "which explains why you're still taking Latin? You haven't liked this class since they told us it was mandatory in the middle grades. And yet, I seem to see you every year."

"It'll look good on my transcript--"

"Especially since they won't know that you don't do a lot of the work?" It was her turn to smirk at his skeptical look, "you know I'm right and I'm surprised that Professor Styles hasn't caught on yet."

John rolled his eyes, "well that's because I don't go around broadcasting it. I'm not as stupid as I look, ya know."

She rolled her eyes right back, "I wasn't implying that, John.. I'm just curious, why take a class that you can't stand?"

"Like I just told ya, it'll look good on my transcript."

"Uh huh," she threaded a hand through her long hair, clearly not believing a word of it. "I thought that was why you played sports…for the whole athletic scholarship thing."

John made a face, "why do you really care? And for that matter, why are you asking me this now.. When we've been taking Latin since 6th grade?"

Her shoulders lifted in a light shrug, "just curious.. I mean, I thought you would've been done with it after the requirements."

He raised an eyebrow, "are you sick of seeing me or something? I mean sure, our schedules have been pretty much the same since…well pretty much since Freshman year and all that but--"

"I never said I was sick of seeing you, I just said I was curious." She leaned back fully against the column, one leg dangling over. "Trish, Dawn, Jeff, Matt, Victoria, Lillian.. Pretty much everyone got out of Latin when they had the chance."

John sent her a curious look of his own, "so why are you still taking Latin?"

"Scholarship purposes," she replied simply, Lita soon hopping down from the railing. "Just in case the whole athletic thing doesn't work out."

"So why is it such a surprise that I'd want to take Latin for my transcript?"

Lita shrugged, "I don't know.. I guess, I just never thought you'd be--"

"Do you even know what I want to do after high school? What I want to study?"

She shook her head, "I can't say that I do.." Lita mirrored his position, "so what do you want to study? What do you want to do after graduation?"

John looked thoughtful for a good moment, "I'd like to teach history at the high school level. I don't know what type of history, but I'd like to do that." He slid a glance over to her, "what about you?"

"English…at the high school level." A playful smile crossed her features, "I feel sorry for any student that has you for their teacher."

John huffed, a mock look of hurt on his face though his eyes twinkled playfully. "I feel sorry for any student that you'll have."

Lita rolled her eyes, a wide yawn soon escaping her. "Whatever.. I think I'm heading in now.." She quirked a tiny smile, "good night John."

He offered her a smile in return, wishing her a good night before he turned his attention the city lights below. And while he tuned out the lights, he thought back to their conversation. Of course, he knew why he was taking Latin.. And part of the reason was for scholarship purposes. His guidance counselor had told him that it would look good on his transcript…and possibly help any schools overlook the fact that he had a not so good record with the administration. The other part of it, was also simple. But, she didn't need to know that…and he wasn't about to tell her either way. Truth be told, he had figured that she would've caught on by now.. But, apparently, she hadn't or if she had…she was just ignoring it. Whatever the case, their late night conversations continued throughout the trip…and for the rest of Junior year, well into the Winter term of Senior year. The topic and location were always different, but the beginning premise was usually the same. Restless nights resulted in trips to the all night diner or occurred after a long night of homework. And even then, he thought she would've suspected something but…he didn't really know, nor was he about to ask.

- End Flashback -

Lita waited until he was looking away, her hands coming to rest on her lap. "Why did you come back?"

John raised an eyebrow, not sure if he had heard her correctly. "Excuse me?"

The redhead closed her eyes, "why did you come back? I remember you saying, at some point anyway, that you wouldn't come back for the reunion." And he had said that… "so what changed your mind?"

"I don't really know.. I mean, a part of me wanted to know what everyone had been up to for the past ten years." He shrugged slightly, leaning back against the cushions. "And I really haven't seen anyone, aside from Dawn, since high school so.."

"Hmm.." Lita drew her lower lip between her teeth, worrying the soft flesh for a moment. "That's what they all say.. Or at least the few people I had the chance to speak with earlier."

John shifted so he was facing her, "are you telling me that you haven't wondered about what all those strange people have been up to?"

She gave an indifferent shrug of her shoulders, "not really.. I mean, I've kept in touch with Lilian, Trish, Dawn, Victoria, Chris, Christian.. Pretty much everyone that I used to really hang out with..

"Except me," he finished when she trailed off. "Dawn's mentioned you once or twice, but aside from that.. I don't really know what you've been up to."

Lita threaded a hand through her hair, nimble fingers releasing her red locks from the confines of the ponytail. "Well, what else is there to know? I'm teaching English at Tandem and--"

"Just like you said you wanted to.."

She nodded slowly, "yeah.. And really, aside from that….and taking in numerous stray animals, I haven't been up to much." Lita's head inclined, a curious glint in her hazel orbs. "What have you been up to?"

John smiled wryly, "getting laid off, actually.. I was teaching gym and coaching football, but they decided that I wasn't needed anymore."

"I'm sorry to hear that," she told him honestly, a hand reaching out to briefly rest over one of his. "But gym? I thought you wanted to teach history."

He nodded a little, "I'd still like to and I do have the certification for it.. Just the high school I had been teaching at, already had enough history teachers so.." John's shoulders lifted in a shrug, "I've been looking but, not many of the schools are hiring right now."

Lita nodded her agreement, her hand staying on it's own accord. "Yeah well, education doesn't seem to be a top priority.. Tandem's looking to hire, but I'm unsure about which departments."

John smirked, "could you honestly see the two of us teaching at the same school?"

The redhead rolled her eyes, "we are adults now, aren't we? And besides, it just wouldn't be professional if two teachers started pulling pranks on each other."

"Yeah, that is true.." near hesitantly, he covered her hand with his free one, "so how has the rest of your life been?"

Lita quirked an eyebrow at that, "I just told you that I don't have that much free time.. My life has been pretty much restricted to teaching and taking care of the various animals…and Jeff, to an extent."

John shook his head, "I meant…well, I was just.. Never mind, it's not that important."

The redhead let out a near inaudible sigh. "Unlike a few of our former classmates, no I haven't been married. I've barely had the time to date." Unconsciously, her fingers tangled with his, "you?"

He debated for a moment on that, before he decided that it really didn't make that much of a difference. "I was pretty close to being engaged, but.. She decided that she didn't want to date someone who was unemployed."

Lita frowned slightly, "well that's kinda harsh."

"Shit happens I guess." John almost smiled, "though I have to admit, I always figured you would've had kids by now."

The redhead snorted softly, "having as many pets as I do? It's close enough for me."

"So you aren't seeing anyone?" At her suspicious look, he held up a hand in defense, "I'm just asking, alright? No need to get all uptight."

Lita rolled her eyes, "no, I'm not seeing anyone. Like I told you and like I've told your equally nosy cousins, I don't have the time."

If there was one good thing about not having too much light, it prevented her from seeing the disappointed look on his face. But it was there and gone, anyway, so maybe the light didn't matter.

"And you aren't dating anyone? Mr. ' I rarely went without a girlfriend in high school'?"

John snorted this time, "I'll have you know that wasn't always the case. Quite a few of the girls I dated, stopped dating me after they found that I was always hanging around you. Or when they'd call my house and my mom would tell them I was with you."

Lita huffed, "I never asked you to spend all of your free time with me, did I? And I--"

"I know you didn't and I didn't complain about it, right? I was just saying… explaining myself." He shrugged, "though I did have my sanity questioned quite a few times, I can't say that I minded too much."

"And yet, you never said anything.." An amused smile tugged at the corners of her mouth, "which I don't know why--"

"I'll tell you why I didn't say anything," he raised an eyebrow at her, "and it's just like I told you earlier.. I wasn't sure if you'd even believe me."

Lita shook her head, "and this is why Dawn said we drove her crazy.. Though, I do wonder…if it would have worked."

John grinned, "you know there is a way to find out.." his forehead furrowed when he noticed the frown on her face. "Is there something wrong with me that you wouldn't--"

"It's not that," she interrupted quickly, "it's just.. I just…"

"Just what?" He prompted when she trailed off, "what is it?"

Lita lifted her free hand, blindly seeking out his face. "After the reunion, you're leaving.. And I don't want to have some weekend fling."

Now he was really confused, "who ever said anything about a fling?"

"You don't get it, John." Her hand left his face, Lita turning her eyes away from him. "There's been too many broken promises and I don't want to deal with that again. Call it cynical, but I'm sick of it. I'm sorry if that's not what you wanted to hear, but it's the honest truth."

He brought their joined hands to his mouth, brushing his lips over her knuckles. "If that's how you feel, than it's how you feel." John released her hand from his, only to catch her chin. "But, if you change your mind.."

Lita surprised him by closing what little distance was left, her lips just meeting his before she pulled back. "I doubt I'll change my mind on things, but if I do.. I'll let you know." The redhead smiled sadly, not looking back as she rose from the porch swing.

For his part, John sat there a good ten minutes longer.. Once again wondering why he was sitting out there alone and why he was even there to begin with. He had heard her earlier, though she didn't know it, when she had said she wasn't looking for a relationship…nor was she looking for a long distance relationship. And while he couldn't pinpoint it to any one person, he did have a reason as to why. And maybe she would change her mind, but maybe she wouldn't. If she was anything like she was before, he knew that once she did put her mind to something, she usually stuck with it. But that wasn't to say that things couldn't change…because things always changed. it was just a matter of how they changed and when they changed. Perhaps, by the end of the reunion, things would change…but how, he wasn't quite sure. Maybe, it was time to have a little chat with his cousins…or maybe things would just change on their own. All he really did know at that point, was that he could only wait…and waiting was something he had been doing for a good while now.. John figuring that another two days couldn't hurt.