Forgive My Hesitation

Rating: M for language, violence

Disclaimer: I don't own a thing you recognize.. That should cover it properly.

Spoilers: From RAW, January 2nd.. A few on back and up to RAW, January 16th… just not like you might expect.

Eventual Pairings: Lita/John Cena, Stacy/Chris Masters, Lilian/Batista, Victoria/Tyson Tomko, Trish/Jeff, Candice/Not telling, Maria/Not Telling

Summary: When Lita takes a stand, she finds help from friends and from people that she never would have expected.

Notes: This should be the last chapter to go until the Rumble stuff is covered. This chapter starts with Saturday night and is a little bit shorter than previous. And just to let you all know, my updates will now be done solely during the week (Monday through Friday)…making an exception this weekend since I haven't updated in a bit. This story will more than likely have an update or two during the week, but I am now taking weekends off… sorry for the wait with the update.. One case of writers block and just a need to take a mini-break.

-x-x-x-

Chris Masters frowned heavily, his gaze flicking to the clock on the nightstand in the hotel room, then to his watch and then to the door.. The young wrestler repeating that process in a matter of seconds when the door didn't open. His room-mate for the night was Lita.. The same room-mate for the past two weeks…and with the Royal Rumble happening tomorrow, Dave and Randy were in the room next to theirs, Chris Benoit and Rey across the hall this time around. It had been the same Thursday night, the night before Smackdown…when Team Smackdown was nearly annihilated by the Big Show…until Bobby Lashley managed to wear the man down, Team RAW sending their next competitor down to the ring. And that competitor had been himself.. Chris giving Bobby a good run for his money, just starting to get the Masterlock in when Team Smackdown decided to make their presence known.. Team RAW not far behind. But that was two nights ago…a night when he and Lita had spent a good deal of their time in Dave's hotel room before retiring to their own. Tonight, however, the redheaded Diva had been in the hotel room…up until fifteen minutes ago anyway.. Lita stating that she was just going to Victoria's hotel room to hang out with her for a bit. And while Chris had been reluctant to let her go alone.. Lita had eventually won, convincing him that she would be perfectly fine and that she could let out a scream that would wake the dead if anything happened to her. But as the seconds continued to tick by with no sign of the redhead, Chris began to worry… the young man on his feet and ready to leave the hotel room to go look for her when the his cell phone started to ring.. Chris frowning when he checked the caller I.D. ..and wondering just who in the hell was calling him close to midnight.

Chris brought his cell phone up to his ear, sitting on the edge of the bed before he spoke. "Masters here." He made a face when there was no immediate reply, "if this is some prank call, Orton, I'm going to--"

"It ain't Orton," John Cena said in a second, "and before you ask, I got your number by checking Lita's phone."

The young man blinked at that, "how did you end up with her cell phone? Have you seen her? Is she alright? Why didn't you--"

John coughed, "hold up there man and let me speak.. As of this moment? She's taking a shower… saw her wandering 'round in the hallway."

Chris felt his stomach drop to his knees, "is she alright?"

The former champion paused, shaking his head though Chris couldn't see it. "I don't know man, she looked like she'd seen a ghost or something."

Chris ran a hand over his hair, "what room are you in? and how long has she been there?"

"She's been here for about ten minutes I guess," Cena said then sighed. "Look, I'll give ya the hotel room number, leave the door unlocked an' shit, but.. She don't want D finding out. Had a hard enough time getting her to agree wit' calling you."

Chris grimaced, "I don't understand that and I know that Dave isn't going to like that very much.. And he'll probably find out soon enough anyway but.. Alright. I'll be there, alone."

Once John had given Chris the hotel room number, he shut his phone…setting the object on the nightstand.. His gaze flicking briefly to the bathroom door before it returned to the television.. Blue eyes flicking back to the bathroom door when it opened, Lita stepping out shortly after.

The redhead wrapped her arms around her middle, her small frame engulfed by one of John's shirts and a pair of his gym shorts. "Is Chris coming?"

Cena gave a short nod, "he'll be here any minute now.. Sounded damn worried 'bout ya." Shrugging a bit, he added: "also wondered why ya don't want your brother finding out."

Lita pursed her lips, curling up on the couch in the room, hazel eyes falling on her cell phone. "There's a lot that my brother doesn't know about that I don't want him knowing just yet." She frowned then, "why hasn't Vicki called yet?"

John frowned a touch, following her gaze.. "What happened to her?"

"I..," the redhead replied quietly, her voice sounding distinctly haunted, the Diva taking a steadying breath before she spoke again. "I was heading up to Victoria's room…wanted to hang out with her for a bit and when I stepped out of the elevator.." Lita shook her head, reaching out to smooth a few strands of hair from her face. "I saw Maria, laying in the middle of the hallway. She was breathing, told me she was going to be alright but…just as I was starting to help her get to her feet.. I had just gotten her to Victoria, was going to head back to my hotel room and then.."

Cena raised an eyebrow, "and then what?"

Lita shook her head, her arms wrapping around herself in a protective manner. "I don't want to talk about it and obviously, I was okay enough to help her get to Victoria and--."

John ran a hand over his short hair, moving from the bed to stand in front of her. "Lita.. I'm not asking you to tell me every little thing, alright? But I would kinda like to know just how it is that I found ya wandering around in the hallway, with your shirt all ripped up and--"

"Can't you figure that out?" She interrupted him softly, hazel eyes focusing on her hands. "I ran into him.. I should have been more careful, I guess."

John clenched his jaw, "you mean Edge don't you.." He sighed when the Diva only sniffled, "Lita.. Did he…I mean, he didn't try to.."

Lita shook her head, hazel eyes starting to brim with tears. "No, my shirt got ripped when I was trying to get away from him.. but he did attack me.. Hit me."

Cena knelt down so he was more or less eye level with the redhead…provided she acknowledged his presence anyway. "And why can't ya tell your brother this?"

The redhead pressed her lips into a thin line, her jaw setting defiantly as the tears started to fall. "Because, then I'd have to tell him everything."

John frowned at that, tentatively reaching out, hooking a finger underneath her chin. "You haven't told anyone, have ya?" And when she shook her head, he couldn't help but ask.. "Why?"

"I wouldn't know where to start.."

Since he didn't want to push her any further, John could only nod…reaching out as he stood, taking the Diva in his arms before he sat down.. Lita burying her face against him, her body shaking slightly as she released her tears.

Chris Masters knocked before he entered the hotel room, tossing a warning look over his shoulder as he walked in. "What in the hell.."

Randy shouldered his way past, "where's… what happened?"

John sent a questioning look to Masters, "I thought you said you was coming alone."

Chris rolled his eyes, making his way to the three on the couch. "I was leaving and this one decided to follow me."

John rolled his eyes at the third generation wrestler. "Now, before ya even think 'bout making a fuss? Be quiet or I will kick your ass outta here." And when Randy opened his mouth to argue, Cena nodded down to the woman in his arms. "I don't know the whole story, but.. She just fell asleep..."

-x-x-x-

Rather than argue that with him, Randy was quiet while John explained the situation.. Or at least to the best of his knowledge, since Lita really hadn't given him a detailed explanation. But what she had told him, and what John subsequently told them, was enough to get both Chris and Randy angry, so much that the two wanted to leave the hotel room and go search for Edge. The two men would have left the hotel room, had Lita not woken up at an opportune moment. Specifically when the two were just opening the door to walk out.. The redhead's soft spoken voice halting them in their tracks. Calmly so, she reminded Chris that they still had to get back to their own hotel room…and now that she was still waiting to hear from Victoria about Maria's condition. She reminded both Randy and Chris that they needed to accomplish this without Dave finding out.. Or at least not until the morning Of course, Chris was quick to suggest that they just head back to their hotel room and wait for Victoria to call.. That way, they might be able to keep Dave from finding anything out. The problem came, however, when the Diva tried to move…lips pressing into a thin line, pain evident in her hazel eyes. Even though the redhead adamantly claimed she was unharmed, Randy and Chris had spent enough time around her to know when she was hiding something. The two men also knew how stubborn she could be and how much of a subsequent fight she could put up when she had her mind set.. Added to that, the only one who knew about what happened to her, aside from the redhead herself, was John…the man currently trying to ignore the pleading look Lita was sending him while trying to listen to Randy and Chris.

Randy ran a hand over his hair, "Li.. Look, I really don't feel like arguing with you all night here so.. Can you tell me and Chris what happened?"

The Diva shook her head, "I really don't see why that's so important, Randy. .all I really need to do is get back to my hotel room or wherever so I can talk to Vicki.."

The Legend Killer shot her a disbelieving look, "it's important because if you're hurt, then we need to know so we can tell Stephanie in the morning.. That way, maybe you won't have to be at ringside for the main event and--"

"There is no way in hell I am staying away from ringside," Lita informed him in a matter-of-fact tone. "You don't know how long I've been waiting for the chance to get away from him. I want to be there.. I need to be there."

"And if you're already hurt?" Randy questioned then, "what then, huh? You know that won't stop Henry from going after you, or did you forget that he'll be at ringside too?"

Chris shot her a look, "Li.. We're only trying to look out for you, okay?"

Lita sighed, the Diva moving from her spot on the couch. "I know that Chris.. And I'm telling you both, I am fine."

Randy snorted, "yeah.. Fine by your standards, maybe, but that doesn't amount to much. You could have the flu, a broken wrist and a sprained ankle and you'd still be 'fine'."

The redhead rolled her eyes, "I think you're over-exaggerating just a bit there, Randy."

Before Randy could say another word, Lita's cell phone started to ring.. The Diva shooting him a warning look as she moved to another part of the hotel room to field the call.

Chris sat back on the couch, "we should tell Dave.."

"She won't like that, but I agree.." Randy said after a moment, the Legend Killer glancing to the redhead. "She's recovering from bruised ribs, what if something else happened to her?"

The younger man shrugged, "we'd really have no way of finding out.. If she wasn't so damn stubborn, it would make things a lot easier."

Randy crossed his arms over his chest, an eyebrow raising as he slanted a glance to Cena. "I know you already told us what she told you, but--"

"An' that's all I know, man." John shrugged, the man sitting on one arm of the couch. "I don't know anything else and I wasn't about to push her."

"I was going to ask how she ended up wearing your clothes." Randy said, then shrugged a bit. "I could be wrong, but that shirt and those shorts like at least two sizes too big for her."

John ran a hand over his hair, "her shirt was ripped. Might've had some blood on it, I can't really say 'cos after we got here? She wanted to take a shower."

Randy smiled darkly, "I'm going to kill that bastard. For what he did tonight, for everything he's already done."

Chris nodded his agreement, "that sounds like a good plan but.. I wonder. She hasn't really told me anything, hasn't told you anything.. Hasn't told Dave shit…she's talked to Vicki a little bit.."

"What are you getting at?"

The young wrestler frowned, glancing over to Lita before looking back to Randy ."She's obviously leaving out a lot.. I'd like to know what and why. Sure, we know she's stubborn but…I just have this feeling that there's more to it."

Orton's forehead etched in confusion, "how do you figure? I mean yeah, I get that she's keeping stuff from us.. She's admitted to that but--"

"When she gets back over here.. Take a look at her legs." And when Randy sent him a skeptical look, Chris rolled his eyes. "Do you really see her in anything other than jeans or sweatpants?"

"Maria's going to be alright," Lita informed them as she walked back over, gingerly seating herself on the couch. "Vicki says they're going to release her.. No concussion, just a split lip, possibly a black eye but.. The doctors don't think it'll bruise."

Chris nodded, "that's good to know.. But, it is getting late and if I'm not mistaken, we all have matches to be in at the Rumble or at ringside for.."

The Diva nodded her agreement, glancing upwards to Cena. "Thank you.." plucking at the shirt, she added: "I'll get all of this back to you once I've had the chance to go home."

"Ain't a big deal, alright?" John slid off the arm of the couch, "you take care of yourself 'til the match.."

Lita offered a sleepy smile, "I'll do my best and I'm sure Chris and Randy will be on my case about it anyway.. So.."

"That's for damn sure," Randy stated before Chris could say the same, the Legend Killer pushing up from the couch after he spoke. "We really should get out of here now." Arching an eyebrow, he added: "Can you walk, Li?"

Lita eyed him quizzically, "you saw me walking earlier Randy, why should heading back to the hotel room be any different?"

Chris cleared his throat, "he's talking about the bruises on your legs.. Don't lie to us, Li.. We can see them and we saw how pained you look when you were getting up earlier."

The diva shook her head, "it's not a big deal because they're old.. They don't hurt and I'm fine so if we could go--"

"Then what is wrong?" Randy questioned before she could finish speaking, shaking his head when the Diva frowned. "Li.. What in the hell is going on, huh? Why can't you just tell us what's wrong?"

"I don't want to talk about it, Randall." Lita let out a sigh, her hair falling in front of her face. "Can we just go now?"

As much as he tried not to show it, Randy couldn't stop the hurt expression from appearing on his face. "Fine.. We'll go. I just don't understand why you won't talk to us."

The redhead was silent for a long moment, finally brushing back a few strands of hair…a sad smile sent in Randy's direction. "I have a lot to tell…some stuff that I just don't want to talk about and … I don't know how to say it all."

"It's alright Li," Chris stood, extending a hand to the Diva, "you tell us when you're ready."

Lita placed her hand in his, rising carefully to her feet. "I'm sorry.."

"Don't be sorry," Chris wrapped an arm loosely around her waist, letting her lean against him. "We just want to help you and be there for you, okay? That's all."

Randy waited until Chris and Lita had left the room, heading to the door before he paused. "Can I ask you a favor?"

John raised an eyebrow, "I already told ya, I ain't gonna let a damn thing happen to her.. Can't make many promises 'bout the match, 'cos it's in a steel cage but if I can help it, nothing will happen to her."

Randy smiled thinly, "it's not about her… it's about your opponent.. Hurt him, but don't kill him because I'd like to have a hand in that part."

Cena smirked, "can't say I really blame ya for that.. And I'll be right there helping ya when you go after his ass.. That bastard needs to have his head torn off and shoved down his throat."

"That's a good start," Randy said with a slight smile, the Legend Killer cracking his knuckles as he spoke. "And thanks.. For helping her out tonight."

The older man shrugged, "like I told her, it ain't a big deal.. I can't stand by and do shit, ya know? Contract on the line or not, I ain't gonna stand by and do nothing."

To that, Randy nodded.. The third generation wrestler finally leaving the hotel room…leaving the former champion to his own thoughts as he shut the door. Like Chris, he had also noticed the bruises on the Diva's legs…noticed that they weren't fresh, they were too faded to be fresh. But, the way that Lita had nearly rushed to the bathroom once they had gotten to the hotel room.. Well, that had left John wondering about a lot of things. She had avoided any direct eye contact with him, kept her gaze on her feet…red hair curtaining her face from his view.. Cena had gotten a quick look when he had handed the borrowed clothes over, noting that there were no bruises on her face, her nose wasn't bloody but her lip looked a little puffy.. Frowning heavily, John settled on the bed in the room, bridging his hands behind his head as he stared up at the ceiling.. The man wondering just what in the hell had happened to the redhead and wondering just what he had gotten himself into. It was obvious that Lita had trust issues with just about everyone that was close to her…or maybe she felt that she was protecting them by not telling them everything.. John really couldn't say for sure because he wasn't Lita. He did know that she had been through hell, hadn't told anybody the truth behind it all and he wasn't about to pressure her into telling him anything that she didn't want to tell.. But that also didn't mean that he wasn't damn curious about what was going on and the secrets that she was keeping.. The former champion coming to the conclusion that all he could do was wait and find out.