Titles: Sometimes it's Easier (3?)
Rating: PG-13, or K+
Content: Angsting
Disclaimer: Don't own, don't sue.
Summary: Sequel to Unrequited. Can Randy help Lita get her life back?

Randy had been right, when he switched his cell phone on as he arrived at the arena for that night's Smackdown taping he had six messages from Dave, and two from Lita. He quickly skipped through the ones from his friend to get to the ones from his lover. A smile crossed his face as he listened to her voice.

"Hey babe, only me. Just wanted… to say thank you… and to say I miss you already. See you in St. Louis on Friday babe."

"Randy, it's me again… I spoke to Matt… he seemed cool with it. I guess he'll talk to you later, yeah? Love ya babe."

He grinned as he shut down the phone and made his way into the arena, knowing it was a matter of time before Dave found him and demanded to know what was going on. Sure enough, Randy had just dumped his bags in the locker room and was walking to catering when he heard a gruff voice behind him, "where the hell did you get to Sunday night?"

Randy turned round and couldn't keep the happiness from his face. He felt like a little kid, excitement hadn't coursed through his veins like this for a long, long time.

"Hey man, you ok?" Dave caught up with the younger man and threw a friendly arm around his shoulder, "one minute you were there, the next you'd disappeared. What gives?"

"I had to go see someone."

"Who? Was it this mystery woman you've been worrying over for the last few months?"

Randy nodded, "Lita, yeah."

"Ah, I guessed it might be her. And? Did you finally get it on?"

Randy rolled his eyes, "there's more to life than sex Dave."

The big man feigned looking surprised, "there is? Since when?"

"Fool," Randy elbowed him in the stomach, "but yeah, we're together."

"You are? Cool." Batista's voice lowered as they walked into the catering room, "does Hardy know?"

"Yeah, she called him up after I left," Randy could see Matt making a beeline over to him, and nodded over, "I'll catch up with you, yeah?"

He followed the dark haired man into the corridor, and waited expectantly. Matt obviously had something to say. Randy watched as he paced, trying to decide what to say by the look of it.

"Just spit it out Hardy."

Matt looked surprised at the impatience, but nodded and began to speak, "Lita called me up. She told me about you two… do you know what you're getting into?"

"Me and Li have been friends for a long time now Matt."

"It's different when you're dating… she sabotaged what we had. I loved her and she destroyed it… she'll do the same to you, it's just the way she is, so you'd best not give her your heart if you value it."

It was obvious to Randy that Matt still had strong feelings towards Lita, even if he was trying to hide them with hate, "Li's complicated, I know that. Thanks for the advice man, but I've already given her everything I have, and I'm not going back now. I don't know what's gonna happen but right now we're doing good."

"Best get yourself tested man, y'all don't know what she's picked up all the sleeping around she's done over the last few years…" he didn't get any further with that sentence because Randy punched him in the face.

"What sort of man says that about a woman he used to love? I know she messed you around but hell, that's below the belt. You never deserved her," Randy didn't trust himself to say any more, so he walked off. He regretted losing his temper already, but he thought Matt had had that coming. Ever since he'd released word of what had happened online, Randy had wanted to punch him, but hadn't because that would cause trouble for Lita. Now, he was regretting his impulsiveness even more.

He walked back into catering, located Batista, and went to sit with him. The older man could see that something had happened by the way Randy was flexing his knuckles, but wasn't sure whether to ask or not. Figuring that subtlety was never his strong point, he came out and asked, "what happened?"

"I hit him." Randy was still angry, but this time at himself.

"Idiot."

"I know."

"So…" Batista looked at Randy as if he was stupid, "so what are you gonna do?"

"He deserved it. I'll have to tell her of course… god I regret it already. It's the last thing she needs." Randy had his head in his hands, so he missed the his friend's amusement until the big man spoke again.

"About time someone gave him a wake up call. She may have cheated, but talking all that shit on his website was well out of order. Lita ain't the first person to have done what she did. She's a good girl at heart, he's just a whiny bitch. You've only done what a lot of people wanted to do. Don't worry about it."

"Thanks man," the approval wasn't from the person he really wanted it to be from, but he respected Dave, so it would do for now. He didn't look forward to telling Lita though.

"Hey babe,"

"Hey, you ok?"

"Yeah," he hoped she didn't pick up on the worry in his voice, but she did.

"What's wrong honey?" Scenarios went through her head, the worst of all being him changing his mind. Panic infused her voice.

"I hit Matt."

Relief was the first thing to hit her, then anger. Then, she played his voice back in her head and heard the regret there. And she wasn't sure, but there might have been fear too. "Why?"

"He… he was a prick… and I lost my temper. I didn't mean to… I'm sorry."

"He can be a prick sometimes," there was something in her words that worried him, something in the inflection of her voice that pricked up the protectiveness in him, but he didn't speak. He listened, waiting for her judgement on him. "Did he say something about me?"

"Yeah, and I just saw red. I'm sorry… well in one way I am, in one way I'm not," he moved the phone to his other ear where it was more comfortable, "he's been an asshole for months now."

"Randy, you can't go beating up on everyone who says something about me," she sighed, knowing how people thought about her, knowing that WWE was playing on that, knowing that how she was portrayed on screen was exactly how many people saw her.

"I know. I can be so stupid sometimes," he cursed inwardly, knowing that his actions would more than likely just cause more trouble for her in the long run. "I'm sorry."

She was silent, for a while, although he could hear her breathing.

"Li? You ok babe?"

"I'm ok Randy. I'll be ok."

That wasn't the certainty he wanted in her answer, but it would have to do for now. It would take time for her to get back to how she used to be, if she ever did. He knew it was a journey she feared making.

"I love ya babe, you know that, yeah?"

"Yeah," she sighed, "I know."

She hated herself for not being what he deserved, not being what he needed. She would try though, for him. It hurt more than she'd ever expected being away from him: she craved the feeling of security she had when he was there. Her mind went to Matt, briefly wondering what he'd said to make Randy react like that. She knew Randy, and he wasn't the sort of person to lash out. Someone had once joked that Randy was so laid back he was almost horizontal, and it described him to a tee. She was slowly realising how much he'd changed since they'd first become friends. He'd been worried about her for much longer than he'd let on, she knew that now; and he'd been the strong one because she needed him to be. She wasn't sure why he'd done it, but he'd done a lot of growing up since she'd really known him. Inside though, he was still the same Randy, and that was the man she loved.