Titles: Sometimes it's Easier (8?)
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?

"Hardy. Outside. Now."

Matt nodded and followed Randy out of the catering room into the corridor. He knew what this would be about, and was just surprised that it had taken Randy so long to confront him.

"Hardy, I have no problem with you starting rumours and shit about me, but when it hurts Lita, I do have a problem with it."

Matt looked a little surprised at that, "why would any of this hurt her?"

"You think she enjoys any of this? You think she enjoys having the entire WWE audience thinking she's a slut and a career killer? Are you really as dumb as you look?"

"What's your point, Orton?" Matt did look a little disconcerted, but he tried to hide it. He'd called a truce with Lita, and his intention was to keep to that. Orton, he'd never made any promises to, and wasn't about to start.

"If you let the dirt sheets in onto the fact that me and Li are together, what do you think the fans are gonna say, huh? How do you think that is gonna affect her?" Matt wasn't blind, Randy knew that he must be able to see that.

"Then wouldn't it be more sensible for you two to split up before that information should become public?"

"And why would you want that to happen?"

"Because you don't deserve her. Because she don't deserve to have found someone so soon after what she did to me."

Randy laughed bitterly, "you're warped, you know that? Seriously warped. But let me tell you one thing… just one thing Hardy. If she gets hurt by any shit you pull, I will put you out of business, do you understand me?"

Matt looked angrily at Randy, but didn't respond. He stalked away, muttering something under his breath. That left Randy confused, as he didn't know if he'd just made things better or worse.

Calling up the press office to let them know he wouldn't be making his scheduled personal appearances for the next couple of days, Randy at the same time was briskly packing his things away. He couldn't wait to get to the airport and away from this place. The press office wasn't happy, but Randy didn't really care. He listened to their complaints, and then hung up. Lita was more important to him.

He knew he'd get a little flack for it when he got back, but didn't think it would be too bad. After all, what could the management do, really? He put that to the back of his mind as thoughts of his confrontation with Matt worked their way through his head. He wasn't entirely sure he'd done the right thing now. It was too late to go back and change things though, he'd just have to deal with whatever came next.

He hadn't told Lita that he was coming to visit her. He wanted it to be a surprise. She'd been up and down over the last few weeks, and after last night he wanted to be with her to make sure she was ok. He wanted to make her smile, to bring that sparkle to her eyes, to touch her and to make her happy. He wanted her to touch him, and hold him, and to make him smile and make him feel like he was the most important person in the world. He needed her to do all those things.

Randy wasn't entirely sure what hotel Lita was staying at, so he called up someone he suspected would know, "Cena, how're ya doing man?"

"Orton, long time no hear, what'cha want?"

"You know me so well. What hotel y'all staying at?"

"Marriott, why?"

"The big place outta town?"

"Yeah, wanna answer my question now?"

"No," they both laughed, "I'm surprised you have to ask anyway."

"Ah," realization came into Cena's voice, "surprising your girl?"

"Got it in one. Gotta go, catch up with you at 'Mania, yeah?"

"You know it man."

Randy hailed a cab and quickly gave instructions for his destination. He was impatient now. The ride was only ten minutes, but it felt like hours. Once at the hotel, he called up Lita.

"Hey babe, how're you doing?"

"Randy, hey."

"Li, honey, go down to reception."

She was intrigued at his request ,"why?"

"There's something down there for you. Call me when you get back up to your room, yeah?" He could hardly keep the smile out of his voice, "love you babe."

She hung up, pulled on a T-Shirt, a pair of track pants and her trainers, keen to see what Randy had done. She thought it might be flowers or something, to cheer her up, and was touched at the gesture.

The elevator took what seemed like ages to arrive, but eventually it did, and when she stepped out of it at reception the first thing she saw was Randy, stood in the middle of the lobby, smiling. She almost screamed in delight and ran over to him.

"Oh my god Randy what are you doing here?" She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him thoroughly, "I've missed you so much."

"I know, I missed you too. Angel, I had to come see you… shall we go back up?"

She nodded enthusiastically, and led him back to her room. Once inside she wrapped her arms around him again and rested her head on his shoulder, "I'm so glad you're here Randy, I needed you so much."

"I needed you too angel, I missed you… I… I spoke to Matt," Randy touched Lita's cheek and forced her to look at him, "he's gonna tell them… I k now he is. He… I don't think it's you he wants to hurt but he's not that worried if you get hurt while this is going on… I'm so sorry Li."

Joy drained from her face, and she nodded sadly, "it's not your fault Randy, it would come out sooner or later, right?"

"It should be our choice though. Ours, not his… I wanna kill him for hurting you Li, I want us to be happy."

"I know," she sighed, "I know, and while you're here, I am."

"You're sure?"

"Yeah," kissing him gently, she closed her eyes and relaxed against him, "how come you managed to get the time off anyway?"

"Blew off a couple of PA's, no big deal," he kissed at her neck, running his fingers through her hair.

"Randy you shouldn't do that," she pulled away from him, "don't piss off the management sweet, it's not worth it."

"You're worth it," he shrugged off the concern, "don't worry babe."

"I do worry."

"Ok then, don't worry about it right now, lets just relax and enjoy the time together, yeah?"

She nodded, "yeah, I can do that."

Randy kissed her tenderly, thoroughly; touching her, holding her, needing her. She picked up on his need, kissing him back, running her fingers through his hair, touching his chest gently under his T-shirt, featherlight touches that meant everything. She knew he was more affected by things than he let on, and she knew that he was trying to protect her. She loved him for that. She loved him, completely.

It was a rare but wonderful pleasure to wake up with Lita in his arms. Randy could sit for hours, watching the redhead sleep. She was always beautiful, but never more so than when she was like this: relaxed, calm, peaceful… one of the few times when she truly believed that nothing could hurt her.

He knew this relationship was way more intense than anything he'd ever been in before, and that it probably wasn't the most healthy relationship in the world, but it didn't matter. Nothing mattered, not when compared to the woman in his arms. And in a way, that scared him. Nothing in the world had ever been so important to him .

As she moved in her sleep her head rested on his chest, and she snuggled closer, instinctively. He brushed a few strands of hair away from her cheek and rested his hand on the small of her back. Being with her, like this, made him want to move back to Raw. Her moving to Smackdown wasn't an option while Matt was there, so he'd have to try to find a way to get back on to Raw.

Lita moved again, this time waking up a little. She looked up at him with a sleepy smile, then pressed a kiss to his chest, somewhere near to his heart.

"'Morning sweetheart."

"Morning…" she yawned and closed her eyes.

"Sleep well?"

"Mmmmm, how long've you been awake?"

"A while,"

"Yeah?"

"I was just thinking."

"About?" A little more awake, she pushed herself up to lean on one arm.

"How much I love you."

"Aww, babe," she grinned and leaned over to kiss him, "I love you too."

"I love mornings like this, just you and me, when I wake up early and watch you sleep."

"You watch me sleep?" She looked at him curiously, "really?"

Randy blushed, "yeah… you're so beautiful, and you look so peaceful and happy… and I feel so proud to be with you and to have you here, and so lucky…"

She bit her lip, touched by his words, unsure of what to say. Recognising her discomfort, he kissed her, wanting to remember every moment, every sense, every smell, every touch. He needed her to know everything that he couldn't put into words, exactly how much she meant to him. And with each kiss, and each touch, she did.