Disclaimer - See Chapter One.

Chapter Three: Coming Clean

After getting back with the pizzas fifteen minutes later than they were supposed to, Armistead thought they were going to have to think up a plausible excuse.

"Sorry we're back late," he announced as he got out of the car, "traffic was hell."

"Probably left over from Candice and Ashley's free version of Girls Gone Wild," Jeff muttered softly, but it'd been loud enough for Candice to hear. She and Ashley whirled on their boyfriends, and Matt gave them a stricken look.

"It was all him; I didn't say a word! You can't blame me for that one!" he jabbered frantically.

Candice glowered at Jeff as he floundered and tried to apologize, and Ashley stalked off. Matt tried to follow, but his brother gave him a don't-you-dare-leave-me-or-else-you'll-be-sorry look, so he begrudgingly stayed where he was. As a result, he didn't see Ashley and Maria sneaking up behind them, each holding a garden hose.

Before the Hardys knew what had happened, the Divas grabbed the waistbands of their swim trunks, stuck the hoses down the backs of them, and Ashley nodded to Michelle and Lillian, who turned on the water. Jeff's attempt at an apology was cut off with a shout, and both Hardys jumped a mile as their shorts filled with water and their friends died laughing.

Jeff managed to get free first. He grabbed the hose that Maria had nailed him with and turned it on his girlfriend. Candice squealed and took off running; Jeff sprayed her until she outranged the water, and then dropped the hose and took off running after her. Matt simply removed the hose, dropped it on the ground, grabbed his girlfriend and kissed her. Ashley struggled at first, but then gave in.

Maria, seeing as how Ashley had made up with Matt, walked over to where John was chatting with C. M. Punk and hugged him. The Champ returned the embrace gladly, obviously happy that the ignoring period was over and done with. C. M. Punk, seeing the cease-fire had ended as well, walked off to find Torrie, a smile on his face.

Armistead spoke after a few moments.

"I take it a cease-fire's been established?"

Ashley pulled back from Matt and laughed. "Yeah, we're good now - oh, my God, Luke...what is that on your shoulder?"

Armistead glanced down at his right shoulder to see a set of bite marks that were an angry red. Mickie saw them too, and was apparently doing all she could not to blush furiously and give herself away. Armistead prayed he wasn't blushing either, remembering how the Women's Champ had bitten his shoulder to keep from screaming his name about twenty minutes ago. He shook himself from the erotic thoughts when he realized Ashley was awaiting an explanation.

"Um, well, ah, you see, I just bought a parrot, and he has a fondness for biting. I was letting him sit on my shoulder last night and he just leaned down and got me good. Nearly threw the damn bird against the wall for that."

"Are you sure it's not infected?" Ashley looked concerned. "It's pretty red to have happened last night."

"Maybe it was this morning, Ash, I can't remember exactly," Armistead hastily replied. Ashley appeared to accept his explanation, but was still looking at the wound with a thoughtful expression on her face.

Jeff and Candice walked up, and they had apparently resolved their differences, for Candice was leaning into Jeff and trying to bite his earlobe, but she stopped when she saw Armistead's shoulder.

"Wow, nice hickey, Luke...where'd you get it?"

"It's not a hickey!" Armistead protested. "My new parrot bit me!"

"What's not a hickey?" Dave asked as he and Lillian joined the group. Candice pointed to Armistead's shoulder and Dave winced.

"Ouch...that's a hickey, all right."

"And how would you know that?" Lillian turned to her boyfriend, interested in his explanation.

Dave wasn't fazed in the least. "Because you gave me a similar one on my collarbone a couple weeks ago," he replied smoothly, and Lillian turned beet red, smacked his chest and giggled embarrassedly.

Armistead was about to protest further, but Mickie spoke up from beside him, where she was sitting on the hood of his car.

"Luke..."

He turned to her. "Yes Mi - "

He was cut off once more by her lips, and instinctively wrapped his arms around her, pulling her into his embrace and kissing her deeply. It was almost natural for the world to fade out when he was kissing her, so he didn't even register the exclamations of surprise from their friends.

They broke apart only when John and Maria walked over and saw them kissing.

"Damn, boy...come up for air!" John joked, and Mickie and Armistead broke apart, laughing along with the rest of the group.

"I guess we know where the hickey came from," Candice joked, and Mickie hid her face in Armistead's shoulder.

"It's about time, you two," Ashley grinned. "We were all wondering when you'd finally figure things out."

"Actually, we figured things out six weeks ago," Armistead replied, and Mickie giggled as their friends crowded around and expressed their congratulations.