Pairing(s)/Character(s) : Lita/Christian (eventual), Edge/Victoria, Randy, Cena, Tomko, Mickie, Melina; Appearances by many from TNA, the WWE and formerly with the WWE.. this is probably the biggest 'cast' I've yet to work with.
Dislcaimer: I own not. Title lifted from the song- And All That Could Have Been by Nine Inch Nails.
Rating: T (for now)
Summary: In the war between the WWE and TNA, the lines have been drawn.. Where does she stand? See my author note, keep it in mind. Still don't like it? Don't read it.
Spoilers: Some current angles/storylines from the WWE/TNA are being used, most will be ignored eventually in favor of my own plot.
Author Note: See the prologue for all of my notes. And I know, I take them OOC at times, but it's the way I write. Don't get all preachy with me for it. And just a forewarning, real names/ring names may or may not be used interchangeably. If that gets too confusing, I'll stop.
Chris Benoit shook his head as he set down his phone.. Lance Storm had just called him, informing him that he would be visiting shortly. The reason behind his visiting was simple.. Lance was worried about his baby sister. Chris could understand why and he also held the same worries where the redhead was concerned. Oddly enough, Lance had been the second person that afternoon to call him and tell him they were visiting.. Chris Jericho having called not long before Lance. What was puzzling to Chris, yes he lived in Atlanta and so did Lita.. Why couldn't they just invade her house instead of his? Running a hand over his short hair, the Crippler settled on the couch... Just reaching for the remote when the doorbell rang.
An eyebrow raised, "when you said soon, I wasn't expecting three hours soon."
Chris Jericho shrugged, "there's just something I think you should know." A beat passed, "can I come in?"
The older man smirked, "so long as you don't make a mess, you can come in." He stepped back to let the blonde man inside. "You had mentioned Lita in your phone call.."
Jericho nodded shortly, "it's about Christian, Adam and Lita actually." His forehead furrowed, "how much do you know about that?"
"I'm not a gossip monger, Jericho. You know that. Lita may have talked to me about it, Lance may have mentioned it once or twice." The Crippler crossed his arms, "why is it important?"
"She was in Tampa the other day visiting Adam, something happened and those two got in a fight.. I ran into her, she ended up staying the night at my place. Christian and Terry crashed my house in the morning, Adam showed up and--"
The older man held up a hand, "before you continue.. Why is this important?"
The blonde man blinked, "have you seen what it's doing to Li? Those two are acting like idiots and she's in the middle of it."
Benoit nodded, "and so? What exactly do you plan on doing about it? You can't force them to be friends, Jericho. It doesn't work like that."
"Well I was thinking about bashing their heads together.. And even if that doesn't work, it's still fun." He paused for thought, "reason I'm here.. Terry and I need a backstage pass to--"
"The last time you two visited, McMahon threw a fit. He'll probably try to have the two of you banned from the building since Terry is with TNA. I'm not saying I would mind having you two hanging around, but.." The Crippler frowned, "you can't just show up.. So don't even think about doing that."
Jericho shrugged, "it's worked before.."
Benoit snorted, "and you got kicked out of the building. Now, I know you aren't here about that.. So, why are you really here Chris?"
"Have you talked to Lance recently? He called me the other day, just to catch up but--"
"What are you planning.."
Jericho blinked, "and just what makes you think I'm planning anything?"
"Because you're always planning something."
"Christian's birthday is coming up soon, I was supposed to host it but I can't. I would ask Lita, but.. With the problems already, I don't want to do that to her."
The older man shook his head, "I am not hosting a birthday party at my house. I don't care if it's for the Prime Minister, I am not hosting. Lance would say the same, unless you've already asked him and he told you no."
The blonde man grinned then, "and that's exactly it.. He said no, unless you said no. If you say no, the party's at his house--"
"So you can destroy his home?"
Jericho rolled his eyes, "we didn't destroy your house.. Sure, we made a little mess. Maybe someone accidently broke a vase, but--"
"I am not hosting," Benoit stated firmly, "and don't even think about coercing Lance into hosting."
"Party pooper."
"Always." A beat passed, Chris Benoit taking a moment to study his friend.. "Anything else I can help you with?"
"The party--"
"No."
"I'm not asking you to host, I'm asking if you're going to be there."
Benoit nodded, "of course. Someone has to make sure all of those shenanigans are held in check... Anything else?"
Jericho shook his head, "no.. That was it. I need to bring something back to Lita, otherwise I wouldn't have stopped by in the first place."
Benoit gestured to the clock, "she's already left for the house shows, Chris. It's Thursday, house show set starts tomorrow."
"Well, crap. I guess I'll just have to stop by the shows or something." A pause, "unless you can drop this off to Lita?"
"Drop what off?" Benoit arched an eyebrow, "unless you're carrying invisible luggage with you--"
The younger man rolled his eyes, "it's in my car. She loaned me a few things a month or two ago and I forgot to give them back to her.. And she also left a few things at Christian's--"
"Fine, fine.." Benoit turned the television on, "I'll drop them off to her on Monday. Some of us from Smackdown have to be at RAW. McMahon hasn't mentioned why, just that we have to be there."
Chris Jericho looked amused, "are they starting another inter-brand war?"
"I've just told you I don't know why we have to be there, just that I'm one of the people who is supposed to be there." He sent a pointed look to the door, "you were getting a few things from your car."
The blonde man rolled his eyes, but left anyway.. Returning shortly with a stuffed bag. And once he had been assured that it would get to Lita.. Chris managed to talk his way into staying for dinner.
Victoria frowned as Lita entered the hotel room they were sharing.. A troubled expression on her friends face. Of course, Victoria assumed it was related to what had happened earlier that week.. Lita having returned to Adam's house long enough to get her things before she went back to Atlanta. Victoria had been there for the redhead when the initial falling out had happened.. Had witnessed one of the more volatile confrontations between Adam and Lita but.. They'd always gone back to being the two goofballs that they were. Something, somewhere just wasn't adding up in Victoria's mind.. Someone was leaving out details. And she wanted to know what they were.
Lita flopped down on her bed, "is the week over yet?"
Victoria blinked, "Leets.. What happened? I haven't seen you since you left Adam's house on Tuesday."
The redhead let out a frustrated sigh, "I ran into Chris after I'd left Adam's.. I spent the night there and in the morning, Terry and Christian showed up.. Adam stopped by not long afterwards to apologise..."
"Which explains why he got back to his house looking like he was ready to kill someone." Victoria ran a hand through her hair, "can I ask you something?"
"Go right ahead."
"What happened between those two? You've told me a little, Adam hasn't told me anything so I've been trying to guess and I can't figure out anything."
Lita chewed on her lower lip, the Women's champion not wanting to get into everything but.. "It boils down to both of them being stubborn, Adam being an idiot.. Mixed communication. I'm not sure what you want me to say here, Vicks."
Victoria shrugged, "so just tell me what you can. Unless it's one of those.. You had to have been there to really understand."
The redheaded diva sighed, "it's kind of like that, but.. To really understand the whole situation? I'd have to start at the very beginning. I'll tell you everything, just--"
"Not tonight?" Victoria leaned back against the pillows on her bed, "so just tell me whatever you can, okay? I'm not trying to be like Dawn. I know you like your privacy so.. You don't have to tell me absolutely everything I just hate being in the dark. And I hate seeing what this is doing to you.."
"I'll be fine Vicki, I just wish it would end already." Lita settled back against the pillows, "I'll start with the most recent, aside from earlier this week.. It was after Christian made his TNA debut. He'd already told me about it and he tried to tell Adam, but.. Ads wouldn't hear anything of it. You know how Ads wanted Christian to come back to the WWE, team with him again and all that.."
Victoria nodded, "that's pretty childish of him.. If that's all there is to it."
Lita grimaced, "I guess you could say that pushed things over the edge. Ads claimed he was okay with the fact that Christian was going to TNA. He's always said that, but.. When Christian finally showed up in TNA, Adam felt betrayed."
"Which doesn't make any sense to me, since those two hadn't really worked together since what.. 2004?" The older woman ran a hand through her hair. "I've always thought he was more upset because you're still friends with Christian.. Especially since Adam always goes on about you taking Christian's side."
"That's a minor part of it I guess, but not all of it. The three of us, Chris.. We've always been close. Ever since the days of Team X-Treme, you know? Very jokingly, Adam had questioned why I had that one picture of me and Christian in my book. But, it's never been an issue.. All of us being friends."
Victoria was silent for a long moment. "Not knowing everything, I'd say Adam is just acting like a teenage girl. Seriously, Leets.. It's not like there's anything important that's happened.. Right?"
"It all depends on who you're asking."
Victoria arched an eyebrow, "Leets.. I know I said you didn't have to tell me everything and you don't but.. It would probably help. Is he jealous?"
Lita blinked, "jealous of what? Christian and I are friends, Adam and I are friends. There's really nothing to be jealous over."
The older woman shrugged, "it's just.. Sometimes how Ads can be. He's a big, loveable dork most of the time but.. You know how he is."
"Yeah I know Vicki, but.. That's never been an issue."
"And they've both said that?"
"Christian has, Adam's..." Lita paused, starting to say more when there was a knock at the door. "If that's Adam--"
"Lita.. Can I please talk to you?"
Victoria sent her friend a smile, "I'll send him away if you want."
She shook her head, "nah.. I should go talk to him, make sure his ego is still in one piece." Lita moved from her bed, letting out a breath before she made her way to the door... Opening it to find Adam holding a bouquet of daisies. "That's a start.."
Adam smiled sheepishly, "I'm sorry for acting like such an asshole.. Both times."
"And you called Chris to apologise to him, right?"
"Yes and he already bitched at me for slamming the door." He held out the daises, "forgive me?"
Lita crossed her arms, "Adam. You acted like a total dick. First you nearly threw me out of your house, then you stormed into Chris'. Why can't you just talk to Christian and get this over with?"
Adam huffed, "if he wanted to apologise to me, he could've done that at anytime. If he wanted to talk to me, he should've tried by now--"
"He asked about you when he called me right after Taboo Tuesday was over."
The blonde man looked suspicious, "the night you won the title?"
"And the night that you and Randy decided to leave without me," Lita pointed out then. "I was on the phone with him most of the night while the two of you were out doing whatever."
"You told me you were talking to your mom. And we did invite you.."
"Yeah and you never gave me directions." Lita shook her head, "never mind all right? It's done and over. I accept your apology."
Adam opened his mouth to say something when Lita's cellphone started to go off.. The redhead frowning slightly.. "Is that Christian?"
Lita rolled her eyes as she flipped the phone open, "no. It's my brother.. Though I'm not sure why he's calling now." She canted a glance back to Victoria, "I'm just going to take this in the hallway."
Victoria nodded easily, Adam walking further into the hotel room while Lita went into the hallway to talk to her brother.. Lance first asking her about what had happened earlier that week... Then asking her about the birthday party that Chris Jericho was planning for Christian. Naturally, Lita wanted to be there and said that she would be.. Lance making plans to fly down later that week to visit with her. Idly, the redheaded diva wondered if Adam would be making any plans for later that week, then deciding that spending time with her brother was more important. Certainly Adam would understand that.
