Chapter 84:
Once backstage, Dave removed his arm from around Haley only to reach for her hand and lace her fingers with his. He kept glancing down at her as they headed towards his locker room, afraid she might disappear at any moment. Her reassuring squeeze on his hand let him know that she was really here.
Part of him still couldn't believe it. Haley was back. She had come out there, helped him pick up the win and then had kissed him back right there in the ring. Her hair might be shorter, the color slightly different, but she was still the woman he fell in love with. Fearless and ready to fight.
"You're really back." He said quietly once they stepped into his locker room.
She nodded a brilliant smile on her face. "I really am. Shoulder's good as new. I've been rehabbing it religiously and have trained with Michelle McCool, Hunter and John Cena. I am more than ready to start kicking ass and taking names again."
"From the sound of the crowd out there, they were more than happy to watch you do it." Dave chuckled, closing the door behind him to give them privacy. "God, I've missed you!"
Her smiled softened. "I missed you too. Dave, I am so sorry. I don't know how you'll ever forgive me. I should have listened to you when you first came to see me. I should have given you the benefit of the doubt. I should have listened to Hunter and none of this would have happened. I'm so sorry Dave, so sorry."
"You," He shook his head. "Have nothing to apologize for. This was not your fault and I never blamed you, not once. We were setup, Baby. You to believe that I had betrayed you and I was setup to look like a cheating boyfriend. The ones to blame are Eve and Randy."
She cringed and looked down at the floor. "I still can't believe Randy did this. I mean I knew he wanted us apart, but I never dreamed the lengths he'd go to."
"Haley, what Randy did, has done, is not your fault. He's responsible for his own actions. You befriending him was probably the only thing that kept him stable for this long." He framed her face in his hands and lifted her head until she looked at him. "Sweetheart, everything's okay now. You're here and you know the truth."
"Nothing happened with Randy." She told him sincerely. "Not while we were apart. I couldn't get you out of my system. You're the one I want Dave, no matter what I felt about him. He's not you. And it's you that I want."
He let out a breath of relief and dropped his forehead to hers. "You have no idea how comforting that is. And so you know, nothing ever happened with Eve besides that one drug induced kiss. Which I am so sorry you had to see. I would kick my own ass for that if I could."
She giggled, looping her arms around his waist. "Dave, remember, drug induced. It was not your fault and now that I know the truth I will not hold that against you. You know, you're being awfully easy on me. I had this whole apology speech planned out."
"Save it for when you actually have to apologize for something." He chuckled. "Right now, I just want to enjoy having you back here, with me. It's been too long since I've been able to hold you like this, smell your perfume, kiss you."
"Well," Her voice went husky as she tilted her chin to meet his mouth with hers. "Looks like we have a lot of time to make up for."
Meanwhile…
"She flipped him off! She flipped him off on national television! That is so not PG! Vince is going to flip! But it's so badass! Triple H must be so proud."
The happy exclamation was made in the Diva's locker room and came from the Candy-coated Diva herself, Candice Michelle.
Kelly Kelly, Maria Kanellis and Michelle McCool had identical smiles on theirs faces as they shared in Candice's excitement following their friend's surprise return.
"He's probably telling anyone in his vicinity that's his girl." Michelle joked, pulling a hoodie on over her camisole and zipping it up.
"Should we go find her and give her crap for not telling us she was returning tonight?" Kelly asked her friends.
"No way." Candice shook her head and smiled knowingly. "Dave would kill us for interrupting their reunion. We can harass her tomorrow. After all, she's back on tour again."
"You and Kelly can harass her tomorrow." Maria corrected with a laugh of her own. "Michelle and I have to head out with the SmackDown crew. But we will see her as soon as possible and give her hell."
"Still the surprise was so worth it." Michelle pulled her hair back into a loose ponytail. "Stephanie had to have been planning this for weeks and Haley kept her mouth shut this whole time. I mean did you hear the pop she got, that's like a Stone Cold Steve Austin pop."
"We're in her hometown." Candice chuckled. "Obviously they were going to go nuts, which is probably why it was kept a secret. Kudos to them for pulling one over on us."
"I wish Jacksonville went that nuts when I came home." Kelly shook her head looking amused. "But then I haven't been away for two months either."
"I get a decent pop in Milwaukee so I can't complain." Candice shrugged. "After everything she's gone through she deserved such an overwhelming response from the fans."
"Think she's going to get a title shot now that she's back?" Maria asked curiously.
"I don't know, she'd have to beat Candice for it." Kelly mused. "I mean, especially after tonight. If not for Candice's help Beth wouldn't have been able to end the match the way she did. I think Candice will get her rematch at the Royal Rumble."
"Thanks Hunn, though if I miss out because Haley gets it, that's okay too. Lord knows she can beat Beth by now." Candice grinned. "Still, I think Haley's first focus will be beating the ever loving crap out of Eve Torres."
"I cannot wait to see that." Michelle laughed with Candice. "She nearly took her head off with that clothesline tonight. Imagine how violent she's going to be when they step into a ring in an actual match."
"Eve's gonna die." Kelly giggled.
In another part of the arena…
"THAT'S MY GIRL!" Hunter was laughing as he turned away from the screen. "Flipping off Orton on a PG show, only my girl would do something like that."
Stephanie rolled her eyes at her husband's gloating tone. "Yeah, except that my father is going to flip out about it."
"Tell Vince he can suck it. Orton deserved it and Haley's never done anything to piss him off before besides defending me." The Game told his wife. "This one slides or Vince can deal with me."
Stephanie shot her husband an amused look before chuckling. "I'll deal with my father on this one. Like you said, she's never really gone against the grain before."
"Besides, it was badass and I'm proud of her. I would go hug her right now if I didn't have a match against Kozlov tonight." Hunter sighed. "Did we ever find out who attacked Jeff Hardy?"
"No, but he won't be here for the triple threat. He's hurt bad." Stephanie's expression soured and she didn't look amused. "Whoever it is will be punished for hurting one of the superstars and ruining a pay-per-view."
"Is Vickie even trying to find out who did it?" Hunter snorted sarcastically. "I swear, the fact that I actually work for that cow is ridiculous. I miss Raw."
Stephanie sat back and smirked at him. "I thought you were enjoying making her life a living hell?"
"I enjoyed messing up her wedding since I'm good at that. But now it's boring. She's a cow. Now that you're running Raw I definitely want to come back." He began to tape up his wrists for his title match that would go off in twenty minutes.
"Well you got drafted to SmackDown, maybe next draft you'll be back on Raw." Stephanie couldn't help but smirk at his way of pouting. "Besides I've got Batista on Raw and John Cena, they'll main event and look out for Haley, so no excuses."
"Why don't you want me on your show? Do you still hold a grudge because I chose Eric Bischoff over you all those years ago?" He teased her.
"Uh…no." Stephanie grinned wickedly. "I just have John Cena back and the ratings will be oh so much better with him than if I brought you back."
"Woman, take it back! I am so much better than John freaking Cena!"
Fluffy fun chapter lol. Thanks for the Birthday wishes everyone!
If I truly do get what I want for my Birthday that means I'm going to get a yummy scruffy Randy Orton. Yay! Lol.
Or a clean shaven ready to return to WWE Dave Batista!
I will be happy with either!
Happy Reading!