Chapter 85:
When Haley woke up the next morning it was to the sunlight that creeped through her bedroom window and slanted across her face. She blinked several times and yawned before satisfied smile crossed her face. She reached down towards her abdomen to cover the hand that lay there with her own.
Dave.
Two long months had gone past since they had shared the same bed and now that he was spooned behind her, she had slept better than she had in weeks. She slowly rolled over and smirked when she saw he was awake already and watching her with a smile on his face.
"Hi." She greeted him softly.
"Good morning." He replied, pulling her closer. "Sleep well?"
"Slept great." She nodded, nuzzling underneath his jaw. "Best sleep I've had since the last time you were in my bed."
"That does wonders for my ego." He sighed contentedly and ran a hand through her hair. "And as much as I'd love to spend all day in bed with you, we have to get up soon and get to Providence for Raw tonight."
Haley lifted her head and grinned at him. "Steph, better have given me a match tonight. I am dying for more than practice matches."
He chuckled at her enthusiasm, remembering his own anxiousness when he returned from injury little over a year ago. "I'm pretty sure she'd give you a match tonight all things considering."
"I really hope it's against Eve, that clothesline I gave her just doesn't make up for the hell I went through. I need to pay her back in a big way." She curled against him. "Nobody messes with me, my man or my friends without there being serious hell to pay."
"Funny, that's exactly how I feel about Randy Orton." He rolled over so that she could lay sprawled on top of him. "That I'm going to make him pay, and dearly."
"You're one of the few who can take him out so I'll leave his punishment in your hands." Haley said lightly. "I just want to hit him, once before you kill him."
"Baby you can hit him as many times as you want. I'll enjoy watching it." He smoothed his hands down her back. "We really should get up though. Candice and Kelly are going to want to spend some time with you today so if we're late to the arena they'll kill us."
Haley sighed resignedly. "I suppose you're right." Then she smiled wickedly up at him. "Care to help conserve water by sharing my shower?"
Dave's face lit up and he grinned. "Baby, I would love to wash your back for you."
She giggled, leaping out of bed. "Race you!"
Dave scrambled from out of the tangle of sheets and gave chase after her. "Cheater, you got a head start." He said playfully before slamming the bathroom door closed behind them.
Four hours later…
Dave and Haley entered the Dunkin Donuts Center in Providence, Rhode Island three hours before the show was due to start. New World Heavyweight Champion, John Cena trailed behind them, talking on his cellphone while Dave shifted both his gym bag and Haley's over his right shoulder. Haley's hands were still shoved into the pockets of her sheepskin lined, black suede jacket. The smile on her face was infectious. She was glad to be back.
"Match cards!" Candice Michelle approached them from the opposite end of the hallway. She slapped the cards against Dave's chest for him to hold before flinging her arms around Haley. "Welcome back! I love your hair, hate you for not telling me!"
Haley returned her best friend's embrace and laughed. "Thanks and sorry, the secrecy was Steph's idea. Nobody really knew but me, her, John and Hunter."
"So! Still wish I could have been in the know." Candice pulled back and grinned at her. "We have a match tonight."
"You and me?" Haley asked excitedly.
"You, me, Kelly and Melina, who is also returning, hers is just tonight." Candice replied with a nod. "Against Mickie, Katie, Eve and Beth Phoenix."
"That will be one hell of a Diva's tag match to watch." Dave shifted the cards to look at them himself. "Well look at that, I get a tag match too. I'm teaming with Rey against the returning Ted Dibiase Jr. and Cody Rhodes."
"I don't feel special anymore." Haley jokingly pouted. "John! Everybody's returning the same time we are!"
John looked up from his phone and shrugged. "I won a title on my return, none of you can top that."
"That's because you were lucky enough to get a title shot for your return." Haley rolled her eyes. "How come we have to work at our returns?" She said to Candice.
"Because we don't have freaking dimples that win Stephanie's favor." Candice replied.
"You ladies love my dimples, admit it." John smirked in their direction.
"Dave, hit him." Haley implored her boyfriend. "I finally had all the Cena I can take after two months of putting up with him."
"Shut up before she makes me kill you, Cena." Dave jokingly warned.
"You are so whipped." John chuckled. "What happened to Bros over hoes."
"We've never been Bros, Cena." Dave retorted.
"Burned." Candice laughed.
"God I've missed this." Haley looped her arm through Candice's as they ventured further into the arena.
Later on in Make-Up…
Haley sat in one of the wooden director chairs while, Marcie one of Raw's regular stylists using a flat iron to style her hair into place. Candice sat in a chair on her left getting her make up done while Kelly sat on her right getting her long blonde locks curled into place.
"So did you and Dave work everything out?" Candice asked, closing her eyes so more shadow could be applied on her lids.
"Yes I think so." Haley refrained from nodding so Marcie wouldn't wind up burning her scalp by mistake. "He was very forgiving. Said I wasn't to blame at all."
"You weren't." Kelly told her firmly. "This is all that stupid skank Eve's fault."
"And Randy." Candice added. "Can't forget his role in this whole mess either."
"No I'll never forget what Randy has done." Haley nodded in agreement. "I'll never forgive him for it either. He was my friend, one of my best friends and he sabotaged my happiness."
"Dave will make him pay for it." Candice said confidently. "And I don't think anyone on Raw will let him anywhere near you after what he's done."
"You'll have a pack of bodyguards against him." Kelly joked.
They were interrupted suddenly by incoming heels clicking against the linoleum floors and all three women looked over to see Melina walk into view. The Scream Queen looked back at them uncertainly. She had been put on their side before her injury due to her falling out with former friends Beth Phoenix and Jillian Hall. Candice hadn't returned yet before Melina's fall out and injury so neither woman had resolved their past issues with each other and Kelly had still been on ECW when Melina had changed her allegiance. Haley had teamed with her once, then was swept away in her own feuds. Melina had befriended Mickie before her injury who now sided with the Diva's Melina had turned before.
"Hey Ladies." She greeted them cautiously.
Candice and Kelly exchanged wary looks, remembering the cruelty of Melina's former self and the matches they'd had against her in the past. Candice had in fact won her first Championship from her last year.
Haley broke the silence and smiled at the other woman. "Hey Mel, welcome back."
Melina seemed to relax and returned her smile. "Thanks Haley, you too. Nice return last night."
"Thanks." Haley shot a pointed look at her two friends, silently urging them to let bygones be bygones since they would all be a team tonight.
"Welcome back Melina." Candice said sweetly. "How's your heel?"
"Better, thanks for asking." Melina opted to take a seat in the only other chair next to Kelly. "I'm ready for tonight that's for sure. I hope you don't mind me handling Beth a little tonight, Candice."
"Be my guest." The Candy-coated Diva laughed puckered her mouth for lipstick.
"It'll be nice to have the sides more even in the Diva's locker room again. Candice and I hated being the only two against those five." Kelly contributed to the conversation. "You have good timing Melina."
"I'll just be happy when we kick their butts tonight." Melina told them sincerely.
"Are you kidding, we've got three former Women's Champions on our team." Haley smirked. "They have one former Champion and the current one. But we have twice their heart. We are so going to win."
"I can get behind that statement." Kelly giggled. "This should fun. What colors are you girls wearing tonight?"
"Mine's black and champagne colored." Melina told her. "I got some new designs done while I was laid up. No more fur boots."
"No more fur boots?" Candice blinked in surprise and laughed. "You're kidding? You've always had fur boots."
"Needed change." Melina chuckled at their expressions. "They were going out of style anyway."
"Mel, I'm not sure boots that furry were ever in style, unless you lived in Siberia or something." Haley joked causing the other three women to laugh and the last of the tension dissipated.
A little girl bonding will go a long way in Haley's future. Lol. Though I will be switching some things in the Diva's history here because I feel Candice got a raw deal on her return so I'm using my creative license.
And speaking of Candice, whom I love so so much! My friends apparently banded together on my birthday to tweet her and Dave Batista to give me a birthday shout out. And while Dave is rarely on twitter, Candice is not. And she acknowledged my freaking birthday. Can you believe it! Candice Michelle sent a DM to my friend Amy to pass along a birthday message to me! It was one of the most amazing gifts I received. Candice might not have been the greatest technical wrestler in the Diva's division but she had more heart than most of them. She is my all time favorite Diva and she acknowledged my Birthday! So in my story, she will be getting a second title reign!
Anyone who's interested I'll post a link to the DM Candice sent! GOD I LOVE HER!
Anyway, coming up in the next few chapters, Divas kick some ass, Randy and Haley come face to face and Randy Orton vs. Dave Batista is announced for Armageddon 2008.