Ryde or Die: Lita Returns
by Jean-theGuardian
Disclaimer: I own nothing. Vince McMahon and WWE own everything here. Don't sue.
Spoilers: September 16 RAW, when Lita returned and made the save for Trish; Unforgiven 2003
Summary: When Lita returns to action, she and Trish re-kindle their strong friendship, and forge a powerful alliance. But can even the combined forces of these BadGirls stand up to their powerful enemies? It's Trish and Lita vs. the World!
Part 1 - Back with a Bang!
RAW - Monday, September 17th, 2003
Trish's head throbbed with unreal pain as her skull slammed full-force into the mat with a double DDT, courtesy of Gail Kim and Molly Holly.
She knew going into this match that she was in for it. No partner. No help. No friends. Thanks to that asshole, RAW co-General Manager Eric Bischoff, making this match a handicap tag match, Trish was all alone out there, fighting for her career, just barely keeping conscious after the onslaught by these two women.
She also knew that Molly and Gail weren't about to stop for anything. She heard the two women run their mouths off the entire week going into RAW tonight that they were going to end Trish Stratus's career. That they would finally take out the 4-time WWE women's champion once and for all. And it looked like they were about to make due on their promise.
She felt herself being hoisted up onto something solid and cold. She felt her body dangling, hanging arc-like from something, perhaps a chair. She couldn't tell, because the assault she had taken had left her practically unconscious. She felt something cold being pressed against her neck. She could feel that was a steel chair. She'd been attacked by enough of them for months to know what the feel of one was like. Perhaps the worst part of all this was that she could feel, could sense what was about to happen, yet she couldn't lift a finger to stop it. Her body had completely shut itself down, drained by fatigue and physical punishment. Or maybe that was a relief. Then maybe she wouldn't feel a thing when whatever was about to happen had happened. It would finally be over. All the weeks of frustration, the sneak attacks, the isolation in the back, the constant targeting by people like Molly Holly, Jazz, Victoria, Ivory and Gail Kim would be gone. Done in an instant. With her career.
And in that moment, she had never felt more alone in her life. She was about to be seriously injured and there was no one around to help her. No friends, no family, no one who cared. She wished her best friend was here, ready to help, but she knew that wasn't about to happen. She was gone .And she was never coming back. She shut her eyes and was ready to accept her fate.......
Suddenly, a roar from the crowd erupted as she squinted her eyes open just enough to see a streak of red hair slid in a lightning-speed into the ring, knocking down Gail Kim in a heart beat. Trish seized the opportunity and managed to roll herself off the steel chair she was placed on with her last bit of energy. She collapsed in an exhausted heap onto the mat, closing her eyes and wincing in pain. She could hear a vicious fight going on around her, hear the crowd roaring in delight, feel the sickening THUD! at which a pair of bodies hit the floor. And then she heard music.
A tune that was familiar, but was so inprobable to hear that Trish thought she was hallucinating. She recognized that theme music, "LovePassionFuryEnergy", from BoyHitsCar, a song that once brought her reassurance, not because of the lyrics neccesarily, but because of the woman associated with that song. The one good friend she had ever had in this business.
And then she felt a pair of firm, yet gentle hands on her shoulders, gently wrapping around her and lifting her up off the canvas.
"Trish......Hey, Trish......QueenBee, you okay?", a familiar voice asked. There was only one person she knew who called her "QueenBee".
"Come on, Trish, talk to me."
Trish's eyes fluttered open, and went wide as her hazel eyes rested on her savior.
Lita smiled down at her, her soft features showing a mixture of concern and relief.
"L-Lita?......But......Li......how?", Trish stammered, stunned and groggy. "Am......Am I dreaming?"
Lita chuckled. "No, stupid, but you look like you're halfway to Dreamland. Let's get you out of here before the Gruesome Twosome over there decide to wake up", the redhead motioned over to the prone bodies of Gail and Molly Holly.
"I hear that", Trish muttered as she was assisted out of the ring by her best friend. Trish clutched her head as she limped to the back to the sound of thunderous cheers, Lita's arm firmly wrapped around her middle, supporting the blonde's body upright.
"Oww, oh man, I've got a headache", Trish grumbled as she lifted her hand to acknowledge the crowd.
"Maybe, but it's better than having a broken neck, and trust me, that comes from experience...Lucky I got here when I did", Lita smirked.
Trish smiled warmly. "Hey, Li?" That was her own nickname for her best friend.
"Yeah, Queenie?", Lita smiled back.
"Welcome back."
------------------------------ Trish's Locker Room - After RAW
Trish held an icepack over her head, leaned up against a chair. She was starting to feel a little more like her old self again. Lita, having no locker room of her own, decided to stay in with Trish, insisting that she needed help to pack her things, especially considering that she did not have her bearings fully back just yet.
The pair of beauties laughed in delight when they watched the TV monitor of RAW, seeing an incensed and injured Molly Holly and Gail Kim irately complaning to Eric Bischoff about Lita's interference in their well-laid plan. Bischoff argued that he had no idea that Lita was even in the building and that he fired her. Or course, the surprise was when Stone Cold Steve Austin himself informed the three that it was the Rattlesnake himself who had hired Lita back to RAW, and let her in the building. And in a delightful twist, he booked Trish and Lita vs. Gail and Molly at Unforgiven. After a string of 'WHATs?', he left Bischoff seething and turning red, Molly exasparated, and Gail to mournfully woe, "I can't BELIEVE I slept with the wrong General Manager!" Stone Cold whirled on her, asking, "Come Again?" Gail stammered that it was okay, not like it was the first time or anything.
Trish giggled with glee. "Gee, I don't know which is worse for that girl, having to face the two of us, or living with the memory of getting wriggly with Bischoff."
"Trust me, girl, if it came down to Bischoff and an ass-kicking, I'll take my licks twice over if need be", Lita snickered.
Trish grew serious for a moment. "But, Li.....I don't get it. You were fired, and all the rehab you've been doing and everything.......how are you......here?"
Lita shrugged. "I got medically cleared a month ago. I took some time to train, get a couple new moves, look after myself...then last week, after RAW ended, I got a phone call from Steve. He said he overheard Gail and Molly talking about what they had planned for you tonight, and well, given that he knew you was my gurl and all, he didn't think that would sit too well with me."
"So, what happened?", Trish asked, her interest piqued.
"I practically begged him to let me go back on RAW. He made me a deal, to fax him over the papers medically clearing me to wrestle, and he would have me signed to a new RAW contract within a day or so. I faxed over the papers on Tuesday, we met on Wednesday in San Antonio, talked over the stipulations of my contract with my lawyer and his, and by Thursday, I was officially signed as the newest member of the WWE RAW brand. But as part of the deal, I had to keep my signing a secret until tonight. He said he wanted to see the look on Bischoff's face when he found out that Stone Cold Steve Austin resigned the same woman Bischoff had personally fired."
"So, that's why you didn't call me with the good news then", Trish smiled, but arching an admonishing eyebrow.
Lita sighed, but still smiling. "QueenBee, you know that I would've called you the second I signed that contract if I could've- - "
"I know, I know", Trish laughed it off. "I'm just having some fun with you, Li. I'm just glad you're back."
Lita smiled again. She placed a reassuring hand on Trish's own. "I am back, Queenie. And I ain't going nowhere. I know it's been rough for you alone, but that's over. I'm here, and I've got your back."
Trish sighed. "It's just...it's been so hard, you know?", her voice starting to quiver with emotion. "I-I mean, I'm thankful for everything I've accomplished here, but the last few months have been so hard. If it's not Jazz, then it's Victoria, if not Victoria, then Molly Holly, if not her it's Gail Kim, then it's Molly AND Gail at the same time, and on top of that, Bischoff's made it his personal duty to make things as difficult for me as possible . I've never really had many friends here, well, not any that can back me up like you could. Terri and Stacy don't count in that respect."
"Hey, hey, hey", Lita sushed her friend soothingly, reaching out and running a hand through her blonde hair. "I know it's been rough. I've been there, believe me. If you only knew how many times I've seen you get beat up, jumped from behind, and taken down while I've been away...and not being able to help you out made it even worse. It was killing me. But that's over now, girl. I'm back, better than ever, and I'm ready to back you up. Whatever happens from now on, we face it together. We're girls, Queenie, remember that. Always. You and me. Ryde or Die .BadGirls 4 life."
Trish smiled, her eyes starting to water. "I've missed you so much, Li", she pulled her into a hug.
"I've missed you, too, QueenBee", Lita softly replied, hugging back tightly, fighting back the tears that threatened to spill.
Their heartfelt moment was interrupted when Eric Bishoff stormed into the locker room. He stopped short of the two women and scowled as his eyes rested on Lita.
Lita returned the scowl with her own heated stare. She never believed that she could truly hate someone, and yet as her greenish eyes bored into Bischoff, she felt a hatred for this pathetic excuse of a man so intense that she could barely see straight.
Bischoff smugly smiled. "Well, well.......look who's FINALLY here. Is that her? Is that you, Lita? THE Lita? The same Lita who insulted me in the center of the ring last April, after I tried to help to launch her career with a proposition for Playboy? The same Lita I fired in the center of that same ring, on that same night?" The smile disappeared and his scowl reemerged ."The same Lita who just an hour ago, showed up here on MY show and screwed up one of MY matches that I had PERSONALLY set up, in defiance of MY orders after I fired her and threw her off MY show?! Is that the same Lita?!"
Lita stood up and stared back intensely, not intimidated by the man, in spite of the fact that he had about a good inch on her. "Well, Eric, I'd say it's nice to see you too, except we both know that would be lying, now wouldn't it?", she smirked back sarcastically.
Trish stood up, infuriated. "How DARE you! You can't just barge into my dressing room whenever you feel like!"
"Shut up, Stratus! I'm the General Manager of RAW and I can do WHATEVER I feel like!", he snapped, before turning his gaze back to Lita. "Honey, you made a big mistake coming back here to RAW. You've gotten on my bad side, Lita, and I swear to you, I SWEAR, that I will do everything in my power, and that's a lot of power, to make your life a living, breathing hell! Every turn, every move you make, every step you take, Lita--"
"Look....Bitch-off", Lita spat. "If you're going to come in here spitting out lyrics from Sting and the Police, there's a karaoke bar down 5th and Samford. Otherwise, get to the point, we've got things to do."
Trish stiffled a snicker at Bischoff's reddened face. He looked like he was suffering from an extreme case of constipation.
"Do you think this is funny, Trish? Huh?", Bischoff said as he took a step towards Trish, who scowled at him. She hated him just as much as Lita did, maybe more, if it were possible. "You know, it would've just been SO awful if Gail and Molly had broken your neck tonight", he said in mock sympathy. "And on the eve of the release of your new DVD, too. (A/N: Trish's new DVD hits stores this week. Check it out!) Gee, now, that would have been just...devastating."
Trish gritted her teeth, just about all she could do to keep from nailing this pompous prick in his testicles, assuming he had any. "Well, gee now, I wasn't the one who signed that match to begin with, now was I, ERIC?!"
Bischoff chuckled. "Yeah, that was a good one. Of course, it was nothing personal against YOU, Trish. And it had NOTHING to do with the fact that you refused to go out with me earlier this year. It's just that, well, let's just say that Gail and Molly, especially Gail", he chuckled again, before continuing, "let's just say, they know how to play ball."
"You mean how to play with them", Lita smirked. "Assuming, of course, if there was anything to play with, to begin with."
Trish's eyebrows arched in delight at Lita's sharp comeback. God, how she had missed her friend's ever-quick sense of humor, those nasty little one- liners she could come up with.
Bischoff's face reddened again at the innuendo, scowling. "Listen, sweetheart, I don't what that idiot Austin did or what kind of contract he signed you to, but I WILL find a way to break it. I can fire you right here, right now. And if Austin hires you back again, I'll just fire you again! I'll keep your career in permanent limbo, Lita. I will make sure that you NEVER set foot in another ring again, and I will be loving EVERY MINUTE OF IT!", he hissed. Lita scowled, clenching her fists until her knuckles grew white. She wanted nothing more than to punch the living hell out of this jackass. The fact that he would derive so much pleasure out of squashing someone's career made him absolutely disgusting and repugnant.
"In fact", Bischoff continued, smiling that cheezy smile of his, "I think that's what I'll do. Lita, as of right now, you're fi- -"
"WHAT?"
Bischoff stopped cold in his tracks, as the look of superiority on his face melted away into one of irritance, annoyance and desperation......
"WHAT?"
Lita smiled as she saw who was standing behind the co-General manager of RAW.......
"WHAT?"
Trish shook her head and smiled, relieved at the sight.......
"WHAT?"
For standing behind Bischoff......
"WHAT?"
Was the one man........
"WHAT?"
With enough power.....
"WHAT?"
And enough moxie.....
"WHAT?"
To make Bischoff's life a living hell.....
"WHAT?"
The other co-General Manager of RAW.......
"WHAT?"
The man who gave him the beating of his natural life at No Way Out 2003.......
"WHAT?" Bischoff slowly turned around and looked into the cold blue eyes.......
"WHAT?
Of Stone Cold Steve Austin.
"You're gonna fire Lita? WHAT? Is that what you 're gonna do? WHAT?", the bald-headed Texas Rattlesnake started on one of his famous rants, his face intense, yet smirking as he did so. "Kick her to the curb? WHAT? Can her? WHAT? Give her the Boot? WHAT? The Axe? WHAT? The Chopping Block? WHAT? Well, there ain't gonna be any of that tonight! WHAT? I said there ain't gonna be any of that tonight! WHAT? No way! WHAT? No can do! WHAT? Nothing! WHAT? Nada!WHAT? Zip! WHAT? Zilch! WHAT? Do I have to draw you a picture? WHAT? Are you some kind of idiot? WHAT? Jackass? WHAT? Mo-ron? WHAT? Ignor- amus? WHAT? Knuckle-head? WHAT? RE-tard? WHAT? WHAT? WHAT? WHAT?"
Lita and Trish exchanged smiles with each other, chuckling at the sight before them. Lita had known Steve for a long time and she knew better than anyone that he could be as off-the-wall as anyone she ever met.
Bischoff looked like he had swallowed his retainer. "Steve, do you mind? I'm trying to--", Bischoff started.
"Shut up!", Austin snapped. "Now what you've got to understand, Eric, is that I don't like having my authority disrespected!"
Bischoff stared incredulously at the Rattlesnake. "Oh yeah!?, Then how come you've disrespected my authority ever since you come in here from Day 1and-- "
"I'm Still TALKING, Eric!", Austin cut him off. "And, seeing as it WAS you who invited me to join RAW earlier this year to save your miserable little job, I'd say you have yourself to blame on that! See, I figured you'd try to pull somethin' like this. So what I did was I signed Lita, which was a hard thing to do, considering the way you treated her last time, to a brand new, iron-clad RAW contract. And the stipulations indicate that under no circumstances is Lita to be fired, WHAT?, suspended ,WHAT? treated disrespectfully ,WHAT? professionally, WHAT? or personally, WHAT? by the governing branch of RAW, that being you and me, WHAT? You and me. WHAT? Me and You. WHAT? Tu y Yo. WHAT? Austin and Bischoff. WHAT? for the duration of her LONG, WHAT? LUCRATIVE, WHAT? BONUS-clad, WHAT? FAT NEW contract. WHAT?" As he said this, he ticked off every stipulation with his fingers, in between all the 'WHAT's.
Trish looked to Lita, with a quizzical expression on her face, as if to ask if it was true. When the redhead smiled and nodded in acknowledgement, Trish beamed a Broadway smile. Lita really was here to stay this time.
"You signed her to--what?!", Bischoff exploded. "How could you make a decision like that? Without my consent? Without my judgement?! Without my prior approval?!"
"Like the way you signed most of the matches at Unforgiven without my approval? WHAT? How you signed JR and King against that little piece of trash Coach and that jackass AL Snow for the announcer jobs on RAW? WHAT? How you placed Bill Goldberg in a tag match with Evolution, with Randy Orton as his partner to be set up for an ass-kicking? WHAT? How you signed poor Trish here in a handicap tag tonight that almost left her crippled by your little bimbo girlfriends? WHAT?", Austin scowled. "Something like that, Eric?"
Eric opened his mouth to say something, but Austin cut him off. "Nah-AHH! Now what you've got to understand, Eric, is that whether you like it or not, I'm the co-GM of RAW, it's 50-50, right down the middle. And whether you like it or not, I signed Lita to RAW, and Lita is here to stay. WHAT? I said Lita's here to stay. WHAT? She ain't going no where. WHAT? She's staying put. WHAT? Do you understand me? WHAT? Do I make myself clear? WHAT? Comprende? WHAT? Sabe? WHAT? Parlez vous Englais? WHAT? DO you get it? WHAT? Can you hear me? WHAT? Can you hear me NOW?" At that point he stuck a middle-finger in Bischoff's face. The smaller man shut his eyes as an expression of powerlessness and exhasperation coursed his face.
Lita's eyes danced with amusement. Seeing Bischoff suffer like that gave her such a sense of satisfaction. The no-good bastard deserved every bit of it and more. Trish grinned in delight. After what Bischoff did to Lita, and what he tried to have done to Trish, the blonde could only hope that Bischoff was getting a dose of his own medicine.
"This isn't over, Austin", Bischoff swore. "I'll find a way to break that contract. If i have to go through it with a fine-tooth comb, I WILL break that contract!"
"Well, you're in for a very long wait, Eric, 'cause there ain't no loophole in there", Austin said. "Everything you've thought up, I've countered. Go ahead, take a look at the contract. Go over it, read it, study it, cross yout little 'T's, dot your little 'I's and whatnot, but you'll come up with nothin'! The contract is airtight, signed, sealed and delivered. Lita's on RAW, she's stayin' on RAW, and that's the bottom line, WHAT? 'cause Stone Cold said so! Now you'd better hurry up and get your little ass outta here, Eric."
"Oh, yeah? Why SHOULD I?", Bischoff countered. "It's my show, too! I've got every bit as much right to be here as you do!Besides, you can't touch me unless I physically provoke you, or you'll lose your job!", Bischoff smugly smiled.
"I know that", Austin smiled, a nasty, knowing smile. "But seeing as how you took your time to pack up and leave, and the meter was runnin on your limo ride, I told the driver to head over to the airport with your stuff already."
"WHAT?!", Bischoff exploded.
"Hey, that's my line!", Austin admonished. "Oh, and by the way, I've had a few too many Steve-weisers, so I don't know if I got the address to the hotel right...", he pulled out a piece of paper from his jean shorts. "Now, is the Nelson Mandela 5-Star Hotel in Ft. Lauderdale where RAW's gonna be next week, or in South Africa?"
Bischoff's eyes nearly popped out of his head. "You sent my...you sent my luggage, my stuff all the way to SOUTH AFRICA!?"
Austin shrugged. "Well, there was a bunch of papers layin' round your office, and you didn't tell me where the RAW brand was stayin' at, so I just grabbed the one on the stack of papers labeled 'Hotel Reservations'"
"THAT WAS MY VACATION SPOT!!", Bischoff screamed, before running out the door, yelling 'HEY! STOP THAT CAR! STOP THAT CAR! THAT'S MY STUFF!' .
"Yeah, you go get that car, Eric! Run, RUN, little man! ", Austin called after him. The three shared hysterical laughter at Bischoff's plight.
"Oh....oh my", Trish said, in between peals of laughter.
Lita tried to sober up and told him, "Steve, Steve, seriously....that wasn't nice." She held the face for two seconds before cracking, "But it was damn sure funny!", and laughing hysterically.
"Yeah, I'm going to hell", Austin shrugged, snickering. "But seriously, on a serious note, Lita, I want to personally welcome you back to RAW. It's been different without you. I know Trish missed you somethin' fierce, I missed you, the boys in the back are glad to have ya back, and the fans are, too, so, if there's anything you need, both of you, either of you, just head on down to my office, we can discuss stuff there."
"Thanks, Steve, I appreciate that", she smiled. "And thank YOU again, for giving me the chance to do what I love to do again. It's been too long since I've been in the ring."
"Well,don't worry, Li, I'm sure we can work off the ring rust", Trish grinned, patting her best friend on the back.
"You're gonna have to, if you're gonna face Gail Kim and Molly Holly this Sunday at Unforgiven", Austin said. "Don't take these girls lightly, Lita. Trish knows what they can do together, and you've gotta be on your guard. Anything less than 100% and you're done."
"I'll be ready, Steve. Don't you worry", Lita assured the 6-time WWE Champion.
"I won't. I have faith in the both of ya. Just go out there Sunday, give it all you've got", he said as he turned to leave.
"Steve", Lita called to him.
Austin turned around. Lita took a moment, before standing on her tip-toes to plant a kiss on the Rattlesnake's cheek. Austin looked at her, stunned.
"Thank you. For everything", Lita smiled warmly.
Austin looked down at the ground for a moment. "Aw, hell, Lita, you're gonna make me blush like one of them sissy choir boys!" He looked up and smiled at her. "Just take care, okay? Both of you." He pointed at Trish.
"We will. Thanks, Steve", Trish smiled.
"Yeah, well, somewhere there's a six-pack in the city of Fayetteville with my name on it, so I'm gonna keep looking 'till I find it........G'Night, y'all." They waved goodbye as he walked out the door.
"He looks cute when he blushes", Trish noted with delight.
"Yeah, but he'll probably kill us if we tell anyone", Lita said, smiling.
"But seriously...Li...I know these two girls. They almost ended my career tonight. Now that you're here, they're going to have you in their sights, too. Are you sure you're up for this on Sunday?"
Lita rested a hand on the smaller woman's shoulder. "Trish, I've spent 17 months sitting on the sidelines while everyone else has been having all the fun. It's my time. I want me some action."
"So...you're ready?", Trish asked .
"Hells yeah, I'm ready", Lita smiled. "Those little hoes tried to take you out, but let's see how they do when it's all even. I've got your back, QueenBee. Always."
"And I've got yours, too, Li", Trish promised solemnly. "I'll always be right there when you need me."
"Ryde or Die", Lita said as she held out her hand, the Ozzy Ozbourne handsymbol formed there.
"Ryde or Die", Trish smiled back. "BadGirls 4 life", she recited, as her own hand formed into that same handsymbol, and connected with Lita's fist in their own secret handshake. 'BadGirls' was their nickname for themselves. It was because they considered themselves to be the toughest, the baddest and the best athletes out of all the Divas in the WWE. . 'Ryde or Die' was their motto, their credo. It meant a vow to stick together, to tough out a nasty situation, to live their lives and careers and perform at their absolute best, because if they did anything less, it wasn't worth living it at all.
This was their motto. This was who they were.
BadGirls.
"4 Life", Lita smiled back.
TO BE CONTINUED.........
by Jean-theGuardian
Disclaimer: I own nothing. Vince McMahon and WWE own everything here. Don't sue.
Spoilers: September 16 RAW, when Lita returned and made the save for Trish; Unforgiven 2003
Summary: When Lita returns to action, she and Trish re-kindle their strong friendship, and forge a powerful alliance. But can even the combined forces of these BadGirls stand up to their powerful enemies? It's Trish and Lita vs. the World!
Part 1 - Back with a Bang!
RAW - Monday, September 17th, 2003
Trish's head throbbed with unreal pain as her skull slammed full-force into the mat with a double DDT, courtesy of Gail Kim and Molly Holly.
She knew going into this match that she was in for it. No partner. No help. No friends. Thanks to that asshole, RAW co-General Manager Eric Bischoff, making this match a handicap tag match, Trish was all alone out there, fighting for her career, just barely keeping conscious after the onslaught by these two women.
She also knew that Molly and Gail weren't about to stop for anything. She heard the two women run their mouths off the entire week going into RAW tonight that they were going to end Trish Stratus's career. That they would finally take out the 4-time WWE women's champion once and for all. And it looked like they were about to make due on their promise.
She felt herself being hoisted up onto something solid and cold. She felt her body dangling, hanging arc-like from something, perhaps a chair. She couldn't tell, because the assault she had taken had left her practically unconscious. She felt something cold being pressed against her neck. She could feel that was a steel chair. She'd been attacked by enough of them for months to know what the feel of one was like. Perhaps the worst part of all this was that she could feel, could sense what was about to happen, yet she couldn't lift a finger to stop it. Her body had completely shut itself down, drained by fatigue and physical punishment. Or maybe that was a relief. Then maybe she wouldn't feel a thing when whatever was about to happen had happened. It would finally be over. All the weeks of frustration, the sneak attacks, the isolation in the back, the constant targeting by people like Molly Holly, Jazz, Victoria, Ivory and Gail Kim would be gone. Done in an instant. With her career.
And in that moment, she had never felt more alone in her life. She was about to be seriously injured and there was no one around to help her. No friends, no family, no one who cared. She wished her best friend was here, ready to help, but she knew that wasn't about to happen. She was gone .And she was never coming back. She shut her eyes and was ready to accept her fate.......
Suddenly, a roar from the crowd erupted as she squinted her eyes open just enough to see a streak of red hair slid in a lightning-speed into the ring, knocking down Gail Kim in a heart beat. Trish seized the opportunity and managed to roll herself off the steel chair she was placed on with her last bit of energy. She collapsed in an exhausted heap onto the mat, closing her eyes and wincing in pain. She could hear a vicious fight going on around her, hear the crowd roaring in delight, feel the sickening THUD! at which a pair of bodies hit the floor. And then she heard music.
A tune that was familiar, but was so inprobable to hear that Trish thought she was hallucinating. She recognized that theme music, "LovePassionFuryEnergy", from BoyHitsCar, a song that once brought her reassurance, not because of the lyrics neccesarily, but because of the woman associated with that song. The one good friend she had ever had in this business.
And then she felt a pair of firm, yet gentle hands on her shoulders, gently wrapping around her and lifting her up off the canvas.
"Trish......Hey, Trish......QueenBee, you okay?", a familiar voice asked. There was only one person she knew who called her "QueenBee".
"Come on, Trish, talk to me."
Trish's eyes fluttered open, and went wide as her hazel eyes rested on her savior.
Lita smiled down at her, her soft features showing a mixture of concern and relief.
"L-Lita?......But......Li......how?", Trish stammered, stunned and groggy. "Am......Am I dreaming?"
Lita chuckled. "No, stupid, but you look like you're halfway to Dreamland. Let's get you out of here before the Gruesome Twosome over there decide to wake up", the redhead motioned over to the prone bodies of Gail and Molly Holly.
"I hear that", Trish muttered as she was assisted out of the ring by her best friend. Trish clutched her head as she limped to the back to the sound of thunderous cheers, Lita's arm firmly wrapped around her middle, supporting the blonde's body upright.
"Oww, oh man, I've got a headache", Trish grumbled as she lifted her hand to acknowledge the crowd.
"Maybe, but it's better than having a broken neck, and trust me, that comes from experience...Lucky I got here when I did", Lita smirked.
Trish smiled warmly. "Hey, Li?" That was her own nickname for her best friend.
"Yeah, Queenie?", Lita smiled back.
"Welcome back."
------------------------------ Trish's Locker Room - After RAW
Trish held an icepack over her head, leaned up against a chair. She was starting to feel a little more like her old self again. Lita, having no locker room of her own, decided to stay in with Trish, insisting that she needed help to pack her things, especially considering that she did not have her bearings fully back just yet.
The pair of beauties laughed in delight when they watched the TV monitor of RAW, seeing an incensed and injured Molly Holly and Gail Kim irately complaning to Eric Bischoff about Lita's interference in their well-laid plan. Bischoff argued that he had no idea that Lita was even in the building and that he fired her. Or course, the surprise was when Stone Cold Steve Austin himself informed the three that it was the Rattlesnake himself who had hired Lita back to RAW, and let her in the building. And in a delightful twist, he booked Trish and Lita vs. Gail and Molly at Unforgiven. After a string of 'WHATs?', he left Bischoff seething and turning red, Molly exasparated, and Gail to mournfully woe, "I can't BELIEVE I slept with the wrong General Manager!" Stone Cold whirled on her, asking, "Come Again?" Gail stammered that it was okay, not like it was the first time or anything.
Trish giggled with glee. "Gee, I don't know which is worse for that girl, having to face the two of us, or living with the memory of getting wriggly with Bischoff."
"Trust me, girl, if it came down to Bischoff and an ass-kicking, I'll take my licks twice over if need be", Lita snickered.
Trish grew serious for a moment. "But, Li.....I don't get it. You were fired, and all the rehab you've been doing and everything.......how are you......here?"
Lita shrugged. "I got medically cleared a month ago. I took some time to train, get a couple new moves, look after myself...then last week, after RAW ended, I got a phone call from Steve. He said he overheard Gail and Molly talking about what they had planned for you tonight, and well, given that he knew you was my gurl and all, he didn't think that would sit too well with me."
"So, what happened?", Trish asked, her interest piqued.
"I practically begged him to let me go back on RAW. He made me a deal, to fax him over the papers medically clearing me to wrestle, and he would have me signed to a new RAW contract within a day or so. I faxed over the papers on Tuesday, we met on Wednesday in San Antonio, talked over the stipulations of my contract with my lawyer and his, and by Thursday, I was officially signed as the newest member of the WWE RAW brand. But as part of the deal, I had to keep my signing a secret until tonight. He said he wanted to see the look on Bischoff's face when he found out that Stone Cold Steve Austin resigned the same woman Bischoff had personally fired."
"So, that's why you didn't call me with the good news then", Trish smiled, but arching an admonishing eyebrow.
Lita sighed, but still smiling. "QueenBee, you know that I would've called you the second I signed that contract if I could've- - "
"I know, I know", Trish laughed it off. "I'm just having some fun with you, Li. I'm just glad you're back."
Lita smiled again. She placed a reassuring hand on Trish's own. "I am back, Queenie. And I ain't going nowhere. I know it's been rough for you alone, but that's over. I'm here, and I've got your back."
Trish sighed. "It's just...it's been so hard, you know?", her voice starting to quiver with emotion. "I-I mean, I'm thankful for everything I've accomplished here, but the last few months have been so hard. If it's not Jazz, then it's Victoria, if not Victoria, then Molly Holly, if not her it's Gail Kim, then it's Molly AND Gail at the same time, and on top of that, Bischoff's made it his personal duty to make things as difficult for me as possible . I've never really had many friends here, well, not any that can back me up like you could. Terri and Stacy don't count in that respect."
"Hey, hey, hey", Lita sushed her friend soothingly, reaching out and running a hand through her blonde hair. "I know it's been rough. I've been there, believe me. If you only knew how many times I've seen you get beat up, jumped from behind, and taken down while I've been away...and not being able to help you out made it even worse. It was killing me. But that's over now, girl. I'm back, better than ever, and I'm ready to back you up. Whatever happens from now on, we face it together. We're girls, Queenie, remember that. Always. You and me. Ryde or Die .BadGirls 4 life."
Trish smiled, her eyes starting to water. "I've missed you so much, Li", she pulled her into a hug.
"I've missed you, too, QueenBee", Lita softly replied, hugging back tightly, fighting back the tears that threatened to spill.
Their heartfelt moment was interrupted when Eric Bishoff stormed into the locker room. He stopped short of the two women and scowled as his eyes rested on Lita.
Lita returned the scowl with her own heated stare. She never believed that she could truly hate someone, and yet as her greenish eyes bored into Bischoff, she felt a hatred for this pathetic excuse of a man so intense that she could barely see straight.
Bischoff smugly smiled. "Well, well.......look who's FINALLY here. Is that her? Is that you, Lita? THE Lita? The same Lita who insulted me in the center of the ring last April, after I tried to help to launch her career with a proposition for Playboy? The same Lita I fired in the center of that same ring, on that same night?" The smile disappeared and his scowl reemerged ."The same Lita who just an hour ago, showed up here on MY show and screwed up one of MY matches that I had PERSONALLY set up, in defiance of MY orders after I fired her and threw her off MY show?! Is that the same Lita?!"
Lita stood up and stared back intensely, not intimidated by the man, in spite of the fact that he had about a good inch on her. "Well, Eric, I'd say it's nice to see you too, except we both know that would be lying, now wouldn't it?", she smirked back sarcastically.
Trish stood up, infuriated. "How DARE you! You can't just barge into my dressing room whenever you feel like!"
"Shut up, Stratus! I'm the General Manager of RAW and I can do WHATEVER I feel like!", he snapped, before turning his gaze back to Lita. "Honey, you made a big mistake coming back here to RAW. You've gotten on my bad side, Lita, and I swear to you, I SWEAR, that I will do everything in my power, and that's a lot of power, to make your life a living, breathing hell! Every turn, every move you make, every step you take, Lita--"
"Look....Bitch-off", Lita spat. "If you're going to come in here spitting out lyrics from Sting and the Police, there's a karaoke bar down 5th and Samford. Otherwise, get to the point, we've got things to do."
Trish stiffled a snicker at Bischoff's reddened face. He looked like he was suffering from an extreme case of constipation.
"Do you think this is funny, Trish? Huh?", Bischoff said as he took a step towards Trish, who scowled at him. She hated him just as much as Lita did, maybe more, if it were possible. "You know, it would've just been SO awful if Gail and Molly had broken your neck tonight", he said in mock sympathy. "And on the eve of the release of your new DVD, too. (A/N: Trish's new DVD hits stores this week. Check it out!) Gee, now, that would have been just...devastating."
Trish gritted her teeth, just about all she could do to keep from nailing this pompous prick in his testicles, assuming he had any. "Well, gee now, I wasn't the one who signed that match to begin with, now was I, ERIC?!"
Bischoff chuckled. "Yeah, that was a good one. Of course, it was nothing personal against YOU, Trish. And it had NOTHING to do with the fact that you refused to go out with me earlier this year. It's just that, well, let's just say that Gail and Molly, especially Gail", he chuckled again, before continuing, "let's just say, they know how to play ball."
"You mean how to play with them", Lita smirked. "Assuming, of course, if there was anything to play with, to begin with."
Trish's eyebrows arched in delight at Lita's sharp comeback. God, how she had missed her friend's ever-quick sense of humor, those nasty little one- liners she could come up with.
Bischoff's face reddened again at the innuendo, scowling. "Listen, sweetheart, I don't what that idiot Austin did or what kind of contract he signed you to, but I WILL find a way to break it. I can fire you right here, right now. And if Austin hires you back again, I'll just fire you again! I'll keep your career in permanent limbo, Lita. I will make sure that you NEVER set foot in another ring again, and I will be loving EVERY MINUTE OF IT!", he hissed. Lita scowled, clenching her fists until her knuckles grew white. She wanted nothing more than to punch the living hell out of this jackass. The fact that he would derive so much pleasure out of squashing someone's career made him absolutely disgusting and repugnant.
"In fact", Bischoff continued, smiling that cheezy smile of his, "I think that's what I'll do. Lita, as of right now, you're fi- -"
"WHAT?"
Bischoff stopped cold in his tracks, as the look of superiority on his face melted away into one of irritance, annoyance and desperation......
"WHAT?"
Lita smiled as she saw who was standing behind the co-General manager of RAW.......
"WHAT?"
Trish shook her head and smiled, relieved at the sight.......
"WHAT?"
For standing behind Bischoff......
"WHAT?"
Was the one man........
"WHAT?"
With enough power.....
"WHAT?"
And enough moxie.....
"WHAT?"
To make Bischoff's life a living hell.....
"WHAT?"
The other co-General Manager of RAW.......
"WHAT?"
The man who gave him the beating of his natural life at No Way Out 2003.......
"WHAT?" Bischoff slowly turned around and looked into the cold blue eyes.......
"WHAT?
Of Stone Cold Steve Austin.
"You're gonna fire Lita? WHAT? Is that what you 're gonna do? WHAT?", the bald-headed Texas Rattlesnake started on one of his famous rants, his face intense, yet smirking as he did so. "Kick her to the curb? WHAT? Can her? WHAT? Give her the Boot? WHAT? The Axe? WHAT? The Chopping Block? WHAT? Well, there ain't gonna be any of that tonight! WHAT? I said there ain't gonna be any of that tonight! WHAT? No way! WHAT? No can do! WHAT? Nothing! WHAT? Nada!WHAT? Zip! WHAT? Zilch! WHAT? Do I have to draw you a picture? WHAT? Are you some kind of idiot? WHAT? Jackass? WHAT? Mo-ron? WHAT? Ignor- amus? WHAT? Knuckle-head? WHAT? RE-tard? WHAT? WHAT? WHAT? WHAT?"
Lita and Trish exchanged smiles with each other, chuckling at the sight before them. Lita had known Steve for a long time and she knew better than anyone that he could be as off-the-wall as anyone she ever met.
Bischoff looked like he had swallowed his retainer. "Steve, do you mind? I'm trying to--", Bischoff started.
"Shut up!", Austin snapped. "Now what you've got to understand, Eric, is that I don't like having my authority disrespected!"
Bischoff stared incredulously at the Rattlesnake. "Oh yeah!?, Then how come you've disrespected my authority ever since you come in here from Day 1and-- "
"I'm Still TALKING, Eric!", Austin cut him off. "And, seeing as it WAS you who invited me to join RAW earlier this year to save your miserable little job, I'd say you have yourself to blame on that! See, I figured you'd try to pull somethin' like this. So what I did was I signed Lita, which was a hard thing to do, considering the way you treated her last time, to a brand new, iron-clad RAW contract. And the stipulations indicate that under no circumstances is Lita to be fired, WHAT?, suspended ,WHAT? treated disrespectfully ,WHAT? professionally, WHAT? or personally, WHAT? by the governing branch of RAW, that being you and me, WHAT? You and me. WHAT? Me and You. WHAT? Tu y Yo. WHAT? Austin and Bischoff. WHAT? for the duration of her LONG, WHAT? LUCRATIVE, WHAT? BONUS-clad, WHAT? FAT NEW contract. WHAT?" As he said this, he ticked off every stipulation with his fingers, in between all the 'WHAT's.
Trish looked to Lita, with a quizzical expression on her face, as if to ask if it was true. When the redhead smiled and nodded in acknowledgement, Trish beamed a Broadway smile. Lita really was here to stay this time.
"You signed her to--what?!", Bischoff exploded. "How could you make a decision like that? Without my consent? Without my judgement?! Without my prior approval?!"
"Like the way you signed most of the matches at Unforgiven without my approval? WHAT? How you signed JR and King against that little piece of trash Coach and that jackass AL Snow for the announcer jobs on RAW? WHAT? How you placed Bill Goldberg in a tag match with Evolution, with Randy Orton as his partner to be set up for an ass-kicking? WHAT? How you signed poor Trish here in a handicap tag tonight that almost left her crippled by your little bimbo girlfriends? WHAT?", Austin scowled. "Something like that, Eric?"
Eric opened his mouth to say something, but Austin cut him off. "Nah-AHH! Now what you've got to understand, Eric, is that whether you like it or not, I'm the co-GM of RAW, it's 50-50, right down the middle. And whether you like it or not, I signed Lita to RAW, and Lita is here to stay. WHAT? I said Lita's here to stay. WHAT? She ain't going no where. WHAT? She's staying put. WHAT? Do you understand me? WHAT? Do I make myself clear? WHAT? Comprende? WHAT? Sabe? WHAT? Parlez vous Englais? WHAT? DO you get it? WHAT? Can you hear me? WHAT? Can you hear me NOW?" At that point he stuck a middle-finger in Bischoff's face. The smaller man shut his eyes as an expression of powerlessness and exhasperation coursed his face.
Lita's eyes danced with amusement. Seeing Bischoff suffer like that gave her such a sense of satisfaction. The no-good bastard deserved every bit of it and more. Trish grinned in delight. After what Bischoff did to Lita, and what he tried to have done to Trish, the blonde could only hope that Bischoff was getting a dose of his own medicine.
"This isn't over, Austin", Bischoff swore. "I'll find a way to break that contract. If i have to go through it with a fine-tooth comb, I WILL break that contract!"
"Well, you're in for a very long wait, Eric, 'cause there ain't no loophole in there", Austin said. "Everything you've thought up, I've countered. Go ahead, take a look at the contract. Go over it, read it, study it, cross yout little 'T's, dot your little 'I's and whatnot, but you'll come up with nothin'! The contract is airtight, signed, sealed and delivered. Lita's on RAW, she's stayin' on RAW, and that's the bottom line, WHAT? 'cause Stone Cold said so! Now you'd better hurry up and get your little ass outta here, Eric."
"Oh, yeah? Why SHOULD I?", Bischoff countered. "It's my show, too! I've got every bit as much right to be here as you do!Besides, you can't touch me unless I physically provoke you, or you'll lose your job!", Bischoff smugly smiled.
"I know that", Austin smiled, a nasty, knowing smile. "But seeing as how you took your time to pack up and leave, and the meter was runnin on your limo ride, I told the driver to head over to the airport with your stuff already."
"WHAT?!", Bischoff exploded.
"Hey, that's my line!", Austin admonished. "Oh, and by the way, I've had a few too many Steve-weisers, so I don't know if I got the address to the hotel right...", he pulled out a piece of paper from his jean shorts. "Now, is the Nelson Mandela 5-Star Hotel in Ft. Lauderdale where RAW's gonna be next week, or in South Africa?"
Bischoff's eyes nearly popped out of his head. "You sent my...you sent my luggage, my stuff all the way to SOUTH AFRICA!?"
Austin shrugged. "Well, there was a bunch of papers layin' round your office, and you didn't tell me where the RAW brand was stayin' at, so I just grabbed the one on the stack of papers labeled 'Hotel Reservations'"
"THAT WAS MY VACATION SPOT!!", Bischoff screamed, before running out the door, yelling 'HEY! STOP THAT CAR! STOP THAT CAR! THAT'S MY STUFF!' .
"Yeah, you go get that car, Eric! Run, RUN, little man! ", Austin called after him. The three shared hysterical laughter at Bischoff's plight.
"Oh....oh my", Trish said, in between peals of laughter.
Lita tried to sober up and told him, "Steve, Steve, seriously....that wasn't nice." She held the face for two seconds before cracking, "But it was damn sure funny!", and laughing hysterically.
"Yeah, I'm going to hell", Austin shrugged, snickering. "But seriously, on a serious note, Lita, I want to personally welcome you back to RAW. It's been different without you. I know Trish missed you somethin' fierce, I missed you, the boys in the back are glad to have ya back, and the fans are, too, so, if there's anything you need, both of you, either of you, just head on down to my office, we can discuss stuff there."
"Thanks, Steve, I appreciate that", she smiled. "And thank YOU again, for giving me the chance to do what I love to do again. It's been too long since I've been in the ring."
"Well,don't worry, Li, I'm sure we can work off the ring rust", Trish grinned, patting her best friend on the back.
"You're gonna have to, if you're gonna face Gail Kim and Molly Holly this Sunday at Unforgiven", Austin said. "Don't take these girls lightly, Lita. Trish knows what they can do together, and you've gotta be on your guard. Anything less than 100% and you're done."
"I'll be ready, Steve. Don't you worry", Lita assured the 6-time WWE Champion.
"I won't. I have faith in the both of ya. Just go out there Sunday, give it all you've got", he said as he turned to leave.
"Steve", Lita called to him.
Austin turned around. Lita took a moment, before standing on her tip-toes to plant a kiss on the Rattlesnake's cheek. Austin looked at her, stunned.
"Thank you. For everything", Lita smiled warmly.
Austin looked down at the ground for a moment. "Aw, hell, Lita, you're gonna make me blush like one of them sissy choir boys!" He looked up and smiled at her. "Just take care, okay? Both of you." He pointed at Trish.
"We will. Thanks, Steve", Trish smiled.
"Yeah, well, somewhere there's a six-pack in the city of Fayetteville with my name on it, so I'm gonna keep looking 'till I find it........G'Night, y'all." They waved goodbye as he walked out the door.
"He looks cute when he blushes", Trish noted with delight.
"Yeah, but he'll probably kill us if we tell anyone", Lita said, smiling.
"But seriously...Li...I know these two girls. They almost ended my career tonight. Now that you're here, they're going to have you in their sights, too. Are you sure you're up for this on Sunday?"
Lita rested a hand on the smaller woman's shoulder. "Trish, I've spent 17 months sitting on the sidelines while everyone else has been having all the fun. It's my time. I want me some action."
"So...you're ready?", Trish asked .
"Hells yeah, I'm ready", Lita smiled. "Those little hoes tried to take you out, but let's see how they do when it's all even. I've got your back, QueenBee. Always."
"And I've got yours, too, Li", Trish promised solemnly. "I'll always be right there when you need me."
"Ryde or Die", Lita said as she held out her hand, the Ozzy Ozbourne handsymbol formed there.
"Ryde or Die", Trish smiled back. "BadGirls 4 life", she recited, as her own hand formed into that same handsymbol, and connected with Lita's fist in their own secret handshake. 'BadGirls' was their nickname for themselves. It was because they considered themselves to be the toughest, the baddest and the best athletes out of all the Divas in the WWE. . 'Ryde or Die' was their motto, their credo. It meant a vow to stick together, to tough out a nasty situation, to live their lives and careers and perform at their absolute best, because if they did anything less, it wasn't worth living it at all.
This was their motto. This was who they were.
BadGirls.
"4 Life", Lita smiled back.
TO BE CONTINUED.........