PART THREE

THAT SUNDAY- UNFORGIVEN

Triple H found the door that Stone Cold Steve Austin was using as an office and stopped in front of it.  He took a deep breath, preparing to go in.  As much as he despised Austin, he knew that he would be plenty willing to get rid of him and, for once, that was exactly what he needed.  He exhaled loudly, pushing the door open.  He groaned as he saw that, not only were *both* Austin and Bischoff in the office, but the two had yet again found themselves in the midst of a heated argument.  Hunter could only imagine what it was about this time.

"So what are you trying to say, that I can't do my job?" Austin challenged, staring Bischoff down.  Eric kept his glare locked on his partner, nodding his head.

"That's *exactly* what I'm saying!" he cried, standing up a bit on his toes to even out their heights.  "You have been nothing but a disgrace to my show since the second you showed up again."  Austin sent Eric a look of disbelief.

"Your show?  I *made* this damn show what it is today!" Steve screamed.  "Now listen to me you stupid son of a bitch, I'm gonna make this real…"  Austin trailed off as he suddenly got the feeling that he and Bischoff weren't alone in the room anymore.  He slowly turned his head to the side, Bischoff's gaze following shortly after to see what Austin was looking at.

"Sorry to interrupt your little – chat, if you could call it that – but I have something to say," Triple H said, stepping into the room.  Both general managers stared at him blankly, waiting for him to continue.

"I want out," he stated plainly.  "I think I'd be better off on Smackdown."

"Hell no!" Eric and Steve exclaimed simultaneously.

"Hunter, you can't leave… we need you on the show," Bischoff explained.  Austin, however, saw things a little differently, and he shook his head.

"No we don't.  We've got plenty of talented people on Raw… many of whom I'm sure would be glad to see him go.  We don't need him… what we need is *that*," he said, gesturing to the World Heavyweight Championship, which was resting securely over top of the Game's shoulder.  Bischoff nodded slowly.

"For once Steve, you're right," he agreed.  "Hunter, you can't leave.  We will not send you to Smackdown while you're holding our major title."

Hunter looked down at his arm, eyeing his title speculatively.  He debated with himself silently… did he *really* want to give up his Championship just so he could go to Smackdown?  He *had* been holding it for nearly a year, minus the month that his former best friend Shawn Michaels had taken it from him… it was safe to say that the Championship had in a way become a part of him.  On the other hand, Smackdown also held something that had very much become a part of him – in his mind anyway… a certain redheaded diva.

"Look you guys, I'm glad you're *finally* agreeing on something," HHH replied, rolling his eyes emphatically, "but I don't care about the title.  I just need to be on Smackdown.  If you're really that concerned with the title staying on Raw, I'll throw my match with Goldberg tonight.  I'm sure he won't mind being Champion."  Both Austin and Bischoff raised their eyebrows in surprise.  After all Triple H had gone through in the past year to ensure that the belt stayed around his waist, his nonchalant attitude towards giving it up was a bit shocking, to say the least.

"I still don't think we can afford to part with you.  Come on, just think about it for a minute," Bischoff pleaded, wondering what in hell was going on in Hunter's mind.

"Hell no," Austin interjected.  "If the man wants to leave, let him leave.  We can work out a deal with Stephanie and get someone from Smackdown to come here."  Triple H had been a constant pain in his ass, so he certainly wasn't going to miss him if he left.  As far as Stone Cold was concerned, as long as the title stayed, then Helmsley was free to go.  "Let him go.  He can leave today for all I care… as long as he leaves the Heavyweight Title behind."  A small smile slowly crept its way onto Hunter's face.

"The title is all yours," he said, winking at his soon to be former boss before turning and heading out the door.  As he closed the door behind him, he leaned in and listened as he heard Austin speaking again.

"Good riddance," he called.

"I don't get it," Hunter heard Bischoff say.  "That World Title was like his baby.  Why would he give it up just to be on Smackdown?"

"I don't know," Steve replied.  "But whatever it is, there must be something *really* important over there for him."

Outside the door, Triple H nodded.  If only you knew just how important Steve.  He sighed contentedly as he walked away… that had certainly gone a lot more smoothly than he had planned.  Austin was right… there *was* something over on Smackdown that was very important to him.  Actually, it wasn't a something – more like a someone – who was, to say the least, extremely important…

Lita.

TUESDAY- SMACKDOWN

"Stephanie, you wanted to see me?" Edge called, sticking his head into her office.  His stomach dropped as he realized that Stephanie was not alone – Lita was in the office as well.

"Yeah, come on in Edge," Stephanie replied, her head buried in her laptop.  "Have a seat, I'll be with you in just a minute."  Edge nodded, walking over and taking a seat in the chair next to Lita's.

"Hey," she whispered cheerily, smiling up at him.

"Hey Li," he whispered back, sending her a small smile.  Her attitude had certainly changed drastically since a week ago.  A few minutes later, Stephanie finished up what she was doing, and she turned off her laptop.  She closed it, folding her hands and resting them on top as she addressed her two employees.

"Okay guys, I guess you're wondering why I called both of you here."  Both Superstars nodded, waiting for her response.  "Well, I've been thinking that – since there's really not much competition for Lita here on Smackdown – maybe it would be best if she were paired up with a male Superstar.  At first, I thought Matt Hardy, but I know you two aren't together anymore, so I didn't want to make the situation weird.  Then, this idea hit me… I think that the fans would love to see Lita and Edge together.  What do you two think?"

"I'm all for it," Edge answered quickly, his cheeks reddening slightly.  He had shouted out his answer to her question a little too quickly. 

He, for one, knew that he would absolutely love working with Lita.  He had always been more or less a loner, but he had always felt that if he had to work with any of the divas he would most want to work with her.  Not only was she easy on the eyes, she was a great friend, and twenty times more fun to hang out with then some of the other women on the show.  But what if Lita didn't feel the same about working with him?  He glanced over at her, trying to read the look on her face.  She appeared as though she was deep in thought… Edge hoped that she decided to work with him.  He also hoped that if she did indeed agree to manage him that she did so because she wanted to, not because she felt pressured by him and Stephanie.  Finally, after what the Canadian felt to be hours, a small grin crept to Lita's face.  She turned her gaze to Edge for a minute, smiling at him before returning her glance to Stephanie.

"I would love to work with Edge," she replied, grinning.  Stephanie smiled as well, clapping her hands together in triumph.

"Great!" she exclaimed.  "I'm so glad you guys liked the idea.  I figured it would keep you a little more involved Lita.  Well, that's all I really wanted to know, so I'll mark you down as being in Edge's corner tonight and you two can go."  Edge and Lita stood, waving goodbye to Stephanie as they made their way out of her office.

Once outside, Lita explained to Edge that she had to go find Dawn, and that she would come and see him in his locker room later on that night to talk about the show.  As she walked away from him, she couldn't help but turn back and send him one last glance.  Working with Edge was something she had wanted to do since the beginning of their friendship, but he had always seemed to want help from no one.  He had seemed very excited – thrilled, actually – about working with her, and Lita couldn't help but feel the same.  What a turn of a events.  She had gone from being completely miserable to being unable to wipe the smile off of her face in a matter of a week.  Things were finally starting to look up…

Maybe being shipped to Smackdown wasn't such a bad thing after all.

No reviews last chapter?  I hope that doesn't mean I lost your interest already… =\ LOL, please let me know what you think of this chapter!!