Title: They Don't Know

Author: Sez

Pairing/Character: Lita/Cena (romance - eventually), Lita/Jeff Hardy (friendship)

Disclaimer: Anything you recognize - I don't own.

Rating: R

Summary: She wasn't what they thought she was. . . .

Spoilers: 082106 Raw - though all storylines are fair game.

Warnings: language, violence, maybe more - maybe less

Part One

She retreated into an empty locker room, letting the door close behind her before turning around and locking it. Couldn't be too safe. . . .What, with John Cena on a rampage - angry as hell from the latest screw job done by herself and Edge. . . .A pair of brass knuckles to the back of the head - Cena didn't know what hit him. . . .Wasn't like he didn't deserve it - with all the shit he'd said about her. That fucking son of a bitch. . . .As far as she was concerned, he got what he deserved - not being able to get his hands on the WWE title, his precious belt being thrown in the water. . . .And yet, it still wasn't enough. Everything he's done - the FU. . . .Everything he's said. . . .Shit, he didn't even know her. He had absolutely no right to call her those things - slut, skank, whore. . . .He didn't know a thing about her - not one thing. . . .All of them - they didn't know her either. Because if they did. . . .If they did, then they wouldn't be saying the things they were saying. . . .They would wish they could take it all back. She wasn't a slut - or any other foul word they could come with. She wasn't. . . .Maybe she was a bitch, but she was entitled to be one. . . .With everything she's been put through - Matt, Kane. . . .All of the shit they've made her go through. Those people didn't know her. And they never will. . . .Because they'll never give her a chance. . . .Because they're fine with believing all of those misconceptions about her. They didn't care. All they care about was what John Cena said. . . .And what John Cena said was that. . . .She's Edge's little whore. And they believed him. They all believed him.

If they only knew. . . .If they only knew that her boyfriend, the Rated R Superstar was an abusive bastard that took his aggressions out on her when the doors where closed - when there were no cameras around. . . .Nobody in sight. He didn't care about her - he only cared about that damned title of his. . . .Fuck, he even made out with it after winning the match against Cena. . . .He wouldn't even touch her anymore – and the only times he would were when the cameras were around. . . .Then they had to act as if everything was okay between them. That they were in-love, that he cared about her, she cared about him. . . .That he wasn't hurting her, wasn't hitting her. . . .So stupid.

Threatening to leave only made it worse. . . .Not saying a thing made it bearable. Kind of. . . .She kept thinking. . . .Maybe if she didn't say anything, everything will go away.

But they never do. And sometimes she thinks. . . .Maybe they never will. And she'll be stuck in this nightmare.

She swiped at the tears running down her cheeks - and she hated herself for it. For being weak - for allowing herself to cry. . . .But - things. . . .Everything, it was just too much to handle. She had no friends, Edge made sure of that. She didn't even want to talk to her mom anymore - because that would mean she would have to lie to her – tell her she was okay, when she wasn't – tell her things were fine, when they weren't - and she couldn't do that. She couldn't lie to her. So, she acted as if she didn't care - but she does. She does care - about her mom, her life. . . .Everything. She still cares. . . .But allowing her self to show that kind of emotion. . . .Towards anyone other than that R-Rated asshole would mean more pain. . . .More beatings. . . .God, the make-up she wore barely kept them from showing. . . .The bruises he'd left. . . .He wanted her to know who was in control. . . .That she was nothing - to him, to anyone. . . .

No one would care.

The thought only made her cry even more. . . .Because it was true. She thought it was true. No one would care because. . . .Because there was no one left to. She pushed everyone away. . . .There was no one left to care about what happened to her. . . .

She flinched, the sound of fists banging against the door surprising her. Hazel eyes watched with fear. Maybe Cena. . . .Maybe he found her - saw her coming into the locker room. . . .Knew she was alone. Her face paled. . . .He was angry, reckless. . . .There was no thinking what he would do to her. She stayed silent, her arms coming to wrap themselves protectively around her body. . . .Whoever was behind the door was growing more and more impatient. . . .

But finally they stopped - and she released the breath she held.

Her eyebrows furrowed at the next sound, "Li, open this door - I know you're in there."

Jeff. That was Jeff's voice. What was he. . . .?

"I just want to talk, Li - please. Open this door."

Drawing in a shaky breath, Lita released her arms from around herself, slowly crossing the length of the locker room in order to get to the door. She wrapped a hand around the doorknob, another moving to unlock it. . . .A 'click' was heard before she gave the knob a twist, pulling the door only wide enough for her to peer outside. Jeff Hardy was indeed standing on the other side of it - concerned etched in the younger wrestler's face at the sight of her tears, replacing the anger that was there.

Slowing he began pushing the door open wide enough for him to step inside, pushing the door closed behind him once he was fully inside the locker room. He turned to face her. Green eyes locking on sad hazel.

"If I didn't miss you so much - I would kick your ass," he tried to joke. . . .Satisfied with what he said only when a tiny smile formed on the diva's lips. He let out a sigh, opening his arms, "Come on - give me a hug. You look like you could use one - and I kind of need one, too."

Lita complied. . . .Stepping forward and wrapping her arms around his waist, resting her head against his chest. He returned the gesture by slipping his arms around her and brushing his lips against the top of her head.

"Missed you too, Jeffrey - I've missed you, too."