Notes: Inspired by the events of and before the Royal Rumble 2002 and set before the Rumble.

I try the handle and it's locked, so I knock lightly.

"Go away." He shouts gruffly. I look around - nobody is around, so with a smirk, I lift my leg and attempt to kick the door in. Last time I tried that, I jarred my knee. Luckily for me, the doors and the hinges here are cheap and easily broken. Success. The door falls inwards with a crash and he spins around and stares me. I grin. "Hey lover."

"What are you doing here?" He looks absolutely amazed. I raise an eyebrow. "Anyone would think you weren't glad to see me. Can I come in?"

"Of course." I step into the room and he moves over and picks up the door placing it lightly against the frame, then pushes a cupboard against it so nobody can get in. Or out. He looks at me, still surprised. "It's good to see you. I've missed you."

"Then why the lack of visits?" I tease, knowing as well as he does why he didn't visit more often. His face darkens slightly. "You know why."

"I do. I was just teasing. Now come here and show me how much you missed me."

In two giant strides he crosses the room and wraps his arms around my waist, lifting me against him and kissing me eagerly. I wrap my legs around his waist and kiss him back like we haven't seen each other in months instead of a week or so. He presses me against the wall as one hand works it's way under my top. I gasp. "Have we got the time?"

"I'll make the time." He growls huskily, nipping lightly at my neck. Somehow, we get our clothes off and then he's inside me.

There's nothing gentle or tender or romantic about it, although he can be both those things when the mood is right. Right now is about raw animalistic need. I need him as urgently as he needs me. Our moods are perfectly matched and that's one of the reasons sex with him is incredible. We want it the same way at the same time, whether it's so loving that we're like a pair of honey mooners, or so wild that it's almost an attack.

When it's over, we cling to each other for a minute before finding our clothes and dressing silently. I pull my top down and look up to discover him watching me closely. "What?"

"Why are you here?" He asks slowly. "It's not that I'm not glad to see you, but you're not booked for tonight."

Oh yeah. Why I'm here. Nearly forgot in the aftermath of the mind blowing sex. I bite my bottom lip, wondering how to best soften the blow. "The boys are in the Rumble."

"Both of them?" He raises an eyebrow. "Oh well, you know I don't mind seeing you at Jeff's side. He's a good kid. He looks out for you."

'Unlike Matt.' Neither of us say it, but I know he's thinking it. It's now or never. I take a deep breath. "It won't be his side I'm at."

"What?" His head snaps around so fast I'm surprised he doesn't give himself whiplash. "Who is it?"

"Remember when we discussed that annoying habit Vince has of ignoring storyline changes that the fans don't like? Well apparently fans didn't like the storyline change that you and I rejoiced over." I watch his face carefully. His jaw tightens. "And you agreed to this?"

"I didn't have much choice." I protest. I knew this would happen. I fucking knew it. "The other two were up for it and Vince made it clear that if I didn't go along with it then I'd be held back. You know how much wrestling means to me."

"Sounds like it means more to you than I do." He gives me that cold stare which has made many stronger people than me look away. For the first time I can remember, I stare back at him. "That's not fair."

"You said you would never team up with him again!" He's furious. He has every right to be mad. I just wish that anger wasn't directed at me. "You said that nothing on Earth would make you team with someone who wouldn't have your back outside the ring as well as inside it!"

"Well I was wrong." I snap back. Okay, so I did say that, but I was angry at the time. And I never thought Vince would put the three of us back together again. "It happens to the best of us."

"And the worst." It's said quietly but I know he meant for me to hear it. Blinded by anger and with the blood rushing in my ears, I grab the nearest object, a lamp and heave it at him. He barely manages to dodge it and it shatters against the wall. "Don't guilt trip me, do you think I actually want this?"

"You're not fighting it!"

"Don't play Mr High and Mighty with me! You've been in this business longer than I have. It's different for us women. When our champ is a blonde bimbo it makes it hard to be taken seriously. I've manged to rise above that bullshit and I will not lower myself to 'Bra and Panties' Matches and the like for anyone! Not for the boys, not for Vince, not for you!"

"Lita, I've never asked anything more of you than you were willing to give, but please, for me, don't do this." He begs, looking vulnerable all of a sudden. I place my hand on his cheek. "I have to."

"No, you don't." He replies bitterly. "If you really didn't want to, you'd find a way out of it."

"How?" I'm tired of fighting him already. "How can I do it without degrading myself? Tell me that huh?"

"How can you team with someone you don't trust?" It's something we've both discussed numerous times. I feel weak and weary and wonder if I'll have the strength to go out there. I sigh. "What is this really about?"

He turns his back to me and says nothing. I look around for something else to throw at him, but as my fingers close around the vase of flowers on the table, he speaks. "I hate seeing him touch you. I hate having to watch you two act like a loving couple. I hate that it's not me at your side." He turns and looks at me sadly. "I'm jealous of that little twerp."

"Don't you trust me?" Jealously has never been either of our styles. Ever. We're not about that. He makes a noise in the back of his throat. "It's not you I don't trust. It's Matt."

"I don't trust him either!"

"Then don't do this!"

I can't stand this anymore. I'm tired of fighting him, I don't want it to be like this every time I get hurt or if Matt screws up slightly. And all it will take is the smallest screw up on Matt's behalf to set him off again. I take a deep breath, summon up all my resolve and glare at him. "I'm going to be a part of the reformed Team Xtreme. And I'm going to get that belt and be the best damned Women's Champion there ever has been."

"Nobody will ever be a better Women's Champ than Chyna." He replies snidely. I swallow hard. That was a cheap shot and he knows it. "Chyna was wasted in the Women's Div and we both know it. Do not bring your ex into this."

"Jealous?"

"I can't take this anyore. If you can't support the decisions I make in my professional life than maybe you shouldn't be part of my personal life." I cannot believe I just said that out loud. Oh my god, did I just break up with him? Oh hell. That was not what I wanted to do. I just wanted to let him know what was going on, instead it's turned into a nightmare.

"Are you breaking up with me?" He looks shocked, I suppose he thought that if either of us was going to call it off, it would be him. That's what I always thought anyway. I shrug. "I've said nothing on Earth would make me team with someone who wouldn't have my back outside the ring as well as inside it. I also couldn't be with someone who won't support my inside the ring decisions in my life outside the ring."

Oh shit, I did just break up with. Well I issued an ultimatum. And he does not respond well to ultimatums. Fuck. "So you can either deal with the fact that I will be working with Matt again or you can move the cupboard and let me out. You decide."

He looks at me for a long minute from under hooded eyes, then comes over and kisses me. It's a gentle, sweet kiss and everything about it says 'goodbye.' We pull apart and he says. "I love you. I know I've never said that before, but it's true. However I can't watch you team with someone that I don't trust and I know you don't trust."

He moves the cupboard away from the broken door. Without looking at him and keeping my head high, I walk out of the room, trying not to let anyone see my heart is breaking.

"Hey Lita?" He calls me back. I look at him with a raised eyebrow, praying he can't see the pain that I know must be in my eyes. He smiles coldly. "I may have gone easy on you before baby, but if I encounter you in the ring again, then it's war."

"Oh you were going easy on me?" I return the cold smile. Time for a cheap shot of my own. "I thought you were just getting old."

I get out of there as quickly as my will to show him he doesn't scare me will let me, and find the boys, who are chatting to Chris Jericho. As soon as Jeff sees me, he excuses himself and comes over. "I'm sorry."

"Thanks." I hug Jeff tightly. He looks at me in concern. "Are you going to be okay to go out there?"

"Yes. I have to go out there and show that Team Xtreme are united once again." I reply, drawing on inner reserves of strength. Matt waves at me and I can tell by the look on his face that he knows. "Lita! We're up next!"

The three of run down to the curtain, getting there just as the countdown starts. 10, 9, 8 - this is gonna be good, nobody knows we're back- 5, 4, 3, 2, 1. Our music hits and the crowd goes wild. We run out through the curtain, pausing for a second, and that's when I see who's in the ring. My heart drops. Of all the fucking people....

Without missing a beat, Matt runs down and jumps in the ring. Acting on instinct I follow him. All I'm aware of over the next two minutes is thinking that nobody out there knows what this is really about. Jeff comes out and as the three of us stomp on him, I can hear Matt mutter "So tell me Undertaker. Was the bitch worth it?"