Title: Countdown to the Top

Author: Crimson Coin Crimson_Coin@yahoo.com

Rating: PG13 or a tiny bit higher...like maybe 24. Violence, Language, Sexual content all to come

Spoilers: Up to 4/21/03 RAW and that's it

Summery: A reflection on recent events and what exactly some superstars are going to do about it.

Disclaimer: If I owned the WWE we wouldn't be in this slump, but alas, I do not.

Archiving: . GO FOR IT!

"GOD DAMN IT!!!" Jeff Hardy yelled, throwing his gym bag against the wall of his house. "GOD FUCKING DAMN IT!!!"

Frustrated, he rested his hands on the kitchen table, leaning over, his head hung. With a hoarse cry he flung back, pulling the tablecloth off and everything else flying with it. Viciously he picked up a glass vase, tossing it across the room, the vase shattering against the wall and falling to the ground in pieces.

"Jeff, please. Calm down."

His angered eyes locked onto her, his nostrils flared and he rolled his shoulders. "NO!" He picked up one of the wooden chairs, tossing it to the kitchen counter, one of the legs breaking off. "FUCK!" He shook his hand, blood running from the palm. With a rough touch, he ripped the large wooden splinter from his hand and threw it in the sink.

She sighed, making her way further into his kitchen. "Look, you don't need to kill yourself over this."

"IT"S FUCKING BULLSHIT!"

She laughed. "You're telling me. I was fired because I wouldn't take my clothes off for Eric Bischoff. How do you think that makes me feel?"

"Like a tool."

"Mmmmm." She nodded, wrapping his hand in one of the dishtowels lying about. "And how do you feel?"

He sighed, ducking his head. "Like a tool."

Lita grabbed his good hand, pulling him into his living room and guiding him to the couch. "I know. You need to calm down and we need to think through this. I know what you've been going through. I know what it's like ALWAYS on the road."

He nodded. "And being in a nowhere position. At least when there were other belts, I had something to work for. I can never be world champ. Ever. I'm not big enough."

"Don't worry. Everything will be fine."

He looked to her. "Li, what are we going to do?"

She smiled. "See, I've had some time to think about this. And I made a certain phone call. And I think I have us an in."

He furrowed his brow. "I don't understand. I don't really want to go back. I don't want to be in a no where position. I don't want to be stuck jobbing to all these stars just so they can get a cheap pop from the crowd. I'm sick of all the fuckin politics."

She grabbed his hands. "Don't you see, Jeff. So am I. I'm sick of all this parade around in thongs and bikinis and crap. I'm sick of putting my health on the line so that some guy out in North Dakota can get a hard on from seeing my thong and half clad chest when I do a moonsault. We don't need the money. Hell if anything, we can go down to Mexico and the Lucha Libre leagues there."

He smiled. "You are always thinking aren't you."

She shrugged. "Hell if you wanted to, I'm sure that Jarrett would take you into the NWA. Come on, Hardy/Corino tag team of pain."

He laughed. "I know it's not the end of the world. I'm just pissed that the big guys like Nathan Jones are still 'round when I have more moves in a match then he ever did. I don't want to go back to that, Li. I really don't."

"Look, I sure as hell ain't goin to SmackDown. Punkin out Sable and Torrie is not my idea of a good time. And I don't wanna give Bischoff his Sneak Preview."

"I'll kill him."

She laughed. "You don't have to. I'm gone, it doesn't matter. We were always there for each other, Jeff. From the start. Back to OMEGA days, remember. It was always us. And Shane was there and Shannon and Matt. We were a team, we were all great. I ain't leavin you now."

He held his fist out to her. "Friends for life?"

She smiled, punching his fist, their rings clicking together. "Friends for life."

He brought his knees up under his chin. "So what is your amazing and wonderful plan?"

"You are gonna love this." She was nearly bouncing on the couch. "What do you say before we move on, we fuck things up a bit."

"I love trouble and you know it." That gorgeous smile spread across her face. The one that lifted her eyes and made Jeff's heart melt. The one that made him fall madly in love with her, but he'd never show it. And frankly, if she wanted him to assassinate the royal family, he'd do it in an instant. "And what are we going to do?"

"Guerrilla warfare the whole way, baby. See I've been talking to a certain Steve Austin and he wants us to . get back at the company that ruined his life."

He eyed her warily. "Like what though?"

"Whatever we need to do. They have to pay, Jeff. All of them. For the cockiness, for the politics, for the cheap and the cheats. And I for one am gonna do it. Make 'em all pay."

He bit his lip, worried at the determination in her voice. But he could never say no to her. He knew it, she didn't. But he did. "How complicated is this gonna get."

"I talked to Steve. Whatever he needs we'll do it. He said something about having a connection with some guy back in Texas. That we would go there to 'train' for whatever it is we need to do. But I need to ask you one question before we go."

Her tone worried him. He nodded. "Ask away."

She cupped his face, keeping his eyes on hers, looking right through him. "Could you kill someone?"

Honestly, he'd never thought about that. Never thought he'd have to kill someone. Seriously thinking though, what the hell did he care. He didn't give much of a damn about his own life. Plus, well, if anything, it looked like she was going to go. And there was no way in hell he would let her out of his sight with whatever she had running through that head of hers. "Would you?"

"No, you first."

He knew his answer now. He'd do it for her. Hell, he'd do anything for her. "Yes, I would."

"Me too."

There was a moment of silence between the two. Just watching each other. Jeff spoke first. "When do we leave?"

"Tomorrow afternoon."

*** Starting this one in response. But I warn you, it'll get dark and twisty to come. Let me know what you think***