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*RAW, March 19, 2001*
"So, it's all set," Christian said with a smirk as he turned toward Edge. He rubbed his hands together in anticipation.
"Good," the taller blond man said with a nod and a smile. He knew what he and Christian had planned was, to say the least, underhanded, but it seemed the only way they would recapture their Tag Team titles. He did feel a slight twinge of guilt, but not so much for the Hardyz. It was Lita who he worried about. Usually, he informed the redhead of all of his and Christian's little plots, but this time was different.
The shorter blond grinned as he tied the laces on his wrestling boots.
"Let me tell you, Edge - it sure is great to be with the boss' daughter." He let out a contented sigh, a look of satisfaction on his face.
Edge smirked, knowing that if Christian hadn't been dating Stephanie, they never would be able to pull this off. The Dudley Boyz were actually the ones who were *supposed* to be getting a title shot tonight, but due to their little 'setback' at the airport, this wouldn't be happening. And instead, he and Christian would be making their way out to the entry ramp and issuing Matt and Jeff the challenge.
"So, you're definitely at a hundred percent now, huh?"
"Yeah, I feel fine, Christian," the tall Canadian assured his friend. He'd been out of commission for the last few weeks due to a bad back after being put through a table at the hands of the Dudleys, who'd powerbombed him right through the unforgiving wood. Instantly, Edge had felt a sharp, burning pain screaming through his lower back, and he'd had to be helped to the locker room afterward. Lita had been positively terrified when he'd finally gotten to see her later that evening, and much to his horror, she'd burst into tears. He'd held her in his arms as they'd laid on their hotel bed, assuring her that he'd be all right.
And now, he *was*... And he was back with a vengeance, even if he wasn't going to be targeting D'Von and Bubba Ray directly.
In moments, the two blonds were out in the hallway, anticipation filling Edge as they made their way to Gorilla. Team Xtreme were already out in the ring, and, despite the delicious thought of recapturing the gold for the sixth time, he couldn't help feeling somewhat nervous about facing Lita out there. He hadn't told her he would be returning to action tonight, nor would she be expecting him to come after her good friends.
Edge was momentarily lost in thought about all of this, and about how his girlfriend would react, when Christian suddenly smacked him on the shoulder. He turned to look at him.
"C'mon, man - let's go."
The tall Canadian swallowed and nodded, then followed his tag team partner past the curtain and out to the entry ramp. On the way there, Edge grabbed a microphone, as he had a little announcement to make since this would be his return after a short hiatus.
Their music suddenly cued up, and he could only imagine Lita's reaction to that as they edged closer to the ramp. He held his breath, hoping she wouldn't be furiously mad at him for keeping her in the dark like this. He was doing what he *had* to do. Surely she would understand that - wouldn't she?
As they stepped out there, Edge's gaze instantly went to Lita. She stood between Jeff and Matt in the center of the ring, a look of surprise clearly written on her lovely face. He couldn't help but look quickly away, because if he didn't, the guilt would definitely get the better of him. And he didn't want to regret challenging her team for the titles that were rightfully his and Christian's.
"Why don't you put those championships on the line against us - *boyz*?" he snapped, a gleam of determination in his eyes as the two brothers gestured and yelled at them.
He noted how Lita slid out of the ring as the Hardyz ran out and up the ramp to them, and he found himself brawling with Jeff as Christian battled Matt Hardy, who promptly tossed the shorter blond into the ring. But Edge wasn't worried. On top of Stephanie having pulled the proper strings to screw with Bubba Ray and D'Von Dudleys' flight schedule, they had one more not-so-little trick up their sleeves - and said trick would be putting in an appearance a little later in the match, if needed.
The match was fast-paced, but Edge was able to hold up okay, his back all but healed. He and Christian managed to execute some decent teamwork, until the Hardyz set him up for the Poetry in Motion. Jack Doan, that idiot referee, put himself in prime position to serve as a shield, and the tall blond man took the opportunity to use him as just that. Jeff smashed right into the official, and Edge got away unscathed. That was when things really became chaotic...
Damn it... As Edge watched, Lita decided to put herself into the mix physically by climbing up the top turnbuckle. Then, the next thing he knew, the redhead took Christian down with her hurricanrana. Damn it... He hated himself for what he was about to do, but he desperately wanted those belts back where they belonged! And so, he rused over, getting behind her just in time to deliver an Edge-o-matic.
As the tall blond man mentally cursed himself for what he'd just done, gazing down with horror at his fallen girlfriend, he felt himself punched from the side - Matt meant business and quickly took him out with a Twist of Fate.
Jeff Hardy suddenly impacted onto him with his Swanton Bomb, but it was short-lived as the colorful haired man went down hard at the hands of his and Christian's 'trick' - Rhyno. Their burly friend, who'd just made his debut with the WWF, gored the living hell out of the younger Hardy brother. But Edge was not going to pass up his chance. Turning over gingerly, the blond man made the cover, the now roused referee making the three-count. He and Christian were now Tag Team Champions again!
But as he went up the ramp, joining Rhyno and his tag partner, he couldn't help fretting over facing Lita later
that night.