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*Three Months Later - August 2001*

Lita's eyes fluttered open as she came slowly awake. She was lying on her right side, and the first sight she beheld was his beautiful, peaceful, beloved face.

She couldn't believe how much everything had changed in the last three months since her and Edge's relationship had been found out. The redhead reflected silently, fondly over all that time as she gazed into her boyfriend's slumbering face.

Immediately following the ousting of their sex tape, Stephanie had dragged Christian out to the ring. Naturally, the brunette had not wanted something like that to happen to *them*, and so, she'd insisted they announce their relationship to the world. Surprisingly, Christian had seemed to calm down when they'd gone out to the ring together, and had serenely made the announcement beside his girlfriend.

As for these past few months with Edge and herself... Dean Malenko hadn't bothered her once in all this time, and in fact, whenever she passed him in a hallway, the man would avert his gaze. Edge had never told her flat-out what he'd done that night - aside from assuring her that he'd taken care of the problem of the letch - but she knew he must have really put a scare and hurting into the man.

Matt and Jeff were actually pretty cool with both Edge and Christian at this point. Initially, the elder Hardy brother was a bit skeptical and wary, as he hadn't had much reason to trust the two blond Canadians for a long time. Jeff, more trusting, had quickly sunk into the old routine from a couple of years prior to being friendly with them... And then, slowly, over time, Matt had finally warmed up a little more to the point that he definitely trusted both blond men again.

As for Christian and herself... Well, it had taken Edge's tag team partner awhile to warm up to her, despite the taller man and Stephanie being close with her for awhile. The redhead had found it funny and ironic that the man had behaved pretty much the way Matt Hardy had acted toward Edge. As time went by, Christian eventually grew to trust and even *like* her, and now they were friends.

Lita couldn't have been happier with the way things had progressed recently. A slow, small smile graced her lips as she snuggled closer up against Edge, the tall blond man still seemingly deeply asleep. Things had not only gotten even better for the two of them, but Edge had also gained quite a bit of success in the WWF on his own. He and Christian were still teaming up, but the tall blond had been branching out on his own over the last couple of months. In June, he'd won the King of the Ring tournament at the pay-per-view with the same name to start the 'era of awesomeness.' And then, just the other day, at SummerSlam, he'd captured the Intercontinental Championship from Lance Storm. And Lita couldn't be happier for her man.

"Mmm..."

The redheaded diva's smile brightened some more at the utterance coming from the man she loved, and she again gazed directly into his handsome face as he opened his eyes. Not a word was spoken between them at first as Edge gazed gently at her, a smile on his sleepy, handsome face. He moved still closer to her until their noses touched. He nuzzled her tenderly, raising one hand to her cheek, caressing the soft skin, and then pressed his lips against hers for a kiss.

Lita melted against him, a series of chills racing up her spine. They'd been together nearly a year by now, and to this day, the blond man still made her feel like this. Who would've thought that a drunken night of sex between two sworn enemies would have ended up in a relationship with the man who turned out to be the love of her life?

Edge kept claiming her lips with his own, gently placing soft, small, affectionate kisses on her, over and over again. He curled an arm around her, tightening his grip as he pulled her more firmly against him. He could never get enough of her; loved kissing her. It seemed to him that her lips were just the perfect shape and softness for kissing.

"What were you doing, laying here and just watching me?" he finally asked, his voice husky as he gazed into her hazel eyes. A soft smile of amusement played at his lips.

"Oh, I was just thinking," the redhead replied, raising her arms to clasp them around his neck. "About everything that's happened over the last little while - you and me, our friends... *you*."

The handsome blond man grinned at her. She was so precious, so beautiful. And she was *his*... All his.

"Is that so?" Edge asked, tilting his head back ever so slightly as he eyed her with amusement. "Because I was just *dreaming* about *you*."

"Yeah? And what were we doing in the dream?"

He chuckled softly, rolling them over so that he was on top of her. His green eyes sparkled as he looked down into her lovely face, one of his hands scoring softly down the side of her body.

"The same thing we'll be doing in the next few seconds," he said huskily, a sly grin on his face. "I love you."

Lita gave him a brilliant, ecstatic smile as she pulled him down to her.

"I love you, too, Edge."

Their lips met in a blindingly passionate kiss. She tangled her hands into his soft blond hair and gave in to the sensation. And all she could think of was how extremely happy he made her, and how much she cherished that first night they'd had. Who would've known?

She laughed softly as his lips were at her neck.

Edge raised his head to gaze down into her hazel eyes questioningly, a hint of amusement in his face.

"I tickling you?"

She shook her head.

"No... I was just thinking again," she admitted. She bit her lip mischievously as their eyes locked.

"I can't think of anything but *this* right now," he said with a laugh. "What are you thinking, baby?"

"I was just thinking about a certain night ten months ago," she said coyly. "One that turned out to be the beginning of the best thing to ever happen in my life."

The blond man smiled as he knew exactly what she was referring to, then lowered his head to claim her lips again. That had been the greatest night of his life as well. After all, it had given him the woman of his dreams, the woman with whom he would spend the rest of his life.
 
 

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