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"Well... the airports are all closed."
He hung up the phone with resignation, then sighed.
She looked up with brief disappointment that quickly dispersed. She'd always been the type of person who had the ability to see both sides of the coin, if you will.
"Oh, well," Lita said with a shrug. "Looks like we get to spend this Christmas alone, just the two of us holed up here." She rose from her seat on the couch in the cozy living room in which they were esconced to go to him.
"Yeah," Edge agreed. He turned his gaze from the window to the redhead, softening as he wrapped an arm around her. So much for going up to Toronto to visit his mom for Christmas Day, and for Lita going down to Fort Lauderdale to be with her own family. Instead, due to increment weather, they would have to spend it here in the still new, roomy apartment in New York. They'd chosen this city out of many to live together in because of the secret nature of their relationship. Somehow, they'd managed to be dating for a year and a half without anyone else knowing. It had started with Lita visiting the blond man when he'd been out of commission with his neck injury and surgery - and it had only blossomed from there.
"I can't really complain," the new Women's Champion said with a soft smile as she sank into his touch. She gazed up into his handsome face, into those gorgeous emerald green eyes.
The tall Canadian sighed, moving somewhat to wrap both his muscular arms around the redhead's waist, drawing her against him.
"Neither can I," he admitted. "I wanted to spend Christmas with people I love... family." He gazed down into her lovely face, a feeling of peace overtaking him as he met her placid hazel eyes. "And *you* are both of those things, Lita."
The diva smiled and craned her neck a bit to meet him halfway as he dipped his head. Their lips crashed together in a passionate yet tender kiss. And Lita felt as though she were melting.
After a long moment, she pulled away, much to the chagrin of the tall blond man. In fact, he made a rumbling sound of protest deep in his throat, reluctant to release her.
"Aww, honey," she crooned. "I just thought it would be a good idea if we called out families to let them know we can't make it."
"You're right," Edge agreed. "I'll call Ma and tell her to expect only *one* of her sons for Christmas."
Lita looked sadly upon him, as she knew how his and Christian's relationship had deteriorated over the last three years. She knew it had hurt him, and how it *still* continued to do so. And yet, he dealt so very well. But the redhead knew the truth - Edge appeared to be a lot stronger on the surface than he really felt deep inside. It troubled her, hurt her heart, yet made her love him even more deeply.
While the blond man made his call to his mother on the regular phone, the redhead retrieved her cell phone to dial her own mother. She was just finishing up and had pressed the button to end the call when something caught her eye.
"Edge..." she called. She saw that her boyfriend was just hanging up the receiver, and he looked her way, then came over. He stood by her side by the window, the two of them gazing outside.
"*More* snow?" he asked rhetorically. It seemed the city was nowhere near tired of the cold white stuff. They'd already been hit with a storm the previous night that had lasted through the morning. Upon awakening, they'd seen about two and a half feet of snow. The airports had closed, and rightly so, as it was coming down pretty heavily once again.
The redhead edged closer to the window to get a better look at the storm.
"Wow..." she breathed. "... This may sound silly, but it really is beautiful."
Edge stood just slightly behind her, to her right, and he gazed at her with a soft smile on his face. She really was so adorable and precious.
"Having grown up in Florida," she continued, "I'm so not used to this. And look - look at how beautiful it all is!" She stared down at the snow as it fell in droves, hitting the windowsill with delicate ferocity. "I've always heard that no two snowflakes are identical."
The tall blond man moved still closer, wrapping his arms around her waist and holding her back up against the front of his body.
"Yeah, that's true," he said softly. "Take it from someone who's grown up seeing plenty of snow in his life."
Lita laughed softly, and she slowly turned around in his embrace. Her hazel eyes were shining as she smiled up at him.
"It's Christmas Eve," she said. "Do you think we can exchange gifts tonight and not wait until tomorrow?"
The tall blond man chuckled. She was very much like a kid, not wanting to wait to open her presents. It was so adorable. He pressed a kiss to her forehead.
"I don't see why not." He moved his lips to her own, kissing her softly at first, then more demandingly as she responded with equal ardor. The redhead felt shivers running up her spine as Edge's tongue came into play, the hot, moist organ prodding into her mouth to tangle with her own tongue.
"You know what?" she said as the kiss broke moments later. She wore a playful expression on her beautiful face. She seemed to be glowing, and Edge thought he'd never loved her more than he did at that very moment. "I think I can wait for the presents 'til tomorrow. But there's one that I'm going to let you know about right now."
The tall blond man smiled, his gaze fixed on her as though in fascination. Then, Lita was tugging on his hand, leading him to sit on the couch. The diva bit her lip as she gazed deeply into his eyes. She was silent for a beat as she considered how she should proceed. Then, nervously clearing her throat, she began.
"I'm afraid I'm going to have to forfeit my Women's title..."
Edge frowned at those words.
"But you just won it only two weeks ago," he protested. "Not *even* two weeks... Lita, you've worked so hard for that belt - why would you...?" His speech halted as he caught the expression on her face. As he'd been thinking only moments earlier, she was glowing - and there was a soft smile touching her lips as she gazed up at him.
"Oh, my God... Lita, are you telling me-" Edge felt somewhat faint for a second as he looked her over from head to toe, his heart pounding like crazy.
"Yes... you're going to be a father, Edge..." She bit her lip gently, her right hand traveling to her still flat abdomen. And then she grabbed hold of *his* hand and placed it gently against her stomach.
"Lita, I... Wow... My God..." The blond man stumbled over his words, the shock quickly giving way for joy. "That's so great! My God, baby, have you... I mean, did you... How far along...?"
The redhead laughed softly. He was so adorable.
"To be honest, I just found out two days ago," she said. "I was already a few days late and had this feeling... so I made an appointment to see the doctor. And I'm only three weeks."
"I can't believe it..." Edge said, shaking his head. "... God, Lita, this is fantastic news!" He reached over, pulling her against him in a tight hug. Then, just as quickly, he let her go, glancing down at her stomach. "Oh, God, I... I don't want to hurt the baby."
She laughed softly.
"You're not, sweetie."
"God, I love you," he said, pulling her to him and capturing her lips in a searing kiss.
Afterward, he grinned at her.
"Well, I guess now we'll *have* to let the world know about us."
Lita nodded.
"Which brings me to something I was going to save for *after* Christmas," the tall blond said. He gestured for her to stay put, then rose and left the room. He returned a moment later, the diva eyeing him curiously. Her hazel eyes widened in surprise, her mouth dropping open as he lowered to one knee before her.
"Lita, you have made me so happy in this last year and a half since we've been together," he began. He took hold of her left hand, noting the tears that had just begun streaming down her cheeks. "And little did I know you were going to make me even happier still today." He shifted his gaze to her still flat stomach, marveling at the fact that there was a new life growing within - one that *he* had helped to create. "Baby," he went on, opening his free hand to display the gorgeous diamond ring he held in it, "you would make me *the* happiest man alive if you were to become my wife... Lita, will you marry me?"
The redhead was openly weeping, her right hand flying up to her face at the touching, beautiful and most unexpected gesture of utmost love. She nodded, initially at a loss for speech. Then, "Yes... yes, Edge, I'll marry you."
The tall blond man, suddenly choked up and threatened by tears himself, took the ring and gently slid it onto her finger. Then, he straightened up to his feet to gather her in his arms, sweeping her up and off her feet, swinging her around in his joy.
Lita wrapped her arms around his neck, tears still on her face as she gave in to the sheer bliss of kissing him. She had never felt quite so wonderful as she had when she'd fallen in love with this man - but this moment was way up there along with it.
The blond Canadian smiled as he gazed into her pretty eyes. He chuckled.
"This is turning out to be the best Christmas of my entire life," he said.
The redhead giggled, her arms still clasped around his neck, and she pulled his head down to her again.
"Ditto..." she quipped. "... canceled flights, snowflakes and all." With that, their lips met once again
in a tender yet passion-filled kiss.
// End \\