A/N: Here's the sequel! Usually I make sure something is finished before I post it, at least finished in rough draft form, then I polish and edit as I go. This is being written out as I post so bare with me!

CHAPTER 1

Briar Rose Hardy could only stare at her husband like he had lost his mind. Frowning, she pulled herself out of the pink and black speckled bean bag chair she had been lounging in, her grey eyes narrowing at his uncertain smile. "Please, tell me this is a joke." She said softly, folding her arms over her chest.

Jeff raked a hand through his blonde hair, shaking his head. "No joke, Bri." He said, his voice just as soft, though with a hint of defiance. "Honey-"

"Nuh uh, I don't want to hear it. How in the HELL could you do that, Jeff?" She demanded, anger written all over her face. "You KNOW better!"

Jeff shifted from one foot to the other, clearing his throat. "It was just one time and I wanted to know what it was like." He said softly. "It was just a little weed, Bri. Just the one time."

Briar ran a hand down her pale face, inhaling deeply. Just a little weed. Well, she would give him brownie points for telling her, he could have just kept it hidden. But that wasn't Jeff. He told her everything, she told him everything.

Whether they liked hearing it or not.

"Jeff, I am a recovered drug addict." She said quietly.

"That was you, this is me." He blurted out, wincing at the hurt expression that crossed her face. "Bri, I didn't mean it like that, I meant-"

"You meant you think you can handle it better than I obviously could." Briar said, trying to keep the accusation out of her tone. "You know, I started out with weed. Just experimenting and then I was a cocaine addict. So don't tell me it's 'just one time.'"

Jeff didn't know what to say, obviously arguing with her was the wrong track. "I just don't see what the big deal is." He said lamely, watching as her grey eyes flashed angrily. "Briar, honey, it was ONE time, okay? It won't happen again, baby, I promise."

Briar had to take him for his word, nodding silently.

***

Jeff and Briar had been married for two years now. They had gotten married on the spur of the moment and never looked back. They had their ups and downs like every other couple, but for the most part; they were the golden pair their friends all said would be together forever.

And they couldn't agree more.

Of course, at first things hadn't been so easy. Especially when Briar had come off the road after Vince's brain child storyline with her and her abusive ex-step-father had run its course. She had had nightmares from that for months afterwards. Always the same thing.

Mark hadn't stopped. Cut had been called, the cameras had stopped rolling but he hadn't stopped.

Which by the light of day, those dreams had always seemed silly. She and Mark had reached a shaky sort of understanding. He was sorry, she had accepted the apology he had given her. Then told him she didn't want anything to do with him.

Ever.

That was that.

Now however, she very seldom thought of Mark. Sure, she seen him on the television from time to time when she watched the programs to see Jeff, but it was usually brief as she would turn the television off.

They had settled themselves in Tennessee as Matt resided in North Carolina and that was just too damn close for comfort for both Jeff and Briar. So she worked for Cindy again, supplementing the income Jeff brought in with her own; not wanting to rely solely on him for support.

Together, they had purchased what Cindy had called a 'starter home', just outside city limits. It was small but comfortable. They had decorated it together, their styles melding together perfectly, in their opinions at least.

Though Cindy did shudder each and every time she walked through the doorstep. Adam and Jay had jokingly called the place an acid trip brought to life.

Such loving friends.

***

"Order up!" Briar called, adjusting her black elbow length; fingerless gloves as she poked her head out of the kitchen. Her black hair was pulled back into a bun to keep it from falling into the food, a frown creasing her brow when she seen the new waitress –Maggie- was too busy flirting with one of the customers to pay attention.

Sighing, she took the plate and carried it out herself, offering an apologetic smile to the regular as she served him. "Sorry, Joe."

"Not a problem, sugar. Looks like the new girl needs trained up a bit."

"Place a plate of grub in front of a person, no training required." Briar replied with an easy grin, narrowing her eyes at Maggie's back. "Usually…"

Laughing softly, Joe dug in. "Mmm…" He sighed contentedly. "Honey, make sure you pick up the tip for this."

"You can count on it." She winked at him before going to get Maggie's ass back to work. Cindy came in late in the evenings now, mainly just to count the till. Howard wasn't doing so well these days so she left the running of the diner to Briar usually. "Hey, you need…" She trailed off, seeing who Maggie was talking too.

Adam and Jay grinned up at her, both looking like their usual dumbass selves.

"You morons!" She snapped them with the dish rag that lay over her shoulder. "You're keeping her from her job!"

"Can we help it we're so damn scrumptious?" Adam asked innocently, smiling flirtatiously up at Maggie.

Maggie blushed, took one look at Briar and hurried around to the back.

Snorting, Briar decided she'd take her break, procuring a pack of cigarettes from her apron pocket and dropped down beside Jay. "What brings you two to my neck of the woods?"

Jay wrapped an arm around her shoulder, groaning when he got smoke blown in his face and leaned away to cough. "Jesus, can't a guy come visit?"

"Usually people give warning."

"Well, we're not 'people', we're totally-" Adam trailed off when Briar jabbed her lit cigarette in his direction, grinning sweetly. "You know you love us."

"Yes, sadly I do." She tried hiding her own smile. "So why are you really here?" Normally they didn't bother her while she was working.

Jay and Adam exchanged looks, like they were silently arguing with each other over whatever it was they had to tell her.

"It's… about Jeff…" Adam began slowly, swallowing hard. He felt like a freaking tattle tale.

"What about him?" She sighed, tapping ash into a tray. Ever since his confession, they had been somewhat shaky with each other. This was a major hurdle in their relationship and she still wasn't sure how to handle it. That had been a month ago, and so far, he had seemed clean.

Then again, she only saw him maybe once a week, if she was lucky.

Jay bit his lower lip, closed his eyes for a second then sighed; having braced himself. "He's not coming to the shows, or he's mega late."

"What?" That didn't make any damn sense. "Then where the hell is he?"

"That's just it, we don't know."

Adam felt bad for this, it was obvious something was wrong with Jeff and Briar didn't seem to have a clue. But that was one of the downsides to being a wife of a wrestling superstar, you were left out of the loop on a lot of things.

"And when he does come, he's… weird." Jay finished quietly.

Briar was silent for a long while, smoking her cigarette without saying a word. When she had finished it, she took a ragged breath. "He told me about a month ago he had tried smoking pot." She confessed softly, taking in the shocked expressions on her best friend's faces.

"Do you think he still is?"

"I don't know, maybe. But I don't see weed really changing his life that damn much, not if he's missing shows. That's not Jeff." She didn't want to even acknowledge the fact that Jeff's natural curiosity was probably going to kill him. "Have you seen him lately?"

"The other night."

"And?"

"And he seemed spacey." Adam reached across the table to take her hand, squeezing gently. "Bri, look, we're sorry to lay this on you but he's going to kill his career, or himself if he's really trying out… drugs."

"Vince is this," Jay made a gesture with his thumb and forefinger. "Close to firing him but he's been building up for a feud with 'Taker so… he's letting things go right now and-" He stopped when he seen the new expression on her face. "Bri?"

"Jeff and Mark are going to feud?"

"Yeah, haven't you been watching?"

"Not lately."

Adam and Jay exchanged 'oh shit' looks.

"Well, it's not real, you know that." Jay tried smoothing over his mistake. "But 'Taker has been doing this thing with Tommy Dreamer and- You have no idea what the hell I'm talking about. Long story short Bri, Jeff is going to be after 'Taker's title and whatnot. That's not important, we're here about the OTHER problem. The BIG problem."

Briar nodded, pushing aside this fact, information Jeff hadn't bothered filling her in on. She stood up, cracking her neck; making a decision. She could feel her stomach already tying itself in knots, wondering if this was going to be something she regretted but… She would regret not doing it too.

Jeff was her world, her life. For so long he had been her life preserver in an ocean that was out to drown her. Now it was her turn to save him.

Hopefully he didn't need saved but…

Something told her he did and she had to wonder if she was strong enough to be the one to do it. She had to be. She was his wife. No matter if he had lied, was lying to her, she loved him regardless. She also knew first hand just what drugs could do to a person and that made all the difference.

It hurt that he might be hiding this from her, that he had lied to her. But again, that all came back to the drugs and how they changed people.

Like they had changed her.

Briar squared her shoulders, looking down at her friends. "I'm going on the road with you two."

Jay and Adam could only stare up at her, hoping this didn't come back to bite any of them in the ass.