Disclaimer: I own nothing. No lyrics, nothing WWE related. Nothing. :)
A/N: I have wanted to write this for about a month now, but it never wanted to come out. It's basically just my thoughts about Matt and the storyline, wrapped into a song fic. Song: "It's My Life" - Bo Bice. Haha. Hope you enjoy!
Looking out the airplane window
Thirty thousand miles of shadow
All the silver linings bend into the night
Never any hesitation
Never any explanation
I wish I had a ticket off this flight
He didn't want to be on the airplane. He belonged at that house show with his friends and his brother. He didn't belong going home. Matt Hardy sighed. How could this happen? Was he doing that bad of a job selling the storyline? The elder Hardy shook his head, not allowing himself to think about it. He was told to take a few days off. Come back in time for the next Smackdown taping. "We'll write you out of the house shows," Vince had told him.
It was a stare down from Matt as Jeff came into the ring, taking the microphone. He watched as Matt stared bitterly at his brother, eyes narrowed. "You have always been there for me," Jeff started, "and I think we've always helped each other out. So I hope you can get over this… crazy phase you're in and realize I've done nothing to deserve this."
Matt licked his lips, still staring down the younger Jeff.
"I'm not gonna fight you!" Jeff continued. "Not tonight, not EVER! Because whether you like it or not, Matt, you ARE my brother."
Matt didn't like this. He grabbed the mic and said, "I am not… your… brother," he spat out. "And as… far as getting over things Jeff, it's not quite that simple. You know I know you're used to everything being about you, everything revolving around you, but this isn't about you. This is about ME!"
Jeff shook his head.
"For once, it's about Matt," Matt said. "It's about my needs; it's about what I need to say. Each and every one of these people make me sick, physically sick when they cheer for you." Each and every one of his words seemed forced and his eyes grew steadily troubled. Matt looked pale and Jeff seemed to notice. "And I've also had to swallow the fact that my career has been mediocre while your career has skyrocketed to the top!" Jeff looked calm. "Because I've always known this, and you've always known this: between the two of us, I've always been the more talented Hardy. And you ask, who do I blame for this? I blame you. And I blame each and every one of these people who believe your HYPE! So go ahead, Jeff, fight me. C'mon, fight me! Fight me!" Jeff protested, shaking his head. "C'mon Jeff, fight me!"
Matt slapped him. "C'mon, you coward. Are you going to fight me now? C'mon, Jeff, fight me! Damn it, I said fight me!" and he slapped him again. Jeff stumbled, but quickly regained his composure as Matt waited for him to attack. Jeff looked like he had swallowed poison. He walked out of the ring as Matt looked on, his face distraught.
As soon as Matt entered the backstage era, Jeff came up to him. "You actually hit me," he joked.
Matt attempted to smile. "Yeah."
But before Jeff could say anymore, Matt stalked off toward the lockerroom. Jeff stood there, unsure if he should follow. Alvin Burke, a friend of Matt's looked on as he waited for the beginning of the next match to start. Jeff sighed and went after him. He knew Matt was taking the storyline hard and knew it was tough for him to say those words. It was ever-so obvious in his promo which sounded very fake, faker than Jeff's normal ones.
When he reached the lockerroom, he was shocked to see what he found. Matt had already trashed the place, the others gym bags on the floor, the contents spilled everywhere. John Hennigan stood near the door, a little to the left of Jeff. "What the fuck?" he whispered.
Jeff shook his head yet before he had a chance to speak up, a roaring voice no one wanted to hear came from behind him. "What is going on?" Vince McMahon demanded. "I have heard complaints from the stagehands!" Vince was behind the scenes of Smackdown that week for a meeting with Vickie Guerrero.
John and Jeff looked at each other while Matt peered up, fear in his eyes. "Shit," he grumbled, knowing he was caught. Trashing a lockerroom was not something to get you on the boss's good side.
"What is this?" Vince demanded, coming up beside the two long haired men. "Which one of you did this?"
Jeff replied, "Mr. McMahon, I'm sorry, I did—"
"I did it," Matt said quietly.
Mr. McMahon took one look at both Hardyz and then said, "Matt, can I speak with you for a moment?"
Turns out, Mr. McMahon had watched the promo and wasn't pleased with Matt's less than par performance. "I know you can do better than that," Mr. McMahon explained quietly to Matt. "And I don't know what this bullshit with the lockerroom is, but it needs to stop now. Next time I WILL suspend you, Hardy."
Matt nodded. "I'm sorry, Vince. I'm just having a hard time with the storyline. Saying you hate your brother isn't easy for me."
Vince nodded. "Tell you what, Hardy. Take a break, go fly somewhere. Home, an island, I don't give a fuck if you go to Alaska. Just get out of here. Be back in time for the next Smackdown taping. We'll figure out how to write you out of the house shows."
"Mr. McMahon—"
"Do as I say. This storyline is too good for you to be screwing it up."
"But Mr. McMahon," Matt protested.
"I said do it, Hardy." Matt nodded.
Everything keeps moving fast
What I want is what I have
Right now, I'm closer that I thought I could be
And that was what brought Matt onto the plane, back home to his house in North Carolina. Vacation was not something Matt wanted. He was too ashamed with himself to do so. He and Jeff were given the biggest career opportunities of their life and he was blowing it because he didn't want to talk about his brother that way. Being heel was no problem, not at all. He liked being heel, in fact. It was turning on Jeff that was the problem.
He shouldn't have had a problem with this. It would accelerate both of their careers to new heights, give them both the main event status. Even show Matt as a true main event contender. So why couldn't he deal with it?
Wrestling was his life. It had been his life ever since he and Jeff were teenagers. It was all he wanted to do and all he knew about. Nothing else seemed right to him. Why did the creative team put him in a storyline like that? Matt sighed on the plane.
It's my life, my time to find the answers
Don't always know what kind of road is in front of me
But I'll go slow wanna remember every moment
That this is by the goodness ride has ever been
It's my life
As the plane continued, Matt couldn't help but start to think about his career. The first time he won the tag belts with Jeff. The time he won the Cruiserweight Belt from Billy Kidman. Watching Jeff return on RAW after a few years absence. Reuniting with Jeff to win the titles again, still known as one of the coolest tag teams in the company. Winning the US title from MVP, and of course, one of his most recent achievements, becoming the ECW champion.
There were even more achievements he had, more that weren't mentioned. He loved every one of them, though. Each moment was a moment in his mind he'd never forget. How the crowd went wild at Unforgiven, the way each fan looked as they saw the first Hardy brother win a major title. He loved that stuff. Call him a dork, but he lived off the moments like that, especially ones that included the people he loved like Jeff.
His life. He loved it.
In times I really miss my family
I wonder what they're doing right now
I know their thinking of me
I can't imagine where I'm going
But I know where it is I come from
And it makes me feel complete
Yet, somehow, he had forgotten for a moment why he was on the plane and how he had left the arena. Angry, he stormed out, without a word to Jeff which he felt bad about now. His brother had always been there for him and he left him hanging… much like "the black cloud". His brother was always there just like Matt was for him. Jeff would continue to be there for him, without a doubt. How could he leave like that?
And what about his father? He was sure Gil had to have heard from Jeff by now. He missed his father and he missed home, too. Being a WWE wrestler wasn't always fun. His father was getting older and he knew that everyone didn't live forever. What did his father think of the storyline? Gil only wanted them to do well. But he knew it had to hurt to see it, no matter how untrue the words Matt said were.
His home. His wonderful home in Cameron, North Carolina. The place he grew up, the place he knew like the back of his hand.
At least he knew that would always be there, the land Matt and Jeff owned with their father. He had a true home to come to. He knew of other wrestlers who didn't believe there was a "home" for them, only a house that kept them dry and in a bed at night while off the road. That made him sad, actually. Everyone needed a home.
Matt smiled thinking of this. Each time he thought about anything in his life, it seemed to lead to a good thing. How could he go wrong? He had everything he needed. Why did a storyline need to try to tell him otherwise? Matt always knew the truth.
The promo only lasted five minutes, his brother would be his brother forever. Family was everything. Family is everything.
Everything keeps moving fast
What I want is what I have
Right now, I'm closer that I thought I could be
All Matt ever wanted was to be a World Champion, ever since he was young. Being the tag champion with his brother, of course, but Matt always wanted to branch out and do the singles thing too. With the storyline, he'd be one step closer to that goal.
And it's a real good fight
Trying to find what's mine
Tryin' to be who I'm supposed to be
It's my life, its my time to find the answers
Don't always know what kind of road is in front of me
But I'll go slow wanna remember every moment
That passes by the goodness ride has every thing
It's my life
Matt smiled again, knowing his life was going right where it was supposed to be. A storyline wasn't going to tell him otherwise. Storylines end, after all. This "Hardy vs. Hardy" feud would end and then Jeff and he would go to both be something great.
Matt Hardy knew what was in his hands and what he had. It's his life, after all. With a smile, the elder Hardy boy fell to sleep.
That this is by the goodness ride has ever been
It's my life
Whadya think? I think the song fits Matt really well. Listen to it if you get the chance. :) Any of course: Please read and review!!