Love knows no bounds
Summary
Jeff is struggling to keep his past a secret from family and friends. When he has a chance for love will he risk it or let the past ruin it. Can his brother and friends convince him to take a chance on love?
Chapter One
Matt left his house and drove to Miller's. He had just gotten home and although he was exhausted, he was meeting his brother and friend for lunch. Jeff had taken a few days off from wrestling saying he needed a break after being injured. So they hadn't seen each other lately. After finding a parking place and giving out a few autographs, he walked inside. Matt spotted Jeff and Shannon in a corner booth. If he didn't know better he would have sworn that Jeff's green eyes were glistening. Walking over he cleared his throat and watched as both men turned and pasted smiles on their faces. Shannon immediately stood and hugged his friend. Jeff got up and the brothers embraced. Matt held him for a few minutes before letting go. Jeff sat back down without a word, leaving Matt to turn a worried eye to the blond who shrugged and said that he needed to go.
I sat across from Jeff and just watched him. He looked dog-tired.
"I'm glad you're back Matty," he finally spoke.
"I missed you to little brother," I smiled as the waitress took our order. We sat talking and catching up with each other. Our food arrived and we dug in. After we were done, I spoke again. "I stopped by the house. Dad wants us to be there early tonight because he said we were expecting a thunderstorm and he didn't want us out in it," however it was still an hour before we left.
Even though I had my own house, I was planning on staying at Dad's with Jeff. On the way home I decided to pull over so we could talk while alone.
"Jeff, why did you take time off?" I asked knowing that it wasn't due to an injury because Vince had told me.
"I was hurt and needed to heal," he told me.
"Don't give me that bull, tell me the truth," I ordered him.
"I just needed to be home, to think about things," Jeff finally said softly.
"Okay, I would buy that except according to Dad and Uncle Ray you've hardly been there. Dad told me that you either stay with Shannon or at my place."
"Maybe I want some time alone," Jeff spoke harshly glaring at me.
"Why won't you talk to me? I know something has been going on with you for a while. Come on Baby Bear, you tell me," I stared at him.
"Not this. God, Matt, this could destroy us all," he told me and then fell silent.
"Jeff, you can't just say something like that and then clam up," I snapped.
"We'd better get home," he muttered as lightening flashed in the distant sky. I sighed and started the car driving the rest of the way in tense silence.
Later that evening Gill fixed a big dinner since it was Matt's first night home. Shane and Shannon came over so of course the four ended up in the back yard wrestling. Dinner was noisy but everyone had a good time. They all pitched in and soon the kitchen was spotless. The group moved out to watch the storm roll in, while Gill and Ray stayed in the house. Jeff was walking Jack which left Matt, Shane, and Shannon to talk.
"He's so different," Matt commented.
"Jeff's had a lot to deal with. Don't be too hard on him," Shannon said quietly.
"What?" Matt asked only to be stopped when the door opened and the two elder Hardy's joined them.
When Jeff came back with the dog, he said that he was tired and going to bed. Later when their friends were a little loud, Matt told them to knock it off.
"Jeff is trying to sleep, we should keep it down," they nodded and it was quiet again.
As the storm got fierce, Matt wondered if Jeff was even sleeping or how long he would stay in the house alone. He soon had his answer as the door banged open and his brother stood there shaking at the loud thunder in the dark sky.
"Come here Little Bear," he said from the swing patting the seat by him. He sat down pulling his legs under him. They all knew about Jeff's fear of storms. He leaned against Matt, who put an arm around his panicky sibling.
"Look at the scaredy cat," Ray taunted his nephew.
"Ray, leave him alone," Gill said.
"Well he is," the older man growled as Jeff stood up and hurried inside.
"Leave my brother alone Ray. If you can't say anything good, then don't talk to him," Matt toward over his uncle.
"Matthew Moore Hardy, you know better than to talk to your elder that way. I don't care how old you are, I can still light you up," Gill told his oldest son.
"Whatever Dad, I won't stand by and let him rip Jeff to pieces," he looked at his friends and nodded toward the house. The somber guys walked around to the back porch. Much to Matt's dismay Amy showed up. He'd been hoping for a few days away from the diva so he could decide if he even wanted to continue a relationship with her. If he was honest with himself, Matt knew that breaking up with Amy was the right thing to do because there was another blue-eyed, blond angel he couldn't stop thinking about.
"Hey Amy, I didn't know you were coming," he sat on the steps.
"I thought I would surprise you," she smiled. Matt smiled back and gave her a small kiss.
Shannon walked into the house to get a beer, but stopped when he heard a sob.
"No stop it. Please don't hurt me again," he heard his friend plead.
"Shut up and be in my room tonight," Ray said savagely slapping his nephew.
"Why are you doing this?" Jeff asked.
"Because I can't stand you, everyone hates you. Jeffery, you are nothing but a sick fag who deserves everything you get," Ray answered.
Retracing his steps, Shannon went back to the porch where he grabbed Matt's arm pulling him inside where they heard raised voices. Matt frowned when he heard his brother cry out in pain.
"What the hell?" they hurried into the other room.
"Get your hands off my brother," Matt's cold voice rang out. He strode forward to jerk Jeff behind him. "What's the problem?" he asked turning to enfold the younger man in a hug." Shannon, take Jeff to my house," Matt pulled his keys out. "I'll get a ride back with Helms," he said not taking his eyes off Jeff.
"But…." Jeff spoke.
"We'll talk later little brother, I have to take care of something first. Go on," he pushed them toward the door and waited until it shut before turning narrowed eyes on his uncle.
"Now I ask again, what was that all about? Why would you hit Jeff?" he asked Ray as his Dad came in.
"None of your business," Ray bit out.
"Dad, you approve of this?" he wanted to know.
The little fag probably asked for it," Gill wouldn't look his son in the eyes.
"Why on earth would you say that? Has this been going on since Jeff got back?" neither man answered.
"No wonder he didn't want to be here. Don't worry, he won't be coming back. Jeff can stay with me," Matt stormed out of the house. "Shane, can you drop me off at my place?"
"I can take you," Amy offered.
"Actually I don't feel like dealing with you. Amy, I asked for some space," Matt told her before going to gather up some of his siblings clothes. On the way out, he stopped by the swing.
"I will find out what is going on," he said before leaving. Amy huffed to her car to find a hotel for the night..
Back at Matt's, Jeff had finally calmed down. Shannon was rubbing his back. The blond was one of the few people who could touch Jeff without him freaking out. When the door opened, the two turned to see who it was.
"Shannon, Shane is going to drop you off. I need sometime with Jeff," soon the brothers were alone.
"I'm sorry I ruined your day," Jeff mumbled.
"Don't sweat it, I'm not. Jeff, I'm far more concerned about you." Matt said sitting by him on the couch.
"Don't waste your time. I'm gonna head to up to bed," Jeff got up wanting to tell him but was frightened to.
"Jeff," Matt got to his feet also.
"Please Matt, I'm really tired," Matt nodded watching him leave. Later he was sleeping when the door opened and Jeff slipped in.
"Matty," he called quietly.
I stirred when I heard Jeff call my name. I pulled the covers back and moved over to give him some room. He wordlessly climbed in by me.
"Come here little bear," I said pulling him close to me. We closed our eyes as the storm raged outside.
"Matty," Jeff whispered softly when a loud clap of thunder crashed close by.
"I'm right here," I whispered back.
"It's all true," he admitted shakily.
"What is?" I asked felling him shudder.
"What Daddy and Ray called me. I am a dirty fag," he sobbed.
"Why would you say that?" I demanded harshly.
"Because I am, I know that I should have told you but I didn't want to disappoint you. Please don't stop loving me," he pleaded.
I sat up and turned Jeff to face me. "First and most importantly there is nothing that you could ever do to make me not love you. Second, are you trying to tell me that you are gay?" I asked gently.
Jeff nodded and took a deep breath. "Dad said that you would be ashamed of me like they were," he explained.
"Well Dad was wrong, all I every wanted baby brother was for you to be happy. To be honest l I kind of suspected that you were, I just never knew how to bring the subject up. Is there someone that you are interested in?" I asked him with a smile.
"Ummmm, yeah I have my eye on a certain person, but he would never go out with me," was his garbled reply.
"Why not, you are a great guy?" I wondered. "Tell me who it is?"
"It's Mark," Jeff announced lying back down.
"You mean Taker?" I asked to be sure.
"Yeah that's a joke because he would never want me. I'm tired, good night Matt," Jeff yawned.
"Good night Jeffro," I laid awake a long time thinking while Jeff curled up and went to sleep. I was really worried, I knew in a few days that I had a show and he didn't. For some reason I already dreaded leaving my brother behind.
Ray relished Jeff's screams and cries of pain. When he was done, the young man coiled into a ball and sobbed. The older man left after promising to come back. Unable to move, Jeff could only lay in agony. Shannon pulled into the driveway and got out. When no one answered the door, he let himself in. Following the sound of someone crying, he went upstairs.
"Jeffy," Shannon walked toward him.
"Don't come any closer. Please don't touch me yet," he stopped him.
"I won't, but will you at least look at me?" Jeff glanced at his buddy. The blond drew in a sharp breath.
"Oh Jeffy," his heart was breaking for his abused friend. Shannon knew what had transpired.
"What happened?" he asked even though he knew and Jeff knew that he did.
"I don't want to talk about this anymore."
"Can you get?" Shannon managed to ask around the lump in his throat. "We need to get you to the hospital," he said sympathetically.
"No hospital, no police," Jeff bit out. "Will you help me to the bathroom?" he softened his tone, biting his lip to stop the cry of pain when he moved. Shannon sighed and very carefully helped his friend up.
"I'll be fine Shanny, I just need a shower," Jeff said limping to the bathroom where he turned the water to scalding. After the water got cold and his skin was raw from scrubbing away his uncles touch, the broken man got out and dressed.
I was sitting on the bed in his room. Jeff's face crumpled when he saw me.
"I tried to run, I couldn't get away….I, oh God, I can't take this anymore." he sobbed.
"We need to tell your brother," I told him praying he listened to me this time.
'No! He would be so disgusted with me. I can't bear to let Matt down," he said.
"Jeff, this is not your fault." I told my friend as he lay down.
"Stay with me Shanny," he requested.
I took my shoes off and lay beside him, running my fingers through his long rainbow colored locks and soon we both went to sleep.
"How are we going to explain the bruises to Matt?" I asked when we woke up.
"We can't tell him the truth. I know we can tell him that I wrecked my bike," Jeff refused to even talk about it anymore. We were sitting in the back yard when a car pulled in. A few minutes later Matt walked around the house. Jeff exhaled loudly because Amy was with him.
"Hey guys, what's going on?" I asked knowing something was wrong because Shannon looked at Jeff who looked down. Walking over to them, my brother looked anywhere except at me.
"Jeff, look at me," I demanded. He slowly raised his face and I couldn't stop my gasp of shock.
"What happened?" a sick feeling came over me.
"Nuffin happened I just took a spill on my bike," he tried to tell me, but I wasn't buying it.
"Stand up," when he did I could see that he was holding his ribs. "Is there more? Did you see a doctor?" I asked reaching for his shirt then gasped again because on his back was a bruise in the shape of a perfect handprint. Someone had either hit him or grabbed him hard.
"Who did this to you?" I asked but Jeff didn't answer me, he jerked away mumbling about lying down. After he was gone, I turned my attention to our friend.
"He told me the same thing," Shannon said.
"I'm going to talk to him," I said not caring that I had a date with Amy.
Jeff wasn't in his room so on impulse I looked in mine. He was lying across my bed looking petrified.
"Jeff, we need to talk," I sat on the edge of the bed watching my little brother closely. He kept his gaze on the floor instead of me.
"I know that you didn't wreck your bike," I informed him.
"Why can't you just forget it?" he asked me. "Matt, it's not that big of a deal," he mumbled.
"I've got news for you baby bro, you wrecking your bike, getting in a fight, or someone hurting you is a very big deal to me. I won't stand and let it happen. Now tell me who hurt you?" I asked again.
He shook his head while lying back on the bed, clearly not willing to talk anymore.
"Why don't you get some rest and I'll call you for dinner," I told him raising to my feet. I had reached the door before he spoke again.
"Matty," he called softly.
"Yeah," I answered turning around.
"Will you…..can you stay with me awhile?" Jeff asked timidly.
"Of course I can." I shut the door and retraced my steps to the bed where I sat back down. Wrapping my arms around Jeff I was stunned to feel his body shudder. Tightening my hold I leaned against the headboard as he settled by me. Jeff has always been the more emotional one. My brother was always hugging me or our small group of close friends, and even though he was 22 now, I still didn't mind.
Amy stuck her head in the door and her eyes narrowed at the sight of the two of us.
"When are you coming out Matthew?" she snapped.
When I am ready to Amy," I snapped back. Jeff was still and dozing so I slipped off the bed and out the door. Shannon was in the living room but not my girlfriend.
"Where did Amy go?" I wanted to know.
"She stormed out half an hour ago mumbling something about Jeff always being in the way," he told me. "Matt, you don't think that, do you?" he asked.
"Of course I don't think that. Amy is looking for a reason to run her mouth. Come on Shann, since it's just us guys tonight, let's go fix dinner," we went to the kitchen and I didn't think about Amy anymore.
Jeff came down to eat with us then we played video games until it was late. Amy came back around 3:30 AM still mad. I tried to hold her, but she pulled away.
"What are you still mad about?" I questioned her." If you have to ask then it's not worth it," she rolled over and went to sleep. I got up and went to lay with Jeff and Shannon.