Thanks to everyone who reviewed and I hope you like it so far; HighflyinJeffHardy, ., HardyxGirl, MiSSYMiSSz, Miko-Valkov, and inuhime313. I have the last chapter of this thought out in my head, it will be a long story, but I just got the idea and had to run with it. So, now I just have to work out how to get to the ending. LOL. Check out the poll on my homepage and please vote. Just to give me a rough idea of what you all think.

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CHAPTER TWO

Standing beside her father's closest friend, she couldn't stop her shoulders from sinking. She was alone. Her father was gone and none of her family could stand her. There was no one she could turn to. Except- her father's friends, but she couldn't and wouldn't feel right doing that to people who she barely knew. The Legend she knew very well, but he'd probably had enough of young people to last a lifetime judging by some of the old stories he use to tell her about the boys.

As they headed back to their vehicles Tatum stopped and crouched down, a white rose in her hand. She had never liked flowers, but she knew her dad had always kept a white rose around to remind him of her mother, and her whenever she was away. No matter what she said about them, he kept two in a jar just above his bed and she'd even caught him looking at them on a number of occasions.

"Dad wants ya to come back to the house, if you're not busy."

She looked up over her shoulder to find none other than the youngest Hardy standing behind her. Smiling a little she nodded and looked back at what was now her father's grave. A few seconds later and the Hardy boy was sitting cross-legged beside her.

"You know it gets easier if you talk to someone about it," he told her gently, putting a hand on her shoulder.

She shrugged it off and he cringed a little, feeling bad for her. "I have no one to talk to."

"Well, now ain't that a great big kick in the nuts! You have me, my brother… my dad! Hell, I lost my mum when I was nine. You'll always feel like there was something that you could've done to stop it from happening, but its just how nature works."

Tatum felt more tears stinging her eyes. "What are you a poet? Philosopher?"

"Wrestler actually," he replied, not really meaning to at the same time. Tatum smiled a little.

"You're not what I expected. I thought you were different to what's seen on television," she remarked, glancing at him from out of the corner of her eye. He was a lot cuter too.

Jeff titled his head a little trying to see her face better, only she kept shying away from him. Chuckling a little, he wrapped an arm around her shoulders and pulled her into a hug. He knew what it was like to lose someone, and when he'd lost his mother, Matt had helped him in the only way a twelve year old, older brother knew how. Hugging him. He felt her timidly and very slowly wrap her arms around his neck. "You know your always welcome to come and live with one of us," he said softly, trying not to say anything that might upset her.

- - -

Matt sat in the front seat, watching his little brother and the Orison girl talk. He turned to look at his father who was watching the sister of his friend and her family leave. "Do you really think you'll be able to handle having a girl in the house dad?" he asked. He already knew that Jeff was going to offer her a place to stay with them, but he knew at the same time that a young person wasn't exactly independent, especially since he had already told him that she needed to pay for her college tuition, and she had no job.

"The girl is so sweet, Matt, when the rest of her family ain't round. Look, Jeff seems to not have a pro-"

"I don't have a problem with her its just I don't want her being too much for you. Jeff and I can have her stay at our houses alternatively when we are home. You're too old- no offence - but she might be a little tough especially since you've been a little under the weather the last couple of days."

Gil knew not to try and argue with his son, knowing he was right. "She can stay with me, I'm not going to the pay-per-view so she and I can get to know her a little," he said as Jeff slipped into the back seat. Matt turned to look at him.

"So?"

"She's gonna meet us back at Dad's," he answered Matt's silent question.

- - -

As Tatum pulled her bike in behind the car at Gil's she wondered why they wanted to see her. She was in a bit of a rush. She needed to pack up what stuff she had and find a job so she could afford a place to stay, until then she'd been living on her bike and in her Dad's van.

Following them inside she watched as all three men headed in different directions to probably get out of the ties and dress shirts they'd worn to the funeral. Fishing for her smokes in the pocket of her jeans, she headed for the kitchen where she knew Gil let her smoke whenever she was here. Hanging her black elbow length dress shirt over the back of the chair after wrestling out of it revealing her white spaghetti strapped top that was underneath and opened up the window above the sink before sitting up on the counter cross-legged. The first back in the room was Gil and she smiled as he went straight for the fridge and grabbed a beer before handing her a can of coke. She might smoke, but drinking was not an option for her. She didn't like it. At all. Didn't mind others drinking, but not herself. She hated the taste it left in her mouth and didn't like the after morning consequences.

"Thanks," she murmured and just as she took a long drag on her smoke in walked Jeff in nothing but a pair of blue and white Adidas pants and a singlet. She stared a little longer than necessary which Gil caught sight of and smiled slightly. He'd known about Tatum's little crush on his youngest son for years. Shawn had blurted it out one night when it'd just been the pair of them drinking.

"Now I know this probably has already been said to ya by Jeff, but I would like ya to come and stay with at least Matt for a few days. I've got to finish setting up a ro-"

"She can stay in mine. I'm not gonna be using it," Jeff interrupted his father as he took up a seat on the beach beside her and open his own beer before lighting up a smoke.

"I- I don't want to impose," she said, blushing a little bit. Gil knew what she was going to do. The trailer park was too dangerous for her to live in by herself, and he wasn't going to let her live out the next few months in the back of her father's van.

"Trust me, you won't be imposing. They had this planned out from the very beginning that if anything happened. You were to come and stay here," Jeff explained glancing at her.

- - -

Looking at the large two story brick house that was surrounded by large trees on three sides, blocking it from view until you reached the driveway. Matt Hardy's house. As she killed her bike, she put the stand down and sat back on the seat, straddling the bike as she watched him climb out of his car. A bright pink BMW was parked in front of the garage.

"It's my girlfriends," he said seeing her freaked out look at the sight of the car. Nodding a little, she joined him at the boot of his car and grabbed two of the three bags that she had packed for the next four days while staying at Matt's. She went to say thank you, but he beat her to it. "One more thank you and I'll duck tape your mouth shut."

She swallowed and nodded quickly and followed him up the steps. When the door was opened a little white fur ball that she gathered was a dog somewhere beneath it was Matt's as it jumped around his feet. "Hey Lucas. Did Jess treat ya good while I was gone?" he questioned as the puppy stopped to sniff her feet upon realising that there was a stranger with his master.

"Hey there cutie," she cooed, crouching down to pat the small dog which readily accepted her affection.

She followed Matt through the house and up into what she could only gather was a guest room. Clothes lay scattered across the floor though.

"Sorry 'bout the mess. Jeff ain't exactly great at packing away clothes when he is in a rush," Matt said, kicking the boxers across the room.

"Its fine," she replied, dropping her things down on the bed.
A shout through the house and the next thing she knew a woman who looked to be about Jeff's age was in the room and in Matt's arms. She looked like a Barbie doll. When they'd finished making out in front of her Matt introduced Jesse who looked like a little revolted at the sight of Tatum who turned her attention to the little puppy Lucas who was pawing at her socks, trying to gain her attention. As Matt left her to unpack, he lead Jesse back downstairs to the kitchen. "So she's the trailer park girl your Dad is so keen to look after?"

"Her name is Tatum. She is twenty-one. By what I've seen and heard she's a tomboy and she is a really sweet girl. Just be nice to her please. We are going to be having her stay here for a few days and stuff. She'll be staying at Dad's and Jeff's as well."

Jesse turned and pulled him into a kiss. "I'm still looking forward too tonight," she mumbled against his mouth as he pulled back a little and grinned down at her.

- - -

As she unpacked, Tatum picked up the few pieces of clothing that belonged to Jeff and put them in a pile on top of the hamper in the corner of the bathroom beside the shower.

Lucas had taken up residence in the middle of the large bed and she fell down beside him after finishing and giggled as he got up and walked onto her stomach, tickling her. When he settled into a ball on her stomach, she felt tears sting her eyes.

Grabbing the CD she'd found in her Dad's truck, she located the stereo player that Matt had told her was in here and put it in. Pressing play, she felt herself smile as the chorus of Van Halen's 'Dreams' started up. The chorus at 2:00 onwards. He knew her favourite part.

"So baby dry your eyes
Save all the tears you've cried
Oh, that's what dreams are made of
'Cause we belong in a world that must be strong
Oh, that's what dreams are made of"

She wiped away the few lone tears that slid down her cheeks. Lucas rubbed up against her side, as if sensing her pain. She'd never had a pet before- well, except for a pet ferret named Pascal - but they were nothing like a dog or cat.

A knock on the door startled her and she quickly turned off the stereo. "Yeah?"

"Its me. Jesse." Watching the woman walk through the door, Tatum gave her a weak smile. "Um- Matt told me about your dad. I haven't lost anyone before so I'm not gonna lie and tell you that I know what it feels like, but I do want you to know that the boys aren't the only ones you can go to when you're feeling down. I am here. It's not always comfortable around guys to talk about some things," Jesse said to her, smiling.

Nodding, Tatum sighed heavily. "I've grown up around men. I basically have barely a clue as to what I should be doing and shouldn't be doing as a woman. Maybe- you could help me a little with that?"

Jesse smiled. "I'm a make-up artist, hairdresser and fashion designer. You need help, I'm just a room or two down the hallway."

"Girls!" Matt stuck his head through the door. "Wanna come down and watch a movie with Jeff, Shan, Greg and me. They'll be here soon."

"What movie is it, babe?"

"Bloodsport. Jean-Claude Van Damme." Tatum nodded. She rarely saw movies, so she'd never had a clue as to what type of movie it was like, but she certainly liked the sound of it.