Chapter 10
The days that followed were long and hard for Jaime. As every minute passed she prayed that Mark would walk through the door to their home and that everything from Shane raping her, to her being pregnant, to Mark leaving, would all just be a bad dream. She knew better though. She wanted to know that Mark was okay and the not knowing anything at all was killing her. News of his arrest would have surely made its way throughout the locker room by the end of the night. She wondered if he would even show up for Smackdown, or if Vince had already called him to let him know he was fired. It wasn't like Shane would go out of his way to keep what Mark had done to him a secret. Based on Jaime's earlier conversation, Shane was all too happy to tell the world that Mark was some sort of animal who needed to be locked away.
As these thoughts continued to haunt Jaime throughout the day, she did the one thing she felt she needed to do. So despite the fact that she felt like total shit and knew she needed her rest, she grabbed her car keys and decided to drive the three hours to Boston, where Smackdown was being taped. Her hope was that Mark would be there and she could somehow get some answers and new hope for their future.
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When Jaime finally arrived backstage at Smackdown she was a nervous wreck. She nodded congenially to wrestlers she knew through either Mark or Jeff as they passed her by, all the while trying desperately to hide her current anxiety.
"Jaime, wait up." She heard a voice with a southern twang call out to her. There was no mistaking that the voice belonged to Jeff Hardy, and it came as a relief to Jaime.
When Jeff reached her, he was almost out of breath.
"What are you doing here?" Jeff was surprised to see her given the fact that Mark hadn't shown up to the arena yet and there were rumors that Vince had placed him under suspension.
"Jeff, I need to find Mark." She told him anxiously.
A confused look crossed over Jeff's face.
"Mark? He's not here tonight darlin', he was apparently suspended by Vince." Jeff responded and then quickly realized that Jaime had no idea.
Immediately tears swelled up in Jaime's eyes.
"Damn it, all of this is my fault. All of it!" Jaime declared.
"Honey, don't do this to yourself. We all make mistakes. Nobody forced Mark to go after Shane, he did it himself. Maybe this suspension will give him a chance to clear his head." Jeff suggested, trying everything he could to calm her down.
None of it was any consolation to Jaime. She could hardly blame Mark for leaving her and the fact that he was now possibly facing prison time sickened her to the core. She needed to find Mark to let him know she would do anything in her power to help him beat whatever charges would be brought against him. She also wanted more than anything to beg him to stay. With everything going on, she just couldn't imagine raising a child on her own, and she sure as hell wasn't going to ask Shane for any help. As far as Jaime was concerned, Shane could take all his money and shove it up his ass.
"Jeff, he left me. I haven't heard from him in days. I'm scared to death." Jaime replied, just before covering her face to hide more tears.
Jeff pulled her gently into his chest and wrapped his arms around her, kissing her on the top of her head.
"Mark will be fine. He'll clear his head and figure it all out. He loves you Jaime, he wouldn't just throw it all away like that." Jeff told her, although not confident in what he was saying at all.
Jeff stroked Jaime's hair as she continued to cry. This was the last place she needed to be and he knew it. He wanted to get her out of there before people came around and started asking questions. There were just too many busy bodies on the roster and Jeff didn't want Jaime to half to endure their whispers.
"First thing's first. Let's get you out of here. Then, tomorrow you need to go to the police and tell them what Shane did." Jeff started, but before he could explain that going to the police may help Mark in his defense, he was rudely interrupted.
"What did Shane do?" Shane McMahon asked smugly, not happy at all to see Jeff holding Jaime the way he was.
Both Jaime and Jeff pulled away from each other and looked at the dark haired man in front of them. Although Shane still brandished a few cuts and bruises on his face, he looked one hundred times better than when Jaime last saw him at the hospital.
"You know what you did Shane." Jeff spat.
Shane raised an eyebrow over at Jaime. He didn't appreciate the fact that Jeff seemed to be so obviously in their business. Shane was never a big fan of either Matt or Jeff. In his mind the title of daredevil and risk taker belonged to him, not the Hardy's. It was one of the reason's Shane managed to squeeze in big spots in all his pay per view matches, while guys like Matt and Jeff remained in mid card status even though both were more than capable of executing those same maneuvers.
"What I do is none of your business Hardy. And by the way, I'm quite sure Mark wouldn't appreciate you having your hands all over Miss Sumner here." Shane replied stepping closer to Jaime and then pulling her arm to move her closer to him and away from Jeff.
Jeff took one step forward. He hated seeing Jaime pushed around like she was a piece of property and not a person.
"Take your hands off her Shane." Jeff demanded.
"Uh, that's Mr. McMahon." Shane replied spitefully to Jeff, then he turned his attention to Jaime. "Jaime, I find it odd that you're here when Mark isn't. Surely you know about his suspension." Shane mocked.
Jaime's heart fell to the floor. Shane was no dummy and he had suddenly put two and two together. The last thing Jaime wanted was for him to discover that Mark had decided to leave her. It was what Shane wanted all along. With Mark out of the picture, Shane would assume that Jaime was now free game and that he could have his way with her.
"Uh, I , uh.." Jaime stuttered, not knowing what to say. She did not want Shane knowing the truth.
"I invited her." Jeff stepped in.
Again, Shane raised an eyebrow and folded his arms across his chest, a smirk now stretched across his face.
"Nice try Jeff." Shane replied, then again turned to Jaime. "I suppose the truth was just too much for Mark to take. What kind of man would leave his pregnant girlfriend anyway? Thank God he's not the father." Shane finished, winking at Jaime.
"You bastard!" Jaime replied and then without warning drove her knee straight up between Shane's legs and connected hard with crotch.
Shane immediately doubled over in pain almost falling to the floor, but keeping his balance. Jeff in the meantime pulled Jaime back over toward him and away from Shane. If it was up to her she would have sent Shane right back to the hospital.
"Fuck you, (cough) both of you." Shane said looking up at both Jaime and Jeff while holding his groin. "You can't change the way things are Jaime (cough). And Jeff if you're smart you'll stick to fucking ring rats and keep your nose from where it doesn't belong." Shane choked out as he tried desperately to regain his composure.
Neither Jeff nor Jaime replied. Instead, Jeff pulled Jaime away even further as they watched Shane find the nearest wall to lean on, still doubled over coughing in pain.
"Let's get out of here. I think you made your point." Jeff whispered over to Jaime and then led her down the hallway.
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Just as soon as Jaime and Jeff were outside the arena, Jaime's breathing became heavy as if she was suffering from an asthma attack.
"Oh my God Jeff, I don't feel too good right now. If Shane knows Mark left me he'll do whatever he can to try and make me be with him. I know he will. He'll do it just to piss Mark off." Jaime said placing a hand to her chest and trying to control her breathing.
Jeff placed his arm around Jaime's waist in order to keep her from falling over.
"You can't drive back home tonight Jaime in this condition. I'll get you a hotel room." He told her.
In the back of his mind Jeff wasn't so sure that Mark was completely out of Jaime's life, but at the same time he felt the need to protect her. Getting her a hotel room so she could get some rest was the first step, he only prayed that his heart would not get him too far into trouble.