A/N Well….that was tense, eh? Will Sevina and Jeff EVER tell each other the truth? Will we ever find out why Matt knew about her transfer before she did? What is the confession Kane and the Undertaker are trying to get out of her on-screen? Will Maria slap more people? Stay tuned and review to find out! =D
Thanks to I Luv Hardy for your continuing support and thanks to Carla a.k.a Anis C-bear for the encouragement!
Jeff moved swiftly away from Sevina and she moved back just as quickly, as though both of them had received a sudden shock. They looked towards the door as it opened, permitting entry to a very concerned and slightly harassed looking Matt, but Sevina's eyes were looking beyond him to the altogether more intimidating figure hovering in the doorway. Victor Ataera was dressed very sharply in a tailored suit, holding himself rigidly upright as he fixed his daughter with his signature glare. Sevina held in a groan at the sight of him, only the monitor beside her gave an indicated to her anxiety as the consistent beeps sped up a little. They hadn't slowed down in fact, since Jeff had taken hold of her arm.
"Hi dad." Her voice clearly communicated her nerves as seeing her father. Victor said nothing as Matt suddenly swooped down over her and planted a kiss on her aching forehead. "You alright, Kid?" Sevina smiled patiently and nodded, the movement caused the pain in her head to give a nasty throb and she winced a little. "I'll survive." Matt then looked at his brother, who was staring at the wall. He grabbed Jeff's arm and hauled him to his feet. "We'll give you a few minutes with your dad." He grimaced at her, not allowing Victor to see it and then dragged his dazed brother from the door. When the door shut behind them, Sevina looked at her father and he looked right back at her. She felt uncomfortable under the intensity of his gaze and watched his slow progress across the room to sit in the chair beside her bed. "Your brothers and sister send their love. This is from them." He held out a card. Sevina took it with trembling fingers and busied herself opening it. She couldn't help but smile as she read it. Her siblings were as conventional as their father, but had always supported Sevina's decisions, encouraging her to follow her dream.
She set it carefully on the table beside the bed and then looked at her father again. He was frowning at her. "What did the doctors say?" Sevina frowned a little and moved into a more comfortable position, not liking to look weak and helpless in front of her intimidating parent. "Um…I'll be okay. Concussion and a sprained wrist." Victor nodded and folded his arms, leaning back in the chair slightly. "Are the police involved?"
"What? No. Dad, it was an accident."
"And the people in the other car?"
"They're fine. No injuries." They both fell silent. Sevina should have expected this really. Her father had never been exactly forthcoming with paternal affection. His next statement came as a total shock and was nearly enough to cause her to pass out again. "I saw you on t.v last week. I don't like that man who's following you around."
Sevina stared at him as if he had sprouted another head. Victor Ataera had watched SmackDown? Was this real? Who was he and what had he done with her real father? She tried to formulate an answer, knowing it would not be helpful to just sit and stare at him like an idiot. "Uh, you mean Glen? He's okay. Kane's just his character. He's actually a really nice guy." Victor did not look convinced. He had never really understood how things worked in the wrestling world. There was a very uncomfortable silence and Sevina knew that he was building himself up to something. She had seen it before. She'd seen the expression in his navy eyes that meant he was struggling with himself, trying to force something out of him. "You seem to be doing quite well. Is the money good?" Now Sevina really did almost pass out. To anyone else, this wouldn't have been very significant, but she knew that it was a huge step for her dad.
It was his way of telling her that he accepted what she was doing. It was almost him telling her he was proud, but she suspected he would never be that. Still, his acceptance was worth nearly as much as his approval. She nodded slowly, determined not to break the moment of generosity by making a big deal out of it. "It's decent. I mean, I'm quite well paid now. It depends on how things go really. The higher in the ranks, the bigger the payment." She didn't like talking about money. She didn't feel comfortable with it, knowing she had more success and wealth than her 'sensible' siblings by doing something that their father didn't like.
The conversation continued to be difficult, but it was the closest they had come to being on amicable terms for years. It was just a shame that it had taken Sevina being in hospital for it to happen. Matt and Jeff returned after about thirty minutes, peeking into the room nervously. Jeff had a rather downcast, slightly anxious expression and Matt was looking decidedly cheerful. Sevina lifted an eyebrow at him, but he just grinned at her. "The doctor's coming." Sevina didn't know why he sounded so happy about that. She lifted her head when the doctor walked into the room. He was young and rather attractive in an obvious sort of way. He smiled bracingly at Sevina and gently probed her head, apologising as she swore and winced, much to the disapproval of her father.
Matt sat down on the end of her bed, eating a bag of skittles. Sevina glared at him, but he continued to grin. The doctor finally moved away from her and smiled again. "Well, Miss Ataera, you were extremely lucky. Given the scale of the crash, you could have been very seriously injured, if not killed, but it seems that the big man upstairs likes you. Your wrist will take a couple of weeks to sort itself out, don't force it, gentle exercise only. As for your concussion, it's already on it's way out, but again, you'll need to take it easy. No matches for three weeks."
"Three weeks?! I'm in a huge storyline, I can't just skip out on it!" Sevina looked at him with an outraged expression, wincing as her own voice caused her headache to flare up again. The doctor looked quite amused. "With the painkillers in your system, you wouldn't be allowed to anyway." He shrugged and Sevina had the urge to throw something at him. She actually looked around for anything within reach. Seeming to sense the impending danger, the doctor stepped back. "However, I can discharge you today. You're free to go as soon as I've filled out the paperwork." He left without saying anything else, not particularly wanting to get his head bashed in with a bedpan. Sevina glared after him, then looked at Matt, who was still grinning. She narrowed her eyes at him. "What is so funny, Hardy?"
Matt smirked and shrugged. "Well, you can't wrestle and I'm on a two week break from Raw." Sevina stared at him as his words sank in, then she grinned as well. Matt hugged her quickly, but let go before she could hit him, which he knew her well enough to know she was going to do.
Victor watched them silently, then stood up and coughed. "I have to go back to my hotel. I told your siblings I would call once I'd seen you. Feel better, Sevina." He moved towards her as if he would embrace her, but became acutely aware of the two other men in the room, so instead he just nodded and walked out. Sevina watched him go and bit her lip a little, hiding her smile, before looking at Matt again. His expression was now one of bemused curiosity. So, Sevina explained to him about her conversation with her father, much to the older Hardy's beaming approval.
Around an hour later, she was released. Matt and Jeff drove her back to the hotel. She fell asleep in the back, curled up on the seat. Jeff glanced back and looked at her, before turning his eyes on her brother. Matt glanced at him, then back to the road, keeping his voice very quiet. "So, are you going to tell her?" Jeff frowned and looked at his hands, then shook his head. Matt let out a long sigh of exasperation. "Even after.."
"No, Matt." Jeff's voice was quiet, but firm and Matt backed off. He knew that it wouldn't do any good to push the subject. They travelled the rest of the journey in silence. Jeff just stared out of the window, lost in this thoughts, in his memories. One in particular. The moment when he had almost kissed Sevina, properly this time. She hadn't pulled away in disgust. She had leaned into him. She had wanted him to kiss her. Was her head injury worse than they'd thought? Was that why? Maybe her reaction had been slowed by it…
When they arrived back at the hotel, Matt had carried Sevina up to her room. She had awoken half way through the lobby and demanded that he set her down. When he refused she had put up a fight, struggling in his arms, only to suddenly clap her hands to her head, releasing a very comical; 'Ow.' Matt rolled his eyes at her, only setting her down once they were in her room. She pouted at him, but smiled when he fished around in his pocket and pulled out a small bag of skittles for her. She hadn't been a huge fan of them as a kid, but it was impossible to spend as much time with Matt and Jeff as she had and not learn to love them.
Jeff was nowhere in sight and she was half grateful for that. She didn't know what she would say to him when they finally had a chance to talk again. She kept reliving the moment over and over with a torn view. Half of her was elated and singing loudly, whilst the other half was less optimistic, waiting for the pain that would inevitably come. It was nothing, it was less than that even. It had been a moment of weakness. He'd been touched by the tattoo, that was all. He probably regretted it completely. It would be better not to bring it up, to just let it be one of those moments that never happened. He wouldn't want an embarrassing reminder of the mistake he'd almost made.
Her heavy sigh drew Matt's attention, but he didn't comment. Jeff had told him what happened and for a few moments he had almost believed that this would be the turning point. This would be the time when they finally figured this whole mess out, but that hope had been swiftly snuffed out. Jeff's resolve was set more than ever since the accident. He wouldn't listen to Matt trying to explain that the crash had only happened because of this whole ridiculous situation. His brother was amazingly stubborn at times and so was Sevina. They were both as bad as each other and as badly as Matt wanted to intervene, he knew that he shouldn't. He had to let them figure this out in their own time. He did vow though, that if anymore of these stupid accidents occurred or if it effected their work, he would be forced to say something. He wouldn't let their own idiocy ruin both their lives.