Title: Conspiracy Theories

Spoilers: For the date given

Summary: Someone sends Jeff a videotape that could change his relationship with Angel forever.

SMACKDOWN, MARCH 15TH, 2001

There was a knock at the door. Jeff took his time answering it and when he did, no one was there.

"Funny," he mused, looking up and down the hallway. Finally, he peered down and spotted a package. There was a hand-written label on the front of an envelope bearing the WWF logo. 'Jeff Hardy. Compliments of the production team'. Shrugging, Jeff stepped back into his room and opened the envelope. He pulled out a video, which had a note inside the cover. Jeff read it, intrigued.

'Jeff. Thought you'd find this interesting'.

That was it. No signature, no nothing. He didn't even recognize the handwriting. Somehow, they'd chosen the only hotel he'd had for some time with a working VCR. He put the tape in and pressed play. Hey, who knew? It could be his next Mission: Impossible.

* * * *

Matt let himself in and stepped up next to his brother. "You ready to train? Lita's waiting."

Jeff raised his hand and cut him off.

"What you watching?" Matt asked, focusing on the screen.

Jeff pressed rewind, then play. "What do you make of this?" he frowned as the tape played.

"It's your Heat match," Matt guessed correctly.

Jeff nodded. "Check it out."

Matt watched carefully as the title belt flew through the air and connected with Jeff's head.

"That was an accident," Matt decided. "Eddie ducked."

"Keep watching," Jeff advised as the camera panned to Eddie's smiling face and the back of Angel's head as they hugged. Then there was a gap before the next part of the tape started.

"Want to see it again?" Jeff asked.

Matt nodded slowly and Jeff wound the tape back again.

"It makes you think, doesn't it?" Jeff mused.

"It might be nothing," Matt told him. "Someone could have doctored that. We don't know what happened afterwards."

"Yes, we do," Jeff replied as he again rewound the tape. "Benoit climbed in with a chair and went postal on everyone, then he grabbed Angel and off he went. Chris Jericho already told me that part. Now, watch carefully, Matt. She stops me hitting him. She says 'let me do it', then she takes a run up, says 'I've been waiting to do this for so long' and look what happens. Was she aiming for me, Matt? That's how it seems, isn't it?"

"Yeah, it does," Matt admitted. "Still, Jeff, there's no use jumping to conclusions."

"Yeah, there's still more," Jeff agreed as the next match on the tape began. "Benoit versus Guerrero. If there were ever two guys who I'd like to see beating the crap out of each other, there they are."

Matt and Jeff watched in silence. Finally, it ended and Jeff switched it off with a violent click of the remote control.

"I don't need to watch that one again," he muttered.

"Jeff…" Matt started.

"No, Matt. You saw her. You heard her saying how much she hates Benoit. Then, just moments later, she's up there getting him the win. She raises his hand in victory and then they've got their arms around each other as they go up the ramp. There's no doctoring that, Matt. She's…I don't know what she's trying to do."

"Maybe there's a reason," Matt replied. "Maybe we should let her explain before we convict her."

Jeff shook his head slowly. "She knows just how to play me. She knows I'll do anything for her. Every time I confront her about anything she knows all she has to do is kiss me and look at me with those eyes and I'm hers. I just…I don't get it, Matt. I mean, how much do we know about her, really? Even Lita has hardly seen her in ten years. She might have been in cahoots with Benoit all along. They screwed over the Radicalz already; maybe we're next. We have the tag titles now, Matt. Maybe they'll come out as the next members of Team X-Pac like Albert did on Monday."

"Geez, Jeff," Matt sighed. "Is that really what you think?"

Jeff shrugged. "I don't know what I think. All I know is…I really can't see her right now. Otherwise, she'll fool me again. And I'll let her, I know I will. I can't see her anymore, Matt. I can't."

"I'm here for you, little brother," Matt told him, giving him a manly hug. "I'm here for you."

* * * *

"See you tomorrow, Steve," Angel sighed, climbing out of the ring.

The training session had been going fine…until Blackman decided to give Angel the wrestling lessons she used to get with Al Snow. They had been an absolute disaster, with Blackman almost dropping Angel on her head and Angel grabbing Blackman in a bungled legdrag takedown, which ended with his head only an inch or so from the ring post. It couldn't continue – they both knew it.

Angel walked unsteadily over to Benoit, who had been watching the whole scene with an amused look on his face.

"He's even worse than Snow," he muttered as Angel reached him.

"Shut up," Angel snapped.

"Next time you'll probably kill each other."

"There won't be a next time."

"Oh no? Then you still need a coach."

"No kidding," Angel scowled.

"How about me?" Benoit asked.

"Go root yourself."

"You won't get a better teacher than me."

Angel glared at him and spoke through her teeth. "Not even if you were the last damn technical wrestler on earth."

Benoit smirked. "Your choice."

They walked silently through the gym with Angel fuming so much she almost didn't see him. Almost.

He was lying on a bench, lifting a barbell as his brother spotted him.

"Hi Jeff!" she cried as Matt returned the barbell to its holder and Jeff sat up warily.

Angel climbed into his lap and pulled him in for a kiss. Frowning, Jeff was the first to break away.

"Angel," he said slowly. "I think I need to talk to you about something."

"Good," Angel smiled, staring at him adoringly and playing with his face. "Me too. But you go first, okay?"

Jeff nodded. "Angel," he said again, grabbing her hand and pulling it from his face. He couldn't look at her and decided to speak before he lost the nerve. "I think we should cool things down for a while."

Angel froze. "You're kidding, right?"

Jeff shook his head. "No, I'm not."

Angel frowned at him. "I thought things were going great. I thought we were great."

Jeff sighed and leaned back onto the bench. Angel took her opportunity and grabbed fistfuls of Jeff's shirt, pulling him back up into a heated kiss.

It took Jeff a few seconds to pull away, but when he did, he was pissed off. "I'm serious, Angel. Would you just listen to me for a while?"

Angel blinked. "Did I do something wrong?"

"No," Jeff lied. "I just…I have to be selfish for once. Me and Matt finally have the titles again and we're coming up to Wrestlemania. That's the biggest night of the year. We need to keep them past then, as long as we can. That means no distractions."

"I'm a distraction?"

"A big one," Jeff sighed.

"The titles," Angel repeated. "The damn titles." She got to her feet. "You know what? Screw your titles, Jeff. And screw you, too. Yeah, Jeff. We can cool things off. It's not as though I ever see you anyway, even though I'm supposedly your girlfriend. That's why I have to kiss you in the middle of a crowded gym!" By now she was shouting. She turned around, glaring at everyone as they stared back at her. "Yeah, I know you can hear me. Stare, go ahead. I don't care anymore." With that, she stormed out of the room, followed by Benoit.

"Well, that was unfortunate," he told her.

She spun to face him, furiously wiping away tears. "Just go to hell, Benoit. I've had enough of all of you."

Benoit just shrugged and followed her to the elevator.

Angel finally looked at him as they reached their floor. "Benoit. If I was to say titles or people, what would your answer be?"

"Titles," Benoit replied without hesitation.

Angel nodded slowly. "That's what I thought. And if I asked Molly or Crash or Blackman?"

"Titles," Benoit said again.

"So, what are people for?"

"Two things. They're either helping you get a title or they're stopping you."

Angel nodded thoughtfully. "Thanks, Benoit. I think you actually helped."

"Miracle of miracles," Benoit muttered, reaching for his key.

* * * *

Angel hid out in her room all day, except for when Benoit called her out for lunch. She was glad he'd ordered in room service. After the scene in the gym she really didn't feel very public.

Benoit didn't have a match that night. After beating Eddie Guerrero, he's earned a well-deserved night off. He didn't quite see it that way; if it was a perfect world he'd be in combat every night. Neither of them were in a good mood as they ate, and when Angel immediately returned to her room, he didn't even feel like arguing.

They went through the same drill at dinner and Benoit was about to go ask her if she was going to watch Smackdown, when she appeared.

"I need the keys to the rental car," she said coolly.

Benoit frowned at her. "Why?"

"I'm going to the arena. I'm going to fix things. I want to be with Jeff and he wants to be with me, too. I know he does. So I'm going to make it better."

"You're wasting your time," Benoit warned her.

Angel glared at him. "Just shut up and give me the keys."

Benoit raised his eyebrows and closed his hand over the keys. "If you go, I go too."

Exasperated, Angel threw her hands onto her hips. "Fine, jerk. If you're coming, come. If you're not, give me the damn keys."

Benoit flipped the keys between his fingers. "Then let's go."

* * * *

The match had already started when they reached the backstage area.

"Princess, you're too late. It's probably over."

"No," Angel snapped. "I have to help them win their title match."

"It's not a title match," Benoit informed her.

"It's not?"

"No."

Angel's frown was dynamic as she processed this. "I don't care. I need to show Jeff I'm a help, not a distraction. You wait here, I'll be right back."

Benoit shrugged and stood by the curtain, shooting intimidating glances at anyone who looked like they might challenge him. Screw the night off – this was where the action was.

By the time Angel reached the bottom of the ramp, Albert had just lifted Matt for the Baldo Bomb.

"Over here, metal man!" Angel cried.

Albert turned slowly as Angel leaped for the dropkick to the head. Unfortunately, Albert was about six foot eight and a dropkick to the chest didn't have the same impact. He barely took a single step backwards as she fell to the canvas. Just then, Jeff used the ropes for a Whisper In The Wind but, because Albert had stepped back, he hit Angel instead.

"Angel? What the hell are you doing here?"

"I'm trying to help," a dazed Angel replied as she reached for her sticks. She swung them hard, trying to take out Albert's knees, but he seemed to barely feel it, picking her up and dumping her unceremoniously from the ring.

"Son of a bitch," Jeff muttered, glaring at Albert as he found his feet and went for some momentum off the ropes. "Come on!" he cried, beckoning the big man as he hurtled towards him. Albert simply grabbed him and held him over his head.

"No!" Jeff shouted. "No!"

But there was no stopping Albert as he threw Jeff through the air and onto Angel again.

Like Monday, Benoit was down there in a flash. He shoved Jeff away and glared down at Angel. "Get up. Get your ass up."

Holding her head, Angel tried to move but didn't get very far.

"I'm not carrying you today. Get up."

Eyes still closed, Angel grabbed for Jeff with one hand while she raised the other to give Benoit the finger.

Benoit raised his eyebrows. "Oh, really? Well, in that case…" He reached down, picked her up, put her over his shoulder and walked back up the ramp. "I thought you didn't like this."

"It's the only way to travel," Angel replied sourly. "Now, can you take me to the trainer's room so I can find out why I can't walk?"

"Trainer's room's for pussies," Benoit informed her.

"Then me-frigging-ow," Angel spat.

Benoit simply smirked and carried her where she wanted to go.

* * * *

Someone had just started rubbing down Angel's back when Jeff appeared, being supported by Matt and Lita.

"Here," he scowled, reaching out and handing Benoit the sticks. "They belong to her."

"Jeff," Angel said, trying to turn and look at him. "Are you okay?"

"No, I'm not," Jeff snapped. "You got us disqualified, Angel."

Angel frowned. "I was trying to help you."

"Help me?' Jeff cried. "That's a joke. They only way you possibly helped me was by breaking my fall. You shouldn't have been out there at all."

"I was trying to stop Albert…"

"He was in the match!" Jeff exclaimed. "He was supposed to be in the ring. You weren't. Look at Lita, she knows when to stay out of the ring."

"God, Jeff, just forget it," Angel sighed, painfully getting up. "Let's go back to the hotel," she told Benoit. "So much for trying to help."

Benoit just nodded and followed her from the room.

"That was a little mean, Jeff," Lita announced.

Jeff shrugged. "Oh well."

"What happened between you two?" Lita continued. "I thought you were into each other."

"One of us was," Jeff sighed. "The other is Chris Benoit's partner in crime."

"That's not her fault, Jeff. Don't you believe that?"
"I just don't trust her anymore," Jeff said quietly.

"Why not? What did she do?"

"When we get back to the hotel I'll show you the tape."

"The tape? Someone sent you a tape and now you break it off with Angel? I don't know who sent it to you, Jeff, but I think they were trying to fool you. Angel's my cousin. I'll vouch for her. I promise you, Jeff, what she says is the truth. Just listen to her."

Jeff shook his head. "It's just too much, Lita. I've had enough."

Lita put her hands on her hips and stared right into his eyes. "If you want to be with her, nothing should be too much, Jeff. It's always worth it. Think about it, okay?"

And then she turned to Matt, hugging him tight as Jeff looked on, shaking his head again.