Remembering What Made Me Strong
Cherish was surprisingly the first one and awake and so she went downstairs, after carefully getting out of the bed, and went into Matt's huge office. She looked around and saw the things she was looking for. She walked over to the bookcase and pulled out a bunch of photo albums and carried them to Matt's desk. She sat in Matt's chair and pulled her hair back and pulled one into her lap. She opened it and sighed. She flipped through the old photo albums until she got down to about two or so albums. They were filled with pictures from the past year.
The first picture made her remember back on the first time she had went into the WWE and when she had stayed with John for the first night being in the building. The picture was of her and Trish and Amy.
……Flashback……
"AAHHH! NOOO! MOMMY!" Cherish was screaming so loudly that now every wrestler in the building was standing at the door. She felt someone shaking her and found John at her side. She gasped at him and she could see his mouth moving but she couldn't hear him. She had fallen asleep in the chair and dreamed she had been sleeping with John. She felt sick and sweaty.
"Cherry!" Cherish looked over to the door and saw Matt.
"Matt!" Cherish cried to him and she leapt into his arms and away from John.
"Was it about your Mom again, Cherry?" Matt asked her in her ear and she nodded into his neck.
"Why did he kill her? Why, Matt, why?" Cherish was crying now and everyone who was there was standing around feeling sad for her.
"I don't know, baby. I don't know why. I wish could tell you the answer to that but I can't." Matt held her and then she cried even harder into his chest.
"I couldn't save her and now she's gone. She left me all alone." Cherish was feeling all those feelings all over again and it hurt so badly.
"She never left you Cherry A' More, she's always with us and hey you've got me and Jeff and Lita, and Trish." Matt's treasured nickname for Cherish made her laugh and she felt better.
…...End Flashback….
Cherish missed Matt so much it hurt and she sighed heavily. She missed her mother just as much and she missed her life before her stepfather. She flipped the pages until she came upon a picture of her and Matt in the hall when she was talking to him about her debut on WWE. She remembered the conversation.
…….Flashback……
"Don't worry, Matt. I got Mattitude in my blood. I am full to the brim with Mattitude! I am a Matterific girl in a Matterific world!" Cherish then saw him smile and she punched him in the chest playfully.
"Okay you Matterific girl, get your Matterific ass back to the training room please." Cherish laughed as he walked with her back to the training room with Jeff and AJ ahead of them and talking to the others when they arrived. The whole way all Cherish would say to Matt was 'I've got Mattitude, how about you?' and Matt just kept tickling her and then just began chasing her down the hall and back to the training room.
A Few Hours Later…………
"Okay, so now we are done! You have practiced what you have to do during the match enough to know it right Cherry?" Matt asked her and she nodded to him.
"Okay, so where's the script thing I have to read?" Cherish asked him with her hand on her hip and her head tilted.
"You will get it when we get to my room. That's where you are staying tonight whether you like it or not, because later tonight we have to get on the plane to get to Texas." Matt pointed at her and raised an eyebrow suggestively.
"Shut up about it Matt. I'm fine with staying in your room just don't be so demanding and know it allish, Matt." Cherish stomped off to Matt's room and sat down in a chair nearby.
"Cherry, get to bed for in two days or so we will be premiering you and I love you Cherry a more." Matt walked in and sat down next to her leaning on the couch. Suddenly he felt Cherish slide up onto his body and cuddle up to him. He smiled as he wrapped his arms around her and she smiled to her self knowing there would always be someone there to protect her.
"I love you, too, Matt. I've got Mattitude, how about you?" Cherish then closed her eyes for a while until she felt Matt's breathing become normal and his heartbeat become its normal rate.
…..End Flashback…..
Now she wanted to laugh because she knew how much the whole 'I've got Mattitude, how about you?' thing had annoyed Matt. But she knew he loved her anyways. The next few pages were more pictures and then she came upon another that made her remember the night AJ had tried to rape her in a drunken state. The picture showed everyone up on the stage for the conference that had happened before the AJ event.
……Flashback……
"Hey, T, wake up man." Matt said quietly to him as he picked up Cherish and took her to his room. At once Tito was on his heels, following with his hands in his pockets.
"So, do you think she'll be okay in the morning?" Tito was genuinely concerned about her, which surprised Matt. He looked at her and then back to Tito.
"Yeah, she's strong like us. She'll be just fine." Matt saw Tito nod and he went into the room that was next to Matt's and closed the door. As Matt laid Cherish down he heard a knock at the door. He went over and found John standing outside looking worried.
"Tell me she's okay. I shouldn't have let this happen. I'm sorry man. Is she okay?" John was almost hysterical, but Matt shut the door behind him and looked at John with pity. Matt had a lot more kindness and patience in him when it came to people in general.
"Yeah, John, calm down, she'll be fine. Just stop worrying. Well, actually don't because I think when she finds out that you asked she'll feel even better. I know she loves you, but right now she needs to learn that she can trust someone with her heart, even if that means she can learn how to trust by being with Tito. So maybe she won't end up with you. No one can really tell what's going to happen, so you can just try and be the best you can and be there when no one else is. You failed tonight by not busting in that door with me and saving her, but you still have a long way to go before we really find out who she'll end up being with. Listen, man, I'm tired and I am just over it right now. I'm gonna go to bed, which is something that you should consider doing also. Goodnight John." Matt's speech was one that was, as usual, filled with wisdom and power. He always knew how to do that so well. He closed the door exhausted and lifted Cherish so he could lay on the couch with her. John went to his room and went in his room, closing the door and laying down.
"Matt, night, I love you." Cherish's voice came through muffled, but Matt heard her and rubbed her back in reassurance.
"Night, Cherry A' More." Matt then closed his eyes. It had been too long of a night and it was going to be an even longer week.
…….End Flashback…..
As she was about to flip the page she heard footsteps and saw Jeff appear around at the door. He rubbed his head and looked in at Cherish. He rubbed his eyes and grunted at her. She laughed at him.
"Hey, Cher, what are you doing?" Jeff asked as he walked over to her side and looked at her lap and she smiled. Jeff smiled at the pictures and gripped Cherish's shoulder tightly in comfort.
"Remembering what made me strong." Cherish said with tears filling her eyes and Jeff knelt down and hugged her and breathed deep. Jeff tried to think of anything that would make Cherish happy and another look at the pictures made him remember.
"You know that picture reminds me of what Matt said to me to make me back of being so overprotective of you. You know after the whole Tito thing." Jeff said pointing at a photo of Matt and Jeff standing next to each other in the weight room.
……Flashback…..
"Yeah, yeah Jeff, just hurry up. He's always on my back about something." Cherish whispered the last part and then hurried ahead of Tito in anger and went to the training room. By the time Jeff and Tito caught up to her she was already benching weights with the help of Matt who looked at Jeff with conviction. He helped Cherish put the weight back and then walked over to Jeff as she took a breather.
"You don't have any right to do this to her. Let her make her own mistakes. So don't do this to her Jeff. Stop it. I know that you love her, but if you love her then you'll let her live her life on her own and not with anyone else helping her. I mean yeah, maybe a push here and there, but not everywhere. Just quite being such a parent, she already has one of those. Instead be her best friend, her brother, her cousin. Be who you are Jeff." Once more Matt's wisdom rang clear through his speech to Jeff and Matt saw Jeff nod. Jeff and Matt completely and totally got along, there was no tension or fighting about words or advice given to one another, they just knew. They understood each other in ways some people would never know.
…..End Flashback….
"He said that to you?" Cherish asked Jeff and he nodded as Cherish wiped away the remaining tears and Cherish laughed. Jeff had always been protective of his cousin, but Matt was the one that broke up Gregory and her. Still she had forgiven Matt and gone on with her life the best that she could.
"Yeah, he did and it made me understand that you were growing up and needed a little space." Jeff explained and she nodded as she looked at Jeff. Jeff still had that worried look in his eyes and Cherish smiled. She loved that about him and didn't really want him to become totally careless or non protective of her and disinterested in her life.
"I'm going to make breakfast." Jeff said as he stood and Cherish nodded as he kissed her head and watched him walk away. She continued to turn the pages until she came upon a picture that made her remember back when her stepfather had come by and Matt had hit him with a baseball bat.
……..Flashback…….
"Listen I can handle everything on my own I just want people to leave me the hell alone!" Cherish yelled angrily and she stormed off leaving a shocked Steph and a stunned Paul standing there.
"Cherry A' More, come here. I'm here for you now. I'm here, Cherry." Matt was waiting for her at her door when she got there. At first she wanted to explode and yell madly at him, but she only fell apart when he got closer to her.
"It's not ever going to be okay is it, Matt?" Cherish asked Matt and for once he felt that he didn't have the answer for her when suddenly it came to him.
"It will be with time and you know it will. I am going to be by your side come hell or water high. Down any road you choose to roam." Matt began to say the last part of a song and together they said the next part.
"I'll believe it, when I see it, for myself. I don't need no one to tell me about heaven, I look at my daughter and I believe. I don't need no proof when it comes to God and truth. I can see the sun set and I believe." Cherish was dancing with Matt and she was the happiest she could be. Matt was her only connection to keeping her self going. The real path to a new life, and a better future. Jeff was always there for her, but Matt was her new angel. She had always thought Matt was too serious, but all he was being was smart and trying to make sure that she was happy and that she was safe.
"You need some sleep, Cherry A' More. You know we still got that match in a few days. So let's get some rest, okay?" Matt saw her nod and he took her into her room. It was quiet and peaceful again. The only thing heard was the soft breathing of Tito as he felt Cherish being laid on top of him and she cuddled up to him, falling asleep instantly. Tito looked to Matt who winked at him as he shut the door. Tito kissed her hair and wrapped and arm around her body. In time he fell asleep too and they both were once again sleeping with nothing to worry about.
…..End Flashback….
She knew Matt loved her like he loved Jeff. He loved her unconditionally and more than words could explain. She continued to flip through until she found another picture. This one was right after Eddie had died and she had cut her wrists and stomach. She looked at her wrists and saw the fading scars. The one on her stomach wasn't as visible. She healed very well when it came to those things. Surprisingly the ones from her stepfather had faded away a few weeks ago.
……Flashback…….
"Why didn't you let me die? I wanted to die! I'm not supposed to be here! I'm not, Matt! I'm not! I know it! I wanted to go! I wanted to die! You couldn't let me go, could you! Why? I just want to be free from all of the pain and heartache! I don't want to hurt anymore Matt! I don't!" Cherish yelled suddenly making Matt jump and hold her down as she began to struggle. He struggled as she began to thrash around violently and he held his own as she tried to bite him.
"Look at me! LOOK AT ME!" Matt demanded of her and at once she ceased her yelling and Matt continued with a look of pure fire in his eyes. "He loves you. I know he does. I know that both John and Tito love you. I know Shane loves you. I know Jeff and I both love you so much it hurts us sometimes. I know your Mom loves you and wants you to live, okay? I know Eddie wouldn't want you to do this. Now if you're calmed down, Tito has been up for the past day worrying over whether or not you were really alright. Do you want to see him?"
"Yes, please." Cherish saw Matt nod and he leaned down and kissed her forehead softly.
…..End Flashback…..
She sighed in content as she passed through more photos and then came to the end. She grabbed the next album and opened it. She flipped through even more and again came upon one that made her remember back to when she had first met Chris, Alex, and Eric and when she had decided to go with them to Florida. Chris had actually been absent minded and said California but she knew what he had meant.
……Flashback…..
"I'm going to California with some of my boys. They will take care of me. I am safe and I am not being kidnapped. I love you and Jeff so much. I will call and email you and stuff. Don't worry about me, okay?" Cherish waited for an outburst that never came. All that came were words of advice.
"We'll see each other soon, I think. I trust your judgment and want you to be happy, okay Cherry baby? Just know if they hurt you I will be right here, okay?" Cherish could hear the sadness in his voice and she felt tears coming on so she said I love you again and handed the phone to Chris who talked to Matt.
…..End Flashback……
That one had made her realize how much Matt looked at her as an adult and young woman. He always listened to her and let her make her own decisions. Cherish suddenly heard footsteps and saw Gregory standing at the door. He walked over and stood next to her. She flipped through a few more pages and he sat down on the floor next to her. Jeff soon came in with three plates of food and pulled up two chairs and Gregory took his plate, stood and sat on the chair on one side of Cherish while Jeff sat on the other. Cherish motioned for Jeff to put her plate on the desk and he did. As she continued to flip she came across pictures of right before Matt had left with Gregory and Tito. She remembered everything that had happened.
"Do you remember that whole day?" Cherish asked Jeff and he nodded as he looked to her. Gregory nodded too and then she began to think about it.
….. Flashback…..
"No! No! No! NO! Not Matt! I need Matt! Please!" Matt walked calmly over to Gregory and he handed her gently into Matt's arms. She clung to him. She didn't want Matt to leave. Anyone but Matt. Well anyone but Matt, Jeff, Chris, Jason, Alex, Eric, or anyone else. So that eliminated a lot of people.
"It'll be alright. I'll be back in a few days maybe. Maybe not. I doubt it. I still have a year left on my contract Cherry A' More. I'll see what I can do, okay?" Matt comforted her and she nodded and he rested his chin on her head. She heard him humming and she began to sing. She knew it by heart. Well the one part at least.
"I am going to be by your side come hell or water high. Down any road you choose to roam." Cherish sang the song softly and Matt could hear her. He moved around in a circle as she wrapped her arms around his neck and rested her head on his chest. They both began to finish the part they knew. The part that was their song.
"I'll believe it, when I see it, for myself. I don't need no one to tell me about heaven, I look at my daughter and I believe. I don't need no proof when it comes to God and truth. I can see the sun set and I believe." Cherish was the happiest she could be again. Matt was her eyes and brain. Jeff was her heart and soul. Together they were something only God could control or understand. Jeff walked over and hugged his brother. Cherish gave Gregory another hug and Tito one too.
"Alright boys, get the hell out of here." Cherish laughed and shooed Gregory and Tito outside. She watched Matt and Jeff. Jeff was smiling and nodding. She walked over and gave Matt a long hug. She didn't want him to leave at all, but she had a good feeling he would be back. She just knew he would come back soon. He had to.
"Be good my favorite and only cousin. I will miss you desperately, but I told Jeff what to do if anything should happen. And if you get hurt call me. If you need me, call me. I will stop whatever I'm doing and listen to you. I promise you." Matt said and kissed Cherish's forehead. Her hazel eyes filled up with tears and she walked over to Jeff. Jeff held her as she began to cry again. She watched Matt walking out the door. Suddenly she ripped away from Jeff and ran out the door, with Jackie, Jason, Chris, and Jeff behind her. Matt was waiting outside for her. She hugged him again.
"I'll come back. I promise." He gave her another kiss and walked away. The funny thing was Jeff felt something inside him break. He yelled to Matt and Matt looked at him. Jeff saw something he thought he never would see his brother do. Not since Eddie and their own mother had died at least. He saw Matt crying.
"Take care of her, Jeff. I'll be back soon!" He yelled and looked away quickly. He got in the SUV and the SUV soon pulled out and headed for the road. Cherish had run out in the middle of the road and was waving goodbye. Jeff watched her in pride. She was a Hardy, right down to her bone and her attitude. No one would ever be able to take that away from her. Not even that man that she had once called a step-father.
"Goodbyes are the hardest thing to do! But it's even harder saying I won't miss you!" Cherish yelled to him and he nodded to her. Soon all that could be seen was a black speck and then nothing. This was too much for Cherish all at once. She felt overwhelmed, but she had been through worse, so she had to make it.
……End Flashback…..
"That was really a sad day you know?" Cherish said to them and they both nodded. Suddenly Chris walked in with a plate of food and walked over to Cherish and kissed her cheek. He pulled up a chair and they all continued to look until Cherish came across a picture of her and Chris. Chris started to point at it and his mouth was full so they waited for him to clear it to speak.
"I remember that because I remember how it was right after Matt had left and we almost broke up. Matt told me what he had said to you." Chris explained and Cherish nodded. She remembered Austin and the massage and the accidental falling asleep. She remembered her and Matt's conversation and retold that part to the guys.
……Flashback……
"Cherry?" He said simply and Cherish began to sob.
"Matt. I screwed up. I really did." She sobbed to him and he shushed her on the other end of the line.
"I know. Jeff called and told me all about it. It wasn't your fault and it wasn't anybody's fault really. Forgive Chris, Cherry A' More. He loves you more than life itself and don't go into a room with any guys and fall asleep next to them or anything, ever again, okay?" Matt said to her and Cherish had calmed down and stopped crying and nodded.
"I will about Chris and of course I won't about the other thing. Thanks Matt." Cherish said as she stood and walked around the house. She walked into her room and walked over to her bedside. She picked up the picture of her and Chris, it was so beautiful. Her and Matt's picture sat next to that and then Jeff and her and then her and her Mom. She smiled and sighed.
"Alright, so why don't you call Chris up and talk to him right now?" Matt suggested and Cherish agreed and said goodbye and hung up. She looked through her address book and found Chris' number.
…..End Flashback……
"I do love you more than life itself, Cherish." Chris said to her and Cherish smiled to him in love.
"I know, Josh. I love you more than life itself too." Cherish said before she stretched and gave him a kiss and hug. Cherish then put the album up and picked up the last one and opened it. To her surprise there was a bunch of notes inside and no pictures. She picked the first one up and read it out loud.
"Cherish, I love you so much. I always will, Gregory." Cherish sighed and looked at Gregory who blushed a little and put his food down. He took his note and smiled as he re read.
"Yeah I wrote that a long time ago. Look at the notes from me and the ones from you. He kept them. All of our love notes." Gregory said as he picked up each note and read each quickly. As he came down to the last few he saw a picture sticking out of the pile. When he pulled it out he saw two people Cherish knew as her parents, Bob and Cherish's mother.
"You know her name was Faith Anne Hardy. She always had that faith." Cherish smiled and then remembered back on something her father had said to her when she didn't want to stay in the WWE.
"Listen, your mother never walked away from anything! She faced her fears with a smile and she shook hands with her enemies! She wasn't ever afraid of anyone or anything and you of all people should know that!" Bob had screamed that at her and she never forgot it and she never backed down from anything after that. She put the photo back and Gregory put the notes back in as well and she shut it and put it away.
"Let's go get ready for this thing." Jeff said as Cherish picked up her plate and ate the items on it within a few minutes. Cherish nodded and they all went upstairs and got dressed in very professional suits and such. Chris let Amy cut his hair down a little so it wasn't poking out all over the place and then they were ready. As the group that included Trish, Amy, Ash, Adam, Mickie, Rey, John, Tito, Steph, Shane, Michael, Hunter, Linda, Vince, Randy, Mick, Dave, Steve, Marissa, Chavo, Sam, Gregory, Chris, Jarrett, Christy, Traci, Daniels, Bob, Shannon, Jason, and Jeff left Cherish grabbed Matt's necklace he always wore. The hospital had given it to her to hold onto and she shoved it into her pocket. The tribal symbol for his name was the charm on it.
Everyone piled into cars and Cherish saw Gil walking over and he got in with Cherish, Chris, Jeff, Jason, Shannon, Gregory, Ash, Trish, Amy, Adam, Randy, Sam, John, Tito, Steph, and Shane. She reached over and gripped his hand.
"Thanks for coming, Papa Gil." Cherish said to him and Gil nodded to her and smiled with a determined face.
"I wouldn't miss this for the world, sweetheart." Gil said and she nodded and let go of his hand and sat back in her seat. She cuddled close to Jeff and Chris and held their hands. She breathed deep as they pulled out and hurried to the court house. Soon they pulled in and Cherish saw the same thing she had seen at her house. They hadn't been there that morning because they wanted to catch her at the courthouse and after the trial. As she got out she straightened her long skirt and breathed deep. Thanks to the number of people with her she was able to be completely surrounded without any reporter even getting a microphone in her face. As soon as they got in the court house thy walked to the room and Jeff and Shannon opened the doors for everyone. When Cherish went inside she couldn't believe her eyes.
Inside the rows of benches were filled with WWE superstars and TNA superstars. When she walked in further she saw the balcony was filled as well. In the first row seats were empty for the others behind her. She gasped as she saw Alex, Eric, Sonjay, Roderick, Austin, Chase, Andy, Jay, Matt, Gail, Jackie, Terry, Ray, Devon, Johnny, Bobby, Petey, Scott, Larry, Jim, Dixie, and AJ. She hugged each of them tight and then she saw Jeff talking to the lawyers. She walked over and Jeff saw her and nodded smiling.
"Cherish, meet your lawyers, Mr. Arnold Henson and Mrs. Gretchen Armanda. Arnold, Gretchen, meet Cherish." Jeff pointed to the strong looking and older man, who's name was Arnold, and the tall thin looking middle aged brown haired woman, who's name was Gretchen. She shook their hands and soon she was sitting and waiting for the trial to start.
Alright so I ended it here and the next chapter will be the trial and such! Hopefully you guys who had reviewed my Like the Rose story will re review. I'm sorry for doing that but I just decided it might be better off this way. Hopefully I'll also get more reviews and stuff. I have good plans for this story. That's all I have to say I think! Please check out my other stories!
Much luv,
Animus Patronus
