Dis: I do not own Disney or the WWE or anything connected to them.
A/N: I was very surprised by last night's PPV. I honestly never thought Jeff would win the title, but I'm happy that he did. I don't know if I'll write it into the story. I also just found out that I can reply to individual reviews. A neat idea, but I'm too lazy. Instead I'm just goint to reply to all of the reviews right here:
iNdy MiLk: Yes, Jeff is coming back. It wouldn't be a story without him. And no, I haven't told who the visitor is. What fun would that be?
Ley Elizabeth: So you think you sloved the mystery? Well I'll just have to try harder to confuse you. lol.
LegendThriller: I would never diss the Magic Bullet. I love the MB. When I had surgery a few years ago I spent two weeks in bed watching the infomercial. I just had to throw it in.
JeffHardyEqualsHearts: Are you sure its not Randy? What about Jeff? Matt? John? Edge? Helms? The Brian Kendrick? Or it could be none of them. You never know. lol
Chitsuki Masuki: John is very sneaky. There is no telling what he could next.
YoullNeverKnowMe: Wow, are you demanding. lol I would also like to see Randy grovel and bag. As for Chris, I haven't decided if he's a keeper or not.
SBMFanatic: I'm glad I got your attention. The mystery guy is... someone Jessica knows, and that's all I'm going to say.
Thank you all for the reviews and comments. I hope you enjoy the chapter.
Note to self: The box labeled 'Christmas Stuff' is actually Easter stuff, the box labeled 'Halloween Stuff' is actually Christmas stuff, and the white box labeled 'Glenn's High School Stuff' is something I should explore at a later date.
It was definitely an adventure roving through the stacks of forgotten junk in Glenn's basemen. So many memories… so many embarrassing secrets…
"You still down there Jessica? The movie's about to start."
"Hold on, I can't find the white Christmas lights!"
"Just bring the colored."
I grabbed two boxes close to me and headed back upstairs. Caleigh met me at the top holding a box of her own.
"I hope your father doesn't have any breakable ornaments. DC tends to destroy everything two feet off of the ground."
We carefully found our way to the family room where we were in the process of putting up a rather large tree. Leah and Glenn had taken Little DC to see Santa at the local mall so we could try to make the house look festive. Caleigh turned on the 52 inch flat screen as I started to unknot a string of lights. My overweight bulldog flopped down in front of us.
"You would think by now people would learn to neatly put away the Christmas lights," I complained though the beginning of the Disney movie.
Caleigh laughed before taking the other end and working her way towards me. "So… tell me about North Carolina..."
The smile on her face gave away her objective. She wanted juicy gossip and she wasn't going to back down until she got it. I suddenly wonder how many wrestling moves John has taught her.
"There's nothing interesting to tell."
"Oh baloney. I know something was going on. John saw you with that Carolina boy of yours."
"We're just friends!" I spit out a bit too quickly. Caleigh's eyes bugged. She dropped the lights and dug her claws into my arm.
"Tell me EVERYTHING!!!"
It's not like I didn't call her every other day. She knew most of the story already, but, to please her, I started with the day I ran into Chris at the grocery store and went all the way up to the present (deliberately leaving out a few details from the nights Glenn was in the hospital). Believe it or not, Caleigh actually squealed when I described the first time Chris and I kissed.
"...And of course Jeff HATES Chris and vice versa. You should have seen them at the hospital acting like little brats. Chris actually called Jeff 'Captain Rehab', and Jeff… well Jeff kissed me. Can you believe that?" I laughed… and was the only one laughing.
"Jess, how much time have you been spending with Jeff?" This was an interesting question.
"Oh, I don't know. We talk almost every day and he's always hanging around when he's not on the road. Why?"
Her face twisted in concern as she absent mindedly petted Malfoy. "You need to stay away from Jeff."
"What?"
"Stay away from him," she ordered.
"I don't understand."
"Girl, you have always been two tequila shots away from hooking up with Jeff. I agree with Matt, you're on the rebound and if anything happens between the two of you, you're going to regret it for the rest of your life."
"But it's not like that with Jeff." She didn't believe me. "It's not, I swear! Chris is my rebound guy..."
"Oh yeah?" Caleigh's smile returned to her face as I realized what I had just said.
"Not that anything is going on between me and Chris. Like I said, we're just friends."
"Suuuure… Take it from me, if he is your rebound guy, use him, lose him, and get on with your life."
"And if he's not?"
"Then you have a lot of thinking to do."
Malfoy's ears perked up before he scampered towards the other side of the house. Seconds later we heard running and squealing.
"Mooooommmy!"
The toddler came tearing into the room flailing her arms. I haven't seen DC since August and boy have I missed a lot. Not only has she grown a few inches, she was talking. Last time I saw her she could barely say five words. Now, it's hard to keep her quiet. She really is a Cena.
With a smile, Caleigh picked her up as Glenn and Leah entered with a few bags.
"How was Santa?" I asked from my spot on the floor.
"He told us you wanted these."
Leah pulled out a new box of Christmas lights. I tossed down the tangled mess in my hands and accepted the gift.
"You're a life saver." My eyes surveyed the multiple purchases in her hands. "Is… anything else in those bags for me?"
"Wouldn't you like to know," she replied before swiftly disappearing upstairs.
Glenn sat down behind me on the couch. He started to take off his neck brace before I shot him a look.
"What are you watching, kiddo?"
"Beauty and the Beast, and no, you are not changing it."
He groaned. "When is John getting here? I'm sick of being the only male in the house full of women."
"What about Malfoy?"
"He doesn't count. He's neutered."
A very energetic DC, released of her winter clothes, jumped up on the couch next to Glenn. I quickly got to my feet.
"DC, be careful. You're going to hurt Uncle Glenn."
"I'm not made of glass, kiddo."
"You might as well be. The doctor said no rough housing. You're going to hurt yourself."
This is where we switched the parent/child roles. I crossed my arms as he rolled his eyes. The next few months are going to be an uphill battle.
"Listen, I'm grateful that all of you care so much, but I'm fine," Glenn assured us as he pulled DC onto his lap.
Now it was my turn to roll my eyes. All we've heard for the last 48 hours is how he's 'fine.' "I can do this, I'm fine." "I don't need your help, I'm fine." "Stop worrying, I'm fine." Sure, he's 'fine' as long as he doesn't have to lift something heavy or turn his head. I looked to Caleigh for backup.
"Brad Pitt is fine, Mr. Jacobs. You are an injured man that needs his rest. Just sit back, relax, and let us take care of you."
It was a shame Caleigh was leaving right after the holiday. Over the years Caleigh has become like a second daught to Glenn, something Caleigh greatly appreciates because she doesn't have much of a relationship with her own father. Glenn tends to listens to her more than he listens to me. At least he stopped complaining when I agreed to turn of the Disney magic and let him watch wrestling.
"I'm thinking about food," Leah mentioned entering the room as SmackDown was about to start.
"Food is good," I called from behind the tree.
"I'm all for ordering some take out," Glenn responded. "Kiddo, go get the menus."
This was obviously a joke since I was stuck in the corner trying to move the tree closer to an outlet.
"How about Chinese?" Caleigh suggested pulling me out from behind the evergreen. "DC likes the sweet and sour chicken. She thinks they're chicken nuggets."
We agreed on a local place and put an order in for delivery. Twenty minutes. (It amazes me how many delivery places always say twenty minutes even though the food arrives much later than that.) In the mean time, we finished decorating the tree. Caleigh, Leah, and I did most of the work while Glenn barked orders from the couch. (I could have killed him if he wasn't already injured.) DC helped a little, but became distracted and spent the rest of the time chasing Malfoy around the room. Our tree looked like an over dressed drag queen by the time the doorbell rang.
"Can you get that, Jess?" Leah asked heading for the kitchen to get some plates. "There's some cash in my purse if you need it. And make sure he has my extra eggroll!"
I slowly backed out of the room trying to catch the last few minutes of Jeff's match against The Brian Kendrick. The doorbell impatiently again.
"I'm coming. I'M COMING! I hope you have change for a fifty, I don't have much else…" I froze in mid sentence with the door wide open. The man on the stoop was not the delivery boy.
"Hey, princess."
I couldn't believe my eyes. It was Chris... but he looked different. There was no cloud of smoke around him and he had shaved. His long hair was cut and neatly tucked behind his ears. The sweatshirt he was wearing was newer with no holes and his jeans were clean. I almost didn't recognize him, but he certainly did clean up well.
"Chris? How did you…?"
I caught a glimpse of his busted up P.O.S. car parked behind a snow bank. It's a miracle that thing made it up here in one piece.
"Your friend 'The Hurricane' gave me your address. I just stopped by to give you this." He placed a colorful package in my hands and gave me a quick peck on the check. "Merry Christmas princess," he whispered. Then, before I could say anything, he turned back down the snowy walk. I chased after him in my socks.
"Wait!" I seized his arm. "You can't tell me you came all this way to drop off a gift."
"I was in the neighborhood."
"Bull."
He ran his tongue across his teeth and smiled very matter-of-factly "If you must know, I'm booked on a few shows in the area. Two this weekend and four next…"
"Next weekend?"
"Yeah, I'm… I'm… house-sitting for someone." It didn't sound like the whole truth, but I'll let it slide. He shrugged. "I only wanted to make the trip up here once. I'm not use to driving in this kind of weather."
"What about Christmas?"
"It's just a day in December, princess." He squeezed my hand. "Enjoy your present."
He started to walk away again. I bit my lip. If he walks away now, I don't know when I'll see him next.
"Stay for dinner," I said without thinking. "We ordered enough Chinese food to feed a small country. You're welcome to join us."
I jumped up and down trying to get warm as he turned back around with a devious grin stretched across his face. I had a feeling this was the reaction he wanted. "Well, if you insist."
Chris reached down behind my knees and picked me up into a carrying position. I was more than grateful seeing as my feet were two large blocks of ice. He set me down just inside of the door in front of a curious Malfoy.
"Jess, do you need help with the food?" Leah asked appearing around the corner. "Oh…"
"Uh, Leah, this is Chris. You remember him from the hospital cafeteria, right?"
"The hospital… in North Carolina… how can I forget…"
"I invited him to stay for dinner."
She tilted her head towards me, about to say something. Thankfully, there was another knock on the door.
"Food…" I said with a sigh of relief. Leah nodded and reached for the doorknob.
"Why don't you… introduce your guest to everyone else?"
Everyone else? My stomach twisted before ultimately packing its bags and moving to Arizona. For a moment, I thought about joining, because when I invited Chris to dinner, I forgot about the other people in the house.
Reluctantly, I took Chris by the hand and lead him towards his eventual doom. Malfoy barked behind us as we walked.
"Ummm… guys, this is my friend Chris." I couldn't look at Glenn's face so I turned towards Caleigh. She had a hand covering her mouth in disbelief.
I knew there was NO way I could play it off that Chris was just a random friend. Caleigh cannot keep a secret, plus… Glenn already knows about him. A few days ago Mr. Matthew Moore Hardy let it slip that he had been relaying my activities to my over protective father. Knowing Matt, he went a bit overboard with the details.
"Chris, that's my girlfriend Caleigh, her daughter DC, and… and this is my father Glenn Jacobs…" Glenn had gotten to his feet and came very close to us. I swallowed hard, "…better known as Kane."
"You're Chris?" Glenn asked sizing him up.
Oh boy, I can see the blood stains on the carpet already.
"Yes sir. Christopher Harrison Drake and it is an honor to meet y…"
"Don't suck up kid."
"Sorry sir."
Glenn walked over to a table and picked up a dog bone. Blunt object, not a good sign.
"So you're the Chris that's been taking care of my daughter."
"Yes sir."
It amazed me that Chris wasn't backing down. He even pulled me a couple inches closer to him. If this boy was going to die, he was going to die standing his ground.
Glenn made his way back towards us, bone in hand. I held my breath.
"Well, Chris… I owe you a 'Thank You'." He stuck out his hand and a very self assured Chris shook it.
Caleigh and I let out identical sighs of relief as Glenn chucked the bone towards Malfoy and sat back on the couch.
I was not expecting this. Glenn has always been over protective of me. And, after what happened with Randy, I just assumed that he would be ready to kill any interested male that got within a hundred feet of me. But instead of beating Chris into a bloody pulp, he thanked him. I wonder what was in those e-mails the Hardy-boy sent.
For the rest of the night we enjoyed our Chinese takeout in front of the flat screen. It was fun having everyone gathered together eating and talking and watching wrestling. Glenn was very well behaved and Chris fit in like he's been a member of our family for years. After SmackDown was over it was time to put DC to bed, a task easier said than done.
I don't know how Caleigh does it alone when John is on the road. DC was like the Energizer Bunny on crack. We had gotten her changed and was letting her say good night to everyone when she wiggled loose and chased Malfoy down the hall. With a sigh Caleigh stood up and put her hands on her hips.
"Daisy Marie Cena, you come back here this instant! It is time for bed. Do you hear me, young lady?"
Next to me Chris spit out his drink.
"Did she just say 'Cena'?"
I looked around at the group before facing Chris.
"Oh yeah, about that…"