Addicted
A/N Okay guys, I know it's been forever and you've all been waiting for the big finish and I'm here to say...this is it! The final chapter of Addicted. It's been a pleasure to write this story and I'm glad you guys love it! I personally feel like it's been my best story yet. Anyways, cutting this short, let's all settle down now and move onto the final chapter.
"Addy! Addy!" I called. I was so happy. I had just gotten off the phone with Hulk and he'd given me some great news. I darted up the steps tripping just one and then continuing on my mission. I found her in the laundry room loading some clothes into the dryer. She was standing there barefoot in a tiny little sundress with her hair up in a bun. I grabbed her from behind surprising her and lifting her off her feet.
"Oh my- what is going on here!?" She shrieked. "Put me down!"
"Oh darling you are never gonna believe what just happened." I said putting her back on her feet.
"Well whatever it was, you seem extremely happy." She said turning to me.
"I am. Addy I'm so happy. I mean I've been happy don't get me wrong, but this just...wow."
"Well c'mon tell me what it is. This sounds really big." She said a smile slowly sliding across her face.
"I just got off the phone with Hulk. He's gonna let me have my job back." I told her.
"Oh. Back, back at TNA?" She said. I could see the smile disappear and I could hear the hesitance in her voice.
"Alright, okay, look I know you don't really want me back there but I-
"No no no Jeff. It's not that I don't want you back there, you know that. I want you to have your dream."
"Then what is it?" I asked her.
"Jeff...every time you do this, you have a great run, but then things get hard and you lose control because you're so stressed and then you..." She drifted off into her thoughts not even finishing her sentence. She didn't have to. I knew what she meant. It hurt like hell, but it was true.
"You're right. I shouldn't do it. I need to be here with you guys anyways. I was crazy for thinking that was a good idea."
"Baby you aren't crazy..I mean you are, but not for wanting to live out your dream. I'm just scared. I don't want you to get hurt Jeff. That's all."
"Yea, I get it Addison. I get it."
"I'm sorry Jeff." She said.
"So am I."
…...
"Riley." I said. I'd been back home for a week now and things hadn't gotten any better. Riley barely spoke to me. It's like everything I did was wrong. Nothing worked. Now I had to resort to begging and pleading.
"Riley." I said again.
"What Claire?"
"Please talk to me. I said I'm sorry for leaving, I don't know what else you want me to do." I sighed. I heard him chuckle slightly and then he sat up in bed.
"You just don't get it Claire. The only reason you're apologizing to me is because of Jeff." He said.
"Well...he's my best friend."
"Yea and I'm your husband. You shouldn't have to go half way across the world to be comforted when I'm right here. And you damn sure don't need to go halfway across the world to spread our business around to everybody. We're supposed to work out our problems together. You and I Claire. That's it. I didn't Jeff and Addison, trust me I've got no problem at all with him and I love her to death, but she is not my wife, he is definitely not husband, and they don't need to know everything."
I guess, in a sense, or completely, he was right. I did run to Jeff every time I had a problem, but it's what I had gotten used to. He took care of me in rehab, he sheltered me I was almost at my worse, Jeff loved me and that was the one thing I had needed so much. Now it was just hard to let another man come in and do the same thing.
"You're right and I'm sorry. I'll stop running to him, I promise. I just...I'm not used to this. I'm not used to so many people genuinely loving me and it's scary and I just feel like...I'm gonna mess it up somehow and then no one will understand because they've never done that. They've never been such a screw up before...I guess that's why I'm so attached to Jeff. Because he gets me on that level. And it's what I need. He helped me get stable and he helped balance me out." I said quietly.
"You don't think I know that? You don't think I understand how difficult this is for you? Because I do, but I don't care. I don't. I just want to be here to help you. I want love you and take care of you the way you deserved to be taken care of... You just can't keep using everything that goes wrong in our life as an excuse to get away from me."
"So you know?" I sighed.
"Do I? You think I'm stupid? It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure that you were mad because I hid it from you." He said.
"Forgive me Riley. I promise you, I'm not going to run again. I'm not going anywhere. I'm not." I said holding his hand. He gave mine a tight squeeze and nodded.
"I know you won't. Because I love you, and I'm never letting you leave me again."
…...
I sat at the kitchen table listening to her go on and on over the phone. She'd cry, then she'd laugh, then she get mad, then she'd cry again. She was a wreck. A natural roller coaster. However, she was still my sister and she needed me now.
"Marcy, calm down. You messed up, you did, not even gonna lie, but you just need to come home. You and this guy are living out a fantasy that wasn't meant for you." I told her.
"Addy, I just- I feel so bad. I ruined what I had with Lucas for some stupid fling. I'm such a whore." She sighed.
"Marcy, why? I've never even heard of this guy. What made you do this?"
"What made me do this?" She scoffed. "You're gonna hate him, but...dad. I mean, he didn't literally make me. It was just what he said. I was telling him about Lucas and he said that I deserved more, that I shouldn't be in a relationship with someone who couldn't lather me with gifts and stuff. I shouldn't of listened to him. Lucas may not have been able to give me all the gifts in the world, but he gave me love."
"Marcy." I sighed. "I told you he wasn't good news."
"I know...but I don't listen to you anyways." She said with a small giggle. "Well...how are the girls? And Jeffy?"
"We're good, we're good. Jeff is uh...he was offered his job back at TNA."
"Really? That is so great! When does he start?" She asked excited.
"That's just it. He's not starting. I don't want him to go."
"What? Why?"
"Because I'm scared Marcy. If he goes back, he'll eventually get a title shot and you know what that means."
"Oh my gosh. I really can't believe what I'm hearing right now. Addison Hardy, I get it. Jeff has screwed up, but he has always been there for you. From my understanding Jeff has always loved you Addy, and he's working so damn hard to make sure that you and those girls have everything. I am so ashamed of you. Go ask Jeff about his college decision." She said scolding me like I was a little child.
"What?" I gasped. "College decision? What are you- Jeff never wanted to go to- I have to go!" I said. I ended the call and set the phone down on the table. I didn't know what I was more appalled about, the fact that she thought she knew my husband better than I did, or the fact she just yelled at me.
"Jeff!" I yelled getting up to find him. Jeffrey Nero Hardy! You come down these steps right now!" I yelled at him as he stood at the top of the steps holding Reagan.
"I don't know Addy, you seem really mad about something that I swear I didn't do."
"Mama's mad." Reagan cooed.
"I'm not mad at you. I'm not mad at all. Put the child down, and come talk to me."
"I'm not convinced." He said shaking his head.
"Jeff please. I'm sorry I yelled. I was excited...in a bad way. Just come talk to me. I need to ask you something." He stared at me for a moment before sending Reagan off to her room.
"Jeff. Be completely honest with me okay?" I said taking him into the living room with me and sitting on the couch.
"I'm not cheating on you."
"Wow, thanks for reassurance. I was definitely not talking about that. Jeff..Marcy told me to ask you about your 'college decision'."
"Oh is that it? Thank God, uh yea,I was offered to be a University Scholar and I said no." He said.
"...Why didn't you tell me?" I asked him.
"Because, I couldn't do WWE and college at the same. It ain't the military, they won't gonna pay for my college. And I wouldn't have had the time." He shrugged.
"Jeff...but you could've still gone to WWE after college. You could've done online school."
"Why? I'd like to think I'm smart enough...ya know, I actually did wanna go. Just a little bit, but the day I made my decision was that one day that we went to the beach together and you told me you were proud of me for getting that contract with WWE. I wanted to make you proud of me." He told me. I stared at him thinking back to that day. I remembered it so perfectly...
::Flashback::
"This spot is the perfect spot to celebrate." I said.
"You know you didn't have to do this." He chuckled. "The bike and the mound fund was definitely enough."
"Oh whatever. You overdo it for me all the time and this is my chance to overdo something for you." I took the beach blanket out of my bag and spread it out on the sand before setting down the picnic basket. We were at White Lake. It was a pretty place next to a water park a couple miles down the road. It was also an empty beach so it was a great place for privacy and quality time.
"Sit Jeff." I said. He sat. I smiled and reached into the basket and pulled out the contents. I'd made sandwiches, packed chips, grapes, sodas, some veggies, and a camera for pictures.
"Really Addy? Vegetables?" He said picking up the bag of carrots.
"Yes, we need to be healthy Jeff. You especially, you're gonna be a professional wrestler and I'd rather not have you on steroids, so to make sure you don't ever need them, you have to eat your vegetables." I told him.
"Addison, I actually want to talk to you about that."
"Wait wait. Let me go first. I know I've said this about a hundred times so far, but I'm so proud of you Jeff. I really mean it. You're getting everything you want and you're doing it all on your own and you have no clue how happy that makes me. I've never been more inspired by someone. I've never had someone that I really look up to the way I look up to you. You, Jeff, you give me the motivation to go after my dreams. I love you for that. I love you, I love you, I love, and I thank you." I leaned in and kissed him gently before looking into his pretty eyes. He stared at me too, before kissing me back. I felt his hand on my hip as he slowly laid me down. I swear if I wasn't abstinent I would go all the way with him.
"I love you too sugar. I love you too."
::End of Flashback::
"When you said you wanted to talk to me...you were trying to tell me you wanted to go weren't you?" He nodded.
"I don't regret it. I had a good run. Accomplished a lot. Made a lot of people proud...maybe not the people I was aiming for, but still." He shrugged. I couldn't believe it. He was just...sitting there. Talking about this as if it wasn't a big deal.
"Jeff you made me proud. You did. You do. Everyday, but you didn't have to do that. I'm proud of you either way." I said feeling the tears brim in my eyes.
"In the back of my head, deep deep down in my heart, in the very pit of my guts, through the roots of my veins...I always knew I would marry you. No matter what I said, no matter what I did, I knew I'd marry you. If I went to college, I probably still would've landed a crap job. I mean, look at me. Nobody's gonna hire a guy that looks like me. We'd of lived in a small house and if we had the girls...wow. There'd be no way in Hell I'd ask my dad for money, because my pride would be too much. I figured, if I can't give you everything yourself, then I didn't deserve you. I had to earn you first."
"Oh God Jeff." Marcy was right. I was being a bitch. "Jeff go."
"What? You're kicking me out?!"
"No. Jeff go to TNA. I'm sorry. I've been so selfish and mean to you and you don't deserve it. You've never deserved it. For so long, you've been living for me and I- I could never see that." I wiped away some of the tears and licked my lips. "I've taken you for granted, if either one of us doesn't deserve this relationship it's me. All I've done is judge you, and make you feel inadequate and I'm sorry Jeff. Please just go. Go and fulfill your dream. And when you get back, I'm gonna be right here waiting for you." I said hugging him.
"Oh Addy. You're crazy and I love you." He chuckled rubbing my back.
"I love you too."
…...
Alec and I were sitting on the couch just watching them. Matt and Reby. My poor unfortunate son. I'd rather him be with Lita than this whore. I'm going to save my words about her for our discussion. Wait on it.
"So uh, Matt, you're sure you wanna go through with this?" Alec asked.
"Yes dad. I love her...and she loves me. We belong together." He grinned.
"You really want our blessing?" Alec said next. Alec knew how I felt. He didn't like her either.
"Yes. Guys, it's all I want." My husband turned and looked at me and then back at them.
"Rebecca...you do understand that when my wife and I die...Jeff, Matt, Kristen, and Chloe don't get shit right? Like not a damn dime. All our money goes to our current and future grandchildren and their children." He told her.
"Really? That's an interesting will." She said.
"Yea, well I decided when they got rich, they didn't need my money. They're set and it's completely on them if they screw themselves out of their money. My grandchildren are my priorities, because if they're parents mess up, they shouldn't have to suffer. In case they don't make it big, I want them to have..an insurance policy."
"Well. I can assure you...I'm not in this for your money." She smirked.
"Right. Well, darling, do you have anything to say to her?" He asked me.
"Well of course. If you intend to marry my son...you're gonna have to clean yourself up."
"Excuse me?"
"Ma?"
"Be quiet Matthew. You heard me little girl. I don't allow whores in my house. The way you dress with your short skirts and tight shirts flaunting your plastic around." I chuckled. "You disgust me. I'm not going to even discuss giving you a blessing because Matt is a grown man and he's going to do what he wants anyways."
"I'm a whore?"
"Are you hard of hearing? You're a whore and my son is not your paycheck. I'm not blind, I can see right through you. You're just a wannabe sweetheart. You're latching on to Matt, because you want what he had. Success. You're gonna have to work very hard for it because as sure as I am his mother I'm gonna make sure you aren't handed a damn thing."
"Ouch." Alec grinned. "Son, your mother has spoken. I don't think it's what you expected, but it's what you got. Now if you'll both excuse us...we have dinner reservations."
…...
Today was my anniversary to the greatest woman in the world and for the first time, a new chapter had started off with good tone. My parents anniversary gift to us was to find and fly out the missing members of our little family. Kristen and her husband, their son Brock. Hideous name. Marcy, Lucas. They were trying to hold a conversation. Zara and Chloe. Claire Bear and Riley. Everything was perfect. It was a beautiful setting. Like something you'd see in the movies. Everyone was dressed in white. Everyone was laughing. Everyone had such a good attitude.
"So Jeff." Chloe said walking over to me. "You did it."
"Did what?"
"You got the girl. You got the good family. You got your dream. The one you always talked about in hab." She laughed.
"Well so did you. Not the girl, but you know."
"Yea I didn't I? I wouldn't of have gotten it without you...thank you Jeff." She told me.
"No need for thanks. It's what I do."
"So guess what." She smiled looking at me.
"What?" I said. I watched her blush and purse her lips.
"I'm pregnant." She told me. My eyes widened slightly and a grin broke out across my face.
"Really? That's amazing Belle, I'm so happy for you!" I exclaimed hugging her.
"Thanks Jeffy. I can't wait. I've always wanted a baby." She said unable to stop smiling.
"You are going to be a great mom." I told her.
"Yea, I hope. I will. I'm gonna love my baby, and I'm always gonna do everything I can to make them smile. To make them look at me like I'm the greatest thing in the world. My baby is gonna talk about me one day. They're gonna tell everybody that I'm the best mom they could've asked for." She said.
"No doubt bear, and until they're able to talk and tell everyone that, I'm gonna tell them that."
"Of course you will...standing here...on the outside looking in. Looking in at all of them. Our family...how does it feel?" She asked me.
"Good." I said quickly. "Our family ain't perfect, far from it, but I love that."
"I agree. I've always wanted to belong somewhere and I'm happy, so happy that this is where I belong."
"It feels...like heaven...to finally be addicted to something healthy." I said.
"You've never lied Hardy. You have never lied."
…...
A/N Fin. :) I hope you guys liked it, this was my all time favorite chapter to write. Read & Review. Favorite & Follow. Thanks for all the love and support!