It wasn't long before I found myself standing in front of The Dakota with my Women's Belt around one shoulder and carrying my son in his carseat in the other. My bags were on the ground and I waited for Steph to come. She pulled up in a rented car with a huge smile on her face.
"Oh!!!" She yelled when she got up. She ran over.
"It's so good to see you!" I said. "I missed you."
"It's about time you came back." She laughed. "He is so adorable."
"You're going to take him while I fight, right?" I asked.
"Just like you told me. Bring him back after. I know, I know." She answered. She helped me get everything in the car.
"How's everyone?"
"Very egar for you to get back." She answered. "Jeff and Adam are going crazy."
"It hasn't been easy being gone these long months." I told her.
"Even my father's going crazy. He doesn't know what to do."
"Well, I was happy to have the stress gone with him." I said.
I'd be making my return to the WWF tonight at MSG. It's been nine months since I left. And, I would be returning on RAW tonight. I couldn't wait. I wasn't sure what the hell Vince would have in store for me. I didn't even care.
"Chyna came back." Steph told me.
"Really?" I asked.
"Yup. She wants to meet you." She smiled. "You guys would make an amazing tag team."
I smiled back. "It would be cool."
We reached the arena. I said good-bye to Steph and my son and got ready to walk in. I took a deep breath before going in. I made my way to the locker room. I heard the guys in there talking.
"Well, it's nice to know this place didn't go to pieces while I was gone." I said.
"Destiny!!" Adam yelled. He ran over and hugged me.
"Oh, man have I missed you!" Jeff said. He was the next to hug me.
After the hugs, Hunter said, "we're all going to walk out first. The eight of us, with our belts."
"Sweet!" I said. "Say some things, show off these beautiful belts." Vince came in the room.
"Good to have you back." He said to me. "Your match is against Lita, that belt is on the line."
"All right." I said. I didn't care, it would be great to fight Lita. He left.
I changed and got ready to walk out with everyone. They had gotten a song by Metallica. The crowd freaked out when they saw us all there. They were very happy to see me back. We walked down with the belts around out waists or shoulders. I picked up the mic when we got into the ring.
"My God does it feel good to be back!" I said. "I want to clear somethings up and say that my personal reasons had nothing to do with Vince."
"We have something we want to say." Adam, uh Edge, said he took the mic. "For the benefit of those with flash photography! We will pose with the belts for five seconds only!"
Cute touch to start off the night. We did the five-second pose and then left the ring. It felt great to be back. I wanted to be involved in everyone's matches. I would be walking out with Matt and Jeff. They were fighting Dean and Perry and I know Lita would be at their ring side.
"So, when are we going to know?" Adam asked.
"After all of this is over you will know." I answered.
"My escort is back!" Shawn said as he came into the room. We hugged. "You look great. Like nothing went down."
"If you only knew." I said.
"Hate to break this up, but our match is next." Jeff said.
I nodded. I tossed the shirt I was wearing now on the floor and put on one of Jeff's. We walked to the ramp. Everyone around said welcome back to me. The Hardy Boyz music started and we walked out. Now I really felt like I was back in the game. I did the guns then ran to the ring and got on one of the turnbuckles and did my thing.
The Radicalz, well what was left of them, music started. Perry and Dean came out with Terri, of course, and Lita. Terri went to the announcers table and started talking to JR and Paul. I looked at Lita with an evil look. Matt stood in front of me, his shoulder touching mine.
"Be cool, hold out until your match." He told me. He pointed to the belt around my waist.
I nodded and got out of the ring. Jeff started against Dean. I stood on our side of the ring, not trying to get in Lita's way. I knew if I did, I'd strike and I don't want to do that just yet. Jeff used his fancy foot work on Dean. He did a good job, but Dean isn't stupid. He knows the Hardyz in and out and knew how they work. Jeff made the tag to Matt.
Matt came charging at Dean. Dean held up for a little then tossed Matt out and tagged Perry as Matt came back in. Lita went to Dean to see if he was OK. I could see it in Matt's eyes that he didn't like seeing Lita with Dean. And for that quick second Perry hit Matt from behind.
Matt didn't expect the hit which made it worse. He hit the mat floor and didn't get up for while. I ran over and put his foot on the rope as Perry tried for the pin. Dean saw my effort help Matt. He came over and rammed my head against the ring before I could even realize he had come over. And, Jeff was already on him before I could realize what had happened.
Matt needed to make a tag. And, Perry needed Dean. I told Jeff to go tag Matt. I would handle Dean. I jumped on his back and tried to get him away from his side while Jeff got Matt to make the tag. Once he did, I let go of Dean and ran to help Matt out. Lita was trying to help Perry. Jeff got face to face with Lita in the ring. Dean ran over and he pushed Lita aside. He picked Perry up and did some moves to him. Dean was pissing him off in the corner. Yelling things to him, mostly about me. Jeff dropped Perry and kicked him over to his corner.
Perry tagged Dean and Jeff went all out on him. Matt regained his strength and was keeping on eye on the match and the other on Perry. I was full on Lita. While Perry was getting his breath, Matt did the little things to Dean, things Jeff didn't need him to do. Things Jeff was doing to Perry when Matt was strong in the ring. Just because Perry couldn't come over, and Lita wouldn't.
All of that caught up with Matt. Perry darted over to Matt and started beating him. I did what I could until Lita got me from behind. She didn't want to do that. I tossed her around like a rag. I couldn't hurt her too bad because she was against me in a match, and I wanted to save my best work for then.
Matt got the best of Perry and rolled into the ring. He looked at Jeff. Jeff got on the turnbuckle and Matt did a Twist Of Fate. Then, Jeff did a Swanton Bomb and the cover for the win.
The three of us got into the ring. I took my belt and put it over my shoulder and then we walked out. Lita stood in the center next to Dean and Terri had gotten up from the announcers table to go to Perry.
"That felt great." Jeff said. "Team Xtreme is back."
"I would have done worse to Lita, if I didn't to fight her tonight."
"Save you energy." Matt told me. "She's been working hard since you left. She wants this match more than you think she does."
"I want it too." I replied. "I want to let her know that just because I took some time off I didn't soften up."
The cameras followed us to the locker room where we set up for some backstage shit. I was sitting in a chair with Matt's head in my lap. Hunter was pacing around, looking worried. Dwayne was admiring his Hardcore Title, one he'd be defending tonight. Jericho was sitting against the wall, his ICU belt on the floor next to him. Edge and Christian goofing off like usually. And Jeff was standing next to Matt and I.
"Triple H, calm down." Rocky said. "I'm sure she's fine."
"What's up?" I asked.
"He's worried because Steph isn't here." Rocky answered. He knew she wasn't here, why he didn't know, but we worked it into the act.
"I'm just afraid Vince has got her somewhere." He said.
"I'm sorry to leave like this, but I have a Hardcore Title to defend." Rock said, and left.
"Did y'all hold onto the belts the whole time I was gone?" I asked.
"No, we all lost it once and then got it back, except Triple H. He's had his." Jericho answered.
"Good to be back. I defend mine tonight too." I held it up with the hand that wasn't on Matt's head.
"Saw you with Lita before." Edge said. "You could have killed her then."
"Why didn't you?" Christian asked.
"I wouldn't have a match tonight." I answer.
The night went by fine. Dwayne kept his Hardcore Title. I showed off my body once again walking with Shawn to the ring. Wearing basically nothing.
Then my match came around. I told the guys only to come out if it was really necessary. My music hit and I walked out with the belt around my waist. I took the ponytail out and let me now blue/purple hair hit my shoulders. I ran down to the ring and showed the belt off.
Then, Lita's music started. The crowd response she used to get wasn't there anymore. She got into the ring and we started. She started rough. She wanted this belt. But, I wouldn't give in. I tossed her around.
It was late in the match. We were out of the ring. She gave me a good kick to the stomach. Then she suplexed me right on the corner of the ring. I hit the floor in pain. She tossed me in the ring and started kicking me. I don't know how, but I managed to grab her leg before she hit me for the ninth time. I tossed her over and started coming back, stronger with each punch. I blame that on adrenaline, because if this wasn't Lita, and this wasn't my title on the line, I might have given in.
I tossed her down and started getting on the turnbuckle without knowing she was doing the same. I looked to my right and saw her up there. We jumped and collided midair. She landed on me. The ref got to the count of 2 before I tossed her off. I managed one move to her before going for the cover, and the win.
I rolled over and laid there for a while. The ref handed me my belt and I limped out of the ring. It was over. My comeback was hot. I got backstage to the locker room. Hunter helped me in my seat.
"That was some suplex." He said. "How are you feeling?"
"Fine." I answered. "Just stings. I'll be all right."
After everyone cleared out Steph came back. I had everyone sit in our locker room. I paced waiting for Steph to come back with my son. I was so nervous.
"You look scared." Matt said.
"You'll know why soon." I told him. Steph poked her head in and I jumped. I walked to her.
"Well, time to tell them." She waited at the door.
"For months y'all wanted to know why I wasn't myself and why I had left." I said. "No one died nothing like that."
"Just tell us." Adam said. I went to Steph and picked my son up.
"This is the reason why I had to leave." I told them.
I looked at seven blank faces. Adam, Jay, and Matt looked nervous. My son could belong to one of them. Jeff looked mad and upset all at once. Everyone else just looked amazed.
"You had a child?" Chris asked.
"I did." I answered. I smiled.
"What's his name?" Hunter asked.
"I named him Matthew." I answered. "After his father."
Matt fell off his chair. Adam and Jay looked relieved. Jeff left. Dwayne followed him.
"Our Matt?" Hunter asked. "Matt as in Matt Hardy?" I nodded.
"Jeff, wait up man." Dwayne said. "What has gotten into you?"
"I like her." Jeff told him.
"Ohhh." Dwayne said. "I understand."
"I can't believe Matt would do that." Jeff said.
"I'm sure he didn't mean to hurt you."
"Well, he did a good job anyway." He started walking away.
"Hey, where are you going?" Dwayne called after him.
"A walk." Jeff called back. He was gone before Dwayne could even think about going after him.
"Matt?" Chris asked. Matt was coming around. I went to get off the chair and got a sharp pain in my back.
"You all right?" Hunter asked me.
"Yeah, fine." I lied. I couldn't tell anyone I was really hurt, not now.
I slid off the chair and onto the floor next to Matt. He sat up and looked at me, and looked at my son in Steph's arms. He looked at me and then back at his son for a while.
"I did that?" He asked. I nodded. "I don't know what to say."
"Just say you'll help me." I told him.
"I will." He replied.
"All of us will help you, Destiny." Adam said. He put his hand on my shoulder.
"Jeff left." Dwayne said once he came back.
"Where did he go?" I asked.
"I don't know. He took off." He answered.
"We're not leaving here until he's found." I said. "I won't leave until he's found."
"He took off around the arena." Dwayne said. "You can go look if you want. I don't know how much good that will do."
I did. My back wasn't an issue anymore. I ran out of there, each step sent a sharp pain through my back. I didn't care. I just wanted to make sure Jeff was all right. I turned the corner and saw him sitting on the ground. His head was in his hands between his legs. His fire-like hair flowed over his head and I couldn't see his eyes.
"Jeff." I said. "It was an accident." I looked down at him. He didn't look up. "I know your mad about that. Why else would you be? You can chose to ignore me all you want. But, I'm not going to give up just yet."
I walked away. I walked slowly hoping he'd say something to stop me. But, I reached the corner and he said nothing. I looked back before turning it, and he was just where I had left him.
I went back to the locker room and took Matt from Steph's arms and held onto him. By my actions everyone knew things weren't OK. Hunter put his arm on my shoulder. Matt just stood there. He looked confused. Should he go after Jeff, or should he stay?
"I'll be right back." Matt said, and he left.
"What did Jeff say to you?" Hunter asked.
"Nothing." I answered, trying to hold in the tears. "He wouldn't even look up."
"He's just mad." Dwayne said. "He'll come around. I know Jeff."
I looked away and a single tear fell from my eyes. I just wished Matt could get through to Jeff better than I could.