*** Hello people! This chapter is called "Helplessly, Hopelessly." Just to let you all know, this song is the reason I bought this album...which means, this song is indirectly responsible for this whole fic. I don't know why I told you...I just did. Hope you like it! ***

// I can stand with the weight of the world
On my shoulders. //

"Hey, remember to get my belt," Jeff said to Trish, as they were preparing to leave the Team Xtreme dressing room.

"Anything else?" Trish asked, barely biting back a sigh.

"I wouldn't mind if he said please once in awhile," Matt muttered.

"What?" Trish asked Matt.

"Nothing," Matt sighed.

"Trish," Jeff continued, ignoring his brother. "Remember to watch out for Stacy. She tends to be a pain in my ass."

"Of course Jeff," Trish said, smiling sweetly at him. "You know I'll be there for you."

"I know," Jeff said confidently. "Later Matt."

// I can fight with the toughest
Of the tough. //

Trish watched Jeff face off with Christian. He had defected to the Alliance several months earlier. Ever since, Stacy Kiebler had been his valet.

Trish glared over at Stacy like she knew she was supposed to. Stacy meant nothing to her. She knew even she could kick Stacy's ass. And that was saying something. Ivory might give her a scare, but Stacy was no big thing.

During the match, Trish somehow found herself in the ring alone with Christian. Stacy had hurt herself somewhere while running from Trish. The ref was tending to Jeff outside the ring. Trish looked up at Christian, worry evident on her face.

"Scared Trish?" Christian taunted her.

He came toward her. Trish turned toward the turnbuckle and waited for Christian to come after her. He grabbed her just as she reached the top rope. She wrapped her legs around his neck and slammed him to the mat with a hurricurana.

Jeff slid into the ring as Trish slid out and covered Christian for the win. But he didn't say thank you.

// I can laugh in the face of all my insecurities. //

"You okay?" Matt asked.

"Oh yeah," Trish said, trying to hold back the tears she felt stinging her eyes.

"Where's your boyfriend?" Matt asked, sitting next to Trish on the couch.

"Boyfriend?" Trish asked.

"Jeff," Matt said simply.

"I'm not dating Jeff," Trish said. "He's out with Jericho."

"I thought Jericho was attached to the hip of Stephanie," Matt said.

"I guess,' Trish said. "Maybe she's with them. I think that's why I wasn't invited actually. You know how Stephanie and I feel about each other."

"You can come out with me if you want," Matt said.

// Anytime, anywhere, anything
I'm strong enough //

"You sure?" Trish asked. Matt could tell that Trish didn't want to be alone. He had a feeling Trish was alone a lot.

"Of course," Matt said. "I hate to eat alone. Don't you?"

"Yeah," Trish said.

"Plus you're pretty good company," Matt added, not wanting to make her feel like he was taking pity on her. What he really felt was protective of her.

"Thanks," Trish said, blushing.

"You ready now?" Matt asked.

"Sure," Trish said, grabbing her jacket.

// But when you're holding me like this
I'm carelessly lost in your touch //

Nights later, Matt was watching a movie in his hotel room. He and Jeff had stopped sharing while Matt and Lita had been dating. It had been months since he and Lita had broken up but he and Jeff had never gone back to sharing rooms.

There was a light knock on the door. He went to answer it. "Hey Trish."

"Hey," Trish said shyly. "I was just seeing what you were doing tonight."

"Watching a movie," Matt said.

"Oh," Trish said. "Okay, well..."

"You want to watch with me?" Matt asked.

"You really don't mind?" Trish asked.

"Why would I mind?" Matt asked.

"I don't know," Trish said shrugging her shoulders. Matt took her arm and pulled her inside his room.

// I'm completely defenseless
Baby, it's almost too much //

They sat on the ground in front of the TV. At one point Trish got up and popped the complimentary popcorn. They started trying to shoot pieces into each others mouth. The room was a mess by the time the movie was nearly over.

Matt didn't know how Trish ended up cuddled next to him, but strangely, he didn't care. It actually felt kind of nice to hold her in his arms. They decided to watch Conan O'Brien after the movie had ended. Matt realized Trish had fallen asleep beside him.

He thought about waking her up, but he remembered what Tori had told him once. She had bunked with Trish a couple times and she told him Trish had insomnia and was lucky when she got to sleep. The room was warm so he let her sleep, not caring if his arm would never wake up.

// I'm hopelessly, helplessly, recklessly
Falling in love. //

Trish woke up slowly. She didn't know the last time she had slept so well. She quickly became aware of the body she was cuddled next to. She looked up and gasped softly.

"Huh?" Matt mumbled, waking up.

"I'm so sorry Matt," Trish whispered. "I can't believe I fell asleep."

"Don't apologize Trish," Matt said gently. "If I had minded I would have woken you up."

"Why are you so nice to me?" Trish asked. "Jeff is supposed to be attracted to me and he's not nearly as nice to me as you are."

"Because I'm a gentleman," Matt replied. "Jeff doesn't know the meaning of the word."

"Oh," Trish said, hoping she hid her disappointment.

// So let consequence do what it will to us,
I don't care. //

Matt knew that he hadn't said what Trish wanted to hear. He hadn't told her the truth. But what if Jeff really did like Trish? He was pretty sure Trish wasn't worth ruining his relationship with his brother.

He looked down into Trish's eyes. "Damn," he whispered. He threw caution to the wind as he leaned toward her and caught her lips in a kiss.

When he pulled away Trish was crying. "I thought that was what you wanted," Matt said, ready to kick himself if he hadn't read Trish right.

"It was," Trish said. "I just can't believe it happened. Oh Matt."

"What?" Matt asked.

"What are we going to do?" Trish asked.

// Let the stars stand as witness to it all.
Say the word and tonight I will follow you anywhere //

"I don't know," Matt answered truthfully. "I don't know how Jeff really feels about you."

"Lita is still my friend," Trish said. "Her and Tori are the only friends I have in the Federation that are females."

"I don't really care how Lita feels," Matt said brusquely.

"She loves you," Trish said.

"She's not the same person Trish," Matt said. "Besides, I find it hard to think about Lita when I'm around you anymore."

"Me too," Trish said.

// I just can't pretend anymore
I'm too sturdy to fall. //

Trish's scream was only blocked by the hand that clasped over her mouth. She was pulled into a dark room as she walked down the hall of an arena.

"Baby, it's me," Matt said. They had been secretly seeing each other for three weeks.

"Matt," Trish sighed in relief. "You scared the crap out of me!"

"Sorry," Matt said.

"Sure you are," Trish said.

"Have I told you how beautiful you look tonight?" Matt asked, as he pulled her close.

Trish accepted the kiss. And when she left the room she realized that she had finally done what she had been afraid of all her life. She had fallen in love.

// But when you're holding me like this
I'm carelessly lost in your touch
I'm completely defenseless
Baby, it's almost too much //

Matt watched Trish sleep. It was rare that she slept well. She had sneaked to his room every night since the first night they had kissed. Sometimes she would just pretend to sleep so he would, other nights she would go sit on the couch and read the paper or something.

"What are you doing?'" she whispered.

"I thought you were asleep," Matt said.

"No," Trish said. "I was waiting for you to sleep."

"I'll sleep when you sleep," Matt said.

"You need to sleep," Trish insisted.

"And I need you to sleep too," Matt said.

// I'm hopelessly, helplessly, recklessly
Falling in love. //

Matt sat across the room as he watched Jeff attempt to flirt with Trish. He was disgusted with his brother. Though no one knew Matt and Trish were seeing each other, it was easy to tell Trish was involved. She was always busy and she was about a million times happier than she had been a month earlier. Now Jeff wanted her.

"What's up Hardy?" a gruff voice asked.

"Oh hey Hunter," Matt said.

"Why are you watching Trish so intently?" Hunter asked.

"What do you mean?" Matt asked.

"I mean," Hunter said. "You are looking at Trish and there is a puddle of drool at your feet."

"She's hot," Matt shrugged.

"Can I give you a hint?" Hunter asked. Matt nodded. "Tell her how you really feel before it's too late and you can't figure out what you did wrong."

// I am not afraid
I am not afraid //

Matt thought about Hunter had said to him for a few minutes. He watched Lita talking with Kurt Angle. He had never imagined his ex would end up buddies with Angle. Matt shook his head and stood.

Instead of leaving as he had intended he walked across the room to Trish. "I need to talk to you Trish," Matt said.

"What?" Trish asked, looking up at him. She felt a pang of love as she looked at him.

"Please come with me," Matt said.

"Trish and I were talking bro," Jeff said.

"Fine," Matt said. "Can I say one thing to Trish before I let you get back to what you were talking about?"

"Sure," Jeff said, an annoyed edge in his voice.

Matt pulled Trish from her seat and kissed her thoroughly. "I love you."

// But when you're holding me like this
I'm carelessly lost in your touch //

Trish watched Matt walk away. She felt so confused. Matt hadn't wanted Jeff to know until they had a chance to ease him into the idea. And he kissed her in front of him?

Trish looked around the room. Her gazed stopped abruptly on Lita. She rushed over to her friend. "Lita, I'm so sor-"

"Don't be sorry," Lita said quickly. "Unless you don't love him back."

"I do," Trish whispered.

"Then make sure you keep him," Lita said. Trish could see she was holding back tears. Lita stood up and hugged Trish. Trish met eyes with Kurt over Lita's shoulder.

"Take care of her," Trish mouthed to him. Kurt nodded.

// I'm completely defenseless
Baby, it's almost too much //

Trish turned back, reminding herself that she had been talking with Jeff. But Jeff was nowhere to be found. "Well, crap," Trish muttered.

Trish walked quickly from the break room and nearly tripped over Jeff outside the room. "Jeff," Trish said.

"You could have told me!" Jeff exclaimed.

"We were going to," Trish said helplessly.

"It doesn't matter," Jeff said. "Because you are going to fall in love with me."

"I love your brother," Trish said.

"We'll see," Jeff said.

// I'm hopelessly, helplessly, recklessly
Falling in love. //

"I've been looking for you everywhere," Trish said when she finally found Matt outside the arena. "Why are you out here?"

"I didn't want to hear that you don't want to see me anymore," Matt muttered.

"That's good," Trish said. "Because that is not what I'm going to say."

"Really?" Matt asked.

"I love you too," Trish said. She leaned over and kissed Matt softly.

// I'm hopelessly, helplessly, recklessly
Falling in love. //