Disclaimer: I don't own any part or person of WWFE. So please don't sue!
But I do own Shaelin, Callia, and any other new characters, as well as the
story line.
Rating: Right now, R for language and violence. Later on, could be more.
Me: A frustrated writer, looking for an outlet in fanfiction. darkestmuse@hotmail.com
Summary: Consider this an "alternate universe". My take on the WCW/WWF split and the wrestlers. Not meant to represent what actually happened.
Distribution: Just let me know beforehand.
1 WWF vs WCW-The New Era
1.1 Part I: Breaking Points
++++++++
1.1.1 In the Ring
++++++++
It was a caged table match, and the Hardyz were getting their ass kicked. Lita paced outside the ring, waving her arms, trying to distract the brutes in red and grey camouflage. But their eyes were only on the Boyz.
Then Stacey Kiebler, the Duchess of Dudley, was standing next to her. "Too bad about the Boyz," the blonde girl giggled maliciously. "The Hard Core Tag Team belt just isn't meant for them."
Lita felt the growl rise in her throat. Stacey always pissed her off. Even when they all worked for the WWF. Now that she and the Boyz crossed over with Shane McMahon to the WCW, Stacey was even more annoying.
She clicked her tongue ring against the back of her teeth, studying the girl with a critical eye. Lita knew she could take Stacey. She had before. So she clocked the blonde, sending her tumbling to the floor.
Lita knew all eyes were on her, and the cameras as well, as the commentators starting giving a play by play of her actions. Stacey stood, her legs wobbly from hit. She turned and kicked Lita in the side of the knee. The red head fell, clutching her knee in agony.
That bitch, she thought, a scowl forming across her pretty face. She whipped her hair back from her face, standing up and walking menacingly towards Stacey. Stacey started backing up, shaking her hands wildly in front of herself, trying to ward Lita off. Lita smiled, and the crowd roared with approval. She leapt in the air, her signature move was now natural to her. Legs around Stacey's kneck, Lita twisted, feeling the blonde's neck twist and the girl fall with the weight of her legs, and she landed perfectly, standing quickly.
Stacey lay on the ground clutching her neck and crying.
Lita returned her attention to the caged ring. Jeff was getting his ass kicked by D-Von. The brute in camouflage had Rainbow Brite on the mat, kicking him repeatedly in the stomach. Jeff was curled into a ball, clutching his ribs.
D-Von tagged in Bubba Ray, and the two set up a table in the middle of the ring. Lita slammed her hands against the cage, trying to get Jeff to at least move to the ropes to tag in Matt.
"Jeff!" her voice pierced the air, just as D-Von made his way back to him. D-Von was distracted for a minute.
"Shut up bitch!" he yelled at her in his hill billy accent.
"You wanna go, D-Von?" she shouted back, giving him a "bring it" gesture. "Bring it on, Hillbilly!"
He started towards her side of the ring. Bubba Ray looked over, seeing Jeff crawling toward his brother to tag him.
"No you don't," he lumbered over to the pink and purple haired man, dragging him to the table, hefting him up on it. He lifted his arms above his head in victory as the crowd voiced its' disapproval. Bubba Ray started climbing the cage, getting as high as he could to crash Jeff through the table.
"Jeff!" Lita screamed. She could hear Matt yelling as well.
Then Bubba was flying through the air towards Jeff. Suddenly Jeff's green eyes flew open, and he saw Bubba's hulking figure hurtling down towards him. He rolled off the table just in time, and the camouflaged hillbilly crashed through the table. Jeff moved to the ropes, tagging in his brother.
Lita's fist shot in the air, making motions to the crowd to cheer on the Boyz as they set up their own table and placed the unconscious Bubba on it. Matt climbed onto the top turnbuckle, and leapt off, soaring through the air, landing perfectly on Bubba and smashing the table into cinder.
The crowd went nuts, Lita couldn't even hear herself think. The belts were given to the Boyz, and the cage was opened. She flew in there, grabbing Matt and kissing him hard.
"I'm so proud of you," she said into his ear. His only response was to hug her tightly. They had the Hardcore Tag Team belts. Jeff limped over, hugging his brother and prospective sister-in-law. Lita kissed his cheek, leaving a lip stick mark. He frowned, wiping it off, then grinned and kissed her cheek back.
++++++++++
1.1.2 In the Crowd
++++++++++
Callia was screaming like a madwoman. Her black and blue striped hair was wild around her face.
"They won! They got the belt!" she screamed to Shaelin, who merely shook her head in disbelief at Callia's excitement. She had only gone to Smackdown because her sister had asked her to.
Shaelin had no interest in Wrestling, never had and likely never would if all the matches were this stupid. Really, she thought, Putting another man through a table to win a crappy looking taped up belt? I don't think so.
"Aren't you excited, Shae?" Callia asked, pulling on her younger sister's arm. "Jeff won!"
"And he looks pretty hurt," Shaelin couldn't help but wince at the way the wrestler limped, clutching his ribs. "Why they do that to themselves, I'll never understand." She said to her sister.
"It's entertainment, it's honour," Callia replied. "Let's see if we can get closer to the ramp. Maybe I can give Jeff my note."
Shaelin rolled her eyes. Callia brought a note for Jeff? Does she know how many of those he likely gets? But her sister was already pulling her through the crowd. Callia pushed through the bodies until they were leaning against the rails at the rampway as the red headed girl and black haired wrestler helped Jeff to the back of the arena.
"Isn't this great, Shae?" Callia grinned, waving her note towards the trio. "Lita! Matt! Jeff!" She screamed. "A note for Jeff!"
To Shaelin's surprise, the red head walked over and smiled at Callia. "I'm sure Jeff will appreciate it," she said warmly. "Thank you."
Then her eyes locked with Shaelin's, reading her annoyance. Lita smiled at her. Shaelin rolled her eyes, and her grin widened. She leaned in close to Shaelin, grasping her arm and she could smell her perfume. Something spicy and exotic.
"Believe it or not, Jeffy loves these letters," she said into her ear. "He has a big ego to feed." Then she giggled, and was gone.
"What did she say to you?" Callia asked, jumping up and down like a teeny bopper.
"She said she liked my boots," Shaelin lied, gesturing to the boots that laced up almost to her knees, below the black skirt that skimmed her knee cap. She looked rather tame, she realized, compared to Callia. Her sister's tight mini leather skirt, fishnet top, and bright red bra beneath it, with matching fish net tights, screamed "Look at me!" Callia wore knee high leather boots with platform heels.
As Shaelin looked over her sister's boots with a critical eye, someone pushed Callia from behind. Her knees buckled, and she was slammed into the rail, chin first. Shaelin grabbed her, pulling her to her feet.
"Are you okay?" she asked, frantically checking her sister's chin. It was cut, but didn't look too damaged.
"My ankle-I felt it snap," Callia told her, tears streaming down her face, streaking her heavy, dark eye makeup. "I think it's broken."
"Let's get out of here, we need to get you to the hospital," Shaelin helped her sister limp through the crowd, trying to get to the doors of the arena without hurting her anymore than she was. When they finally reached the outdoors, Shaelin called a cab. She didn't know where the hospital was in Atlanta, she had never had to go there when visiting her sister before. So she told the driver the nearest hospital, and hoped for the best.
++++++++++
1.1.3 In the Emerge
++++++++++
Minutes later Shaelin was helping Callia into the emergency room, and signing her in at the desk. They would have to wait about half an hour for Callia to see a doctor, since a few people had been there with critical injuries just before them.
Shaelin sat and comforted Callia as best as she could. The nurse at the triage wouldn't even let her have an Advil for the pain.
Callia smiled weakly. "The good thing out of this is that I got to give Jeff my note," she told her sister.
"And feed his ego a little more," she replied darkly. How could Callia think that, when she had a broken ankle and a bruised and cut jaw?
~~Obsession, that's how.~~the voice in the back of Shaelin's head told her. ~~She's obsessed with him. Pathetic, yes. Unreasonable, no.~~
I can see why Callia finds him attractive, She mused, flicking through the Wrestling magazine featuring the Hardy Boyz. She likes "alternative" guys. Purple hair, tattered clothing, nail polish. It's totally her thing. And he's buff and famous and likely makes a lot of money. So for Callia he'd be perfect. Shaelin almost laughed. Anyone else would wonder why she is so in love with the guy.
"Callia Morgan?" the nurse called. "We can put you in a room now."
The doctor confirmed she had a fractured ankle, a bruised jaw bone, and a concussion. They wanted to keep her in the hospital for observation overnight, and would be moving her into a room.
"She needs rest. She'll be on a lot of pain killers, you may as well go home." The doctor looked at her kindly. Shaelin sighed, smiling gratefully at the gray haired woman, then shook her head.
"I think I'll stay. I'll just go down to the cafeteria and get a coffee." After thanking the doctor, and getting Callia's future room number, she headed towards the elevator to go down to the main level to the cafeteria.
Walking out of the elevator, lost in thoughts about how stupid Callia could be for wearing platform boots to a wrestling event and trying to get to the ramp, Shaelin ran into someone entering the elevator to go up.
"Sorry," she looked up, recognizing the red head from the wrestling. "Lita?"
"Hey! You were with that girl-who gave me the note for Jeff," she smiled. "He liked it, and it really fed his ego. He's sitting in the emerg right now gloating about how all the women want him."
Shaelin snickered. "Figures," then a light seemed to dawn in her head. "He's in the emergency room?" she asked.
"Three broken ribs, torn tendon in his calf and a sprained wrist," She nodded. "Could have been worse, I guess."
Shaelin winced. "I hope not," she told her. "That seems pretty brutal."
"That's wrestling," Lita grinned. "What are you doing here?"
"Callia was pushed into the rail at the ramp. She broke her ankle, got a concussion, a bruised jaw," She ran an agitated hand through her copper- blonde hair. "Platform boots in a crowd like that, it was a given."
The red head smiled sympathetically. "Is she going home tonight?"
Shaelin shook her head. "They want to keep her in for observation. She's on painkillers right now, and because of the concussion, the doctor wants to watch her."
"So you're staying too?"
She nodded, stifling a yawn. "I was just going to get a coffee."
Lita wrinkled her nose. "You don't want the cafeteria coffee." She said, making a gagging sound while clutching her throat. "There's a café on the third floor. I was just heading up there." She took Shaelin's arm, leading her into the elevator like they were old friends.
"So how long have you been wrestling?" Shaelin stirred her Irish Cream Cappuccino with a spoon, looking at Lita across the table.
"I got into it after high school. I trained in Mexico, learned the acrobatic wrestling they do there," She smiled. "Then I went to the WWF, eventually met Matt and Jeff, and the rest is history."
"Or history in the making," a male voice added. Shaelin looked up to see the dark haired wrestler Lita had kissed in the ring.
"Shaelin, this is Matt," the red head kissed her boyfriend's cheek as he straddled a chair backwards beside her. "Matt, Shaelin. Shaelin and her sister were at Smackdown."
Matt gave Lita an odd look.
"Shaelin's not a mat rat," she giggled at the thought. "Her sister is, but Shaelin doesn't even know anything about us, except what I've told her."
He still eyed Shaelin warily.
"Seriously, " Shaelin tried to assure him. "Not to disrespect you, but I have always found wrestling awfully-"
"Stupid," Lita finished, knowing she was trying to be more tactful. "But she's really nice, Matt. Give her a chance."
Matt sighed, running a hand through his dark hair. "Jeff is still up. He's so high on adrenaline right now. He wants to play a game-Monopoly or something."
"He should be sleeping," Lita admonished. "Didn't they give him codeine or anything?"
"Yes, but he's still awake. You know nothing will get him down for hours after a match."
The red head nodded, standing up. "Shaelin, do you want to come with us?"
"I wouldn't want to impose-" she started.
"Impose? No-we need a fourth to play a good game anyways. Three way games suck," Lita laughed, pulling her to her feet, and leading the way to the elevator to go to Jeff's hospital room.
+++++++++++
In Jeff's Room
+++++++++++
Lita bounced into the room, pulling Shaelin behind her. "Jeff, this is Shaelin."
"The girl who wrote me the note?" his green eyes travelled over her body in appreciation, taking in the conservative v-neck black tank top, black knee length skirt and plaid tights, and the less conservative calf-high leather boots with chunky soles. They laced up at the front-Jeff's favourite kind.
Shaelin smirked. "That would have been my older sister, Callia," she told him, trying to ignore his appreciative glances. "She's on the second floor doped up on codeine for her broken ankle."
Jeff Hardy's eyebrows shot up. "She broke her ankle?" Genuine concern seemed to flash in his eyes. Shaelin was surprised at that, to say the least.
"Someone knocked her into the rail by the ramp," she told him. "Platform boots, drunken crowds, metal rails-bad combination."
He nodded thoughtfully. An uncomfortable silence followed, which Lita broke by pulling out two Monopoly games. "Star Wars or regular?"
"Star Wars." Both Hardys responded, as the girls said "Regular."
"Flip for it," Lita said. She took a coin out of her pocket, flipped it in the air and covered it on the back of her hand. "Call it Jeff."
"Heads."
"Tales-we play regular," Lita grinned at Shaelin. "I really hate the little jet fighters you have to buy-I prefer the hotels."
Shaelin nodded in agreement. "I like to be the hat."
"Hat it is!" Jeff was setting the game up on the table next to his bed. He started dealing the money out, and asked each person what they wanted to be. Matt was the race car, Lita took the dog and he took the wheelbarrow for himself.
1.1.4 +++++++++++
1.1.5 In Jeff's Head
+++++++++++
Callia sent me the note. I should go see her.
But look at Shaelin. She's gorgeous. Try and pick her up.
You're not her type. Look at her. All prim and proper.
Except those boots. It's the boots that are the giveaway. They scream "I'm a rebel!"
Or "I need ankle support."
Jeff argued with himself in his head, losing track of the game.
++++++++++++++++
Outside of Jeff's Head
++++++++++++++++
"Jeff? Hello?" Lita was waving at him from across the table. She looked at Matt. "The codeine must've kicked in."
"Hey-Skittle Head! Up and at 'em!" Matt kicked his brother under the table, and he still didn't come out of his reverie.
Shaelin poked the purple and pink haired man sitting beside her on the hospital bed. "Hello? Jeff?" she poked him again. "Hello?" Then she tickled him lightly under his arm.
Jeff snapped out of his argument with himself to being tickled under his arm. He was very ticklish there, and started laughing, which hurt his ribs. "Ow, ow, stop!" he gasped, pushing Shaelin's hand away.
She pulled her hand back, realizing that must have hurt him, with his broken ribs. "I'm sorry-I completely forgot-"
Lita laughed at her horrified look. "It's okay, we're used to pain. It doesn't get easier, but we tolerate it better than most people."
"Speak for yourself," Jeff grumbled, lightly holding his ribs, looking at Shaelin from under lowered eyelashes.
"Stop trying to get sympathy," Matt growled, kicking him under the table. "Especially from her-she's NOT a mat rat."
"Okay, that's the second time I've heard that phrase-what the hell is a 'mat rat'?" Shaelin asked, looking around at the three in confusion.
"Mat rat-kind of like a lot lizard to carnies, or groupies to bands," Lita laughed. "They give us notes, try to get backstage."
"Try to seduce us," Matt said.
"Give us their underwear-" Jeff looked at Shaelin's disgusted expression. "Well they DO!" he cried in self defence. "It's not like I encourage it-"
Lita snorted. "Sure, whatever Jeffy."
Matt just gave his brother a dirty look.
"Okay, so I like the attention," he confessed. "You did, too, bro. Before you met Lita, of course."
"Of course," the red head grinned at her boyfriend, kissing his lips lightly. "By the way, Jeffy, it's your turn to go."
++++++++++++
About two hours later the game ended. Lita had bankrupted them all, laughing gleefully as she threw the play money around the hospital room. A nurse looked in, giving her a disapproving glare.
"You are cleaning all that up before you leave?" but it wasn't a question.
Lita smirked. "If I have time," she replied haughtily. Shaelin looked at her in surprise, and the red head smiled at her. "Just having fun. That one's always cranky when one of us lands in here."
"Probably because we're so damn loud," Matt told her, a smile lurking around the corners of his mouth. Shaelin giggled, then noticed Jeff was snoring.
"He'll drool soon," Matt offered, watching his brother's head droop back against the hospital pillow.
"Need to know info, hon," Shaelin replied, wrinkling her nose.
They quietly gathered the money up, and put the game away, tip toeing out of the room.
Rating: Right now, R for language and violence. Later on, could be more.
Me: A frustrated writer, looking for an outlet in fanfiction. darkestmuse@hotmail.com
Summary: Consider this an "alternate universe". My take on the WCW/WWF split and the wrestlers. Not meant to represent what actually happened.
Distribution: Just let me know beforehand.
1 WWF vs WCW-The New Era
1.1 Part I: Breaking Points
++++++++
1.1.1 In the Ring
++++++++
It was a caged table match, and the Hardyz were getting their ass kicked. Lita paced outside the ring, waving her arms, trying to distract the brutes in red and grey camouflage. But their eyes were only on the Boyz.
Then Stacey Kiebler, the Duchess of Dudley, was standing next to her. "Too bad about the Boyz," the blonde girl giggled maliciously. "The Hard Core Tag Team belt just isn't meant for them."
Lita felt the growl rise in her throat. Stacey always pissed her off. Even when they all worked for the WWF. Now that she and the Boyz crossed over with Shane McMahon to the WCW, Stacey was even more annoying.
She clicked her tongue ring against the back of her teeth, studying the girl with a critical eye. Lita knew she could take Stacey. She had before. So she clocked the blonde, sending her tumbling to the floor.
Lita knew all eyes were on her, and the cameras as well, as the commentators starting giving a play by play of her actions. Stacey stood, her legs wobbly from hit. She turned and kicked Lita in the side of the knee. The red head fell, clutching her knee in agony.
That bitch, she thought, a scowl forming across her pretty face. She whipped her hair back from her face, standing up and walking menacingly towards Stacey. Stacey started backing up, shaking her hands wildly in front of herself, trying to ward Lita off. Lita smiled, and the crowd roared with approval. She leapt in the air, her signature move was now natural to her. Legs around Stacey's kneck, Lita twisted, feeling the blonde's neck twist and the girl fall with the weight of her legs, and she landed perfectly, standing quickly.
Stacey lay on the ground clutching her neck and crying.
Lita returned her attention to the caged ring. Jeff was getting his ass kicked by D-Von. The brute in camouflage had Rainbow Brite on the mat, kicking him repeatedly in the stomach. Jeff was curled into a ball, clutching his ribs.
D-Von tagged in Bubba Ray, and the two set up a table in the middle of the ring. Lita slammed her hands against the cage, trying to get Jeff to at least move to the ropes to tag in Matt.
"Jeff!" her voice pierced the air, just as D-Von made his way back to him. D-Von was distracted for a minute.
"Shut up bitch!" he yelled at her in his hill billy accent.
"You wanna go, D-Von?" she shouted back, giving him a "bring it" gesture. "Bring it on, Hillbilly!"
He started towards her side of the ring. Bubba Ray looked over, seeing Jeff crawling toward his brother to tag him.
"No you don't," he lumbered over to the pink and purple haired man, dragging him to the table, hefting him up on it. He lifted his arms above his head in victory as the crowd voiced its' disapproval. Bubba Ray started climbing the cage, getting as high as he could to crash Jeff through the table.
"Jeff!" Lita screamed. She could hear Matt yelling as well.
Then Bubba was flying through the air towards Jeff. Suddenly Jeff's green eyes flew open, and he saw Bubba's hulking figure hurtling down towards him. He rolled off the table just in time, and the camouflaged hillbilly crashed through the table. Jeff moved to the ropes, tagging in his brother.
Lita's fist shot in the air, making motions to the crowd to cheer on the Boyz as they set up their own table and placed the unconscious Bubba on it. Matt climbed onto the top turnbuckle, and leapt off, soaring through the air, landing perfectly on Bubba and smashing the table into cinder.
The crowd went nuts, Lita couldn't even hear herself think. The belts were given to the Boyz, and the cage was opened. She flew in there, grabbing Matt and kissing him hard.
"I'm so proud of you," she said into his ear. His only response was to hug her tightly. They had the Hardcore Tag Team belts. Jeff limped over, hugging his brother and prospective sister-in-law. Lita kissed his cheek, leaving a lip stick mark. He frowned, wiping it off, then grinned and kissed her cheek back.
++++++++++
1.1.2 In the Crowd
++++++++++
Callia was screaming like a madwoman. Her black and blue striped hair was wild around her face.
"They won! They got the belt!" she screamed to Shaelin, who merely shook her head in disbelief at Callia's excitement. She had only gone to Smackdown because her sister had asked her to.
Shaelin had no interest in Wrestling, never had and likely never would if all the matches were this stupid. Really, she thought, Putting another man through a table to win a crappy looking taped up belt? I don't think so.
"Aren't you excited, Shae?" Callia asked, pulling on her younger sister's arm. "Jeff won!"
"And he looks pretty hurt," Shaelin couldn't help but wince at the way the wrestler limped, clutching his ribs. "Why they do that to themselves, I'll never understand." She said to her sister.
"It's entertainment, it's honour," Callia replied. "Let's see if we can get closer to the ramp. Maybe I can give Jeff my note."
Shaelin rolled her eyes. Callia brought a note for Jeff? Does she know how many of those he likely gets? But her sister was already pulling her through the crowd. Callia pushed through the bodies until they were leaning against the rails at the rampway as the red headed girl and black haired wrestler helped Jeff to the back of the arena.
"Isn't this great, Shae?" Callia grinned, waving her note towards the trio. "Lita! Matt! Jeff!" She screamed. "A note for Jeff!"
To Shaelin's surprise, the red head walked over and smiled at Callia. "I'm sure Jeff will appreciate it," she said warmly. "Thank you."
Then her eyes locked with Shaelin's, reading her annoyance. Lita smiled at her. Shaelin rolled her eyes, and her grin widened. She leaned in close to Shaelin, grasping her arm and she could smell her perfume. Something spicy and exotic.
"Believe it or not, Jeffy loves these letters," she said into her ear. "He has a big ego to feed." Then she giggled, and was gone.
"What did she say to you?" Callia asked, jumping up and down like a teeny bopper.
"She said she liked my boots," Shaelin lied, gesturing to the boots that laced up almost to her knees, below the black skirt that skimmed her knee cap. She looked rather tame, she realized, compared to Callia. Her sister's tight mini leather skirt, fishnet top, and bright red bra beneath it, with matching fish net tights, screamed "Look at me!" Callia wore knee high leather boots with platform heels.
As Shaelin looked over her sister's boots with a critical eye, someone pushed Callia from behind. Her knees buckled, and she was slammed into the rail, chin first. Shaelin grabbed her, pulling her to her feet.
"Are you okay?" she asked, frantically checking her sister's chin. It was cut, but didn't look too damaged.
"My ankle-I felt it snap," Callia told her, tears streaming down her face, streaking her heavy, dark eye makeup. "I think it's broken."
"Let's get out of here, we need to get you to the hospital," Shaelin helped her sister limp through the crowd, trying to get to the doors of the arena without hurting her anymore than she was. When they finally reached the outdoors, Shaelin called a cab. She didn't know where the hospital was in Atlanta, she had never had to go there when visiting her sister before. So she told the driver the nearest hospital, and hoped for the best.
++++++++++
1.1.3 In the Emerge
++++++++++
Minutes later Shaelin was helping Callia into the emergency room, and signing her in at the desk. They would have to wait about half an hour for Callia to see a doctor, since a few people had been there with critical injuries just before them.
Shaelin sat and comforted Callia as best as she could. The nurse at the triage wouldn't even let her have an Advil for the pain.
Callia smiled weakly. "The good thing out of this is that I got to give Jeff my note," she told her sister.
"And feed his ego a little more," she replied darkly. How could Callia think that, when she had a broken ankle and a bruised and cut jaw?
~~Obsession, that's how.~~the voice in the back of Shaelin's head told her. ~~She's obsessed with him. Pathetic, yes. Unreasonable, no.~~
I can see why Callia finds him attractive, She mused, flicking through the Wrestling magazine featuring the Hardy Boyz. She likes "alternative" guys. Purple hair, tattered clothing, nail polish. It's totally her thing. And he's buff and famous and likely makes a lot of money. So for Callia he'd be perfect. Shaelin almost laughed. Anyone else would wonder why she is so in love with the guy.
"Callia Morgan?" the nurse called. "We can put you in a room now."
The doctor confirmed she had a fractured ankle, a bruised jaw bone, and a concussion. They wanted to keep her in the hospital for observation overnight, and would be moving her into a room.
"She needs rest. She'll be on a lot of pain killers, you may as well go home." The doctor looked at her kindly. Shaelin sighed, smiling gratefully at the gray haired woman, then shook her head.
"I think I'll stay. I'll just go down to the cafeteria and get a coffee." After thanking the doctor, and getting Callia's future room number, she headed towards the elevator to go down to the main level to the cafeteria.
Walking out of the elevator, lost in thoughts about how stupid Callia could be for wearing platform boots to a wrestling event and trying to get to the ramp, Shaelin ran into someone entering the elevator to go up.
"Sorry," she looked up, recognizing the red head from the wrestling. "Lita?"
"Hey! You were with that girl-who gave me the note for Jeff," she smiled. "He liked it, and it really fed his ego. He's sitting in the emerg right now gloating about how all the women want him."
Shaelin snickered. "Figures," then a light seemed to dawn in her head. "He's in the emergency room?" she asked.
"Three broken ribs, torn tendon in his calf and a sprained wrist," She nodded. "Could have been worse, I guess."
Shaelin winced. "I hope not," she told her. "That seems pretty brutal."
"That's wrestling," Lita grinned. "What are you doing here?"
"Callia was pushed into the rail at the ramp. She broke her ankle, got a concussion, a bruised jaw," She ran an agitated hand through her copper- blonde hair. "Platform boots in a crowd like that, it was a given."
The red head smiled sympathetically. "Is she going home tonight?"
Shaelin shook her head. "They want to keep her in for observation. She's on painkillers right now, and because of the concussion, the doctor wants to watch her."
"So you're staying too?"
She nodded, stifling a yawn. "I was just going to get a coffee."
Lita wrinkled her nose. "You don't want the cafeteria coffee." She said, making a gagging sound while clutching her throat. "There's a café on the third floor. I was just heading up there." She took Shaelin's arm, leading her into the elevator like they were old friends.
"So how long have you been wrestling?" Shaelin stirred her Irish Cream Cappuccino with a spoon, looking at Lita across the table.
"I got into it after high school. I trained in Mexico, learned the acrobatic wrestling they do there," She smiled. "Then I went to the WWF, eventually met Matt and Jeff, and the rest is history."
"Or history in the making," a male voice added. Shaelin looked up to see the dark haired wrestler Lita had kissed in the ring.
"Shaelin, this is Matt," the red head kissed her boyfriend's cheek as he straddled a chair backwards beside her. "Matt, Shaelin. Shaelin and her sister were at Smackdown."
Matt gave Lita an odd look.
"Shaelin's not a mat rat," she giggled at the thought. "Her sister is, but Shaelin doesn't even know anything about us, except what I've told her."
He still eyed Shaelin warily.
"Seriously, " Shaelin tried to assure him. "Not to disrespect you, but I have always found wrestling awfully-"
"Stupid," Lita finished, knowing she was trying to be more tactful. "But she's really nice, Matt. Give her a chance."
Matt sighed, running a hand through his dark hair. "Jeff is still up. He's so high on adrenaline right now. He wants to play a game-Monopoly or something."
"He should be sleeping," Lita admonished. "Didn't they give him codeine or anything?"
"Yes, but he's still awake. You know nothing will get him down for hours after a match."
The red head nodded, standing up. "Shaelin, do you want to come with us?"
"I wouldn't want to impose-" she started.
"Impose? No-we need a fourth to play a good game anyways. Three way games suck," Lita laughed, pulling her to her feet, and leading the way to the elevator to go to Jeff's hospital room.
+++++++++++
In Jeff's Room
+++++++++++
Lita bounced into the room, pulling Shaelin behind her. "Jeff, this is Shaelin."
"The girl who wrote me the note?" his green eyes travelled over her body in appreciation, taking in the conservative v-neck black tank top, black knee length skirt and plaid tights, and the less conservative calf-high leather boots with chunky soles. They laced up at the front-Jeff's favourite kind.
Shaelin smirked. "That would have been my older sister, Callia," she told him, trying to ignore his appreciative glances. "She's on the second floor doped up on codeine for her broken ankle."
Jeff Hardy's eyebrows shot up. "She broke her ankle?" Genuine concern seemed to flash in his eyes. Shaelin was surprised at that, to say the least.
"Someone knocked her into the rail by the ramp," she told him. "Platform boots, drunken crowds, metal rails-bad combination."
He nodded thoughtfully. An uncomfortable silence followed, which Lita broke by pulling out two Monopoly games. "Star Wars or regular?"
"Star Wars." Both Hardys responded, as the girls said "Regular."
"Flip for it," Lita said. She took a coin out of her pocket, flipped it in the air and covered it on the back of her hand. "Call it Jeff."
"Heads."
"Tales-we play regular," Lita grinned at Shaelin. "I really hate the little jet fighters you have to buy-I prefer the hotels."
Shaelin nodded in agreement. "I like to be the hat."
"Hat it is!" Jeff was setting the game up on the table next to his bed. He started dealing the money out, and asked each person what they wanted to be. Matt was the race car, Lita took the dog and he took the wheelbarrow for himself.
1.1.4 +++++++++++
1.1.5 In Jeff's Head
+++++++++++
Callia sent me the note. I should go see her.
But look at Shaelin. She's gorgeous. Try and pick her up.
You're not her type. Look at her. All prim and proper.
Except those boots. It's the boots that are the giveaway. They scream "I'm a rebel!"
Or "I need ankle support."
Jeff argued with himself in his head, losing track of the game.
++++++++++++++++
Outside of Jeff's Head
++++++++++++++++
"Jeff? Hello?" Lita was waving at him from across the table. She looked at Matt. "The codeine must've kicked in."
"Hey-Skittle Head! Up and at 'em!" Matt kicked his brother under the table, and he still didn't come out of his reverie.
Shaelin poked the purple and pink haired man sitting beside her on the hospital bed. "Hello? Jeff?" she poked him again. "Hello?" Then she tickled him lightly under his arm.
Jeff snapped out of his argument with himself to being tickled under his arm. He was very ticklish there, and started laughing, which hurt his ribs. "Ow, ow, stop!" he gasped, pushing Shaelin's hand away.
She pulled her hand back, realizing that must have hurt him, with his broken ribs. "I'm sorry-I completely forgot-"
Lita laughed at her horrified look. "It's okay, we're used to pain. It doesn't get easier, but we tolerate it better than most people."
"Speak for yourself," Jeff grumbled, lightly holding his ribs, looking at Shaelin from under lowered eyelashes.
"Stop trying to get sympathy," Matt growled, kicking him under the table. "Especially from her-she's NOT a mat rat."
"Okay, that's the second time I've heard that phrase-what the hell is a 'mat rat'?" Shaelin asked, looking around at the three in confusion.
"Mat rat-kind of like a lot lizard to carnies, or groupies to bands," Lita laughed. "They give us notes, try to get backstage."
"Try to seduce us," Matt said.
"Give us their underwear-" Jeff looked at Shaelin's disgusted expression. "Well they DO!" he cried in self defence. "It's not like I encourage it-"
Lita snorted. "Sure, whatever Jeffy."
Matt just gave his brother a dirty look.
"Okay, so I like the attention," he confessed. "You did, too, bro. Before you met Lita, of course."
"Of course," the red head grinned at her boyfriend, kissing his lips lightly. "By the way, Jeffy, it's your turn to go."
++++++++++++
About two hours later the game ended. Lita had bankrupted them all, laughing gleefully as she threw the play money around the hospital room. A nurse looked in, giving her a disapproving glare.
"You are cleaning all that up before you leave?" but it wasn't a question.
Lita smirked. "If I have time," she replied haughtily. Shaelin looked at her in surprise, and the red head smiled at her. "Just having fun. That one's always cranky when one of us lands in here."
"Probably because we're so damn loud," Matt told her, a smile lurking around the corners of his mouth. Shaelin giggled, then noticed Jeff was snoring.
"He'll drool soon," Matt offered, watching his brother's head droop back against the hospital pillow.
"Need to know info, hon," Shaelin replied, wrinkling her nose.
They quietly gathered the money up, and put the game away, tip toeing out of the room.
