Part 2: New Enemies
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Jeff walked into the hotel, tucking Shaelin's cell phone number into the pocket of his jeans. He hurried up the stairs, hoping none of the other wrestlers caught him coming into his room so late, and in the same clothing he wore the night before. He didn't want them to think that he and Shaelin had spent the night together.
He tried to unlock the door of his room, but found it was already unlocked. Jeff swung the door open, looking cautiously into the hotel room. The bed was made, his clothing was put away. 'Maid service must've been in and forgot to lock the door.' he thought, breathing a sigh of relief and walking into the room. Then he noticed his brother sitting on the chair in the corner of the room not visible from the door.
"Hello Jeff," his hair was disheveled, his clothing rumpled. His eyes were glassy and red, as if he were drunk or stoned, or both.
"Matt," Jeff took a cautious step back, positioning himself in a defensive posture, in case his brother decided he wanted to fight.
"Out all night?" Matt asked, his words slurred.
"Um, kind of-" he broke off. "What do you want, Matt?"
"I thought I may as well catch you in the act," he stood up, wobbling on his feet. "Catch you spending the night with Lita."
"I wasn't with Lita!" Jeff protested, eyes widening at the mere thought. "She's like a sister to me, Matt, you know I would never-"
"Like you would never cheat me, Jeff?" the words stung. Matt's brown eyes were teared up. He sniffed, roughly wiping at the betrayers of his emotions.
"Matt-I'm sorry, how many times do I have to say it?" he looked at his brother plaintively. "And Lita had nothing to do with it-she was calling it like she saw it."
"Then she should have seen her boyfriend put his foot on the rope," Matt sneered, "She should have seen her 'brother' pull it off for the three count."
"Matt-"
"I'm out of here." He stalked towards the door, clumsily pushing Jeff aside.
Jeff sighed, sitting on the bed, head in his hands. 'What have I done?' he thought. 'Not only does my brother hate me, he hates the only woman he's ever loved.'
A knock sounded at his door. "Come in," he said in a sad voice. Lita's head popped inside the door.
"You busy, Jeff?" she asked.
"Not really," he told her. "Come in."
"I looked for you last night, but no one had seen you," Lita sat on the bed beside him.
"I went out after the match," he looked at her, hazel eyes begging forgiveness. "I'm sorry, Lita. I didn't mean for Matt to blame you."
Lita's eyes were like liquid pools. Her eyes were red from crying, her nose was puffy. She was a mess. "I know, Jeffy," she slid an arm through his. "Matt's being an idiot, and pig headed-but that's our Matt."
"But this time it's worse," he said, pulling her into a fierce hug. "This time, he isn't just mad at me, he's mad at you too."
"I know," Lita buried her face in his shoulder, her chest heaving in heavy sobs. She felt like her heart was breaking. Matt had been her perfect match, he was everything he wanted in a man. Brave, strong, gorgeous, loving, smart and kind. And he was an awesome wrestler. How could she lose a man she loved so much?
"I knew it!" the voice came from the doorway, slightly slurred. Lita and Jeff both looked up, seeing Jeff standing there. His face was red with rage, ihs stance still wobbly. "I knew you two had something going on."
"Matt," Lita stood quickly, going towards him, but he stepped back. "Jeff was just comforting me-"
"Yeah, I saw that," Matt's voice was sarcastic. "Why don't you go back to whatever you were doing? I'm gone." He slammed the door in Lita's face, and they heard his quickly retreating streps down the hall. Lita burst into a fresh round of tears, leaving the room and slamming the door behind her, her steps going across the hall to her own room, her door slamming.
Jeff moaned, falling backwards onto the bed. Another knock on the door. "Leave me alone," he threw a pillow over his face, muffling the words. The door opened anyways.
"Jeff?"
The voice was familiar, female.
"Shaelin? What are you doing here?"
She held up the purple baseball cap. "You left this in my car," she explained, a small smile on her lips. Then she examined his face, his eyes were sad again, his mouth a tight line. "What's wrong?"
"Matt thinks I slept with Lita last night," he sat up. "He accused me of it, and I denied it. Then he left. And Lita came in, and I was comforting her about Matt, and he came back and saw us hugging."
"Hugging?" he couldn't read her expression. Perhaps it was doubtful?
"Only hugging," he protested. "Lita is like my sister-if it was anything else, that would be gross!"
Shaelin laughed, sitting on the bed beside him, putting the hat on his head backwards. "Well, if he doesn't believe you, he doesn't believe you." she said in a somber tone. "If he know you and Lita are like siblings, then he should know you two wouldn't have sex. Besides, you were with me last night, and I'll vouch for that."
Jeff smiled gratefully at her. "Thanks, but I don't think he'll listen to reason."
Just then, another know sounded. Without waiting for an invitation, the door opened and a young man stepped inside.
Shaelin's jaw almost dropped open. He was gorgeous. He had college boy good looks, with black hair falling over his forehead, pale skin, and big brown eyes. He was as tall as Jeff, but bulkier. And the dark blue v-neck sweater and khaki chinos fit his body well.
"C'mon Jeff," he said, looking between him and Shaelin. "You have autographs in about twenty minutes at the arena." His eyes settled on Shaelin, looking her over. She felt herselt start to blush at his appreciative gaze. "Remember what we've said about bringing guests back to the hotel?"
"I'm not a guest-" Shaelin started.
"We didn't-" Jeff began.
"We're just friends," Shaelin finished. "We met, last night."
"I was drunk, and she helped me out," Jeff finished.
The young man was nodding at their words the whole while. Then he looked at Shaelin, offering his hand. "I'm Shane McMahon," he told her.
She stood, taking his hand. Hers was dwarfed by comparison. "Shaelin Quartz."
"Interesting name," he commented, looking into her eyes. Shaelin felt a shiver move through her from head to toe.
"My mother was a hippie, she had her name legally changed to Quartz in the 60s," she explained. He let go of her hand, and she missed the warmth of it.
"I'll see you around," his voice was smooth, and he looked at Jeff. "I want to see you in five minutes in the lobby."
"Yes, sir! Mr. McMahon!" he saluted mockingly, using 'Mr. McMahon' as a way to get under Shane's skin. He knew Shane hated that.
Shane rolled his eyes, and shut the door behind him with a distinct click.
"So, he's like a manager or something?" Shaelin hoped her voice was nonchalant, but Jeff wasn't stupid.
"Or something," he told her. A grin spread across his face as he pulled clothing from the closet. "You have a crush on Shane O'Mac!"
"I do not!" Shaelin protested, trying to keep from blushing. Then a quizzical look came across her face. "Shane O'Mac?"
"One of Shane's nick names around here," Jeff pulled his shirt off over his head, then slipped on the long sleeved, fitted purple lycra shirt. Emblazoned on it was a bright green 'H', the same as the one on the necklace he wore. "Along with 'Boy Wonder', and 'The Heir Apparent'," He chuckled, slipping off his shoes and changing from the carpenter jeans into a baggy pair accented with green and purple to match the shirt. He pulled his hat on, tugging his blue poneytail through the pre-made hole in the top. "Generally, I just call him 'Preppy' or 'Whipping Boy'."
Shaelin gave him a dirty look. "Okay, Rainbow Brite," she grinned. "One should not talk about how another dresses until they don't wear green and purple together."
Jeff's face fell. "Hey," he protested. "I was just kidding around-kinda."
She laughed. "So what's he heir apparent to?"
"The WWF," he escorted her out the door and down the hall towards the elevator. "His father owns it-well, part of it, anyways."
"Really?"
"Yes, really," He grinned at her as they entered the elevator. "And why such the interest in Shane if you don't have a crush on him?"
Shaelin rolled her eyes. "He's cute," she conceded. "But I don't get crushes."
"Shaelin and Shane sitting in a tree!" he sing-songed to her. "K-I-S-S-I-N- G!"
"Shut up, Jeff!" she punched him in the arm, face flaming in embarassment.
"First comes love, then comes marriage, then comes Shaelin with a baby carriage!" He grunted in pain as her boot came down on his sneaker clad foot.
"I said-" she punctuated her words with a punch in Jeff's gut each time. "Shut up!"
"Oh, that hurt-" he grabbed his ribs. They were still tender from his match with Matt yesterday.
"Sorry, I forgot," Shaelin's face fell, and she rubbed his belly with her hand. "Are you okay?"
Jeff lifted his shirt, examining his ribs for bruising. Shaelin's heart skipped a beat at the sight of the soft, pale skin, covering an expanse of muscles in his abdomen.
'I could kiss them better,' Shaelin thought, then mentally kicked herself. 'You are such a slut!' She chided herself. 'Crushing on Shane, now thinking about coming onto Jeff? What's wrong with you? You generally barely even tolerate men.'
"Earth to Shaelin?" Jeff was peering at her from under the rim of his purple cap. "When the elevator stops, you're supposed to get out."
She stuck her tongue out at him, following him into the lobby. Shane was waiting there for Jeff, and was accompanied by a large man in a mask, a bald man with piercing blue eyes, and a tall man in biker regalia.
"I'll see ya then," she told him, squeezing his arm. He kissed her cheek in response.
"I'll call you when I'm done-we'll go for dinner or something," he ruffled her hair, which she wore down today, and joined Shane and the other wrestlers.
Shaelin walked past the men, knowing they were watching her. But she kept her gaze straight ahead, and walked out the front door of the Hilton.
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Jeff walked into the hotel, tucking Shaelin's cell phone number into the pocket of his jeans. He hurried up the stairs, hoping none of the other wrestlers caught him coming into his room so late, and in the same clothing he wore the night before. He didn't want them to think that he and Shaelin had spent the night together.
He tried to unlock the door of his room, but found it was already unlocked. Jeff swung the door open, looking cautiously into the hotel room. The bed was made, his clothing was put away. 'Maid service must've been in and forgot to lock the door.' he thought, breathing a sigh of relief and walking into the room. Then he noticed his brother sitting on the chair in the corner of the room not visible from the door.
"Hello Jeff," his hair was disheveled, his clothing rumpled. His eyes were glassy and red, as if he were drunk or stoned, or both.
"Matt," Jeff took a cautious step back, positioning himself in a defensive posture, in case his brother decided he wanted to fight.
"Out all night?" Matt asked, his words slurred.
"Um, kind of-" he broke off. "What do you want, Matt?"
"I thought I may as well catch you in the act," he stood up, wobbling on his feet. "Catch you spending the night with Lita."
"I wasn't with Lita!" Jeff protested, eyes widening at the mere thought. "She's like a sister to me, Matt, you know I would never-"
"Like you would never cheat me, Jeff?" the words stung. Matt's brown eyes were teared up. He sniffed, roughly wiping at the betrayers of his emotions.
"Matt-I'm sorry, how many times do I have to say it?" he looked at his brother plaintively. "And Lita had nothing to do with it-she was calling it like she saw it."
"Then she should have seen her boyfriend put his foot on the rope," Matt sneered, "She should have seen her 'brother' pull it off for the three count."
"Matt-"
"I'm out of here." He stalked towards the door, clumsily pushing Jeff aside.
Jeff sighed, sitting on the bed, head in his hands. 'What have I done?' he thought. 'Not only does my brother hate me, he hates the only woman he's ever loved.'
A knock sounded at his door. "Come in," he said in a sad voice. Lita's head popped inside the door.
"You busy, Jeff?" she asked.
"Not really," he told her. "Come in."
"I looked for you last night, but no one had seen you," Lita sat on the bed beside him.
"I went out after the match," he looked at her, hazel eyes begging forgiveness. "I'm sorry, Lita. I didn't mean for Matt to blame you."
Lita's eyes were like liquid pools. Her eyes were red from crying, her nose was puffy. She was a mess. "I know, Jeffy," she slid an arm through his. "Matt's being an idiot, and pig headed-but that's our Matt."
"But this time it's worse," he said, pulling her into a fierce hug. "This time, he isn't just mad at me, he's mad at you too."
"I know," Lita buried her face in his shoulder, her chest heaving in heavy sobs. She felt like her heart was breaking. Matt had been her perfect match, he was everything he wanted in a man. Brave, strong, gorgeous, loving, smart and kind. And he was an awesome wrestler. How could she lose a man she loved so much?
"I knew it!" the voice came from the doorway, slightly slurred. Lita and Jeff both looked up, seeing Jeff standing there. His face was red with rage, ihs stance still wobbly. "I knew you two had something going on."
"Matt," Lita stood quickly, going towards him, but he stepped back. "Jeff was just comforting me-"
"Yeah, I saw that," Matt's voice was sarcastic. "Why don't you go back to whatever you were doing? I'm gone." He slammed the door in Lita's face, and they heard his quickly retreating streps down the hall. Lita burst into a fresh round of tears, leaving the room and slamming the door behind her, her steps going across the hall to her own room, her door slamming.
Jeff moaned, falling backwards onto the bed. Another knock on the door. "Leave me alone," he threw a pillow over his face, muffling the words. The door opened anyways.
"Jeff?"
The voice was familiar, female.
"Shaelin? What are you doing here?"
She held up the purple baseball cap. "You left this in my car," she explained, a small smile on her lips. Then she examined his face, his eyes were sad again, his mouth a tight line. "What's wrong?"
"Matt thinks I slept with Lita last night," he sat up. "He accused me of it, and I denied it. Then he left. And Lita came in, and I was comforting her about Matt, and he came back and saw us hugging."
"Hugging?" he couldn't read her expression. Perhaps it was doubtful?
"Only hugging," he protested. "Lita is like my sister-if it was anything else, that would be gross!"
Shaelin laughed, sitting on the bed beside him, putting the hat on his head backwards. "Well, if he doesn't believe you, he doesn't believe you." she said in a somber tone. "If he know you and Lita are like siblings, then he should know you two wouldn't have sex. Besides, you were with me last night, and I'll vouch for that."
Jeff smiled gratefully at her. "Thanks, but I don't think he'll listen to reason."
Just then, another know sounded. Without waiting for an invitation, the door opened and a young man stepped inside.
Shaelin's jaw almost dropped open. He was gorgeous. He had college boy good looks, with black hair falling over his forehead, pale skin, and big brown eyes. He was as tall as Jeff, but bulkier. And the dark blue v-neck sweater and khaki chinos fit his body well.
"C'mon Jeff," he said, looking between him and Shaelin. "You have autographs in about twenty minutes at the arena." His eyes settled on Shaelin, looking her over. She felt herselt start to blush at his appreciative gaze. "Remember what we've said about bringing guests back to the hotel?"
"I'm not a guest-" Shaelin started.
"We didn't-" Jeff began.
"We're just friends," Shaelin finished. "We met, last night."
"I was drunk, and she helped me out," Jeff finished.
The young man was nodding at their words the whole while. Then he looked at Shaelin, offering his hand. "I'm Shane McMahon," he told her.
She stood, taking his hand. Hers was dwarfed by comparison. "Shaelin Quartz."
"Interesting name," he commented, looking into her eyes. Shaelin felt a shiver move through her from head to toe.
"My mother was a hippie, she had her name legally changed to Quartz in the 60s," she explained. He let go of her hand, and she missed the warmth of it.
"I'll see you around," his voice was smooth, and he looked at Jeff. "I want to see you in five minutes in the lobby."
"Yes, sir! Mr. McMahon!" he saluted mockingly, using 'Mr. McMahon' as a way to get under Shane's skin. He knew Shane hated that.
Shane rolled his eyes, and shut the door behind him with a distinct click.
"So, he's like a manager or something?" Shaelin hoped her voice was nonchalant, but Jeff wasn't stupid.
"Or something," he told her. A grin spread across his face as he pulled clothing from the closet. "You have a crush on Shane O'Mac!"
"I do not!" Shaelin protested, trying to keep from blushing. Then a quizzical look came across her face. "Shane O'Mac?"
"One of Shane's nick names around here," Jeff pulled his shirt off over his head, then slipped on the long sleeved, fitted purple lycra shirt. Emblazoned on it was a bright green 'H', the same as the one on the necklace he wore. "Along with 'Boy Wonder', and 'The Heir Apparent'," He chuckled, slipping off his shoes and changing from the carpenter jeans into a baggy pair accented with green and purple to match the shirt. He pulled his hat on, tugging his blue poneytail through the pre-made hole in the top. "Generally, I just call him 'Preppy' or 'Whipping Boy'."
Shaelin gave him a dirty look. "Okay, Rainbow Brite," she grinned. "One should not talk about how another dresses until they don't wear green and purple together."
Jeff's face fell. "Hey," he protested. "I was just kidding around-kinda."
She laughed. "So what's he heir apparent to?"
"The WWF," he escorted her out the door and down the hall towards the elevator. "His father owns it-well, part of it, anyways."
"Really?"
"Yes, really," He grinned at her as they entered the elevator. "And why such the interest in Shane if you don't have a crush on him?"
Shaelin rolled her eyes. "He's cute," she conceded. "But I don't get crushes."
"Shaelin and Shane sitting in a tree!" he sing-songed to her. "K-I-S-S-I-N- G!"
"Shut up, Jeff!" she punched him in the arm, face flaming in embarassment.
"First comes love, then comes marriage, then comes Shaelin with a baby carriage!" He grunted in pain as her boot came down on his sneaker clad foot.
"I said-" she punctuated her words with a punch in Jeff's gut each time. "Shut up!"
"Oh, that hurt-" he grabbed his ribs. They were still tender from his match with Matt yesterday.
"Sorry, I forgot," Shaelin's face fell, and she rubbed his belly with her hand. "Are you okay?"
Jeff lifted his shirt, examining his ribs for bruising. Shaelin's heart skipped a beat at the sight of the soft, pale skin, covering an expanse of muscles in his abdomen.
'I could kiss them better,' Shaelin thought, then mentally kicked herself. 'You are such a slut!' She chided herself. 'Crushing on Shane, now thinking about coming onto Jeff? What's wrong with you? You generally barely even tolerate men.'
"Earth to Shaelin?" Jeff was peering at her from under the rim of his purple cap. "When the elevator stops, you're supposed to get out."
She stuck her tongue out at him, following him into the lobby. Shane was waiting there for Jeff, and was accompanied by a large man in a mask, a bald man with piercing blue eyes, and a tall man in biker regalia.
"I'll see ya then," she told him, squeezing his arm. He kissed her cheek in response.
"I'll call you when I'm done-we'll go for dinner or something," he ruffled her hair, which she wore down today, and joined Shane and the other wrestlers.
Shaelin walked past the men, knowing they were watching her. But she kept her gaze straight ahead, and walked out the front door of the Hilton.
