Almost one year later . . .
The McMahons just bought WCW and fired a slew of wrestlers. Shannon was relieved to discover that he would have a job, but it would be with WWF's training branch. While he was a little miffed to be placed in a training organization, he was happy to still have a job. And the best part was that Evan was one of the fired. Juvi had been let go before the company changed hands over an incident in Australia and Shannon couldn't be happier about that.
He and Shane remained together as far as their locker room buddies were concerned. A few of the guys still made Shane worry about Shannon, who had to admit that he was nervous too, as Rey Mysterio still hadn't lost interest. The blond would catch Rey leering at him when Shane wasn't around. It was unnerving.
The Steiners weren't picked up in the new deal, but Scott, especially, would be a hot commodity once the old WCW contracts ran out, as would Kevin Nash and Bill Goldberg. Until then, they would rest at home and collect nice paychecks. Sean Stasiak was slated for WWF, too, which was something Shannon took comfort in. Shane would be going there and it was good to know he would have an ally.
Of course Matt and Jeff were already there but were established stars. Shane would be starting from the bottom again with a new gimmick. At least he would be featured on television. Shannon wasn't worried for his own safety. Since he and Shane were still considered together and most of the guys accepted that now, he could still feel safe. He'd already made friends with a few of the guys in his new fed and knew they wouldn't let anyone jump him.
As for Jeff, Shannon sighed, things hadn't changed. Shannon still loved his best friend but couldn't tell him. He still bought a bottle of Jack every now and then and sat thinking alone in his room when Shane wasn't around. He knew Jeff cared for him as deeply as Shane because he hadn't let Sugar alone about the incident, as promised. Every few weeks or so, when they all got together, Jeff was like a bloodhound. He questioned, demanded, and interrogated Shane, who continued to refuse to tell him who had attacked Shannon.
Jeff was just as intense on the rare occasions he was able to get Shannon alone. But Shannon worried that Jeff would get into trouble and would only tell Jeff to drop the issue. Jeff wasn't cooperating and Shannon wondered how much longer he could hold out. Jeff was determined and Shannon found it harder and harder to keep the secret, especially when Jeff cornered him with his fierce green gaze.
For his part, Matt quietly tried to help Jeff in his quest. He apparently knew his brother would eventually find the guys on his own and decided he should be there to back him up when he did. This only served to aggravate Shane, who made sure he and Shannon avoided both Hardys whenever possible and, if they had to meet, made arrangements to do so in highly public and restrictive locations. It's hard to interrogate someone in a movie theater.
Shannon packed the rest of his suitcase and prepared to fly out for his new organization.
*********************************
Jeff waited in the airport anxiously. He knew Shannon was flying out today and it would be a perfect opportunity to get to him without Shane around. The other man was busy with a family function today and that meant Shannon would be alone. He spied the blond checking his bag at the American Airlines counter and made sure he stood in Shannon's path. When Shannon turned around, Jeff was amused to see the frown etched into his boyish face.
"Sorry, Shan," Jeff grinned. "I couldn't let you go without trying again."
"Please leave it alone, Jeff," Shannon said tiredly. "I have to go."
"Your flight doesn't leave for two hours."
"Please, Jeff," Shannon pleaded, his green eyes dancing nervously. "Not like this."
"Not like what?" Jeff asked, walking with him to a deserted lounge area.
"Don't grill me here."
"I have to, Shannon," Jeff insisted, pushing his friend down onto a bench and sitting next to him. "I've given you a year and you still haven't told me the whole story. Don't tell me there isn't more to it than that."
Shannon looked down at the floor and Jeff felt guilty for pressuring him. But he had to know who had done this to him. He may not be able to have the relationship with Shannon that he wanted, but he could damned well make sure no one hurt him. And it was his place to protect the small blond, not Shane's. Jeff and Shannon had too much history for the younger Hardy to let this get by unchallenged.
"Shan," he coaxed gently. "You have to tell me what happened. It's eating me up inside, baby."
Jeff almost bit his tongue. He hadn't meant to use the endearment, and had refrained from it since that night. But he couldn't help how he felt. Shannon was his baby, even if he didn't know it. And he caught the flicker of light that passed through Shannon's eyes, even though he was looking down. He thought, though, that it had to be anger at the memories.
"Jeff, please," Shannon whined again. "I can't go through the story again."
Jeff put an arm around Shannon's shoulder and rubbed. "I know it's hard," he purred. He didn't want to upset the smaller man anymore than he already had. "But I need to know. If you don't tell me the names, please just tell me the whole story."
Shannon sniffled for a while but did nothing to extricate himself from Jeff's hold. This gave the Hardy boy a measure of comfort. He held Shannon while the younger man collected himself. He could feel the damn breaking. At least he was making some progress.
"When I got to the room that night, J-," Shannon stopped. "He. He was crying from the fight he supposedly had and was wrapped in a blanket. There were no marks on his face, but I just assumed Ri-, Shannon stopped again. "That his opponent kept the blows below the neck."
Jeff nodded for Shannon to continue, not giving away that he had mentally catalogued the two slipups as clues to be pursued later. Shannon was definitely the one who would break before Shane. As much as Jeff hated to do it to him, Shannon would be the one he pursued.
"We were watching TV when he handed me a cup of soda," Shannon's voice was getting higher and he was sniffling even more with the memory. Jeff tightened his hold and smoothed the blond's hair. "After I drank it, I got dizzy and started to lose consciousness."
"Son of a bitch!" Jeff muttered, his eyes darkening sharply unbeknownst to Shannon whose head was down on Jeff's chest. Jeff continued to stroke Shannon's hair and hold him, waiting for him to continue.
"He started kissing me and touching me," Shannon went on in a shaky voice that broke Jeff's heart. "I couldn't move. Then, his boyfriend, only I didn't know that then, came in and they both waited for the drug to finish affecting me before they started. When it did and they started touching me again, Shane burst in. That's all I remember from that night."
Jeff could feel the tears drench the front of his shirt. Shannon was quietly crying through the retelling and Jeff felt so bad for what he had done, but he had to do it. He held the blond tighter and tried to keep calm as he collected his thoughts.
"Shan?" he finally asked.
"Hmm?"
"Please tell me who did it."
"I can't, Jeffy," Shannon sighed, using his old nickname and looking up at him through tear-stained eyes. "I promised Rick and Shane I wouldn't."
But you will, baby, Jeff thought. You're going to have no choice eventually. Yet outwardly Jeff just nodded and kissed his forehead. Shannon sighed and relaxed into Jeff's embrace as they waited for his flight to be called.
*********************************
Shannon settled into his seat an hour or so later and stared out the plane window sadly. He knew Jeff would wait until he was in the air before he left. Jeff was always trying to protect him these days.
Shannon also knew Shane would blow a fuse when he found out Shannon had told Jeff the rest of the story. He'd wanted to continue to deflect the purple-haired man, but he honestly couldn't refuse him. When Jeff turned that determined look onto Shannon, all the smaller man could do was give him what he wanted. He loved him too much to refuse.
Shannon also knew that Jeff would be more determined than ever now. The hunt for Shannon's abusers had become Jeff's crusade. Matt's, too. Shane was caught in the middle and Shannon felt bad about that. Matt and Shane's friendship was strained and Shane often kept Shannon away from Jeff as well. How long could the two of them hold up against two determined Hardy boys?
All Shannon knew was that it felt good to be in Jeff's arms again. Damned good. He could see himself buying a bottle of Jack in the near future.
*********************************
"Matt!" Jeff called. "Hey, Matt!"
"What's up?" Matt asked from the TV room.
Jeff walked in on him sprawled on the couch watching some racing cars round the track. Matt moved a bit and Jeff plopped down on the couch, staring at his brother.
"What?" Matt asked again as he clicked off the TV.
"I got some info out of Shannon," Jeff said.
Matt was instantly alert and sat up sharply. "Tell me."
"I still don't know who it was yet," Jeff began, his eyes darkening to green storms. "But I know more about what happened."
"Tell me already!"
"They drugged him," Jeff said in a cold voice. Matt's heart skipped a beat.
"They what?"
"They drugged him and had planned to rape him that way," Jeff said, and related the entire story as he'd heard it.
Matt felt his own anger rise within him. That someone could do that to their friend, who was almost like blood to them, well to Matt anyway, this couldn't go unpunished. No way. Shane was going to open up about this. He couldn't fight both Hardys on his own now that Shannon was in another fed. They wouldn't let this go.
"Hey," Jeff said. "We now know that one of them has a name beginning with a 'J'."
Matt nodded.
"We also know that his supposed fight was with someone whose name begins with 'RI'," Jeff went on. "How much you want to bet that's Rick Steiner?"
"I ain't losing money on that bet," Matt growled. "It would explain why Shane left with him so suddenly that night."
"We just have to connect him with someone whose name begins with 'J'," Jeff said. "I'll keep working on Shannon."
"You sure that's a good idea?"
"No," Jeff conceded. "But it's probably the quickest. I can't go on like this."
"I know," Matt agreed. "Me either. I'll work Sugar." He got up and grabbed his car keys.
"You think you can?"
"Oh yeah," Matt said softly. "I won't let him get out of it this time."
*********************************
Author's note: Hardy Boyz, PI! How'd I do?
The McMahons just bought WCW and fired a slew of wrestlers. Shannon was relieved to discover that he would have a job, but it would be with WWF's training branch. While he was a little miffed to be placed in a training organization, he was happy to still have a job. And the best part was that Evan was one of the fired. Juvi had been let go before the company changed hands over an incident in Australia and Shannon couldn't be happier about that.
He and Shane remained together as far as their locker room buddies were concerned. A few of the guys still made Shane worry about Shannon, who had to admit that he was nervous too, as Rey Mysterio still hadn't lost interest. The blond would catch Rey leering at him when Shane wasn't around. It was unnerving.
The Steiners weren't picked up in the new deal, but Scott, especially, would be a hot commodity once the old WCW contracts ran out, as would Kevin Nash and Bill Goldberg. Until then, they would rest at home and collect nice paychecks. Sean Stasiak was slated for WWF, too, which was something Shannon took comfort in. Shane would be going there and it was good to know he would have an ally.
Of course Matt and Jeff were already there but were established stars. Shane would be starting from the bottom again with a new gimmick. At least he would be featured on television. Shannon wasn't worried for his own safety. Since he and Shane were still considered together and most of the guys accepted that now, he could still feel safe. He'd already made friends with a few of the guys in his new fed and knew they wouldn't let anyone jump him.
As for Jeff, Shannon sighed, things hadn't changed. Shannon still loved his best friend but couldn't tell him. He still bought a bottle of Jack every now and then and sat thinking alone in his room when Shane wasn't around. He knew Jeff cared for him as deeply as Shane because he hadn't let Sugar alone about the incident, as promised. Every few weeks or so, when they all got together, Jeff was like a bloodhound. He questioned, demanded, and interrogated Shane, who continued to refuse to tell him who had attacked Shannon.
Jeff was just as intense on the rare occasions he was able to get Shannon alone. But Shannon worried that Jeff would get into trouble and would only tell Jeff to drop the issue. Jeff wasn't cooperating and Shannon wondered how much longer he could hold out. Jeff was determined and Shannon found it harder and harder to keep the secret, especially when Jeff cornered him with his fierce green gaze.
For his part, Matt quietly tried to help Jeff in his quest. He apparently knew his brother would eventually find the guys on his own and decided he should be there to back him up when he did. This only served to aggravate Shane, who made sure he and Shannon avoided both Hardys whenever possible and, if they had to meet, made arrangements to do so in highly public and restrictive locations. It's hard to interrogate someone in a movie theater.
Shannon packed the rest of his suitcase and prepared to fly out for his new organization.
*********************************
Jeff waited in the airport anxiously. He knew Shannon was flying out today and it would be a perfect opportunity to get to him without Shane around. The other man was busy with a family function today and that meant Shannon would be alone. He spied the blond checking his bag at the American Airlines counter and made sure he stood in Shannon's path. When Shannon turned around, Jeff was amused to see the frown etched into his boyish face.
"Sorry, Shan," Jeff grinned. "I couldn't let you go without trying again."
"Please leave it alone, Jeff," Shannon said tiredly. "I have to go."
"Your flight doesn't leave for two hours."
"Please, Jeff," Shannon pleaded, his green eyes dancing nervously. "Not like this."
"Not like what?" Jeff asked, walking with him to a deserted lounge area.
"Don't grill me here."
"I have to, Shannon," Jeff insisted, pushing his friend down onto a bench and sitting next to him. "I've given you a year and you still haven't told me the whole story. Don't tell me there isn't more to it than that."
Shannon looked down at the floor and Jeff felt guilty for pressuring him. But he had to know who had done this to him. He may not be able to have the relationship with Shannon that he wanted, but he could damned well make sure no one hurt him. And it was his place to protect the small blond, not Shane's. Jeff and Shannon had too much history for the younger Hardy to let this get by unchallenged.
"Shan," he coaxed gently. "You have to tell me what happened. It's eating me up inside, baby."
Jeff almost bit his tongue. He hadn't meant to use the endearment, and had refrained from it since that night. But he couldn't help how he felt. Shannon was his baby, even if he didn't know it. And he caught the flicker of light that passed through Shannon's eyes, even though he was looking down. He thought, though, that it had to be anger at the memories.
"Jeff, please," Shannon whined again. "I can't go through the story again."
Jeff put an arm around Shannon's shoulder and rubbed. "I know it's hard," he purred. He didn't want to upset the smaller man anymore than he already had. "But I need to know. If you don't tell me the names, please just tell me the whole story."
Shannon sniffled for a while but did nothing to extricate himself from Jeff's hold. This gave the Hardy boy a measure of comfort. He held Shannon while the younger man collected himself. He could feel the damn breaking. At least he was making some progress.
"When I got to the room that night, J-," Shannon stopped. "He. He was crying from the fight he supposedly had and was wrapped in a blanket. There were no marks on his face, but I just assumed Ri-, Shannon stopped again. "That his opponent kept the blows below the neck."
Jeff nodded for Shannon to continue, not giving away that he had mentally catalogued the two slipups as clues to be pursued later. Shannon was definitely the one who would break before Shane. As much as Jeff hated to do it to him, Shannon would be the one he pursued.
"We were watching TV when he handed me a cup of soda," Shannon's voice was getting higher and he was sniffling even more with the memory. Jeff tightened his hold and smoothed the blond's hair. "After I drank it, I got dizzy and started to lose consciousness."
"Son of a bitch!" Jeff muttered, his eyes darkening sharply unbeknownst to Shannon whose head was down on Jeff's chest. Jeff continued to stroke Shannon's hair and hold him, waiting for him to continue.
"He started kissing me and touching me," Shannon went on in a shaky voice that broke Jeff's heart. "I couldn't move. Then, his boyfriend, only I didn't know that then, came in and they both waited for the drug to finish affecting me before they started. When it did and they started touching me again, Shane burst in. That's all I remember from that night."
Jeff could feel the tears drench the front of his shirt. Shannon was quietly crying through the retelling and Jeff felt so bad for what he had done, but he had to do it. He held the blond tighter and tried to keep calm as he collected his thoughts.
"Shan?" he finally asked.
"Hmm?"
"Please tell me who did it."
"I can't, Jeffy," Shannon sighed, using his old nickname and looking up at him through tear-stained eyes. "I promised Rick and Shane I wouldn't."
But you will, baby, Jeff thought. You're going to have no choice eventually. Yet outwardly Jeff just nodded and kissed his forehead. Shannon sighed and relaxed into Jeff's embrace as they waited for his flight to be called.
*********************************
Shannon settled into his seat an hour or so later and stared out the plane window sadly. He knew Jeff would wait until he was in the air before he left. Jeff was always trying to protect him these days.
Shannon also knew Shane would blow a fuse when he found out Shannon had told Jeff the rest of the story. He'd wanted to continue to deflect the purple-haired man, but he honestly couldn't refuse him. When Jeff turned that determined look onto Shannon, all the smaller man could do was give him what he wanted. He loved him too much to refuse.
Shannon also knew that Jeff would be more determined than ever now. The hunt for Shannon's abusers had become Jeff's crusade. Matt's, too. Shane was caught in the middle and Shannon felt bad about that. Matt and Shane's friendship was strained and Shane often kept Shannon away from Jeff as well. How long could the two of them hold up against two determined Hardy boys?
All Shannon knew was that it felt good to be in Jeff's arms again. Damned good. He could see himself buying a bottle of Jack in the near future.
*********************************
"Matt!" Jeff called. "Hey, Matt!"
"What's up?" Matt asked from the TV room.
Jeff walked in on him sprawled on the couch watching some racing cars round the track. Matt moved a bit and Jeff plopped down on the couch, staring at his brother.
"What?" Matt asked again as he clicked off the TV.
"I got some info out of Shannon," Jeff said.
Matt was instantly alert and sat up sharply. "Tell me."
"I still don't know who it was yet," Jeff began, his eyes darkening to green storms. "But I know more about what happened."
"Tell me already!"
"They drugged him," Jeff said in a cold voice. Matt's heart skipped a beat.
"They what?"
"They drugged him and had planned to rape him that way," Jeff said, and related the entire story as he'd heard it.
Matt felt his own anger rise within him. That someone could do that to their friend, who was almost like blood to them, well to Matt anyway, this couldn't go unpunished. No way. Shane was going to open up about this. He couldn't fight both Hardys on his own now that Shannon was in another fed. They wouldn't let this go.
"Hey," Jeff said. "We now know that one of them has a name beginning with a 'J'."
Matt nodded.
"We also know that his supposed fight was with someone whose name begins with 'RI'," Jeff went on. "How much you want to bet that's Rick Steiner?"
"I ain't losing money on that bet," Matt growled. "It would explain why Shane left with him so suddenly that night."
"We just have to connect him with someone whose name begins with 'J'," Jeff said. "I'll keep working on Shannon."
"You sure that's a good idea?"
"No," Jeff conceded. "But it's probably the quickest. I can't go on like this."
"I know," Matt agreed. "Me either. I'll work Sugar." He got up and grabbed his car keys.
"You think you can?"
"Oh yeah," Matt said softly. "I won't let him get out of it this time."
*********************************
Author's note: Hardy Boyz, PI! How'd I do?