Shane sighed in resignation as he watched Matt trudge into his house. He'd just returned from his cousin's barbecue and was in too good a mood to concentrate on deflecting Matt's questions. And he knew there could only be one reason for Matt's visit, too: Shannon. The Hardys had teamed up outside the ring now and he and Shannon were their current targets. He only hoped the small blond had been able to get onto his plane without Hardy interference. Somehow, though, Shane knew that wasn't the case.

"What's up, Matt?" he asked, closing the door behind him.

"Level with me, Sugar."

"Matt, we've been through this," Shane sighed again, pushing his hair back with one hand.

"How long have we been friends?" Matt asked, his eyes betraying the softly spoken words.

"A long, long time, buddy."

"Why can't you trust me, then?"

"Trust you?" Shane cried. "I trust you with my life!"

"But not Shannon's?" Matt asked as he took a seat on a chair in the living room.

"Matt, this isn't the time," Shane pleaded, following his friend in and dropping into the nearby couch.

"When will be the time?"

"Look, he's been through enough already."

"I'm not interested in putting him through any more pain," Matt sighed. "I just want to help you keep him safe."

"You can't," Shane said. "As far as the guys in wrestling are concerned, he's dating me. That's what's keeping him safe."

"From them," Matt warned.

"What do you mean?"

"What about the guys who attacked him?" Matt asked. "Do you think they've given up on him?"

"Well, I certainly hope so," Shane said, not liking the new worry at all. "It's been a year."

"Is that really long enough?"

Shane stared into his best friends eyes and contemplated that thought. He'd been sure that when Evan and Juvi were out of Shannon's working environment, they'd find someone else to obsess over. But Matt's logic was slowly eroding that theory. If Matt and Jeff hadn't lost interest in the situation, what about two psychos like Evan and Juvi? And now Shannon was stuck in the developmental fed on his own.

**********************************

Matt could almost read the thoughts going through Shane's mind. He knew his friend well and these were the right buttons to press. Matt didn't want to break Shane's resolve, but he did want the other man to share the responsibility of protecting Shannon with him, and with Jeff. That was another thing, come to think of it. He wanted to get to the bottom of that mystery, too. Well, no time like now.

"Shaney?" he asked casually, drawing his friend's full attention. Matt never used the nickname unless he really wanted Shane's attention. He liked using it too much and didn't want Shane to start feeling uncomfortable around him.

"Yeah?" Shane asked warily.

"Why do you hate my brother?"

Shane grunted and looked down. Matt could see that was another topic he didn't want to discuss. He wondered briefly which one Shane would choose to address.

"I don't hate him, Matt," Shane finally said. "I just don't like what he did."

"What did he do?"

"It's not my story to tell, man," Shane said locking his dark brown gaze onto Matt's. Matt felt the usual stirrings heat his lower regions. He'd never get tired of looking into Shane's eyes. He just wished he could get his courage up enough to tell the man.

"Whose then?" he asked when he found his voice again.

"Shannon's."

Shannon again. Everything was leading back to the small blond. Matt couldn't help feeling jealous. Before he could tamp down the feelings, his mouth kicked in.

"Shannon again, huh?" he said. "Are you sure your relationship with him is really just for show?"

"Matt, what the hell?" Shane growled. "Yes. He's not interested in dating me."

"Because he's straight," Matt replied. "I get that. I don't get why you put your life on hold to make everyone believe he's yours. Are you sure you're not hoping all of this will somehow change his mind?"

Matt watched as a multitude of emotions passed over Shane's face before finally settling into irritation.

"Is that what Jeff's worried about now?" Shane yelled. "Did he send you here to make sure my intentions stay plutonic? Real ironic considering the source!"

"What are you on about now?"

"Never you mind," Shane narrowed his eyes dangerously. "Just go back and tell little Jeffrey I'm only concerned with Shannon's safety."

"Jeff didn't ask," Matt said quietly. "I did."

**********************************

Shane regarded his friend as calmly as he could. He was unprepared for that uncharacteristic outburst from Matt. His sexuality had never been a problem between them before and he'd assumed it would remain that way. Matt knew about his relationships. He hadn't hidden them from him, but he didn't like to flaunt them. It was one thing for your straight best friend to accept your lifestyle, but quite another to rub his nose in it. He valued their relationship above all and this conversation hurt more than he cared to admit to himself. He was sorry Matt hadn't given him signs before now.

"You never did tell me why you and Billy broke up," Matt said, effectively breaking the tense silence.

"I didn't think you wanted to talk about that," Shane answered trying to keep the pain and betrayal out of his voice.

"Why?" Matt asked. "You're my best friend. He was important to you. I feel like you want to just shut me out."

"What?" Shane was very confused now. What the hell was going on here? "You never asked me about my relationships before, Matt. I didn't figure you wanted to know."

"I did," the other man said. "I still do."

Did Matt want the gory details? Fine. Shane would give them to him. Maybe then Matt would feel just as uncomfortable as he now did.

"What do you want to know?" he asked, making sure Matt explained exactly what he wanted before Shane told him and tore a hole in their friendship forever.

"Why did Billy break up with you?"

"Why did Billy break up with me?" Shane repeated, stunned. "What makes you think it was his idea?"

"You were so depressed when it happened," Matt mumbled.

"Well, it was one of my longer relationships," Shane pointed out. "But to understand why I ended it, you have to know why I started it to begin with."

**********************************

Matt leaned back in the chair as calmly as he could. Shane was going to tell him. He was finally going to get the story behind that whole Kidman saga that had him twisted up in knots for so long. It was bad enough that he was struggling with his own inclinations back then, but he couldn't even talk about them with his own best friend because that was the man who ignited him. Then Billy Kidman came along and took him away.

True, he was getting nowhere on the Shannon case, but this was suddenly far more important to him. The object of his affections was willing to open up a little about his past love and Matt would pay attention to every word, finally he would get the whole Billy story. He just wondered why Shane had taken on such a sad look.

"Okay then," he said to Shane. "Why did you start it?"

"You."

Matt had to do a double take on that answer. What did he have to do with the whole mess?

"I'm sorry, what?" he asked for clarification.

"I asked Billy out because he reminded me of you," Shane said sadly. "I know you're straight and you're my best friend, but I developed a crush on you and I didn't want to make you uncomfortable with it."

"So you dated Kidman?!"

"He reminded me of you," Shane shrugged. "In a way, at least. After a while, that stopped and he needed more from me than I could give him. I let him down as easy as I could, but I know I hurt him. You know, he really is a good guy."

"Why didn't you just talk to me?" Matt asked a small voice he didn't even know he possessed.

"I didn't want to lose you as a friend," Shane said simply.

Matt sat back in a stunned silence to think about this. He had loved Shane for so long, he could barely remember caring about anyone else. And now he found out that Shane had had a crush on him back when he was dating Billy. It was a crush, Shane had said. Matt didn't try to fool himself into believing the other man still harbored the feelings. He couldn't. Could he?

**********************************

Shane watched Matt's face carefully for the moment when the disgust would set in. He steeled himself against the hurt he knew it would cause him. But Matt had to know the truth, he decided. It was only right.

"Do you still?" Matt suddenly asked.

"Do I still what?" Shane replied. He knew what Matt was asking, but he didn't want to answer that question.

"Do you still have that crush?"

Shane squirmed uncomfortably on the couch. This would be the final blow to what had been the most important friendship in his life. He sighed and looked away from the painful depths of Matt's eyes.

"Yeah," he bit out sadly, waiting for Matt's tirade to begin.

He wasn't expecting to be tackled back against the couch. Suddenly Matt's lips were assaulting his own and his tongue demanded entrance to Shane's mouth. Recovering, Shane opened his mouth and let Matt in to explore. His arms encircled Matt's waist, hands busily learning all of the Hardy's curves and muscles. They made out like that for long minutes before Matt finally let him up for air.

"What-," Shane began.

Matt cut him off with another short, hard kiss.

"So, all this time you thought I was straight?" Matt asked, laughter dancing in his eyes.

Shane just shook his head and pulled Matt back down to his mouth.

**********************************

NOTE: Well, I HAD to get them together already. They were killing me, too.