Things settled into a routine of sorts after a while. Shane was
entertaining crowds as the Alliance's superhero (and then WWE's) Hurricane,
stealing Molly Holly from the heartbroken Spike Dudley to become his super-
heroine sidekick, Mighty Molly. Matt and Jeff continued to tag as Team
Extreme, with their old pal and Matt's onscreen girlfriend, Lita. Then the
roster split into Smackdown and Raw, which was good for the mid-card
wrestlers, as they would now have a better chance for airtime.
Matt and Shane's relationship grew more serious as time progressed, as did Jeff and Shannon's. The guys in Shannon's Ohio Valley Wrestling federation were as helpful as he'd told Jeff they would be. Evan and Juvi tried to get to Shannon one more time when Jeff and Shane were both on the road, but Jamie Noble and John Cena took them out when they heard Shannon arguing with them loudly in the hotel hallway. Cena was no cruiserweight, either, so they quickly learned that they wouldn't have a chance at Shannon again while he was around.
Some long months later Shannon was finally called back from OVW, along with Jamie and John. Unfortunately, he was signed to Smackdown while Jeff and Matt were working on Raw. Jeff wasn't thrilled, but Shane was there to watch out for him. Jeff and Shannon's relationship wasn't hidden from the WWE locker room. Neither was Matt and Shane's relationship. The other guys were cool with it, though, seeing as they certainly weren't the only male couples around.
The only problem seemed to come from Rey Mysterio, who was also recently added to the Smackdown roster. He hadn't lost interest in Shannon and it made the blond nervous.
"You said you were with Shane and I respected that," Rey said to him quietly one day in the dining hall. He was a lot more muscular than he'd been in WCW and, even though he had a good few inches on the Latino, Shannon backed away.
"I was," Shannon stammered. "I'm with Jeff now."
"Why?" Rey queried watching Shannon's slow retreat with obvious amusement.
"Jeff and I always had feelings for each other," the blond replied.
"I thought you always loved Shane," Rey said. "And now he's with Jeff's brother."
"We all practically grew up together," Shannon pointed out. "We're all real close."
"You were supposed to come to me when you left Shane," Rey said, advancing once more.
Shannon backed away again and felt the cold wall behind him. He'd just finished working through a match and he didn't have a shirt on.
"You're married, man," Shannon threw out in frustration. "You even have kids. Why are you pursuing me?"
"My family has nothing to do with this," Rey said calmly. "I thought I made myself clear last year, Shannon. I want you."
"Well, he ain't available," Shane growled.
Rey turned to the intruder in irritation. "He's not yours to protect anymore."
"He'll always be my baby brother, Mysterio," Shane countered. "Now get the hell away from him."
Rey turned back to Shannon and smiled, mouthing, "This isn't over," before he stalked away.
"It's always the small ones that bark the most," Shane muttered darkly.
Shannon stood quaking with suddenly released tension. Shane looked at him quizzically and pulled him into a hug. "You all right there, Shanny?"
"Will you please stop calling me that?" Shannon griped, missing Shane's mouth quirk up as he hugged him back.
"How did I become wrestling's version of Britney Spears, Sugar?" Shannon whined.
"I think in Rey's case you're Christina Aguilera."
"Not funny."
"Sorry, kid," Shane grinned.
Shannon sighed in frustration. He was just getting used to feeling safe again and didn't need Rey's unwanted attention to screw that up. He straightened himself out and went to throw away his untouched plate when Shane stopped him with a hand on his shoulder.
"Look, I know you're upset but you can't not eat, Shannon," the older man said. "You have your debut TV match tonight and you need to fuel up. Not to mention you haven't eaten all day."
"I did," Shannon argued. Shane just raised an eyebrow in response. "I really did."
"I know you didn't."
"How?" Shannon was ready to explode all over his friend.
"I'm never far away from you when we're working in the same place," Shane shrugged. "You should know that by now."
"Yeah," Shannon smiled sitting back down. "But soon you'll be going to Raw."
"I know," Shane said sadly, putting his own plate of food down and sitting with Shannon. "I just wish they hadn't decided to switch Matt over instead of Jeff."
"Me too," Shannon sighed. "I miss Jeff so much, Shaney."
"I know you do, kid. I miss Matt just as much."
************************************
"You all ready for your big Smackdown debut?" Jeff said to his brother into the phone.
"I guess," Matt said flatly.
"Hey, don't feel so bad," Jeff tried to cheer Matt up. "You'll be back with Shane, at least for a bit."
"Yeah, but I feel like I'm missing something."
Jeff knew what his brother meant. He felt the same way. They began their wrestling careers together and hadn't really thought about the day they might have to split up and work without each other. Sure they'd done their own singles thing and split up before, but they were always on the same shows and traveled together. Now they couldn't do that and the bond they've had since they were kids couldn't even keep them from hurting over it.
"I know, bro," Jeff said. "But we got to do what they tell us to do, right?"
"Yeah."
"Jay and Adam went through it, too."
"They aren't really brothers," the older Hardy pointed out.
"Neither are Shan and Shane, but they act like it," Jeff countered. Matt grunted. "Hey, it was hard for them when Shan went to OVW. Now he's back and this is probably one of the few times they'll get to work together before Shane comes over here."
"If this had to happen at all, you should have been the one to go to Smackdown," Matt whined. "You're closer to cruiserweight than I am."
"I agree," Jeff said. "But we've always played the hand they dealt us."
"Yeah."
"Just make the most of tonight, Matt," Jeff suggested. "Then after that, you remember our agreement, right?"
"You watch over my boyfriend, I watch over yours."
"That's my bro."
************************************
Shane didn't know if what he was about to do was a good idea or not. He could just as easily wait until the next Raw and speak to Jeff then, but if this were about Matt, he'd want to know immediately. He found a secluded area after leaving Shannon to catch up with Jamie and John for a while satisfied he would be watched over. He'd caught Cena's eye when he got up and made sure his meaningful look was understood. Cena nodded once and Shane walked off with his cell in hand. He jabbed the numbers in swiftly and waited. Jeff answered on the second ring.
"Shane?" he said.
"How'd you know?"
"Still not using your caller ID?" Jeff asked, amused.
"Yeah, okay," Shane smiled. "We got to talk for a sec."
"What's wrong? Matt okay?"
"Yeah, he's just in a meeting with Stephanie right now," Shane said. "It's Shanny."
"What happened?" Jeff asked in a deceptively quiet voice.
"Rey Mysterio is still interested," Shane said. "He was one of the guys Shannon was scared of in WCW."
"What did the little fucker do to my baby?" Jeff growled.
Shane had to smile at this reaction. He also had to admit that Jeff was every inch the protective boyfriend, much to the contrary of Shane's previous opinion of him. He was exactly what Shannon needed all this time and Shane couldn't feel more relieved. Entrusting one's brother to someone is a serious risk. Shane also knew Jeff went through the same fear over Matt's welfare.
He was confident he'd proved to Jeff just how serious he was. Matt never wanted for anything in this relationship as Shane focused on him completely when they were together. And when they weren't together, they spent hours on the phone. Shane knew how easy it would be to let his relationship fall into neglect. That wouldn't happen with his Matty-boy. Jeff had followed a similar pattern with Shannon, so Shane wasn't worried the young blond was taken for granted.
"He cornered him in the dining room," Shane said, breaking himself back to the present. "I intervened, but I heard most of it."
"You're going to tell me, right?" Jeff grunted. "You'd demand to know too if it happened to Matt."
"I know."
"You did, if I remember correctly."
"I said I know, Jeff," Shane groaned back. "You don't have to remind me."
Shane had nearly flipped a cork when Jeff described Matt's encounter with Batista a short while back. He was glad that Matt wouldn't be around the behemoth anymore, but he still wanted to be on the same show with him. Shaking his head, Shane recounted what he'd heard and seen in the dining room and Jeff exploded.
"I'm going to kick his ass at the next pay-per-view!"
"Jeff, that won't stop him," Shane said tiredly. "In fact, that would probably only urge him to step it up."
"Well, what do you suggest I do?"
"Wait it out," Shane said quietly, knowing Jeff's reaction before he'd said it.
"WHAT!? Is that what YOU'D do?"
"It's what I had to do," Shane replied icily. "Do you think it was easy for me to let you handle Batista?"
"I didn't do anything," Jeff said.
"Oh no?" Shane grinned. "He didn't get injured in the ring, Jeff."
"Ain't MY fault he's clumsy enough to run into Bubba's fist so many times," Jeff sniffed evasively.
Bubba Ray and his TV brother D-Von were good friends of the Hardy Boyz. When they saw Jeff trying to protect his brother from the lecherous giant, they naturally had to lend a hand, or some fists anyway. Shane would have to thank them personally when he went over there.
"Well, you know I'll always be grateful," Shane said.
"He's my brother, Shane," Jeff responded firmly. "No one hurts him."
"I know," Shane replied. "How are we going to get along now?"
"We're getting better at it," Jeff pointed out. "Never thought you'd be dialing my number from a show, did you?"
"Nope."
"Matt said he'll watch out for Shan," Jeff said. "I trust him, but I kind of wish you were there for him if I couldn't be."
"I know, fellow Alpha-boy," Shane grimaced. "Me too."
************************************
NOTE: I didn't tie up the Rey angle yet. Of course I had a little more to go. Jeff's still on TV in this chapter.
Matt and Shane's relationship grew more serious as time progressed, as did Jeff and Shannon's. The guys in Shannon's Ohio Valley Wrestling federation were as helpful as he'd told Jeff they would be. Evan and Juvi tried to get to Shannon one more time when Jeff and Shane were both on the road, but Jamie Noble and John Cena took them out when they heard Shannon arguing with them loudly in the hotel hallway. Cena was no cruiserweight, either, so they quickly learned that they wouldn't have a chance at Shannon again while he was around.
Some long months later Shannon was finally called back from OVW, along with Jamie and John. Unfortunately, he was signed to Smackdown while Jeff and Matt were working on Raw. Jeff wasn't thrilled, but Shane was there to watch out for him. Jeff and Shannon's relationship wasn't hidden from the WWE locker room. Neither was Matt and Shane's relationship. The other guys were cool with it, though, seeing as they certainly weren't the only male couples around.
The only problem seemed to come from Rey Mysterio, who was also recently added to the Smackdown roster. He hadn't lost interest in Shannon and it made the blond nervous.
"You said you were with Shane and I respected that," Rey said to him quietly one day in the dining hall. He was a lot more muscular than he'd been in WCW and, even though he had a good few inches on the Latino, Shannon backed away.
"I was," Shannon stammered. "I'm with Jeff now."
"Why?" Rey queried watching Shannon's slow retreat with obvious amusement.
"Jeff and I always had feelings for each other," the blond replied.
"I thought you always loved Shane," Rey said. "And now he's with Jeff's brother."
"We all practically grew up together," Shannon pointed out. "We're all real close."
"You were supposed to come to me when you left Shane," Rey said, advancing once more.
Shannon backed away again and felt the cold wall behind him. He'd just finished working through a match and he didn't have a shirt on.
"You're married, man," Shannon threw out in frustration. "You even have kids. Why are you pursuing me?"
"My family has nothing to do with this," Rey said calmly. "I thought I made myself clear last year, Shannon. I want you."
"Well, he ain't available," Shane growled.
Rey turned to the intruder in irritation. "He's not yours to protect anymore."
"He'll always be my baby brother, Mysterio," Shane countered. "Now get the hell away from him."
Rey turned back to Shannon and smiled, mouthing, "This isn't over," before he stalked away.
"It's always the small ones that bark the most," Shane muttered darkly.
Shannon stood quaking with suddenly released tension. Shane looked at him quizzically and pulled him into a hug. "You all right there, Shanny?"
"Will you please stop calling me that?" Shannon griped, missing Shane's mouth quirk up as he hugged him back.
"How did I become wrestling's version of Britney Spears, Sugar?" Shannon whined.
"I think in Rey's case you're Christina Aguilera."
"Not funny."
"Sorry, kid," Shane grinned.
Shannon sighed in frustration. He was just getting used to feeling safe again and didn't need Rey's unwanted attention to screw that up. He straightened himself out and went to throw away his untouched plate when Shane stopped him with a hand on his shoulder.
"Look, I know you're upset but you can't not eat, Shannon," the older man said. "You have your debut TV match tonight and you need to fuel up. Not to mention you haven't eaten all day."
"I did," Shannon argued. Shane just raised an eyebrow in response. "I really did."
"I know you didn't."
"How?" Shannon was ready to explode all over his friend.
"I'm never far away from you when we're working in the same place," Shane shrugged. "You should know that by now."
"Yeah," Shannon smiled sitting back down. "But soon you'll be going to Raw."
"I know," Shane said sadly, putting his own plate of food down and sitting with Shannon. "I just wish they hadn't decided to switch Matt over instead of Jeff."
"Me too," Shannon sighed. "I miss Jeff so much, Shaney."
"I know you do, kid. I miss Matt just as much."
************************************
"You all ready for your big Smackdown debut?" Jeff said to his brother into the phone.
"I guess," Matt said flatly.
"Hey, don't feel so bad," Jeff tried to cheer Matt up. "You'll be back with Shane, at least for a bit."
"Yeah, but I feel like I'm missing something."
Jeff knew what his brother meant. He felt the same way. They began their wrestling careers together and hadn't really thought about the day they might have to split up and work without each other. Sure they'd done their own singles thing and split up before, but they were always on the same shows and traveled together. Now they couldn't do that and the bond they've had since they were kids couldn't even keep them from hurting over it.
"I know, bro," Jeff said. "But we got to do what they tell us to do, right?"
"Yeah."
"Jay and Adam went through it, too."
"They aren't really brothers," the older Hardy pointed out.
"Neither are Shan and Shane, but they act like it," Jeff countered. Matt grunted. "Hey, it was hard for them when Shan went to OVW. Now he's back and this is probably one of the few times they'll get to work together before Shane comes over here."
"If this had to happen at all, you should have been the one to go to Smackdown," Matt whined. "You're closer to cruiserweight than I am."
"I agree," Jeff said. "But we've always played the hand they dealt us."
"Yeah."
"Just make the most of tonight, Matt," Jeff suggested. "Then after that, you remember our agreement, right?"
"You watch over my boyfriend, I watch over yours."
"That's my bro."
************************************
Shane didn't know if what he was about to do was a good idea or not. He could just as easily wait until the next Raw and speak to Jeff then, but if this were about Matt, he'd want to know immediately. He found a secluded area after leaving Shannon to catch up with Jamie and John for a while satisfied he would be watched over. He'd caught Cena's eye when he got up and made sure his meaningful look was understood. Cena nodded once and Shane walked off with his cell in hand. He jabbed the numbers in swiftly and waited. Jeff answered on the second ring.
"Shane?" he said.
"How'd you know?"
"Still not using your caller ID?" Jeff asked, amused.
"Yeah, okay," Shane smiled. "We got to talk for a sec."
"What's wrong? Matt okay?"
"Yeah, he's just in a meeting with Stephanie right now," Shane said. "It's Shanny."
"What happened?" Jeff asked in a deceptively quiet voice.
"Rey Mysterio is still interested," Shane said. "He was one of the guys Shannon was scared of in WCW."
"What did the little fucker do to my baby?" Jeff growled.
Shane had to smile at this reaction. He also had to admit that Jeff was every inch the protective boyfriend, much to the contrary of Shane's previous opinion of him. He was exactly what Shannon needed all this time and Shane couldn't feel more relieved. Entrusting one's brother to someone is a serious risk. Shane also knew Jeff went through the same fear over Matt's welfare.
He was confident he'd proved to Jeff just how serious he was. Matt never wanted for anything in this relationship as Shane focused on him completely when they were together. And when they weren't together, they spent hours on the phone. Shane knew how easy it would be to let his relationship fall into neglect. That wouldn't happen with his Matty-boy. Jeff had followed a similar pattern with Shannon, so Shane wasn't worried the young blond was taken for granted.
"He cornered him in the dining room," Shane said, breaking himself back to the present. "I intervened, but I heard most of it."
"You're going to tell me, right?" Jeff grunted. "You'd demand to know too if it happened to Matt."
"I know."
"You did, if I remember correctly."
"I said I know, Jeff," Shane groaned back. "You don't have to remind me."
Shane had nearly flipped a cork when Jeff described Matt's encounter with Batista a short while back. He was glad that Matt wouldn't be around the behemoth anymore, but he still wanted to be on the same show with him. Shaking his head, Shane recounted what he'd heard and seen in the dining room and Jeff exploded.
"I'm going to kick his ass at the next pay-per-view!"
"Jeff, that won't stop him," Shane said tiredly. "In fact, that would probably only urge him to step it up."
"Well, what do you suggest I do?"
"Wait it out," Shane said quietly, knowing Jeff's reaction before he'd said it.
"WHAT!? Is that what YOU'D do?"
"It's what I had to do," Shane replied icily. "Do you think it was easy for me to let you handle Batista?"
"I didn't do anything," Jeff said.
"Oh no?" Shane grinned. "He didn't get injured in the ring, Jeff."
"Ain't MY fault he's clumsy enough to run into Bubba's fist so many times," Jeff sniffed evasively.
Bubba Ray and his TV brother D-Von were good friends of the Hardy Boyz. When they saw Jeff trying to protect his brother from the lecherous giant, they naturally had to lend a hand, or some fists anyway. Shane would have to thank them personally when he went over there.
"Well, you know I'll always be grateful," Shane said.
"He's my brother, Shane," Jeff responded firmly. "No one hurts him."
"I know," Shane replied. "How are we going to get along now?"
"We're getting better at it," Jeff pointed out. "Never thought you'd be dialing my number from a show, did you?"
"Nope."
"Matt said he'll watch out for Shan," Jeff said. "I trust him, but I kind of wish you were there for him if I couldn't be."
"I know, fellow Alpha-boy," Shane grimaced. "Me too."
************************************
NOTE: I didn't tie up the Rey angle yet. Of course I had a little more to go. Jeff's still on TV in this chapter.