Rey was whistling a tune to himself as he finished up his workout. The
hotel gym was empty and he had been able to get a lot of work done. His abs
still ached a little from where Matt had kicked him during their match. It
may have looked like an accident to everyone else but Rey knew the older
Hardy meant it as revenge for the shower attack and as a warning to stay
away from Shannon Moore.
Well, Rey had tried to stay away from the blond. Ever since WCW, he'd tried. He had suspected that Shane's relationship with Shannon was just a ploy to keep Juvi and Evan away from him. But, seeing as the blond was obviously terrified of what they'd done, he'd never really pressed the issue. He found out some months later what the two bastards had planned to do and it made him physically ill. So sick, in fact, that when he'd run into Juvi not too long ago, he'd beaten the shit out of him, then tracked Evan down and did the same to him.
Rey wasn't really sure why he'd done it. He hadn't had any qualms with the two in the past. But drugging Shannon and trying to violate him when he was defenseless made Rey's blood boil. Shannon was an innocent as far as the Latino was concerned. He hadn't done anything to indicate he'd wanted to sleep with Evan either. And the thought of the blond sleeping with anyone other than himself infuriated Rey.
He could only say that something inside of him was attracted to Shannon and he couldn't let it go. He fumed when he'd found out that Shannon and Shane had "broken up." Rey had told Shannon to come to him when he and Shane were no longer together because that meant that Shannon was ready for a real relationship again and there was no doubt in the Latino's mind that he was the one Shannon should be with.
He loved his family. He'd tried to give up his male lovers when he and Angie married. And again when they started having children. But every time he made the decision to do it, he caved. He had a natural inclination to "lovingly" dominate (as he saw it) other men. He couldn't help it. And this crush on Shannon was worse than any of the others he'd had before. The blond was always on his mind. He couldn't help watching Shannon whenever he was near him. He knew it made the other wrestler nervous and hated that Shannon tried to avoid him. For the last year and a half, he held Rey's attention. The small Latino had even taken other lovers similar in size and look to get Shannon out of his system, but his heart wouldn't be fooled. He couldn't substitute anyone for Shannon.
Jeff Hardy was an obstacle Rey couldn't figure out how to get rid of, either. There was a definite history between the punky younger Hardy and Shannon. Unlike the Helms-relationship, as Rey was fond of calling it, Shannon shared an evident bond with Jeff and Rey knew it would be nearly impossible to break. Not completely, though. After all, Jeff could only see Shannon one or two days a week, if even that. And Rey was near him for much of the rest of the week.
Matt was another problem, as he'd rallied all of his friends around to watch out for the young, sexy blond. That infuriated Rey even more. Until Kidman let his hidden feelings for Helms show one drunken night. That had been the start of their alliance against Matt Hardy. Rey didn't wish anything bad for Matt, but if Kidman could keep him busy, Rey could have a better chance at getting to Shannon.
And that kiss he'd finally stolen from the blond was the last straw. He knew that Shannon hadn't wanted it and had fought against it, but Rey had a taste of him now and he couldn't even contemplate letting things go anymore. Shannon was in his blood. He would help the young blond get over Jeff and fall in love with him. He had to.
The slamming door brought his attention back and he looked up to see the new guy, Nathan Jones, preparing the weight bench for presses. Rey studied him for a while before moving over to him, an idea beginning to form. Another ally would be a welcome change in the odds, he thought to himself as he grinned up at Nathan.
*****************************
"So, now I guess I get to tell you to calm down?" Jeff asked as he plunked down on one of the beds in the room he was sharing with Shane.
He almost laughed when Shane turned an incensed glance in his direction. Almost. He didn't have it in him to taunt his former nemesis-turned good friend.
"For what it's worth," the younger Hardy said, "I know exactly how you feel."
"I know you do," Shane grunted. "It still doesn't help us."
"I know," Jeff sighed.
"I just wish one of us were there," Shane went on. "I trust our friends, but I would feel better if one of us was there."
Jeff was quiet for a moment, trying to decide how to word his plan. He knew Matt would freak if he'd given him any idea of what he'd intended to do, though the warning signs were definitely there. He just wondered how Shane was going to react to it.
"I hear the wheels creaking into motion there, Jeff," Shane muttered. "What's going on in that intricately complicated head of yours?"
"Intricately complicated, huh?" Jeff laughed. "That's a new one."
"Not really," Shane smiled, moving his dark brown gaze back to the cape he was currently twisting in his hands. He was sitting back against the headboard of the bed with his elbows resting on his knees. "Now spill."
"I agree that one of us needs to be available for them," Jeff started. "And one of us will be."
Shane looked back up at him expectantly then snorted when Jeff wouldn't answer. "Are you going to tell me you had yourself switched to Smackdown?"
"Nothing so lucky could happen given the current state of my relationship with management," Jeff smiled grimly.
"Well?" Shane finally cried in exasperation. "What then?"
"I'm leaving."
Shane deadpanned at that, apparently thinking Jeff was joking.
"I'm serious, Sugar-boy," Jeff said looking back down. "Tonight was my last match. At least for a while."
"What the hell are you talking about?" Shane sprang up from the bed and plunked down on the end of Jeff's.
"I can't concentrate on the matches," Jeff explained. "I know everyone backstage thinks I'm a screw-up without Matt."
"Not all of us think that," Shane pointed out. "Your friends know what's going on."
"Yeah, but they're not the management. And the management isn't interested in excuses."
"That doesn't mean you quit, Jeff!"
Jeff smiled again. A year ago, it would have been inconceivable that Shane Helms would be sitting in a hotel, rooming with Jeff Hardy, and trying to talk him into staying in wrestling. Once they got past the miscommunications, Shane turned out to be a good friend and a great ear. But Jeff knew he would continue to make the mistakes he'd been making in the ring. And the longer he went on worrying about Shannon instead of protecting him, the worse he would get.
"Shane, you know I can't even think about my career right now," Jeff said, looking back up at his friend.
Shane looked like he wanted to argue but he only nodded.
"One day I'm going to get myself or my opponent injured if I keep this up," Jeff said sadly. "Maybe even seriously enough to end a career. What we do in the ring is not to be taken lightly."
Shane nodded again and looked away. Jeff could see the older man knew he was right and that this was the only sensible choice left.
"Look, it ain't like it's forever," Jeff said. "J.R. said the door would stay cracked open for possibilities down the road."
"How long down the road?" Shane snorted. "The fans aren't always loyal. Look at what happened to Rocky."
"Heel or face, he'll always be able to come home," Jeff said. "And if the fans don't want me back when I'm ready, so be it. I can't let that be a factor now. Shan's all I can think about and as long as my mind can't focus, I have no business risking my safety or anyone else's for that matter. I almost took off Rob's head last week. I couldn't forgive myself if I did anything like that again, especially knowing I could have stopped it."
"Well," Shane said. "I know you might think I'm not very disappointed about this but I am. We've become pretty good friends lately. It's good to have a fellow Omega to hang out with."
"I'm sorry I'm leaving you here," Jeff replied. "But I know the Canadians will keep you busy."
"Those drama queens?" Shane feigned a horrified expression. "I'll never survive."
*****************************
NOTE: What's Nathan got to do with Rey and Billy? Will Jeff get there in time? Tune in again and find out! (Yeah, HD, this means YOU! How mean was that cliffhanger in "Undisputed"?)
Well, Rey had tried to stay away from the blond. Ever since WCW, he'd tried. He had suspected that Shane's relationship with Shannon was just a ploy to keep Juvi and Evan away from him. But, seeing as the blond was obviously terrified of what they'd done, he'd never really pressed the issue. He found out some months later what the two bastards had planned to do and it made him physically ill. So sick, in fact, that when he'd run into Juvi not too long ago, he'd beaten the shit out of him, then tracked Evan down and did the same to him.
Rey wasn't really sure why he'd done it. He hadn't had any qualms with the two in the past. But drugging Shannon and trying to violate him when he was defenseless made Rey's blood boil. Shannon was an innocent as far as the Latino was concerned. He hadn't done anything to indicate he'd wanted to sleep with Evan either. And the thought of the blond sleeping with anyone other than himself infuriated Rey.
He could only say that something inside of him was attracted to Shannon and he couldn't let it go. He fumed when he'd found out that Shannon and Shane had "broken up." Rey had told Shannon to come to him when he and Shane were no longer together because that meant that Shannon was ready for a real relationship again and there was no doubt in the Latino's mind that he was the one Shannon should be with.
He loved his family. He'd tried to give up his male lovers when he and Angie married. And again when they started having children. But every time he made the decision to do it, he caved. He had a natural inclination to "lovingly" dominate (as he saw it) other men. He couldn't help it. And this crush on Shannon was worse than any of the others he'd had before. The blond was always on his mind. He couldn't help watching Shannon whenever he was near him. He knew it made the other wrestler nervous and hated that Shannon tried to avoid him. For the last year and a half, he held Rey's attention. The small Latino had even taken other lovers similar in size and look to get Shannon out of his system, but his heart wouldn't be fooled. He couldn't substitute anyone for Shannon.
Jeff Hardy was an obstacle Rey couldn't figure out how to get rid of, either. There was a definite history between the punky younger Hardy and Shannon. Unlike the Helms-relationship, as Rey was fond of calling it, Shannon shared an evident bond with Jeff and Rey knew it would be nearly impossible to break. Not completely, though. After all, Jeff could only see Shannon one or two days a week, if even that. And Rey was near him for much of the rest of the week.
Matt was another problem, as he'd rallied all of his friends around to watch out for the young, sexy blond. That infuriated Rey even more. Until Kidman let his hidden feelings for Helms show one drunken night. That had been the start of their alliance against Matt Hardy. Rey didn't wish anything bad for Matt, but if Kidman could keep him busy, Rey could have a better chance at getting to Shannon.
And that kiss he'd finally stolen from the blond was the last straw. He knew that Shannon hadn't wanted it and had fought against it, but Rey had a taste of him now and he couldn't even contemplate letting things go anymore. Shannon was in his blood. He would help the young blond get over Jeff and fall in love with him. He had to.
The slamming door brought his attention back and he looked up to see the new guy, Nathan Jones, preparing the weight bench for presses. Rey studied him for a while before moving over to him, an idea beginning to form. Another ally would be a welcome change in the odds, he thought to himself as he grinned up at Nathan.
*****************************
"So, now I guess I get to tell you to calm down?" Jeff asked as he plunked down on one of the beds in the room he was sharing with Shane.
He almost laughed when Shane turned an incensed glance in his direction. Almost. He didn't have it in him to taunt his former nemesis-turned good friend.
"For what it's worth," the younger Hardy said, "I know exactly how you feel."
"I know you do," Shane grunted. "It still doesn't help us."
"I know," Jeff sighed.
"I just wish one of us were there," Shane went on. "I trust our friends, but I would feel better if one of us was there."
Jeff was quiet for a moment, trying to decide how to word his plan. He knew Matt would freak if he'd given him any idea of what he'd intended to do, though the warning signs were definitely there. He just wondered how Shane was going to react to it.
"I hear the wheels creaking into motion there, Jeff," Shane muttered. "What's going on in that intricately complicated head of yours?"
"Intricately complicated, huh?" Jeff laughed. "That's a new one."
"Not really," Shane smiled, moving his dark brown gaze back to the cape he was currently twisting in his hands. He was sitting back against the headboard of the bed with his elbows resting on his knees. "Now spill."
"I agree that one of us needs to be available for them," Jeff started. "And one of us will be."
Shane looked back up at him expectantly then snorted when Jeff wouldn't answer. "Are you going to tell me you had yourself switched to Smackdown?"
"Nothing so lucky could happen given the current state of my relationship with management," Jeff smiled grimly.
"Well?" Shane finally cried in exasperation. "What then?"
"I'm leaving."
Shane deadpanned at that, apparently thinking Jeff was joking.
"I'm serious, Sugar-boy," Jeff said looking back down. "Tonight was my last match. At least for a while."
"What the hell are you talking about?" Shane sprang up from the bed and plunked down on the end of Jeff's.
"I can't concentrate on the matches," Jeff explained. "I know everyone backstage thinks I'm a screw-up without Matt."
"Not all of us think that," Shane pointed out. "Your friends know what's going on."
"Yeah, but they're not the management. And the management isn't interested in excuses."
"That doesn't mean you quit, Jeff!"
Jeff smiled again. A year ago, it would have been inconceivable that Shane Helms would be sitting in a hotel, rooming with Jeff Hardy, and trying to talk him into staying in wrestling. Once they got past the miscommunications, Shane turned out to be a good friend and a great ear. But Jeff knew he would continue to make the mistakes he'd been making in the ring. And the longer he went on worrying about Shannon instead of protecting him, the worse he would get.
"Shane, you know I can't even think about my career right now," Jeff said, looking back up at his friend.
Shane looked like he wanted to argue but he only nodded.
"One day I'm going to get myself or my opponent injured if I keep this up," Jeff said sadly. "Maybe even seriously enough to end a career. What we do in the ring is not to be taken lightly."
Shane nodded again and looked away. Jeff could see the older man knew he was right and that this was the only sensible choice left.
"Look, it ain't like it's forever," Jeff said. "J.R. said the door would stay cracked open for possibilities down the road."
"How long down the road?" Shane snorted. "The fans aren't always loyal. Look at what happened to Rocky."
"Heel or face, he'll always be able to come home," Jeff said. "And if the fans don't want me back when I'm ready, so be it. I can't let that be a factor now. Shan's all I can think about and as long as my mind can't focus, I have no business risking my safety or anyone else's for that matter. I almost took off Rob's head last week. I couldn't forgive myself if I did anything like that again, especially knowing I could have stopped it."
"Well," Shane said. "I know you might think I'm not very disappointed about this but I am. We've become pretty good friends lately. It's good to have a fellow Omega to hang out with."
"I'm sorry I'm leaving you here," Jeff replied. "But I know the Canadians will keep you busy."
"Those drama queens?" Shane feigned a horrified expression. "I'll never survive."
*****************************
NOTE: What's Nathan got to do with Rey and Billy? Will Jeff get there in time? Tune in again and find out! (Yeah, HD, this means YOU! How mean was that cliffhanger in "Undisputed"?)