Matt grasped his ankle and cursed. Damn that Nathan Jones! Matt knew the
bump had to have been intentional. Though Nathan now looked as apologetic
as can be, Matt didn't miss the slight smirk he'd made when the hit
connected. And Rey's own triumphant smirk greeted Matt when the trainers
helped him into the treating room. Well, Rey or no, Jones was going to be
in the hot seat for this one. The McMahons took injuries very seriously and
most particularly when those injuries were caused by rookies. The
Australian giant was about to learn that lesson the hard way.
This was just great! First, he hears this morning that Jeff's left wrestling and before he can even track him down and find out why, he gets hit with the psycho from Down Under. Matt glanced up to see Nathan's concerned look. It wasn't an act anymore as Stephanie could be heard down the hall nearby approaching the area. She wasn't happy about it either. Matt smiled inwardly at the impending scene. At least he would find it entertaining while the trainers poked and prodded him.
"Can you move it at all?" Shannon asked worriedly from the side of the room.
"A little," Matt answered through gritted teeth. "But it hurts like a bitch!"
The blond nodded solemnly and sat in a chair near the wall to give the trainers the room they needed to treat Matt's ankle.
"Well, under the circumstances, you'll probably have to sit the next few shows out," Stephanie determined from the doorway. "We can get you a ticket on a flight back to North Carolina tonight."
"Tonight?" Shannon asked. He gave Matt an unreadable glance. It was unreadable to everyone else in the room but Matt. The small wrestler was terrified.
"I'd rather he not travel with that ankle until it's had at least a few days to rest," one of the trainers broke in. Stephanie nodded and wrote some notes down on a pad.
"I can travel," Matt insisted. "I'll just stay in the room."
"Why risk further injury, Matt?" Stephanie asked picking up her cell phone to call the WWE travel department. "No, you're too important to the show. You'll rest up at home for at least a week. Then we'll see how your ankle is."
Matt threw Shannon an apologetic look as Stephanie finished her call and turned to Nathan.
"In my office," she hissed. "Now!"
The two left the room with the large man's head bowed meekly.
"I'm so sorry, Shanny," Matt said.
"For what?" he replied. "You didn't do anything wrong. Jones did."
"That'll teach him to listen to scheming midgets," Jeff said from the doorway.
Shannon's eyes flew to Jeff with a mixture of relief and sadness. Matt smiled in understanding. He now knew why Jeff left Raw, and he couldn't exactly say he was surprised.
****************************
"What are you doing here?" Shannon demanded as he jumped into Jeff's arms. "I've been trying to call you all day."
"I'm sorry, baby," Jeff sighed into his ear. "My battery died and I've been traveling all day to get to you so I haven't had time to recharge it."
Shannon gave him another tight squeeze before pulling away and glaring at him. He wasn't happy when he'd heard the news about Jeff's release and he knew he had to have had something to do with it, albeit inadvertently. Jeff pulled back and leaned against the wall expectantly. He was apparently prepared for Shannon's reaction.
"Why did you do it?" Shannon growled. "Please don't give me any lies either."
"I never lie to you," Jeff replied.
"Bullshit," Matt coughed into his hand and his brother and Shannon both looked in his direction, as if finally remembering his presence.
"Jeff, you lied to him for years when you tried to make him believe you just wanted friendship from him," Matt looked angry. And in pain. Shannon walked back to his side guiltily, knowing he was to blame for this incident, too. Jeff walked over as well.
"That wasn't lying," the younger Hardy retorted. "It was simply an omission of the complete truth."
"Uh huh," Matt said with a raised eyebrow. "One which caused both of you years of pain and loneliness."
"Yeah," Jeff whistled. "Not at all like you and Shane, right?"
Matt flushed and looked back down. Shannon smiled a little but said nothing. He didn't like to interfere in the brothers' relationship. They were so close and no matter what happened, they would remain that way. He wasn't jealous. They were both friends of his before and his friendship with Matt hadn't changed at all since he and Jeff started dating.
The last of the trainers finished wrapping Matt's ankle and looked at it one more time to make sure it was okay. He then left the room.
"I take it you're out of action for a bit?" Jeff changed the subject, frowning at Matt's cursed ankle.
"Yeah," Matt muttered. "Sorry about that."
"Like Shan said, you didn't do it," Jeff shrugged. "And he who did is about to be punished." He looked toward the doorway where Stephanie and Nathan had gone a little while before. "Too bad Rey won't be, too."
"Yeah," Shannon murmured.
"Don't you worry about him," Jeff said looking into his eyes. "I'm here for you now."
"I knew it!" Shannon exploded. "You left Raw for me, didn't you?" He started pacing the small room in agitation. He and Jeff were both living their childhood dream. But now his stalker problems were getting in the way and Jeff was paying the price.
"Shan, I left Raw for more than you," Jeff said tiredly. "I'm a danger to those I work with now and it's not right for me to ask them to risk their careers."
Shannon looked back into his lover's eyes and saw the quiet fear in them, and he was taken aback by it. Jeff had never looked like that before. Almost haunted is how Shannon would describe it. Shannon had tried to cope with their long distance relationship as best as he could, too. Apparently he had done a better job of it than Jeff. The younger Hardy was clearly not able to handle being apart from him for too long now that they'd declared their love. As touched as Shannon was he also felt a tremendous amount of guilt over it.
"Well, I guess this means I can relax for the moment," Matt grumbled.
"Just go home and keep Amy company for a while," Shannon suggested with a half-hearted smile.
"I'd rather be keeping Shane company," Matt whined.
****************************
"Damn it, Jeff's here now," Rey seethed.
Billy shook his head and went back to his TV program. He was beginning to tire of Rey's obsession. In fact, he was beginning to tire of the whole plan. Sure he loved Shane and yes he was angry that Matt had him. But the Nathan angle bothered him. He really didn't want to hurt Matt. He had pretty much worked it out of his system after he'd confronted Matt in the shower. After trying to scare the older Hardy by pulling him down to the floor, he was shocked when Rey suggested he do something to him since he couldn't have Shane. Is that what he'd become? Wouldn't that put him in the same class as those psychos, Juvi and Evan? He wouldn't become like them, he decided. This ended here.
"Are you listening to me?" Rey growled
"Do I have a choice?" Billy spat back.
Rey looked surprised. Evidently he hadn't expected Billy to snap at him. Billy grinned at the small amount of power he suddenly felt.
"I thought you were with me on this," Rey said slowly.
"I was," Billy replied.
Rey regarded him for a minute before grabbing the remote and clicking the TV off.
"What's changed?"
"I don't like this anymore," Billy sighed. "I never wanted it to go so far."
"I thought you wanted Shane."
"I do," Billy sighed. "But not if he doesn't want me. And by that, I mean me without us scheming. He was always honest with me, Rey Rey. I loved that about him."
"But having him is having him."
"This isn't a game," Billy shook his head. "This is real. People's lives are being screwed with. Do you even care that Nathan is probably going to be sent back to developmental for what you asked him to do?"
Rey's face reddened and he looked down.
"And Matt could have come away from that match with much worse than a sprained ankle," Billy continued. "I know you think you're doing what's best for Shannon, but that's not for you to decide."
"Who says?" Rey demanded, looking back up sharply.
"I do," Billy replied. "Let me ask you this. What makes what you're doing any better than what Evan did?"
Rey's face contorted in rage. "I would NEVER drug and violate Shannon."
"No," Billy conceded. "But you would trick him and manipulate him."
Rey sat back thoughtfully and sighed. Billy reclaimed the remote control and switched the TV back on. He only hoped he'd made it through to Rey the way he needed to.
****************************
NOTE: Updated at last! Sorry it took a bit longer. This is less of a cliffie now. (HD, where are YOUR updates? Hmm?)
This was just great! First, he hears this morning that Jeff's left wrestling and before he can even track him down and find out why, he gets hit with the psycho from Down Under. Matt glanced up to see Nathan's concerned look. It wasn't an act anymore as Stephanie could be heard down the hall nearby approaching the area. She wasn't happy about it either. Matt smiled inwardly at the impending scene. At least he would find it entertaining while the trainers poked and prodded him.
"Can you move it at all?" Shannon asked worriedly from the side of the room.
"A little," Matt answered through gritted teeth. "But it hurts like a bitch!"
The blond nodded solemnly and sat in a chair near the wall to give the trainers the room they needed to treat Matt's ankle.
"Well, under the circumstances, you'll probably have to sit the next few shows out," Stephanie determined from the doorway. "We can get you a ticket on a flight back to North Carolina tonight."
"Tonight?" Shannon asked. He gave Matt an unreadable glance. It was unreadable to everyone else in the room but Matt. The small wrestler was terrified.
"I'd rather he not travel with that ankle until it's had at least a few days to rest," one of the trainers broke in. Stephanie nodded and wrote some notes down on a pad.
"I can travel," Matt insisted. "I'll just stay in the room."
"Why risk further injury, Matt?" Stephanie asked picking up her cell phone to call the WWE travel department. "No, you're too important to the show. You'll rest up at home for at least a week. Then we'll see how your ankle is."
Matt threw Shannon an apologetic look as Stephanie finished her call and turned to Nathan.
"In my office," she hissed. "Now!"
The two left the room with the large man's head bowed meekly.
"I'm so sorry, Shanny," Matt said.
"For what?" he replied. "You didn't do anything wrong. Jones did."
"That'll teach him to listen to scheming midgets," Jeff said from the doorway.
Shannon's eyes flew to Jeff with a mixture of relief and sadness. Matt smiled in understanding. He now knew why Jeff left Raw, and he couldn't exactly say he was surprised.
****************************
"What are you doing here?" Shannon demanded as he jumped into Jeff's arms. "I've been trying to call you all day."
"I'm sorry, baby," Jeff sighed into his ear. "My battery died and I've been traveling all day to get to you so I haven't had time to recharge it."
Shannon gave him another tight squeeze before pulling away and glaring at him. He wasn't happy when he'd heard the news about Jeff's release and he knew he had to have had something to do with it, albeit inadvertently. Jeff pulled back and leaned against the wall expectantly. He was apparently prepared for Shannon's reaction.
"Why did you do it?" Shannon growled. "Please don't give me any lies either."
"I never lie to you," Jeff replied.
"Bullshit," Matt coughed into his hand and his brother and Shannon both looked in his direction, as if finally remembering his presence.
"Jeff, you lied to him for years when you tried to make him believe you just wanted friendship from him," Matt looked angry. And in pain. Shannon walked back to his side guiltily, knowing he was to blame for this incident, too. Jeff walked over as well.
"That wasn't lying," the younger Hardy retorted. "It was simply an omission of the complete truth."
"Uh huh," Matt said with a raised eyebrow. "One which caused both of you years of pain and loneliness."
"Yeah," Jeff whistled. "Not at all like you and Shane, right?"
Matt flushed and looked back down. Shannon smiled a little but said nothing. He didn't like to interfere in the brothers' relationship. They were so close and no matter what happened, they would remain that way. He wasn't jealous. They were both friends of his before and his friendship with Matt hadn't changed at all since he and Jeff started dating.
The last of the trainers finished wrapping Matt's ankle and looked at it one more time to make sure it was okay. He then left the room.
"I take it you're out of action for a bit?" Jeff changed the subject, frowning at Matt's cursed ankle.
"Yeah," Matt muttered. "Sorry about that."
"Like Shan said, you didn't do it," Jeff shrugged. "And he who did is about to be punished." He looked toward the doorway where Stephanie and Nathan had gone a little while before. "Too bad Rey won't be, too."
"Yeah," Shannon murmured.
"Don't you worry about him," Jeff said looking into his eyes. "I'm here for you now."
"I knew it!" Shannon exploded. "You left Raw for me, didn't you?" He started pacing the small room in agitation. He and Jeff were both living their childhood dream. But now his stalker problems were getting in the way and Jeff was paying the price.
"Shan, I left Raw for more than you," Jeff said tiredly. "I'm a danger to those I work with now and it's not right for me to ask them to risk their careers."
Shannon looked back into his lover's eyes and saw the quiet fear in them, and he was taken aback by it. Jeff had never looked like that before. Almost haunted is how Shannon would describe it. Shannon had tried to cope with their long distance relationship as best as he could, too. Apparently he had done a better job of it than Jeff. The younger Hardy was clearly not able to handle being apart from him for too long now that they'd declared their love. As touched as Shannon was he also felt a tremendous amount of guilt over it.
"Well, I guess this means I can relax for the moment," Matt grumbled.
"Just go home and keep Amy company for a while," Shannon suggested with a half-hearted smile.
"I'd rather be keeping Shane company," Matt whined.
****************************
"Damn it, Jeff's here now," Rey seethed.
Billy shook his head and went back to his TV program. He was beginning to tire of Rey's obsession. In fact, he was beginning to tire of the whole plan. Sure he loved Shane and yes he was angry that Matt had him. But the Nathan angle bothered him. He really didn't want to hurt Matt. He had pretty much worked it out of his system after he'd confronted Matt in the shower. After trying to scare the older Hardy by pulling him down to the floor, he was shocked when Rey suggested he do something to him since he couldn't have Shane. Is that what he'd become? Wouldn't that put him in the same class as those psychos, Juvi and Evan? He wouldn't become like them, he decided. This ended here.
"Are you listening to me?" Rey growled
"Do I have a choice?" Billy spat back.
Rey looked surprised. Evidently he hadn't expected Billy to snap at him. Billy grinned at the small amount of power he suddenly felt.
"I thought you were with me on this," Rey said slowly.
"I was," Billy replied.
Rey regarded him for a minute before grabbing the remote and clicking the TV off.
"What's changed?"
"I don't like this anymore," Billy sighed. "I never wanted it to go so far."
"I thought you wanted Shane."
"I do," Billy sighed. "But not if he doesn't want me. And by that, I mean me without us scheming. He was always honest with me, Rey Rey. I loved that about him."
"But having him is having him."
"This isn't a game," Billy shook his head. "This is real. People's lives are being screwed with. Do you even care that Nathan is probably going to be sent back to developmental for what you asked him to do?"
Rey's face reddened and he looked down.
"And Matt could have come away from that match with much worse than a sprained ankle," Billy continued. "I know you think you're doing what's best for Shannon, but that's not for you to decide."
"Who says?" Rey demanded, looking back up sharply.
"I do," Billy replied. "Let me ask you this. What makes what you're doing any better than what Evan did?"
Rey's face contorted in rage. "I would NEVER drug and violate Shannon."
"No," Billy conceded. "But you would trick him and manipulate him."
Rey sat back thoughtfully and sighed. Billy reclaimed the remote control and switched the TV back on. He only hoped he'd made it through to Rey the way he needed to.
****************************
NOTE: Updated at last! Sorry it took a bit longer. This is less of a cliffie now. (HD, where are YOUR updates? Hmm?)