***A/N Sorry for the long wait! We've had so many visitors over the
holidays. Then out of the blue I have to fight the worst case of the flu
I've ever had! I finally feel good enough to post so here goes.***
Disclaimer: I am not associated with nor do I own anything having to do with the WWE.
Jeff tried to climb into the car but it wasn't working well for him. He hurt everywhere, more than he had in the hospital. His ribs hurt so badly he'd needed help getting his shirt on. He couldn't manage to get his arms through the sleeves. He'd felt like such a baby needing help to get dressed and now he thought he might need help to get in the car. He felt tears pricking his eyes and scowled, mad at himself. All he did was cry lately. It was disgusting. He was too old for that. He looked back at Matt who was waiting for Jeff to get out of his way so he could get in. No help there, Matt looked about ready to keel over himself. He was leaning against Chris as if he had completely forgotten how to stand on his own. Jeff finally gave up and reached out his hand. "Hey, Adam, help me." Adam already in the car looked up and smiled slightly. "You're getting old, Jeff. C'mon." He took the Jeff's hand and pulled him into the car causing Jeff to screech slightly at having to bend that much. Adam's eyebrows went up at the sound. "You okay, Jeff?" Jeff nodded. Yeah. Sore. Better than him." He nodded at Matt who was still leaning against Chris. Matt had a bad couple of days. The last of the Valium had worn off and he felt awful.
Things just didn't look right. He had little lapses between his eyes and his brain, it felt like. Turning his head made things kind of jump around and it was annoying and vaguely sickening. Top it off, his moods were jumping around worse than his vision was. One minute he felt better, next minute he wanted to die. They told him it would all wear off but his nerves were fraying fast. He felt a gentle nudge from Chris and got into the car with a sigh. They were letting him ride shotgun because the people at the hospital had told him that he'd probably get sick riding. They were so sure in fact that they'd insisted he take a basin with him just in case. Chris figured he'd have a better chance of avoiding it if he sat in the front. He didn't have high hopes. He felt pretty nasty just sitting here. He didn't want to think what would happen when they started moving. He locked his door and leaned the side of his head against the window. He was just too tired. He felt a reassuring pat on his shoulder and reached back and took Adam's hand. Adam had been pretty nice to him the past day or so. He seemed to feel bad about the whole thing but not mad anymore. Matt was glad. He'd been having a lot of trouble dealing with Adam not seeming to like him. He hoped Adam really was feeling better about him. He let his hand rest loosely on Adam's and let himself doze.
Adam was indeed feeling better about Matt. He'd had a lot explained to him about all that had happened by about a dozen of the doctors who'd been poking and prodding his friend. They'd made him feel better sort of because they'd assured him that Matt was still the same Matt he had been. That the attack on Jeff hadn't been personal. It had been chemical. They'd also explained the fight Matt was going to have, to stay away from the stuff. They'd told him that Matt was far from physically a drug addict but he'd been using the stuff to hide behind and that he'd need help not falling into that again. It had made Adam feel very protective of Matt knowing that. He wasn't sure why but he wasn't mad at him anymore. Instead his heart went out to him. He wished he could take it away for him. Sighing a little, he sat back letting his hand fall off of Matt's shoulder. He was tired.
None of them mentioned the thing that was on all their minds. The thing that was putting such a weight on them. They didn't say it but they were all thinking about it. They were going home. None of them wanted to. But there it was. The decision had been made. For now at least, WWE was a thing of the past. It was over. Whatever backlash came would be dealt with by professionals whose job it was to take care of such hassles. The boys were going home. Amy had left earlier in the day because she wasn't feeling well and had offered to take Adam with her but he had declined.
Chris started the car, glancing around at the guys. Jeff was squirming around trying to find a comfortable position and he looked ready to cry. Chris shook his head. Jeff wasn't doing real well. He wished he'd thought to give the poor guy some Tylenol or something before they'd packed it. He shifted his gaze to Matt who was leaning against the window for all the world as if he were jello. His fingers rested limply against the bowl he was holding. Chris sighed. He knew he was going to get sick. He just knew it. He at least hoped he'd say something in time for them to let him out. Adam had leaned forward between the seats and reached out to shift the car into gear. "Chris, we can't sit here all day. Want me to drive?" He was kidding but Chris very nearly said yes. "I think I can handle it. If you don't mind that is." He pulled out into traffic hoping this ride wouldn't be too nightmarish.
Twenty minutes later they were stopped on the side of the road, Adam holding onto Matt who'd begun throwing up ten minutes ago and hadn't managed yet to stop. Adam was getting scared. It was all he could do to hold Matt up. This attack was so violent. He looked frantically at Chris who had his hands full with Jeff who'd begun to cry when Matt got sick and had rapidly slipped into hysteria. Chris was desperately trying to calm him down, leaving Adam to keep Matt on his feet.
Matt felt like he was being ripped apart. The nausea just wasn't backing off even though there wasn't a thing left in him. He was beginning to think he'd never breathe again and he was having a terrible time not being thrown right to the ground. He was clutching Adam in a very panicky grip afraid if he let go he'd just die. A few minutes later as suddenly as it had hit, the sickness stopped leaving him winded and shaking. Adam held him gently letting him catch his breath and recover a little. Matt finally looked up, first at Jeff who's hysterical crying was finally tapering off, and then into Adam's eyes. Memory suddenly slammed into both of them standing on the side of the road waiting for control to return of a different car ride to a different airport. They had never dreamed then what would happen. They had all been very different people then.
~three years previous~ "Jeff, cut it out!" "We're going to New York! We're going to New York!" "I have to go to the bathroom." "You went before we left the house." "I know but I have to go again."
Matt leaned back against the seat and smiled. His friends' pointless bantering fell upon deaf ears. All he could think about was getting to New York and performing. Matt watched as the empty country roads of North Carolina landscape raced by. It would soon be replaced by the huge building of the city. As he drifted in and out of daydreams he vaguely felt something hit him in the head but instead of getting mad like he normally would, he simply laughed. He was in to good a mood to let anything wreck it.
Adam noticed the dreamy look on Matt's face and laughed. Leaning over the set he whispered, "You as excited as I am?"
Matt beamed. "This is gonna be so great, isn't it? I mean living in hotels, performing almost everyday, photo shoots. Amazing. It's gonna be amazing."
"Amazing," he whispered to himself. The thought sent a thrill through him and he shivered with delight.
As the airport loomed in front of them, Matt's heart thudded with anticipation. He was ready for the best time of his life.
The End?
***Review and let me know what you thought. I am currently working on the sequel called Roads. Look for the first chapter to be posted within the next 2 weeks. Thanks!***
Disclaimer: I am not associated with nor do I own anything having to do with the WWE.
Jeff tried to climb into the car but it wasn't working well for him. He hurt everywhere, more than he had in the hospital. His ribs hurt so badly he'd needed help getting his shirt on. He couldn't manage to get his arms through the sleeves. He'd felt like such a baby needing help to get dressed and now he thought he might need help to get in the car. He felt tears pricking his eyes and scowled, mad at himself. All he did was cry lately. It was disgusting. He was too old for that. He looked back at Matt who was waiting for Jeff to get out of his way so he could get in. No help there, Matt looked about ready to keel over himself. He was leaning against Chris as if he had completely forgotten how to stand on his own. Jeff finally gave up and reached out his hand. "Hey, Adam, help me." Adam already in the car looked up and smiled slightly. "You're getting old, Jeff. C'mon." He took the Jeff's hand and pulled him into the car causing Jeff to screech slightly at having to bend that much. Adam's eyebrows went up at the sound. "You okay, Jeff?" Jeff nodded. Yeah. Sore. Better than him." He nodded at Matt who was still leaning against Chris. Matt had a bad couple of days. The last of the Valium had worn off and he felt awful.
Things just didn't look right. He had little lapses between his eyes and his brain, it felt like. Turning his head made things kind of jump around and it was annoying and vaguely sickening. Top it off, his moods were jumping around worse than his vision was. One minute he felt better, next minute he wanted to die. They told him it would all wear off but his nerves were fraying fast. He felt a gentle nudge from Chris and got into the car with a sigh. They were letting him ride shotgun because the people at the hospital had told him that he'd probably get sick riding. They were so sure in fact that they'd insisted he take a basin with him just in case. Chris figured he'd have a better chance of avoiding it if he sat in the front. He didn't have high hopes. He felt pretty nasty just sitting here. He didn't want to think what would happen when they started moving. He locked his door and leaned the side of his head against the window. He was just too tired. He felt a reassuring pat on his shoulder and reached back and took Adam's hand. Adam had been pretty nice to him the past day or so. He seemed to feel bad about the whole thing but not mad anymore. Matt was glad. He'd been having a lot of trouble dealing with Adam not seeming to like him. He hoped Adam really was feeling better about him. He let his hand rest loosely on Adam's and let himself doze.
Adam was indeed feeling better about Matt. He'd had a lot explained to him about all that had happened by about a dozen of the doctors who'd been poking and prodding his friend. They'd made him feel better sort of because they'd assured him that Matt was still the same Matt he had been. That the attack on Jeff hadn't been personal. It had been chemical. They'd also explained the fight Matt was going to have, to stay away from the stuff. They'd told him that Matt was far from physically a drug addict but he'd been using the stuff to hide behind and that he'd need help not falling into that again. It had made Adam feel very protective of Matt knowing that. He wasn't sure why but he wasn't mad at him anymore. Instead his heart went out to him. He wished he could take it away for him. Sighing a little, he sat back letting his hand fall off of Matt's shoulder. He was tired.
None of them mentioned the thing that was on all their minds. The thing that was putting such a weight on them. They didn't say it but they were all thinking about it. They were going home. None of them wanted to. But there it was. The decision had been made. For now at least, WWE was a thing of the past. It was over. Whatever backlash came would be dealt with by professionals whose job it was to take care of such hassles. The boys were going home. Amy had left earlier in the day because she wasn't feeling well and had offered to take Adam with her but he had declined.
Chris started the car, glancing around at the guys. Jeff was squirming around trying to find a comfortable position and he looked ready to cry. Chris shook his head. Jeff wasn't doing real well. He wished he'd thought to give the poor guy some Tylenol or something before they'd packed it. He shifted his gaze to Matt who was leaning against the window for all the world as if he were jello. His fingers rested limply against the bowl he was holding. Chris sighed. He knew he was going to get sick. He just knew it. He at least hoped he'd say something in time for them to let him out. Adam had leaned forward between the seats and reached out to shift the car into gear. "Chris, we can't sit here all day. Want me to drive?" He was kidding but Chris very nearly said yes. "I think I can handle it. If you don't mind that is." He pulled out into traffic hoping this ride wouldn't be too nightmarish.
Twenty minutes later they were stopped on the side of the road, Adam holding onto Matt who'd begun throwing up ten minutes ago and hadn't managed yet to stop. Adam was getting scared. It was all he could do to hold Matt up. This attack was so violent. He looked frantically at Chris who had his hands full with Jeff who'd begun to cry when Matt got sick and had rapidly slipped into hysteria. Chris was desperately trying to calm him down, leaving Adam to keep Matt on his feet.
Matt felt like he was being ripped apart. The nausea just wasn't backing off even though there wasn't a thing left in him. He was beginning to think he'd never breathe again and he was having a terrible time not being thrown right to the ground. He was clutching Adam in a very panicky grip afraid if he let go he'd just die. A few minutes later as suddenly as it had hit, the sickness stopped leaving him winded and shaking. Adam held him gently letting him catch his breath and recover a little. Matt finally looked up, first at Jeff who's hysterical crying was finally tapering off, and then into Adam's eyes. Memory suddenly slammed into both of them standing on the side of the road waiting for control to return of a different car ride to a different airport. They had never dreamed then what would happen. They had all been very different people then.
~three years previous~ "Jeff, cut it out!" "We're going to New York! We're going to New York!" "I have to go to the bathroom." "You went before we left the house." "I know but I have to go again."
Matt leaned back against the seat and smiled. His friends' pointless bantering fell upon deaf ears. All he could think about was getting to New York and performing. Matt watched as the empty country roads of North Carolina landscape raced by. It would soon be replaced by the huge building of the city. As he drifted in and out of daydreams he vaguely felt something hit him in the head but instead of getting mad like he normally would, he simply laughed. He was in to good a mood to let anything wreck it.
Adam noticed the dreamy look on Matt's face and laughed. Leaning over the set he whispered, "You as excited as I am?"
Matt beamed. "This is gonna be so great, isn't it? I mean living in hotels, performing almost everyday, photo shoots. Amazing. It's gonna be amazing."
"Amazing," he whispered to himself. The thought sent a thrill through him and he shivered with delight.
As the airport loomed in front of them, Matt's heart thudded with anticipation. He was ready for the best time of his life.
The End?
***Review and let me know what you thought. I am currently working on the sequel called Roads. Look for the first chapter to be posted within the next 2 weeks. Thanks!***