Author's Note: I do not own Matt or Jeff Hardy, nor am I in any way affiliated with Titan Entertainment, WWE, or any of its subsidiaries. This story is strictly for entertainment purposes.

TRAGEDY

Chapter 5: Letting Go

The day had slowly dwindled by and dusk fell upon the small borough. Standing at the front door, escorting the last group of friends out of the house, Jeff paused to gaze upon the leaf-littered streets. He wondered at the magnificence of the sight, the scene was straight off one of those 35ยข postcards you find in all the tourist shops lining the airport terminals. The street seemed to have a glow to it as the last of the light left the sky. The trees had already begun to loose their leaves, but were not completely bare yet. He loved this time of year. It was the beginning of an end - true, but he found fall in New England glorious. It brought a warmth and beauty to everything. The leaves rustled along the concrete as a gentle breeze rolled by. Jeff closed his eyes and welcomed the chill that ran through him as he felt the cold air sweep across his body through the screen door. The street lamps flickered on, hesitantly. He was glad the day was drawing to a close. It had been a long, difficult day. Jeff hoped the coming days would be easier on them all.

Kelly came up behind him, rested her head on his back and wrapped her arms around his chest. "Honey, I'm headed home. I'm going to take a bath, grab some clothes and I'll be back, okay?"

"Are you sure?" He asked, bringing her hands to his mouth to kiss them.

"Yeah, I'm sure. That is, if you don't mind. There's nothing I can do here. One of us should stay with her though. I figure we should stay over. I don't think Sam should be alone tonight."

"I thought we'd drive down to Dad's tomorrow. I think it would do us all some good."

"That's a great idea. I know it would do your Dad's heart good to see you. I'll pack a few things for you while I'm at the house." Kelly continued as she tightened her arms about him. "I'll be back soon."

Jeff turned to face Kelly. He kissed her passionately and grasped her in his arms. He was almost afraid to let her go. Timidly, he released her. His eyes followed her as she moved out the door and down the path. She got into the car, backed out of the driveway, drove down the street and around the corner.

When Kelly's car was out of sight, Jeff moved through the downstairs, looking for stray cups the days guests may have left behind, littering the strict organization Samantha's house adhered to. When Jeff first visited Samantha and Matt here years ago, he found the neatness a bit unnerving. Samantha had a place for everything and nothing was ever out of place. Matt had always been the same way, and it often irritated him. With Samantha though, Jeff respected it was her way of doing things, and eventually grew accustomed to it. As he entered the kitchen and looked into the sink, he noticed the drying rack was full of coffee cups. Kelly must have made quick work of them before she left, he thought.

Dragging his tired body, he made his way back into the living room to check on Samantha once again. As he approached, Samantha turned her head and smiled weakly to him. Her face was drawn and showed signs of exhaustion. He wondered at how she had stayed awake all these hours. How tired she must be. She had not moved from her spot on the couch all day, save for the hour she had taken this morning to shower and change when people first began arriving. Her eyes were swollen and bloodshot from all the tears she could not hold back even now. The brief smile that crossed her lips in that moment made his heart sing. It was a sign that the strong-willed woman he had always known her to be was still there, struggling to break through.

As he walked around the couch and took a seat beside her, Samantha's eyes followed him. As his body descended and relaxed into the couch, Jeff let out an exhausted sigh. "How are you doing Sam?" He asked as he brought his hands to his eyes, rubbing them, hoping to relieve some of the sting. His eyes were dry and it was painful just to blink. What he really needed, what they both needed, was sleep.

"Thank you, for everything Jeff." Samantha said, speaking softly, almost inaudibly. "I know all of this is hard for you. I don't know how you manage to keep it together. Matt would be proud." Tears welled in her deep brown eyes again and again she was unable to keep them from falling down her face.

Jeff stared at her as she tried to maintain some semblance of composure. Finally, he embraced her and pulled her close to himself. For the first time since her collapse that morning, Samantha allowed her body to relax. She allowed him to hug her tightly to him; she welcomed it. And now, instead of fighting against the influx of emotions that overwhelmed her, Samantha allowed it to overtake her as she clung to Jeff's strong arms willing him to hold her more tightly.