A/N: A dozen of 'thank you's to all who read and reviewed on the last chapter! I'm just hoping this is worth your wait! Oh yeah M-A-N-Y, im REALLY not sure when the CD was released but im completely sure that it was around the first week of Jan! 7th or not, that is something I am yet needed to look into. But hey, I never SAID the CD was released before Jan 7th right? All I said was the fact that they are signing for the CD! Ha ha! Thee cannot blame this upon ye! LOL, also yeah about ur cousin's b/f, a year ago right? Hmm, I never met ANY wrestler in all my freakin life! Lol, did you? Also, you guys said that I left you 'hanging' hmm, I cant believe it was that good! Read THIS chapter if you think you wanna 'hang-out'.

Chapter 19

"Thanks for the ride John," Amy dashed out of the car as fast as she could, she was already late for the show, more than an hour late to be precise.

"Hey no problem Lita! Tell Matt we waved a 'hi' k?" This came from inside the car which belonged to none other than the Doctor of Thuganomics; John Cena, his rented vehicle was crowded with the likes of Rey Mysterio Jr. Stacy Keibler, John himself and their dates for the rest of the night. They were going for a nightclub or something to party away their time here at the Big Apple.

"Okay I'll do that! Take care guys," Amy took her brown overcoat and purse from the back seat, where Stacy sat, and closed the door for the gang to proceed on with their personal lives.

"What a day." She blurted while trying to put on the warm coat, Amy had to leave early after her breakfast date with Matt this morning. The schedule of the signing session was from before lunchtime so the superstars were treated with a buffet during a quick half-hour break. But that wasn't the only reason Amy was so tensed with time just about now, she didn't talk with Matt since this morning and his match was supposed to be up at 8:25 or something. For all she knew her Matty, he was probably worried about what she had to say. And she never told him what she had on her mind . . . so close to the truth, but yet the thought of her betrayal choked the words from escaping through her mouth.

Amy paused for just one second before entering the arena, she remembered her promise to Matt, just last night before they went to bed he was very pushy about her saying it, but she refused. For the damned time, Amy still couldn't reach the point of letting Matt know . . . she was still afraid. Even though he told her she could trust him no matter what, Amy just needed more time . . . more time to set her mind straight.

The WWE Women's champion sighed out loud into the cold and empty air before proceeding on to enter the arena. And as one of the leading women in wrestling, Amy was crashed and held back by a small crowd of fans at the lobby, each wanting one autograph . . .

~ Inside ~

His arms were flexed into fast-phased punches, his body sweating at almost every muscle; Matt Hardy was getting ready for his match. Inside the sanctuary of his personal locker room, Matt steadied his stances, something he does almost every night before an important match begins. Tonight, his competition would once again be The Dudley Boyz. It has been almost a full year since he wrestled with them, possibly more than a year because of the Smackdown time, but the most important thing tonight for the Mattitude sensei would have to be the involvement of Y2J Chris Jericho. The sly slime ball was in HIS corner, Jericho being Matt's partner tonight was the most annoying thing that buzzed around the Hardy Boy's mind. And then, the connection went to what Austin told him: 'Life isn't fair.' Of course it isn't fair, but no body said he would have to live it by someone else's rules. Tonight, the main focus would be to keep Jericho as occupied as possible. Matt was the current Hardcore Champion, and if pinning him with a second referee would grant any body that title, it was more than obvious that Jericho would go for something, keeping something up his sleeve.

Only a moment until his match was to start.

Trish's had already begun, a 'NY-style-Bras and Panties-match' as the title said. The only thing that riddled Matt was Jericho NOT being in the corner now; he'd be dying for a chance to be ringside at a match like this. Then again, Matt remembered Chris and Trish were LIVING together in the same house!

The Hardy stopped punching the air and got down, not wasting any more than what a second wastes, and started his pushups. 20 more of them and it would be his time to get ready and dress for the match. What if Austin was right? Maybe Evolution is the real enemy here, could it be that the slime ball everyone dislikes IS really innocent? Matt almost whacked at the guy 2 days ago after the RAW show, is it possible that Jericho wasn't behind the Jeff attack? God, Matt knew what JEFF himself might be thinking. Without a doubt, the way Jeff had been acting, it was likely he would be blaming Matt, blaming him for 'signing' such a contract that would keep him away from life and etceteras. Why was everyone thinking that? Matt never signed it but it was shaped to look like that! It had to be Jericho then! But Evolution was the one who suggested the 'storyline' to be put down on live TV. "Sudden-planned my ass!" Matt cursed loudly under the pressure of his exercising body, if this was all suggested at the last moment, Jeff wouldn't be injured last week! Not 7-days-ago! Not unless . . .

Matt almost grasped the root of the scheme, but 4 hand-knocks disturbed him from the door. His eyes didn't narrow from the wide-expression it was stuck in though.

"Come in . . ." He managed to say until the door clicked open and he leaned against a bench, sitting on the ground with the realization bumping him in the head . . . it was just extreme enough to happen.

The heartwarming voice of the only person, whom Matt knew he could share his thoughts with, reached his ears. "Matthew?" The raven-haired beauty spoke from the door and entered it to see her boyfriend sitting on the ground. "Amez! Hey . . . what's up?" Was all he could say to her. Amy Dumas placed her overcoat to the bench Matt was leaning against and helped him to his feat. By that tone, she knew her Matthew was in the brink of understanding something . . . something big.

~ On Stage ~

"Here is YOUR winner: Trish Stratus!" The voice of the ring announcer, Lillian Garcia, echoed with the fans cheering for the dominant woman standing in the ring, waving her opponent's lower garment above her head. Trish won the bras-and-panties contest with Miss Jackey at 4:54, not even a full 5minute match! But for the fans, it was enough for them to cheer for their favorite diva. Trish won the match, Miss Jackey was left in her bikinis and Trish herself was viewable to her upper-undergarment as she posed for photos. For the male fans, it was a very interesting match indeed.

But that soon moved along after a break for the ring to be cleaned for the next match of the evening, the entire arena blacked out with the only focus gone to the huge screen at the titan trons.

The sound of hands typing was heard and the screen blinked on: 'Matt Hardy V.1__ Run.' Given the few minor seconds to 'load' the next screen, the lyrics of 'Mattitude' was heard while the sensei of Mattitude, stepped out from backstage, his Hardcore title firmly in place around his waist, his right arm raised with the V1 sign as he proceeded towards the ring with the cheers of the fans behind him. A bell rang from the side, and Lillian Garcia began her announcing, "The following is a Tag-Team contest, making his way to the ring from Cameron North Carolina, he is the WWE HARDCORE CHAMPION: Matt Hardy Version ONE!" The standing ovation from the crowd was what Matt needed to get that extra feelin' of Mattitude to wash over him. He posed for pictures on the southwest turnbuckle with his title in hand before jumping off to stand in the middle of the ring. He bent on his knees, trying to eye the next coming man . . . the man who is supposed to be his 'partner' tonight. The WWE was never fair, and Y2J's presence was enough to prove that.

The countdown began for Y-2-J,

"And his partner," The ring announcer continued, "From Winnipeg Manitoba, Canada. Weighing 231pounds, Y2J Chris JERICHO!"

Matt's gaze never left Chris as he posed and did his usual entrance to the ring, when he entered however, he offered to shake Matt's hand. The Hardcore Champion refused.

The Dudleyz were announced next, "And their opponents, from DUDLEYVILLE, in a combined weight of 515pounds, Bubba Ray and D-Von The DUDLEY BOYZ!"

~ Moments Later ~

The match was a hit for a blow-after-blow job opportunities, Matt was the first man in from his 'team' while D-Von served as the opponent. Clotheslines came and went, backdrops, body slams, suplexes until the other Dudley was tagged in- Bubba Ray. Of course, Matt refused to let Chris take the tag and went for Bubba as well, a very competitive 'wrestling' match that underlined both Matt and Bubba's talents. The Dudley, at one point, grabbed hold of Matt's adrenaline and crashed in a huge side-ball-slam to literally tear Matt's spine and force him to lose his momentum.

Jericho had a disgusted face, but he actually enjoyed that wound. Bubba covered but Matt's leg reached the bottom rope before the pin fall. The tag was then given to D-Von after a successful 2-minute run, The younger Dudley used Matt's fresh-wound and delivered the spine-buster on the Hardcore Champ yet again to make him lose the conscious in the middle of the ring! Even if they were mates backstage, when it came to in-ring battle, it was considered they both fight to the limit and not hold back. The Dudleys did just that and double-teamed Matt with multiple tags. After another small run, the Dudleyz prepared Hardy for the 3D, Bubba threw Matt to his corner, for him to bounce back off the turnbuckle in a world of hurt, but it was Jericho who slapped in the blind-tag and went airborne with a missile dropkick! Hitting Bubba Ray, but also knocking Matt down with his shoulder! The Hardy fell down, unable to move from the series of spine-attacks he bared, while Jericho went on to fight the legal man on the opposing team: D-Von Dudley.

Bubba rolled out of the ring in the call of the referee, the match inside continued with a clothesline given from D-Von, but it was missed as Y2J countered and chopped D-Von Dudley when he turned around to the other side. Chris gained somewhat of a victory with the chops and irishwhipped the former Tag-Team Champion to the rope, which was his mistake. D-Von came back faster than planned and shoulderblocked the blonde Canadian. Slamming Chris to the mat, the match continued with the two of them for another few minutes.

Returning to the match after a full 3 minutes of Jericho vs. D-Von, Chris lived to counter a backdrop by the Dudley and aide it with a backdrop of his own. But that affected him more, he dragged himself to the middle of the ring while D-Von made the tag to Bubba, on Chris's side however, Matt was still wounded on his back, but he was up. Jericho saw this and made a run for it, however, Bubba was also fast enough to charge into Chris and push him against Matt's turnbuckle, but in the process knocking Hardy down as well. The pressing of Bubba's 300pound-like-body was crashing to Chris as he was suddenly caught between a hard-place and a turnbuckle! Two more pushes like that in Chris's back resulted him to jelly down at the second buckle, while the Dudley positioned for another corner clothesline, waiting for Chris to get up.

Jericho saw this coming however, but got up anyway, he was on Matt's corner, and the Hardy was still groggy, when Bubba Ray charged with another hell-looking-move, Chris turned and quickly pulled Matt from the outside of the ring, pulling him by his long hair and pushed the Hardy infront of him so that the charging spear/body-splash was attacked on HIM rather than Chris!

He signaled the referee by clapping his hands as a show for a tag being made. Jericho left the ring while Matt was once again the legal man.

~ Matt P.O.V ~

The sudden strike of being pulled by his hair and then being pressed with the full body-weight of Bubba Ray Dudley was the complete end to Matt's full energy as he thought. Jericho, the betrayer, he knew he should never have trusted him. He didn't, he was resting at his corner when Chris PULLED him! Matt's neck was a fresh wound only healed a few days back, the massive blows to his spine now was very effective, Jericho pulling him in like that was . . . selfish. Though Matt expected an act like that, he just wasn't ready for it. Bubba Ray didn't pin, instead, from the blurred and pained sight, he saw the older man confronting Y2J and arguing about the tag,

"Our hands touched!" Chris was yelling, "It's just as that man! HE'S the legal man not me! Him! Matt Hardy!" Matt was sure Chris pointed.

"Snake!" Bubba screamed before returning his attention back into the match, by now, it was sure the Dudley's were winning.

The match continued on, along the way Matt finally got back his senses and managed to fight back with Bubba Ray, the end was near though, Matt felt it when he delivered a kick to Bubba's midsection, he was now radiating for the Twist of Fate. From the quick healing, Matt managed to connect a Side-Effect, a German-Suplex but with a 2 count, a Tornado DDT and now . . . he just might insert in his finisher. Matt's hair was a mess, the ponytail was opened a long time ago, his curls around his face but that didn't matter much. The Hardcore Champion flashed the V1 sign and proceeded to twist his own body to deliver it, however, Bubba countered!

The Dudley pushed Matt by his back and forwards into the ropes, what he and Matt didn't know however, was the awaiting blow.

Matt was stretched by his front against the west ropes, but there, a blue steel chair crushed against his skull which was moving FORWARDS, meaning the blow was more intense this way. In through the glimpse, Matt saw the moving structure, of the same betrayal man: his so called 'partner' – Y2J.

The chair crashed against Matt's head, sending him flying backwards but only to be caught in Bubba's grip, the Dudley lifted him up and connected the backdrop, the ref never saw the chair-shot. Bubba proceeded to cover Matt.

'1!' The boos from the crowd directed to the only person: Chris Jericho while he argued with some of them, chair in hand.

'2!' The ref's hand slapping against the mat confirmed the count. It was around this time when Jericho shot out a devilish grin and slid in the ring, without a moment's waste, before the ref could slap in the third count, Chris slammed the chair on Bubba's back. Moving him away from Matt.

For the Hardy, the sounds of the crowd were slowing, it was like it happened in complete slow-motion. Once again, through his blurred vision, Matt saw D-Von rushing to his brother's aide, only to be wrecked his skull against the chair held by Jericho. The bell was ringing continuously for the Disqualification of the match. Not that Jericho seemed to care.

He was the only man standing midst the rubble of Bubba ray Dudley, D-Von Dudley and Matt Hardy. Chris's sly smirk didn't leave his face though, instead, he looked at the fallen Hardy and raised his chair up in the sky, he crushed it down onto Matt's stretched back! The injured spine, the staggering of Matt's body resulted another hellish blow from the evil chair. Then a third blow, a forth, a fifth. The bell kept on ringing, but for Jericho, he wouldn't stop until the sixth one was delivered.

. . . and it connected, the pressure of the blow was enough but Jericho dropped the chair with extra-effort on top of Matt, he leaned down on the ground, turned the champion and covered. Ordering for the referee to pin. This time, it wasn't for the tag-match. This time, it was for the WWE Hardcore Championship.

'1!'

'2!'

'3!'

There was no way in hell Matt could've gotten up from that much punishment. Chris Jericho snatched the title on his way out of the ring, he rudely took the mike from Garcia's hand and announced himself the NEW Hardcore Champion, he snarled out into the crowd: "Y-2-J, Chris JERRRRRIIIICCHO!"

(To Be Continued)

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A/N: A promise is supposed to be a promise, the JEFF-TRISH part was a part of this chapter, but I had to put a TBC right up there! It just gives an edge to the fic baby! Thing is, since I got the rest of the chapter written, I'll post it on Wednesday! THIS Wednesday (A day from now), now was this a waste of everyone's time? you tell me!

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