Title: A Wrinkle in Time
Author: Crimson Coin Crimson_Coin@yahoo.com
Rating: Varies by chapter . we'll place PG13 to R and then NC 17 when noted.
Spoilers: Not much really.
Summery: Moments from the lives of multiple couples highlighted.
TimeLine: starts in the summer of 2002. NOBODY was injured.
Pairings: Jeff/Lita. Jericho/Trish. Christian/Torrie. Edge/Stephanie
Disclaimer: I'm working on owning something, but it sure as hell ain't the WWE
Archiving: You are more then welcome, just give me credit.
+++
The light was still there. Jeff looked to it. "If I'm alive, then why am I still here?"
"Because you have much to learn." A voice said from behind.
Jeff froze, wide-eyed at the voice he recognized. "Mom?" he turned. "MOM!"
She smiled. "That's right. Now what have you been doing? You're ruining your life." Jeff ducked his head and she hushed him, reaching out. "Oh, son, no no. Don't worry. It's not your time. There's just some things you need to see."
The arena faded into a white fog, the fog cleared and he was in a hotel room. Christian lay on the bed, his ribs wrapped, Torrie standing at the window. Jeff looked to his mother. "Wait ..."
"It's been five hours since your match."
"Already?"
"There's no time here, son."
Jeff looked back to his friends, observing.
+++
Torrie spun, her eyes intense on Christian. "Jason, don't you dare. Jeff's condition is not your fault."
Christian started to cry. "Yes, it is." He sat up. "I dropped him. I shoulda been able to hold on. Didn't you see the look on Lita's face? She blames me."
Torrie was instantly at his side, her hands stroking his face and hair. "No. She doesn't blame you. You saved his life by taking the brunt of his fall." Her hands now gentle over his ribs. "You broke four ribs protecting him."
"But he still died."
She pulled his head to her shoulder and he clung to her like she was a lifeline. "He's alive now." She reassured. "He's alive. You did everything you could, and I'm so proud of you. I'm so proud. You saved a man's life."
"All the good it did." He sobbed. "My best friend is in a coma."
She pushed his head back, brushing his tears. You're best friend's alive. You saved a man's life." She kissed his lips. "I love you so much, Baby."
"How can you love me? I killed a man."
"You kept a man alive, at your own expense. How many times do I have to tell you?"
Another tear dropped. "I still feel guilty."
"Well don't." she commanded, getting on the bed and laying down. She pulled him down too and he lay on his side, his head on her shoulder, arms around her waist.
He winced. "Oh God." Then rolled onto his back and she resituated herself, her head pillowed on his shoulder, hand at the center of his chest. They lay there, silent.
Jeff turned to his mother. "He shouldn't feel guilty."
"No, he shouldn't. But this moment will haunt him the rest of his life. Come, there is still more for you to see."
+++
Jeff looked around the newest room, another hotel room. Chris Jericho stood at the bed stand, a letter in his hand. "What's going on?" Jeff asked.
Chris turned, picking up one of his Jericho-holic T-shirts and he brought it to his nose, inhaling. "Oh God," and Chris collapsed onto the bed, crying, the letter still in hand.
"Mom?"
She sighed. "Trish left him. That shirt is what she wore to bed every night. The letter is ... she poured her heart out to him, told him everything. How long she's cared for him, wanted him, that every night she pictured him on that beach in her fantasies. Or what she wanted to do to him ... in his fantasies. And how she's a fool for thinking he could change. Left no address, no contact ... she's simply gone."
"Oh my God, did they fight?"
"That's not for me to tell."
Jeff shook his head, looking at his sobbing friend. "Chris did change. He ... He's never been so head over heels for any girl in his life. It ... It was all so perfect for them. Wha ... what happened?"
She turned to meet her son's eyes. "A combination of their pasts, their tempers, raging hormones and emotions. Sound familiar?"
His shoulders sagged. "Lita."
There's that damn fog again.
+++
Jeff glanced around; his body lying in a bed, tubes and IV's everywhere. Lita sat cuddled in the arms of none other than, Edge. "Mom?"
"It's been a week since your match. Look at her. Watch. Listen."
"Adam, he ... he doesn't love me." She said softly.
Jeff's eyes flew to his mother's. "What? Why the hell ..."
"Listen." She commanded. "Just watch."
Edge shook his head. "That's not true, honey. That's not true and you know it."
"No, it is. He didn't let me kiss him ... before the match and he ... he basically said my ... my love wasn't enough ... for him."
Edge rubbed his hands over her back. "Oh honey, he probably was just having one of his moments. He loves you. He really does."
"I ... I ... I just don't know anymore."
Edge eased her back, softly kissing her cheek in comfort, friendship. A tear slipped from her eye and he pulled her in to another hug. "Shhhh..."
Jeff's eyes fired. "Who in the HELL does he think he is kissing my woman?"
"Would you calm down." His mother chided. "You have nothing to worry about. His heart belongs to another."
"Who?"
"Over there."
The door swung open. "Lita, sweetheart, how are you?" the woman walked in, kneeling in front of Edge, her hand reaching for the redhead's.
"Oh God, Steph," Lita sniffled. "He ... he doesn't even know how I feel."
Stephanie McMahon squeezed her friend's hand. "He knows, honey. He knew and don't worry. He'll be just fine. That boy is far to stubborn to leave this world."
Lita buried her head into Edge's neck and the blonde man sighed. "Shhh ... that's right honey. Let it all out."
The redhead shook her head, pushing off her lap. "No, I ... I have to ... I'm gonna go to the bathroom."
"Do you want me to come?" Steph asked.
"No, I'll ... I'll be fine." Lita said with a shaky voice, walking to the door.
Edge stood. "We'll be right here when you get back."
The door closed and Stephanie threw herself into Edge's arms, her arms wrapped around his neck. "I've missed you so much."
"Same here." He crushed his mouth to hers in a sound kiss.
Jeff looked wide-eyed at his mother. "But Paul?"
"is a real bastard. Steph is only with him because of the child." His mother explained. "The sad part is, that baby recognizes this man as her father. Paul ... Paul is a violent man. She's afraid to leave and Adam won't let her go. So he remains her comfort, lover, companion, only in the shadows. Jeff, don't you see? Everyone has there problems and insecurities. Now pull yourself together. Before you lose that girl for good."
There was a flash of light and Jeff jumped. "What was that?"
"It's three weeks later. Make everything right, Jeffrey. Make everything right."
+++
Jeff's eyes fluttered open and he looked around the room. Weakly, he lifted his hand. A few moments and he felt a warm touch on his head, then strength filled him. His muscles no longer tired; his mind sharp and his heartbeat and breathing were normal. "Thank you, Lord." He whispered. "Thanks, Mom." He smiled, pulling the IV from his arm. The nurses charged him, stopping at the sight. He chuckled. "Hi, ladies. I'd really like to go home now."
*** See, I didn't kill him. Next we have Jeff's confrontation with Lita ... and we start diving into the Edge/Stephanie part. ***
Author: Crimson Coin Crimson_Coin@yahoo.com
Rating: Varies by chapter . we'll place PG13 to R and then NC 17 when noted.
Spoilers: Not much really.
Summery: Moments from the lives of multiple couples highlighted.
TimeLine: starts in the summer of 2002. NOBODY was injured.
Pairings: Jeff/Lita. Jericho/Trish. Christian/Torrie. Edge/Stephanie
Disclaimer: I'm working on owning something, but it sure as hell ain't the WWE
Archiving: You are more then welcome, just give me credit.
+++
The light was still there. Jeff looked to it. "If I'm alive, then why am I still here?"
"Because you have much to learn." A voice said from behind.
Jeff froze, wide-eyed at the voice he recognized. "Mom?" he turned. "MOM!"
She smiled. "That's right. Now what have you been doing? You're ruining your life." Jeff ducked his head and she hushed him, reaching out. "Oh, son, no no. Don't worry. It's not your time. There's just some things you need to see."
The arena faded into a white fog, the fog cleared and he was in a hotel room. Christian lay on the bed, his ribs wrapped, Torrie standing at the window. Jeff looked to his mother. "Wait ..."
"It's been five hours since your match."
"Already?"
"There's no time here, son."
Jeff looked back to his friends, observing.
+++
Torrie spun, her eyes intense on Christian. "Jason, don't you dare. Jeff's condition is not your fault."
Christian started to cry. "Yes, it is." He sat up. "I dropped him. I shoulda been able to hold on. Didn't you see the look on Lita's face? She blames me."
Torrie was instantly at his side, her hands stroking his face and hair. "No. She doesn't blame you. You saved his life by taking the brunt of his fall." Her hands now gentle over his ribs. "You broke four ribs protecting him."
"But he still died."
She pulled his head to her shoulder and he clung to her like she was a lifeline. "He's alive now." She reassured. "He's alive. You did everything you could, and I'm so proud of you. I'm so proud. You saved a man's life."
"All the good it did." He sobbed. "My best friend is in a coma."
She pushed his head back, brushing his tears. You're best friend's alive. You saved a man's life." She kissed his lips. "I love you so much, Baby."
"How can you love me? I killed a man."
"You kept a man alive, at your own expense. How many times do I have to tell you?"
Another tear dropped. "I still feel guilty."
"Well don't." she commanded, getting on the bed and laying down. She pulled him down too and he lay on his side, his head on her shoulder, arms around her waist.
He winced. "Oh God." Then rolled onto his back and she resituated herself, her head pillowed on his shoulder, hand at the center of his chest. They lay there, silent.
Jeff turned to his mother. "He shouldn't feel guilty."
"No, he shouldn't. But this moment will haunt him the rest of his life. Come, there is still more for you to see."
+++
Jeff looked around the newest room, another hotel room. Chris Jericho stood at the bed stand, a letter in his hand. "What's going on?" Jeff asked.
Chris turned, picking up one of his Jericho-holic T-shirts and he brought it to his nose, inhaling. "Oh God," and Chris collapsed onto the bed, crying, the letter still in hand.
"Mom?"
She sighed. "Trish left him. That shirt is what she wore to bed every night. The letter is ... she poured her heart out to him, told him everything. How long she's cared for him, wanted him, that every night she pictured him on that beach in her fantasies. Or what she wanted to do to him ... in his fantasies. And how she's a fool for thinking he could change. Left no address, no contact ... she's simply gone."
"Oh my God, did they fight?"
"That's not for me to tell."
Jeff shook his head, looking at his sobbing friend. "Chris did change. He ... He's never been so head over heels for any girl in his life. It ... It was all so perfect for them. Wha ... what happened?"
She turned to meet her son's eyes. "A combination of their pasts, their tempers, raging hormones and emotions. Sound familiar?"
His shoulders sagged. "Lita."
There's that damn fog again.
+++
Jeff glanced around; his body lying in a bed, tubes and IV's everywhere. Lita sat cuddled in the arms of none other than, Edge. "Mom?"
"It's been a week since your match. Look at her. Watch. Listen."
"Adam, he ... he doesn't love me." She said softly.
Jeff's eyes flew to his mother's. "What? Why the hell ..."
"Listen." She commanded. "Just watch."
Edge shook his head. "That's not true, honey. That's not true and you know it."
"No, it is. He didn't let me kiss him ... before the match and he ... he basically said my ... my love wasn't enough ... for him."
Edge rubbed his hands over her back. "Oh honey, he probably was just having one of his moments. He loves you. He really does."
"I ... I ... I just don't know anymore."
Edge eased her back, softly kissing her cheek in comfort, friendship. A tear slipped from her eye and he pulled her in to another hug. "Shhhh..."
Jeff's eyes fired. "Who in the HELL does he think he is kissing my woman?"
"Would you calm down." His mother chided. "You have nothing to worry about. His heart belongs to another."
"Who?"
"Over there."
The door swung open. "Lita, sweetheart, how are you?" the woman walked in, kneeling in front of Edge, her hand reaching for the redhead's.
"Oh God, Steph," Lita sniffled. "He ... he doesn't even know how I feel."
Stephanie McMahon squeezed her friend's hand. "He knows, honey. He knew and don't worry. He'll be just fine. That boy is far to stubborn to leave this world."
Lita buried her head into Edge's neck and the blonde man sighed. "Shhh ... that's right honey. Let it all out."
The redhead shook her head, pushing off her lap. "No, I ... I have to ... I'm gonna go to the bathroom."
"Do you want me to come?" Steph asked.
"No, I'll ... I'll be fine." Lita said with a shaky voice, walking to the door.
Edge stood. "We'll be right here when you get back."
The door closed and Stephanie threw herself into Edge's arms, her arms wrapped around his neck. "I've missed you so much."
"Same here." He crushed his mouth to hers in a sound kiss.
Jeff looked wide-eyed at his mother. "But Paul?"
"is a real bastard. Steph is only with him because of the child." His mother explained. "The sad part is, that baby recognizes this man as her father. Paul ... Paul is a violent man. She's afraid to leave and Adam won't let her go. So he remains her comfort, lover, companion, only in the shadows. Jeff, don't you see? Everyone has there problems and insecurities. Now pull yourself together. Before you lose that girl for good."
There was a flash of light and Jeff jumped. "What was that?"
"It's three weeks later. Make everything right, Jeffrey. Make everything right."
+++
Jeff's eyes fluttered open and he looked around the room. Weakly, he lifted his hand. A few moments and he felt a warm touch on his head, then strength filled him. His muscles no longer tired; his mind sharp and his heartbeat and breathing were normal. "Thank you, Lord." He whispered. "Thanks, Mom." He smiled, pulling the IV from his arm. The nurses charged him, stopping at the sight. He chuckled. "Hi, ladies. I'd really like to go home now."
*** See, I didn't kill him. Next we have Jeff's confrontation with Lita ... and we start diving into the Edge/Stephanie part. ***