Story Title: Splintered
Author: Tammi aka Skittlezlvr79
Category: Wrestling/Het
Rating: T
Pairing: Trish/Jeff, Trish/Carlito
Summary: Tag to Tangled Web. Trish deals with Jeff's return and the feelings that come with it.
Disclaimer: No infringement is intended and I don't own the people used in this work of fiction. They belong to themselves. The company and their respective onscreen persona's belong to Vince McMahon and the World Wrestling Entertainment.
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Trish sat on the bench with her head in her hands, frustrated with herself. She wanted to be thinking about her upcoming segment with Amy, not about Jeff Hardy. But it seemed like her brain wouldn't cooperate with her will. The more she tried to push her ex from her mind, the more she thought about him and the complicated past they shared. Remembering their time together still hurt, like a knife tearing through her heart but that didn't stop the all too vivid images from dancing across her mind.
Three years later and she still hadn't been able to let go. Sure, she had tried move on and distracted herself from the pain. Professionally, she pushed herself to get better in the ring, intent on becoming the best women's wrestler since the Fabulous Moolah. Personally, she dated other guys and found hobbies outside of wrestling to occupy her time. It seemed like the plan was working or maybe she convinced herself it was. Either way, she had felt happier than she had in a very long time.
That is, until Jeff Hardy made his triumphant return to the WWE. She had heard the rumors but didn't believe them. Ever since he left the company, there had been rumors of a comeback that never took place. So why would it be any different this time? But then Vince announced that it was official and she felt her heart sink. Of course that was nothing compared to when he walked into the production meeting two weeks ago. Seeing him again, in the flesh, had brought all the hurt and anger she buried back to the surface.
She had been going out of her way to avoid him, not that he seemed to be seeking her out either, because she wasn't ready to talk to him. Not when she knew that any conversation would turn into a heated discussion. The things she wanted to say to him, the questions she needed answers to, would have to wait until her head was clearer. Until she found some way to immune herself to the hypnotically melodic drawl of his voice, the compelling intensity of his emerald eyes, the chills that his adorable smile had always given her…
She swallowed thickly around the lump trying to form in her throat, mentally reprimanding her. "Stop it, just stop."
Why was she inflicting this torture on herself by getting carried away with the past? It was dead and buried. There would be no repeat. She had Carlito now. And while she didn't feel the same way about him that she had felt about Jeff, she knew that she could trust him.
Of course, once upon a time, she thought she could trust Jeff. Hell, she would have staked her like her on it. She thought that they'd get married, have kids and live the happily ever after the fairytales always promised. But that assumption had been wrong, very wrong…
He lied to her.
Used his drug addiction to create a barrier between them.
Cheated on her.
Broke her heart.
Her eyes closed as the anguish washed over her, her mind assailed with questions. What happened to the woman who vowed not to ever let him get to her again? Would it ever stop hurting? Why did he have to come back now, when things had been going good for her? Couldn't he have waited for a couple of more years until she was completely over him?
With a groan, she shook her head to clear her thoughts. In life everything happened for a reason. She wasn't going to allow herself to dwell on his return because it didn't change anything. They were nothing more than co-workers now. Two people who shared a job and nothing else.
Trish got to her feet, taking a deep breath. She wasn't going to waste anymore time thinking about Jeff and their ill-fated relationship. There were other, more important things she had to worry about. Like her job. She still needed to get together with Amy and work exactly how it was going to go down. Then she had to talk strategy with Carlito for his match tonight.
Amy was probably waiting for her in catering and would be pissed that she was late. She expelled a breath loudly, mentally preparing herself for an inevitable lecture from the redhead as she headed out of her locker room. The hallways were still pretty empty, save for the sound and technical crews setting up, and she was glad for it. In her current frame of mind, she wasn't prepared to be the bouncy, happy-go-lucky woman that her coworkers had come to expect.
When she got to the catering area, she frowned. It was empty but the food and drinks had already been set up. She grabbed a bottle of water and a cookie then took a seat at the table by the door. Since she had beaten Amy there, she could turn the tables and rib the woman's champ for her tardiness.
The minutes dragged on and still no Amy. Or anyone else for that matter. Her frown deepened to a scowl and her brows knitted together. Had she been so lost in thought that she misjudged what time it was? Was the production meeting going on now?
She was about to jump up from her seat and run to the conference room when she heard someone enter the room. Figuring it had to be her tardy friend, she smiled. "You know, it took you long enough to get here. I've been waiting for a long time..."
Their footsteps halted abruptly at the sound of her voice. But the person made no move to leave or respond to her greeting.
"Amy?"
Her question went unanswered. It obviously wasn't the other diva that had entered the room. She closed her eyes in dismay because she thought that she felt a presence that she hadn't felt in years. Three long, painful years to be exact. Goosebumps rose on her flesh and she slowly turned in her seat, her brown eyes locking on all too familiar green ones.
Her heartbeat increased to a painful hammering, "Jeff."