A/N: I'm so sorry that it's taken me so long to update ANYTHING! A lot of shit has happened to me in the past year. With my mom passing away back in July, to working, to going to school, to moving, to this guy who's been goin back and forth between like 3 different girls for the past 4 or 5 months (me included in those girls)…….it's all been kinda over whelming. And for the longest time, no matter how long I sat at the computer, I couldn't come up with anything to post. But for some reason I was able to write the past couple of days. So I've been writing, singing again, and dancing again. All of which I'm very happy to able to get back into doing. I really hope this continues. Anyways, on with it, right?

"Jesus Hope! Who the hell kicked the shit outta you?!" Shannon exclaimed as she walked down the stairs of her father's home, meeting Shannon in the kitchen.

"No one," she replied cringing with every step she took.

"Liar! If I didn't know any better, I'd say you were wrestling again!" he laughed.

"No," she said. "I've just been working out again. I think I may have over done it."

"No shit!"

"Dude, are we gonna get out of here or what? I haven't hung out with you and Lizzie for WEEKS!!!"

"Try a month!"

"Alright, a month. Whatever! Point IS, I'm in the mood for some Liz and Shan lovin," Hope smiled.

"It's good to have you back babe. It's not the same in the group without you!" Shannon smiled as he wrapped his arms around his friend.

"Owe," she groaned with pain.

"Bade, you're not alright. This isn't just over doing it at the gym. What's wrong with you?" Shannon asked concerned as he gripped her shoulders lightly. "Are you dating someone who's beating you? I swear to fuckin God, if I find that guy, I will fuck him up!"

"Shannon, calm down. Don't worry about it. I'm dating anyone. It's……it……." Hope sighed as she looked into her friend's blue eyes. "I'm fine. I promise you. I know you worry about me. But this, you don't have to worry about. I would never let someone who beat into my life. You should know this." She smiled at him and kissed his cheek. "Can we go now?"

"Yeah, come one. But I WILL be talking to Jeff and Matt about this." He led the way out of the house as Hope hobbled behind him shaking his head.

"Shane, you have to go easier on me. Shannon was asking me all these questions today. He thinks someone is beating me!" Hope laughed as they walked towards the ring.

"Like anyone would dare beat you! Jesus, you've got like thousands of pounds worth of wrestlers around you!" Shane laughed as they started throwing mats down on the floor.

"But still. Shannon's getting worried."

"Maybe you need to talk to him. Maybe you need to tell him what's goin on. Maybe you need tell your brothers what happened."

"And MAYBE you need to keep your mouth shut!" Hope laughed.

"I will, I will. You're getting back to your old self in there. There's no way I'm messing with you!" Shane joked as Hope growled and dropped the mat in her hands. She broke into a sprint and grabbed the back Shane's head, slamming him face first into a running bull dog.

"You wanna screw with me again, Helms?" Hope smirked as she stood above him.

He rolled over laughing before he spoke. "If I really wanted to do some damage, I'd be mean and throw you over the ropes, WITHOUT the mats here!"

"Asshole."

"Bitch. Point being, whatever you THINK you can do, I can and will do it better than you."

"Oh please Shane. You're all talk and no action, first off. Second, you never could pin me in a match when we were kids."

"Hardy, I ALWAYS went easy on you. Cause well, you're a girl, and you're fragile. That's just the nature of the beast."

"Fuck you Helms. Fuck you. You're lucky I don't take your ass out right now."

Shane stood, laughing hysterically at the thought of her actually being able to beat him up. "You're a mother fuckin riot, Hardy. Really you are. Too funny," he said trying to compose himself. Hope stood there with her arms crossed. "Anyways, let's get on to part 3 and 4 of your therapy." Hope watched him slid into the ring, not budging from her spot. "Hope, come on. If you don't want to do this, tell me right now and we can both stop wasting our time."

She rolled her eyes at him and sighed, but followed him into the ring. "Alright, Helms, what's part 3?"

"Ready to fly again??" he grinned, almost evilly. He watched the color from her face drain as she looked the posts. She shook her head no and began to sweat profusely. Shane's grin faded and he gently held onto her hands. "You were one of the best fliers. You can do this. I have faith in you."

Hope closed her eyes tightly and remembered back to the simpler days. Back to when she wrestled and loved it. Back to when she wasn't scared. She did anything you could think of without fear. It was almost hard for her to imagine herself being able to do all those tricks off the posts, but she did, and she always felt so amazing when doing them. "Okay, I'm ready."

Shane nodded and they started off by doing baby steps. Starting from the bottom and working her way to the top. When she was comfortable enough to do 450 splashes off of the top, Shane knew it was time to work on moves outside of the ring.

"Shane, I'm not ready for part 4. I don't give a fuck what you think. I can't!"

"Never say you can't. That's the worst 4-letter word of them all!"

"Well, fuck you! Cause I CAN'T!!!"

"What would your mom think if she heard you saying this shit?"

"Oh, Shane. That's low. You know you don't fuckin bring up my mother, you asshole!" she screamed as she pushed him into the ropes. "What gives you the right to use my mother as a tactic to get me to do what you want?!"

Tears began flowing down her cheeks as Shane started to feel horrible about what he had just said. Hope somehow gained the strength and pushed him over the ropes, onto the mats around the ring. Shane just laid there and she continued to spout out hurtful words. He knew he deserved to be called all the names in the book. He didn't fight it. He let her get her emotions out. Then, as if silenced by God, she stopped screaming. Shane stood up slowly, as he couldn't see her leaning over the ropes like she had been. His eyes grew wide as she sprinted across the ring and over the ropes performing a planche. Tackling him to the mates, she growled. As she sat on his stomach, she angrily pushed his head down hard. She stood up and screamed one last time at him. He sat up, with a large smile on his face.

"I hope you die!" she grunted.

"Hope, do you realize what you just did?!" Shane exclaimed excitedly, jumping to his feet. She looked at him, crossed her arms, and rolled her eyes. "Hope, do you get it?!"

"No, I'm obviously too stupid to realize what I just did. Please inform me!" she replied angrily.

"You just did a mutha fuckin planche," he chuckled.

She squinted at him, shook here head, and grinned. "No, I, I, I didn't……….." She stopped and looked at where she stood and where she had been.

"Yeah, Hardy, you fuckin tackled me to the ground!"

She screamed excitedly and jumped into Shane's arms. He wrapped his arms around her tightly and swung her in a circle, celebrating her breakthrough. "I fuckin did it!" she laughed as they stopped moving. She looked into his eyes and began to blush. Her smile faded and she suddenly pushed him away into the ring. "Are we done for today?" She moved away from him and crossed her arms.

"What?!" he exclaimed in shock. He was positive she was going to kiss him. But alas, he was robbed.

"Are we done?" she repeated herself.

"No, I think we need to have a match and combine all your moves together. Get things flowing again," he replied slightly annoyed as he slid into the ring. She rolled her eyes and followed him.

"I'm gonna kill Helms," she groaned as she walked into the house after training.

"Hey Bade," Jeff spoke as she started to move past the living room. "Hope?" She turned to him and forced a smile through her pain. "What the hell happened to your eye? Did you get in a fight or something?" She shook her head and turned into the bathroom, looking at the mirror.

"Shit," she sighed before walking back to her concerned brother. "No, not really."

"What happened?" he questioned running to grab some ice from the freezer.

She followed him into the kitchen and sat at the table. "Shane and I were, um…….."

"Helms did this?!" Jeff yelled becoming enraged.

"Jeff, calm down. It's nothing like that. You know Shane could and would never hurt me or anyone else."

"He finally cracked didn't he? That's it! That fucker is mine!" Jeff yelled as he started to run off towards his car. Hope jumped up and ran after him, leaving the ice on the table.

"JEFFREY!!! STOP!!!" she yelled after him, but it was no use, Jeff was already speeding off, with dust flying behind him.

"What's goin on?" Lizzie asked as she watched the scene while walking up the drive way.

"I have to call Shane," Hope replied running into the house.

"Why? Hope, explain!"

Hope held up her hand to Lizzie, telling her to stop as Shane answered his ringing phone. As she explained the situation to him, the light bulb in Lizzie's head went off and everything began to click.

"You're training with Shane!" she exclaimed as Shannon walked in the door.

"Who's training with Shane?" he asked.

"Hope! She's wrestling again. That's why she's been in so much pain!" Lizzie laughed feeling as though she had just solved the biggest mystery in the world.

"What?! That's fuckin awesome!! Hope, why the hell didn't you tell me!" Shannon smiled.

"Shut up!" Hope growled, turning to her loud friends.

"Wait, hold up. You mean Jeff is on his way over here to kick my ass?! Hardy, I'm gonna fuckin kill you!" Shane screamed.

"I know, Shane. I'm so sorry," Hope replied feeling absolutely horrible about the situation.

Shane sighed and rubbed his face. "It's not your fault. I'll take my beating when he gets here."

"If there's anything I can do after, let me know. I'll do anything."

"Trust me, I'll be taking you up on that offer!" Shane chuckled.

As Hope hung up the phone, she turned to her friends, crossed her arms, and glared at them. "Do you guys always have to make my life a living hell?!" she growled.

"Were you makin it a livin hell Shan?" Lizzie questioned turning to the blonde.

"I didn't think so. I thought I was just being a good friend, but if she doesn't want a good friend, then I'm leaving. I don't have to take this bullshit," he replied putting his nose in the air and starting to walk away.

"I hate you guys!" Hope laughed grabbing Shannon's arm and pulling him back towards her, embracing him in a hug.

"So like are you fuckin him now??" Lizzie questioned abruptly crossing her arms.

"WHAT?!" Hope exclaimed, her face turning a shade of red.

"Well, like first you two went on that date."

"It was not a date," Hope interrupted.

"It was a date," Shannon and Lizzie nodded with matching grins. Hope just rolled her eyes and moved into the living room, flopping down on the couch, and burying her face in a pillow.

"Then you guys like start talking to each other everyday on the phone."

"So what?! He was there for me a few times. Big deal. It's called being friends."

"Friends with benefits is more like it," Shannon mumbled sitting on the arm of the couch.

"Shut up butt monkey," Hope snapped raising her head to look at him.

"And now you're wrestling with each other?"

"Yeah, so? How does that all equal me and him fucking?"

"Well, it all just kinda makes sense to me. There always was that pent up sexual tension between the two of you," Lizzie chuckled.

"Bit your tongue!" Hope gagged throwing the pillow at her friend.

Hope smiled as she walked down the hall of the arena. She had no pressing duties for the day and she had just finished sketching Crystal's wedding dress. She was having one hell of a good day. Not to mention her therapy with Shane was going extremely well. She had moved onto part 6, in-ring flying with no mats, and was very impressed she had made it this far in only 2 months. In fact, she was heading out to the ring to see if she could screw around with some of the guys, mainly her brothers and Shane. That was until she reached the end of the hall and heard a familiar voice to go along with very familiar spastic hair she saw. She stopped dead in her tracks just as the person ahead of her turned and faced her.

"Hope………."

She gasped when she heard her voice. It had been so long and it still hurt. "Sean," she breathed.

"How are you?" he questioned nervously as he looked towards the floor.

"I'm okay."

"You look good," he smiled. "I like the pink and blue hair."

"Thank you," she smiled.

They seemed to just stare at each other. Whether it be because they didn't know what to say to each other or because of nerves. It seemed as if they were rooted to the ground as well.

"I got brought up!" Sean broke the silence excitedly.

"That's great! I'm glad to hear it. You deserve to be here," she replied, truly happy for her ex-boyfriend.

"Thank you. It's good to be back, ya know?" he smiled. "Still doin the whole wardrobe thing, huh?"

"Yeah, well, it's my blood. But I'm wrestling a bit again too. Shane Helms is helping shake off some ring rust."

"That's good. You're probably kicking his ass pretty well, huh?"

"I do my fair share of bruising in the ring," she laughed. She studied his features, he didn't seem to have changed one bit. And she missed him. "Sean………"

"Yeah, Bade?"

"I missed you," she spoke sadly.

"Oh, um, I've missed you too," he replied with a half grin on his face.

"I think, well, I'm pretty sure, um, I still love you."

"Oh."

"Oh?" she chuckled a bit. "That's all you can say?"

"Well, you see, Hope," he sighed nervously. "Gees, how do I say this?"

"Oh, I get it. That's okay. You've moved on. That's fine. I understand. You have a new girlfriend," she grinned.

"No, well, kind of. I did have a girlfriend. For a few months anyways." He paused to look at her. She was still the same girl he thought he loved months ago. With the same form fitting band tee, baggy torn blue jeans, and worn in sneakers. "I'm newly married."

"What?!" She couldn't believe what he had just told her. It was unbelievable. In such a short amount of time he had gotten married and she couldn't even get a boyfriend, not that she had been trying. She slowly started to become angry, although she wasn't sure why.

"Shortly after we broke up, I met this girl, and I fell in love with her."

"You said you had fallen in love with me!"

"At the time I thought I had. But this girl was more than I ever could ask for. Last week we got married. I love her Bade."

"Hope, my name is Hope. You no longer have the right to call me Bade. That's reserved for people who actually love me."

"Hope, I do love you. Just not like I love Michelle," he replied reaching out to rub her arm.

She dodged his touched and glared at him. "Don't ever touch me."

"I don't know what to say. I'm sorry."

"No, don't. Just don't," Hope shook her head before turning on her heels and walking back to where she had come from.

She instantly sought out her new best friend, Shane Helms. She just wanted and needed a hug. When she finally found him, she basically jumped into his arms. He didn't say anything, just wrapped his arms tightly around her. They stood there for a while. She didn't mutter a word, and he didn't care.

When she finally pulled away, he looked down at her and gave her a warm smile, brushing hair off her face. The sad look on her face made him realize what had just happened. She had seen Sean and found out about his marriage. Something he, himself, knew about, but didn't have the heart to tell his friend.

"You know don't you?" she whispered.

"Yeah, I know. I'm sorry Bade. I probably should have told you."

"No, it's okay. I just wasn't good enough for him."

"No, that's not it at all! He wasn't good enough for you! Don't ever think otherwise."

"How did this happen so sudden?"

"That I don't know. Shit happens sweetie. It just does. You'll find someone better, eventually."

"Thank you," Hope smiled before grabbing him for another hug. "Sometimes you're a really great guy."

"Sometimes?!" Shane exclaimed as he broke away from her.

"Yeah, sometimes," she laughed.

"Whatever Hardy. I help you in the ring. I take beatings from you brother because he thought I was beating you. And I'm there for anything you need, but I'm only a good guy sometimes?!"

"Yeah, sometimes," she replied seriously. He growled at her causing her to break into a smile and take off running down the hall, with him running right after her.