Disclaimer: I own nadaaa! :)
A/N: UGH. I feel like shit. Got an x-ray and blood work taken today... long story. But I have an update. Thanks to those who have reviewed, read, etc. Keep it comin'! :) And enjoy!
Chapter Two:
"Shannon!" Beth Britt groaned as he walked into Matt's house, again without knocking. He ignored her scold and continued into the livingroom, flopping on the couch without looking up to the agitated Beth. "They're not here yet. They won't be for a couple hours."
"I'll wait," Shannon replied tonelessly.
Beth looked at him for a moment, studying the male blonde with a curious expression. "What's gotten up your ass, Shan?" she asked tauntingly, leaning against the couch he sat on. Just as she went to swat at him, little Lucas came jogging in, wagging his tail and yipping.
"I don't want to talk about it yet. Wait until Matt and Jeff are back."
"What happened?" Beth demanded now, sitting down next to him, her teasing on. "Did something happen at the shop?"
"You can say that."
"Were you robbed? Did something—"
"No, Beth. Again, I'm not talking about it until they get back. Please," he pleaded, green eyes bleeding into her brown ones. She stared into them for a moment, before politely getting up and heading into the kitchen. Even though she respected his plea, Beth couldn't help but stare from the kitchen, watching Shannon stare into space without much emotion on his face. He looked zombie-like, as if someone had tore the part of his brain that included his personality out.
She sighed, sitting down. Why couldn't Matt and Jeff get back quicker? She was used to Shannon Moore walking into Matt's house without knocking (because he did on a frequent basis and nearly scared the shit out of her each time) but never before did he do so without a smile on his boyish features.
"Shan—" she started, but stopped herself. What was she going to ask him? He already said he wasn't going to tell her. Beth slumped to the back of the seat in defeat, unable to figure out his problem. Only could she wait for her boyfriend and Matt to return, in hopes to learn whatever was bothering Shannon.
-
"Honey, I'm home!" called a familiar voice, one that belonged to Matt Hardy. He came bounding into the kitchen (without a look to where Shannon sat) and dropped his gym bag on the floor. Jeff came in after him, a bit quieter than his elder. Matt grinned as Beth rolled her eyes.
"How was the trip home?" she asked coolly.
"Long," Jeff replied, sitting down in the seat next to her, kissing her cheek.
"Glad to be home?"
Jeff nodded eagerly. "Very."
"Well, I hate to break it to you guys, but we've got a small problem."
Matt eyed Beth as she pointed beyond her. "Shannon's in a funk of some sort. Wouldn't tell me why and said he was waiting for you fools to come home."
"Shannon's here?" Jeff asked, turning around. "Shit… I didn't even see him."
"He's quiet," Matt agreed. "Yo, Shan, what's up?"
Shannon didn't budge when Matt called him. This confused Matt and he looked at Beth for an answer. "Don't look at me," she replied defensively. "He was like this when he got here. Won't say anything."
"Weird," Matt mumbled, walking into the livingroom. "Yo, reject. What's going on, man?"
Shannon peered up. "Nothin'," he grumbled.
Jeff shot a look at Beth, who only shrugged. "I told you."
Matt looked at Shannon again, eyes narrowed. "Man… what's the matter?" he tried again.
Shannon stood up, not looking Matt in the eye as he walked into the kitchen and leaned against a counter. "Something happened at work today. Somethin' fucked up."
"Doesn't something fucked up happen everyday there?" Jeff joked.
Shannon shot him a death glare. "I'm being serious."
"Sorry," Jeff grumbled. "Are you at least gonna fucking tell us? Shit, man."
"Yeah. I got a call today from a social worker in Georgia."
"Is she hot?" Matt asked curiously.
Beth groaned. "Stupid ass."
"No, she called to tell me that my father died in a car accident yesterday."
Almost immediately, everyone began to apologize and talk at once. It took a moment for Beth to calm everyone down; noticing Shannon seemed to be holding more than that in. "Shannon?" Beth asked carefully. "Is that all?"
"They told me I had a sister."
"What?" Matt asked with a laugh. "Stop shitting us, man. You're an only child."
"Not according to this fucking lady! She told me that we share the same father. They're trying to find her mother, to make sure it's not some crazy mistake. I don't know what the fuck is going on."
"Wait, wait," Jeff said, looking up. "How old is this sister?"
"Eighteen."
"What would mean…?"
Shannon nodded. "If she's truly my fucking sister, my father fucking cheated on my mother."
Matt peered up then. "Wasn't that around the time your parents started to have problems?"
Shannon nodded again. "I feel so fucking fucked. I have a sister I didn't even know existed. My father is dead… God only knows if my fucking mother has any idea of this. Shit, man," Shannon yelled, collapsing into a chair.
"Shannon, look, if there is anything—" Matt started, but Shannon waved him off, nodding. "Ask," he finished. "You know I don't mind helping in any way."
Beth and Jeff were quick to agree. "Us too."
"But wait," Matt started again. "You have a sister. Anything else? Why'd they call you… other to alert you of your father's death?"
"They want me to take her in," Shannon added quietly. "Her name is Coral and she lives in a suburb of Atlanta. She's still in high school so the state doesn't feel comfortable with her living on her own. Figures when she goes to college in the fall that everything will be good. But they want someone to live with her even though she's legal."
"What about her mother?"
"Doesn't give a damn."
"Shit," Beth mumbled. "So…"
"I just don't know," Shannon mumbled too. "I just don't fuckin' know."
--
"Has Shannon heard anything?" Beth asked Jeff the next day, after he'd just gotten off the phone with the reject himself. She leaned against Jeff, who seemed utterly exhausted himself. It worried her when he got like that because she feared he'd start to use again. "Jeff?"
"Not yet. He's going to call the social worker in a few. The woman called him about an hour ago, said they had gotten in touch with her mother, but she wasn't being cooperative so they told him to call back."
"This is so fucked up." Beth leaned onto Jeff more, sighing. "Who just doesn't tell their son that they have a sibling?"
"I don't know," Jeff admitted. "I mean, I've known his dad for years. Nice guy. His parents had an ugly divorce. Haven't seen him in about ten years though."
"Fucked up," Beth repeated. "So fucked up."
"I know… where is Matt?"
"He went to the gym. Said he'd head over to Gas Chamber after to check up on Shannon. He's really fucked up right now. Between loosing his father and the lies it seems he had told before his death… y'know?"
Beth nodded glumly. "Fuc—"
"I know," Jeff said with a laugh, kissing her cheek. Beth blushed. "It's fucked up. I know."
"Well it is," Beth demanded.
--
Matt Hardy drove quickly around North Carolina, exiting the parking lot of his gym. He sighed, wondering if there was any update in Shannon's case. Surely when he got to Gas Chamber Ink, he'd find out. Stopping for a McDonald's shake first, he sipped it quietly as he pulled in from the highway, seeing Shannon's huge ass Hummer first thing. For some reason, he took it as a good sign that Shannon had not fled the state yet in insanity.
He parked his car and got out, ready to hear whatever was new. Only when he stepped through the doors of Gas Chamber, all he heard was Shannon's voice yelling from the back room. Both Shane and Tizzie were seated behind the desk, staring at the room.
"What's going on?" Matt demanded.
Shane answered, "No clue. He's yelling at some woman on the phone."
Matt realized then that he had no idea of what was going on. Without another glance at them he headed toward the back, listening closer, "I don't give a fuck if she's gone to school there all her life! If you want me to take her in, she's coming to North Carolina…"
There was a silence, insinuating that the person on the other line was talking.
"Listen, man. I own a tattoo parlor, I can't just pick up and damn well leave. I know it's hard to leave a school when you've been there your entire life! But I stand no choice here."
Another silence.
"Yes, that's alright. No, I'm sorry. This is all very frustrating," Shannon said in a much calmer voice. "I understand. I mean, this is hard on all of us. Truthfully, my father never even made me aware that I had a sibling."
Silence.
"When is the funeral?" There was sounds of shuffling inside of the room, and the scribbling of pen across a paper. "Okay, I got it. I'll be heading down there… yes. I know, yes. I'll clear my schedule, don't worry about it."
Silence.
"I have space for her, don't worry. I own a pretty big house… no, yes. She can take whatever she wants with her, I don't care. I own a Hummer so space really isn't a problem."
Silence.
"So we'll finish all the details out when I head down there? Okay. Sounds good. Look, I'm sorry for my outburst, like—"
Silence.
"Okay. Thank you, Mrs. Jessup. You too… bye." There was the sound of a phone closing. Then Shannon came out into view, seeing Matt staring. "Don't ask," he grumbled. "Shane, Tizzie?"
Both of the employees shot their heads up quickly. "Yeah?" Shane asked.
"I'm going out for a bit, probably for lunch. Can y'all handle the shop?"
Tizzie smiled. "Of course, Shan. Go ahead, we understand."
He nodded quickly and then turned his attention to Matt. "You coming, man, or not?" Matt nodded quickly as Shannon practically ran to grab his keys and dove out the front door.
Moments later, both Matt and Shannon were in Shannon's hummer. "So…?"
Shannon looked up, eyes soft yet glazed over. "They say the mother is whacked out on cocaine in a hospital and unable to even remember her own name, let alone care for a teenager. I'm her only other living relative they know of. She comes home with me after the funeral... to live with me."
"When is the funeral?" Matt asked calmly, trying to stay rational in a situation that had come about so suddenly. He fiddled with some lint on his shirt, trying to figure out what to say to make Shannon feel better or at least know he wasn't alone in this.
"Two days from now," Shannon replied.
"Do you want me to come with you? I'm not on the road for a few more days. I'll help."
"You don't have to, Matt."
"But I want to, Shan. We're best friends. Let me feel useful," Matt replied again, a bit more of a push to his voice. Truthfully, he knew Shannon couldn't handle this on his own.
"Fine."
Matt nodded, sitting quietly. It was silent as Shannon drove. Matt didn't know where Shannon was headed for lunch but didn't dare interrupt him.
Only, Shannon did. "Shit, man," Shannon moaned, pulling over near a patch of woods. "How the fuck am I going to take care of a teenager?" he asked quietly. "I can barely take care of myself, let alone take in some girl who apparently is my sister I've never met."
"It's going to be okay, Shan."
"No, it's not." Shannon glared out the window, staring into the daylight. It was a beautiful day in North Carolina, even for early January. Only, in everyone involved mind's, it was pouring the rain down.
"Yes, it is. Look, it's not like she's ten or anything. You said yourself she's eighteen. Basically an adult. It'll be like hanging out with—"
"She doesn't even know me, man. I can't imagine what's going through her mind. Going to live with some creep she's never even heard of? She's a chick and a hell of a lot younger than I am!"
Matt was becoming lost for words. He didn't know what to say to Shannon anymore. Instead, he simply hung his head and sighed.
Shannon sighed too and pulled back onto the road.
A/N: Hmm, I wonder what will happen next. ;) Ugh... I feel like shit. Hmm, I'll have an update soon. Read and review please!! :)