Authors Note: This chapter just did NOT want to get written .. but I think I got it down. So yes, I'm aware that Matt is not out for 4-6 weeks, but the night of Backlash when we found out on thehardyshow forums that he had a broken hand, that was the general belief. So go with that, yes?

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Big huge hugs, thanks, and cookies to Brie Seven for the reviews!

Disclaimer: If I owned Matt Hardy, we'd all be in trouble. Emma Keating = mine all mine.

If This Isn't Love - Chapter 6


Emma paced across the small hotel room, twisting her hair back and forth and listening to Lucas snore from the bed. Beth's eyes followed her every step, watching from where she sat perched on one of the hotel chairs. Both women were waiting on pins and needles for the Hardy brothers return.

As soon as Jeff had hit the backstage area he confirmed Emma's worst fears."I heard something snap Em .. I'm so sorry," he'd said, his green eyes filled with emotion. She had gone numb at that moment, not knowing what to say, do, or feel. Matt had come back a few moments later clutching his wrist, his face contorted in pain. He'd tried to mask it for Emma's sake as the trainer took a look at it and confirmed he needed to be transfered to a hospital and get x-rays.

"You guys go back to the hotel," Jeff had ordered, which took Emma by surprise. Jeff was never one to tell anyone what to do. "I'll go with Matt and we'll be there soon."

"No," Emma had started to argue, but Matt silenced her with a look.

"Go Em. Take care of Lucas. We'll be back soon," Jeff had promised.

"I love you," she'd said to Matt, who only nodded as he and Jeff hopped into the ambulance with security. Beth had taken her hand and led her to the rental car, and everything else had been a blur.

The hours had ticked by painfully slowly as Emma went over the evenings events in her head time and time again. A bunch of guys from the company had come by the room to see if Matt was back yet, see if they had any updates, but each time they were sent away with the promise that they'd be updated as soon as possible. Shane had taken to calling Emma's phone every 15 minutes, and every time the phone rang Emma jumped with hopefulness only to look at the screen and sigh in disappointment.

How could this have happened? It kept going through Emma's head over and over again. They had run through the match several times, never missing a beat, never a step .. it wasn't the same as in front of a live crowd though, Emma knew. The lights were different, the adrenaline was pumping, the crowd was cheering, flashes going off .. it was lucky that Matt wasn't injured worse. The thought that he could have been injured worse nearly brought her to her knees.

She was so engrossed in her thoughts that she didn't even hear the card slide into the door, but sure enough it opened and in walked Jeff and Matt, both looking completely exhausted, still in their ring attire. Emma's eyes immediately went to Matt's right forearm, where a cast covered his skin from knuckles to just below his elbow. She covered her mouth with her hand, trying to get her emotions in check, as Jeff sighed.

"Hey," Matt said, his voice dangerously calm, a sure sign that he had quite recently been majorly upset.

"I suppose saying 'don't kill me' again would be asking too much?" Jeff asked, trying to lighten the mood. Emma couldn't even pretend to smile.

"It's not your fault Jeff," she said quietly, staring at the cast on Matt's hand.

"No Jeff, it's not," Matt repeated, his words crisp. "It's my own damn fault for fucking up the positioning, and guess what? Now I get to be out for almost two months, so there goes my heel push! But you know, it's not like I haven't worked half my life for the damn thing!" Matt threw the small duffel bag he had been holding in his left hand against the wall, causing everyone else in the room to jump at his outburst.

"Hey man," Jeff started, taking a step towards him. Matt held up both his hands.

"Just .. don't, okay? It's fine." Matt turned around and walked into the bathroom, closing the door with a loud thud. A few seconds later the sound of water could be heard running from the bathtub.

Jeff exhaled loudly, rocking back on his heels with his hands in his pockets. "Well, that went better than in the hospital," he said. Beth shook her head and walked over to stand with him. "He broke his wrist in three different places," Jeff reported to the women. "Doctor told him he'd be out for 4-6 weeks more than likely .. he was pissed to say the least. He's got a meeting with Vince at the arena tomorrow to see what they're gonna do." He ran his hand through his multi-colored hair, sighing again.

"You guys go get some sleep," Emma said, seeing how exhausted Jeff was as well. This night had been hard on him too.

"You sure?" Beth asked, and Emma nodded.

"Nothing we haven't handled before, right?" she said, smiling sadly. Jeff and Beth returned her smile.

"I'll update Shane so she can stop blowing up your phone," Beth said, grabbing her purse from the bed as Jeff opened the door joining the two rooms.

"Thanks," Emma said, moving to pick up the contents of the bag that had spilled out when Matt threw it.

"If you need us we're a room away," Jeff said, and Emma nodded as he closed the door behind him. Emma listened to be sure that the water was still running in the bathroom. When she was sure that it was, she sat back against the bed, surrounded by Matt's street clothes and random wrestling items, and cried.

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