Dark Saviour

Chapter 23 - Unwanted Phone Calls

….

Back at the hotel:

Undertaker was stretched out on his bed, flicking through the channels available on the hotel television. He watched blindly as channel after channel passed by, his thoughts far from paying attention to the screen, his finger pushing the buttons on the remote by reflex alone. His mind was instead, focused on the man that was currently in the shower. No matter how hard he tried, he just couldn't get Jeff out of his head and he hated himself for it.

What the hell is wrong with me? Taker thought bitterly, his brow furrowing slightly in confusion. I have never felt like this before. What the hell is happening to me? Am I really going soft? Did Chris make me weak?

The light from the television flickered across Undertaker's face as his mind continued to run around in circles. He tried desperately tried to stop himself from thinking about Chris, his apparent weaknesses, and most of all from the torturous thoughts he had about the man in the shower. Taker was so lost within his own mind that he didn't even notice when his entire body became still, the remote falling from his grip. Undertaker closed his eyes as he lost the battle that had been keeping his memories of Chris and his guilt at bay. As his emotions slowly began to tear him apart, Taker sighed and lay down fully.

"That's an interesting show. I didn't know you liked that kind of thing?"

Taker's eyes flew open, startled at the sudden intrusion on his thoughts. Blinking rapidly, clearing the mist from his eyes, he sat up on his elbows. "What are you talking about?"

Jeff nodded at the television bring the Deadman's attention to the screen. Undertaker instantly cursed under his breath and turned off the television, hoping his cheeks weren't turning red in embarrassment.

"Aw, didn't you want to see the good part?" Jeff laughed.

"What good part?" Taker asked, thankful the only light currently was coming from the street lamps outside the window, which kept the room dark enough to hide the heat he felt rising in his cheeks.

"When they actually start having some, what did Shawn say, fun?"

Taker shook his head. "Has Shawn's weirdness infected you too?"

"No," Jeff laughed, fully enjoying the fact that he was able to tease the Deadman again. "I'm weird enough on my own."

"True," Taker nodded. "You are weird all by yourself."

"Thanks," Jeff replied, rolling his eyes sarcastically.

Taker shrugged. "What? I'm only agreeing with you."

Jeff shook his head, smiling. "And I'm only teasing you," he replied, sitting on the edge of the other bed.

Taker sat up completely, turning the bedside lamp on, his brow furrowed. "Is everything all right?"

Jeff nodded. "Yeah," he sighed, not meeting Taker's gaze.

"That doesn't sound too convincing, Jeff."

Jeff shook his head, once again not meeting the Deadman's gaze. "I'm fine, Mark."

Undertaker sighed, running his fingers through his hair as a small tic worked on his jaw. He watched as Jeff's eyes seemed to focus on everything but him. Taker slowly got up and moved from his bed so that he could sit next to Jeff. "What's wrong, kid?"

"Kid?"

"Don't change the subject," Taker said softly. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing."

"Jeff," Taker growled softly, closing his eyes against his growing frustration. "Please stop lying to me."

"I'm not."

"Yes, you are," Taker snapped. "Every time you say you're fine when you're not, you're lying to me."

Jeff stared at his hands, which were currently folded on his lap and didn't reply to the accusations. There was really nothing for him to say.

Taker put his head into his hands as he contemplated on what he could do. "You know I can't protect you if you don't tell me what I'm protecting you from."

"I don't need protection."

"Yes, you do," Undertaker sighed, looking up at Jeff, emotions swirling in his green eyes. "Someone has threatened you. Why won't you tell me who they are?"

"How do you know that?"

"I didn't know. Not for sure anyway. But current events led me to my suspicions and you just confirmed them."

Jeff shook his head, more to dispel the memories that wanted to resurface then in answer to Taker's question. "Please, Mark. Don't make me relive it."

"I won't make you relive it, honestly," Taker said, placing a hand on Jeff's shoulder. "Trust me, I have seen enough to know that those memories don't need to be relived. I just want to know who's threatening you."

"But I'm not technically the one being threatened," Jeff admitted softly.

"What do you mean?" Taker asked, confused.

"It's . . . he's . . ."

"Jeff, who is he threatening?"

Jeff finally met Undertaker's gaze, tears glistening in his eyes. "Matt," he said simply.

Taker stared at Jeff in shock as the information slowly sank in, shaking his head. "He's threatening Matt? Your brother Matt?"

Jeff nodded, turning away from Taker as the first tear fell past his defenses. "He said if I didn't listen to him, if I didn't do what he said, that he'd hurt him."

"Who's he, Jeff?"

"That's why Shannon was attacked. He wanted to show me that he wasn't joking," Jeff continued, unable to stop himself now that he had started. "And that if I disobeyed him again, he'd go after Matt. He'd attack him like he did Shannon, but worse."

"Jeff . . ."

"And all because of my stupidity, he may end up going after . . ." Jeff paused as he realized what he was about to say, to confess.

"He may go after who?"

Jeff shook his head. He couldn't tell Undertaker that he was in danger all because of his own stupidity at having taken that picture to bed with him. I couldn't do that. I can't . . . I can't risk losing him. Matt's safe so long as I do what John says, but Mark isn't under the same protection. There is no telling what John will do if he ever found out about my . . .

"Jeff? Who else will he go after?" Taker asked, dragging Jeff back out of his thoughts.

"Nobody," Jeff replied, putting on a smile.

"Who's he, Jeff? Who's the guy that has you so scared?"

"It's better if you don't know." Jeff shook his head. It's better if I just crawl into a hole and never show my face again. Then no one would get hurt and I would never risk losing your respect. If I lost that, then John will have truly taken everything from me.

"How would that be better, Jeff?"

"Just trust me on that, Mark."

Taker sighed, leaning back slightly. "I don't think I can trust you on this," he replied, as he was bombarded with memories from the one night that would haunt him for the rest of his life.

"Please, Mark. I don't want you to get hurt," Jeff bit his lip, angry with himself that he had allowed himself slip up.

Frowning, Undertaker glanced up at Jeff. "How would I get hurt?"

As Taker's cell started to ring, Jeff thanked whatever gods watched over him for the distraction. However, when Undertaker didn't move to answer it, Jeff felt his heart beat speed up. He nodded slightly in the direction of his phone. "Aren't you going to answer that?"

Taker shook his head. "Not until you answer my question."

"I'll tell you after you answer your phone."

Sighing, Taker got up. "I'm going to hold you to that," he said as he picked up his phone and flipped it open. "Hello?"

"How's my boy doing?"

Undertaker froze as the familiar voice rang in his ears. It was the last person he had expected to call, let alone the last one to know that Jeff was there with him.

"Cat got your tongue, Deadman?"

"What do you want?" Taker growled angrily, causing Jeff to stare at him in worry.

"You know very well what I want."

"No, I don't."

"Tsk, tsk. And here I thought you were the smarter one out of the two brothers."

"Fuck you."

"Such language."

"What do you want?" Taker asked again.

"At the moment, I'm undecided."

"Spit it out, Cena!" Taker snapped, barely hearing Jeff gasp in surprise, however he did see the smaller man flinch when he spoke Cena's name. So I was right in my suspicions. It is Cena who's attacking Jeff. Now all I need to know is why.

"Well, see. I have two decisions to make. I could reply to your answer of 'fuck you' by saying that I would rather it be Jeff."

"You fucking . . ."

"Or," Cena said, cutting the Deadman off. "I could say that I would rather it be you."

Undertaker felt his entire body seize up as though he had just been caught with a low blow. He had to suppress a shudder as he felt a cold chill run up his spine at Cena's words. "Why would you say that?" Taker asked, trying to keep the exact details of the conversation from Jeff.

"Well, see, the thing is I 'could' say that I would rather it be you," Cena said, stressing the 'could'. "And I 'could' also say that if you do as I say that I would leave Jeff alone."

Taker's gaze quickly drifted over to where Jeff sat, perched on the edge of the bed, his eyes wide.

Damn, I hate the terror in his eyes. Now I understand why he's been so scared, Undertaker thought as his throat tightened. He knew that he would do anything to protect the kid, but did he really want to lower himself to such a level as to sleep with that conniving bastard? As he looked at Jeff from the corner of his eye, he knew that he would do absolutely anything to keep that man safe.

"So, it's true, isn't it?"

"What?" Taker asked, trying to mask the lump that had grown in his throat by growling lowly.

"You love him, don't you?"

"What?" Undertaker asked again, not sure if he had heard correctly.

Jeff grabbed hold of the Deadman's arm, looking up at him with worry in his eyes. He had no idea what Cena was telling Undertaker and he hated the fact the he couldn't hear the other side of the conversation. Jeff's eyes shone with the fear that Cena was telling Taker lies that would cause the bigger man to hate him.

Or worse, telling me the truth about what has been going on, Taker thought as he looked down at the man beside him.

"You heard me. You love him. If I had known you swung that way, Mark, I would have done something about it sooner."

Undertaker's eyes darkened slightly at Cena's words. "How dare you?" he growled threateningly.

"Watch that temper of yours, Mark. It could get you into trouble."

"I'd like to see that."

"If you wish."

Taker could hear the smile in Cena's voice as much as he could catch the hidden threat. "Just tell me why you called already."

"To make a deal with you, what else?"

"I don't make deals with the likes of you."

"Not even if it means saving a certain man's life?"

Undertaker balked at Cena's words as he glanced down at Jeff once more. How could someone threaten the life of the guy next to him? What did he ever do to deserve such treatment?

"Face it, Deadman. We both know that you wouldn't let any harm fall on Jeff. You care too much for him. That's why you've been protecting him. That's why you share your room with him. You want to keep him all to yourself and not share him with me."

"I don't share anything, especially when it isn't mine to share," Taker replied coldly. Something about Jeff being treated like an object annoyed the hell out of him.

"Let me talk to him," Jeff said, startling Taker. He had almost forgotten that the kid was still there as his emotions boiled dangerously.

Undertaker shook his head, telling Jeff silently 'no'. "Now then," he said, returning his attention to the phone. "You're going to listen to me."

"Oh, I'm shaking in fear."

"You will be after I'm through with you."

"I'm not scared so easily."

"Too bad. It would be a lot better for you if you were," Undertaker growled. "You are not to touch Jeff ever again or his brother. For that matter, you're not to touch anyone at all."

"And if I don't listen?"

"Then I will personally hunt you down and make you wish you never came to the WWE," Undertaker said, allowing the hatred he felt toward the man coat his words. Before Cena could reply, Taker snapped the phone shut. He gripped the phone so tightly in his fist that his knuckles turned white and the phone bit into his palm. Closing his eyes, Taker tried to calm his nerves before he would allow himself to even move. As he let out a few calming breath's, he felt a hand on his shoulder. Opening his eyes, he met Jeff's intense, yet haunted, gaze.

"Did he threaten you?" Jeff asked simply.

Taker knew that no matter what he said in an attempt to curb the kid's fears, nothing would ever work so he didn't bother to even try. "I'm not afraid of him."

"You should be," Jeff replied. "He can ruin your career."

"I already have someone working on that so don't worry about me in that department."

"Who?" Jeff asked in shock.

Taker shook his head. "It doesn't really matter. All that does matter is that you're not harmed any further and that your brother stays safe as well."

"Mark . . ."

"Don't worry about it," Taker smiled, patting Jeff on the back before heading over to his bag. "There's nothing you can do to change my mind. Way too many guys have threatened me over the years for this one to even faze me. They all just want to be the one to take me out."

"Why?"

"Why what?" Taker asked as he rummaged in his bag.

"Why can't I change your mind?" Jeff asked. "Why do people want to take you out?"

Taker looked up at Jeff, a smile on his face. "Because I've wanted a reason to kick that guy's ass for a long time and, well, to some guys taking out the Deadman would be a great notch on their belt," he answered as he threw a bag at Jeff.

Jeff couldn't but help but smile as well when he looked down at the bag of skittles he held. "Do you have a bottle of scotch in there too?"

Taker rolled his eyes. "After last time, I don't think so."

"Why? What did I do?" Jeff asked innocently.

Both Undertaker and Jeff burst out laughing, all previous conversations forgotten. For Jeff, he was able to believe, for just a few minutes, that things were as they had been. He could easily believe that he had traveled back in time, to before he had done the stupid stunt with the pills.

Jeff sobered up slightly on that thought. He knew nothing would ever be the same again between Mark and him.

"What do you say to some take-out?"

"Uh, sure," Jeff said, shaking his head to clear his mind. "Sounds good. What are we ordering?"

"I don't know. I was kind of thinking pizza or something."

"Pizza sounds good," Jeff smiled. "I'll check the phone book for a place."

Undertaker watched as Jeff moved over to the desk next to the door that held the phone book. His hair was clinging to his neck; still slightly damp from the shower he had taken. Once Jeff had found the phone book, he quickly leafed through it and grabbed his cell before he dialed the number.

Jeff, seeming to sense the Deadman's gaze, glanced over to where he still sat on the bed. Taker, slightly embarrassed about his actions, let alone being caught, nodded at Jeff nonchalantly and asked who he was calling.

"A place called Tony's"

Taker nodded once before turning the television back on, quickly changing the channel from the pornographic images that it had paused on. Jeff stood next to the desk, waiting for someone to answer the phone. Once he got someone on the line, he quickly ordered the pizza and then moved to sit beside Taker.

"So, what's on?"

"Nothing much," Taker sighed. "There's never anything on."

Jeff nodded, watching as images passed before his eyes. Suddenly, he burst out laughing, causing the Deadman to jump slightly.

"What are you laughing at?" Taker asked, his brow rose slightly as he looked at the younger man.

"Go back a couple channels."

Undertaker complied and when Jeff told him to stop, the younger man started to laugh again. Taker stared at the channel, even more confused. "You find this funny, how?"

"You don't get it, do you?"

Taker looked at the screen, watching a repeat of the last episode of SmackDown. "What's so funny?" he asked again as he watched himself on the screen.

"I just had an image of you in hot pink spandex," Jeff laughed as Undertaker began to blush at the reminder. "Aw, come on. You can't tell me you aren't thinking the same thing?"

"No!" Taker replied, starring at Jeff, wide-eyed. "I never even want to think about that again."

"Oh really?"

"Really," Taker answered, turning away from Jeff.

Jeff crossed his arms over his chest and pouted. "Well, that's no fun."

Undertaker rolled his eyes at Jeff childish antics. "You're not turning into Shawn, are you?"

"What? Don't think I'd look good as a blond?"

Undertaker burst into laughter as Jeff tried to pull off a pose. "I think you look better with rainbow hair," he said. "Or at least, darker hair then Shawn's."

"I guess," Jeff replied, laughing as well. "Maybe I should try it though. It would be something different. Maybe see how bad I can freak people out by looking normal."

"Better do that when us old folks aren't there. You might give one of us a heart attack."

"You an old folk?" Jeff mocked, his brow rose slightly.

"I'm older then a lot of the guys left in this business."

Jeff nodded in agreement. "So, how's this, if you win at One Night Stand, I'll go blond like Shawn."

"And if I lose?" Taker asked worried about what Jeff would say.

"You have to wear pink spandex in your next match."

"Do I have to?" Taker asked, letting his head fall back.

"Please?"

Undertaker rolled his eyes. "Fine," he smiled mischievously. "I guess that means you're going blond."

"Oh really?"

Taker nodded. "As it stands, I'm not losing to Adam in a title match for a while."

"Then you are looking at a soon to be blond Rainbow Haired Warrior," Jeff said laughing with his arms stretched out in presentation.

Undertaker shook his head at the man beside him. "You're odd."

"Thank you," Jeff smiled as someone knocked on the door. Jeff quickly scrambled off the bed to answer it as Undertaker leaned back against the wall. Taker could hear some words being exchanged before Jeff closed the door and the scent of pizza hit his nose.

"That didn't take to long," Taker mused.

"Nope," Jeff replied. "And a good thing too because I'm starving."

"Me too," Taker agreed, shifting into a sitting position so that both he and Jeff could sit with the pizza between them.

….

Taker lay in bed, staring at the ceiling, his mind refusing to remain quiet. He could still faintly smell the pizza they had earlier causing his stomach to grumble in irritation. Sighing, he rolled over onto his side in an attempt to get more comfortable. As he did so, his gaze came to rest on the faint outline of Jeff sleeping in the other bed. Undertaker instantly felt a lump grow in his throat as his emotions began to stir again. There was no denying it anymore. He definitely had a soft spot for the kid.

And if that makes me weak, then so be it, Taker thought as he watched the slight rise and fall of Jeff's chest as he breathed. The younger man looked so peaceful sleeping there that it was hard for the Deadman to think of why Cena would ever want to hurt him so badly.

How could he hurt that kid? Damn it! What the hell am I supposed to do? I want to protect him, but to what length am I willing to go to do that? Could I do whatever John asks of me to protect him even if it meant putting myself down to his meager level? Would I lower myself to the point of becoming a cheep whore just to satisfy him? Damn the bastard for this. Damn him for attacking Jeff. I could just go and beat the guy up for all this crap but what would that accomplish? Would it actually make John back off or would it only make things worse for Jeff? Would Cena attack him even more? Maybe he'd do more than just put Jeff in the hospital because I interfered . . .

All of these questions and more floated through Taker's mind, preventing sleep from coming to claim him. In truth, the more he tried to ignore the questions floating through his mind, the more awake he felt. Sighing, Undertaker got up and quickly pulled on his street clothes. As he went to walk out the door, he turned once more to stare at Jeff's back.

You better just hope that he doesn't ask too much of me, Jeff. I don't think I could turn him down. I have to protect you.

Undertaker made his way to the hotel lobby and stopped outside the entrance to the bar room. He could go into there, but a part of him was telling him not to, that drinking wouldn't ease his mind on the matter. Not sure what else to do, Taker walked out of the hotel and onto the street, immediately turning left. He was a few blocks away from the hotel when his cell phone started to ring. Looking down at his phone, his brow furrowed as he flipped it open.

"Hello?"

"I have a proposition for you, Deadman."