We Didn't Start The Fire

"...And police are still investigating what caused a fire at a downtown hotel that caused the deaths of three brothers staying there. The Fire Marshall's office has yet to release any official word, but it is believed that the deadly blaze started in the room belonging to three members of World Wrestling Entertainment. It is not known whether it is believed that they had anything to do with it at this time. Damage is estimated at three-quarters of a million dollars..."

"I hope we're not going to be expected to pay for that." Tom said, huddled in several warm blankets.

"M-m-me n-n-n-neither." Jeff's teeth were chattering.

Having barely escaped with their lives, the Hardy brothers were camped out in a nearby shelter. The only injuries they suffered was mild smoke inhalation and a bit of singed fur when Jeff almost dropped Bunny while fleeing.

The adrenaline rush was starting to wear off, hence the chattering teeth. Nothing more exciting that barely escaping from a burning building, although it's not something most people want to do on a daily basis.

"Well, at least we're alive." Matt stated

"True. But I'm still screwed." Tom responded "I've still got to drive four hours to get to a show for which I have no wrestling gear. Thanks to whomever, all my stuff got barbecued in the fire."

"Don't you have a spare outfit?" Jeff huddled under the blankets.

"Not really." Tom answered "Besides, this was a short tour. I figured my gear would get me through two shows, then I could do laundry."

"And we didn't bring anything." Matt said, sympathizing.

"Except Bunny." Jeff snuggled closer.

Tom suddenly yawned loudly. "I gotta crash." He curled up as tightly as possible. "Wake me up in three hours."

Considering he was using a plastic chair as a bed, he dozed off rather quickly.

"Matty?" Jeff whispered

"What Jeffers?" Matt answered back, also in a quiet tone.

"I'm scared. What if the fire was meant for us?" Jeff asked.

"It probably was." Matt said "Didn't you hear the TV? The reporter said they thought the fire had started in our room. Tom said he heard a crash a few minutes before the smoke woke him up."

"Why, Matty? Who'd wanna hurt us?" Jeff whimpered

"It was probably started by someone who has a problem with you and Tom being together." Matt answered

"Why?" Jeff repeated "We're not hurting anyone."

"No matter what you do, there will always be people who disagree and some of them are just real intolerant." Matt said "You're gonna hafta watch yourself from now on."

"But what if he comes after us again?" Jeff's eyes darted around the room like he was expecting the arsonist to jump out.

"Don't worry Jeff." Despite the excitement, Matt's eyelids were also getting heavy. "I'm sure everything will work out. We'll talk about this later."

Three-plus hours later, Tom was on the road. He had one show to go to before the next television taping, which was just fine with him. He'd have time to get home and at least get a few changes of clothes before flying down to Mobile for what should prove to be a very interesting performance.

Matt and Jeff were not with him. Vince requested a clean bill of health from Dr. Fitzpatrick before he'd allow Jeff to come back, even part-time, so they were visiting the good doctor for what they both hoped would be the last time. Jeff had improved considerably since he'd tried to slit his wrists in Tom's bathroom. Hopefully, the fire had not caused any sort of setback. Matt didn't see anything off with Jeff, but then again he wasn't a shrink.

While he was able to get enough clothes to last him the rest of his road trip, wrestling attire posed a different problem. The only pair of cargo pants that were still usable as wrestling gear had gone up with the rest of his travel items. The other three pairs had all for one reason or another been discarded. One had one of the legs cut off when Tom had cracked his kneecap, and the other two had just worn out.

While he was wondering who in the locker room might have something he could fit into, his cell rang. It was his GM.

"'Sup, Tiffany?" He asked,

"Glad I caught you." She said, sounding frazzled. "We have a bit of a situation here."

"Let me guess. The locals aren't too happy about having an incestuous gay man in their fair city." Tom shook his head at the intolerance of it all.

"You could say that. I've spent most of my day dealing with people dressed in bed sheets." Tiffany replied "I thought the KKK was dead."

"So did I?" Tom responded "So where do we stand?"

"I need you to do me a big favor. I need you to recant everything you said last week." Tiffany exhaled

"What do you mean 'everything'?" Tom asked suspiciously.

"I mean everything. The proposal, the gay angle, you and Evan, the whole thing. I know it's a lot..."

"I'll say. What'd you do? Tell them it was a story line?" As soon as he asked, Tom regretted it.

"Well... kinda." Tiffany replied

Tom suddenly turned the wheel hard to the right; pulling into the parking lot of a disused drive-in movie theater.

"You what?" Ignoring the honks of the drivers he'd cut off, Tom slumped down in his seat, rubbing his forehead.

"Look, I wouldn't ask if I had any other option." Tiffany answered "But the office has been receiving hate mail by the bag since you decided to be so open about yourself."

"You think you got problems? I damn near got barbecued in my own hotel room!" Tom retorted. "This is supposed to be 2009. What happened to love thy fellow man?"

"I don't think that applies in this part of the country." Tiffany answered "Tom, I really need to know that you'll do this."

"Do I have a choice?" Tom sighed

"Honestly?... no." Tiffany stated

"Okay. Consider it done." Tom answered

"Thank-you." Tiffany sounded relieved when she hung up. "He said he'd do it."

"Thanks, Tiff." Evan answered "You're a life saver."

"I don't see what the problem is?" Tiffany added

"The problem is I don't like my personal life being made a public spectacle. In case you missed it, that asshole outed me last week. Damn, my parents don't even know!" Slamming the door behind him, Evan walked the corridors nervously. Tom better do what Tiffany asked, or Evan would make him pay.

Tiffany paced her office, feeling just the tiniest bit guilty about having lied to Tom. There was no delegation from the KKK, no hate mail, no nothing. The only people who had a problem with the entire idea were Evan and herself.

Tom sat in the parking lot for several minutes, trying to figure out how he was going to basically admit that everything he'd said and done was a lie, even though it wasn't. Then there was Jeff to think about. How would he react if he heard his soon-to-be life partner admit in front of the world that his love was a sham?

"Well, I should at least warn him." Tom mumbled, making one of the most difficult decisions of the past ten minutes.

"Hey, Jeffro, how's it hangin'?"

"Hey, Tommy, about seven and a half, I think." Jeff answered, drawing stares from Matt and Shannon.

"Mmm." Tom grunted "What are your plans for tonight?"

"Not much... Matty 'n Shanny 'n I are gonna got eat, then Imma gonna watch ECW and see my lover kick some serious ass!" Jeff answered

Tom's heart fell to his shoes. "Jeffro, baby, could you not watch the show tonight... please?"

It sounded like laughter in the background. "Gee, Tommy, I wish I could, but it's a little late to return the tickets."

Tom gasped. They were gonna be at the show?!

"Okay, I guess I'll see you there." Tom swallowed.

"Is something wrong, Tommy?" Jeff asked quietly.

"Jeffro, can you promise that you won't take anything that happens tonight too hard?" Tom whispered

"Whaddaya mean... Tommy, what's going on?" Jeff demanded, getting concerned looks from his car-mates.

"Promise me, Jeff." With an extra edge in his voice, Tom repeated his demand. With a little more whining, Jeff agreed.

"Thank-you, bro." Tom breathed loudly enough for everyone in the other car to hear. "Just know I love you."

"I love you too, Tommy." As loving as he sounded, Jeff's heart and his tongue seemed to switch places.

"I'll see you at the show. I'll take you for a romantic night out after?"

"Ooh... I can't wait." Jeff squealed

"Me neither." Tom said "Byeeee."

"Bye-bye." Jeff hung up and sighed, hugging the phone to his chest. "Tommy really loves me."

"I hope Jeff still loves me after tonight." Tom stared at his own phone, a different emotion hitting his psyche.

Upon his arrival at the arena, Tom looked around quizzically. Based upon what Tiffany had told him, Tom was expecting picket lines, burning crosses, and general chaos. There was nothing out of the ordinary, which led him to believe that he'd been had.

"Damn that Tiffany!" Tom swore "Why the fuck couldn't that bitch tell me the truth?"

"What bitch? What truth?" Big Ezekiel Jackson had overheard Tom's rant.

"Our esteemed General Manager." Tom answered "I was lead to believe that there was a huge outcry over my announcement last week."

"Not from anyone in the back." Zeke responded "'Cept for..."

"C'mon, Big Man, don't keep me hangin'." Tom begged. "I think I already know, but..."

"Maybe it's coincidence, but Bourne's been talking trash about you to anyone who'll listen."

"You think he'd actually be able to convince Tiffany to pull this crap?" Tom asked

"Maybe... she's had a thing for Bourne since she arrived."

This was news to Tom. His impressions of the Tiffany/Evan scenario were completely backwards if Zeke was accurate in his assessment.

"Friends with benefits, eh? She in her office?" Anger was quickly replacing peaceful thoughts with those that involved pain, blood, and sharp objects.

"Think so?"

"Later, dude."

"Tom, you didn't hear this from me."

He nodded agreement and stormed into the building. It didn't take long to find the General Manager's office. Hoping she was in, he kicked the door open. She wasn't at her desk, but Tom wasn't giving up. He heard muffled sounds coming from the closet. He stood up to it and was within an eyelash of yanking the door open when he heard something that made his blood boil. It was Evan's voice.

"Oh, Tiffany... " He moaned loud enough for Tom, as well as half the arena to hear. "That's incredible!"

"You weren't so bad yourself." Tom recognized the voice of his boss. "But you could've held back. I mean, I barely got warmed up."

"Sorry, but I haven't gotten head like that in months."

"What do you mean?"

"Tom was terrible at it. Oh, I mean I came, but most times I felt I had to just so he'd stop." Evan answered

There were only three things that really pissed Tom off: being lied to, being dumped in a letter, and being told that his lovemaking wasn't up to par. Evan had done all three. Therefore, he felt no guilt in ripping the closet door off the hinges and glaring at the pair.

"Which one of you is going to explain what the hell is going on?" Tom balled his hands into fists.

"Tom, this isn't what you think..." Tiffany frantically tried to get herself put back together.

"Okay, it is what I heard. Oh Tiffany!" Tom mocked Evan's groans of pleasure.

Evan turned beet red.

"You know, I believed you." Tom crossed his arms. "I honestly thought that you were doing what's best for the company, but now I see where your loyalties lie."

"It's not like that." Tiffany stepped out, Evan close behind.

"Then tell me how it is." Tom leaned against the desk, blocking their escape. "Go on, explain to me why you'd take what little happiness I have in this life away from me by making me go out there and lie to the fans, lie to my friends, and lie to the one man I truly love."

"Tommy, listen..." Evan stepped forward, but Tom cut him off with a wave of his hand.

"Evan, you say one more word to me and I will knock your teeth out." Tom responded

"You..." Was the first and only word out of Evan's mouth before Tom's fist struck him. He flopped backwards, landing on a leather sofa.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" Tiffany screamed

"No... what the hell is wrong with you?" Tom retorted

He stormed out of the office, grumbling loudly.

"You better deal with this." Evan was nursing his sore jaw and didn't particularly want to listen to his irate General Manager. "Or we're through."

That was all it took for Evan to run out of her office. He'd finally scored with the girl of his dreams, and now that he had her he wasn't going to let an angry ex ruin it.

"You seen Tom?" He asked everyone in his path. They all pointed in the same direction... deep into the bowels of the arena. When he ran out of people to ask, he followed a trail of broken crates, holes in walls until he reached a dead end. It was the boiler room. The door was open, with a large boot print in the middle. Even over the machinery, Evan could still here the sounds of screaming.

Evan opened the door, cautiously peeking inside in case another fist was going to be heading his way. He had no idea how Tiffany expected him to 'deal with it', but he had to less his dick see no action, except for his own, for a long time.

"Get the fuck outta here!" Evan barely dodged a paint can thrown at him.

"Dude, calm down. Tiffany wants us to work this out..." Evan jumped aside when a wrench came hurting toward his head.

"Both of you can go to hell!" Tom shouted from across the room. Even from that distance, his aim was deadly. Evan learned this when in the span of seconds, he had to avoid a hammer, three screwdrivers, and the blade of a circular saw, the last missing him by less than two inches.

"Just what the fuck is your problem, man?" Evan demanded

"Like you don't know." Tom punctuated this with tossing a plastic chair across the floor. Evan kicked it aside with ease.

"C'mon, it's not like you've never been dumped before!" Evan retorted "Have you?"

"Evan, you don't fucking get it, do you?" Another hammer flew at him. Evan prayed that the toolbox wasn't too well stocked.

"Get what?" Evan repeated

"Never mind. If you're too dense to understand, then I'm not going to bother any more. Go back to fucking the boss and pretending that we never happened." Tom looked around for something else to throw and, finding nothing, vented in the next best way possible... he punched a steam pipe, cracking it and sending clouds of scalding vapor into the room.

"Uh, Tom..." Evan tried looking through the fog.

"What now? Just go away!" Tom walked through the clouds, a menacing expression on his face. Evan walked backwards, trying to find the door. He'd never seen Tom like this and it was scary.

"Fuck, Hardy, I'm trying to apologize, okay." Evan suddenly blurted out. "I'm sorry."

"Sorry? You think that will make everything better? You're sorry." Tom repeated the words.

"Yes, I am." Evan replied "I really am."

"Maybe you are and maybe you are just sayin' that so Tiffany will put out, but" Tom glared at him, fists clenched, his whole body tense with adrenaline. "it ain't fooling me one bit. The best thing to do is tell that whore everything's fine with us, but you better stay the fuck away from me, Jeff, and the rest of my family."

"Tom, please..."

"Now, if you'll get the hell outta my face, I have a promo to prepare. You better hope Jeff doesn't dump me or the consequences for bothering my family will be the least of your problems."

"Are you threatening me?" Even with an X-tremely pissed off Hardy staring him down, Evan still found the cajones to be his normal cocky self.

"Y'know that little stunt at my hotel?"

Evan looked at Tom, his eyes knowing what Tom was going to say next. "Tom, you wouldn't?"

"I would." Tom growled ferally

Evan took off, his feet slapping the concrete floors. Barreling past his co-workers, he sought sanctuary in Tiffany's office. She looked up from her work.

"Is everything fine?" She asked. Evan's expression should've already told her what she needed to know.

"Yeah, great, wonderful, awesome." Sarcasm was evident in Evan's vocal tone. "He as much threatened to tell the police I set the fire at his hotel if I ever came near him."

"But you did." Tiffany said

"That's irrelevant." Evan shouted "You and I are the only people who know. And you better hope that Tom doesn't rat me out, 'coz I ain't goin' down alone."

"If you'd actually been able to do the job right, we wouldn't be having this discussion." Tiffany glared

"What I don't get is why you want him dead in the first place."

"Don't worry about me, Evan." Tiffany came across and brushed her fingers along the side of his face. "I have my reasons. Now be a good boy and make sure that plan B is ready."

Evan's eyes lit up. "Yes ma'am."

"Men. They're so easy to control." Once Evan had left, Tiffany returned to her work.

"Please welcome my guest at this time... he says he's 'the future' of ECW... Tom Hardy!"

Like last week, Tom's promo was coming as a part of an interview segment with Josh Mathews. He came out to cheers, with some boos and other rude comments.

"Fun week, huh?" Matthews asked

"You could say that." Tom answered "There's nothing like escaping from a fire in your hotel room to make to thankful for what you have..."

"But how do you respond to those who say you're going to hell anyway, so why not burn right now?"

"You know, after eight years under George W. Bush, the worst president in history, I'd thought I'd seen everything, but I guess not. It might almost be funny if it wasn't so pathetic..."

"But, this is incest, right? I mean, you proposed to your own brother right here last week."

Tom looked out over the crowd, hoping to at least see Jeff before he said what he'd promised Tiffany he would. Not to disappoint, there he was, front row, with Matt on one side, Shannon Moore on the other and he looked like the happiest man in the world.

"Well?" Josh prodded.

"Considering for the first thirty-five years of my life, I didn't even know that Jeff existed. I mean, I was in the crowd the night he made his debut. But I was just another star-struck fan. How was I to know what would transpire fifteen years later?"

"But you knew you were gay, right?"

"No. Did you know you were straight at that age?" Tom retorted

"No, sir. Hell, I still don't know." Josh replied "And I have a wife... how irresponsible is that?" This brought a few titters from the crowd.

"C'mon, say it." Tiffany gritted her teeth, watching the interview backstage.

"Josh, seriously. I was approached today by someone very high up. At least in ECW. Tiffany, would you come out here please. You wanted me to clear the air, so I'd like to do it in front of you."

Tiffany bounced out, showing off her considerable assets.

"Come on in. I won't hurt you." Tom held open the ring ropes while awaiting her arrival.

Tiffany entered the ring, keeping a distance from Tom.

"Now, before I go any further, would you mind telling me, everyone watching, and the love of my life who happens to be sitting in the front row... hiya Jeffro..." Tom waved "exactly what your problem is?"

"As I explained to you, we have received sacks of hate mail over this..."

"Bullshit." Tom muttered

"Excuse me?" Tiffany fluttered her eyebrows.

"You heard me. Bullshit. I made a few calls. There was no outcry... no hate mail... there wasn't even one person in a sheet complaining, much less a whole Klan." Tom bent over slightly. "In fact, there were only two people who had a problem with this: my ex Evan Bourne, and yes, we were a couple regardless of what he's been saying on his blog, and you!"

Some of the crowd started booing. Most of the fans were still a little stunned.

"This is not some story line, this is my fuckin' life we're talking about here." Tom shouted "And what gives you the right to tell me how to live it..."

"I'll tell you what gives me the right!" Tiffany grabbed the mic from Mathews. "In case you have forgotten, you work for me... you do what I tell you to do, say what I tell you to say, and act how I demand you act. Yes, I give you a little more room than either Raw or Smackdown, but that's only because our fans demand it. But you went too far."

"Too far? Too far!!" Tom repeated "Lady, I'll show you too far."

"Shut it! You're hanging on to your job by a thread right now and if you lay one hand on me, you'll be at the welfare office in the morning!" Tiffany poked Tom's chest as if that was needed. "I have no problem with the fact you're gay... hell, I think half my locker room is, and I sure as hell don't have a problem with you loving whomever, but a little discretion was all I ask. Dammit, I was embarrassed watching your little spectacle last week, and I probably wasn't the only one."

Tom shrugged

"You asked me to come out here and lie to everyone. And you're lying now. Y'know, if this was only about me, it would be an easy decision to make." Tom smirked "But it isn't... Jeff, would you mind?"

Jeff hopped the barricade and rolled into the ring. Tom greeted him with a deep kiss. The fans hooted and hollered, and most of it seemed to be positive.

"Enough." Tiffany actually had the guts to push them apart. "This is sick! Jeff is your fuckin' brother."

"I don't have a problem with this. Jeff, how do you feel about it?"

Jeff thought. He looked at Tom, then at Tiffany, then back at Tom. "Like you said, we weren't brothers for the first thirty-odd years of our lives, so I don't really think of us that way now. I'm happy to be the one person you want to spend the rest of your life with, and to hell with everyone else."

"You see, given the choice between working for a smarmy intolerant bitch like you and spending years of happiness with my man, there's no contest... I'll take Jeffers any day."

"I told you what you had to do and I expect you to do it or else..." Tiffany poked Tom in the chest again. Once was fine, but the second time you can expect to lose a finger.

"Or else what?" Tom twisted it. Tiffany screamed in pain.

The crowd gasped, anticipating Tom laying a beat down on the ECW general manager.

Even Jeff seemed a little nervous.

"Tommy, chill dude." Jeff stepped in. "Let her go."

Reluctantly, Tommy let her finger go. Jeff backed his brother into a corner and held his hands in front of him in a stop motion.

"Why'd you stop me?" Tom demanded

"Let me deal with this... you still have a job." Jeff gave him another deep kiss then, while Tom was wondering exactly what Jeff meant by letting him deal with it, clotheslined Tiffany right out of her bra. Effortlessly, he jumped to the top and swantoned on top of her prone form.

While she writhed on the ground, Tom stood over her. "That's what I think of intolerant people like you. " He said, helping her to her feet.

"Tom, I..." If she thought Tom was going to save her, she was wrong. Her face met the mat again from a Twist of Fate seconds later.

"Consider that my letter of resignation." Tom shouted to her prone form. "C'mon Jeff, let's gets the hell outta here."

TBC

So know you know who did it and why, but what now??? Will Tom and Jeff be able to "live happily ever after" or will Tom's ex-mate and ex-boss try to separate them.