Chapter 26

Jeff was joking around with Jay when they heard a phone ring. A woman came over to them.

"Jeff, Shane wants you to go back to the photo shoot, immediately. He sounded urgent." She told him. Jeff felt a pit in his stomach and knew something was wrong immediately. He took off running down the hallway.

"Jeff wait up!" Matt called, but he couldn't wait. "Please let her be okay." He said to himself as he ran into the room.

"Jess!" He yelled bursting into the door. He found Shane trying to comfort Jessica. She was sitting in a chair trembling. She ran to him the minute she saw him. He wrapped his arms around her trying to comfort her. He looked to Shane. "What the hell happened?"

"I got a phone call so I stepped outside."

"You left her alone?" Jeff yelled.

"I was right outside. I only stepped out for a minute."

"Then what happened?"

"I don't know. She came outside yelling for me. She said he was here."

"Wait he's here?" Jeff asked.

"That's what she said. But I looked all around and didn't see anyone."

"You shouldn't have left her alone."

"I know, I'm sorry. It was just a second. I didn't think. Jess, I'm so sorry." He moved towards her and she clenched onto Jeff tighter.

"Look, give us a minute okay? I've got this." Jeff said dismissing him.

"I want to help." Shane told him.

"Shane, please. She'll be all right; we just need a few minutes alone.

"Okay." He started to walk away then turned back. "I'm really sorry Jess."

When they were alone, Jeff sat her down and just held her until she calmed down. He wondered what had brought this latest attack on, and why she all the sudden thought that he was here. Did she see him, and if she did, how we she know it's him? He also wondered how the hell Shane could even think about leaving her alone, with everything that is going on.

"Take a deep breath." He told her. "Now listen to me. There's no one else here, just you and me, so it's safe. I'm gonna let go and I want you to look at me. Just focus on me, we're okay." He released his grasp on her and she finally looked at him.

"Hey baby." He said then took her hand. "I need you to tell me what happened. Shane said you told him he was here." She nodded. "How do you know?"

"Because he told me. He said he was here, and that he was watching. He'll always be watching."

"That's just what he wants you to think."

"It's true. He waited for Shane to leave before calling. He said he knew I was alone." She looked to him. "Jeff, he wants to hurt you. He said that he won't let you and I be together. That he'll make sure that doesn't happen. He said that you were standing in the way of…"

"In the way of what?"

"He swears that he and I will be together. He said you were standing in the way of our love, and that he'd take care of you. Jeff, what are we supposed to do?"

"Listen to me. No one is going to hurt me or you and no one is going to take me away from you. You're stuck with me babe."

"Promise me?"

"I promise I will never let you get hurt again." He kissed her and heard a knock at the door.

"You guys? It's Matt. Is everyone all right in there?"

"We're fine." He called out to his brother. "We'll be out in a minute."

"Oh god I did it again, didn't I?" Jessica asked.

"Did what?"

"Everyone's out there because I lost it again. I can't act rational for 24 hours. One damn phone called and I'm back to being a crazed lunatic."

"You are not a lunatic, and you're definitely not crazy. You're scared and everyone out there understands, because they're your friends. The first time you went through this alone, and you shouldn't have. This time you don't have to, you're not alone, and when you realize that, maybe it won't scare you as much."

"What about Shane?"

"What about him?"

"I think I hurt his feelings. He was trying so hard to help me but nothing he said would calm me down and every time he would touch me it was like my skin was crawling."

"You were scared. He understands. I'm pretty sure he's not gonna hold it against you."

"Yea, but its Shane. Why would I be like that to him? This is the same guy who I spent my summers in the play house with."

"Doing what?" Jeff asked raising an eyebrow.

"Stop it. Nothing like that. I just don't understand it. You're the only one who can calm me down."

"That just shows that we are meant to be together. I make you sane and you make me happy."

"You're amazing, you know that." She said finally smiling again.

"I know." He said kissing her. "Ready to face them?"

"Okay." He took her hand and they opened the door to see all the worried faces.

"All right folks, let's move on." Jeff said trying to send the message to give her some space. Thankfully, Matt picked up on it right away.

"Absolutely. Come along you," Matt said taking her hand, "Let's get you to makeup so we can get this show on the road."

They headed down to the cameras and shot their new promo, in which the Hardys confront Edge and Christian about sabotaging the match last week.

Edge: I don't know what you're talking about.

Christian: Yea, I guess ladders aren't made like they used to be.

Matt: I know you had something to do with that.

Edge: Hey listen, we don't need to cheat to beat you guys.

Jessica: So prove it.

Christian: You stay out of this. You know you've only been back for a few weeks, and you act like you own the place.

Edge: Yea. Perhaps you need to be reminded that my wife is the general manager here at Smackdown.

Jessica: You're wife… Does she make you happy? (Flirt)

Edge: What?

Jessica: Well, does she make you happy like I used to?

Edge: I know what you're doing. You think you can just walk up and flirt with me and I'll just go back to the mush I was before, but it won't work. I'm happily married thank you very much.

Jessica: Really? (She rubs up against him, then looks down) Apparently not. (Edge storms off)

Christian: You better watch your step. (Matt and Jeff step up to him. He exits)

Jeff: Man, do you have to do that?

Jessica: What? It's fun. (Leans in to him) Jealous? (Exits. Scene ends with brothers looking at each other.)

"Okay. Perfect." The director said. Jessica looked up and saw Vince fuming at the door.

"I'm okay." She said going over to him.

"I changed my mind. You should not be doing this right now."

"Vince, I need to."

"You need to be safe and I'm just don't think you're ready for this."

"Vince!"

"Listen to me, you've been through a lot and you've come a long way, I know that. I don't want to set you back but Shane told me what happened, you lost it. I don't want you to end up…" He let his voice trail.

"You don't want me to end back in the hospital."

"Or worse."

"How many times do I have to say that I'm not going to do that again? I made a rash decision"

"A rash decision?" He cut her off. "You tried to kill yourself."

"I know that. I've been dealing with that mistake for three years. I was stupid and I was scared but I can't spend the rest of my life second guessing everything I do because of it. You always keep telling me that I have to move on from what I did, but even you won't let me. I'm not quitting."

"What if I forbid it?"

"What you'll fire me? Go ahead, I'll wrestle somewhere else. Hell I don't care if I'm out there wrestling on some random street corner. I'm sorry Vince, but you're not going to stop me. So I guess the balls in your court."

"Vince," Jeff interrupted. "She can handle this. I know it."

"And what about everyone else?" Vince looked at her. "Are you willing to put other's in danger?" She looked down to the ground. Damn him, she thought to herself.

"You know I'm not."

"I'm fine with it." Matt said coming up behind her.

"Me too." Jeff said taking her hand. She looked to them and noticed that Adam and Jay also stood behind her.

"We're ready." Adam said and Jay nodded.

"You're all sure?" Vince said looking at them.

"We'll stand by each other." Jay said. Vince glared at them all then finally sighed.

"Fine." He walked out of the room.

"Wow babe, you just stood up to Vince McMahon." Jeff said to her.

"Yea. You all did too."

"I think everyone should make sure there's no pink slip in our paychecks this week." Jay joked. Jessica turned to face them all.

"Thank you."

"No problem. We're family." Adam winked at her and she smiled. It was at that point the she knew she was going to be okay. She knew it was going to be tough, but from this point on, she wasn't alone. She had friends to help her make it through, and with them she wasn't going to let anyone stop her.