Chapter 97: Brothers of A Vicious War

Throughout the past two weeks on Smackdown, which was right around the time after the Royal Rumble and Brittany was bitter and distant towards everyone, this was before Matt Hardy made disturbing statements and made a vicious attack during a double taping in and Jeff made his return in Fresno, CA.

The first week was when Matt showed his true colors.

(Flashback: January 27, 2009 in Indianapolis, Indiana)

Matt Hardy came out from the curtain with a steel chair and he walked down the ramp and got into the ring and placed the chair in the middle and asked for a microphone before he sat down on the chair.

"Finally, I no longer have to share the spotlight with my brother," Matt said. "Tonight is my night, tonight is my time, and for all of you who are waiting for Jeff to emerge from the darkness, you're gonna be waiting a while. Jeff's at home and Jeff's gonna stay at home. I've always been Jeff's big brother and since day one, I've been taken care of him both personally and professionally. You know, it's rather ironic that right around Jeff was becoming WWE Champion, all these accidents started occurring towards him. You know, some people even go as far as to blame me for these accidents, have the audacity, but there's no one who can prove I was the guy who attacked Jeff in the stairwell before Survivor Series, no can prove that I caused the accident when Jeff was run off the road, and no one can prove that I caused the accident that happened when someone tampered with Jeff's pyro. But I'll tell you what you can prove and what wasn't an accident and that's what I did to Jeff at the Royal Rumble. With one shot from this exact steel chair that I'm sitting on right now, all the pain and suffering that Jeff put me through for so many years was transferred right back to him and it felt good. It felt good. You have no idea how much of a burden and a responsibility it was to take care a brother like Jeff who was nothing more than a constant mistake. You know many nights I was awaken by the phone asking me 'Matt, where's Jeff? What's wrong with Jeff?' And you know many times I had to cover for Jeff? You know how many nights that Matt had to worry about Jeff? No more and without me in Jeff's life to be his guiding light, Jeff Hardy won't be able to even survive. He's a psychological wreck, me, I've never been healthier or happier. If my survival means Jeff's total destruction, then so be it. But Jeff's isn't the only one to blame for the decisions I've been forced to make, it's also each and every one of you. For almost ten years, I've tried to get each and every one of you to like me. I've signed autographs, I've taken pictures, I've done everything in my power to make you happy, but it was never good enough. I've been a role model to kids and adults alike but all each of you cared about was the irresponsible, self-destructive screw-up known as Jeff Hardy. So from now on, the only person I care about is me. And Jeff, I have one thing to say to you and I know you're at home right now and you're watching this. I officially make a decree to this day, there is no such thing anymore as the Hardy Boyz, I no longer consider you my partner and I no longer consider you my brother."

The crowd chanted "We want Jeff" as Matt looked around avoiding of any sense of regret and Brittany was backstage watching the whole thing with her arms crossed and an angry look on her face; but she wasn't the only one who was angry at Matt Hardy. His and Jeff's long-time friend Hurricane Helms was in shock and anger over Matt's actions at the Royal Rumble and he had something to say when interviewed by Todd Grisham during the second taping of Smackdown.

"At first, I was as surprised as anybody, but thinking back, I guess, I shouldn't have been. I known Matt and Jeff for a long time and we came up together and Matt's always had a bit of an ego, but this was our dream, man. All we ever dreamed about of was becoming WWE Champion and Jeff finally gets there after everything's been through, he finally got there and then Matt pulls this stunt and takes it all away. I don't think at the Rumble Matt became some new person, I think he simply revealed the kind of person he's been all along: a self-centered egotistical jerk. And Matt, Jeff might not be here tonight to take up for himself, but I am and I'm going to find you."

A few minutes, Matt Hardy came out from the curtain and he walked down the ramp and got into the ring and asked for a microphone.

"Hurricane Helms," Matt said, "you don't have to find me, I'm standing right here. And since Jeff's not here tonight and you are, and you have such a big problem with him, you don't you come down here and do something about it."

Then Matt took off his shirt and Helms walked right out and charged into the ring as Matt was beating on him and after a minute, Helms fought back and Matt tried to bail out of the ring and into the crowd but Helms grabbed him as the two fought and Matt whipped Helms into the ringside steps. Matt dragged Helms back into the ring, locked his arms, and elbowed him repeatedly in the head until he was knocked out as Brittany ran out to the ring and kicked Matt in the head and was hitting him as the referees came out to the ring and pulled her away and Matt ran out of the ring and looked at her as he walked back up the ramp without even looking back again and Brittany was emotionally crying as the referees checked on Helms.

Brittany, in her distant state of emotion, had the courage to fight back but the night wasn't over when it was revealed that Jeff would be returning and Matt had this to say when he was interviewed by Jim Ross.

"J.R, just in case you didn't hear what I told everyone last week, I don't have a brother anymore and before each and every one of you get so excited about the grand return of your hero, Jeff, remember this: a lot can happen in seven days and I will be extremely unfortunate if Jeff happens to suffer another 'accident.' But if Jeff does show up next week and I mean this from the bottom of my heart, I'll be here waiting on him ready to welcome him with open arms."

After that night, Brittany was able to get away and go home to Manhattan, New York at her grandparents' to get herself together before she was able to return the following week and the week after that, Jeff made his return on Smackdown, along with Brittany by his side.

(Flashback: February 10th, 2009 in Fresno, California)

Jeff's entrance theme played and he comes out from the curtain with Brittany following him. Brittany was wearing a black and white plaid jacket, black tank top, denim jeans, and her hair straight. The pyro went off as Jeff & Brittany walked down the ramp slapping the hands of the fans and got in the ring and Jeff got on the turnbuckles and raised his arms in the air. Then Jeff got back down and asked for a microphone and stood next to Brittany.

"You know, it's been a really weird time for me lately," Jeff said. "I've kinda feel broken, I've kinda feel alone, I feel like doing bad things to bad people, but something doesn't feel right. Matt Hardy is my brother; I mean, we made it here to the WWE together. We won championships together, we lost championships together, I mean, come on. a big brother is someone you're supposed to be able look up to, he's supposed to be a role model, he's supposed to have your back and evidently with Matt, that's not the case. I don't know if it's jealousy or what, but whatever it is, it's messed up. At the Royal Rumble, I mean, it used to remind me of good times. I mean, when we were kids, we watched it every year, but now, all it reminds him of is betrayal, all it reminds me of is a chairshot to the head and a broken dream. Matt, whatever's going on inside your head, man, should know better than anybody how I roll, and I'm the type of person that moves on. I don't live in the past and I refuse to. So what I'm gonna do is move on and I'm moving on to this Sunday come the Elimination Chamber and I will become WWE Champion for the second time whether Matt Hardy likes it or not."

Then Jeff and Brittany hugged each other and they left the ring and walked arm-in-arm up the ramp and turned around as Jeff saluted to the audience.

Matt was never on Smackdown as he claimed to be which was a little weight off Brittany's shoulders as No Way Out was approaching.