A/N: NEW CHAPTER! I'm going to be honest: it broke my heart writing this chapter. I swear, this is one of the first times I've almost cried while writing something-and also one of the first times I've started yelling at characters THAT I'VE CREATED. Without giving anything else away, I hope you enjoy it. Peace!
Also, I apologize for any typos. I finished this chapter in a marathon session right after recovering from a vicious bout of flu, and I didn't get some of the subtleties that I wanted. Please, be kind.
Thank you to Kyahbell, Oomph Kiddo, darkangelmel, extremist, cherrycokerocks, A Believer of Many Things, Missy89, Esha Napoleon, BajanDiva, nanabear123435, XXDark CloudXXX, and Nikki7993 for reviewing the last chapter! I love you ALL!
Chapter 20: Shattered Romance
Jeff swung the car into the parking space, twisting the key and turning off the ignition. Despite the shortcuts he had taken, the Rainbow-Haired Warrior had still arrived at the Nationwide Arena later than he had planned, and the only space available was at the far end of the garage. Jeff didn't really mind; with his track record of tardiness, he was used to settling for the less-desirable spots...and besides, its distance from the main arena ingress would afford him a few more precious moments of privacy with Melina.
The Charismatic Enigma turned a little, gazing over at the paparazzi princess. It was funny, but she seemed to be changing somehow; as though with each passing second, she was becoming less Johnny Nitro's and more...his. Her demeanor was still quiet, still shy-but it was a different kind of quiet; a serene sort of silence, as though she was finally...at peace-both with herself and with everything that had happened.
For not the first time, Jeff found himself wondering if the brash, shrieking Diva he had grown accustomed to seeing at ringside was nothing more than a fabrication; a character created to fool everyone, including Nitro...a persona designed to prevent the world from glimpsing just how scared and confused and fragile she really was. Jeff didn't mind; if anything, he found it endearing. There was something pure and awkwardly genuine about Melina's timidity, as though she was slowly relearning what it was like to just be herself.
Jeff...what's it feel like to fly?...
The younger Hardy brother had always been a free spirit; despite the numerous mistakes he had made throughout his life, he could still boast that he had lived it according to his terms. He could not imagine anything more constricting than suppressing the innermost core of himself for the sake of another; than perpetuating a lie because it satisfied someone else's twisted ideals. To him, that wasn't love. Love was about compromise, yes...but it didn't mean stifling yourself to the point where you couldn't even recognize yourself anymore.
As he had done multiple times today, Jeff silently cursed the former Intercontinental Champion. Melina had sacrificed everything for Nitro...and the self-proclaimed A-lister had repaid her by cheating on her, belittling her, and beating her when she tried to stand up for herself. He didn't deserve her, he had never deserved her...and more and more, Jeff found himself regretting that he hadn't broken the pretty-boy's nose when he'd had the opportunity.
The Rainbow-Haired Warrior reached over, taking Melina's hand in his. The Dominant Diva didn't pull away this time; merely squeezed his hand in reply. Turning her head, she locked gazes with him, the corners of her full lips curving up in a smile. A long moment of silence passed between them...but there was nothing uncomfortable about that void of quiet.
Eventually, Jeff cleared his throat, breaking the silence. "Are you sure you want to do this?" he asked, his voice slightly hesitant. "You don't have to, you know."
Melina looked away, pondering the statement for a few seconds before answering. "I'm going to run into him sooner or later," the paparazzi princess finally replied. "It might as well be now."
She let out her breath in a quiet sigh, and Jeff thought he saw the line of her shoulders stiffen. "Besides...I want him to know...that it's over."
"What are you going to tell him?" The Charismatic Enigma let go of her hand, reaching up to trace the curve of her cheek with his fingers.
Melina made a soft sound in the back of her throat, and Jeff felt her lean into his touch. "The truth," she admitted. "That I don't love him anymore..." The Dominant Diva paused, lifting her head, her dark eyes meeting his once again before she went on. "...and that I've found someone else."
Upon hearing that, that tacit acknowledgement that she was now his, Jeff felt a curious fluttering sensation within his stomach, like thousands of butterflies flapping their wings at once, and it took everything he had to keep his voice from shaking as he spoke. "You don't have to do this alone." His hand was still on her face, his thumb lightly caressing her skin. "I could go with you-"
Melina shook her head, but there was nothing agitated about her negation. "Thanks...but I'll be fine. Really." Somehow, during their conversation, she had drifted closer to him; their mouths were now almost touching. Tilting her face up a little, the paparazzi princess closed the space between them, capturing Jeff's lips with hers.
The kiss was soft, gentle-and yet, the younger Hardy brother still felt heat bubble up within him, as though his insides had been transformed into molten lava. Gripping her shoulders, he pulled her against him, wishing that time would just stop, that he could remain forever locked in this moment of blissful desire... But the moment did end, and the Rainbow-Haired Warrior reluctantly pulled back, gazing wordlessly into Melina's wide brown eyes.
He often wondered, in the weeks that followed, what would have happened if he had told her the truth then, if he had shoved aside the remainder of his indecision and allowed himself to voice the three little words pressing against his lips, begging to be released. Would it have changed things? Would it have prevented what followed from coming to pass?
Jeff had no way of knowing for certain; hindsight, after all, could be very deceptive. Maybe it would have...or maybe the events that followed were always destined to play out as they did. All he did know was that, in that crucial half-second following the kiss, something inside him locked up. Some long-buried fear took hold him, preventing him from surrendering himself totally to his emotions, and what emerged from his mouth instead was: "Meet me here...after the show?"
If Melina noticed anything amiss in him, she didn't vocalize it; only placed a soft kiss on the corner of his mouth and whispered: "I'll be there..." With movements as liquid and fluid as smoke, she unbuckled her seat belt, exiting the car. Turning back toward him, she fluttered her fingers in a wave before hoisting her oversized purse up onto her shoulder and walking quickly toward the arena entrance.
As soon as she was out of his line of sight, Jeff leaned back in his seat, closing his eyes and letting his breath out in one long shuddering sigh. Even though the Dominant Diva was gone, her presence lingered, as though some part of her-her scent, her essence-had remained with him, leaching into his pores and mingling in his bloodstream.
He was addicted to her, and the cravings he now felt in her absence were more acute than those he had ever felt for any chemical substance. But there was something about this desire, this feeling, that he knew no drug could ever bring him.
Something pure. Something satisfying.
Keeping his eyes closed, the Charismatic Enigma slowly counted to twenty. Then again. Then a third time. When the final number had fallen from his lips, Jeff opened his eyes and exited the car. Pulling his suitcase out of the backseat, he slowly began his trek toward the arena entrance.
By now, the only other people in the garage were technicians and other backstage personnel. Melina was nowhere in sight. Still, the younger Hardy brother found himself unable to return to reality. He felt like he was locked in perpetual free-fall; his feet seemed to be floating above the ground. Everything around him had taken on an otherworldly radiance, and Jeff found himself staring at familiar objects in wonder, as though he had never really seen them before now.
The Rainbow-Haired Warrior laughed quietly under his breath. "This is stupid, Jeffro," he murmured to himself, doing his best impersonation of Matt. "This is so fucking stupid." But even as the words echoed in his ears, they did not diminish the euphoria swelling inside him. They were just words, after all; just groups of syllables strung together...they had no power over him.
And as a delighted smile spread across the face of Jeff Hardy, he found himself thinking that he would tell her the truth; that tonight, after the show, when he and Melina were alone, he would look her in the eye and tell her that he lov-
His thoughts screeched to a halt and the rosy dome of rapture surrounding him abruptly shattered into silvery shards as he spotted a figure hurrying toward him.
One glance told him that it was Maria...and a second one told him that she was clearly upset.
Jeff felt something inside him lurch, as though he was on a plane that had just hit a patch of turbulence. It had been late last night, and dark, and all of his focus had been on the Dominant Diva...but was it possible that another Superstar or Diva had seen them together?
Was that why Maria was coming toward him with such furious rapidity-because she already knew what he was going to tell her?
However, as the backstage reporter neared him, Jeff could see that there was no anger in her expression...only a mixture of fear and panic. And immediately, whatever relief the younger Hardy brother might have felt dissipated as his danger sense ratcheted up several notches.
Something had happened. Something bad. And whatever it was, it was enough to scare Maria (who was fairly tough in her own right) half to death.
The Charismatic Enigma opened his mouth to speak, but he didn't get a chance to. Maria almost collapsed against him, grabbing onto his jacket, her terrified green eyes boring into his with frightening intensity. Words were pouring out of her mouth at a rate that Jeff normally only heard in moments of great excitement. "Oh my God! Jeff! Where have you been? I've been trying to reach you-I've been calling you all day-"
The backstage reporter paused long enough to suck in a breath before barreling on. "Eric Bischoff...he's back...the McMahons put him in charge, tonight...and he's making me wrestle!"
Maria's full lips trembled, tears rolling one by one down her cheeks. All of a sudden, her face crumpled and she began to bawl. "He's making me wrestle Umaga!" the Raw Diva wailed. "He's says I have to wrestle Umaga or I'll be FIRED!" As soon as the words were out of her mouth, she instantly dissolved into tears.
Jeff couldn't speak at first; he was so stunned by the abrupt inundation of information that awareness was returning to him in jagged chunks, each one slamming into him like a ton of bricks.
Eric Bischoff, former General Manager of Raw and Class-A douchelord, now back in charge. That was bad enough. He and Bischoff had never gotten along; in fact, the former GM had been part of his reason for leaving the company three years ago. If Bischoff was back-not only back, but running the show...then things were only going to get ugly.
Another awareness chunk crashed into the Rainbow-Haired Warrior, so hard that it almost knocked him over. Wait a minute...Maria against Umaga? That was like sending in a kitten to fight Godzilla. Jeff had been fortunate enough to never have to face off against the Samoan Bulldozer in competition, but knew that the other Superstar weighed close to three-fifty, and possessed a mean streak a mile wide. Hell, Kane had been unable to beat this guy...Maria didn't stand a chance.
The younger Hardy brother started to ask why this match was even taking place, but realized that doing so would be pointless. When dealing with Eric Bischoff, asking why was irrelevant...the only thing you could do was figure out how to emerge from the ordeal with minimal damage.
Jeff wrapped his arms around Maria, more out of reflex than any conscious desire to comfort-his brain was still being bombarded as new revelations exploded into awareness. "It's okay," he murmured, his voice dazed. "It's okay." His tone held no confidence, however; all he could think about was what was going to happen to him. Bischoff hated the Charismatic Enigma, always had; Jeff's rebellious streak ran counter to the former GM's need for absolute obedience.
So what would he do, what sadistic torments would he dream up...now that, for one night at least, the Rainbow-Haired Warrior was back under his thumb?
As though she had read his mind, Maria's sobs died away into sniffles, as she regained enough of her composure to be able to speak. "That's not all; I heard...what he's-he's-" Her voice shook, broke. Maria paused, sniffing, before eventually going on. "-what he's got planned for you."
Jeff squeezed his eyes shut, feeling the sickening mental jolt as his feet connected with the ground, returning him to reality. All around him, the world was losing its brilliance, once again becoming hard, dull...and violent. "Tell me..." the younger Hardy brother whispered, the last of his ecstasy evaporating.
Melina strolled down the hall, humming to herself. She felt an insane urge to skip, to twirl around, to burst into song like they did in those old musicals. The Dominant Diva couldn't help it; this sensation, this feeling of joy inside her...it felt almost too big for her tiny frame, as though it would burst if she didn't externalize it in some way.
Last night, after Taboo Tuesday, she had thought that she was destined to be miserable, that she would never again know what it felt like to experience happiness...and now, less than twenty-four hours later, here she was, almost deliriously euphoric.
What she and Jeff had shared had been more than just sex...although, the paparazzi princess thought, a slow blush spreading across her cheeks, the sex was definitely worth mentioning. He had been gentle, so unbelievably gentle...and yet, there had been times when she had felt his passion radiating through his touch with such intensity that she thought her skin would melt beneath his mouth and hands. And during that final moment, when the feeling had eclipsed them and they had climaxed together, his arms tightening around her, his pleasurable groans mingling with her cries...she was sure she could feel his heartbeat, matching hers beat for beat, as though, in that moment of shared passion, they had truly become one body, one entity.
In her mind's eye, she could still see him, standing with her in that deserted parking lot, could still hear his voice, the soft musical timbre of his Southern accent, murmuring those words that had said nothing and everything at the same time...
Do you want this?...
...and her unexpected reply, the syllables tumbling out of her mouth, startling her in their earnest clarity...
I want to be with you...
Was it truly that simple? Was Jeff Hardy the key to the happiness her life had been lacking? She had to believe that he was, because the more she repeated those six words to herself, the more powerful they seemed to become, like a magical incantation that grows in strength each time it is recited. The paparazzi princess hugged herself with both arms, murmuring that single phrase under her breath, over and over:
I want to be with you...
I want to be with you...
I want to be with you...
Up ahead, Melina spied Nick Dinsmore, better known to the WWE fans as the mentally challenged character, Eugene, stretching in evident preparation for an upcoming match. Nick noticed her almost as soon as she spotted him, his face instantly twisting into an expression of wary suspicion. No doubt he was already anticipating his usual greeting of a haughty sneer (on a good day) or a snide comment about his mental capacity (on a bad day).
However, the Dominant Diva did neither. Flashing a warm smile at the Raw Superstar, she lifted her hand in a wave. Nick's countenance registered surprise, and with his mouth hanging agape, he looked just as clueless as the character he portrayed in the ring. Lifting his hand, he tentatively returned the gesture, blinking stupidly in shock.
Melina, however, had already forgotten about him; not out of rudeness...but because she had just glimpsed an unwelcome reminder of the task that awaited her.
Less than fifty yards away, a closed door stared silently back at her. Outwardly, it was no different than all the other doors in the backstage area of the arena; the only thing that distinguished it from its counterparts was the tastefully lettered sign displayed on its outer side:
Johnny Nitro & Melina
The paparazzi princess stopped in front of it, swallowing hard. Her heart felt like a stone within her chest. She was barely aware that she was even still breathing, except that with every exhalation and inhalation, her joy diminished...and her fear increased.
Melina had seen a lot in the two years she had been with the company. She had taken a 619, been locked in the Ankle Lock, and had even stood in the same ring as the Big Red Machine. But in this moment, she realized that none of those things scared her more than the thought of facing her boyfriend (or was it ex-boyfriend now?) again.
It wasn't just that he had hit her...though that no doubt played a part in her trepidation. No...it was the look on his face, the expression of blind rage twisting his handsome features that continued to haunt her. Something had broken free that night in Johnny; something that was dark and ugly and unspeakable, and instead of holding it back or directing it at something else, he had turned the full brunt of its fury on her. In that moment, just before the knuckles of his hand had crashed against her cheek, the fact that she was his manager, his girlfriend...all that had ceased to matter. All that had mattered was silencing her, punishing her.
And if he was able to raise his hand against her...then what other kinds of destructive mayhem was he capable of creating?
Slowly, with fingers that had lost all feeling, Melina reached out, grasping the door handle. As she did, reality momentarily shimmered, and for a second, she was back in that hotel room, her face pressed against the tangle of sheets, her ears still ringing from the blow. But in the next, the real world reasserted itself, returning to normal, and before she could lose her nerve again, the Dominant Diva twisted the knob sharply to the right, pushing the door open and stepping inside.
The first thing she saw was her suitcase, propped up against the makeup counter. Uttering a low cry of relief, she moved toward it with the exhausted determination of a swimmer paddling toward dry land.
Her hand had just closed around the handle when she heard the door click shut behind her...followed by a familiar voice.
"Hey, Mel."
The paparazzi princess whirled around, banging her hip against the edge of the counter in the process. She bit her lip against the involuntary gasp of pain that followed, holding onto the counter for support, unable to tear her gaze away from the figure in the far corner of the room.
Nitro had already donned his ring attire: sparkly pink-furred pants, fur coat, gold chain around his neck. The only anomalies in his appearance were his sunglasses, on his head instead of covering his eyes...and the expression of pleading contrition on his handsome face.
The self-proclaimed A-lister raised his hands, and Melina couldn't prevent herself from flinching. She instantly hated herself for her show of weakness; one slap, and she had suddenly become gun-shy. The paparazzi princess swallowed hard, trying to force saliva down a throat that had suddenly shrunk to the size of a pinhole. "What...do you want?" she asked, her voice little more than a strangled whisper.
Nitro started to say something, stopped, and then tried again. "I need...I need to talk to you."
The Dominant Diva shook her head slowly. "We have nothing to talk about." Averting her gaze, she turned back toward the makeup counter.
She heard the light scrape of Nitro's boots as he moved toward her, and her fingers immediately curved into claws, her nails clicking against the hard surface of the countertop. It didn't help that she could see his reflection in the mirror, slowly moving toward her, reminding her that he was still present.
The former Intercontinental Champion cleared his throat, his voice hesitant, unsure. "Mel...baby doll...please. Last night, I know I fucked up-"
"Fucked up?" Melina repeated incredulously. She looked over her shoulder at her boyfriend, her terror temporarily swallowed up by her disbelievingly astonishment. "Is that what you did? You fucked up?" She gestured at her bruised eye, still puffy and barely hidden beneath a ton of concealer. "Johnny, last night, you did this to me...right after you told me that I was worthless, that I was nothing more than a pair of tits that talk." The Dominant Diva took a deep breath, tilting her chin up a little. "You did a helluva lot more than just fuck up."
"I know that!" Nitro was starting to babble, his words tumbling over one another. "What I did-it was stupid, and low, and inexcusable...and I'm a bastard, I'm scum for doing it...but I'm begging you, Mel! I'm begging you; please give me another chance!"
"Why should I?" The fear was evaporating; Melina could sense it. In its place, she could feel her old fire, her old fury, starting to return. She stabbed her index finger toward Nitro accusingly. "You hit me! You fucked other women and you lied to my face-give me one good reason why I should give you anything!"
"Because-" the self-proclaimed A-lister sputtered helplessly. "Because-because I love you!" Nitro dropped to his knees, holding out his hands imploringly. "Kelly, those other girls...they didn't mean anything-and I know that's what every guy says when they fuck up, but it's the truth!"
He moved toward her, shuffling awkwardly on his knees, the edges of his fur coat pooling around him. It was so grotesquely comic that Melina would have laughed...if she hadn't been so livid. The former Intercontinental Champion went on. "You're the only one that I care about, Mel; without you, I'm nothing!"
Without that title...I'm nothing...
Nitro's voice changed slightly, taking on a note of coaxing affection. Melina had heard this tone before; it was the same one he had always used to comfort her when she was upset, and just the sound of it sent an involuntary jolt of nostalgic yearning through her body. "You and me, Mel-that's the way it's always been; just you and me. All we've ever had is each other, even when no one else believed in us. And look at us now-we're the A-listers of Monday Night Raw; we're the people that everyone wants to be. We proved them wrong, Mel. And why? Because we don't need anybody else. We get each other. We understand each other. That's why we belong together...because we're the same."
Melina turned away, facing the mirror once again-not because she was through listening to Johnny...but because, in spite of all her resolution, part of her was already starting to relent.
Sure, the former Intercontinental Champion had put her through hell in the last twenty-four hours, in the last month...but he hadn't always been like that. Back in the beginning, he'd been all she had. When she had been sent back to OVW while that talentless stripper Candice Michelle hadn't, or when she'd been overlooked for a title opportunity because she was on SmackDown, Johnny had always been there to wipe away her tears; to tell her that it didn't matter, that none of them mattered, because he would always be there...and for the most part, he had been.
Maybe she didn't love Johnny now, but she had once, and you never really got over that, no matter how bad things got. Things might have gotten rocky between them, but in any relationship, you had to be willing to accept the bad parts with the good...and there was so much in their relationship that had been good. Could she really throw all of that away?
Even after all the things he had done...didn't she owe him at least the benefit of a second chance?
The paparazzi princess closed her eyes, shaking her head slowly. "I don't know, Johnny," she finally replied, her tone dubious. "You hurt me. You hurt me a lot."
"I know I did, baby," Nitro replied soothingly. "And I know that nothing I say or do will ever make it up to you, but I'm hoping..." He paused, rising to his feet, and Melina tensed as he came up behind her, his breath caressing her ear. "...I'm hoping that this-" She felt him rotate her hand up, laying something flat and hard in her palm. "-will help."
Melina cautiously opened her eyes, making sure to keep her gaze focused downward. The object that Nitro had placed in her hand was a black rectangular jewelry box, embossed with a border of gold. With fingers that barely trembled, the Dominant Diva flipped open the lid.
Her breath immediately caught in her throat. Nestled inside was a diamond pendant on a slender golden chain. The single stone was large, bigger than any she owned, anyway...and one glance at its flawless clarity told her that it was real.
In that moment, the paparazzi forgot everything-Jeff's touch, his voice, the probing intensity of his green eyes...all she saw was the cold glitter of the gemstone.
Nitro was speaking again. "-I went to Eric Bischoff, and I got him to give me a match...and I want you to be there at ringside when I win. Because once I do, baby, things are going to be just like they were before-"
But Melina had already tuned him out. She pulled the necklace out of the box, her dark eyes following the diamond as it twinkled and caught the light. Her lips moved, and she heard her voice as though from a great distance:
"I'll be there."
She wouldn't realize until later that it was the exact same promise she had made to Jeff Hardy...but by then, it wouldn't matter.
Jeff hung onto the ropes for support, trying to catch his breath. His body was screaming His mind was racing at a million miles a second, but unfortunately, none of his thoughts were on the match. He was operating on pure instinct right now; it was a miracle he'd survived out here as long as he had.
But how could he focus? How could he...when everything was falling apart?
When Maria had told him, between sobs and gasps for breath, that he would be defending his Intercontinental Championship against Johnny Nitro tonight, Jeff's first reaction had been mild surprise. Sure, the match was out of nowhere, but then again, as he'd learned through locker room gossip, one of the self-proclaimed A-lister's first jobs in the WWE had been Eric Bischoff's errand boy; it only made sense that the pretty-boy would somehow manage to weasel a title opportunity out of his former boss.
His next thought had been one of amusement; namely, how Nitro was going to fare without his girlfriend at ringside. Jeff could only imagine the look on the former Intercontinental Champion's face; in fact, he'd even wished the poor bastard good luck...
All of his levity, however, had vanished the instant the familiar squealing guitars blared and she stepped out onto the ramp. Wearing a pink-and-black minidress and a haughty smirk, Melina had sauntered down to the ring, hanging onto Nitro's arm as though nothing had happened, as though it was business as usual, as though the big bruise on her left eye was nothing more than the aftermath of a badly-timed bump. When she'd gotten in the ring, the paparazzi princess had deliberately not looked him in the eye...and the one time their eyes did meet, the expression on her face was as though he was little more than something she'd scraped off the sole of her boot.
All right...Jeff had told himself, shaken but still generally unworried. Maybe she's just acting. Maybe she's just playing it up for the camera's sake, for the fans, for Nitro... But then the match had started, and within the first three minutes, the Charismatic Enigma had gotten knocked halfway out of the ring...and the subsequent slap that Melina nailed him with had been so hard that it had nearly knocked the taste of his mouth.
That was the moment when he started to become concerned, but regardless, the Rainbow-Haired Warrior had tried to soldier on, battling back despite his ever-diminishing focus. When Melina had tripped him up again, in full view of referee Chad Patton this time, and the official had called for the bell, Jeff had been almost relieved. A win by DQ might be a cheap kind of victory, but at least it would allow him to leave the carnival funhouse that this bout had become with his championship reign intact.
But then all of a sudden, Bischoff had emerged, mic in hand, the smarmy unctuousness of his voice echoing throughout the arena. Even now, Jeff could still remember his exact words:
"Oh, no, no, no! I don't THINK so! That's NOT how this match is going to end! Ref, I want you to restart this match-only THIS time...NO DISQUALIFICATION!"
Coherent thought had ceased for the younger Hardy brother then; everything that followed was a haze of jumbled awareness and physical response. He felt like he was trapped in some kind of bizarre theatrical drama, where everyone had a script except for him. Fragments of notions were coming together; notions that he did not want but which were germinating nonetheless, formed from little more than wild supposition and scattered scraps of memory...
Melina, tears running down her swollen face...
It kills me...being around you...
Melina, staring out the car window, her expression both arrogant and obstinate...
I don't like you...you don't like me...and that is never going to change...
Johnny Nitro, sneering down at him...
You know, Mel...they really ought to stop leaving trash out for beautiful people like you and me to trip over...
And in what was to be his last rational reflection of the evening, the Charismatic Enigma found himself wondering if all of it-finding Melina, their night together, Nitro's title match, the A-list pair's apparent reconciliation-was more than just random coincidence...
Jeff looked back toward the ring. Nitro was gingerly getting to his feet, still recovering from their collision a few seconds before. The younger Hardy brother's gaze flicked to the side, focusing on the Diva at ringside. Melina, of course, wasn't even looking at him; all her attention was aimed at the self-proclaimed A-lister.
Just witnessing her concern, her care, for a man who had put her through hell sent a bolt of rage racing through Jeff's body that was so white-hot and acute that it burned everything else away. With a low roar, the Rainbow-Haired Warrior charged forward, knocking down the newly-vertical Nitro with a hard clothesline. He repeated this action a few more times, waiting until the former Intercontinental Champion had regained his footing before upending him with another forearm blow.
Nitro staggered to his feet once more, and the Charismatic Enigma lashed out with a kick to the gut, doubling the other man over and setting him up for the Twist of Fate. Nitro, incredibly, was able to counter it; twisting free and shoving Jeff toward the corner, but the younger Hardy brother did him one better, leaping up onto the top turnbuckle and launching backward into a picture-perfect Whisper in the Wind.
The offensive maneuver took both men down. Crawling with effort, ignoring the pain ratcheting through his body, Jeff hooked Nitro's leg for the pin.
1...2...
Nitro's right shoulder shot off the canvas, and Jeff almost bellowed in frustration. Scrambling to his feet, he nailed the other Superstar in the ribs with a kick, hard enough to send the former Intercontinental Champion rolling out of the ring.
He heard a piercing shriek behind him, and was nearly knocked to his knees as someone latched onto his back. Melina's arms were locked around his neck, her legs kicking wildly on either side of his waist, her very presence evoking a peculiar combination of the most intoxicating desire and the most unforgiving fury.
Her mouth was against his ear, her voice perfectly audible despite the din in the arena, spitting out a frantic plea: "Jeff, please, listen to me-"
But Jeff was beyond hearing. Beyond thinking. Beyond caring. The only thing that mattered was this wrath consuming him from within, and how to unleash it in the most effective way possible.
Grabbing a handful of Melina's long reddish-brown locks (locks, which, only a few hours before, he had been running his fingers through), the Charismatic Enigma snapmared her over his shoulder, hurling her down onto the canvas. Storming over to the turnbuckle post, he climbed it, posing in preparation for the Swanton.
Before he could dive down toward the mat, Nitro climbed up onto the apron, grabbing Jeff's ankle and yanking him downwards. The Rainbow-Haired Warrior fell, the turnbuckle post rochambeauing him in the most vulnerable of places. All awareness immediately abandoned him; the only thing that remained was the blinding pain. Jeff fell to the mat, rolling back and forth feebly before finally regaining enough adrenaline to make it to his feet.
As he did so, still clutching himself, he saw that Nitro had reentered the ring as well, and was now charging toward him like a raging bull. Jeff's final thought before the blue-and-gold Intercontinental Championship connected with his skull was What's that he's carrying?...
And then, the younger Hardy brother knew nothing.
The cloud of almost-unconsciousness that suddenly eclipsed his brain couldn't have lasted more than a few seconds, but by the time Jeff had regained enough control over his own limbs to shoot his shoulder off the mat, that god-awful guitar was already wailing, and Lillian Garcia's voice was booming in his ears, her normally pleasant tone now as grating as nails on a chalkboard: "...new Intercontinental Champion, Johnny Nitro!"
Groaning, the Charismatic Enigma rolled over onto his side, trying to talk through a mouth that felt as though it had been stuffed with sand, trying to explain to Patton that it was a mistake; that he hadn't been incapacitated long enough for a three-count. But for some reason, his words kept emerging as little more than inaudible grunts.
Bracing himself against the inevitable pain, Jeff opened his eyes. Instantly, the pain in his head went up several more degrees; it was as though someone was shining a laser directly into his brain. But yet, the discomfort inside his skull was nothing compared to what he was witnessing before him.
In the center of the ring, Nitro was proudly holding his newly-won championship up with one arm, its faceplace still bearing Jeff's name. His other arm was wrapped around the waist of Melina, who was perched on his hip, her arms entwined around his neck. Her hair had fallen loose of its coiffure and was hanging in her face, and her dazed expression indicated that she probably wasn't too clear on where she was. As Jeff watched wordlessly, she dipped her head down, pressing her lips against Nitro's in a tender kiss.
At this, the Rainbow-Haired Warrior had to look away. Moaning softly in the back of his throat, he rolled over onto his opposite side, drawing his knees up to his chest, wanting nothing more than to curl up into a tiny ball and disappear.
They set me up. It was all just an act...a scheme to get back the Intercontinental Championship. She never cared about me; she was just using me. They set me up...and I fell for it...
Jeff ducked his chin down toward his chest, his thoughts little more than dim vibrations underneath the sea of emotions engulfing him.
She used me...and I fell for it...
I hate her...
I HATE HER...
"Melina! Melina! One more! Over here!"
The Dominant Diva turned stiffly in the required direction, her movements as wooden and lifeless as a mannequin. Her smile was stretched so tight across her face that it felt like a rictus; as though any moment, her skin would split open and her true feelings would spill out onto the floor. Next to her, Nitro remained his usual oblivious self, posing for the flashing bulbs, taking to ensure that his newly-regained Intercontinental Championship featured prominently in every shot...blissfully unaware that the lovely Diva at his side had done everything in her power to keep him from winning it.
Despite his obvious excitement about the match, Johnny had remained surprisingly close-mouthed about its specifics...which was why Melina hadn't learned until they had arrived at gorilla that he would be facing Jeff Hardy.
The bad feeling had started gnawing away at her then, and by the time she reached the ring and subsequently learned that the bout would be for the Intercontinental Championship, her mind was already on overdrive, trying to figure out what to do.
She had purposefully tripped up Jeff to get Nitro disqualified; why else would she have interfered in full view of the referee? She'd had no idea, however, that doing so would bring Eric Bischoff out.
That he would restart the match.
That he would make it No DQ.
When she'd jumped on Jeff's back, it had been to...what? Warn him? Explain to him? She wasn't quite sure anymore, but whatever her reasons had been, it hadn't been enough to prevent Jeff from throwing her down onto the mat...or to stop Johnny from blasting the Rainbow-Haired Warrior in the face with the title belt.
Melina wasn't certain which of the two had been more painful: the impact that tore through her body as her spine met canvas...or the agony that ripped through her heart as Nitro's theme music blared through the arena.
How had this happened? How, in the space of less than a few hours, had things gone from perfect to so horribly, horribly wrong?
That was easy, of course: because of her.
Melina looked up at her boyfriend's flushed and happy face, feeling only a numb kind of apathy. He planned this...she thought to herself with dull awareness. He thought this all up before the match even started, before I even got there. He knew...that I've been caught before...and he wanted this to happen. He KNEW this would happen.
And Jeff...he thinks...that I knew about this. He thinks...that it's all my fault.
And he's right; it is. It IS my fault...
But I didn't know, I swear to GOD I didn't know...
Her mental lamentations abruptly ceased as, out of the corner of her eye, a familiar head of multi-colored hair moved through the crowd, the movements of its owner unsteady. Melina waited until it had disappeared out of sight before she turned toward Nitro again, hoping that her voice sounded perfectly casual: "Could you excuse me for a moment, Johnny?"
The new Intercontinental Champion didn't even answer; only offered a distracted nod, and the paparazzi princess quietly slipped away. She kept her movements slow, deliberate, until she was certain that she was out of Nitro's line of sight. Then, in a flash, her look of haughty indifference transformed into one of agonized panic; her sultry strut denigrating into an undignified flat-out run.
She had to find him. Nitro, the photographers...none of them mattered. All that mattered right now was finding Jeff.
The Dominant Diva knew from past experience (much of which, she thought with some chagrin, she'd been the cause of) that after a defeat, the Charismatic Enigma tended toward solitude, straying after from the main avenues of traffic. And after turning down the third deserted corridor, she finally found him, limping slightly, clutching his right shoulder.
Melina hesitated, but only for a moment, before barreling after him. Catching up to the younger Hardy brother was no problem; she had run track in a previous life. She grabbed onto Jeff's arm, her fingernails hooking the fabric of his shirt. "Jeff, wait-"
"Don't touch me," the Rainbow-Haired Warrior interrupted brusquely, trying to shake her loose.
Melina resisted his attempts at extrication, sinking her fingers into the meat of his upper arm. "Please-"
"I said DON'T TOUCH ME, you BITCH!" Jeff roared, whirling around and shoving her away. The push knocked the paparazzi princess back several paces, almost bringing her down to her knees, and for a moment, she stood there, too stunned to speak.
The younger Hardy brother glared at her, his chest heaving as he drew in breath after furious breath. It was clear that he was trying to get himself under control enough to form coherent words. "What's the matter, princess?" His voice was sarcastic...but also laced with a deeply threaded pain. "Huh? You want to gloat some more? Not finished getting a good laugh at the trick you pulled on stupid naive Jeff Hardy?" He paused, though obviously not so she could respond. "You got what you wanted, princess." Another hesitation. "Just...just leave me alone."
"I didn't know," Melina's voice was a halting whisper. She took one tentative step toward Jeff, then another. "You have to believe me, I didn't know-"
"Does it really matter, princess?" the Charismatic Enigma interjected harshly. "You still helped your boyfriend win that match. You still helped him and his butt-buddy Eric Bischoff screw me over."
His fists briefly curled into fists, then relaxed. Melina watched them open and close with a kind of detached fascination. The Rainbow-Haired Warrior went on. "You could have walked away. You could have kicked him in the nuts. You could have told him to go fuck himself-but no, the only thing you choose to do was go right back to being Johnny Nitro's girlfriend; to pretending like last night, the things he's done, the things he's put you through, never happened!"
Now Jeff was the one to move forward, his voice lowering in volume, softening just a touch. "Did last night mean...anything...to you-or was it just an act, too?" His tone, almost gentle, turned rough. Closing the distance between them, he grabbed her upper arm, yanking her against him, spitting his words out through gritted teeth. "Just another unpleasant chore in your plan to get your boyfriend's title back? I'm amazed you were able to swallow your disgust-"
Melina's slap rocked him back a step. The Dominant Diva glared furiously at him, tears already pooling in her dark eyes. "How dare you!" she hissed, her voice choked. "How can you say that? How can you think that I-"
"Because I don't know what to think, princess!" the younger Hardy brother shot back. "After what just happened, I don't know what to believe anymore! One minute, Johnny Nitro's slapping the shit out of you, and the next, you're helping him win a match." He touched her face, but there was nothing gentle about the way his fingers probed her bruised eye. "Did he even hit you...or did you just run into a door?"
Melina grabbed his hand, pulling it away from her face. "He hit me," she replied flatly. "I never lied about that."
Jeff's expression didn't change. "Well, then, you're not just a liar-you're also the biggest coward on earth." He leaned forward, until his face was almost touching hers. "This guy lies to you, he cheats on you, he beats you...but instead of leaving him, you just bury your head in the sand and act like nothing's wrong."
The paparazzi princess tried to speak, but found she couldn't; words had failed her. Without warning, Jeff grabbed hold of the diamond pendant around her neck, yanking it (and her) forward, and nearly strangling her in the process. Ignoring her surprised coughs, he turned his palm upward, scrutinizing the glittering stone nestled in his hand. "Is this the price he paid? For hitting you? Is that how it works? He just buys you a diamond and everything's forgiven?" His emerald irises flicked upward to meet hers. "It's a nice rock. It might not have a nice big shoulder to cry on the next time Nitro cheats on you or hits you...but hey, at least it looks pretty." He abruptly flung the pendant down, as though it had inexplicably morphed into a hot coal.
Melina felt the stone bounce lightly against her breast, breaking the last of her self-control, and she began to cry. The younger Hardy brother watched her weep without pity. "Oh, here it comes," he drawled sarcastically. "I've seen this before; those big phony crocodile tears." He tilted his head to the side. "I've fallen for this trick before, princess, but not anymore. I'm done with this." Jeff's green eyes narrowed slightly-was there a flash of pain in their depths? "I'm done with you."
The Dominant Diva could barely talk. Tears were streaming down her cheeks, dripping off her chin. Hesitantly, she reached out toward the Rainbow-Haired Warrior again, her arm trembling. "Jeff...p-please-"
Jeff instantly swatted her hand away. "Don't, princess," A note of warning had crept into his voice. "Just...don't." He held up his hand, as though to ward her off. "Do me a favor...and stay away." A pause. "Stay the hell away from me."
"Jeff-" Melina tried to plead, but the Charismatic Enigma was already gone, turning a corner and vanishing from her sight before she could even force the words out of her throat. The Dominant Diva stood there, unable to move, unable to breathe. She could feel a cry building up inside of her; a low keening wail that would go on and on if she allowed it to escape.
And she knew, with an absolute certainty, that she was going to throw up.
There was a bathroom a few yards down the hall; Melina burst into it, tripping and breaking one of her stiletto heels in the process before collapsing in front of the nearest toilet, legs splayed out on either side of her. She retched, vomiting the contents of her stomach into the porcelain bowl, hot and sour and scorching her throat.
When her insides had finally ceasing emptying themselves, the paparazzi princess half-limped, half-crawled to the sink, using it for support as she shakily pulled herself up to her feet. Turning on the water, she caught the clear liquid in her hand, using it to wash away her tears, the traces of bile clinging to the corners of her mouth.
Too bad she couldn't use it to cleanse herself of her past misdeeds...or the aura of cowardice and shame that she couldn't quite manage to scrub free.
Too bad...it couldn't wash away the past.
Melina lifted her gaze, eying her reflection in the mirror. The image staring back at her looked empty, haunted, more like a corpse than a living human being; nothing like the conceited Diva who had helped Johnny Nitro steal back his title...and certainly nothing like the optimistic young woman who had exited Jeff Hardy's car this afternoon.
Melina's eyes drifted downward, focusing on the single diamond nestled in the hollow of her throat. All of a sudden, her throat swelled shut, and she couldn't breathe; it was as though all of the air had been snatched from her lungs. She could have sworn that she felt the necklace shrink a size or two; she actually felt the chain digging into her neck.
The paparazzi princess clawed at the piece of jewelry, trying to pull it away from her neck, trying to give herself some room to breathe. Her fingers looped around the chain, but nothing happened; her body was still devoid of air. Already, she was starting to become light-headed, her vision blurring into bright blobs of color.
As Melina stood there helplessly, fast nearing unconsciousness, memories washed over her, both pleasant and painfully poignant:
Jeff, looking down at her, both of them near that rapturous moment of release...
"Open your eyes for me, princess. Please. I just want to look into your eyes..."
His hands on her face, her body...
"You're so beautiful..."
The parking lot, the wind whipping around them...
"Do you want this?"
Do you want this?...
With a low SNAP, the chain broke, and Melina coughed as precious oxygen flooded her lungs, reviving her. The Dominant Diva collapsed against the sink, inhaling and exhaling gratefully. The diamond pendant was still clenched in one hand; with a strangled cry, she threw it from her. She didn't turn to see where it landed; it could have gone down the drain for all she cared. Instead, she lifted her head, staring once again at her reflection in the silvered glass.
Her lips moved, pouring out words, her voice thick with tears. "I wanted it." She hesitated. "I wanted you."
Melina bowed her head, her reddish-brown curls falling and obscuring her face. Her voice shook, broke, but she forced herself to say it...because, sadly, it was the unavoidable and heart-wrenching truth. Too bad that no one would ever know it.
Too bad that Jeff would never know it.
"I...I l-love y-you..."
Collapsing to the floor, the Dominant Diva sobbed in misery.