Post-TLC Syndrome
He knew she’d be waiting there. Unless she had a match of her own to prepare for, or was not at the event at all, she was always waiting for him. Win, lose or no result. Tag team match up, singles competition, no DQ or ladder match...
But TLC... She was there in a different kind of way.
He wasn’t surprised to see her chastising Buh Buh Ray Dudley as he passed her either. Her voice was a little gruff as she told him pointedly, “That suplex was messy, Buh Buh...”
He winced at the thought of it. For a moment there when his back had slammed into the canvas, he’d wondered if he’d finally been broken in two. The move had been shaky at best, and Buh Buh had been unable to break the fall for him in the slightest. That move had certainly worked less painfully in theory.
Buh Buh sighed at the girl, “You’re telling me. I landed with a nice fucking thud too, you know.”
She nodded, “I know. But you know...”
He smiled, “Yeah, I do” before hobbling off with D-Von at his side.
It was Edge & Christian that passed her next. Good friends with both Adam and Jason, she made them stop so she could look them over. Adam brushed away her attentions gently, but Jason accepted them eagerly, he noted. He was more than aware that was something he would have to keep a good eye on. If Jason snuck in and stole her away from him, it wouldn’t be the first time a *friend* had done so.
Jason rest a gentle hand on the girls face, and it was only now he too saw the tears in her eyes. “You’ve been crying...”
She stepped back from him, “Only a little. They’ll be gone by the time he sees me.”
But he was seeing her now.
Adam spoke softly, “It was okay... It was... I don’t think any of us were permanently damaged.”
“Good,” she smiled, hugging them each in turn before letting them move on. She called after Jason, “Put some ice on that bump on your hip, Jay.”
With Jericho and Benoit still out in the ring celebrating, he had no choice but to wander over to her next, his brother at his side. To his initial surprise it was his brother that she hugged first. “What the hell were you thinking, Matt? Twist of Fate off a ladder...” She sighed, leaning back from him while his arms still rest around her waist to take his face in her hands, “I thought you busted your arm the way you were jumping around...”
He held up said arm, “All good.” He flinched, grabbing his arm. “Well, almost.”
She smiled gently, slapping him on the ass as he turned to go. She reluctantly turned her attentions to him. The tears in her eyes were gone, but the pain, the ultimate fear in her eyes was still there. “Great match, Hardy. I was very impressed.” She was playing it as cool as she could, he knew. After TLC II at Wrestlemania, she had fussed over him for days, and while she hadn’t been crying when he’d returned from the ring, he suspected that she had.
But she had to know, love the high flier outside the ring, love the high flier in the ring. They were both who he truly was, and while in the early days she had accepted that without question, now every time he stepped in that ring she grew a little more concerned. And it bothered him, because he wouldn’t change until this business finally managed to kill him.
He nodded, “Then why the tears?”
She looked away. He couldn’t see her face for hr long hair when it flopped across it, but he knew tears were coming again. She whispered, “I’m sorry.”
He took her into his arms, hugging her tightly and kissing the fringe of her soft hair. “You know this is what I do. You know.”
She nodded against his chest as she cried softly, “I just don’t want you to get hurt. I couldn’t bare it...”
“I’m fine...” He started, but she cut him off.
“No, you’re not.” She looked up at him, her deep brown eyes filled with pain, “And I’m not. I don’t know how much longer I can do this... I suck at being the supportive girlfriend, Jeff. I suck at it because I love you.”
He sighed. He wanted to tell her he could take it a little easier in the ring, that he’d be more careful when and where he threw himself almost literally to the wolves out there in front of those crowds.
But they both knew what a lie that would be.
All he could do was whisper, “I’m sorry, Kalli.”
She nodded against him, “I know.”
But she didn’t want to know or understand.
She just wanted him to stay in one piece.
Jeff took her hand in his and started down the hall, leading her off with the promise of a stop by the Trainer’s room. But he had to wonder how much longer he could put her through this and have her stay...
~ The End ~