Returning

“Ready to face the world?”

“Hmm?” Kalleasto McMahon slowly blinked away the last remnants of sleep; her gaze cast out the car window and into the city streets surrounding them. Her head ached and she rose a hand to lightly rub her forehead, still a little disorientated. She turned slowly, sleepily in her seat, her tired eyes meeting Matt’s. She smiled gently, her voice soft, “Did I fall asleep?”

He chuckled, “About three towns back, baby.”

She sighed, yawning, “I’m sorry...” She fought a second yawn. “We nearly there?”

“Yeah... About 20 minutes to go.” Matt indicated, the vehicle cornering as he spoke, “So...”

The girl nodded softly, “Yeah, I know.” She sat up a little more in the seat, running her fingers through her long, mousy brown hair. “This is going to be interesting.” A slight frown touched her features, “Matty, I...” She broke off, reaching out to take his hand as it clutched the gear stick. As he changed gears, she moved her hand with his and he chuckled again, a grin touching her face. But it faded slowly, “I’m kinda nervous...” She whispered, “About seeing Jeff and Krissy...”

“Me too...” The Hardy Boy shook his head. “I still can’t believe they got married.” He looked over at Kalli, “And here we are...”

“Still stuck in limbo.” She sighed, “I know that Krissy and Jeff being married should make it kinda okay for us, but I still feel...”

“Like it’s wrong.” Matt finished for her. “I know.”

Kalli groaned softly, “Doesn’t it get easier than this somewhere along the line?”

He gave her hand a gentle squeeze, “Somewhere.” They shared a warm smile, “Kalli, if you still want to keep things low key, that is okay with me.”

“No,” Kalli cut him off, “Fuck it, Matt. I don’t want to sneak around anymore. If Jeff and Krissy can be all married and shit then why can’t we just be together.” Her voice was wistful as she spoke, “Just can’t we be together and be happy and damn everything else?” She told him gently, old hurt in her voice, “I’m tired of sneaking around. Low key can be for somebody else. Low key is not for us, baby. Not anymore.”

The Hardy Boy chuckled, “Suits me.”

She eyed him carefully, “Promise?”

“Promise.” This brought a smile to the girl’s lips and he was unable to resist the urge to share in it as she hopped up in her seat, unhooking her seat belt to lean over to give him an adoring kiss. “Dayum, Kalli! I’m trying to drive here!”

The girl kissed him again, “Then pull over!”

He laughed, “Don’t tempt me, McMahon.” She settled back into her seat, yawning again as she did her seat belt back up. “Still tired, baby?” He asked.

“Yeah...” She nestled back into her seat, her head resting against the side of the seat so she could watch him as he drove. “Damn travel sickness.”

Reaching over to gently rub her cheek, he told her, “Well we’re nearly there now.” She smiled and he turned his attentions back to the road. “So did you get onto Heidi this morning?”

“Yeah,” the girl yawned again, “She’s been staying with Mom and Dad. She says they’ve been taking good care of her and spoiling her rotten,” she smiled, “Which is certainly not hard to believe considering how spoiled we all were.” She sighed, closing her eyes a moment, “I still feel bad for just running off on her though.”

“I’m sure she understands, Kalli.”

The McMahon Heiress nodded, “She does. It’s just... You know, she comes here to be with me and instead she becomes an honorary McMahon.” Kalli opened her eyes, smiling softly, “Not that she seemed to mind. No matter how much my mother bled Daddy, we never really had money as kids... This will be like something out of the Pauper and the Prince for Heidi.” Kalli laughed cheekily, “I’m off gallivanting around the country with a poor boy while she lives it up in a Mansion in Connecticut.”

“Has she decided when she wants to go home yet?”

Kalli grinned, “Are you trying to get rid of my kid sister, Matty?”

He smiled at this, “No... You know that... It’s just, I’m sure your Mom is ready to kill her right about now. Seeing she ran off to America to be with you.”

“Mummy Dearest will get over it,” Kalli shrugged, “Besides, it’s not the being with me she has a problem with. It’s Daddy.” She paused a moment and then whispered, “I wonder what he thinks about all this.”

“About Jeff and Krissy?”

Kalli nodded, “And us.” She sighed sadly, sorry for all her parents had been through because of the McMahon girls and their wandering hearts. “This must be hard for them.” She lowered her eyes, “Daddy must be so disappointed.”

“Possibly,” Matt told her honestly, “But he loves you, Kalli. You and Krissy both, and he’ll stand by his kids to his dying day and you know it.”

“Yeah, I just...” She looked at him, hurt, “I don’t want Daddy to be disappointed in me. Not anymore.”

He reached over, taking her hand and bringing it to his lips. He kissed it softly, whispering, “He won’t be, Kalli.” He gave her an adoring smile, “Something tells me you’re on the right track now.”

Though tiny seeds of doubt lingered in Kalli, she was more certain than ever that Matt was right. Everything she feeling, all she was becoming, it lead her to places she had never dreamed of before. She was happy, and she was determined, her strength renewed by Matt’s love for her. “I think I might be, Matty...”

Her voice trailed away, a wave of nausea passing through her. She clenched her eyes closed in an attempt to fight it, but it did not pass.

“Stop the car,” she managed, pulling her seat belt off as Matt guided the car from the road. The moment he had come to a halt she had the door open, her head hanging out of the car as the wave took hold of her and she vomited.

“Damn! Kalli!” Matt climbed out of the car, rushing around to her side to kneel by her in the open doorway, gently pushing her hair away from her face to spare it as she continued to cough and splutter, her stomach lurching continually until it had emptied onto the side of the road.

She gasped when she was finished, struggling for breath. “I’m sorry...” She panted, “I’m sorry...” The last remnants of the horrible feeling that had locked onto her filtered away and she sat up, slowly calming her breath. “Damn travel sickness.”

Matt fussed over her gently, tilting her face toward his, “Are you okay?”

“Uh huh,” she nodded. “I’m good now. All good.”

“Are you sure?” She nodded again and he asked, “Dammit, why don’t you go get some medication for that, Kalli? It‘d sure beat the hell outta puking all the time.”

“I don’t puke all the time,” she retorted in her own defence.

And honestly, she didn’t.

She had always gotten very sick when travelling, her entire life she had... But she was never sick like this.

She shook her head softly, musing under her breath, ‘What the hell is wrong with me?’

“Promise me you’ll get something for this, please?” Kalli nodded and the Hardy Boy leant forward, pressing his lips to her forehead. “Good.” He breathed in, catching a whiff of her breath. He grabbed his nose and the girl looked at him, “Uh...” He stammered embarrassedly.

“Stinky breath?” She asked.

“Stinky breath,” he smiled softly. Her face fell and he pat her knee gently, “First thing we do at that arena is get you some gum.”

The girl nodded, letting him tug her legs back onto the car and shut the door as he moved around to his own door to climb back into the car.

Stinky breath was one thing...

But Kalli McMahon was beginning to wonder if that was the least of her problems.

And a glance at the clock. Tia was late...

The girl leapt forward, cartwheeling once, twice, springing into a backflip and coming to a screeching halt in the corner before she could slam into the turnbuckle. She grinned as she halted, taking another deep breath and then tearing across the ring in exactly the same way to stop in the corner she had started in.

It was Molly Holly’s move.

And before that, it had been Chyna’s.

She would never be able to use that move in the ring during the course of a match...

But Kalleasto McMahon wanted to learn every move there was, and if she never got to use them, well, that was just too bad. Besides, in learning other people’s moves, she could incorporate tiny facets of them into new moves of her own.

In this business, you could never learn too much.

Paul had taught her that.

The girl leapt back forward, springing from a cartwheel into a handstand, holding herself as perfectly up right as she could. She could feel the blood flooding to her face, her cheeks flushing, but she held on, closing her eyes...

A wave of dizziness past over her and she tumbled forward, landing flat on her back with a thud, only barely breaking her fall by landing right, her hands darting to her head. She took quick, shallow breaths, her stomach lurching, the world still seemingly spinning out of control around her. When she opened her eyes, the roof of the arena above her blurred into near nothingness and so she closed her eyes again, waiting for the feeling to pass like it always did.

She would be lying if she said these waves of nausea and the migranes attached were not starting to scare her...

Because frankly they were.

She sighed, shaking her head slightly. It was just stress, wasn’t it? She had been fine before her lovelife had started to turn sour. Before she and Matt had fallen into bed, before she and Jeff had parted when she ran away to Australia...

The entire time she had been away with Matt, she’d felt fine. Apart from New Years Eve when it had been travel sickness to slightly weaken her, she’d felt wonderful. She had.

Sitting up slowly, the girl shook her head, grateful for the waning of the dizziness that had tumbled her. She climbed back to her feet, stretching lazily and then cartwheeling forward again, pausing in another graceful hand stand, her legs held in a perfect line above her head...

But it was only a moment before she could feel the dizziness creeping on her again and she dropped down onto her knees, holding her head. Her fingers tangled in angry knots in her hair and she wanted to cry. It was a handstand, a handstand damn it. She had done a hundred thousand of them before that day...

Why did it seem so hard now?

“That’s an interesting wrestling move you’ve developed there, Kalli.”

When she heard the voice behind her, her hands dropped into her lap, a smile dancing onto her lips. Without turning around she said as coolly as she could manage, “And there’s plenty more where that came from.”

“Really?” The man’s amused chuckle filled the air before it died away into a playfully nasty, “Care to dance?”

She threw a little look back over her shoulder, her eyes locking on his, “Just try me.”

He charged forward, the girl jumping in one swift motion to her feet, and striking out with a boot, sinking it into his chest. He backpeddled slightly and, showing off, she backflipped away from him as he rushed forward again, her boots striking his arm as he just got it up in time to protect the underneath of his chin. She finished in a standing position, her dukes up. “Ring rust, Pauly?”

Paul Levesque grinned, “I’ll show you ring rust, little girl.” He charged forward, but she leapt up, one boot settling on his leg as she aimed the second for his face, but he caught her leg easily, snatching her in mid air and whirling to slam her down onto the mat.

The air driven from her body, a flash of nausea filled the girl but she fought it, scrambling away from him and back to her feet. When he rushed toward her again, she leapt into the air, sinking both feet into his arms as they protected his face, dropping him onto his back on the mat. She rushed over to him, grabbing onto a leg...

But it pushed it forward, striking her in the stomach and knocking her onto her back.

He propped himself up on one elbow, gazing over at her, “Oh come on, you should have seen that one coming.”

“I did when it hit me,” she told him, managing a breathless grin. “Come on, Pauly. I know you got more in you than that.” The two shared a smile and then both climbed to their feet. When he rushed her, Kalli skidded onto her stomach, sliding between his legs. As he turned, she ran at the turnbuckle, leaping up onto it and then backflipping...

He watched her as if she was in slow mo as her body turned over in the air, getting his arms up as she came crashing down on top of him.

As she rolled off him to rest on her stomach beside him, he gasped sharply, grabbing his leg. “God! My leg!!!” Panic filled his voice as he balled up into himself, “Me leg... Kalli...”

Kalleasto McMahon paled, crawling to his side, rolling him onto his bakc, fear gripping her, “Oh God! Oh God, Pauly! I’m sorry! I’m sor...” He eyes met his and the words trailed away, replaced with a furious, “You Son of a Bitch!” He laughed heartily, but his laughter was cut off by the vicious slap that landed against his cheek, “That’s not even funny!!!”

He smiled soothingly, “It is if you’re me.”

“Dammit!” Kalli rest a hand a little melodramatically over her heart, trying to fight the tinges of a smile that were touching her. “Lindsey would’ve fucking killed me! That’s all I need! To be responsible for Triple H being out for another 7 months!” She shook her head, “It’s not like your wife isn’t pissed with me enough.”

Paul’s smile faded into a subdued grimace, “Yeah...” His voice was soft, “Kalli, about that...”

She cut him off, her voice gentle, “I thought you were going to destroy those photo’s, Pauly.” She whispered, “You promised.”

“I know,” he nodded sadly, “I just...” He shrugged, “I boxed them up and put them away. I didn’t think anyone would ever find them...”

“But someone did.” She looked at him, her gaze intensive, “It was Joanie, wasn‘t it?”

He nodded again, “I think so.” He told her bitterly, “It seems to be her style of late.”

The McMahon Heiress told him all seriousness, “That bitch would want to hope she never crosses paths with me again, Pauly. I’ll tear her fucking head off.” Her eyes filled with fire, “No one messes with my family.” Her eyes locked on his, “And that includes you, you know. I’m not just talking about Linds.”

Paul smiled, “Yeah.” He chuckled, “Kinda crazy, isn’t it?”

“Downright insane, actually.” She told him warmly. There was a short pause and then she asked, “How are things with you and Linds, Pauly?”

He shrugged, his eyes filling with pain, “I’m not too sure right now.”

Concern marred Kalli’s brow, “You guys are gonna work things out, aren’t you?”

“I’m not giving in without a fight if that’s what you mean, Kalli.” She smiled at the determination in his voice. He gave her a gentle smile before asking, “And you and Linds?”

The girl sighed, “Not good.” Without thinking she pressed a hand to the cheek Lindsey had slapped on Christmas Day, “She was so angry with me, Pauly. She slapped me... And...” She started to choke up a little, “The things she said...” Her eyes locked on his yet again, “She doesn’t trust me

The Game shook his head, “It was seven years ago.”

“I know,” Kalli cooed gently, “We just gotta make her see that she’s the only McMahon you want to be with.” She reached out, ruffling his hair affectionately, “And we will, Pauly. We will.”

He smiled, deeply touched by her friendship, “Thanks, Kalli.”

The pair fell into silence a while...

And then Paul asked, “So you wanna go again?”

The girl laughed, “You’re on!” She climbed to her feet, “But if you Pedigree me I’m going to Hurricanrana your ass.”

"No, Tia. Dayum, come on. You gotta snap back faster than that." Kalli paused in the centre of the ring, folding her arms.

The girl before her groaned, "Damn it, Kalli, if I snap back any faster my head is gonna come right off."

"Good." Kalli snapped, "At least you'll be selling these shots then."

Her friend pouted, "Kalli..." Her playful eyes locked on the McMahon Heiress' and she told her, "You're mean when you're training me."

Kalli sighed, "Good, Tia." She dropped her hands onto her hips, telling her friend honestly, "I gotta be." She shrugged, "This ring is the Playground of some of the most talented athletes on the face of this planet, babe. You wanna dance in here, girl I am gonna make sure you're dancing right."

Despite the seriousness of the situation, Tiara giggled, "You're such a wrestler!"

"Tia," Kalli peered darkly at her friend, silencing her laughter. "Now come on, let's go again."

Krissy moved a little closer, her interest peeked. She had come into the arena in search of Jeff, but instead had stumbled upon her sister training Tiara Dickerson. She knew that Tia was training, and that Kalli had been the one she had asked to train her, but she'd had no idea just how serious Kalli had taken the responsibility.

She slipped into one of the chairs that had been set up on the floor for that nights show, only three rows back from ringside. So many things had changed lately and she still hadn't spoken to Kalli since the morning she had slapped her. The morning of her wedding to Jeff, a man that Kalli had once wanted forever with. Though try as she might, she could feel no guilt towards marrying Jeff for Kalli's sake. It was hard to feel guilty when you felt so incredibly blessed.

"Hey! Ow!!!" Kalli stepped back from Tiara a moment, cupping her face, "Tiara!!!"

The girl back peddled slightly, "Ooohhh! Kalli! I'm sorry!"

The McMahon Heiress glared at her friend, "You were NOT supposed to connect." Still rubbing her nose where it had been smooshed under Tiara's elbow, she went on angrily, "If you clocked someone carelessly like that you would get your ass kicked."

"I'm really, really sorry..."

Tears welled up in Tiara's eyes and Kalli sighed, "No... It's okay... I'm sorry... You're still learning... I gotta remember that." She dropped her hand away from her nose, "I tell you what, let’s call it quits. We can get together before tomorrow's show..."

Exhausted, and evidently relieved by Kalli's offer, Tiara smiled, "You sure?"

"Yeah. Go on." She reached out and ruffled her friends hair, "Make sure you ice that bruise on your leg, baby cakes."

"Got it." Tiara leant forward, lightly kissing Kalli's nose, "See you tomorrow, Kallikins." She moved over to the side of the ring, jumping out, Kalli watching her as she went.

"Impressive." Krissy called out from where she sat in the seats.

Kalli turned, looking out to the direction the voice had come from. Her eyes met her sisters and she sighed worriedly. If they could get through tonight without an argument, she'd be a happy girl.

She stepped through the ropes, jumping out of the ring and moving over to the barrier. She easily hoped over it, sitting on it, resting her feet on the seat before her. Just two seats away now was her sister, "You checking up on me?" She asked softly.

Krissy tilted her head to the side, gazing at Kalli before easily replying, "Not exactly, should I be?"

"I don't know. I thought the whose who and what's what of this company was your domain." She folded her arms, cursing herself. She could hear the venom in her voice and she hated it. This wasn't how she wanted it to be.

"While you're here though, there was something I wanted to mention to you."

Krissy had squared her shoulders, stiffening at Kalli's first remark. It wasn't uncommon for one of her siblings to attack her position in the company, she had gotten used to it over the years. No matter how close a family they all were, when one of them felt another had more power, which in Krissy's case, she did, the others bristled for it. But she had worked hard to be where she was. She had year’s experience over the rest of them, save Shane and Steph.

She took a deep breath, ready for anything that her sister might throw at her. "And that is?"

"I checked out the show last night," Kalli told her matter of factly. "It might have already been bought to your attention, but I think someone needs to talk to Boss. I know he's been out a while, but... His work with Steve last night was shocking, Kris." She shook her head softly, "Dare I say it, it was reminiscent of the crappier side of WCW. It looked horrible." She shrugged, "Ring rust is one thing, but he's been bought back at top level, he's gotta be top notch."

Her eyes locked on her sisters, "I would have mentioned this to Daddy, but you know how it is. If you want something done around here, you're the girl to see."

"You can rest assured that it's already been discussed and addressed. Unfortunately, it was a live show and there was nothing that we could do. Regardless, I had already left the arena." Krissy said matter of factly as if her leaving the arena early were a common occurrence.

Kalli raised an eyebrow at her older sister, "That's gotta be a first."

Krissy could feel the slight blush warming her cheeks. She could take that moment and rub her marriage into her sister's face, or she could be an adult. "Yeah, I had other things to take care of."

"Like your new hubby?" The girl snapped back before she could really think about it. She groaned at herself, lowering her aching head into her hands.

Krissy sighed. "If you must know, yes. When I married Jeff I promised him that he would come first. And he does."

The girl looked up, "Good. So he should."

She took a deep breath to ease her temper, changing the subject for safety's sake. "So... Boss was taken care of last night." She nodded her approval, "Good."

"Yes, he was." Krissy stated, then took a long look at her sister. "I was thinking while I was watching you train Tia.." She let her voice trail off, her mind beginning to work overtime. "Maybe there's a chance at redemption for Kalleasto McMahon. If she can learn to keep her temper in check. Though I must say since you haven't slapped me yet, you're having a good day."

Kalli peered darkly at her sister, "Don't tempt me."

Krissy nearly laughed, though she kept her humour hidden except for the slight sparkle in her eye. Even a slap from Kalli McMahon wouldn't damper her spirits. "Actually, I was thinking there might be someone else you could help out. You're doing such a good job with Tia, surely you could train anyone, couldn't you?"

"Beats sitting on mu ass, doesn't it?" The girl asked.

Krissy smiled. "So you agree? Wonderful. I'll let Stacy know to meet with you as soon as possible." She said standing up.

Krissy nodded. "Yes, Stacy Kiebler. I know you two have had your differences, but what better way to show that you've grown up? Of course I'll still keep a close eye on you. We can't have any more instances like last November, can we?"

The girl jumped down off the Barricade, stepping up to her sister, their eyes locked together. "Fine, you want to see how grown up I am? You want me to train Stacy, to earn my stripes so I can get back into the ring? You got it." She whispered, "After all, I'm not the one who made my sister feel like shit for falling in love with someone, who made my sister hide her heart, and then run off and do exactly what she did." She sniggered softly, "Who's grown up?" The girl moved to walk away.

Krissy grabbed Kalli's arm, preventing her from walking off. "I am sorry for striking out at you about Matt, but my God, Kalli, I didn't go after Jeff when you were trying to build a life with him. I didn't go after Jeff, period. I'll admit, I couldn't understand why you couldn't keep your hands off my boyfriend until Jeff kissed me... and then everything became so clear." Krissy shook her head. "I don't know how long I've loved Jeff, I just know that he is the *only* person in my life that has *never* let me down. And he never would. He loves me in a way that Matt never could. And I see that now. And I cherish it above all else. So there is *nothing* that you could say to tarnish that. Yes, I love Jeff. And I married him. Not to spite you. Or Matt. But to give myself something that I have never had. Honest, true love." Krissy angrily brushed at the tears that slipped to her cheeks. "So if you want to hate me for loving him, then go ahead. But remember this, no one, and I mean no one, will ever take Jeff away from me."

Kalli shook her head, "I don't hate you for loving him." She told her sister, guilt in her voice, "I love him too." Her angry voice only barely hid the tears that were forming in her eyes, "But if you ever hurt him, Krissy, if you ever..." She tore her arm away from her. "I know what it is to be let down, Krissy, and I know what it is to be loved by someone who has never let you down. So don't get all high and mighty with me. Don't you ever get like that with me."

"Then don't you ever try to threaten my marriage. There's not enough wrestling moves in the book to protect you should you try." She clenched her fists. This was not what she had wanted. She had not come looking for a fight. At all. But she was sure that Kalli would never see it that way. "I'm sorry. I have no rights to threaten you. Rest assured that you don't have to worry about Jeff's happiness. It's my top priority."

"It had better be." Kalli whirled, tears in her eyes.

No one in that family trusted her, did they? They all threatened her at some point. Krissy, Linds... Everyone thought she was after their boyfriends, their husbands...

It wasn't like that. It had never been like that.

She had fallen in love with Matt Hardy. And she loved Jeff still. She did. But she would never chase him again. Never.

It broke her heart, but they were.

A tear trickled down the McMahon Heiress' face. She just wanted him to be happy now. She just wanted him to be free.

If Krissy could give him that...

She started to walk away.

Krissy called out softly. "Kalli?"

The girl paused, not looking back.

She didn't know how to say it without it coming off as brusque, so she kept her tone soft. "I'd like for you to come get your things from our home. It makes it a little difficult with your stuff every where."

Except for the sob that broke softly from her lips.

"When I'm ready," she said as tightly as she could, "I'll come get my things."

Even as she spoke, she wondered when that would be. When she would be ready to go to a place that had been her home for months. A happy home...

And to remove all that remained of her from it.

She didn't want to prolong the experience, that was for sure. But it was Jeff, and it was hard, surely her sister could understand that...

Kalli sighed. When did she and Krissy ever understand each other anymore?

Krissy echoed Kalli's sigh with one of her own. "If you can't come on Wednesday, then I'll send them to you. I'm not trying to hurt you, Kalli, but you have to understand how hard it is for me as well. I haven't touched any of your things. Can you imagine how hard it is to walk into my bedroom with my husband and see your things everywhere? Your perfume on the dresser, your scented shampoo in the bathroom. Even your lingerie is still in the drawers, Kalli. All of my things have been shipped to Cameron and are waiting for me to unpack them." She nearly whispered. "There's not room for both of us."

Kalli turned at this, tears flooding her hurt face. "I think I got that the day he married you, Krissy." And with that she turned again, this time determined not to stop for anything.

She ran until she was well out of sight.

Krissy shook her head. She wasn't trying to hurt her sister. She was only trying to protect what was hers. And Jeff was now hers.

She took a moment, collecting herself before going off in search of her husband once more. But this time, she needed him a little bit more.