Once Upon A Smackdown

Not to mention the number of House Shows she'd tagged along to with any WWF Superstar that would let her. Most didn't seem to mind. Nothing like sharing your infinite wisdom with an incredibly keen and often hyperactively enthusiastic newcomer, she guessed.

However... For the most part she had done little but stand in the background, well out of the cameras view, while The Rock cut his promos. On occasion she and Amy Dumas would sit together in one of the lounges and watch the evenings matches, but even Lita's part in the WWF was growing, and more often than not, the young Diva had other places she needed to be.

Corra sighed, dropping the latest edition of the Official WWF Magazine back on to the couch she had been nestled on for more than the last hour. The weeks Smackdown taping was about to get underway and once again she had no part in it.

In some ways, she knew she should be thanking her lucky stars. After all, her place on the WWF Roster had more or less fallen in her lap. It wasn't that she hadn't worked for it. Oh no. She'd worked *damn* hard for it.

Eleven months ago she had barely been in the country a week. She had nothing, really. No friends. No family. No place to live. She'd left everything but the money she'd spent the better part of her late High School years and first years of adulthood earning behind her.

Corra could remember the swim suit editions of Inside Sports and the tasteful, but revealing photo shoot for Australian Playboy all too well. At one stage she'd even worked three jobs at once, juggling the Tae Bo and Step Aerobics classes she taught with her waitressing work and the odd acting jobs a director friend of hers managed to get her. She could sing and dance with the best of them, and her acting was pretty fair too... But for all the stage productions and TV shows she'd had bit parts in, it was in the Ring that she wanted to perform.

For the most part she'd worked as a stunt double on this Australian show or that. She'd even managed to get some work with some of the American productions filmed in the country, all the while maintaining a heavy training schedule for her Kickboxing.

A phone call or two, not only from her trainers at the School but from guys like Big Show and Mark Henry had gotten her noticed by the CEO of the richest Federation in the world. He'd tested her a few times, letting her do the odd spots on Raw and Smackdown as an unnamed family friend of The Rock. A devoted, hardcore Rock fan who would do anything to help, or learn from, the WWF Superstar.

If he hadn't signed me up the moment I stepped back stage that night, I would've killed him, I swear. She thought to herself, remembering quite clearly how furious she had been with the head of the McMahon family that night.

At 24, and having very little in ring experience, Vince was taking every precaution with her. It didn't seem to matter to him that at 20 she was the Australian Under 21 Women's Kickboxing Champion, or that asides from the last six weeks, she had done nothing but spend every waking hour working her ass off at Ohio Valley, training with anyone who'd let her.

And since she had come on the road, she'd pursued workouts and training schedules of her own to keep her busy on the occasions her on-road trainers, Nora Greenwald, or Molly Holly as most people knew her, and Amy Dumas had been otherwise occupied.

Snapping out of the blank stare that had been riveted to her face, Corra cast a quick look over her shoulder at Dwayne. His head poked lazily around the side of the lounge door. "Nah-uh." She turned on the couch, kneeling so she could face him over the back of it. "Did you talk to Vince?" His eyebrows creased together slightly and she groaned. "He still said No? God Damn him!" She ran a hand through the mane of black hair that hung only a centimetre or three above her butt, "I can't believe him. It was okay for me to get Choke Slammed by Kane *before* I was on the WWF Roster, but now I'm on it I'm not even allowed to be eye candy."

He chuckled and her eyes narrowed. He shook his head, seemingly shaking his laugh away with it. "Corra, chill." Dwayne smiled gently; "You'll get your chance." He cleared his throat, "But if you haven't seen my bag, then I'm gonna have to go look for it elsewhere."

The door opened again, and she started speaking before she even looked up, "Dwayne..." She growled playfully, "Try the locker room you big buffoon! I already said I didn't know..." Her eyes met a face that appeared much younger than Dwayne's.

Embarrassed she said coyly, "No... You're really not..." His smile widened a little and she was unable to suppress one in return. For all the times she'd seen him on TV, she didn't think he was capable of such a sweet grin.

The young woman groaned inaudibly. That made about as much sense to her as every other pearl of wisdom Shane McMahon had given her since the day they had first met. But for every philosophical view he droned at her she smiled politely, nodding while he spoke, always bantering back and forth with him about the meaning of it all.

Corra Thomas looked up at the McMahon heir, suddenly very aware she had drifted off into lala land. She nodded, and grinned even though there was no glee behind it in the slightest. Yeah, he's sweet. He calls me three times a day, visits me at least twice and buys me gifts like he's making offers to a Goddess.

She walked across the room toward him, gently swaying her hips as she moved. The smile that seemed to be permanently attached to his face every time they were together grew hungrily. That's it! She stopped, her hands darting straight to her hips. "I feel ridiculous."

Corra smirked, spun on her heel and walked away from him, spinning again. She stepped forward, quick, clean steps, a small bounce in each one and her head held high defiantly. She paused, shifting her weight primarily to her right foot, extending her left out slightly. She held her arms loosely at her sides, casting a wicked glance to her left, and then her right, before grinning mischievously and continuing her walk toward him.

Applause came from the other side of the room, and Corra nearly blushed when she saw not only Amy, but both of The Hardy Boyz with the duo more popularly known as Edge & Christian applauding her. The chant went up, "Go Corra, get your gear off, go Corra..."

She waved her hand at them in an attempt to shush them, but the chant kept coming. She went to look away when her eyes met the younger of the Hardys, Jeff. He beamed warmly at her and she felt her whole body tingle in response as she returned his smile. If every Wrestler in the WWF was like that one I'd be happy to sit on my ass on the sidelines and watch them for all eternity.

She had been so angry with the Chairman of the WWF that day. The way he had walked in and told her straight out that she was playing Shane to speed up her WWF debut. Sadly, she knew that was all too true, but Vince had spoken to her like she was little more than the dirt you'd wipe off your shoes before walking onto someone's clean carpets.

She hadn't noticed Shane had risen from where he was seated and moved to stand in front of her. She nearly jumped back when she realized he was there. If I had a dollar for every time that guy just *appeared* like that...

That'll be what? Five nights in a row, and the seventeenth night in the last thirty? "Sure." She let her smile melt into one of demure affection, saying a silent prayer to whoever might be listening that her friends weren't watching. "What time?"

Part of her still couldn't believe she had sunk as slow as she had. Shane liked her, and she knew that. So she giggled every time he touched her, and smiled sweetly whenever he was near. She put up with the incessant phone calls and visits and gifts and his power hungry attempts to control her, and though sometimes she wanted to melt he was so sweet and adorable, part of her clung to something she didn`t quite understand.

"Mark Henry, Big Show..." Shane McMahon skimmed over the resume in front of him for the umpteenth time, "The Rock especially seems fond of her, his recommendation is certainly the most enthusiastic." He added, "And he's really, really looking forward to working with her in the ring."

Vince shrugged, "He likes her. And believe me, Shane, he's petitioned for her a number of times. Just like Triple H and The Hardys and Edge & Christian and a big chunk of the WWF Roster. It doesn't change a thing."

"It should..." Shane murmured, certainly loud enough for his father to hear, although if he had, he showed no response. He cleared his throat, "For someone who has worked as hard as she has to break into this industry, Dad, you could at least pretend to be interested in her credentials."

"It had better not be." He thought for a moment, "I do have a dilemma here. She's still very young, and while she has some experience on the Independent Circuit, she's never done anything quite like this before."

"She's 23, Dad, and she's been a Professional Stunt Person for years, not to mention her Gymnastics experience and the number of Martial Arts tournaments she's fought in. She can handle whatever the WWF decides to throw at her."

Vince barely hid the sarcasm in his voice, "You've memorized her resume already, I see. That was fast." Shane glared at him and Vince smirked threateningly, "I tell you what..." He paused contemplatively for a moment more, "I'll put her in, Shane..." His son nearly jumped out of his chair despite himself and Vince raised a hand to halt him quickly, "But we do this my way. I choose her storylines, her character, the works. You're not to have any part in her career with the WWF."

"No! No! Stop it! Dwayne!!! No... I'm not..." Another tickle and she sighed indignity, "FINE!!!" It was an effort to push any words resembling an apology out of her mouth at the best of times and Dwayne knew it. Even in jest it was a fight to the very last word... "I'm... I'm sorry..."

"Oh, I dunno, Paul." Corra chided the bulking hunk of muscles pulling his `Game Over' T-shirt over his head, "I'd love to see how WWF fans would view the biggest heel in the Federation if they knew you torture me in the exact same way every chance you get."

There was a rasp at the door and Dwayne and Paul echoed each others `Come in.' When Shane McMahon appeared in the doorway, a near silent groan was emitted by Dwayne before he managed a, "Hey Shane." Paul nodded at the heir to McMahon throne too before turning his attentions back to his unsuccessful attempts to tuck his T-shirt in evenly.

"Well in that case," he tried to be as nonchalant as possible, "You won't be interested in the news I have for you then." She looked puzzled for a moment and he started to say, "I wanted to tell you last night..."

Corra studied his face for a moment before letting out a deafening scream of excitement, "I'm on! I'm on tonight!!!" She turned and pounced on Dwayne in a mad hug, "D, did you hear that? Did you hear that?" The big man picked her up again as Shane continued...

"You're not getting in the ring, but you're going ringside with The Rock..." He paused to let her continue celebrating. She rushed past him to pounce on Paul as well, and when after a few more moments it appeared her excitement hadn't waned he coughed loudly. She managed to stay still, and silent, long enough to let him finish. "Here..." He handed her a script that he had had rolled up and shoved in his rear pocket, "It's all in the script for tonight, but the general gist is, Steven Richards, coming off his win against Jerry Lawler the other night at No Way Out is feeling cocky. He challenges Rock's Title tonight on behalf on Val Venis. After all the work he's been putting in we've given Kurt the night off." Rock grunted at this but Shane went on, "Ivory and Steven will both be going ringside with Val. You're not to pull out any fancy moves on these guys, you hear me?" She nodded, and he added flatly, "But you are allowed to take to Steven Richards with a chair when he tries to cost Rocky the match."

There was a brief flash of disappointment on her face, but she answered the order with a friendly, "Ah-uh." She asked quietly, "Are we done?" He nodded again and she screamed a second time, jumping up and down like an excited child at Christmas time. Dwayne and Paul exchanged a look before laughing heartily at the girl's expense...

Until the girl leapt forward and planted a short, but sweet, wet one right on Shane McMahon's lips. She wrapped her arms around his neck and hugged him tightly, "Thankyou, thankyou, thankyou, Shane... Tell your old man I'm going to kiss him!" When she let him go and turned back to hug Dwayne yet again, the young man simply stood there, staring after her. Paul watched him as he backed out the door with a goofy grin on his face.

"Come on." Paul's voice commanded her attention again, "Vince was adamant about not letting you anywhere near the ring again until *after* Wrestlemania. You meet the Bosses son for the first time what, like a month or so ago? You bat your eyelids, the guy gets smitten, and you get to go ringside, nearly two months earlier than planned."

Dwayne silenced her now with a gentle hand on her shoulder, "Hey... It's okay... People have done far worse... You're more than ready, Vince should've let this happen weeks ago, but all I'm saying is, don't play up to this any more, okay?"

"My advice exactly..." Even the two WWF Superstars towering beside her nearly jumped when the Chairman of the company's voice came from the doorway Shane had left wide open on his departure. He stepped into the room, motioning to the men respectively known as The Rock and Triple H. "Would you Gentlemen excuse us for a moment?"

Corra wasn't intimidated by Vince McMahon, or anyone for that matter, but the tone in the man's voice almost made her gulp. She considered saying `Anything you've got to say to me you can say in front of them...' but the look on his face told her Vince wouldn't take to her *suggestion* too kindly. She watched sadly as Paul and Dwayne disappeared from the room. Vince closed the door behind them. He turned back to her, his voice cool. "Clever girl."

He smiled at the formality of her response, "At ease, soldier... I'm not here to pick your bones." She tried to smile in response to the slightly softer tone in his voice, but failed dismally. "I think you're going to go far in the WWF, Corra. Very far. Shane has been in this business all his life, and yet he *still* didn't see you coming. You played him like a lyre. A cute grin here, a melodious little giggle there, and he came to me begging to let you get out there like there was no tomorrow. Even the likes of Trish and Terri haven't played him like that..."

Corra struggled for some kind of response, but Vince leant forward before she had the chance to speak... I wonder if he's heard of the concept called personal space, Corra asked herself indifferently. He whispered to her, his voice warm for the first time since he'd entered the room, "You impress me." He smiled almost darkly, "Keep impressing me, Corra. You'll go a long way in this Federation if you do."

They locked eyes for a moment, Corra trying desperately to read the Chairman of the WWF while still hoping to maintain some of her guard. I hope I don't look as nervous as I feel right about now. She decided to try and speak a second time, but Vince turned to leave, once again before she could form enough words to complete a sentence.

The door closed behind him as he left and Corra growled under her breath, "Oh, I don't think so, Mr. McMahon." She caught her train of thought, her mind drifting back to Vince's words about Shane. Why is it so important I stay away? She shrugged, it doesn't matter now anyway. Vince, Paul, Dwayne, I'm taking all that advice in a way...

"I'm in," she whispered to herself. And I'm going to stop playing this game with Shane before I hurt the both of us. Corra smiled, relief touching her face. She screamed happily again, dancing around on the spot, "I'M IN!!!"

The girl shrugged innocently enough, "Why, D. What ever do you mean?" The look on her friend's face brought a wicked smile to Corra's lips. If Dwayne reacts like this, I can't *wait* to see what Vince McMahon has to say!

The WWF Superstar eyed the girl up and down carefully. Those pants... They were possibly the blackest leather he had ever seen. She had evidently poured herself into them, he was sure. Her upper torso was clung to tightly by a stretchy white Singlet, with the silver necklace he and Dany gave her for Christmas hanging provocatively where her cleavage began... Where did she even *get* that much cleavage?

A band of silver was wrapped around her upper right arm, and... Is that a tattoo on her back? Dwayne grabbed her and spun her around for a closer look. Sure enough, it was a tattoo. Fake, evidently, but a large black rose on her shoulder blade none the less.

It was usually pitch black. Tonight she had wild streaks of purple throughout it. He eyed her questionably and she smiled, "Courtesy of Jeff Hardy. They're not permanent, but the ones I put in tomorrow will be." She winked one dark make-up laden eye at him.

"Whoa!!!" Came the startled, but still pleasantly surprised exclamation of Paul Levesque as he stepped through the curtain separating back stage from the main arena. "Corra..." He grinned like a Cheshire Cat, "Now *this* is a look I like."

He was cut off as Kurt Angle stepped through the curtain from behind him, nearly bowling him over. The Olympic Champion puffed an apology before Corra caught his eye. Despite his smile he shook his head at her, then wandered off. Corra turned to Paul, "Triple H beat Angle down again tonight, huh?" Paul smiled in response.

"Well, well, well." Corra almost cringed when she heard Steven Richards voice from behind her. For the most part, the Wrestlers in the WWF were much nicer than the people they portrayed in the ring, and Corra had gotten along okay with everyone so far... But Steven Richards in the ring and outside of it were pretty much the same. Except that outside the ring Corra found him even creepier.

Now Val is a much nicer guy... I much preferred him as a Porn Star though... The girl nodded at him, "Yup. Vince McMahon has finally given me my Wrestling Identity. Meet Monroe, Sidekick of The Rock, Hater of the RTC and general Bad Ass." She posed playfully for the group.

He brushed right past her, staring down at her coolly. The menacing look on his face was enough to send her back peddling a step or two. If she hadn't stepped straight into Dwayne's rock hard chest she might've kept back peddling too.

He wrapped his arms around the girl in a warm hug. "You've got it, Cor. You're a natural. The world of Wrestling is about to become your Oyster." He smiled, "And if it makes you feel better, I'll protect you."

The Rock's music erupted throughout the arena. Dwayne stepped out of the curtain and onto the ramp deftly, Corra following suit only a foot or so behind him. He marched down toward the ring with authority, Corra with as much attitude as she could muster considering this was possibly the most terrified she`d ever been in her life.

Oh God... I'm going to fall flat on my face... Her knees were knocking so hard and only when she almost gasped for air did she remember she was supposed to be breathing. She cast a little look at Dwayne, trying to keep the terror off her face. He must have sensed her gaze because he looked back over at her before climbing onto the side of the ring, raising an eyebrow.

She'd have preferred one of his smiles, but out here, he was The Rock. And The Rock didn't smile. Pretty much period. She winked at him and got a second raised eyebrow for her troubles. A tiny smile touched her face. It's okay... I'm okay... Dwayne has faith in me. Dwayne has faith in me... She repeated the thought over and over in her head a few times.

As scripted, she focused her attentions on Ivory who paced by Val on the opposite side of the ring, and Steven, who was seated at the Announcer's Desk. Watching The Rock as he climbed onto the turnbuckle to raise his WWF Title triumphantly, she paced slowly around the outside of the ring. As she passed the Announcers Desk, she had a warm smile for JR and Michael Cole, both of which she could here musing about her identity. She heard JR pipe up, "Isn't she that girl who came ringside with The Rock a few months ago? Do you remember? Kane choke slammed her, didn't he?"

She slowed to glare at Steven Richards. This part isn't ever going to be tough to act, she told herself. He returned her look with a snarl all his own, telling the announcers seated beside him, "Obviously The Rock has taken his position as WWF champion as a sign he can bring anyone ring side with him that he likes. Look at that girl... Look at her... That is filth..."

His voice drifted away as she rounded the corner of the ring in time to see Val climbing back into the ring. Ivory eyed her darkly as she neared, and she paused to tell her just as darkly, "You keep that belt around your waist out of the ring, little girl." The nearest of the fans in the front row that heard her threat cheered her on, and she turned to flash a smile at them. I can be a bad ass, she though, but I can at least give the fans a little something back.

As she neared her spot ringside, in the ring, Val Venis pounced on The Rock. Naturally, the People's Champ started 'laying it the Smack Down' on instant, and after a few right hands and a clothesline, Corra was reminding herself how important it was to make Vince keep her as The Rock's ally, and not his enemy.

Val raised a boot to take out The Rock as he bounced off the ropes. Corra scrunched her face up sympathetically. By the smack she'd heard, she was certain that boot had connected with Dwayne's face. She slid her head in under the bottom rope, pounding on the mat. "Come on, Rocky! Get up... Come On!" While The Rock writhed around on the mat, Val spotted her, stomping toward her quickly. Corra ducked her head back out of the ring and took a few steps back, glaring at the man. He smiled nastily and then turned his attention back to The Rock.

While he tossed The Rock around in the ring, Corra paced backwards and forwards, continually cheering on The Rock. She ooohhhed and arghed a few times more than she thought Monroe should, but still, it was her friend in there, and she'd learnt the hard way at Ohio Valley that there was always the odd shot would connect a little more than it should.

A few fans behind her would call out to her every minute or so, "Hey - Who are you?" and the like. She didn't exactly like ignoring people, especially the people who would ultimately decide her fate as a Wrestler, but she had to remain focused on the match up. She didn't want to miss her queue... Or a Rock Bottom for that matter.

Val tossed The Rock into the turnbuckle nearest Ivory. When he bounced forward, Ivory's hands darted out and grabbed both his legs, taking him off his feet. When the ref marched over to her, she climbed up on the Mat and started arguing with him. Corra watched intently as Steven hurried out of his seat. The Rock tried to clamber to his feet, griping the ropes as he did so. From behind, Val booted him in the back sending him sprawling outside the ring. Before he'd even landed Steven was upon him. Here goes nothing.

Corra raced around the side of the ring... Shane's words replayed in her ears, `You're not to pull out any fancy moves on these guys, you hear me?' She groaned inwardly, Screw that. If I go straight for a chair, I'm making Monroe out to be no better than the RTC. She leapt forward, wrapping her arms around Steven's neck and flipping straight over the top of him. The sheer force behind the move yanked him right off The Rock and sent both of them hurtling into the nearest barricade. She was first to clamber back to her feet, making her way straight to Ivory. She reached up and tucked her fingers into the back of Ivory's skirt, tearing her straight off the mat. She could make out Dwayne climbing back onto his feet and into the ring out of the corner of her eye, while Val's attention was all on her. He made his way to her side of the ring, and Corra stepped further back from it, stopping only to pick Ivory up by the hair.

Only for Steven Richards to grab his ankle and pull him from the ring. Okay, now I can go for the chair. Corra swung Ivory around and belted her into the nearest barricade while Dwayne got to his feet and stared down Steven Richards. Steven started to back pedal toward the Announcer's Desk...

But Corra was already there with the chair he had just been sitting on held tightly in her hot little hands. She brought it down with a thud, not hitting him nearly as hard as she would've liked, sending him sprawling to the floor. This time, Dwayne did smile at her.

Val was in no mans land, staggering around almost unable to even stay on his feet. The Rock grabbed him, hurtling him into the ropes, and as he came back toward him, picked him up and dealt him a very nice Spine buster. Corra was unable to keep from cheering on the top of her lungs as The Rock stood over him, tossing an elbow pad into the crowd.

"We have to come to some sort of agreement, Corra." Vince motioned for her to sit down beside him on the couch in his dressing room. She did so carefully and he went on, "I like you. I like your moves. You have all Amy and Nora's agility and speed combined with a nice percentage of Chyna's strength." In fact she was, asides from Chyna, and possibly Jacqueline, the toughest of the Divas in the WWF. The girl has muscles on her muscles, Vince told himself before going on, "And... Okay, on this count, I'm glad you rebelled in reference to Monroe's appearance." He waved a hand in front of her, "This whole look... It's great... I'm very impressed... And that move you pulled on Steven..."

He sighed, "But you *know* you were *not* to use any fancy moves out there tonight. Not yet. And granted, now I've seen your confidence level out there, and your ability to perform in front of a capacity audience, I'm happy with your work... But you *have to learn* to do what I say. Do you hear me?"

Her face almost let loose her sudden wave of dread, but she kept it in check. Just the thought of not being in the WWF, and after I worked so hard to get here. A chill ran down her spine. Note to self: BEHAVE!

Vince paused again, obviously choosing his words very carefully before continuing. "Some things happened today... As you would be well aware, Jerry Lawler was not present at tonight's Smackdown taping. I'm not in a position to go into details, Corra, but Stacy was let go today, and under protest, Jerry has left too..."

Corra could scarcely believe her ears, "Me???" She asked incredulously, "48 hours ago you wouldn't even let me ringside, tonight a new look and a fancy move makes you think I'm worthy to take over a role intended for The Kat?" Vince nodded, and she asked plainly, "Did Shane have anything to do with this?"

"No. This decision is mine." Vince went on, "We'll get into it more tomorrow... You, Chris Irvine, The RTC, the writers and myself are going to have dinner tomorrow night. We'll discuss it in more detail then..."

"Jericho..." Vince grinned, "Is going to be your Knight in Shining Armour. There's still a lot to go over, and with Stacy's departure this has all been slapped together, but basically, after your interference with Steven and Ivory tonight, the RTC are going to come after you on Raw this Monday. They'll make a group effort to kidnap you, only Rock will be there to stop them. Jericho will be in the right place at the right time and come to The Rock's aid, making you and Jericho a target for the RTC."

"The Rock's storylines are going to run separately. With Wrestlemania coming up, we have to focus on his match up against Stone Cold." He stood up, "Your friendship with The Rock will be maintained, but The Rock is fiercely independent... I think it would be uncharacteristic, shall we say, for you to be going ringside with him all the time, don't you?" She nodded and he smiled. "Good." He crossed the room, stretching as he went, "Now if you'll excuse me, I have some XFL matters to attend to."

A hand caught her arm and pulled her straight back onto her feet even before her ass neared the vinyl floor. She looked up quickly, almost delighted when she realized it was the Hardy Boys standing over her. She smiled past the flush of bright red on her cheeks, "I am really, really sorry..." She noticed it was Jeff who had hold of her arm, and whom, by his slightly dishevelled appearance, she had nearly bowled over, the colour on her cheeks deepened. "Today's 20th note to self: Watch where I'm walking..." She laughed nervously and both Boys smiled at her.

Without thinking she reached up a hand to smooth down a strand of his hair that had fallen almost into his face on impact. "Can't have you looking all messy... Those screaming girls will be worried you've found yourself a little Sex Kitten." She realized she was still stroking his hair and yanked her hand back with a start. "Ahem... Um... You know, I'm lucky it was you guys and not..." She pondered for a second, "Well, pretty much anyone else in the WWF."

Matt shrugged, "I guess the shift in the RTC story must've had some baring... And `Taker and Kane are gonna come out and beat the living shit out of Rikishi and Haku after the match... They're really pushing this feud between those guys."

When Jeff's only response was a sweet smile, Matt spoke up for him, "Believe me, Cor, I don't think he minded at all." It was now Jeff's turn to go red. He shot daggers at his brother and Matt cleared his throat. "Uh... Yeah. Our Match... We should go..."

She stopped and looked after them for a few moments, the red on her face returning when Jeff turned around to look back at her. She looked away quickly, pretending to be adjusting her armband. He called out to her, "Make sure you watch our Match, okay?"

The second his back was turned she spun on her heel and marched back off down the hallway toward the Women's Locker Room, smacking her forehead. Stupid... Stupid!!! You're not supposed to get busted perving on the Hardy Boys... You're not supposed to get busted perving PERIOD!

Stephanie was in the ring mouthing off about Trish yet again. Corra glanced at the clock on the wall. Stephanie had only been on a minute or two she was sure... Enough time for a shower... Grabbing two clean towels from the pile on the bench nearest the showers, Corra tore her Singlet off and tossed it on the floor. She hung the towels up and leant into one of the showers to turn it on, trying with her free hand to wriggle out of her leather pants.

Once she'd managed to kick off her pants and boots, she leapt straight into the shower. The moment the stream of water touched her hair a wash of colour flooded her body, eventually fading as it whirled down the drain.

It had been weird in a way. Since she'd come out on the road, Corra had seen a fair bit of The Hardy Boys. But it was always in passing. Today had been the first real conversation she and Jeff had ever had.

She shook her head angrily at herself. This is *not* why I joined the WWF. I didn't work all my life to get here just to go gooey over some Wrestler... She couldn't help but add, who happens to give me Goosebumps every time I'm near him.

She turned the shower off, wrapping the first of her two towels around her long hair before grapping the second to wrap around her body. Despite what her mind was telling her, she still practically ran to the TV when she heard the Hardys music start.

She smiled when the Boys came out, with Lita right behind them. God I envy Amy. Jeff was jumping around like the Energizer Bunny as he made his way down the ramp. He always seemed to glow when he got out there in front of that audience. Right there in that ring... That was where Jeff was born to be.

"Yeah, well, make a practice of this and I'll kick your McMahon ass the same way I'd kick anybody else's." It was his confidence... He suddenly seemed more sure of himself with her. Why would he...? Corra swallowed hard. It was that kiss. Why did I kiss him? Okay, so yes, I lead him on a little before... I made with the girly shyness and acted like a smitten teenager with him. But to *actually* kiss him. Next time I see Amy I'm going to ask her to Hurricanrana me.

Shane let loose with another hearty laugh, it softened her temper, but only a smidgen. "You really *are* a Wrestler." When he saw her face calm a little he said, "You act like I've never seen you naked before."

Shane's smile had just gotten bigger, and if Corra didn't know any better she'd have wondered if Shane knew Joanie was there. He said proudly, "Oops!" Then added, "But like I said, its nothing I haven't seen before."

Corra nearly rolled her eyes. If I hadn`t had to tell Vince about any of my past work that tabloids could later use against me, should I ever get a level where they might want to, I would have made sure that little pain in the ass would NEVER see me naked. "Shane... It's not that I don't appreciate your visit, but what was so important that you needed to bust in on me like this?"

"Well... I heard that my Father spoke to you after your match... Well, The Rock's match..." She nodded, and for the first time since he'd entered the room he sounded sincere, "I just wanted to make sure he wasn't too hard on you. I could speak to him if you like..."

"No!" Realizing she'd practically shouted Corra lowered her voice a few octaves. "No, really Shane. It's not necessary. You've really done too much for me already." She smiled, "I know you were the one who convinced your father to let me go ringside tonight. You've gotten me in on the action. That's more than I could ever ask. I appreciate it."

Tightening her grip on her towel, Corra looked at Shane expectantly. He returned the look for a moment before going, "Oh! I suppose you want to get changed." She could barely keep the `duh' look off her face as she nodded sweetly. "Okay, I'll go..." He marched straight up to her, despite herself she back up a little, and kissed her, square on the mouth.

"Oh no... Not this... Somebody get Matt Hardy out of there..." Suddenly tuning in to Michael Cole's voice coming from behind her, Corra spun back to face the TV. She was just in time to see Rikishi Bonsai Drop Matt for the win and The `Taker and Kane go running out to the ring.

Corra had barely been asleep two minutes when the phone beside her bed rang. She opened her eyes long enough to see the bright red glare of the clock by her bed. 2:01am. If this is Shane's third phone call since I got back to my hotel room I am *seriously* going to kill him.

There was no response for a few moments and then he said, "You seemed a bit upset today, when you, er, ran me down outside Vince's dressing room... And then when I asked Amy where you were after our match, she said you'd already packed up and head back to the hotel. Even she said you seemed a little preoccupied." Preoccupied is not the word. Plain ol' freaked out would about cover it.

Okay, now I *really* wish he was here. She shook her head to herself, "I don't think so... It's just... You know... The McMahon's." She shrugged, "It'll be fine." God I hope that's true. "And I'm fine." She added, "But thankyou for asking, Jeff."

"Or better yet..." Again the flirt in her floated into her voice, "Seeing you're just down the hall, just come knock on the door. Seeing that spunky face of yours at my door would make the late night wake up *more* than worth it."

Shane howled with laughter, "What are you doing, Cor? You nut!" The girl tore at the sheets she had taken with her and pulled them around her scantily clad body, fumbling desperately. "Here..." He extended a hand, "Let me help you up."

But Corra was going nowhere near that hand. She crawled backwards, the anger on her face only slightly marred by the traces of fright realizing whose arms she had woken up in had given her. "What the hell are you doing in here?" Her voice was tight and cool, but barely controlled. "How did you get in here?"

The McMahon heir shrugged, "We've stayed here before, the Manager is a friend of mine." He snatched a key from her bedside table and jiggled it in front of her. "When I told him I wanted to surprise my girl, he was only too happy to help me out."

Shane's smile didn't fade but his eyes set seriously, "And that's why you've taken to kissing me lately..." He started to get up from the bed. Corra held out a hand motioning him to stop, but he kept on coming, snatching her hand and tearing her hard against him. She gasped in surprise and his smile deepened. He leant forward...

Corra hefted a bare foot through the sheets, kicking Shane's legs out from under him. As he fell, the sheets pulled at her and she tumbled after him. He landed flat on his back and to her horror she landed right on top of him. He seized the opportunity, kissing her deeply.

But the young woman did not return his kiss. Planting both hands onto his chest she pushed herself away from him. "What the hell is wrong with you? Shane..." He went to take hold of her again and she scrambled away. "Shane, stop it. Get a grip."

He reached another hand toward her and she slapped it away. "Stop it right now, Shane, or I will smack you in the fucking face!" The harshness of her own words surprised her, and Corra had to pause for a moment to take a deep breath. "Shane... This is crazy. You can't just come in here like this..."

He pounced on her, pinning her flat on her back on the carpeted floor. "Why are you acting like this?" There was confusion in his impassioned voice, "Corra, this has been building up between us for weeks now... The first time I saw you, I wanted this. And yesterday when you kissed me..."

"I..." How do I do this? How do I tell him that I've known how he felt and I played on it because I wanted to get into the action in the WWF? God... I'm never going to do anything like this again... "Shane, I was so excited when you told me I'd be going ringside with The Rock... I just wasn't thinking... And I was so grateful to you because I know you went to your father... I know you asked him to bring me into the storylines..."

He thought for a moment and then asked coolly, "If you were talking in your sleep, you were dreaming... The way you huddled against me... If you don't feel that way about me..." His gaze hardened and he stared straight down into her eyes, "Then who were you dreaming about?"

"No. A person doesn't just wake up one day after weeks of flirting and giggling and acting like a schoolgirl just to be able to say, `Oh, I'm sorry, but I don't really feel this way!' Something's happened, something's changed you..." Shane fought to go on, but Corra silenced him.

He sounded so serious. So deadly serious. Corra sat up, trying to shake off the intensity of Shane`s last remark, "Shane, I can't make it any clearer. There's no one else, nothing has changed... I'm sorry that I kissed you, I'm sorry that you thought it could lead to more," she finally managed to add one totally sincere sentiment, "and I'm sorry if I hurt you. I never wanted to hurt you, Shane. I never will."

Joanie shook her head, "No... But she was standing there only in a towel, and the small part of the conversation I heard... I'm just..." She sighed softly, "Amy, you've seen what's happened with some of the other new girls... Maybe this is different, but Shane is bad news. Whatever the deal is between them, Corra should be very, very careful. Nobody messes with the McMahon's." She thrust a thumb toward Corra, who was bench-pressing across the other side of the room. "I don't really know Corra very well. You do. I thought it would sound better coming from you."

Joanie smiled at her again and made her way off. Amy stopped and looked after her for a moment, pondering the best way to bring Shane up to Corra. Direct, she decided. Cor and I are always totally upfront with each other.

Amy pinched an arm and acted as though she was inspecting it, she told her friend cheekily, "Your arms look like Jell-O." Her smile faded away and she asked straight out, "Cor, what's up with you and Shane?" When the other girls face didn't change she asked, "Is there a you and Shane?"

Corra smiled despite the distaste in her mouth at lying to one of her best friends, "There's nothing going on, and there's not going to be anything going on. Shane and I are just friends." And barely that.

Corra ran a hand through her hair, bored stiff. Dinner was meant to be at 7pm. It was almost 8pm and everyone was here, except the McMahon's of course. Not that anyone could chastise a McMahon for being late to anything.

He pointed a breadstick at the small sea of faces grouped around the table. Every member of Right To Censor was in attendance along with a whose Who of the WWF's Creative Staff. "Do you think they'd like to see me do that too?"

"Hey! They're mine!" His indignant cry flooded through the restaurant, drawing the attention of a number of its glitzier patrons. He took hold of her wrists, "Corra..." She tried to tug away from him, laughing all the while, "Corra, give me them back. Get your own breadsticks or I'll stick mine up your nose..."

Val cleared his throat from the other side of her. "Children, we are in a public place. Please try and act accordingly." Chris winked at him and he shrugged, "Ah, what the hell." With her back to him, Corra was prime for the taking. He moved forward in his seat, grabbing the young woman's arms from behind, "Quick, Chris! Grab the breadsticks!"

Corra, trying to dust off the crumbs of the two breadsticks she and Chris had collectively crushed in their struggles, lowered her head into her lap, pulling against Val with all her might. "Please, no. I'm sorry I took your bread..."

And Corra went headfirst into Chris. Luckily the Wrestler caught her easily. "Hey..." Chris helped her straighten back up on her chair. In the process of turning to ask Val what he thought he was doing she spotted the McMahon's. "Oh," she whispered.

Vince was eyeing her and Chris coolly, "My apologies for the lateness. There were some XFL matters I needed to attend to." He motioned toward Val, Chris and Corra, "I'm glad to see you kept yourselves entertained."

Corra tried to smile sheepishly, but her eyes fell on Shane's face. His hard stare sat on her and Chris, and it was only the look on his face that made her realize Chris was still holding her arm, and she still rest one hand on his knee.

Corra snuggled a little deeper into her woollen overcoat, folding her arms to tuck her bare hands under her elbows. Spring schming. It's still freezing on this side of America. She exhaled, watching the frosty air fog up momentarily as she did so.

"Are you cold? We can hail a cab..." Chris Irvine wasn't rugged up nearly as much as she was, but somehow still managed to seem warm and toasty. How can I be wearing more clothes than he is and *still* be freezing my ass off? She was shivering a little but she refused to let Chris know that. If he can take it, I can take it.

She shook her head at the WWF Superstar, "Na-huh. It's okay. I could use the walk. And it's not like it's *that* cold..." She shrugged, "I don't know how to put it really, but it's just a different kind of cold to what I'm used to I guess." Chris smiled at her and she added, "It's funny. Different countries, different colds." She paused for a second, "Anyway... Like you were saying... Yeah, I think we need to come up with a couple of double team moves too. Something like a Double Lionsault or something..." She pondered for a moment, "Shit, that move would kick us if we had someone in the middle of the ring and you Lion Sault-ed from one side of the ring and me from the other..." She grinned, "It's also highly likely we'll collide somewhere in the process of doing a Double Lionsault like that."

"Hmm... Maybe one after the other or something, rather than at the same time..." He broke off, "Can you even Lion Sault?" Corra narrowed her eyes at him and he covered quickly, "You know, I mean, do you know how... Er, have you ever... Oh God, you know what I mean."

"You could Lion Sault before you'd even started training as a Wrestler?" She nodded. The smile he gave her at this told her he was at least a little impressed, "Okay then..." He thought for a moment and then asked, "What about you? Do you have any moves you're going to use yourself? Maybe would work with one of those and develop it into a double team too."

"Uh..." She scrunched her face up, "I don't know... I've got a few I want to use, one in particular as my signature move, and a pretty funky finisher too, but Vince has to give me to go-ahead first, doesn't he?" Chris nodded and she said, "It'd help if Vince and I were little more organized in that department."

"Hey, Vince chucked you into the fray, *he* should get you organized." The pair stopped at a set of traffic lights and Chris pushed the button on the light post, then waited for the little green man to appear and give them the go ahead. Corra giggled and he looked up at her, "What?"

She shook her head, "Na-huh. They just put the button there so people don't get so stroppy about waiting. It's not connected to anything. The lights run on a timer." The look of disbelief on his face said it all and she sighed, "Fine. Don't take my word for it then." The little green man flashed to life and the pair started across the street. "So..." Corra chose her words carefully, "You're married, aren't you?" Chris nodded and she asked, "Is she... You know... Will she mind? About you and I in this storyline?"

Corra was almost surprised when she saw the little sparkle in Chris' eyes at the mention of his wife. I hate to admit it, but I still find it so hard to look at these huge, big muscly guys who try to tear each other apart for a living and see a loving husband. But that look in his eye... That Mel is a very lucky girl. "She's very good about this kinda stuff." He waved a hand toward her, "I think you and Mel would get along great. I should introduce you guys."

Shane McMahon stepped out from the shadows he had been lurking in behind them since they had left the hotel. I wish I'd been able to hear what they were talking about. If he had been an animal, he knew he'd be growling right then and there. But if it's him she's after, then little Christopher Irvine is going to get the shock of his life.

When Chris Irvine left her, Corra Thomas must have sat in her hotel room for almost an hour. She felt a little bad, for snapping at Chris the way she had when he asked about Shane. I can't believe how hypersensitive I am to the mention of his name right now...

Between Shane and Steven Richards, there hadn't been a moment throughout dinner where Corra was not on the receiving end of a spiteful glare. Shane she got. Steven... She had no idea. Damn Looney Tune. I don't understand that guy at all. I haven't done a thing to him and yet he looks at me like I'm the devil incarnate. She sighed bitterly, Screw him.

Still, the meeting had gone surprisingly well. All the basic groundwork for the Jericho/Monroe and RTC feud had been laid. And her discussions with Chris on the way back to the hotel about new moves and the like had left her with that buzz.

But instead here she was. Bored. Oh-so-very-bored. And boredom lead to deep and meaningful thoughts. And they were bad. Sitting here feeling bad for Shane McMahon isn't going to get me anywhere. Besides - It's Wednesday Night. I'm in a big city. There has to be somewhere I can go.

Not that it's the going that's the problem. No, it never was. It was just the going out alone that bothered her. She was a people person, big time, and the more time she spent alone the more miserable she felt.

She told herself plainly, "I shouldn't have let Chris leave." Exactly. He would've made the perfect company for a night of bar hopping or night clubbing or, well anything you can do with a married man without getting in trouble for. And he reminds me so much of Bailey.

But when she looked back over her time in the States now, America hadn't turned out to be as horrifying as she had originally envisioned. She was doing what she loved most, and she had made a nice little group of friends amongst the members of the WWF roster.

When Jeff had changed into something a little more respectable and pulled his hair into a rough ponytail he headed out the door again. This time he was in time to see Corra's back again as the Elevator doors closed behind her just down from his room. He hurried up to the door, watching the numbers. 8, 9, 10, 11... It stopped on 12.

Stupid! Corra ploughed her right fist into the bag. Stupid! Then her left. STUPID! She finished off with a powerful kick that slammed the bag away from her. When it flicked back toward her she reached out a hand to catch it, wrapping her arms around it and leaning forward.

"No." Jeff started across the room, eventually stopping a few feet away from her. "I came looking for you... I heard someone at my door, but when I looked... I only saw you disappearing into your room." He shrugged, "So I took the plunge and came looking for you, to see if you wanted to see me."

She turned to continue jabbing and ducking around the punching bag, hoping the red flush of embarrassment was masked by the red of her workout. "If I wanted to see you, Jeff..." She delivered a fierce roundhouse kick into the bag, "I would have knocked on your door. Maybe it was someone else."

She stopped again, trying to glare at him, but failing dismally. "You know, you've got a nice hook there... It's true isn't it; about your father being a Boxer." She nodded, "And your Mom, she was a Gymnast. Nice combo. With all that experience, and those genes, you should have some nice moves." He motioned to the mats across from them, "Care to dance?"

"Nup. That will do." She grinned, "Now just go with it." She leapt forward, nestling one foot onto his knee and boosting herself up to head height, aiming her opposite foot for his face. He managed to get a hand up before she connected though. She dropped back onto her feet in front of him as he overbalanced slightly and she laughed.

Corra stepped back a few feet and then cart wheeled forward, pushing herself up so her legs wrapped around his neck. The sheer force behind the move knocked Jeff onto his back, and she sat gleefully on top of him, gently grabbing a handful of hair. "This would be the part where I pummel your face for a while."

She shook her head; "I don't want to ruin your pretty face." She got up and Jeff climbed to his feet. She waved at him, "Come at me like you're going in for a clothesline..." He did as instructed and she ran forward, flipping, and twisting through the air, above his arm as she did so, landing deftly on her feet behind him. He stopped dead in his tracks when he realized he had missed her, and Corra grabbed him from behind, digging one hand into the back of his pants and dropping onto her back. She stuck a boot into his lower back and pulled him down, flipping him over her body.

"Okaaay..." She poked her chin out defiantly, "Stand with one leg forward a little, and crouch a bit, like your setting up to give a Rock Bottom, but not bent over as far." He did so and she told him, "Now this move is designed to take out you and your partner, when the positioning is right..." She smiled, "It might hurt..."

She stuck her tongue out at him and then rushed forward. She nestled her right foot onto his left leg, launching herself up over his shoulder. Her left foot pushed into his back to give her a little more speed. She flew forward, her arm out ready to give a clothesline.

Being that there was no one else to finish the move on, Corra dropped skilfully to her feet. She turned to see Jeff laying flat on his face on the mat. She hurried to his side, "Oh God... I didn't hurt you, did I?"

He raised himself up on his elbows, "I'll live." Jeff smiled, "I like that move." He rolled onto his side to look at her without having to crook his neck. "Maybe we can con Vince into teaming you with Lita and The Hardys instead of Jericho. I want to learn that move." She smiled. "Got any more?"

The young woman thought for a moment. "Mmm..." Her eyes lit up like tiny light bulbs when something eventually came to her. "Probably my Playboy Photo Shoot. Nothing like being the only naked person in a room full of people to embarrass you." When she realized Jeff had nearly spat his coffee everywhere, Corra murmured, "Oh. You hadn't heard that, huh?" I'm surprised with the way Stephanie spread it round the locker room.

She took a sip of her own coffee now, "About 3 weeks after my 18th birthday... I'd been doing this little play in Sydney about a girl whose boyfriend was having an affair with her brother... It caused all this controversy and drew a lot of media attention. Playboy offered me good money, and thinking about how much quicker I would pay off my Stunt School fees, I took it and ran." She asked him all seriousness, "You're okay with it, aren't you?"

"Jeff!!!" Corra reached across the table to smack him playfully upside the head. Besides, it's not like he needs a copy of that Playboy to see me naked... Corra flushed red, suddenly very grateful Jeff did not have the ability to read minds.

"Because I learnt from that experience. I don't need a repeat." She sipped at her coffee again, "When Playboy approached me I was so flattered. I thought I was top shit. But when I saw those photo's... I couldn't believe I had even done it. If I hadn't signed my life almost literally away, I would've stopped them ever going to print. A naked woman is a beautiful thing but it's also a very intimate thing... Some women feel comfortable enough with themselves to share that with the world. But when I saw those photo's," she sighed, "I realized I wasn't one of those women." She took another drink, "And not to mention the fact that my every flaw was there on display."

Again Corra blushed. Someone just paint me red permanently please! She gave Jason's shoulders a little squeeze and then said, "Well, boys. It's..." She looked at her watch, "Nearly 5am. Definitely past my bedtime." She got up all the boys let out little `aww's.' She giggled, "You're all so good for my ego." She leant forward and placed a kiss on Jason's forehead, then moved across to Adam, messing his hair up for good measure. "Goodnight, boys."

His friend sighed cheekily, "Too late, you have." He smiled, "Come on, Jeff. This is me here... You like her, don't you?" Jeff paused for a moment and then nodded and Adam asked, "Have you told her that?" He shook his head, "Then you should..."

He cut the younger Hardy off, "If you but me the next time we're in the ring together I will kick your ass." He shrugged, "Or I'll just move when you're meant to Swanton me." He grabbed Jeff's coffee and took a sip, screwing his face up when he realized it was cold. "Yuck." He cleared his throat, "Tell her Jeff."

She shook her head even though her brother couldn't see her, "No. I think they're moving Rocky and Monroe in different directions." I didn't call to talk all about Wrestling... She went on quickly, "Hey, hows things with you and Kayla? Are you guys still dating?"

There was a knock at the door. Corra glanced at her clock, it was barely 6am. "Just one second, Bay." She rest the receiver on her bed where she had been sitting and walked over to the door, looking through the peephole. When she saw it was Adam she tore the door open, a grin on her face. "Hey."

She reached out and grabbed his shirt, tugging him into the room. She waved him toward the couch, "I'll just be a second." She picked up the receiver again, "Hey Bay, sorry about that. Just got a visitor."

Corra shrugged a little, her tone telling him she didn't want to talk about it despite the gentleness in her voice. "He has cancer. He's doing okay though. I don't think anything could keep a Thomas down." At the couch she handed him the water and the two aspirin hidden in her hand before flopping down onto the couch beside him, deftly changing the subject. "Now, Adam. I *know* you could have called room service for Aspirin. And while I don't doubt you have a headache" she smiled sympathetically, "I do doubt that's the only reason you came here."

The young woman sighed, "Do you know how many people I've had asking about my love life in the last 24 hours? If it's not you it's Amy, and if it's not Amy it's Chris, and... It just goes on and on." For someone with such a headache, Adam managed a look of sympathy of his own very well, "It's all complicated, Adam. It's not as simple as `Do I like Jeff?' or `Do I like Sh...'" She caught herself.

His tone set seriously, "Cor, listen to me real carefully, okay? Shane McMahon is bad news..." He broke off, his voice bore a tinge of sadness, "There have been a few girls, Cor. Girls that have just come into this business... No one really talks about it because he's the boss's son, hell, he's fast becoming one of the bosses, but... He's always been a sucker for a pretty face. We've had girls sign contracts with the WWF, really talented girls. Then..."

Adam nodded, "Yeah. He takes a liking and gets his Father to put the girl on active duty, usually a lot earlier than Vince has planned, so you know, he gets in her good books. And some of those girls might take a liking right back, some of them don't. Cor, if he wants a girl he either gets her, or he breaks her. He practically stalks her, he sabotages her career..." The look of distaste on Adam's face surprised Corra, she'd never seen him look that way. "Of course he covers his ass. He always has someone in the Federation do his dirty work for him."

Everything in her screamed to tell Adam the truth, but foolish pride told her to stay quiet. No one ever has to know, I might still be able to fix this... "Adam, I'm sure Shane doesn't have his *anything* set on me."

"Then what would make you think of Steven Richards? How would you know that? I saw the look on your face while I was telling you all this... You had no idea about any of it, but first guess, and you've got Shane's Personal Psychopath figured."

Corra tried to shrug the matter off like it was inconsequential, "There's only one Psychopath in the WWF, Adam, and it's obvious to anyone its Steven Richards. I just took a stab in the dark..." Adam's gaze intensified and she smiled gently at him, running a hand over his cheek, "I'm touched that you're so concerned."

His look softened slightly and he said, "I've seen too many girls come and go like that. And I worry about you, Cor." He smirked, "You may be a little pain in the ass, but you're my favourite little pain in the ass." The young woman reached out to slap him on the back of the head before she even thought about it. He groaned loudly as she connected, holding his head, "Ooowww!!! Corra!!!"

He tried to wave away her hands as she rubbed his head affectionately, but she was persistent. Eventually he gave up, watching her from the corner of his eye as she smiled. "Corra..." He told her honestly, "If Shane McMahon *does* hassle you, you will tell me, won't you?"

Corra looked sleepily into the mirror in front of her at the reflection of Jeni, her hair stylist for the day, as she started blow drying her mane of hair. The sound of the hair dryer bursting to life had snapped her right out of her slumber... And nearly out of my skin too... "I'm sorry, Jeni. I'm just really, really tired..."

The young woman smiled sweetly, "Something like that." Glad that the noise from the hair dryer meant any further conversation was pretty much impossible, Corra snuggled a little further into her chair. My first WWF Photo shoot and I'm about ready to curl up and die I'm so freakin' tired. She thought of Jason and Adam, and possibly even Jeff, probably all still fast asleep in their hotel rooms. Bastards, she thought with a smile.

Her smile faded when she looked into the reflection of her normally glittering blue eyes. The make up had been practically layered on her while pink streaks were taking effect under the plastic wrap that had covered her head, but her exhaustion could not be hidden.

Off to her left, a backdrop of pure white had been set up, surrounded by cameras both of the photographic and video kind for the pending shoot. According to Vince, some footage of her during the photo shoot would be incorporated into her Entrance Video along with a shot or two from her appearance ringside with The Rock and clips from her first two or three matches. Both Chris Irvine and Dwayne Johnson would arrive at the Arena later, which was making do as a studio for the day, for some pictures with the two of them for the WWF Superstars website, which would probably be the first place to present her identity to the Wrestling World.

Part of her didn't want to believe the things Adam had told her that morning. But everything fit so perfectly. Here I am thinking I'm the player, when worse yet, I've been the played. She sighed, if I had just sat it out and waited...

She almost groaned. This is an awful lot of fuss for someone who looks like crap. Corra clenched her eyes closed. I am never, ever pulling an all nighter before a photo shoot again. Not that it had been planned. She smiled to herself, these things never are.

Jeni, now finished the final touches on Corra's hair undid the colouring cape that had been draped around her shoulders and pulled it off. "You're all ready," she said, her voice tight, before turning and walking off.

"Yes." He took one of her hands in his, "I know that these feelings between us, they're new and exciting and kind of scary too... I understand your reaction, but you'll come to admit your true feelings in time..."

The young woman cast a look at the Photographer, then looked sadly back to Shane. "We have to talk when I'm done here, okay?" He nodded happily and she walked away onto the set, her head hung sadly and for the second time that morning, she felt sure she was going to cry.

Corra Thomas was all decked out as Monroe, leather and tattoos to boot. She stood in front of a huge fan, her long hair whisking messily behind her. Every time her hairdresser for the day came rushing in to smooth a frazzled strand here or there, Corra ushered her away. On more than once occasion Jeff had heard her voice floating up toward him as she exclaimed loudly, "Monroe doesn't give a crap about looking pretty."

Neither does Corra, apparently. Jeff had to fight to keep the smile playing out onto his lips at the thought of her in the gym the night before. She'd been wearing tracksuit pants and a sweatshirt, and her hair had been pulled into a loose, and incredibly messy, ponytail. And that was the cutest I'd ever seen her look. Corra reminded him of Amy in a lot of ways. The girl had no problem getting in there and getting sweaty or having her hair messed up. She'd just jump right on in regardless.

Of course, Amy was much keener to straighten herself up afterwards. Corra just took her time. In fact, on more than once occasion he'd seen her turn up to venues dressed in nothing more fancy than a pair of jeans and tiny T. Regardless, she always looks good to me.

Jeff nodded, "Yeah." He waved a hand toward her, "But I wish she didn't layer that black eye make up on so much when she's *playing* Monroe." He shrugged as non-chalantly as he could when Matt eyed him questionably. "She has beautiful bright blue eyes, all that make up makes them look so dark... It spoils them."

"You've obviously taken notice." Matt waited for a response, but none came. Time to throw a spanner in the works, then. "Amy is going to ask Cor if she'd like to come with us in the car to the next town tomorrow."

"No." Matt snapped back, "I see a guy here whose crazy about a girl, and I see a girl whose crazy right back. Don't be an idiot, Jeff. There are a lot of single guys in this Federation, and we can't count out some of the married one either's... They'll snap up a new girl in a heartbeat. If you wait too long, you may never get your chance."

The sweet scent of rose petals filled her nostrils as she dropped her keys and bag onto the table just inside her door. Despite the lush aroma she found herself almost unable to breathe it in for fear she might dry wretch if she inhaled too deeply. She wanted to close her eyes as she stepped further into the room, dodging the array of vases topped to their brims with rich Red Roses. Every where she turned, every place she looked, another bunch of Roses filled her gaze.

Corra stopped short of her bed with a gasp when she saw all three of the suitcases she took with her on the road lined neatly on the bed. She stepped slowly, unable to keep her hand from shaking as she reached for the smallest of the three and opened it.

Her cosmetics, hair dryer and... The knot of fear in her stomach tightened even though part of her thought she was being ridiculous. Every bra and pair of underwear she owned were folded neatly and placed into the bottom of the suitcase. She tore open the second and third cases, both contained more of her clothes and personal belongings.

Corra cast an uneasy gaze over the bed, spotting an envelope beside the telephone. She moved around the bed and picked it up. She ripped it open almost without any thought of preserving whatever was inside.

She plonked onto the bed, painfully aware of how hard her heart was pounding. She leaned forward to rest her head in her hands, only to spot the Waste Paper bin beside the dresser. She dropped onto the carpeted floor on her knees and looked down.

Dwayne, Paul, Joanie, Amy, Jason, Adam and herself at the first Smackdown she had ever attended as a member of the World Wrestling Federation. Dwayne and Paul held Joanie up between them as she lay across their arms, and Amy had launched herself up onto Jason's back.

And she and Adam stood together, she in the front while his arms wrapped around her waist. She was laughing, she remembered the moment so well. She'd been almost insanely happy. And Adam, sharing her excitement, was grinning despite the fact his lips were pressed to her cheek.

Looking at the photograph now, tears filled Corra's eyes. She tried to wrangle the photo out of it's battered frame carefully, but as her eyes blurred with tears, clear sight became impossible and a chunk of splintered glass wedged into her left hand. She let the frame slip from her grasp to run the back of her free hand across her eyes, trying to wipe the tears away so she could see.

I could throw my career away because I couldn't wait... It could all end now because I thought I could bat my eyelids and smile seductively any time I got the chance... Just to get what I want... A sob racked her body. What did I think I was doing?

"Hey Corra, we`re going to have a tag along for our workout..." He was only half way through the door was Chris Irvine spotted Corra by the bed. He cast a quick look around the room, startled by the number of roses scattered throughout it before rushing over to her. "Corra?" He hovered above her but she did not show any signs of acknowledgement. "Cor..." His eyes caught the blood oozing from her palm and he dropped to his knees beside her. "Jesus, Corra..."

When she continued to cry, seemingly unable to go on, Chris pulled her into his lap and held her to his chest. "Come on, Cor... Don't cry..." He exchanged a look with Adam, who looked away sadly almost the moment their eyes met.

I'm not going to let this happen again. Not to her. Adam grabbed a clean face washer from the towel rail and wet it under the tap. Despite how upset he knew Corra must be, part of him still hurt. Why didn't she tell me when I asked? I could've... He paused, looking up at his reflection and staring deeply into his own eyes, What can anyone do?

By the time Adam made his way back into the bedroom, Chris had lifted Corra onto the bed. Her crying had subdued and even though the odd tear escaped her, she was trying to remain composed. "I'm sorry..." She laughed quietly, embarrassed. "I'm just being stupid now..."

Adam sighed, "If you couldn't talk to me I would've thought you'd at least tell Amy..." He looked into her eyes, "Or Jeff." He shook his head slightly, turning his attentions back to her hand, "God, that guy would storm through hell on a white stallion if he thought it might help you."

Adam cringed, looking carefully up at Corra. His cheeks had flushed a bright red and his eyes told her exactly how much he regretted what he had just said. After a moment he sighed, "It's not as if you don't know anyway. Jeff likes you." He tried to smile, "And I know you like Jeff."

"Jeff says that too... For him, its another matter entirely, but for you... Your problem is Shane." He asked her flatly, "Does he know you have feelings for Jeff?" She shook her head and he practically ordered her, "Keep it that way." He finished wrapping her injured hand and stood up. "I think I might pay Shane a visit..."

Corra looked from one man to the other for a moment and then said, "I think I might havta kick both of your asses if you do." She got up, careful not to use her aching had for balance as she did so. "Adam, Chris..." She whispered, "Shane might be a raving lunatic like you all say, but I didn't help matters at all. I played up to him because I have no patience. I couldn't wait to get out there and into that ring. I made the mess." She sighed, "I have to clean it up."

"No." She silenced him with a single angry word, "I'm going to call him, I'm going to talk to him, and I am damn well going to straighten this out." Tired and miserable or not, there was fierce determination in her voice. "I have to take care of this myself." She looked at Adam intently, "That's why I didn't tell you. That's why I haven't told anyone." She reached out and pat his cheek, "I made my bed, I'll lie in it."

I'm going to be glad when we leave this stinking hotel. Corra leant back in the seat on the balcony of her hotel room, keeping a careful watch of Shane McMahon as he sat quietly beside her. He'd been there a good hour already. Corra had been patient and gentle, she thought. She'd explained to him at great length that they were fated to be nothing more than friends.

It'd have been much easier to tell the world to stop spinning, she was sure of it. But for the entire time he had been there, he had remained relatively calm. Of course, he hadn't actually made eye contact with her since she started speaking, but the angry, borderline hysterical guy that had woken her with such a fright only two days earlier was seemingly gone.

I had wanted to tell him this morning before I left for the shoot. Really I had. But... Her mouth set stubbornly as she thought to herself, I can handle this. I have to handle this... And it's not like Shane is a totally unreasonable guy.

For the first time since her lengthy and emotionally draining reasoning had begun, the man looked up from the carpeted floor. "I don't think you understand how strong my feelings for you are." There was an edge to his tone despite the gentleness in his voice that almost made Corra recoil in her discomfort, but she tried to keep her face supportive. "The first time I saw you, Corra, the very first time... I knew I'd fall in love with you."

"No, Corra... I don't think you understand..." He reached a hand out to stroke her face. She wanted to jump back, her body screamed at her to do so, but with a deep breath she sat perfectly still, closing her eyes. "If I couldn't have you..." She could feel his warm breath on her face as he leant forward, "I don't know what I would do."

He watched her for a moment then nodded, slowly, his face contorting almost sadistically. His voice was gruff and dangerously calm, "No, Corra. Don't you make this harder than it needs to be." He moved forward to kiss her again and this time she pulled away from him. "Love me."

He reached out and grabbed her shoulders whirling her to face him. She waited with baited breath for an onslaught of verbal abuse, almost clenching her eyes shut... But his voice was a whisper, "Corra, I want to be with you. Just give me a chance..."

"That chance might ruin the only opportunity you and I have to be real friends, Shane." She tried to gently pry his fingers from her arms, but to no avail. Corra fought to keep her voice neutral. "If you care about me so much, how can you even try to bully me into giving you my affections? If I'm meant to be with you, those feelings would come of their own accord. They wouldn't be threatened into me."

He looked at her intently for a moment, and then for the third time, he leant forward to try and kiss her again. When she nearly surged right off the seat in an attempt to move away from him, he stood, tearing her to her feet with him.

"Shane..." Confusion filled Corra's voice, "Get a grip..." He pulled her against him and she fought for a moment to tug herself free of him. She planted both hands into his firm chest and shoved him, "Why are you acting like this? This isn't who you are. You're not..."

She gulped, but continued carefully, "You're not psychotic. Stop acting like you are." Although even as she said the words she was doubting them. She took a steadying breath and stepped toward him, "Come on, Shane. When I first came on the road with this Federation, when you and I first became friends, you were the sweetest, understanding guy I'd ever met." If I don't count Jeff, and Chris, and Dwayne, and... Okay, nearly everyone *else* in the WWF. "Where did this guy here come from?"

Shane nearly spat when he replied, "From you. Don't think I don't know that you used me, Corra. I'm not stupid, you're just like all the other girls that join the WWF. You want in that ring and out there in front of those fans so bad you'll do anything... Or anyone."

"Please, Shane." He mimicked her almost to perfection. "You lead me to believe that all the things I was feeling for you were being returned, and now you have what you want, you're trying to worm your way out of it. But that's not going to happen..."

It was all true. Every last word. And Corra, certain she'd exhausted every other avenue of defence, murmured quietly, "You're right, Shane..." His face softened when the first of her tears escaped her, "But I never wanted to hurt you. And I *so* do not want it to be like this between us."

"I'll tell you how it's going to be between us." Corra almost couldn't believe how calm he sounded, "You are going to be with me, whether you like it or not, and no one is ever going to suspect that you tried to play a McMahon, because when I'm done with you, I'll toss you aside."

"Nothing is forever." Shane leant forward, breathing into her face, "Especially love." He told her, but the hints of hurt still apparent in his voice told her he didn't totally believe that. "And your contract with the WWF certainly won't be unless you do what I say..."

But Shane reached out a hand and took her shoulder, pulling her back round to face him as he brought her to a screeching halt. "Get used to doing what you're told, Cor." Tearing her hard against him, Shane's face twisted almost sadistically as he grabbed a handful of Corra's hair, yanking her head back so hard that the pain that burst through her told her she was lucky her head was still on her shoulders at all. She cried out, hurling a fist into his jaw. When she lined him up a second time he caught her hand easily, his voice a playful whisper, "Don't do that."

Corra ploughed another fist into his face, spinning away from him and bolting back into the hotel room. Hot on her heels, Shane launched himself over the sofa as she tried to run past it, sending both of them hurtling into the glass coffee table across from it. It shattered around them, but both ignored the broken glass to hurry to their feet.

The young woman tried to make a beeline for the door, but Shane grabbed a good handful of her hair again and yanked her back into him. They both landed with a thud among the broken glass. Corra tried to wriggle away from him but Shane rolled her over, turning onto his stomach to pin him beneath her. He was panting, not that I'm not, and giving her a hard stare. "Now what are you going to try, Corra?" He laughed, "I like playing this game with you."

"This isn't a game to me, Shane..." She managed to surge a knee past his weight on top of her to strike him in the groin. He let out a sharp cry and rolled away from her. She took to opportunity to stagger to her feet, feeling wet pools of blood across her back from the shards of glass tearing through her clothing. She head for the door again, but Shane was back on his feet already. He grabbed her arm, whipping her around his body quickly and sending her hurtling into the door she had been headed for. She bounced off it like a rag doll, landing flat on her back on the carpeted floor.

Some of the glass still stuck to her clothing wedged back into her skin and she whimpered in pain, rolling onto her stomach. Shane's gleeful laugh touched her ears again, and when she looked up she could see him standing over her, smiling. He started to crouch forward, looking as though he was about to speak...

Desperation nabbed her and Corra surged a fist forward for one of Chyna's low blows. The McMahon Heir fell away from her, and still on her hands and knees, she turned to yank her hotel door open, getting to her feet long enough to fall though the doorway and straight out into what she hoped was the sanctity the hall.

"Jesus H. Christ..." Vince McMahon could scarcely believe his eyes as he stepped out of the elevator only to see Corra Thomas' haggard body sprawled across the hallway floor. He rushed up the hall to her, dropping to one knee by her side. Small stains of her rich red blood littered her jeans and t-shirt.

"Corra?" He whispered, cupping her face gently in her hands. He was surprised to see her open her eyes. She was breathing heavily, yes, but she wasn't unconscious like he had originally thought. "What the hell happened..."

Just inside the hotel room, Shane McMahon heard his fathers' voice and winced. Anyone but Dad, dammit. He got up shakily, and walked straight to the door. His voice was wavering but the moment his father looked up and saw him he managed to bark, "Stay out of this, Dad."

The McMahon Heir eyed his father cautiously for a moment and then nodded, whispering, "Fine..." He grabbed his coat from the table just inside the door of Corra's hotel room, gingerly putting it on before stepping over Corra's motionless body and out into the hall.

The older McMahon turned his attentions back to Corra, carefully pulling the girl to her feet. She bit her lip to keep from crying out on several occasions and Vince could do little but look on sympathetically. "Come on, Corra. Let's get you back into your room."

The aging member of the WWF's medical staff smiled at the young woman, "I don't imagine you would." He turned to Vince, who had been standing quietly across the room while he had been treating Corra's injuries, "If that's all, Mr. McMahon, I might head home. It's my Daughter's birthday."

She smiled, "I'll try." She watched the Doctor go and then turned her attention back to Vince. He waited expectantly for her to say something, but instead she simply stared him blankly. His look became questioning and she shrugged, "The balls in your court, Vince. Aren't you going to tell me again how I should stay away from your son?"

He chuckled dryly, "I think you know that." The man walked over to the bed, crouching down beside it. "Corra, we've had..." He chose his words carefully, "Problems, you could say, with Shane before... He's..."

"I noticed." When he looked at her again she silently cursed her big mouth, but she went on, "Vince, I've *heard* some things about Shane, and about his behavioural patterns. I brought him here tonight to try and clear things up with him... I thought I could. I thought I'd treated him badly, that I had brought this about myself. I felt bad and I wanted to make it right." She sighed and looked intently into the Chairman's eyes, "There is no making it right, is there?"

He shook his head, "I'm not sure that there is." He stood, "I'm going to see to it that you and Shane are kept as far away from each other as possible, Corra... Although..." He looked away, "Shane is going to be an active participant in some major storylines coming into Wrestlemania. Keeping the two of you apart isn't always going to be easy."

She stared at him for a moment then nodded understandingly, "Yeah... It's always about protecting your son." It wasn't as graceful as she would like but Corra managed to get to her feet, "I tell you what, Vince. Let's keep this between ourselves, just to *protect* your son."

He nodded, "I was hoping you would agree to that." He made moves like he was about to walk off, but Corra took hold of his wrist, "But if this keeps happening, don't expect me to continue staying quiet to protect *your son.*"

"Fine." Vince told her evenly. "I've called housekeeping, they'll be here to clean your room soon. If you have somewhere else to go for a while, I'd go so they can clean up this mess without disturbing you." There was a hint of sarcasm in Vince's voice despite his attempt at sincerity.

She looked after him for at least a good five minutes. I won't tell, Vince. I *definitely* won't tell. She sighed, delicately plopping back onto the bed. I don't want anyone to know how nuts this whole thing has just become...

The girl smiled dismally, "Hi." Adam said tell someone. Adam said... What was it? That Jeff would ride through hell on a White horse for me, or something like that. If she wasn't so tired, and so miserable, she would've smiled at the very thought. So as far as I can see, this is the safest place to be right now.

There were still wet tears on the girl's face, and her bleary eyes conveyed fear. Total, unquestionable fear. Maybe not the kind of fear you'd get if you were literally looking down the barrel of a gun, but still...

She was fidgeting incessantly. Flicking her nails and wringing her fingers, and she seemed to be toeing from one foot to the other. "I've made a really bad mistake." Her tears started to seep from her eyes again and she barely swallowed a sob.

Corra wandered over to the bed and sat down. Still fidgeting and practically hyperventilating when he sat down beside her and hooked a supportive arm around her, she buried her head in his shoulder. "I thought I could handle it all by myself..." She whispered, "But I can't... I don't know how... I thought if I just talked to him that I could make it all better, but it's not... It's not better, Jeff... It's worse..." Now a quiet sob escaped her, "I can't believe this is happening..."

She sniffled, sitting up suddenly to wipe her tears away with her sleeve. "God..." She mumbled, clearing her throat. She looked at him, embarrassed for a moment and then laughed sadly, "I feel so stupid. I'm making a mountain out of a molehill..."

The girl gasped, "No! How can you say that? Elmo rocks!" She pointed at the TV screen as Elmo told them which letter and number Sesame Street had been brought to them by. "Listen to that cute little voice."

The Hardy Boy simply smiled at her, "If you say so." He rolled over onto his side to look at the girl. Her long hair was a tangled mess under her head and her clothes had been cast aside in exchange for one of his 2 Xtreme shirts, which, due to their height difference, was almost at the length of a nightie on her anyway. She looked tired. So incredibly tired, but in the hours since she had arrived at his room, her teary eyes were shining the way they usually did.

She rolled to prop herself up onto her elbow now. She smiled when she saw the flush of red in his cheeks. Hell, Jeff, you can look at me whenever you want... She caught herself again, I wish I would stop doing that. Corra was silent for a few moments before she said, "Thank you."

Corra watched him for a moment and then leant forward, placing a soft kiss on his forehead. "Goodnight, Jeff." She nestled down into the bed a little gingerly on her back and reached out and turned the lamp on her side of the bed off.

Corra was certain she had counted about a thousand sheep by the time she even started to feel tired. Every time she moved a centimetre in the bed she was conscious of just how close to her Jeff Hardy lay...

I can't believe how understanding he was about Shane, she sighed inaudibly. I really brought this on myself, I encouraged this. And Jeff didn't say a bad word about me. She shrugged to herself, except maybe for the way he said, 'Aw, Cor... You silly girl.' But even that was said so gently...

He hadn't blamed Shane entirely. That was for sure. But he had made sure he let her know that her attempts to nip the whole situation in the butt had been right. "You've made all the right moves to try and fix this, Cor. But there are things that can't be fixed, not with a thousand words."

"Oh." Jeff grinned, rolling over in the bed to look at her. Her back was still turned to him and her long hair was bunched up behind her head, which rest dutifully on her arm on the pillow. He could tell by the way the covers say that her knees were huddled to her chest. She looked incredibly uncomfortable, prompting him to ask, "Are you okay?"

He blushed a little, surprised that even though it had sounded as though he was being strictly philosophical she could tell there more to it than that. He sighed, "It's old shit, Cor. You don't want to know about it."

She cut him off, only now rolling over to face him. "I do want to know." She smiled gently, "There was..." she shrugged, "There was something in your voice." Corra reached out a hand, brushing some purple hair from his handsome face. "You don't have to tell me, it's just..."

The youngest Hardy continued, "She..." sighs, "she hated that I was a wrestler. Absolutely hated it. Every show she'd fuss over me, she'd warn me to be careful... We used to fight about it all the time." Sadness marred his voice, "I thought she did it just to annoy me I guess, and so one night after a Pay Per View, we'd had a fight... I got drunk and I... I guess I wanted to hurt her."

"Yeah." He ran a hand through his hair. "I suddenly realized how much I loved her. And it took losing her to make me understand the reason she hated what I do so much was because she loved me too." He sighed again, "So yeah... That's how I know how easy it is to screw up. And how some things can never be fixed... No matter how hard you try... That was the biggest mistake I had ever made."

Corra's face flushed at this, and her hurt now shone through her eyes so much that she looked away quickly to hide it. He loved someone else, and he regrets losing her more than anything in the world... God, what am I even doing here? Jeff would never... She shook the thought away.

Jeff watched her carefully, surprised by the expression on her face. She seemed so hurt and he realized suddenly that Adam and Matt were right. No matter what he thought of himself, that girl laying next to him had feelings for him.

"Cor?" She still refused to look up, so he touched her chin, tilting her face up so she had no choice but to look at him. His voice was shaking almost as much as he was, "The biggest mistake I could *ever* make would be not kissing you now."

Jeff's gorgeous smile dazzled her and rather than repeat his words he leaned forward, his lips scarcely touching hers in a nervous, but sweet, tantalizing kiss. She could barely move from her surprise and she couldn't help but think, whatever I imagined this moment to be like, it has nothing on the real thing...

Barely able to speak she whispered back, "Me too." Nervous, she fought to pluck up enough courage to lean forward, this time pressing her lips to his. Though it started with their lips hardly touching, nerves eventually gave way to passion, their kiss growing in intensity by the second. Jeff wrapped his arms around the trembling girl, laying back on the bed. Corra gladly pressed on top of him, raising her hands to wrap them gently in the length of his hair.

Jeff's body ached as he slipped his hands down her waist, resting one hand on the small of her back lazily while he too took a handful of hair gently with his other hand. The chaste kiss consumed him and when he felt her lips part slightly, he darted a caressing tongue into her mouth, thrilled when her own tongue greeted his.

Corra was giddy with excitement and without thinking, she loosened a hand from his hair and stroked his naked chest, slowly creeping her hand down to the elastic of his boxer shorts. Her hand shaking, she moved no further for fear he would stop her...

But the Hardy Boy had no intention of doing so. The hand on the small of her back took hold of the T-shirt she wore as a nightie, gently creeping it up her back. His hand snaked up inside it, stroking her back and shoulder blades as he continued to lift it. She pushed upon her elbows for a moment not breaking away until he had the shirt bunched up around her neck. She smiled adoringly at him, pulling the shirt from over her head and tossing it away so she lay only in her underwear.

Pressing her breasts against his naked chest, she moved her lips to his again, creeping her hand to the elastic of his boxers again. She fidgeted with it nervously for a moment before opting to creep her hand toward his crotch, rubbing the stiffening length of him through the satin material.

Jeff let out a muffled sigh, taking his hand from her hair and bringing it to the lace of her underwear. His other hand slipped between them to cup a breast, squeezing it gently, rubbing her hard nipple between his thumb and index finger.

Corra grinned though their kisses, moving slightly so her legs rest one on each side of him. She climbed to her knees, slowly wrapping both hands in his boxers. She again broke away from him and when he opened his eyes to look at her she held his gaze, "Jeffy?" She whispered, "Do you..." Embarrassed, "Do you have any..."

She grinned, crawling forward a little to open the draw and remove his wallet. She nearly tore it open, pulling the slim object from it and placing the corner of its wrapper in her mouth, holding it delicately between her teeth. She rest back over him, taking his hands and guiding them to her underwear again, each holding the others gaze. He tugged her underwear down a little and then she stood, shakily removing them before kneeling again.

The moment she was perched over him again, he reached out a hand to cup her soft mound. Corra gasped like she had just had an electric shock run through her body, and when his thumb ran sweetly over her clit, she moaned with pleasure, her moans growing deeper when he slipped a finger into her, surprising him with just how wet for him she was.

He nodded and she removed his boxers from his body, happily taking him in hand and pumping slowly back and forth with one hand. Using her teeth and her free hand, she ripped open the wrapper and brought the condom down onto him, slowly, teasingly rolling it onto him.

Both gasped in desire as they became one for the first time ever, moving slowly together, finding a rhythm almost instantly. Corra whimpered, "Jeffy..." She took his arms, pulling him up into a sitting position, kissing him wildly, their tongues skating in and out of each other's mouths. Jeff rose his hands to her breasts again, squeezing and massaging, eventually breaking their kiss to take each breast in his mouth in turn as they moved slowly together. Corra buried her face in his hair and neck, cooing his name in her adoration for him.

Corra quivered as she perched above him raising herself up only to ground herself down upon him, unable to get enough of the youngest of the Hardy Boys. Every time she took more of him inside her, she just wanted more again until eventually Jeff let her breasts fall from his mouth, helping her move up and down and up and down, faster and faster. She bounced joyously in his lap, savouring the feel of his loving hands on her, his teeth nipping lightly at her breasts, his tongue flicking over her nipples, his gentle lips pressing against her neck...

Jeff's breath caught hungrily in his throat and he groaned deeply, pulling Corra down hard onto him. he shook exuberantly, shooting inside her, barely about to do anything but moan away his pleasure, urged on all the more when Corra, feeling the heat passing from him into her, screamed in ecstasy, dousing him with her juices as she shuddered breathlessly, falling back onto the bed.

The Hardy Boy moved with her, pinning her lovingly with his weight as they fought to regain control. He ran a hand through her hair as it dangled off the edge of the bed, toying with her pink streaks and smiling down at her, exhausted.

"Will you cut it out?" Corra slapped Jeff playfully as he crawled over her naked body under the sheets, kissing her stomach. His head popped out, his hair sticking up all over the place and she giggled at him. "Jeffy, baby, I'm trying to work here."

He lay down next to her in the bed, resting a head on her shoulder as she read over her script. "I have a promo to do tonight and I don't know a one of my lines, Jeff." She looks down, grinning at him a little, "If I didn't spend so much time with you I might actually get some work done occasionally."

She caught his lips in a kiss, silencing him. "I'm not." She continued to muse over the script before glancing over at the time, "Shit, we should get going, I don't want to be late. I'll take my car first and then you'll follow me in ten or fifteen minutes, right?" He nodded half-heartedly and she tossed the script over to land next to her clothes, asking him, "Are you going to go to Chris Benoit's party on Saturday night? He says its just gonna be a little gathering in the bar of the Hotel we're staying at, since we have Judgement Day the next night..."

She looked down at him, a sad little look in her eyes, "Jeffy..." She sighed, "How many times do we have to fight about this?" They exchanged a long hard look and she said, "You know I want to, but we can't. I don't like it anymore than you do."

She grinned at his words on the outside, but inside they hurt. She wanted what he did. All honesty, she did. No matter how exciting it seemed, sneaking from her room to his every night and then back in the morning so that they could be together somewhere that Shane or Steven would never find them, she longed for some normality. And more so than that, she loathed that they had been left little choice but to lie to everyone, even their closest friends, about the extent of their relationship. Only Adam knew the whole truth, and that was not by choice...

Corra hopped tiredly out of the bed, pulling a sheet with her that she wrapped around herself half-heartedly. "Jeffy, once we get this stuff with Shane all sorted out... Once it's safe... Then we can tell whoever'll listen that we're together."

"Jeff." The girl cut him off with a hard look, "Baby, Shane's leaving me alone because Steven is doing his dirty work for him. That's all." She pulled on her jeans and sweater, dropping the sheet back onto the bed. She sat on the edge of the bed, her back to Jeff to pull on her socks and Doc Martins. "I don't trust Shane to stay away once he knows about you, Jeff. I don't. I want to be sure that he isn't going to be a factor for us..."

"He already is." Jeff grumbled. "I'm tired of hiding this from everyone, Corra. I'm tired of hiding you." He reached out, sticking a hand under her sweater to rub her back softly. "I want to show you off."

She turned, kneeling on the bed to face him, "You'll get your chance, baby. I promise you." She brushed his hair back from his face, "I have an appointment with Vince before the show." Corra kissed him sweetly and then made her way from the room, calling as she disappeared out the door, "I'll see you at the Arena."

He adored Corra. He did. And he knew how much Shane McMahon and Steven Richards scared her, even though she shrugged it off like they were little more than harmless fans who spent a tad too much time following her around and not enough time having lives of their own.

Shane wasn't exactly known for his emotional stability, that was true. And he had ruined more than one girl's life over the years. He knew he had as much chance of protecting Corra from him and his little lackey as Corra herself did. But part of him wanted to take that chance regardless.

The last two months had possibly been the best in his life. He had seriously doubted on more than one occasion that he was capable of treating Corra with the respect and sheer adoration he felt she deserved. But it had all come so easy. The hours each day that they were forced to be apart because of work commitments nearly killed him. He wanted to see her every moment of the day.

Not that they weren't almost there already, he supposed. When Corra and he were cities apart for house shows and promotional work, they called each other every day. And his hotel room was always strewn with little notes from her whenever he got up in the morning to find she'd already gone. They talked about work, yes. It was after all, the most time consuming part of their everyday lives, but the conversations between them had grown beyond that, and the majority of their nights together they didn't talk about wrestling at all.

No... Instead they sat together in comfortable silence. Some nights they'd watch TV and he would sit on the floor between her legs so she could do his hair up into dozens of tiny plaits. Other nights she'd drag him out onto the roof of whatever hotel they were staying in with a blanket and some hot chocolate so they could sit together under the stars and talk about everything and nothing.

When Steven Richards cell phone rang, he scurried out of the Right To Censor dressing room and into the hallway, glancing about to make sure there was no one near by before answering. "Shane." His voice was clear and concise.

He could hear the agreance in Shane's voice, "I know. It's too obvious. If she were with Adam, she would be much more discreet about it than that." He sighed, "Clever girl." He pondered for a moment and then said, "I think its time I made my move, Steven. If nothing else, I may at least get her to reveal who she is seeing... But..." He chuckled, "I am certainly hoping for more than that."

Steven could tell by Shane's voice that he was nodding gleefully as he spoke. "This Saturday, at Chris Benoit's birthday party, I have a surprise for our little Corra Thomas. A very nice surprise indeed." He told Steven all seriousness, "Until that time, I want you to watch her more closely, step up your harassment of her. I'll make a generous addition to your *funds* if you do so."

He was about to hang up when Shane said, "Oh, and Steven? Push, but... Don't break her." He laughed darkly, "I want to do that myself." He continued to laugh until the phone clicked into silence against Steven's ear.

Corra shrugged, "Not all. Just most." She tugged on the ponytail that usually draped all the way down to her rear end. "I'm tired of being yanked around by the hair all the time, Vince. Besides, it wouldn't hurt for at least *one* Diva to have shorter hair you know..." She motioned about 5cm past her shoulder, "I want to cut it to here. That's it. It'll still be the same colours, and there will still be enough for the other girls to yank, but I won't be such easy prey for the boys looking for the quick take down when the ref's back is turned."

"Ivory and I are going to go head to head at Judgement Day on Sunday, aren't we?" The Chairman of the WWF nodded and she continued, "And you're not going to let Monroe beat her, are you? The *leader* of the RTC will be doing a run in?"

She smiled, "Good." She tossed her pony tail lazily back over her shoulder, "So, if I'm going to suffer a bitter defeat, why not add insult to injury and have Ivory, or another of the RTC members, hack off my beloved hair. Within reason, of course, so I can still have a little bit of length in it... But, it would certainly keep the fans entertained, which is a plus for us both, *and* still give me what I want." Corra stretched in her chair, "You win, I win."

Vince McMahon leant back in his chair, he was quiet for a few moments before hint of his often unbearingly smug smile began to appear, "So you're not just a pretty face after all." Corra beamed in response and he went on, "All right then. At Judgement Day, you'll get your hair cut." She nodded happily as she climbed to her feet. Before she could even get the words 'thank you' out he added, "But Corra - I want you and the RTC to go over this at least three or four times before the Pay Per View. Bringing scissors into the ring like that isn't exactly the wisest of moves. I don't want any mistakes, you got it?"

Corra smiled warmly at Jeff and Matt when they came backstage after their match while she loitered, as subtly as possible, near the arena entrance, tying a bootlace that had come loose a few minutes earlier. "Hey Boys." She exchanged a discreet, but warm, look with Jeff. "Nice match."

"Ya-huh. Interview time for me and a chance to whoop Ivory's ass a teensy, tiny bit." She grinned, "I love it." She punched him warmly in the arm as he wandered past and messed up her hair. "Matty..." She grumbled at him, her voice affectionate. He grinned back at her as he disappeared.

Jeff paused for a moment, "Keep an eye out if you're on the mats on the left-hand side of the ring... I think someone in the first row spilt their drink, there's a wet patch..." He added with a whisper, "I can't have you falling on your pretty little ass."

He pretend glared at her and then made after his brother, leaving Corra to again sit alone in silence. She cast a few little glances after him though, thinking to herself, I would give anything to stop having to pretend about you, Jeffy. I would.

The girl paused when she heard Steven Richards aggravated voice behind her, dropping from the packing crate she had been sitting on and whirling to face him, her eyes narrowed into a hateful glare. "You have *nothing* better to do, huh Steven?"

"Oh, no... Really, there are *plenty* better things I could be doing than watching a little harlot like you prance around the WWF like you own the place." The RTC leader thrust a thumb in the general direction of what was temporarily Vince McMahon's office. "Sweet talking the boss earlier, I hear. No doubt trying to make Shane's life all the more miserable."

She grinned at his stupidity, "Actually, Vince and I were discussing an angle for my match against Ivory this Sunday." She reached a hand forward to slap his face a couple of times, "Silly little Stevie... Always thinking the world revolves around his beloved Shane."

He took hold of her arms, slamming her into the wall behind her. Dazed, her head lolled around a moment before she shook it off, glaring up at him. "It's not going to stop until you get into your thick head that Shane McMahon *always* gets what he wants." He added a gleeful, "Always" to reiterate his statement.

"Make me..." The last of his taunt died away when a pair of hands wrapped around him from behind, dropping him on his ass and skidding him across the floor. He looked up, smiling darkly when he saw Adam Copeland hovering over him. "You... Again." He climbed to his feet, "Shane will be very interested to know that you're still coming to Corra's rescue." He chuckled, turning to go, "Very interested indeed."

Her best friend turned, half-heartedly glaring at her, "Jesus, Cor. How much more of this are you going to put up with?" She sighed, and before she could reply redundantly, Adam raised a hand to silence her. "No. You listen to me. This is like the 20th time I've busted in on that bastard bullying you over the last couple of months, Cor. And I know you think that its better Steven stalks the hell out of you than you have to deal with Shane treating you the way he was, but its not. This has gotta stop. Tell Vince. Okay? Tell Vince about Steven."

"Adam... Everyone in the Federation knows Steven is Shane's right hand guy, and his contract is protected by Shane. What is Vince gonna do, huh? You know if I went to Vince about this, Shane would jump right in to defend Steven anyway, and worse case scenario, it could be me joining the ranks of the unemployed." She shook her head stubbornly, "No. I'm not saying a thing to Vince. I'm not saying a thing to anyone. You and Jeff and I are all that need to know... And once I find a way to deal with Shane..."

Hurt by the tone in his voice, she looked up at him, whispering scathingly, "What do you propose I do, Adam? How do I make this better, huh?" Her own tone set nastily, "Come on, Mr. Fix It. Tell me how to make all the bad just go away." He sighed, his face falling and she nodded, "See. That's what I thought."

She turned on her heel to step closer to the Arena entrance, longing to get away, but Adam grabbed hold of her, spinning her into a fierce hug. His voice was much gentler as he told her honestly,"I'm tired of seeing you miserable and afraid all the time." He added, "And I'm tired of sitting back helplessly while you and Jeff have to hide how into each other you really are. It's unfair on both of you to have to live like this."

Corra sighed, burying her face in Adam's chest. "Adam... It's not forever, it's not. Jeff and I are going to be together, and the world is going to see that. Shane and Steven can't stop the inevitable, no matter how they try." She pulled back from him and looked up into his sparkling eyes, "Thankyou... For rescuing me..." She smiled gratefully, "Again."

Corra nearly squawked in fright when Paul Levesque jumped up from a seat at the bar to take her into his arms for a warm hug. She giggled into his chest, "Jesus, Pauly. I didn't see you." She hugged him back and then pulled back a little, "You were just laying in wait for me then, weren't you?"

"Like I could stay away when *you* asked me out!" Or after Jeff brow beat into agreeing to come out. The girl nearly sighed. If she had her way, she and Jeff would be using Chris Benoit's birthday party as an opportunity to slip away for the night relatively unnoticed. And its not that I don't like Chris, I do, but any chance to be with Jeff is all good for me...

The girl looked up at Paul when his voice drew her attention from her thoughts. "Water, straight up." She smiled at the curious look he gave her, "Hey, I don't shape up as well as the rest of you after a big night out. And you *do* remember we have a Pay Per View tomorrow?"

She sighed, looking around the hotel bar for Jeff. She wasn't at all surprised to see him sitting with Adam, Jason and Matt at one of the corner tables, playing the drinking game she had taught them the first time she'd ever been out with the boys. Jeff spotted her and winked playfully. She grinned back at him and then turned her attentions back to Paul... "Okay, Mr..." The barman handed over her Bourbon and Coke and she took a swig. "If I'm hung over for Judgement Day tomorrow, I am *seriously* going to maim you."

His eyes narrowed a little. How many times is that she's mentioned him now? But he shook the thought away. I'm too drunk to give a fuck... He looked at the glass in his hand strangely. God... How many of Corra's Bourbon & Coke's have I drunk now anyway..?

Corra laughed merrily, "Only a lot!" She reached a hand up to tug on his hair. "Is that naughty?" Her head spun a little as she continued, seductively whispered words falling from her lips before she could even stop to ponder them. "If it's naughty... I might need to be punished..."

She giggled, "You want to punish me, don't you?" Clarity touched her, but only for a second as she cooed, "You've always wanted to punish me." Facing him, she stepped forward a little, her breasts rubbing against his lower chest, so short was she in comparison. "Punish the bad girl..." She stumbled again and it was only his grip on her arm that kept her upright.

And Shane had been watching as discreetly as he could from the corner he shared with his sister and father as they discussed tidbits for the show the next day. Every time she took another drink, he fought to hide his grin.

The McMahon Heir cast a look over to the bar, exchanging a warm smile with the barman that had served Corra and Paul for most of the night. This was not the first time the two had `struck a deal' over a pretty girl. But it is going to be the last...

But the Barman's drug of choice cut through all the red tape in the world, and if all went the way he hoped it would, by morning, Corra would know the extent of his love for her and would be begging him for more.

Shane had spent the night laying in wait, watching. He could see her eyes grow a little more bleary, hear her words get a little more slurred, and when eventually she couldn't walk without Paul's aid, he knew it was time to strike.

Shane leant over and kissed Stephanie's cheek, "Night, Steph. I'll see you in the morning." He nodded to his father and then moved away from the table, using the crowd of people packed into the tiny area to hide him as he walked swiftly across the bar, looking for Corra. He had just seen her by the Jukebox talking to Paul...

The RTC leader motioned to the girl with him to go along, telling her "I'll be right with you. Wait for me in the lobby." He turned to Shane, "Last I saw she was chatting to Paul." He added with a wicked smile, "She could barely walk." Lowers his voice, "That stuff you brought must be mighty powerful. When you find her she'll be putty in your hands, if the way she's reacting to Paul's little advances are anything to go by..."

Nearly growling, Shane whispered back, "Paul's... Paul's advances? Shit. I have to find her." He spotted Amy carrying an armload of drinks and stopped her as she passed, smiling sweetly, "Hey Amy... Have you seen Corra?" The girl shook her head and kept moving. "Fuck." He glared at Steven, "Come with me. We have to find her."

Shane spat in response, "She has no idea what she's doing... And I can tell you right now she's not going to say no to anything Paul suggests... That's why I had her drugged in the first fucking place." He grabbed Steven's arm roughly, "Fuck!"

Adam Copeland couldn't believe what he was seeing as he watched his closest friend disappear out the door with Paul. And when he cast a look at Jeff, it wasn't half obvious that the Hardy Boy couldn't believe it either. He leant forward, whispering, "Jeff, man, maybe you should go after her."

He sighed, "I don't know... But I don't think she's in much shape to know exactly what she's doing right now... You know Paul. The guys a tiger. If I were you, Jeff, I wouldn't give him a chance to pounce."

They made their way out of the bar, stopped on numerous occasions by one person or another until finally they reached the lobby. Adam looked to Jeff. "She'd go to her room, wouldn't she?" Jeff nodded and they moved to the elevators. When the doors opened they stepped inside. Jeff wasn't known for being a chatterbox at the best of times, but he was so quiet now it wasn't funny. "Jeff, come on. We're probably over reacting anyway."

They rode the rest of the way to the floor largely populated by WWF employees in silence. When they stepped out of the elevator, Jeff only barely controlled the urge to run to Corra's door. If they're together... Fuck... I'd die inside... I would... He tried to shake the thought away. No. No. She wouldn't do that to me.

The grin that spread across Corra Thomas's face as she lead Paul Levesque into Jeff Hardy's hotel room was instantaneous, and infectious, Paul noted as he grinned back at her, stepping into the room behind her. He clicked the door shut and darkness engulfed them.

He whispered right back, "Corra." He pressed his lips to hers again, this time kissing her lightly, undecidedly, suddenly not sure he should be doing what he so wanted to. But as Corra moved her arms around his neck and ran her fingers through his hair, as the kiss growing between them intensified yet again, his doubts began to melt away from him.

Paul carefully picked Corra up, taking her fully into his arms. Her back against the door for leverage, she wrapped her slim legs around his waist, her breath beginning to catch in her throat. After several minutes of this, they slowly broke away from each other. Corra was gasping, Paul was doing something similar, but the smiles on their faces, glowing in the moonlight slicing though the open curtains of the room, were ecstatic. As he carefully put her back down, she took his hands in hers and kissed them gently. "You're trembling…" He noticed.

When they stopped by the bed, she ran her hands over his clothed chest gently, she breathed deeply, as if drawing him into her. When he responded by touching her cheek ever so gently, she longed to touch him more, and to be touched... She giggled to herself. To be touched much, much more...

Slowly, carefully, savouring each movement, Corra let Paul take her into his arms. Their lips met again. Corra parted hers slightly, inviting him to deepen their kiss yet again. He did, gently catapulting his tongue into her welcoming mouth.

When he felt her hands run to the shoulders of his jacket, Paul let his arms fall free of her so she could push it away from his shoulders, before sliding her hands back to his shirt to undo his buttons. Her hands were shaking so much, he had to help her with the last few, then he pulled his shirt from his body. Without breaking the kiss, he gently moved Corra onto the bed, laying her on her back and hovering half on his side, half over her. When he ran a hand over her stomach and gently reached for her neck, his hand brushed against one of her beasts. The brief encounter let a sweet moan pass from Corra's lips into his mouth.

She ran a hand over his naked chest, whispering hungrily, "Touch me, baby. Please. I want you to." She pulled herself into a sitting position, taking one of his gentle hands and directing it toward her breasts. He watched her face closely as he touched the soft singlet material that covered her chest. She smiled at him as he began to caress her. When she started to close her eyes, her breath irregular, he slipped his hands to the base of her singlet, pulling it up. She raised her arms above her head for him so he could remove it quickly. A white, lacy bra was all that remained to cover her breasts.

He leaned forward cupping a breast in each hand and running his tongue over her firm nipples. She squirmed delightedly before him, a sharp gasp escaping her. Barely able to concentrate, she let her hands search their way forward, eventually finding the crotch of his jeans. The hard bulge that her hand nestled over sent tingles throughout her. She searched, eyes still closed for his belt buckle, forcing it undone, then slowly unzipping his pants. She reached inside his pants, grabbing lightly onto his cotton boxer covered shaft, running her hand backwards and forwards slowly. Paul groaned happily, and the mere sound of it made Corra's heart skipped a beat.

"Lay down," She whispered. He did as he was instructed, watching her as she perched herself over him, tearing his shoes and socks off, then yanking his pants off his body. When nothing remained but his cotton boxers, she moved toward them, carefully tucking her fingers into the top of them and then slowly, teasing both Paul and herself, she pulled them from his body.

Corra reached out to take him in her hand. She listened to him, and every time he moaned, she knew she was doing something right. As he writhed around beneath her, she felt the warmth between her thighs spreading rapidly. Eventually, Paul took her hand, pulling her toward him and laying her own her back. If he hadn't stopped her then, he knew he wouldn't have lasted much longer. And he wanted to last. He wanted this to be perfect for her.

As she nestled back into the soft bed, Paul carefully slid her leather pants from her, then reached up to run his fingers along the damp outline on the inside of her soft underwear. Corra reached down, intertwining her fingers in her knickers, tugging on them playfully. Paul smirked at her, softly removing her hand and gliding her knickers off her smooth skin. He lay down beside her, drawing invisible circles over her stomach as he kissed her breasts fondly again, eventually sliding his fingertips to her thighs. As she began to moan faintly, he gently pushed one finger between the soft lips of her vagina, finding her clitoris and gently guiding it in small circles. Her moaning grew wildly as she ground her hips with his motions. It took very little time, through her overwhelming excitement, for her body to shudder in orgasm.

Her soft hands tilted Paul's face toward her own as Corra pulled him closer to her. She kissed him sweetly, letting her tongue brush his. Still kissing him, she rolled him onto his back a second time, and before he had time to fully comprehend what was about to happen, she lowered herself onto him carefully, grinding her hips around in circles, and gently moving up and down. He was held tightly in her grip as she did so, and as they continued their impassioned kiss, moans of pleasure passed between them. Without realizing it, their breath fell into the same rhythm.

As Corra felt Paul hardening all the more inside her, her excitement grew to unbearable measures yet again. The moment she felt Paul losing all control, shooting inside her like a wave of fire, she felt herself coming a second time, a delightful cry falling from her lips. "Jeffy..."

The girl fell forward, panting desperately, snuggling into his chest. Her hands stroked his neck lovingly and she whispered despite her shortness of breath, "I love you, Jeff." She wriggled up his body so she could kiss his neck, her exhaustion starting to take hold of her, "I love you so much."

There were tears in his eyes as she spoke, suddenly feeling more sober than he ever had in his life. "Yeah, baby." He sighed, not sure what else to do he told her the Gods Honest Truth. "I love you, Cor. I`ve loved you since the first day I saw you..."

Adam rounded the corner of the Hotel Hallway quickly, nearly falling right over his friend where he sat on the floor. "Jesus, Jeff!" The youngest of the Hardy Boys looked up and Adam saw the tears in his eyes. He dropped to his knees beside his friend. "What is it?"

"In there." He cast a hand toward his hotel room door. He nearly sobbed as he went on, "She was with him. She was... He was... God..." He shook his head, roughly wiping away the tears that were running down his face as he clambered to his feet.

When Corra felt soft lips press against her cheek as the last of her dream-filled sleep left her, she smiled dreamily. "Morning, Jeff..." Her throat parched and a hangover slowly creeping upon her she only barely managed a grin.

The man lying beside her cleared his throat and her dreamy smile vanished. She opened her eyes, letting out a startled squawk when she saw it was Paul who rest lazily beside her. She scrambled backward, the sheets falling away from her. When she saw her own nakedness she gasped, tearing the covers up about her.

"What the... How... Why are you in my bed...?" She broke off, taking in the room around her, horrified to see it was not her hotel room but rather Jeff's that she was occupying. She held her head in her hands, growing pale, "How did I get here?" Desperately trying to remember she stammered, "And you..? Paul... God... What the hell is going on?" I'm in Jeff's bed... Naked... With Paul Levesque.. With Paul... She faintly hoped to herself, Please just let Jeffy be in the bathroom or something... Maybe we had some kinky, drunken threesome...

Panic ripped through her, "Hooked up? *WE* hooked up?" Horror splashed across her face, "But... I wouldn't!!! And... I wouldn't!!!" She could feel tears coming and she didn't even try to resist them. "I don't remember... Oh God... I don't remember anything!" Thinking desperately she rushed on, "I don't remember anything after I ran into you at the bar..." Her tears started to fall, "How did we end up here? Why here? What happened, Paul?" He looked at a loss and she practically screamed, "WHAT HAPPENED?"

Paul spoke slowly, his voice as gentle as he could manage, "We left the party, and all you wanted to do was come here... It's all a bit of a blur, Cor." Except for the most important parts it wasn't. He remembered her leading him here, the way she was so tender and loving toward him, and he remember all too well when she had whispered a name between kisses that definitely did not belong to him.

The girl barely hid a sob at this, "We... We had sex... I had sex with you..." Her second sob was much more evident. Jeffy... Oh God... How could I? She staggered from the bed, keeping the sheet wrapped tightly around her. She moved around the room, desperately picking up her clothes, her sobs now racking her body.

Paul took her hand, sitting her down on the edge of the bed. He sat down beside her and said softly, "Last night... I don't really remember much, but, the one thing that stands out is that you called me..." He sighed, actually rather embarrassed that, despite her drunken state, he had managed to make no impression of his own on her. "You called me Jeff." He went on quickly, "And why else would you have been so insistent about coming to his room?" And even though it killed him to say it aloud he told her, "In here," lightly touching her heart, "It was Jeff you had sex with last night, not me."

Unable to process the thoughts in her mind properly she stammered, "But it was still you. In body, it was you... How am I ever going to tell Jeff? How am I ever going to fix this?" She hurried retrieve the last of her things, "Please, please don't tell anyone this... Any of it... Please, Paul?" He nodded slowly, confused by her desire to keep her relationship with Jeff a secret in the first place. She turned, clothes tucked under her arm, sheet clutched around her. and ran from the room...

And she kept running all the way back to her hotel room, not even bothering to close the door behind her. She dropped her clothes onto the floor and sprawled out on the bed, sobbing into the pillow and wishing she could take back everything about the previous night.

"Of all the men in the world," Shane moved over to the side of the bed, standing over her. He reached out a hand out to her face and she shuddered, but she was frozen in place. "You would cheat on me with Paul Levesque." He leant forward, breathing into her face, "Or is he the secret love you've been hiding, Corra? Hmm?" She shook her head slightly and he asked, "Are you telling the truth?" She nodded, just as slowly and he asked angrily, "Then why don't I believe you?"

Before she could even contemplate a response he brought his hand to her face in a vicious slap. She clasped a hand to her sheet and looked up at him, letting out a small cry when she saw he was going for a second blow. She scrambled off the bed, clinging to her sheet for dear life and rushed into the bathroom, slamming the door behind her. She snibbed it shut, testing her back against it.

The girls breath caught in her throat when she heard Matt Hardy's angry voice slice through her hotel room. Evidently Shane had not bothered to shut the door behind him like she had hoped he would. That figures...

Despite herself, she jumped at the knock, inadvertently bumping the cord of the hair dryer she had left on the bathroom sink the night before when she had been readying for Chris' birthday party. It tumbled as she looked on helplessly, clattering on the floor.

"Not until you give me some answers, dammit! My brother could barely speak when he came to see me last night..." The words sliced deeply and Corra could feel fresh tears falling from her eyes instantly. He knows. Jeff knows. "What did you think you were doing, Corra? How could you do this to him? He adores you!" An angry fist plummeted into the door. "Open the door!"

Adam stuck his head around the corner, "Cor?" He darted into the bathroom, crouching before his friend. "Hey..." He whispered leaning forward to gently take Corra's head in his hands. When the girl looked up, Adam nearly gasped to see blood, and a newly forming bruise on her tear streaked face.

Matt went to protest but Adam shook his head at him. His eyes locked on Matt's firmly and after a moment, the elder of the two Hardys nodded knowingly. "All right, Cor. I'm gone." He got up begrudgingly and left them.

The moment he was gone, Corra looked to Adam, about to tell him to go when he told her flat out. "You're going to tell me exactly what the *hell* is going on." She went to protest and he added heatedly, "I mean it, Corra. You tell me every last detail or a pissed off Matt Hardy is going to be the *least* of your worries."

She looked at him sadly a while and then whispered, "A pissed off Matt Hardy *is* the least of my worries." She sobbed slightly, "He knows, Adam. He knows..." The words rushed into each other as she went on, "I... I had sex with Paul... I did... I don't know why... I don't know how... God, I don't remember... And Jeff knows... Matt said Jeff knows... Oh God..." Corra could barely stammer, "What am I going to tell him? How am I going to explain this when I don't get it... I don't... God... Adam... Jeff..." The girl collapsed forward into Adam's arms, sobbing deeply.

Ignoring him, the girl cast a forlorn look into the mirror across from her, sighing when she realized she could see his point. "I still have to get my make up done, Vince. It'll be fine." She looked into the usually sparkling blue eyes in her reflection. They were sad and bleary, and she knew deep down that all the make up in the world wouldn't do jack for that. But at least her ghastly white complexion, the bags under her eyes and the bruise on her cheekbone could be hidden. She flung a hand through her long, scraggly dark hair. A good brush, and then a nice tight ponytail would have it all presentable again, she was sure.

The Chairman of the WWF moved over to her, sitting down on the bench she had a foot nestled onto as she laced her knee high black boots. He looked at her a long time before murmuring, "There's talk in the locker rooms, Corra."

She groaned, finishing lacing the boot and yanking the velvet-usque leg of her pants back down before kicking up the second boot and going to work on it. "I really don't wanna hear this, Vince." Her hands started to shake a little as she spoke, "I have a match to focus on."

"I understand that." He reached out a hand and pat her arm lightly, "But do you wanna tell me why Joanie is all raring and ready to tear Paul's throat out every time he gets within the general vicinity of her?" She did not reply, finishing lacing her boot and yanking down the second leg of her pants. She smoothed them out as she stood before checking the boob tube she wore to make sure none of the tape she had used to ensure there would be no cases of *indecent exposure* during her match was showing. Vince sighed, "Corra... I saw you at Chris Benoit's party last night. Most of the Roster saw you. You and Paul were all over each other..."

His tone set angrily, controlled, but barely, "I have both a WWF Superstar *and* a WWF Diva with glaringly obvious hangovers who both seem to be stumbling around backstage tonight like someone died. *That* is my business."

Corra picked up her long black jacket, casting it over her shoulder, "Then let me put your mind at ease." She leaned forward, snarling, "When I get out there tonight, you're going to see Monroe with her tormenting little grin and her bagful of moves putting on the fight of her life. And *that* is all you need to worry about." She stormed from the room...

A sigh broke behind her, a hand nestling on her shoulder. She knew it was Vince standing in her locker room doorway. God, no... No doubt witness to what had just happened she whispered, "Don't tell Shane, Vince. Please."

Adam Copeland approached with caution when he got into The Hardy Boys dressing room. He nodded to Matt and Amy as they spoke quietly amongst themselves before stepped over to the youngest Hardy. "Hey Jeff."

The Hardy looked up past the various colours in his hair, "I'm sorry, man." He sighed, "I just..." He nodded toward Matt, "I know you've seen Corra today, and..." He broke off, not wanting to show any more hurt than he already had, "Did you speak to her?"

"Yeah." Adam moved to sit next to the Hardy. The twosome sat side by side, Jeff with his eyes downcast, Adam with his eyes locked firmly on his friend. "She doesn't know what happened last night, Jeff. She *really* doesn't. She..." Pain filtered into his voice as the image of his best friend, racked by guilt, came flooding back to him. "She's so upset about this, Jeff. You have no idea."

"You need to talk to her, man. You do." He went on gently, "I know you must be hurtin'. I get that. But, you and Cor, Jeff. You have something so incredible." He pat his friends shoulder, "Don't walk away without a fight."

"Adam..." Jeff's voice was an attestment to his pain, "I don't just wanna walk away. But... She fucked someone else... In *my* hotel room. She took him back to *my* hotel room and fucked him in *my* bed. How could she do that? Why would she do that? I thought..."

Corra leant back into Adam's arms as he sat upon one of the crates by the ramp entrance, grateful for the moral support. She tilted her head gently into the inside of his bent elbow, closing her eyes and breathing deeply, trying to keep herself focused on the match she was about to have.

Even with her eyes clamped shut, she was more than aware that Steven Richard's gaze was still locked on her. It sent a shiver down her spine just acknowledging it, and when Adam felt it, he stroked her hair gently, glancing darkly over at the leader of the Right To Censor. "Wanna avert your eyes before I break your face?"

"It was my pleasure, Cor..." His voice trailed away under the sirens of the Right To Censor's so-called entrance theme, and taking it as their queue, Ivory and Steven moved out onto the ramp. Corra straightened in Adam's arms readying herself for her own entrance, but her friend still kept a good hold on her. "How are you feeling?"

She grinned at the warmth in his voice, but the grin only lasted a few moments. "Adam? Do you think..?" She sighed, "Do you think Jeff will ever speak to me again? I... I wanted to tell him before how sorry I was, but God strike me down, I couldn't get the words out when I saw the look on his face... He was so hurt, and I..."

The first cords of Monroe's theme music filled the arena and the crowd, much to Corra's delight, let out a roar of cheers that more than drowned out the boo's that Ivory and Steven had received as they made their way out to the ring. She looked back to Adam and winked at him as he turned to go, no doubt heading to a locker room to watch the match, easily slipping into her Monroe persona and then stepped through the curtain and out onto the ramp.

The roar of the crowd only got louder as she stopped at the top of the ramp, dropping her left hand onto her thigh and her letting her right hand swing lazily behind her in Monroe's typical pose, glancing coolly over the crowd from left to right and back again before breaking out into a cheeky grin. As she started to move down the ramp, Lillian Garcia's voice could be made out over the buzz of the crowd... "And her opponent, from Sydney, Australia, Monroe..."

Corra came to a halt at the ring, glaring up into it at Ivory and Steven. She took them both in coolly, jumping up onto the mat. She watched them a moment and then grabbed the top rope, hoping over it as lazily as she could manage. She pointed at Steven, barking orders for him to move out of the ring and keep out of the match, stepping towards him. The distraction was Ivory's queue and the older woman leapt on Corra, pushing her down face first onto the mat and sitting on her, pummelling her back.

Though some of the blows felt as though they barely connected, Corra did the big sell, reaching her hands behind her head in an attempt to get some protection. The ref called for Ivory to break away, but the woman, as expected, kept pummelling, and Corra started squirming under her trying to crawl away. Eventually she nestled her hands into the mat and pushed up suddenly, sending Ivory sprawling away.

Still holding the back of her head, she rolled onto her feet, squatting on the mat and staring Ivory down. The RTC member shot toward her and Corra stood, ducking out of the way and grabbing the woman, whipping her around and clotheslining her quickly, knocking her down. She tore the woman up by her plait , tossing her into ropes. When Ivory sprang back toward her she ripped her over her head in a huge arm drag. Picking her up again by the hair, she repeated the action, before yanking her to her feet and tossing her into the turnbuckle, head first. Ivory sold her shoulder smashing into the ring post well, and Corra rushed up behind her, nestling her hands into Ivory's hair and slamming her down onto the mat on her back.

Corra dropped, going for the pin, but Ivory got a shoulder up on 2. Corra glared up at Teddy Long, arguing with his decision, but he simply shook his head at her and ignored any further protest. Corra pulled Ivory up again, suplexing her. When the older woman was sprawled out on her back, struggling to get up, she moved onto the turnbuckle, readying herself to deliver a flying drop kick very like Jericho's.

Of course, that wasn't going to happen. Right on queue Steven leapt up from behind... And though Corra waited for the shove that was supposed to send her sprawling onto the mat while Teddy checked on Ivory, it did not come. Instead, Steven dug a hand into the top of her black velvet pants and yanked her backwards. With nothing to grab onto as she fell, Corra landed with a horrible thud on her back on the thin black matting outside of the ring...

Huddled in front of a monitor backstage, Adam, a little out of breath from his rush to get to the main locker room to watch the match with everyone else, exchanged a worried glance with Jeff. On Vince's orders, the match up between Ivory and Monroe had been heavily worked, and both men were damn sure that at no point was Corra meant to be yanked right off the turnbuckle and out of the ring like that.

Jeff stepped quietly over to Adam, casting a look around the room crowded with WWF Superstars, careful that none could hear him. Though he was more hurt by Corra than he could ever explain, and angrier than he had ever been with anyone, his concern was clear. He asked as he watched Corra rolling over on the mat, grasping at her back in some very real pain, "That wasn't in the plan for the match, was it?" Adam shook his head in reply and Jeff's face darkened as he whispered, "I have a very bad feeling about this..."

Teddy Long looked through the ropes at Corra, starting the 10 count that was meant to be taking place in the ring. Ivory rolled over, looking around for a moment, realizing the younger girl was not in the ring, and slid outside. Steven motioned to where Corra was laying and Ivory picked her up, whispering as she did so, "Are you okay?"

Corra could barely grunt an 'uh huh' in reply. She moved with Ivory, letting the woman roll her back into the ring, she lay on her back painfully, letting Ivory pin her, nearly crying out in pain when she flicked a shoulder up to avoid being pinned. They still had minutes of the match, relatively uninterfered with, to go...

For the next three or four minutes, Corra was Irish Whipped around the ring, DDTed, suplexed and even Bulldogged until Ivory dragged her to her feet one last time. Staggering in the centre of the ring, Corra waited while Ivory bounced off the ropes, and then picked her up, spinning her around and slamming her into the mat in a Spinebuster slightly more vicious than she had planned. She fell onto her back next to the woman, laying there panting, as Teddy looked them both over, finally starting another Ten Count after neither woman moved for a few moments.

On the 8 count, Corra crawled across to Ivory, flicking an arm over her. Teddy dropped for the count, but again Ivory got an arm up on 2. Playing aggravated, Corra climbed to her feet, picking Ivory up with her and hurtling her into the nearest turnbuckle face first. Ivory's head bounced off the top of it, and before she could fall backward, Corra grabbed her head, slamming it into the top corner over and over, the crowd counting each blow until eventually she turned her to face her and delivered a forearm to Ivory's face, who fell into the turnbuckle, sitting on the middle rope. Building momentum now, and with the crowd right behind her, she kicked Ivory in the stomach over and over until Teddy got in her face, ordering her to break. Doing as instructed, she took hold of Ivory's arm and whipped her across into the opposite turnbuckle.

Lazily wandering across the ring, casting a look out over the crowd, smiling, Corra stood Ivory in the corner, flicking her onto her shoulder and picking her up, sitting her up on the top rope. She panted as she did so, Ivory being a little heavier than she thought she would be, and then climbed up onto the turnbuckle until she stood on the top rope. She could see the first few rows of the audience jumping to their feet and she smiled giddily to herself, flicking her legs around Ivory's neck and Hurricanranaring her off the turnbuckle and onto the mat.

She got to her feet, pleased with the well-executed move and climbed over Ivory, leaving a foot hanging near the edge of the ring. Teddy dropped to count, "1... 2..." But as he went for the 3, as expected, Steven grabbed her ankle and tore her from the ring. She landed flat on her face at his feet, eventually rolling over and glaring up at him. While he was supposed to back away from her at this, especially when Teddy stood to order him away, Steven did no such thing. His lips twisted into a horrid smile and he slammed a fist squarely into her face, sending her sprawling onto her back.

Teddy jumped out of the ring when Steven poised the chair ready to strike Corra again, trying to snatch the chair away from him. The nearest camera caught his surprised, but angry voice, clearly. "What the hell are you doing?"

"What the *HELL* is he doing?" Vince whirled angrily, asking no one in particular. "He was meant to hit her with a DDT while the Ref's back was turned and roll her back into the ring... He's blowing the match... How do we justify Teddy *not* calling this as a DQ now..." He started pacing angrily, his eyes set on the screen as he moved, his face growing redder and redder by the second...

When Steven kept a firm hold on the steel chair, Teddy made a second grab for it, only for Steven to swing the chair into his face, sending him flying backwards. His head bumped on the announcer's desk loudly and Teddy was out cold.

Tossing the chair into the ring, Steven picked Corra up and rolled her back in along with it. He shouted to Ivory to keep beating on her, and clearly confused, Ivory hesitated a moment before doing so. Dazed, Corra played along, continuing to sell Ivory's less than enthusiastic beating, almost unaware what kind of situation she was getting deeper and deeper into.

After a good two minutes of whipping Corra all around the ring, Ivory dropped Corra and went for the cover. Steven picking up Teddy's unconscious body and counting the 1... 2... 3. The ring bell sounded and Right To Censor's annoying sirens sounded throughout the arena again, the crowds wild boos almost drowning them out.

Steven Richards climbed back into the ring, taking the chair in hand and pulling Ivory off of Corra. The girl, barely having to work at playing unconscious, opened her eyes, letting out a startled scream when she saw the butt of the chair hurtling towards her. She tried to get a hand up to block it, but it smashed down against her rib cage brutally, sending her rolling over in pain clasping her ribs. She cried out again when Steven kicked her, forcing her back onto her back to bring down the chair again. And again...

When Steven went for yet another chair shot, Corra somehow managed to lift a boot, striking the chair and flinging it back into Steven. Pain filling her lungs as she tried to breath, she rolled, desperately trying to crawl away, but Steven was on her, lifting her to her feet by her lengthy pony tail and whispering in her ear. "This is what happens when you mess with Shane McMahon." He lifted her, dropping her in a messy suplex that left her laying in tears of agony...

Jeff looked to Adam, whispering, fear in his voice, paler than Adam had ever seen him, "What do I do? Fuck... What do I do?" Considering he was a Hardy Boy, there was no way in hell Vince would ever truly be able to justify Jeff's interference in Monroe's match, especially without Matt by his side, but he had to do something, he had to.

He watched the monitor as Steven suplexed Corra three more times before taking to her with the chair again. Finally Ivory tried to intervene, but Steven swatted her away with the chair, knocking her from the ring, without so much as batting an eyelid. He tossed the chair away after her and then dove a hand into his pocket, pulling a pair of glimmering silver scissors from his pocket. He kicked Corra in the ribs and stomach repeatedly before knocking her onto her stomach and bending over and taking hold of her hair. He teased the crowd, snapping the scissors for a few moments, and then yanked on her ponytail, snipping it off almost at the base of it.

And Jeff had seen enough, be bolted through the room towards the door, Adam seeing him and following along behind. Vince spotted them though and stepped in front of him, "Jeff... Adam... Where do you two think you're going?"

Vince grabbed onto him, understanding in his voice, but his words still forceful, "Jeff, you can't... Why would a Hardy Boy go to Monroe's aide, huh?" He shook his head, looking to Adam, "And you too... Monroe has had practically nothing to do with either The Hardys or Edge and Christian. And how do I explain Edge & Jeff Hardy going out there together?"

JR's panicked voice caught his attention and he looked back to the monitor. Steven held Corra by the back of the throat, bringing her to his knees in front of him, the camera not quite picking up whatever he was saying...

Tearing herself loose of Steven's grip, Corra hoisted an elbow, striking him squarely in the groin. He doubled over and she used the opportunity to scurry across the ring to try and get away, but with her face now bloodied and her lungs growing heavy, she could barely keep herself up right, falling as she got the ropes.

Wasting no time at all, Steven grabbed her by the throat again, this time pulling her hard against him. He overbalanced and the two fell backward, Corra landing on top of him on the mat. She moved to scramble away, but Steven's hold on her remained firm. Before she had the chance to slip away again, he brought the scissors to her throat, digging the sharp tip into her neck, instantly drawing blood. Corra froze...

Unease murmured throughout the WWF Superstars crammed around the monitor, everyone in the room knowing full well that whatever the plan had been for this match up, it had just flown out the window in more ways than one...

As Paul Levesque, Shane McMahon and Chris Irvine came out into the hall after them, all but Shane with worried expressions fixed firmly on face, Jeff turned on Vince, and if not for Adam holding him back, the Chairman of the WWF realized he might very well have been about to get slugged. "I don't give a flying fuck about my job, I am not about to leave my girlfriend out there with that bastard..."

Suddenly understanding Jeff's urgency, it was Chris who stepped forward, "I'll go, Jeff. You just stay right here and I'll get her..." Vince nodded his approval and Chris rushed past them before anyone could say anything.

The Chairman locked a hand on Jeff's wrist and dragged him back into the room to watch the monitor, but Jeff's eyes were locked on Shane McMahon's face. For the first time ever, Jeff truly understood Corra's desperation to hide their relationship. Fuck me... This is going be bad...

Chris Jericho bolted ringside, jumping into the ring easily, screeching to a halt when he entered. "You have no idea what kind of enemies you're making right now, Steven..." His voice was a threatening lull, "Let... Her... Go..."

Steven edged the point of the dagger a little further into Corra's throat and the girl gasped. "Maybe I like having her like this." He chuckled, "She's putty in my hands..." His rich laughter tormented Chris and as the crowd chanted Y2J, he stepped forward. Stupidly, Steven tore the scissors away from Corra's throat and pointed them at Chris, "Stay right th..."

He was cut off by the back of Corra's head smashing into his face. As he grasped his nose, the girl rolled away. Chris pounced on her, immediately pulling her away from the RTC leader before flying forward and smashing a drop kick directly into Steven's face. The man fell back, unconscious, and Chris whirled again, pulling Corra into his arms. Suddenly aware how close the camera was to him, he shook her gently, "Monnie? Monroe???"

When Paul Levesque entered the Hospital waiting room, he wasn't at all surprised by the sea of hostile faces that greeted him. He cast a look toward Jeff, his guilty conscious eating at him when he saw the hurt in the Hardy Boys' eyes.

What had happened the night before with Corra shouldn't have happened, not in the state either of them had been in, and I know that, but... Curse his own complete lack of backbone where Corra Thomas was concerned. If that girl told him to dance around in a pink tutu he knew deep down he'd probably do it. He *couldn't* say no to her.

But he knew what it had cost her. And better than that, he knew right now he should probably stay away. But above all else, Corra was his friend. And after she had been brutalized in the squared circle that night and rushed away in an ambulance, there was no way in hell he could stay away.

The Chairman of the WWF eyed him carefully for a moment and then nodded knowingly to himself. I knew that guy's interest wasn't just platonic. He cleared his throat, "She's going to be okay, I think. The cut on her throat wasn't too bad... They've already stitched it up." He motioned for Paul to sit down on one of the sofas then sat down beside him.

The eldest McMahon cut him off, "I'll deal with Steven Richards, Paul. Don't you worry about that." They fell into silence awkwardly as Vince eyed the WWF Superstar. Curiosity eventually got the better of him and he asked, "What the hell happened last night, Paul?"

The Game's eyes went to Jeff again, and despite how grateful he was for even just one night with Corra, guilt again touched his cheeks. He whispered, "Something that will *never* happen again... I'm going to make sure of that." He got up and moved toward Jeff where he stood with Matt, Amy, Chris and Adam.

Matt folded his arms, peering darkly at Paul, Adam and Chris mimicking his look perfectly. Amy's face was a little more compassionate, certainly, but her view of the situation was obviously no different to everyone else's in the waiting room.

Paul sighed, throwing his hands up. "Okay, I'll go..." He turned to walk away, "But I just thought you should know... Last night?" It killed him to say it out loud but her pushed the words out regardless, "Corra called me Jeff." He looked deeply into Jeff's eyes, "She was so out of it... And I wasn't much better, but... The only thing I remember clearly was that in the heat of moment... She thought I was you."

Pain racked the girl as she gasped herself awake, snapping from sleep as her nightmare of Steven Richards beating her senseless drifted from her mind. She clenched her eyes shut, bringing a hand to her battered ribs and murmuring, "Shit..."

Corra could feel the tears in her eyes stirring, "Why didn't he come to see me? I... I have so much to explain to him, Adam..." She could feel a sob coming, "I don't know what happened last night... I don't know how I could do what I... What I did..."

The WWF Superstar chuckled gently, "Cor, I know. I've known forever." Stroking her hand he went on, "And even though he may not have said it yet either, I know that he loves you. And the two of you *will* sort this out, Cor. You will." He added, "Paul came here yesterday... Paul came here and told him that you thought it was Jeff on Saturday night. That you called him Jeff..."

"I know, Baby Girl. But the point is... When it comes to sex Paul Levesque has an ego like no one else. And to say that you thought he was someone else while you were together... He would *never* have told Jeff that if it weren't true."

The move sends waves of nausea through her and again her hand darts to her head. If it was at all possible, she grew paler when her fingertips brushed her hair. "What the..?" Looks at Adam in panic, "What happened to my hair?"

"But, but..." Flabbergasted and on the verge of more tears, "But Ivory was meant to cut it... And it wasn't meant to be this short..." She ran a hand through her now barely shoulder length hair. "It's..." Nearly sobs, "It's all uneven..."

"Ssshhh," he sat up on the bed next to her, gently taking her face in his hands. "It's okay... It can be fixed... You were old cold last night, Cor. They just wanted to get you to the hospital. We can get someone in here to fix it..."

She sighed gently, sadly, "I know its such a stupid little thing, Adam, but it took me forever to grow my hair to my butt... When I told Vince I wanted to cut it I *distinctly* said I wanted it to still be past my shoulders..." Her face set, confused, as she tried to piece together what she could remember of the previous day, "How was it Steven that cut my hair? What happened in that ring?"

"Are you sure, about this?" Adam's voice was about as jittery as he actually felt as Corra slipped some bobby pins into her hair, trying to hold it back enough for it to look half way decent despite the various lengths of it. He sighed as he pulled into the arena car park, "I really don't think you should..."

When the car came to a halt, Corra climbed, very shakily from it. Adam jumped out of the car and rushed round to help her, but stubborn as always, she brushed him off. "It's okay..." She whispered gently, "You've done your part, Adam. I can handle it from here."

"Then I get *more* hurt." She touched his face, "This is it for me, Adam. This is it. I've had it." She gave him as much of a hug as she could manage with her battered rib cage. "Shane McMahon and Steven Richards are going to find out the hard way that this little bunny is *NOT* going to be a victim anymore."

If Corra thought Chris Jericho's jaw had dropped when he'd spotted her at ringside, it was nothing compared to Steven Richard's gaping stare when he saw her. She flashed a wicked grin at the Right To Censor leader, waiting with as much patience as she could muster. She'd read the script in the car on her way to San Jose, she knew how the match was going to go...

Except that the moment his ass touched the floor outside the ring, it wasn't going to be Jericho bouncing him off the ring steps and slamming him into the announcer's desk. It was *all* going to be Monroe.

Trying to keep up appearances as much as possible, she hobbled, clutching her rib cage, to Jericho's corner. She pounded on the mat and cheered on every blow he delivered. When any member of the RTC ventured near enough, she glared darkly. And if they looked as though they were about to interfere with the match, as it was scripted they eventually would, she marched as best as she could manage toward them, eyeballing them completely unafraid.

When finally Jericho tossed Steven out of the ring, she smiled, pouncing on him to kick him, repeatedly, while he was down. She slammed her foot into his face with all the power she could muster, eventually bloodying his face. She picked him up, Irish whipping him into the ring steps as Jericho leapt down from the ring.

He went to take hold of her arm again and she shrugged him away, gasping and grabbing her ribs painfully. "I said *STAY OUT* of it." She bent over, grabbing Steven by the collar of his shirt and dragging him to the announcer's desk. She bounced his head off it repeatedly, so quickly he barely had time to consider blocking the move...

Near by, Val and Ivory exchanged worried glances, not sure how to react. Val looked to Jericho, who signalled for him to try to go to Steven's aide. He did so and Jericho wrestled him away, trying as best as he could to keep some semblance of control over the now entirely *out* of control. Ivory moved for a chair, heading straight for Corra. She made enough noise to let Corra now she was coming and the girl whirled, snatching the chair away from her and bringing it down with more force than intended on the older woman's head.

As Ivory fell, almost legitimately unconscious, Corra didn't bat an eyelid, her control over her anger waning fast. Months... She thought to herself. For months I have lived my life in fear of Shane McMahon and Steven Richards. For months I've had to hide the truth of my feelings for Jeff, I've had to sneak around to be with him, I've been stalked and abused and tormented... She grabbed a handful of his hair, hoisting him to his feet to roll him into the ring while Jericho kept Val busy. Tonight it all comes to an end, because the moment I'm done with Steven, I am going to go and beat the living shit out of Shane McMahon...

Corra pulled out every move she could think of once she had Steven in that ring. No holds barred, she meant every blow. Every Arm Drag, every Roundhouse Kick, even the Moonsault she somehow pulled off from the top of the ring post. Every time she hit him, she just got angrier and angrier, the pain racking her body melting away into numbness as she pushed herself to the limit and beyond.

She picked Steven up yet again, his face now dripping with blood, his shirt ripped and his knees almost giving out beneath him. She held him up so she could stare deep into his eyes, her voice cool, "If you *ever* come near me again, I *will* fucking kill you."

Corra snarled angrily, slamming her fist into his face. He dropped heavily onto his back on the mat and she dropped to her knees over him, one hand firmly attached to his collar, the other balled into an angry fist that slammed into his face, over and over... I won't let that happen, I won't! Tears started to fill her eyes as she continued punching him, over and over... I'm not going to be Shane's victim. I'm not, I'm not, I'm not!!! A strangled sob escaped her but she kept burying her fist in the face, "I won't let you do this to me anymore, I won't. I'm not going to live my life like this... I'm not! Do you hear me, Steven? Do you hear me? It ends right now. RIGHT FUCKING NOW! I hate you! I hate him! I hate you both." And still she pummelled him...

Until Chris' arms wrapped around her waist, dragging her off him. She kicked and screamed and struggled against him, but his grip remained tight until eventually the girl let out a heart-wrenching sob and slumped to the mat. Chris fell to his knees with her, scooping her into his arms, cradling her and stroking her hair, cooing, "It's okay... Come on, it's okay..."

It was the closest to silent he had ever heard them. Stunned faces filled the rows he could make out from where he sat. He could even hear JR and Paul Heyman's voices over the lull of the crowd. God... It was the only thought he could form in that moment. My God...

In his arms, Corra started to cough and he looked down to her, kissing the fringe of her hair. "Are you okay?" He felt her nod against him, but the coughing continued. She rest a hand over her mouth, trying to block the coughs in a round about way, but they kept on coming. Chris pulled back from her a little, taking her hand from her mouth.

He sighed, closing the boot of the car and moving around to the drivers side to unlock the door. For the briefest moment, he thought he heard the scurry of boots behind him. He turned to look, but saw no one. He sighed, "Hardy, you're going nuts now too?" He turned back toward the car...

Nervous, she fought to pluck up enough courage to lean forward, this time pressing her lips to his. Though it started with their lips hardly touching, nerves eventually gave way to passion, their kiss growing in intensity by the second. Jeff wrapped his arms around the trembling girl, laying back on the bed. Corra gladly pressed on top of him, raising her hands to wrap them gently in the length of his hair.

Slowly blinking herself awake, Corra looked up as her dream fled from her, gasping when she saw Shane McMahon's face perched right above her own. The gasp sent a wave of pain through her chest and she grabbed painfully at her sides. "Sh..." She coughed, "Shane? What are doing..?"

He ran his fingertips lightly over her face, "Ssshhh, Corra, ssshhh." His voice was an odd whisper, "I was so worried about you. So very, very worried. I mean, you *really* don't seem to be having a good couple of days, do you?"

Shane grinned, "Granted, I *did* have you drugged at Chris Benoit's birthday party, and I *did* have Steven Richards brutalize you on Sunday at Judgement Day, but really, Cor, you only have yourself to blame." He chuckled a little, "But you know how I adore you," he smiled, "So I had to bring you a little surprise to cheer you up."

His smile deepened and he reached behind him. To the girls horror it was a gun he held precariously in hand. She went to scream, but he slapped a hand over her mouth. "No, no, no, baby. Don't be afraid." He kissed her forehead tenderly, "This is going to bring us our freedom. It's going to pave the way for our future. *This* will bring us together."

He sighed, "Its okay, baby. I know you've been through a lot the last couple of days. I know you're confused." He pressed the gun against his cheek, leaning on it as he spoke hurriedly, excitably. "These past couple of months, being kept away from you... It's been so hard, Corra. It's nearly killed me. You have no idea how many nights I lay awake wanting nothing more than to die before I'd live without you. But Steven..." He chuckled, "Steven was my saving grace. And at Judgement Day, he did his job perfectly."

Shane fidgeted with the gun happily as he continued, "On Sunday night, because Steven Richards was willing to take a huge, huge gamble for me, he drew your little boyfriend out of hiding." His grin grew dark and he leant forward, cooing rhythmically, "That's right, Corra. I know who it is."

"At first, I really did wonder if it *was* Paul Levesque. But then..." He smiled gleefully, "I had you so drugged that night that I think you would've fucked anyone, and possibly everyone, at that party." She shook her head slightly under his hand and he nodded, "You were *supposed* to end up with me, but, Paul swept in while my back was turned. And I had to wonder about the two of you... But the next morning.... Poor, poor little Corra was walking around with her heart broke, and I *knew* it wasn't Paul."

"Ssshhh, baby... It's okay. I understand now." He leant down, attempting to press his lips to hers, but she turned away. He sighed then told her coolly, "*Jeff Hardy* is all that stands between you and I being together. I remove Jeff and there's nothing to hold us back." He nocked the gun, extending his arm and aiming it across the room.

Corra's eyes followed his aim, her eyes meeting Jeff's face, "Noooo..." Shane cut the scream off when he clamped a hand over her mouth again. Her eyes locked on the youngest Hardy's where he sat, bloody and bruised, bound and gagged on a chair in the corner of the room. The girl tore desperately at Shane's hand at her mouth, but his grip was firm. Lost in fear, she scrambled a hand toward the buzzer...

Jeff's muffled cry could be made out beneath the gag and Shane chuckled, "You are just *so* concerned, aren't you, Jeffrey? You're afraid I'm going to hurt her, and you want to protect her. You want to be her Knight in Shining Armour." Chuckling darkly, he told the Hardy Boy, "That's very noble, Jeff, but you'll never love her the way I do."

He cooed to her again, "Sssshhh, Cor, ssshhh." His voice was a gentle whisper, "I don't want you to worry your self with this. It will all be okay. When Jeff is gone, you and I, we can be together, like we're meant to be." He leant down to kiss her again and this time Corra froze beneath him, unable to contemplate either returning his kiss or pushing him away. He pulled away after a moment and nodded knowingly, "You are afraid. You have no need to be. I promise, we'll be okay..."

The angry, but almost entirely muffled curses of Jeff touched her ears and she turned her head to look at him. She wanted to cry out in pain when she saw the tears in his eyes, the sheer fear that filled them. She shook her head slightly, trying to speak to him, but having no idea how to even form words in that moment.

Jeff... Shane... I... I have to do something... Shane... No... God... Panic had more than taken a hold of her as random thoughts seized her mind momentarily before slipping away and gliding into the next. Jeff... I can't... I couldn't... Not Jeff... What do I do? What do I do?

"You believe me, don't you, Cor?" Shane turned her head gently so she had to face him, "You believe that we'll be together, don't you? I want you to say it. I want him to know you know your future lies with me. I want him to know you know that." He stroked her face delicately, but Corra was more than aware of the tingles of a forthcoming slap that met her skin under his touch.

"I said no." She snapped back at him, drawing deep, and painful breaths, trying to steady herself, determined to do something, anything, to keep Jeff safe. Pain racked her ribcage as she sat forward in the bed, her eyes meeting, and locking on Shane's.

More muffled cries came from Jeff. These ones she knew we aimed at her, trying to calm her, to stop her, but she had no intention on sitting back to watch the only person she had ever truly loved in her life die.

"Shane..." She cupped his face softly in her hands. "If you..." Another deep breath and despite the fear flooding through her body in tidal waves, her voice was almost level. "If you kill him, you'll go to jail..."

The Heir to the McMahon billions laughed heartily at this, but his voice was cool, "You stupid girl..." He told her plainly, "I'm a McMahon. I can do whatever the hell I please, and I won't go to jail, Corra. I won't."

Off put by his calmness she fought for a moment to go on, "But... But..." Yet another deep breath and she managed, "But do you honestly think for one moment that I could be with the man who killed Jeff Hardy? Do you honestly think I could?" She shook her head, her voice as scathing as she could manage, "If you kill him, Shane, one of two things will happen." Her whisper was almost a seductive lull as she stroked his face with fingertips that would almost rather be ripping his throat out, "I'll die, I'll die before I'm *ever* with you, or..." The seductive lull had an edge to it that surprised even her, "I... Will Kill..." She smiled nastily, "You."

Shane smiled at this, "We'll see..." Without so much as batting an eye, he backhanded her, knocking her near senseless back on the bed, and snatched away her pillow. He moved slowly over to Jeff, who was leaning as far back in his chair as he could manage, trying to back away. His muffled curses could barely be heard, but every one of them was aimed at Shane, calling him out for his treatment of Corra...

The McMahon grinned, "Curse me all you want, Jeff... But I just want you to know in your last moments of life that when she gets over you, it will be me she loves. She'll come home at night..." His condescending laugh made Jeff's curses all the more enthusiastic, "She'll make love to me, Jeff. To me. And she'll savour every second of it for the rest of her life." He pushed the pillow hard into Jeff's face, pushing him back on the chair and pinning him beneath his weight. Jeff struggled desperately, but bound he was unable to do anything more than wriggle fearfully beneath the pillow. Shane poised the gun, burying the barrel in the pillow. "It's such a shame you won't get to see her love me, Jeff. But who knows? Maybe they'll find a front row seat for you in hell." His finger locked around the trigger...

Starting to regain her faculties, Corra's bleary eyes settled on Shane and Jeff. She leapt from the bed, diving toward the two men. The IV in her arm was ripped out with force and blood splattered from the remaining wound but she did not flinch. A shrill scream escaped her lips, and distracted, Shane looked up in time to see Corra's desperate spear coming. He fell backwards, the gun flying from his hands and skittling across the floor as she landed on top of him.

Unable to feel the pain tearing through her body for her fear and desperation, Corra buried a fist in Shane's face, once, twice, over and over, managing to get in a good half dozen shots before he lifted an arm to block her blows, striking his head forward in a vicious head butt that sent her landing hard on her back beside him. He rolled onto her, pinning her beneath him, smiling down at her. "I can prolong his death as much as you want, Corra. I can make him suffer." He smashed his mouth against hers in a forceful kiss, "I can torture him most by making the last sight he sees you and I together... You wanting it, wanting me..." He pulled her up into his lap, wrapping his arms around her and squeezing her so hard that she could feel her recently set ribs snapping again under the pressure. When she started to scream he slapped a hand over mouth, but the pressure around her ribs did not lessen as she struggled weakly against him, the pain pushing her body toward the overpowering urge to fait so the pain would stop.

Struggling against the binds that held him to the chair, Jeff shuffled in the chair, managing to pull himself across the floor slightly with his feet. He pulled and pulled against the ropes around his ankles and wrists, his muffled cries of horror growing more intent as he neared them... Gratefully, he heard one of the legs on the chair start to give under the pressure, and the moment the wooden leg snapped beneath the rope, he tore his leg free, and just able to reach, slammed a boot forward into the back of Shane McMahon's head, sending him sprawling forward.

His grip on Corra released, the girl dragged herself across the floor on her stomach trying desperately to get away, sobbing madly. Shane's hand locked on her ankle before she could make it all the way across the room and he snarled at her through gritted teeth, "Where do you think you're going?"

When her fingertips brushed the gun that had been knocked away from Shane only moments before. As he tore her backward by her ankle, she snatched the gun, rolling around onto her stomach as she came to a stop. He stooped over to grab her, only to have the barrel of the gun pointed in his face. Her hands shook desperately and her finger barely remained poised above the trigger in her terror, but she kept it pointed straight all the same. "Don't... Touch... Me..." she managed past her tears.

"Oh, I'm not going to touch you..." The rage in Shane's voice made her shake even harder, "but Jeff isn't going to be so lucky." He reached behind him, pulling a second hand gun from the back of his pants and pointing it straight at Jeff's chest, his chuckle increasing to a near maniacal laugh. "A good boy scout always comes prepared..."

Barely able to breath past the deep seeded coughs she was unable to fight off, Corra crawled across the white washed floor of her private hospital room to the chair where Jeff Hardy was still tied. Her heart wrenching sobs did nothing to ease her breathing as she took his face in her hands, "Jeffy? Oh God..." She whimpered, "Jeffy..." She fought with the ropes around his wrists and ankles, eventually getting him free.

She moved away from Jeff slowly, creeping over the where Shane lay in a pool of his own blood. An ugly, gaping wound in his chest from where the shot she fired at him had penetrated. "Sh... Shane?" She whispered as she took in the dark features of his blood-splattered face. His brow was creased together slightly and his eyes rest lazily shut. His face looked so gentle... For the first time in months, Corra Thomas was looking at the man she had befriended just a few weeks after she had first gone on the road with the WWF.

Shaking, she reached out a hand to touch his cheek lightly, "Shane?" His eyes snapped open and he gasped, fighting for air. She recoiled, startled, for a moment, before taking in the tears in his eyes. "Shane?" His eyes fell to her and she sobbed, "Oh God... Shane..."

Seemingly unable to bear the guilt in her eyes, he cooed gently to her, "Don't cry. Please don't..." He coughed and then asked, "Are you all right?" She nodded and he smiled gently, "Good... I..." He sighed and another cough racked him, "I never... I never want anything to happen to you..."

Yet another cough filled him and though unable to, he fought to go on. She whispered, "It's okay... You don't have to say anything..." She tore at the hem of her nightgown, placing the material over the wound and applying pressure. He cried out under the pressure of it for a moment and she sobbed again, "I'm sorry, Shane... I'm so sorry... I didn't mean to... I thought you were going to... I thought you were going to..."

Her eyes set on his, and despite the cold hard truth of what those two words were entailing, regret had filled his voice. The intensity of his gaze consumed Corra and she asked him gently, "Why did you think you had to do this, Shane? Why? I could never love the man who murdered Jeff... Never."

Corra looked over to Jeff, "Jeffy... Baby... Can you walk?" He nodded, slowly climbing to his feet despite the aches and pains. "Go and get some help. Hurry." He nodded again and left the room, Corra once again turning her attentions back to Shane. I can't believe how helpless he looks... After everything... Why do I feel so bad? "It won't be long now." She whispered in sweet, comforting tones. "Jeff's getting help. It'll all be okay. You'll be okay." The words came haggardly, fearfully, "You'll be okay, Shane." While she kept pressure on his wound she continued to stroke his face soothingly, aching for him every time she caught the depth of the pain in his eyes.

Her reply came to her without thinking, but the moment she heard the words she knew they were true. "I don't want you to die, Shane." She sobbed quietly and told him, "Despite everything, I've never wanted that. I... I just want you to be okay... I want someone to help you. Someone to make you better."

But she hated Vince McMahon. Deeply, deeply hated him for letting things come to this. Everyone can see Shane needs help, everyone. His father has just stood back and watched him become this... This... She ended the thought right there and then, not even wanting to go on. She had seen the tenderness in Shane in the past, seen the love in him. He had the most back handed way of showing it, but she *knew* he loved her. That it was a real desire to be with her that fuelled his obsession.

"Corra?" Shane's voice reached her and she broke away from her thoughts to look at him as he went on. "All I wanted was for you to love me. All I've ever wanted was to love someone and *know* that more than anything else, they love me back..." Another sob filled him, "Is that so much to ask?"

She shook her head, "No... Shane... No. It's not. You... You deserve to be loved. So much. And I know out there some where, there's someone who's going to love you forever. There is." She added regretfully, "I... I'm so sorry I couldn't be that person for you. I am."

"Sh... Shane?" Corra shook him slightly, "Shane?" She pressed two fingers to his throat, but felt nothing. Panic seized her and she shook him again, "Shane!!! No! Come on! Please! Please! Don't do this..." Stricken, she ran her hands through her hair mumbling to herself, "Oh God, Oh God... What do I do... What... God... Shane..."

Taking as deep a breath as she could manage, she lay him back flat, checking his airway, before opening his mouth and placing hers over his, breathing into him. She repeated the move a few times before locking her hands together over his heart and pushing down as she broke away, keeping as best a rhythm as she could. "1... 2... 3..." She breathed into him again, starting to sob, her hands meeting over his heart again, "1... 2..." She sobbed again, "Shane... Come on. COME ON!!!"

For six weeks, she had sat at his bedside, holding his hand. She would read to him and speak to him, tell him things of little consequence and then tell him the things that mattered most. And in that time, he had not responded to her once.

The Doctors had told her very early on that his chances of recovery were slim at best. And the longer he stayed locked in a coma, the slimmer his chances would become. But she hadn't stopped hoping. Not once. Not until the day yet another long list of tedious tests returned the results she had dreaded more than anything else.

She wiped away the tears slipping down her cheeks. But it only took a few moments before her face was drenched again by her pain. Eventually, she stopped wiping the tears away. Eventually, she stopped trying to be strong.

Corra looked up through her teary eyes, her gaze meeting the concerned eyes of Dwayne Johnson where he stood beside Adam Copeland while they waited for her by the car. He motioned to her as if to ask would she like him to join her, but she shook her head, looking back down into the grave.

She would stand here along forever if she had to. She would stand here because this was where she was supposed to be. This was where she should have been all along. I was born to stand at his side. And yet when he needed me most, I was nowhere to be found.

Dropping to her knees in the loosened dirt by the grave, Corra kissed the petals of the white rose she clutched in hand. Slowly she moved her hand out, shaking, until the rose hung in the air above the grave. Another sob escaped her, and she let the rose fall. It drifted in a downward spiral as though it was in slow motion, eventually making a tiny thud as it landed on the casket. She stared down it for what felt like hours, but was probably no more than a few moments, she knew, and then climbed carefully back to her feet, her eyes never leaving the casket.

When she heard a familiar voice from behind her, her breath caught in her throat. Had she had the strength, she knew she would have jumped almost out of her skin. She did not turn round, and she did not speak, but the tears in her eyes came a little harder and a little faster than before.

The man behind her stepped up to her side. He did not look at her, she did not look at him. His gaze fell into the open grave, and though he had spent hours musing over the things he could say, he suddenly could think of nothing.

He asked gently, "You thought I wouldn't?" Out of the corner of his eye, he caught her nod, though it was scarcely that, and Jeff Hardy sighed. "I almost wasn't going to. But..." He shrugged to himself, "I guess I couldn't stay away. I felt like I needed to be here..." He added softly, "For you."

Jeff whispered solemnly, "I think for a moment you almost did." He added, a warmth in his voice that she was sure she hadn't heard in forever, "But something drew me here. And I think that something... I think its you." Only now did he turn to look at her, "Cor?"

He extended a hand slowly, and after only the tiniest moment, she reached out her shaking hand to his, their fingers intertwined and they looked at each other for a long, long time before Jeff lightly pulled her toward him, slipping his arms around her in a loving hug. Corra buried her head in his chest and he stroked her hair as she cried. "I've known this was going to happen... I have... But I still can't believe this is happening," she barely managed, "I can't believe he's gone." She sobbed, "Why wasn't I there when he needed me? I should`ve been here..."

He cut her off, "No." He squeezed her a little more tightly, "You're Brother loved you. And he wouldn't want you to give up everything that you worked you entire life for just to sit here and baby sit him. You couldn`t have done anything, Cor. You were here, in his heart, and then when it counted most, for that last six weeks you never left his side." She sobbed gently into his chest and he kissed her forehead, "Cor, your love for you brother, God, almost for everyone, is everywhere, in everything that you do. I see it in you all the time. I see it in you now. Don't ever doubt it."

"For me..." The Hardy struggled, "Corra, you saved my life in the hospital that day. And rather than thankyou, I turned away from you. And Shane..." Tears threatened to fill his eyes but he went on, "He nearly destroyed you, but ultimately, you saved his life. *You* brought him back. And *you* visited him in that hospital in New York. *You* spent every one of your days off with him, supporting him. That took courage like I have never known, and *still* I turned you away..."

Jeff nodded, "Yeah. He called me from the hospital three days ago. He told me... He told me they're going to let him out soon. That he's going back to the WCW." Corra nodded her approval at this and then he said, "And then he told me that you said... You said you loved me, that you loved me `more than anything.' And I realized..."