Broken Hearts (the prequel to Mending Hearts)

Jay walked with Jeff and Shane into the arena, but he hung back a little. He knew it bothered Jeff that he did this, but he couldn't help it. He remembered a time when he didn't feel so dejected or lost, but it was long ago and he didn't know if he would ever be able to get back to that state again. And he knew his other friends worried for his welfare, too. It was one of the major reasons they jumped over with him. Well, Shawn's presence helped Lance make the decision more quickly than the others, but they all felt a need to show Jay their loyalty in leaving Smackdown. Chris was the biggest shocker as he was a headliner for the UPN show. But he'd privately revealed to Jay that the more matches he had with Adam the more aggressive he was becoming. And it wasn't an act anymore. That's when he knew he had to leave with Jay. And the other man couldn't help but feel a measure of satisfaction that their mutual friend had chosen him over Adam.

Still, the number one reason Jay left Smackdown, aside from Adam's presence, was that coming to Raw meant coming to Jeff. Jeff was his new best friend and the only person in the world he would let close enough to him to help heal his wounds. It wasn't a romance thing, either. It was a brother thing. Jay needed someone he could trust absolutely and without question. Jeff had repeatedly volunteered for the position during every phone call and Jay finally took him up on the offer. He hadn't been here long but he was already developing a more comfortable routine. Although Jeff didn't see the slight improvements, Jay felt them. He was so grateful have the younger Hardy in his life. Without him, Jay wasn't sure he would have made it this far.

"You okay back there?" Jeff called to him over his shoulder.

"Yeah."

"Hey, partner!" Andrew greeted him from behind. "About time you got here!" He smiled widely at Jay and grabbed his bag from his shoulder.

"I could carry that," Jay tried to protest.

"Let him," Jeff intervened. "Your shoulder is still sore from the house show."

Jay glared at him for a moment trying to assess how much of a fight he should put up. It wouldn't do any good, though, as Jeff stared back unaffected. The workout had been too strenuous on the muscle and Jeff knew it. Jay hadn't said anything, hadn't even uttered a moan, but Jeff knew. Finally, Jay just nodded and let go of the strap, following Drew into the locker room. He turned to look at Jeff one last time.

"See you later, right?" he asked nervously. He understood that while Jeff was his best friend, he couldn't the claim the same title. They'd never discussed it, but Jeff would always hold Shannon in that position.

"You know you will," Jeff smiled before touching his arm.

Jay nodded and turned back to follow Drew.

********************************************

"Man, you weren't kidding about him," Shane sighed as he and Jeff made their way down the hall to the next locker room.

Jeff nodded as he put his bag down on a bench. He was deep in thought about his Canadian friend. It seemed no matter what he did to prove his loyalty Jay always seemed self-conscious about their relationship. He thought he knew why, too. Shannon. Shannon had been his best friend since they were kids in North Carolina, much like Jay and Adam had been in Canada. Since Adam wrecked their relationship Jay had been without a best friend and Jeff had lobbied to fill the open position, knowing his friend had closed himself off from everyone but him. Yet Jay didn't understand that Jeff had a place in his heart for two best friends. Unconventional, yes, but then no one ever accused Jeff Hardy of being too traditional. He had to find a way to get Jay to see this so that he could get past the trust issues he had, at least when it came to friendship.

"You in there?" Shane laughed waving a hand in front his eyes.

"Yeah," Jeff replied with a smile. "I'm just worried about him."

"I can see that," Shane said. "Taking care of him appears to be a full time job."

"Kind of makes me see what Matty's been complaining about all these years."

"Ah, you weren't THAT bad," Shane grinned. "At least you weren't once you got out of high school."

"Thanks a lot!" Jeff laughed. "Listen, I'm heading to catering for a snack. You coming?"

"I'll catch up with you," Shane waved to him from the bench he was sitting on. "I need to find Glenn and finalize our strategy."

"Okay, sounds good."

Jeff ambled down the winding hallways, looking for the catering room. He found it finally and made his way inside. He had just sat down to his plate of grilled chicken when another plate appeared next to his. He looked up to see a grinning Randy gazing down at him.

"How goes it, Jeff?" the up and coming superstar asked as he pulled out a chair.

"Not bad," Jeff shrugged. "And you?"

"Can't complain."

"How's working with the Ego?"

"Hunter's not that bad," Randy grinned.

"A convert already."

Randy just shrugged and forked up some food. They made small talk for a while about nothing in particular, as was their usual routine. Randy told him a little about his family and what it was like growing up as Cowboy Bob Orton's son. Jeff explained how he fit wrestling shows in with his high school schedule until he graduated. It was all pretty casual and comfortable as always, until Randy's arm found its way around Jeff's shoulder and he leaned in close.

"You have a gorgeous smile, Jeff," he said suddenly.

"Well, yours is even more amazing," Jeff smiled.

They looked into each other's eyes for a few long seconds and Jeff was sure Randy was about to kiss him and end the casual flirting they'd been dancing around for several weeks now, but a figure from the door way drew his attention. He glanced over and there stood Shane, looking as if he would explode. What the hell, Jeff thought. No. That can't be right. Shane, his childhood friend and tormentor, best friend of his brother, couldn't be jealous of Randy, could he? But the betrayed look Shane was currently spearing him with told him otherwise.

"You okay?" Randy's soft voice pulled Jeff out of his daze.

"Uh yeah," Jeff said. "Yeah, I just forgot that I'd invited Shane there to join me earlier and he said he'd meet me."

"Well, call him over," Randy said, looking as if he was hiding his disappointment. He pulled away from Jeff but kept his easy smile in place.

"Hey, Shane," Jeff called uncertainly over to the still fuming brunette who was approaching the table. "Pop a squat."

"Thanks," Shane muttered dropping his plate onto the table and sitting down across from Jeff.

"Did you find Glenn?" Jeff asked trying to defuse his roommate.

"Ye" Sh" Shane said finally pulling a more polite look onto his face. "We're set for later."

"The rise of the freaks, huh?" Randy chuckled.

"Something like that," Shane said as he slanted a curious glance at the man by Jeff's side. "How's the shoulder, Randy?"

"Oh, it's been fine for a long time now," the younger man replied, apparently unaware of the tension between the other two. "Creative just wants me to draw the storyline out until they're ready to set Hunter's new one in motion."

"Getting that big a push already, I see," Shane whistled.

Randy's shoulder's stiffened noticeably, at least to Jeff, but his smile didn't falter.

"Kind of like the push they gave Matt and me when we first got here," Jeff replied to Shane instead. "Some people are giving him shit over it. I told him it was the same for us."

Shane's gaze had shifted back to Jeff when he started speaking and it wouldn't let go. Jeff felt as if he were caught up in a storm. Must be a side effect of Shane's current gimmick.

"Orton, there you are," Hunter's voice boomed from the doorway.

"Coming," Randy called getting up his his chair. "Catch you later, guys," he said, patting Jeff's shoulder as he walked away. Jeff just nodded once, not taken his eyes off Shane.

********************************************

Alone at last, Shane thought to himself. He stared deeply into Jeff's vibrant green eyes and lost himself. Well, now he knew why he'd been watching the younger Hardy lately, and it had nothing to do with catching up on old times. He didn't know when or why it happened, but his whole understanding of his own sexuality had bottomed out.

While he hadn't been that attracted to girls in the last few years, he'd put it down to the overabundance of women he'd been dating. Burnout. But that wasn't the case at all. Here was the reason staring him right in the eye. Not only was he now bisexual or, more likely, completely gay, he was very much in love with his best friend's brother. And that man seemed to be interested in someone else. The jealousy raged inside him, threatening to eat a hole in his stomach. Now this was a fine mess. What was he going to about it?