Mending Hearts

Jeff checked into the hotel as soon as he arrived. Since it was three in the morning, he wasn't worried about running into Matt in the hallways. He went directly to his room and collapsed on the bed. Boy, he was tired. He hadn't traveled too much since his departure from the company and he'd forgotten all of his travel traumas in the meantime. Well, he'd certainly been reminded of them now. Who brings a screaming baby on a redeye flight? A couple of nitwits, that's who. And they had to be sitting right in front of him, of course! His hotel phone rang suddenly, jarring him out of his thoughts.

"Hello?" he asked cautiously. Who would be calling? With his luck probably the screaming kid.

"Finally!" an excited man said on the other end.

"What are you still doing up?"

"Like I can sleep with all this cloak and dagger shit going on!" the man growled. "I'm not used to the secret agent life."

"I guess not," Jeff laughed. "Everything go well tonight?"

"Yeah, we stopped whatever was going to happen," the guy sighed. "You should have seen the relief on Jay's face when he saw we were staying. He even helped Jericho push two tables together. Matt tried to be polite, but I could tell he was fuming."

"Could anyone else?"

"Nah. I knew what was going on, so it was easy for me to see through it."

"How are Shawn and Lance?"

"Fine," the man replied. "Like I said, we stopped whatever was going to happen before it happened."

"Well, that's good," Jeff said tiredly. "What room are Matt and Jay staying in?"

"Well, I'm in 406, so they're ndoordoor in 408."

"Okay, Matt usually goes for a workout in the mornings," Jeff thought out loud. "If I can get to see Jay then, I would be able to talk to him while Matt's gone."

"Well, I invited Matt to join a bunch of us tomorrow morning," the guy said, the smile he was wearing evident in his voice.

"I thought you said you weren't used to the secret agent life," Jeff joked. "What about Jay?"

"He said he was sleeping in to catch up on missed sleep."

"I don't blame him," Jeff wrinkled his nose. "Matt snores like a six ton ape. You'll call me before he leaves the gym, right?"

"Already planned to, 007."

"Funny," Jeff laughed again. "Get some sleep."

"Yes, sir!"

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

Adam rubbed his neck then punched his pillow. He wasn't able to get comfortable tonight for some reason. Shannon was in the next bed, most likely asleep by now and Adam was doing his best not to wake the small blond. Hened ned over again and winced when a muscle tightened.

"What's wrong, Ad?" the Southern accent called out from the darkness.

Ad. It was too cute. Adam loved Shannon's nickname for him. It made him feel like they were really making progress on their friendship.

"The neck is bugging me," he answered.

"Want the heating pad?"

"I was trying to avoid it."

"Why?" Shannon demanded, switching on the light and glaring at Adam with sleep-filled eyesIf yIf you're hurting, it does you no good to be stubborn."

"I know, but."

"But nothing," Shannon got up and stalked over to Adam's bag and retrieving the heating pad. He plugged it into its power device and waited for it to heat up so he could bring it over to Adam.

Adam watched meekly from his bed. He knew if he attempted to argue with Shannon it would do no good. Especially since the smaller man was right. Shannon was also immune to the usual excuses, too. Apparently Terry and Chris had warned the kid about Adam's stubborn streak. And with the day they'd just had riding with Brian and Paul, Adam knew Shannon was in the wrong mood to mess with.

"I would have done it eventually," Adam finally sighed.

"Why not when it first started?" Shannon asked unplugging the unit and bringing it over to place around Adam's neck. "You do want to come back, right?"

"Yes!"

"Well, jeopardizing your recovery won't help you get there," Shannon said softly. "Look, I know it's none of my business but I think you're pushing your body too hard at a critical time and it's going to backfire on you."

"Why?"

"Because your body can only handle so much."

"No," Adam smiled. "Why do you think it's none of your business?"

"Oh," the small blond blushed and looked away. "Because we're just barely friends. And because I haven't had enough injuries to know how you feel."

"Is that what Matt would tell you when he got hurt?"

Shannon nodded but didn't look back up at Adam. The tall Canadian's heart sank. Matt had done a hell of a lot more damage than he'd realized. The poor kid felt he shouldn't say anything to anyone with more experience in the business. He wondered for the millionth time what the hell the older Hardy had been thinking when he started the relationship with Shannon. It appeared he'd done nothing more than systematically tear down the kid's self-esteem.

"Listen to me," Adam said quietly as he pulled Shannon's gaze back up to his own by gently grabbing the younger man's chin. "I'm not Matt. Nobody else I know is like him, either. We won't tell you to mind your own business if you're worried about how we take care of our injuries. I value your input and I'm grateful that you care enough to let me know when you think I'm pushing too hard."

"You do?" Shannon looked perplexed.

"I do," Adam smiled still holding the small man's chin and reveling in being able to touch him however slightly. "And another thing."

Shannon's eyebrows rose slightly in question.

"We're not 'barely friends' at this point," Adam grinned and let go of Shannon. "We're good friends."

Shannon smiled and nodded. "I'm glad," he said simply.

"So am I."

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

Jay heard a knock on the door not five minutes after Matt left to work out. Thinking it was the older Hardy returning for something, like a forgotten key perhaps, he tiredly dragged himself to the door and pulled it open. He was stunned to find himself looking into the eyes of the younger Hardy instead.

"Jeff?" he asked to make sure he wasn't still asleep.

"It's me," Jeff replied, his face an unreadable mask. He pushed past the Canadian into the room and Jay let the door shut behind him.

"What are you doing here?"

"I might ask you the same question."

Jay was really confused now and he didn't need this shit. First Matt emoallyally blackmailed him into his stupid plan and now his brother was here answering all of his questions with riddles. Well this was going to stop. Jay wasn't amused.

"Look, I'm having a very hard week," Jay said through gritted teeth. "So just tell me why you're here."

"What do you think you're doing helping Matt break Lance and Shawn up?" Jeff demanded with equal ferocity. "Lance is one of your best friends!"

How the hell did he know about that? Did Matt tell him? No, Matt couldn't have told him. Jeff wouldn't be here all pissed if Matt had cleared this plan with him.

"I, uh."

"You, uh, what, Jason?"

"Look, I didn't want to do it!" Jay yelled back. "How the hell do you know about it anyway?"

"I'm a fucking mind reader," Jeff growled. "That ain't the issue. I thought we were friends."

"We are!" Jay insisted.

"Then why are you working with Matt to destroy my best friend in the world?"

"I had nothing to do with it!" Jay shrieked. "Matt did that all by himself and I wasn't going to let him go back and hurt Shannon again."

Jeff raised a skeptical eyebrow.

"I swear it, Jeff! I wasn't going to help him break Lance and Shawn up either! I was just buying time until I could figure out a way to stop him."

"How about calling me?" Jeff asked softly. "Did that ever cross your mind, Jay? I am his brother. Lord knows I've had to save him from himself in the past. Wouldn't it have been logical?"

"I would have called you!"

"Bullshit!"

"Jeff, I swear I would have!"

"Oh, maybe you might have eventually," Jeff suggested. "But since Adam's with Shannon right now you might have decided to wait until after Matt broke them up first."

"No! I wouldn't want Shannon to get used like that," Jay insisted, a small part of him feeling guilty as he doubted his own words. What the hell had he become since he left Adam? "I told Matt it wasn't right. I know Shannon wouldn't survive being used and dumped again. I swear, Jeff, I would have found a way to stop him."

Jeff stared at him silently and Jay was cracking under the pressure. The younger Hardy could be so much more intense than the age age person.

"I believe you," Jeff finally said. "But now I need your help to stop him."

"What can I do?" Jay asked hopefully, eager to prove himself to his friend.