Jeff stared at him for a minute before reaching out again and laying a hand on the older man's arm.

"You shouldn't let him hit you, Adam." He whispered. Adam glared at him.

"The last thing I need right now is relationship advice from the company slut." He bit out angrily. Jeff blinked and looked away, the comment stinging more than he cared to admit. Adam sighed and wiped his eyes. "Jeffie, listen--"

"I gotta go." Jeff whispered tearfully as he stood up. "I'll see you later." Adam watched as his young friend practically ran from the room. He sighed and leaned his head against the wall, feeling like acomplete ass.

~~*~~

Later That Night

"Are you okay?" Matt asked for what seemed like the millionth time that night. His baby brother barely glanced at him.

"I'm fine, Matt."

"Then why do you look like your world just ended?" Because it did, Jeff thought miserably. He shrugged.

"Had a bad day, is all. Leave me be." Matt sighed and looked across the hotel bar, smiling when he saw two of their best friends enter the room.

"Look, there's Adam and Jason." He told his despondent younger brother, not noticing when he flinched and downed his drink. "Let's join them."

"Don't want to. Now go away." Jeff muttered as he signaled the bartender for another drink. Matt frowned and turned back to him.

"Why the hell not?"

"Because I don't." Jeff snapped. "And since when do you give a fuck?" Matt flinched but before he could respond Adam walked up to them.

"Hey." Matt turned his attention to his friend, preferring not to dwell on his brother's cruelty.

"Hey, Adam. What's up?"

"I was wondering if I could talk to Jeff, alone, for a few minutes." Matt glanced back at his brother suspiciously before nodding.

"Yeah, sure. If you want to risk it. He's in a pretty bad mood." Adam shrugged.

"I can deal."

"Suit yourself." Matt mumbled as he went to join Jason.

"Can we talk?" Adam asked as he slipped onto the stool that Matt had vacated.

"I think you've said more than enough to me this evening." Jeff grumbled and downed the drink but before he could signal for another Adam grabbed his hand. "I've heard all I want to hear from you." Jeff hissed. He tried to pull his hand free but Adam tightened his grip.

"Jeff, I'm sorry. I was upset--"

"And I was only trying to help you!"

"I know, babe, but--"

"Don't give me some dumb excuse, Addy. There's no excuse for calling someone a slut for no good reason."

"You what?" Adam winced when he heard Matt's voice behind him, sounding as cold as death. He closed his eyes and sighed.

"Matt, this isn't any of your business." Matt spun Adam around to face him and Adam winced again. If looks could kill, he thought idly.

"You'd be dead." Matt replied as though he could read Adam's thoughts.

"Matt--"

"Where do you get off calling my brother a slut?" He hissed. "What gives you the right--"

"I was upset." Adam mumbled lamely.

"You were upset." Matt repeated sarcastically.

"I can handle this, Matt." Jeff spoke up, turning slightly to look at his brother. Matt regarded him for a moment before nodding reluctantly and going back to talk to Jason. Adam had a feeling that they'd be having a fist to face talk some time in the near future. He sighed and turned back to Jeff.

"Jeffie, I'm sorry I called you a slut. I didn't mean it." Jeff snorted and looked away from him.

"Yes you did, Addy. That's what hurts." Adam entwined his fingers with Jeff's and moved closer.

"No, I promise I didn't." Jeff shook his head and pulled his hand away.

"I don't believe you." He whispered. "And you still shouldn't let Paul hit you. I may be the company slut but I still know how to treat people."

Before Adam could say anything Jeff stood up and left. Adam sighed and dropped his head on the bar.

Jeff bit his lip, trying not to cry as he walked over to where his brother was sitting. His conversation with Adam in the locker room had broken his heart. He stopped by his brother's chair

and waited to be acknowledged.

Matt looked up, concerned, and took his baby brother's hand in his own.

"What's up, sweetie?"

"I'm going to go upstairs, Matty, I'm tired." Matt nodded and handed him their room key.

"Can you make it by yourself?"

"Yeah." Jeff leaned down and kissed first Matt then Jason gently on the cheek. "Night, Matty. Night, Jay."

"Night, Jeffie." The two of them responded quietly then watched as Jeff disappeared out of the room.

"Is he okay?" Jason asked, concerned.

"I don't think so." Matt turned to glare at Adam. "Your wonderful best friend over there was kind enough to call him a slut earlier." Jason gaped at him.

"Adam--"

"I heard him admit it."

"Adam thinks the world of Jeff, why would he..." Jason shook his head.

"Jeff's heartbroken. You know how he feels about Adam."

"No." A cold voice behind them responded. "How does Jeff feel about Adam?"

Matt and Jason turned slowly and looked up into Paul Levesque's angry eyes.

Matt glared at him.

"That's none of your business." He growled. Paul leaned down, setting one hand on the back of Matt's chair and moving in dangerously close.

"Tell your slut of a brother to stay the fuck away from Adam or I might be forced to hurt him."

"You stay the fuck away from my brother." Paul shrugged.

"Do as you're told and I will."

"They're friends, Paul." Jason spoke up. "You can't keep Adam away from his friends." Paul smirked and straightened up.

"I can and I will." He replied before moving away to join Adam at the bar.

Matt sighed.

"This is going to kill Jeff." He said quietly before downing the rest of his drink.

"It's going to kill Adam, too." Jason responded just as softly before he followed suit and finished off his own drink.

~~*~~

"I want you to stay the hell away from Rainbow Brite." Paul growled as he sat down beside Adam at the bar. Adam lifted his head and stared at Paul with unseeing eyes. "Did you hear me?" Adam nodded and laid his head back on the bar. Paul frowned. "What the fuck is your problem?"

"I'm tired." He lied and stood up. "I'm just going to go to bed." Paul pulled him back down.

"Tired?" He scoffed. "You're such a fucking liar."

"I'm not lying." Adam said irritably and stood back up.

"Sit down." Paul hissed. Adam sighed and sat back down. "I mean it, Adam, stay the hell away from that psychotic little twit or you'll regret it."

"That won't be a problem seeing as how he's not speaking to me." Paul smiled.

"Good."

"Good?" Adam sneered and glared at his lover. "It's not good Paul. Jeff means the world to me and now, because of you, he hates me. How the hell is that good?" Without waiting for answer, Adam turned andflounced out of the room. Paul stood up slowly, anger rising wihin him, and made his way out of
the room and over to the receptionist's desk.

"Excuse me, ma'am." He said cheerfully, smiling at the young woman behind the desk. "Could you tell me what room Jeff Hardy is in?" He waited impatiently while the woman checked.

"Room 513."

"Thank you." Paul turned and moved toward the elevator, the mask of cheerfulness sliding from his features. His anger quickly grew into rage as he rode the elevator to the floor Jeff was staying on. By the time the doors opened he was ready to murder someone. He stalked down the hallway and pounded on the door to Jeff's room. After a few minutes Jeff, groggy and half-naked, pulled the door open. Paul punched him as hard as he could in the stomach and he stumbled backward, tripping over his own feet and falling to the floor. He stared up at Paul in shock.

"What the--"

"Shut the fuck up, you little whore." Paul hissed as he slammed the door.  He grabbed the smaller man's arms and pulled him to his feet. "Tell me, Jeff, how do you feel about Adam?" Jeff stared at him with uncertainty.

"Adam is my friend." He responded quietly. Paul smirked.

"Tell the truth now, Jeffie." Jeff flinched, not liking the way the
nickname fell from the other man's lips.

"That is the truth." He whispered. Paul slammed him against the door.

"Is that why he called you a slut?" Paul questioned cruelly. "Because he's your friend?" Jeff looked away. Paul let go of him and punched him hard in the stomach. Before Jeff could slide to the floor, Paul had him pressed against the door. "Stay the hell away from Adam." He growled before punching the younger man again, this time hitting him in the nose. He watched as Jeff fell to the floor.

Jeff leaned back against the door and covered his nose with his hand. Paul watched in amusement as the blood poured out through his fingers. He waited until the smaller man leaned forward before wrenching the door open then watched in delight as it collided with the back of his head. He smirked
when the younger man slumped over, unconscious. For good measure, he kicked him a few times in the stomach, hoping to cause some kind of internal damage, then left the room, whistling happily.

~~*~~

"Maybe we should go check on Jeff." Jason suggested as he touched Matt's hand.

"Yeah. He was pretty upset earlier."

"Can't really blame him."

"Never said I did." Matt finished his drink and stood up. "Come on." Jason stood up and followed Matt to the elevators. Matt impatiently pressed the button.

"I hope he's okay." Jason whispered as the doors opened and they stepped inside. Matt pushed the number for their floor.

"I'm sure he is." Matt replied softly. "He's probably sleeping." Jason decided that Matt sounded pretty confident. However, that confidence didn't stop the elder Hardy from bolting from the elevator the second the doors opened. Jason followed slowly and watched as his friend's features twisted in confusion when he could only open the door so far.

"Matt?" Jason asked when he reached his friend's side. "Are you going in?"

He decided that Matt now looked terrified.

"The door only opens this far." Matt whispered.

"If that actually means something then you have to go in." Matt nodded and slipped into the room. Jason followed and they stared in horror at Jeff's bloody, unconscious form.

"Oh, God." Matt mumbled and dropped to his knees beside his brother.

"Don't lose it now, Matt." Jason cautioned. "We've got to get him to a hospital." Matt nodded.

"Is he going to be okay?" Matt whispered.

"He will be if we get him to the hospital." Jason prodded gently. Matt nodded.

"Should we get Adam?"

"Let's just get him to a hospital."

~~*~~

"Why do you look so happy?" Adam asked suspiciously as he watched his lover move happily around the room whistling some inane tune that was driving him insane.

"Because I am." Paul stopped in front of Adam and touched his lip.

"Doesn't look so bad."

"It would look even better if you hadn't of hit me."

"Are you trying to piss me off?"

"No. I just want to know why you attacked me." Paul shrugged.

"I was angry, baby." Adam sighed.

"You can't keep hitting me just because someone pisses you off, Paul."

"I can if it was you that pissed me off." Adam glared at him.

"That doesn't make it right!" Paul sighed. He was too happy over what had happened with the Hardy brat to let his mood be ruined by his aggravating lover.

"All right. I was wrong okay? I'm sorry. Just drop it." Adam sighed.

"Fine."

"I'll make it up to you." Paul said dismissively. Adam rolled his eyes then sighed in relief when the phone rang. He reached over and grabbed the reciever, lifting it to his ear.

"Yeah?"

"Adam, it's Jason." Adam wrinkled his brow in confusion.

"What's up, Jay?"

"Someone beat the hell out of Jeff."

"What? Why?" He heard Jason sigh.

"I don't fucking know. Just get down here, all right? I know Jeff isn't speaking to you but he'd be even more upset if you weren't here when he woke up.

"I'll be right there." Adam hung up the phone and glared at his lover. "You did it, didn't you? You put Jeff in the hospital."

"Actually, I left him unconscious on his hotel room floor." Adam glared at him in disgust.

"You sick fuck." He climbed off the bed and grabbed his bags. "Stay the hell away from me and my friends or I swear to God I'll fucking kill you."

~~*~~

Jason watched as Matt paced slowly around the waiting room, his expression a mixture of anger and terror. While they were waiting, they had determined that Paul had been the one that attacked Jeff. They weren't sure why, but they figured it was him. He was the only one psychotic enough to attack someone for no good reason. Jason focused his attention fully on his
friend. He felt bad that he couldn't think of anything to say. From what he'd seen, Jeff looked pretty bad, and judging from the expression on the doctor's face when he examined the younger Hardy, Paul had done some damage. They didn't know the extent of the damage, and all Matt could focus on was that his younger brother was in surgery. Finally, Jason couldn't take it anymore.

"Matt, please sit down."

"I can't." Matt said softly. "My baby brother is in sugery. He's bleeding internally. He's got a broken nose....Christ, Jay, that sick fuck left him for dead."

"Matt, please." Matt sighed and stopped moving. "I know that you're upset, Matty. So am I." But Matt wasn't listening.

"He's gonna be okay." He whispered. "They'll fix him and he'll be okay." He closed his eyes and tried to breathe. When he opened them again he saw Adam coming closer to him, looking extremely nervous. Matt really didn't blame him. When Adam got close enough, Matt pounced on him andstarted punching.
He didn't really care where he hit him, just as long as he hit him. Jason jumped from his seat and wrapped his arms around Matt, and eventually succeeded in dragging him off his best friend. Adam stayed on the floor, blood flowing from his nose and mouth and bruises forming on his face and chest. "This is all your fault!" Matt yelled, struggling to get away from Jason. "You and your demonic boyfriend!" Jason tightened his grip, and fought desperately to keep Matt from breaking loose and continuing his assault on their broken friend.

Matt, please! This is not helping!"

"It's helping me!"

"It's not helping Jeff!" Matt stilled in his arms and sighed. Adam slowly got to his feet, wiping the blood from his face.

"I'm sorry, Matt. I know it's my fault--"

"No." Matt dismissed his apology with a wave of his hand. "It's not your fault, Adam. You're just my closest link to Paul. I'm sorry.

"Yeah, well, I would've done the same thing, so there's really no need to apologize."

"Speaking of the demonic bastard," Jason said as he released his hold on Matt. "Why didn't he come to support you?"

"Besides the fact that he put Jeff here in the first place?" His friends nodded. "Because I broke up with him." Jason and Matt smiled.

"Good for you, Adam." Matt said as the three of them sat down. "Jeff will be happy."

"How is Jeff?" Matt frowned and looked at the floor.

"He's in surgery. He has internal bleeding." Adam winced. "His nose is broken and he hit him pretty hard in the back of the head. The doctor was worried about that."

"Fuck." Adam breathed and clenched his fists. "I'm going to kill that bastard."

"Get in line." Matt informed him quietly.

"I am so sorry, Matt." Adam whispered.

"Not you fault." Before anything more could be said, the doctor entered the room.

"Mr. Hardy?" Matt stood up nervously.

"How's my brother?"

"He's stable."

"Can we see him?" The doctor regarded the three broken young men in front of him and then nodded.

"One at a time. But you can't stay long. He really needs to rest." Matt nodded. He motioned for Adam and Jason to follow him, reasoning that they could stand outside the room while he was in with Jeff. The doctor left them outside the room.

"I can't go in there."

"Course you can, Matty." Adam whispered. "Jeff needs you." Matt nodded and slipped inside the room. He stared miserably at his baby brother as he lay lifelessly on the hospital bed.

"God, Jeffie, what did that bastard do to you?" He walked over and sat down beside his brother's bed, wishing he were anywhere else. "I swear I'm going to murder that son of a bitch for what he's done to you." He gently took his brother's hand in his own. "If it's the last thing I do. I'll get him for this."

"Matty?" Matt's head snapped up and he smiled as he looked into the younger man's eyes. "Matty, where am I? What happened?"

"Paul attacked you--"

"Who's Paul?" Matt looked at him curiously.

"Adam's ex--" Now his brother looked even more confused.

"Who's Adam?"

"He's one of our best friends. He and Jason--"

"Who's Jason?" Jeff asked irritably.

"I...I think I'd better get a doctor." Matt stood up. "Jeffie...do you know how old you are?"

"24."

"And what do we do for a living?" Jeff shrugged, although the movement looked like it was painful for him.

"I don't know." Matt nodded.

"I'm going to get a doctor." Jeff nodded and Matt released his hand and slipped out of the room. He stared at his friends in disbelief. "He doesn't remember that he's a wrestler and he doesn't remember you guys or Paul...or probably any of the others." Adam and Jason gaped at him.

"He doesn't remember us?" Adam looked like he wanted to cry. Matt put his hand on his friend's shoulder.

"I'm sorry, Adam. Look, it's probably temporary. I'm going to go find a doctor." Adam nodded but continued to look like someone had stolen his puppy. Matt walked away and Jason slipped his arms around his friend.

"He'll remember you, Adam." Jason whispered. "Don't worry."

~~*~~

A Little While Later

Matt sighed and sat down in a chair next to his brother's bed. Bits and pieces had already begun to come back to him but nothing substantial...nothing Matt wanted him to remember. Adam was teetering back and forth, feeling heartbroken one minute and immensely guilty the next. Matt wished Jeff would remember him. He hated seeing his friend in such pain.

"Matt?"

"Hmm?"

"When am I getting out of here?"

"Soon. The doctor wants to run some tests. Make sure your head is okay."

"I want to go home."

"I know you do, sweetie, but you have to wait." Jeff leaned back against his pillows and sighed.

"Were Adam and I together or something?"

"No, why?" Jeff shrugged.

"He's just so upset that I don't remember him."

"You two were really close, Jeffie."

"Did I love him?"

"Very much."

"Then why don't I remember him?"

"I don't know. The doctor said alot of unintelligiable medical things. All I know is that this might be temporary."

"I wish I could remember him."

"So do I, sweetheart, so do I."

"Did he love me?" Matt sighed in relief when someone knocked on the door.

Jeff smirked. "Saved by the annoying parade of well wishers." Matt smiled.

"Yeah." He frowned. "I wonder why they knocked." Jeff shrugged.

"It's polite." Matt rolled his eyes.

"Who is it?" he called over his shoulder, looking at the door.

"It's us." Jason replied from the other side of the door.

"You don't have to knock, you know. Just come in." Matt told him as he opened the door for him and Adam. Jason smiled.

"We just wanted to be polite. I mean, Jeff doesn't remember us--"

"Just come in." Jason pulled Adam into the room and Matt closed the door behind them.

"Hi, Jeffie." Jason said softly.

"Hi." Jeff said eyeing them warily. "You two hang around us alot."

"Jeffrey!" Matt admonished.

"Matthew!" Jeff mocked. "They do."

"Jeffrey Nero Hardy, these guys are our friends. Where the hell are your manners?" Jeff shrugged and looked down at the bed, obviously upset.

"Sorry." He muttered. Adam glared at Matt and smacked him on the arm.

"I'm sorry, Jeff." Matt said as he rubbed his arm and glared at Adam. "I didn't mean to upset you."

"Are you saying that because you mean it or because Adam hit you?" Jason and Matt smirked as Adam blushed.

"Both." Matt replied as he sat back down in the chair beside his brother's bed. Jason and Adam took seats in the chairs on the opposite side of Jeff's bed. Jeff observed the three of them as they talked, noting the way Jason and Matt threw each other looks and the way they interacted. Finally, he felt compelled to speak up.

"Are you two dating?" Matt looked at him in shock as color filled both men's faces.

"Um, n-no." Jason sputtered. "No, we're not."

"Why not?"

"Jeffie, shut up."

"Why? All anyone has to do is watch you two--"

"Jeffrey." Jeff grinned.

"Did I strike a nerve, big brother?" Matt glared at him. Unfortunately, Jeff didn't care. "Adam, you see it, don't you?" Smiling, Adam nodded.

"Plain as day." By now, Matt and Jason were blushing deep red and Jeff felt justification for his brother yelling at him. "You know you can't yell at him and get away with it." Adam told his friend. Matt sighed.

"I know." He grumbled.

"So--" Jeff started but Matt cut him off.

"Don't push your luck, Jeff. Just because you're injured doesn't mean I won't hurt you."

"You really don't scare me, Matty." Matt sighed.

"I know, and I hate that little fact." Jeff smiled. Matt shook his head and turned back to Adam and Jason. "I talked to Shane a little while ago. Vince wants two of us to fight tonight at the House Show. I volunteered me and Jason."

"Well, who's going to stay with me?" Jeff asked.

"I figured Adam could." Adam stared at him in shock.

"Me?" He squeaked. "No! I mean, I can't..." he sputtered and loooked to Jason for help. Jason shrugged.

"Sounds good to me." Adam glared at him.

"Then it's settled." Matt declared and stood up. "We need to go back to the hotel and grab our things." Jason nodded and stood up.

"I'm ready whenever you are."

"Then let's go. Take good care of my brother, Adam." Before Adam could respond Matt and Jason were out the door. Adam sighed and dropped his head in his hands.

"Don't you like me?" Jeff asked. Adam's head snapped up and he stared at Jeff in shock.

"Of course I do."

"Then why don't you want to stay with me?" Adam stared at him for a minute longer before lowering his eyes and staring at the floor.

"We weren't speaking before you got hurt." He said quietly.

"Why not?"

"Because I said something incredibly stupid that I really didn't mean and it hurt you really bad."

"Why did you say it?"

"I was hurt and angry and you were just in the wrong place at the wrong time."

"Oh." Adam sighed.

"Jeffie, I'm sorry."

"Can I ask you something?"

"Yeah, sure."

"Why did your ex-boyfriend attack me?"

"I..." Adam sighed and closed his eyes. "He found out how much you mean to me."

"So he beat me up?"

"Paul is a little bit warped, honey. He did it to keep you away from me."

"Do you love me?" Adam avoided his eyes and stood up.

"Do you need anything?"

"No."

"Are you sure? I can get you something to eat or drink. We can play a game."

"Yeah. Let's play a game." Jeff agreed and patted the spot in front of him on the bed. "Come sit by me." Hesitantly, Adam walked over and sat in front of him.

"Wh-what game do you want to play?" Jeff grinned.

"Truth or Dare." Adam closed his eyes and swallowed hard.

"Truth or Dare?" He echoed softly.

"Yes." Jeff entwined his fingers with Adam's. "What do you say?"

"I..." Adam sighed. "Okay, I'll play."

"Good. Truth or Dare?"

"Truth." Adam whispered, knowing what was coming.

"Do you love me?" Adam slowly looked up into Jeff's eyes and nodded.

"More than anything." Jeff smiled.

"I thought so."

"Truth or Dare, Jeffie."

"Dare."

"Dare?" Jeff nodded. "I dare you to kiss me." Jeff smiled and wrapped his arms around Adam's neck, pulling him closer.

"First, there's something I think you should know."

"You love me?" Adam asked as he wrapped his arms around Jeff's waist.

"Well, yeah. I love you. But that's not it. You knew that."

"Then what?" Jeff smiled.

"I never had amnesia."

The End