******
-Monday Night Raw-
Jeff finished touching up his paint in the mirror and went to find his tag partner. He'd spent the day with Summer and it had been one of the most carefree days he'd had in a long time. When she'd finally gotten together with Matt, he'd forgotten how much fun it was just to be around her. It was like being with the Summer he remembered, and all they had done all day was gone shopping.
~~~~
"Oh my god Jeff! Look at that outfit, now that would totally freak Jim out if I wore that to ringside!"
Jeff grinned at her. She was always trying to come up with new ways to freak people in the WWE out. She usually succeeded in her efforts. Like the time she had him dye her hair purple a few months beforehand. Jim had lost his mind on that one. She wasn't miss Plain Jane anymore.
"You should buy it. It goes with your hair."
"You're going to have to do it again Jeff, I think its losing that extreme quality that made it exciting and different."
"Anytime babe. I've still got the dye at home."
"So are you hungry man? You've gone since like eight Am without food, and I know what you get like when you don't eat for that long."
"Nah, don't worry about me this time Summer. I'm having too much fun with you to be hungry. Come over here and check out these sunglasses. I want a pair like Jay does."
"Those yellow things? Are you crazy or just insane? On second though man, don't answer that." Summer said bursting out laughing as Jeff tried on the glasses.
Summer grabbed a pair of glasses with glitter all around them and slipped them on Jeff's eyes. Jeff's body tingled when she touched him. Even for that quick second, he could feel the electricity between them. He shook it off and looked at her.
"Nah, those don't suit you rainbow, you need something a little more.. Drastic?"
"How much more drastic can I be Summer? I've got you here with me. I think I've met my drastic amount for today."
Summer gently smacked him on the arm. He was crazy silly but she was glad he'd brought her out to the mall today. They were always able to have fun, even when one of them was upset at the world.
"Yeah but you need a drastic wardrobe to match it. I won't be seen with just anyone you know?"
She grabbed his hand and dragged him away from the sunglasses, causing him to drop the ones he was holding onto the counter. Smiling at the clerk he allowed himself to be dragged to the next store. The lingerie shop was apparently next on her list.
"You sure I need to shop here to be extreme Summer?" Jeff said trying not to laugh.
Summer cracked a smile and punched him on the arm again. She needed some new things from the store, but didn't want to drive Jeff crazy.
"Come back in ten minutes then. I'll be outside waiting for you."
"No! I'm going to help you choose. I mean we usually end up bunking together on the road anyways, and I want to see what you sleep in when we don't."
"Then help me choose. Just don't choose anything pink and frilly."
"Gotcha boss! Also don't pick anything too sexy. I don't think my heart could handle it right now." Jeff laughed as Summer started sorting through the racks. This was going to be a long trip.
~~~~
Jeff smiled as he thought about it. They hadn't gotten anything pink or frilly, but he ended up with silk boxers, and Summer had gotten some cute sleeping clothes, and a one piece that she wouldn't show him. Her smile was enough to have made the day great. He went down the hall to the ladies locker room. It was time for their match.
******
-Ladies Locker Room, around the same time-
"Summer, I know you're pissed off at her, and you have a good reason to be, but don't let what Matt did affect you. He's not worth that much. Everyone here on Raw knows who the dog is, and it's not babe."
Summer smiled at Trish. They had become fast friends when she'd joined Raw. They seemed to understand each other.
"So you went shopping with Jeff today? Did you have a good time?"
"Trish he's been really great to me. It was his weekend off and he stayed with me at the house the entire time. We've always been close, but he really cared about me to stay the whole weekend. He helped me work through a lot of stuff. The shopping trip was like old times. Before Matt..." Summer said trailing off in thought.
"Hey Summer! Don't get lost in there again. I'm glad you had a good time with Jeff. You're smiling more then you were the last time I saw you, so I'm happy for you."
"Well I've got the two best friends in the world. Why shouldn't I smile?"
Trish laughed and started working on her stretches. She really admired Summer. This girl wanted to be a wrestler her whole life, and she'd finally done it. Surpassing everyone's expectations. It sucked that she was being dealt a shitty hand in the love department.
"Listen I've got to go get some air. If Jeff comes by, tell him to meet me in our usual spot. We've got a match in twenty minutes."
"I'll tell him. Don't let this Matt situation eat you up. You'll make it through."
"Thanks a lot Tish. I'll talk to you after your match with Vicky. Knock them dead out there, as always."
With a smile and a wave, Summer left the locker room and walked to the back production area. This was the same arena where she'd asked Matt out for the first time.
~~~~
"Hey Summer, you seen Jeff around anywhere? Or are you out here looking for him too?" Matt asked with a smile.
"Actually, I'm out here to see you. I wanted to talk to you about something."
"Okay, come here and sit, and let's talk. You don't have a match?"
"Second hour, so I have tons of time. Listen we're friends right Matt?" Summer asked as she sat down on the steps of the production truck.
"The best, why?"
"I can tell you anything and we'd still be cool right?"
"Yes of course we would Hun. But where is this coming from and where is it headed?"
"Matt, I'm seriously attracted to you. I have been for months. I wanted to get to know you before I told you, and now that I have, gotten to know you... I was wondering, if you'd go out with me sometime."
"I can't Summer. You're a great girl, but it wouldn't be right."
"Um...that's cool Matt. Listen, just forget everything I just said, and we'll go back to normal."
"No Summer, we can't do that. It wouldn't be right for me because I didn't ask you first. I'm attracted to you too babe. It's mutual. I've been attracted to you from the first time I saw you. I'll admit, you look like Jeff's type of girl, not mine, but there's something about you that gets to me. Will you go out with me Summer?"
She was shell-shocked. She'd thought he was going to turn her down, and this was completely unexpected.
"Of course I will Matt. I'm sorry I beat you to the punch. I just thought this was the best time to do it. I rarely get you alone anymore, with us being in different shows."
"It was the right time. I'll call you when we get home, and we'll do it."
Matt pulled her close and kissed her gently on her forehead. He was glad she'd said yes. This girl was different he could feel it. He'd really lucked out with her feeling the same.
~~~~
******************
****
"You're thinking about that night out here with Matt aren't you?"
Summer turned around at the sound of Jeff's voice. Looking around her she didn't see him, but turning her head around the other way, Jeff came up behind her and out his arms around her.
"It will get easier won't it Jeff? I won't seem him everywhere I go will I?"
"Honey, for awhile I think that's all you're going to see. We just have to make sure it gets easier over time that's all."
"Thank you for the weekend babe. I know you wanted to be home with Zeus and Liger. Not to mention Witty and ImagI. I'm sure your volcano is lonely. It really did help having my best friend there with me."
"I saw Liger and the gang remember? So did you. Liger likes you, and he's a very therapeutic animal. Plus, you're more important then my volcano. You ready to kick some ass?"
"Yeah, let's go babe."
Summer hooked her arm through Jeff's and he entwined his fingers through hers as they walked towards the Gorilla Spot.
******
Jeff's music hit first, and he let her go with a little kiss on her cheek.
"I'll see you out there alright?" Summer nodded to him as his music blared through the arena.
As he walked to the ring, with Summer watching, something suddenly hit her that she hadn't noticed before. Jeff was the closest person to her, and she loved him. He jumped into the ring and looked straight up the ramp at her and motioned for him to join him.
Summer smiled as she waited for her song to hit. He was so unique and they had so much in common. What had made her end up with Matt? Her music hit and she jumped out onto the stage. She hadn't realized but she had glow in the dark make-up on the cheek where Jeff kissed her. She ran down to the ring and Jeff smiled.
"You have my makeup on your cheek babe."
"Looks good there don't you think? Are you ready to knock these idiots on their asses?"
"With you by my side, I look forward to it. Let's get this crowd going."
Their opponents came down to the ring and Summer put her game face on. She had a lot to prove tonight. She could handle anything, as long as she was in the ring. It helped that she was wrestling with Jeff by her side as well. She loved being able to work with her best friend.
The match went as scripted as Summer was supposed to pick up the win on Molly Holly. The writer's left it up to her to make her finish though. Summer got up on the top rope, and instead of doing her shooting star press off the top, she walked along the ropes like her friend Mark, the Undertaker did, all the while trying to keep her feet steady as she watched Molly on the mat. She looked out into the crowd and threw Jeff's guns, then dived off with all she had.
She grabbed Molly's leg to hook it for the pin, and everything started going fuzzy. The ref tried to lift her up so he could show the crowd but she couldn't feel her legs.
"Nick, please get Jeff now."
Nick Patrick the referee and an old family friend of Summer's jumped out of the ring and went down to Jeff on the ground. Whispering in his ear, Jeff jumped back into the ring with Nick right beside him.
"What do you mean she can't get up? Did she do the move wrong?"
"No Jeff, but she damn near passed out when I tried to lift her up to show her victory." Nick looked down at Summer with a scared concern in her eyes. He motioned to the back for the medics to come out, because no one really knew how serious this was.
Jeff had seen Summer do that move so many times, and she had never messed it up once, so what had gone wrong this time?
"Babe, tell me what hurts."
'Jeff, shit, I did the move perfectly, but now I can't feel anything. My head's hurting so bad."
"It's alright baby, I'm right here with you. The medics are going to take you out now. I'm not leaving your side."
"Okay"
Jeff watched in shock as she passed out. He couldn't figure out what went wrong, he just knew he couldn't let anything happen to her. He followed Nick and the medics out of the ring and through to the back. Pushing the cameraman out of his face, he jumped in the ambulance, and they headed out of the arena.
******
-Hospital-
Summer shifted in the bed, looking around she smiled. At least she could move all of her limbs again. When she'd been in the ring she'd been scared she'd lost all use of her legs. She looked over and saw Jeff asleep in the chair. He obviously hadn't left her the whole time. Jeff heard her stir and woke up. He had to make sure that she was all right.
"Don't worry Jeff, I'm fine now. I can move everything, so go home and get some sleep."
"I'm getting good sleep right here actually. The doctor said you might have a concussion, so no getting out of bed."
"Which means I'm not booked next Monday right?"
"You're booked babe. We're going to try out our acting skills."
"What?"
"Remember the transfer of my paint to your face? Well apparently it gave Eric and Jim a brilliant idea and we're going to be cutting a promo. Right before my match."
"Oh, well at least I'll be on television right? So did the doctor tell you why I lost all feeling in my legs?"
"Concussion related, that's all I could get out of him. Being that I'm not family and all."
"That's fine, at least it wasn't more serious. We put a good end to that match though didn't we?"
"It was all you babe. But be prepared to get a standing ovation on Monday. You really defied the odds tonight. I'm really surprised you can move."
"So am I. Seriously Jeff, you can go home now, I'm alright now."
"Summer, I know you're alright. I can see you; I'm here because I want to be. I have no where else I want to be. Can we drop it now?"
"Dropping it right now."
The doctor came into the room and laid the chart down on the counter. He checked Summer's eyes and the movements of her arms and legs.
"How are you feeling Ms. Ryan?"
"Like I was hit by a Mack truck, but I've had that before, so it's alright."
"Well everything on your chart looks fine, except for the concussion. So I'm keeping you here overnight, but I'm sure we can have you on your way tomorrow morning."
"The sooner the better..."
"I want you to rest for a couple of days, so nothing more serious occurs. You think you can do that for me?" the doctor said throwing her a serious look before smiling.
"Yes doctor. I don't work until the weekend so I can stay in all week. You know, just so I don't injure myself."
Jeff laughed as Summer smiled at her last comment. Every time Summer went home, she never went crazy, she just liked to chill out. So this wasn't too much of a stretch for her.
"I'll make sure she takes it easy Doctor." Jeff said trying not to laugh.
Summer threw Jeff a quizzical look and turned back to the Doctor. Was he planning on babysitting her now?
"I trust you will. I'll let you guys get some rest. Remember, no extreme stress or activity, it will drive your head insane. I don't want to see you back here for a re-check."
"There won't be doctor. Thank you." Summer said before lying back down and closing her eyes. She was suddenly really tired.
*****
