****************
Shane walked down the hallway, careful of each step. He hadn't come back to work right away after Hayley's death and funeral, and the WWE was completely sympathetic with it, allowing him the time he needed to heal. After two months of being away and dealing with the intense feelings of loneliness and his life without Hayley, he decided it was time, and now here he stood, walking down the familiar hallway, about to do something he had dreamed of as a young boy. It was nice to come home again, but he was still hoping to see her pop out from the writer's room after a hard meeting and greet him with a kiss.
"Well if it isn't the lost puppy! Welcome back buddy!"
Shane turned around, pulling himself out of his thoughts and looked over to see his best friend Shannon Moore walking towards him. The one change that had taken place in his time away was that they had split Matt and Shannon apart and sent the younger kid to RAW. Shane had to admit it was nice to have at least one of his longtime friends on the show with him. He wouldn't have to feel so alone anymore.
"Thanks, it feels good to be back, but at the same time it's still weird."
"You expect to see her coming toward you anytime now right?"
"I do, and it's got to stop. I know in my head that she's gone, but my heart just won't let it go. I really miss her Shannon. As much as I think things are finally going to be alright, they aren't and that's bugging me."
"It isn't supposed to be easy. You and Hayley shared a lot of things pal. I think coming back to work was the best thing you could do right now. I know being at home must have been hard because you see her everywhere, and it's going to be like that here for awhile too, but once you get back to working in the ring, it will get easier. It has too, but you have to help it along."
"I know it's not supposed to be easy, and I'm going to deal with it, but Shannon is it alright for me to miss her like crazy and want her around me all the time? Why did it have to be her?"
"Because life can be a shit hole sometimes that's why. I don't know what else to tell you man. Why don't we stop talking about this and let me fill you in on some of the changes around here that you might not know about?"
Shane nodded his head and just like that the topic of Hayley and all the pain that came with just thinking her name was dropped. It was time for Shane to move on, focus again on his career, the job he loved so much. He knew this was for the best and although he would never really forget Hayley, it was time for him to move on.
"So what has been happening around here while I was gone? Besides them stealing you away from Smack down?"
"Well that was pretty smart of Eric wasn't it? I mean I loved working with Matt, but being in his shadow was getting old, and I was like his lap dog on camera, and that's not something I'm totally comfortable with ya know?"
"Oh I get it totally. Makes you want to restart 3 Count doesn't it?"
"That wouldn't be such a bad idea, but you know how the writer's are on here man. They hate everything about the old WCW and that includes some of the good storylines. They really need to do something about this writing."
"So anything else new that I should know about?"
"Well Shane, they are putting me with you. We are gonna be a tag team, along with a special female they hired."
Shane was a little taken aback by what Shannon just announced. After being with Matt for so long and being in the sidelines, it was weird hearing Shannon say that they were going to be a tag team. He was sure his friend would want to go on his own and build a following for himself now that he had the freedom to do it. What was this about a new girl as well? Were they trying to resurrect Team Extreme again or something?
"A new girl huh?"
"Yeah, she was in the independents for awhile, and then she went to the NWA and working with Jarrett and Raven. They saw what she was like in some tapes, and apparently they offered her a good deal and now she's here."
"Have you met her?"
"Yes, and let me tell you Shane, if there was anyone that they would stick with us to make us look good, it's this girl. And I'm saying this as a secure married man of course. She's stunning and I've watching some of her dark matches and in the ring she can hold her own. She will be a nice addition to Amy coming back, and the women's division as a whole."
"What's her name?"
"Well she's coming up behind you right now so why don't you ask her that?" Shannon replied with a crooked grin and a small wave towards the girl apparently standing behind Shane.
******************
"Hey Shannon, and friend."
Shane found himself blushing at the fact that this girl didn't know who he was. Extending his hand to her, and having her accept it willingly, he smiled.
"I'm Shane Helms, better known as the Hurricane around here."
"Oh that's also something I wanted to tell you buddy! They scrapped the superhero gimmick and you're going to be yourself again. If they want this whole threesome to take off they figured you with the mask wasn't going to cut it." Shannon interrupted with a smile.
"Oh that's fine, after everything I've done with it, it's time for it to be scrapped. So where was I?"
"You were telling me your name and I was about to tell you mine. My name is Lilly Daniels. I'm also going to be working with the two of you in the future."
"So Shannon has been telling me. So where did you get your start in the business?"
"I started wrestling in east Florida about six years ago actually. I worked all over the continental United States though over those years, so I've been everywhere."
"Oh great."
"Did you get your start in Carolina with Shannon?"
"Not at the same time, maybe a little before it, but yeah, Shannon and I worked a lot with our best friends Matt and Jeff Hardy, and now here we all sit."
"Jeff doesn't wrestle anymore though does he?"
"Just independent matches, but don't let that get around because I don't think he's filling his wife in on that little fact yet."
Lilly found herself laughing and she started to relax. She had been nervous coming to the WWE to begin with because it was the cream of the crop, and it was run totally differently then the NWA. She got along with everyone in her old organization because they were all fueled by the same thing, but here in the WWE, she wasn't sure how the people would react. She was finding though that out of everyone she had met, the two boys from North Carolina seemed to be a most perfect fit for her.
"I completely understand I will keep it to myself believe me."
Shannon looked between the two of them standing there and smiled to himself. They didn't know it yet, but knowing them both as well as he did now, he knew that they would be helping each other heal and adapt. Lilly would help Shane get over the trauma he felt over losing Hayley, and in turn Shane would make this new job go smoothly for Lilly. He just had to figure out a way for the both of them to see it.
"So are you guys ready to go see Eric and Jim about our plan?" Shannon asked interrupting the look between Lilly and his friend.
Shane looked up and wiped the smile off his face. "More then ready, let's go figure out how this is going to go down shall we."
Walking ahead of Shannon and Lilly he made his way down the hallway to the room he knew by heart that Jim would be using for his office before the show started. HE hadn't been around lately, but nothing seemed to change arena to arena. He glances back at Lilly and he noticed her and Shannon deep in some conversation. Maybe working with Shannon wouldn't be so bad. He just didn't know how he felt about throwing some girl into the mix. Even is she was the prettiest girl he'd seen in awhile.
********************
"So what are you thinking?"
"Shannon, he's nice, what else can I say at this point?"
"Nothing at all. I'm just glad that the two of you didn't try to kill one another right off the top."
"Why would we do that?"
"Well Shane's been through something really rough on his personal life, and you've just come here from NWA, so you're both readjusting. You never know what can happen out of that."
"Well I don't know what he went through, but eventually when the time comes, he will tell me himself. I like him Shannon, and I can't wait to work with the both of you. You're the two best choices for me to work with just coming in, and I think we can go places."
"I hope you're right princess. I really do think we could take on the world with you by our side."
"Yeah" Lilly replied allowing her voice to fade off and her head to get lost in thought. Thinking to herself she smiled.
'I just hope he wants me by his side.'
******************
*********************
Shane opened the door to Jim's office, thinking that he would be expecting them as a unit and would be alone, but what he saw when he entered the room was something he didn't think he'd ever see again.
"Summer what are you doing here?"
"Oh Shane! Hey! I was just clearing something up with Jim, and now that I've uh done that, I better get out of here." She said as she started towards the door, suddenly wanting to be anywhere but there.
"Hey you don't have to leave on our account!" Shannon yelled after her but she was already out of the room and Shane figured halfway down the hall by then.
"What was that about Jim?" Shane asked taking a seat in the now vacant chair Summer had left when she abruptly left.
"Business. So I see you've already been told what's been decided in your absence?"
"Shannon filled me in and I'm alright with it Jim. Are we waiting for Eric to get this meeting started or are you running the show today?"
"I'm running the show because Eric didn't see fit to get here on time again. Now you know we've wanted to scrap the superhero gimmick for some time, and now with you taking the time off needed to mourn, we finally have our chance."
"So me being away for this long is all good in the name of business is that it Jim?"
"Don't twist my words Shane."
"Well you've now got what you want right? And all that had to happen to get it was Hayley dying right?"
Jim sighed and sat back in his seat. He knew this wasn't going to be easy for Shane and he was doing his best to be sympathetic to the young man's feelings. Shane did have a valid point though and it was one that he had brought to the table many a time when they idea to scrap the Hurricane had been announced. He understood what Shane was going through and he didn't want to trivialize it.
"That's not what I'm saying. Everyone thinks about business around here, and you know me, and you know how I feel about the people I get close too. I was close to your girlfriend too Shane and to see her go at such a good time in her life, well it was wrong. I was also sad to lose you as a friend and talent for the time you were away but I totally understood why you had to do it."
"Okay, let's just drop this right now; I don't know how much I can deal with being here at this point. Shannon said something about you wanting to re vamp Team Extreme as well, but with me and Shannon and this new girl Lilly?"
"That's why I called you all here at the same time. I wanted to make introductions and let you all get a feel for each other. Which I know for you and Shannon shouldn't be that hard, but Lilly traveled all the way from the NWA and things are run differently there. I need you guys to show her the ropes at the same time as put on a show no one will forget for a long time."
"So you want us to be the new Matt and Jeff is that it? And we can add Lilly in there as a Lita?"
"Not at all. I want you three to go over some ideas for names and things that will make you your own group. If we wanted the Hardy Boyz back, we would have re hired Jeff and brought Matt over from Smack down. We want something even better then that right now and I think with the three of you we can achieve it."
Shane was shell-shocked. Jim seemed to have a lot more faith in the ability of the three of them, and then they did themselves. He wasn't sure with coming back this soon if he could jump to the task of being the go to guy and revolutionizing a business. This was something he was going to have to bring up with Shannon. Maybe for once he could lead them and do all the thinking and Shane could just do what he did best, and that was get into the ring and wrestle.
"Well I don't think there's much else to say at this point. Shane you have a match tonight, its going to be a match with Lance Storm, and he will win because the stipulation is that if he does, you lose the gimmick and that's where we want this to go right now. Is that something you can handle?"
"Of course I can, but what about Shannon and Lilly?"
"They know what they have to do. They have a mixed tag match tonight, as well as coming to your aid at the end of the match when you let the world know you don't have supernatural powers."
"Okay, then I guess I better go get done up in my makeup for the last time then huh?"
"Not right away. We can let these guys go and then I need to talk to you about something serious. Is that alright with you Shane?"
"Sure Jim, anything you want."
Shannon and Lilly quietly made their exit, and Shane sat back deeper into the seat. He knew what this was going to be about, he just wasn't sure at this point that he wanted to hear it.
***************
"So are you going to tell us what you're doing here Summer?" Shannon said coming up behind his friend and tapping her shoulder, causing her to jump out of her skin. Turning around and seeing it was just Shannon and the new girl, she relaxed a little.
"It was just some old business that needed to be taken care of that's all."
"Bullshit. You're here to get your old job back aren't you?"
Summer felt her cheeks get flush and realized she was going to blush, which would totally give away what she was trying to do. Or give up what she was trying to hide at this time.
"I'm not looking for my job back. I'm home and happy with Jeff you know that. You're always there. I was here on behalf of Amanda, you know the girl I mean right? Hayley's roommate. I needed to clear up some old business."
"Okay, what does Amanda want with the wrestling business? She wasn't that deep in it when Hayley was alive."
"It's nothing alright Shannon? So let's just drop it. By the way, I'm Summer Hardy, nice to meet you." Summer said turning to Lilly and shaking her hand. She could tell by the girl's handshake that she was a strong one. She wouldn't mind taking her on if her plan worked out the way it was supposed too.
"Lilly Daniels. I've heard a lot about you Ms. Hardy."
"Call me Summer, and if you don't mind, I really have to go see Trish before I go. Take care Lilly, and Shannon; please don't read more into this then there is alright?"
****************
"What's up Jim?"
"The book is doing well, have you been watching the way it's been selling?"
"Honestly Jim, I did the book with the writer's because of Hayley and now that it's done, I don't want anything to do with it. I don't care how much it sells and what people think. She was a real person and she was my entire world at one point. Even sitting here now she still is. Why do you ask?"
"It doesn't matter to me either way what you do with it, I'm just telling you because it means that people are with you on this Shane, they now love this girl and see what you saw."
"Okay."
"How are you dealing with everything?"
"Not as well as I would like. Matt has already tried to send me out on three blind dates, and my heart isn't in it and that's completely obvious to the girls too. I think about her all the time Jim, and I sometimes think I won't forget her. She's always going to be there in the corner of my mind haunting me."
"It gets easier Shane. I know it sounds silly coming from me, who has been married forever and has children to boot, but it does get easier. Losing someone is never fun, for the people left behind and for the person dying. Hayley had a lot of potential in this business and a long life with you I would dare to say, and I'm sad to see her gone. But you have to deal with this; you have to rise above it. Realize that she was your life, you will always love her, but for your better health you need to move on. She would want that for you. Regarding these dates of Matt's well I think that's something you need to tell him about. If you aren't ready don't do it."
"Everything you're saying makes so much sense in my head, it's just everywhere else where it doesn't. I know it's going to pass and now being back at work, I can promise you that I won't let these feelings get in the way of doing my job and doing it well. I missed being in the ring, you have no idea."
"You want my last piece of advice before you go prepare for your match?"
"Sure, you know I do."
"Get out and enjoy life. You love Hayley? Do this for her. She wanted this for you. You said so much yourself when you wrote the book. Do this for her, wrestle for her, find someone new and move on for her. Make her feel that her dying didn't make you die too."
"Thanks Jim, I think I will."
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