********

Aurora finished throwing all of her stuff into her bag when there was a knock on the locker room door. Not knowing who would want to see her, or if it was someone looking for one of the other women, she went and peeped out and saw Shannon standing there with a warm smile.

"Are you alone, can I come in for a second?"

"Yeah, of course you can, I'm not really doing much of anything right now, just packing up my stuff after the match I had tonight."

"You did really good out there you know, Matt was impressed, and for the past week he hasn't been getting impressed by anything. Not even me and Crash."

Aurora laughed as Shannon sat down in the stall beside her. He looked into her eyes and he could tell that even a week later, sitting here and even mentioning Matt was troubling for her. Shannon never got the full details of what happened but Jeff had called him and told him that some serious stuff went down and they had to lay off on getting Matt together with her.

"It still bugs you doesn't it? The fact that he won't talk to you."

"Yeah of course it does. Shannon, I didn't do anything wrong here. I mean I could have, and just never told him about any of it, but I chose to come to him, and leave Brock alone, just like he asked me too."

"Wait a minute! I need you to backtrack here. Matt asked you to not see Brock?"

"Yeah he told me not to the first night I met him after Smack down, when we went out for coffee, Brock and I."

"Wow, I didn't know."

"Yeah well he's an asshole, and he won't listen to reason, so as much as this bothers me, I've no other choice but to let it go. I can't make someone like me and talk to me. I just don't work that way."

"No one really does, believe me. I would say I'm just like you. I am not going to press someone to talk when they don't want too. So the reason I'm here is we're going out after the show and we wondered if you would join us."

"Who is us?"

"Me, Matt, Jeff, Shane, Amy, and you if you agree. How does that sound to you?"

"I was supposed to go out with Brock again tonight, but he cancelled because he hurt himself in the ring earlier. So you know what Shannon, going out with you sounds like a plan. I need a little bit of fun for a change."

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

"You doing all right princess?" Jeff asked taking a seat at the table with her, while the others went to get more refills of their drinks.

"Yeah Jeff, I couldn't be better if I tried. I'm just feeling a bit off being around Matt again I guess, after the last time we spoke being horrible and all."

"He'll get over it okay? Just give him some time. He's got this big ego now and you were the one girl that actually got to him and made him want to be human and normal again. Walking in on you was traumatic for him and to be honest I can't blame him there."

"Neither can I, but Jeff I'm telling the truth, I didn't have sex with Brock Lesnar, nor do I want too. I wanted to really try with your brother. I screwed up and I know it. It's just a bitter pill to swallow I guess."

Jeff was about to reply when the gang came back to the table. Passing Aurora her wine cooler, Shane and Shannon preceded to sit down and talk about the next cleansing. Aurora tried to pay attention to it, because it was something she wanted to learn about, but her thoughts kept focusing back on Matt, and she couldn't help focusing her eyes on him across the table either. He looked just about as happy to be there as she did at that moment. It was time though that she did something about it, before this got worse instead of better.

"Guys as much fun as this is, I just don't feel up to partying tonight. I think I'm going to call it an early night, because we do have an early flight tomorrow."

"Yeah, are you sure you aren't going to go sleep with John Cena now? To add to your list of conquests?" Matt snapped not really meaning to say it out loud but not wanting to take it back now that it had. That thought had been on his mind every since he saw her in the arena talking to John earlier in the evening.

Aurora, a little taken aback by this sudden change in mood from Matt just glared at him, and she grabbed her purse and left the table. She didn't have anything to say to him now, after that attack on her character. As she got up and walked away further and further from the table, Jeff and Shannon turned on Matt.

"That was uncalled for bro. Do you have any idea how stupid you are right now?" Jeff said glaring at his brother with a pissed off look on his face.

"Jeff's right, you didn't have to be so mean about it. I totally get that your hurt over this, but you don't just say that to someone, if you want to talk to them about it you pull them aside."

"Guys, I think you guys have been married too long, I didn't say anything that she should be shocked about. She did sleep with Brock, and her and John did look cozy. It's just natural to think that."

"Matt listen to me, your brother and Shannon have a point here for once. Usually I defend you, but time, you were the ass, and you need to make up for it, before someone else does, and you lose her." Shane said breaking the silence around the table at Matt's latest outburst.

After stewing on it for a minute, he jumped up from his chair and bolted out the door. He had to make sure he caught her before she pulled away, because there was so much he wanted to tell her and ask her, and understand about this whole mess. As he got out to the parking lot, she saw her car starting to pull out of the driveway and towards the exit. That's when he realized, not talking to Aurora wasn't helping him. He just had to find a way to make it up to her.

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

"You want me to what Matt?" Stephanie asked as she flipped her bracelet down around her wrist again. Matt Hardy had come to see her about doing commentary for Aurora's newest match, and she had to admit, she was intrigued as to why, because Matt hadn't talked about this since his breakup with Amy awhile back.

"I want to be at ringside, can you arrange it, so I can sit with Tazz and Cole?"

"Of course I can, but why would you want to scout Aurora and Brian Kendrick? You want to face Brian again or something?"

"I want to scout out Aurora actually ma'am."

Stephanie laughed. It never ceased to amaze her how polite Matt could be when he wanted something bad enough and apparently he wanted this girl, in what seemed like a match.

"Okay well you go out there and do your thing, and we'll leave it at that, just cause trouble for her yet, we haven't placed her with the right person to develop her character. Maybe, if you play your cards right it could be you. Now go have fun out there, and remember let her do this on her own. No ad lib's."

"Thanks a lot Stephanie, you won't regret this. I promise I won't cause any issues at ringside, except shedding a little mattitude down for my fans." With a quick laugh he left her office and walked down the hall towards his locker room. Maybe he couldn't be nice to her in person, but maybe being down at ringside commentating would make her see he was trying to reach out.

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

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

"And your winner for this match, Aurora Rivers!!!" Aurora was totally spent from the match but she couldn't help feeling excited as the announcer called her name as the winner. She had been called as the winner before in the past, but it never felt quite as good as it did in a WWE ring. She had to freeze-frame this moment in her mind, just to remember it.

Aurora took one last look out at the crowd and then she locked eyes with him. He was sitting there at ringside with a huge grin on his face, and just the sight of it brought up so many different feelings. She really felt sick to her stomach, but at the same time happy because he was there to see her victory. Stepping out of the ring and walking up the ramp, she felt him come up behind her and swing her around. She almost forgot she was on national television.

Looking up into his eyes, she saw him smile and then before she could open her mouth to speak, he placed his lips on hers and kissed her deeply. A little taken aback, she didn't do much of anything at first, but then within seconds, she felt herself being taken away to somewhere not in the arena, where it was just her and Matt again and all the past garbage seemed to fade from her mind.

Breaking off the kiss, she grinned from ear to ear, and Matt grabbed her hand and they walked hand in hand to the backstage area. Once the entered the curtain, her smile turned grim and she spun him around to face her, pure fire raging in her eyes.

"Just what the hell do you think that was you did out there?"

"I thought I kissed you, but was I someplace different then you?" Matt asked with a grin.

"No, I know what you did damn you, I'm just wondering why in the hell you did it. The last time we spoke, you seemed to consider me a whore."

"I don't consider you a whore Aurora. I was just hurt, and decided that making you seem like a tramp was the best thing for everyone, including myself."

"And that perception has changed overnight?"

"Yeah it has, and if you give me a chance to make it up to you, I won't make you regret it again. So what do you say?"

Thinking on this for a moment, Aurora was tempted to say that everything could go back to the way it was. As she was about to open her mouth to repeat her thoughts, the wrong ones entirely came out.

"You know what Matt? I came to you and told you how I felt, and why I did what I did. You decided it was all right to throw it in my face, and that's so not cool. So you know what? I don't think at this time I can give you the chance that you need. So maybe now, you can see what it feels like to be ignored by someone you might potentially care for."

Walking away without a second glance, when she got out of earshot she sighed. That had to be one of the toughest things she'd ever had to do. She went against her heart on this one, but she knew it was the right thing. Last week Matt had called her some of the most hurtful things of her life, and she couldn't just forget that. Sure, she'd tried to use Brock to make her feelings for Matt go away, and it was wrong, but Brock understood and didn't give her any issues, if anything they were better friends because of it. What Matt did was personally degrading.

'Yes I did the right thing with him. He doesn't realize what he lost.' She thought as she made her way to the women's locker room to unwind.

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

"You told him no? Just like that?" Beth screamed into the phone, causing Aurora to move the phone away from her ears and laugh.

"Yeah I did, and I don't think I did the wrong thing do you?"

"Of course not, but you do realize he's not going to like being put in his place right? I just hope you do understand that he's not going to give up and that kiss on national television might just be the beginning. Matt hates to lose, and with you he did girl."

"Well I tell him to bring it on. He wants to see how much I will take before I give in? Well he's got his chance. So is that good looking boyfriend of yours home or am I stuck on my own again tonight?"

"He's home and he wants to hang out with you, but he's got to console Matt." Aurora could hear Jeff and Shannon in the background laughing and Beth couldn't help but join in. She was glad that someone found her personal misfortune funny. This was the furthest thing from a joke that Aurora had ever seen.

"Is he really that beat up over me saying no to him?"

"I wouldn't know. He's not here, and he was supposed to fly in over two hours ago. I guess I will have to tell you when I find out myself. Personally I think Jeff and Shannon aren't going to help him at all, because they can't stop ribbing on this right now, so Matt won't get much support from them."

"Well tell them I said it's not that funny okay? I better get out of here and find something to do before I go mental. Send my love to the guys Beth."

Hanging up the phone, she pulled out her journal and decided to take a read over what she had been writing the last couple of days. She knew with the Matt situation still very fresh, she was a jumble of emotions, and hopefully reading this would make things a little clearer. *************

Journal Entry 123-May 23, 2003

It's been a week since he told me he didn't want to talk to me anymore and to forget he existed. Have I done it? Of course not, that would take to much energy that I don't have right now. I'm trying to really focus on my career and to do this the right way, and I don't need a relationship to screw it up, but I cant sit here and pretend it doesn't hurt me. I miss him, the sparing, and the laughter, and the weirdness. All of it made my life a little better, and now that I don't have it, something is missing. Will it ever be found? I doubt it. I really screwed up this time. He just makes me so crazy my brain goes south. I just wish he knew that.

~~Aurora~~

***********

Closing the journal, she looked up as she saw her porch light come on. It usually came on by itself at around ten at night, but when someone was out there it tended to automatically light up, like a signal for her to answer the door before the knock. Wondering who would be coming by her house right now, and thinking of no one, she jumped up and looked out the window. Not seeing anyone, she went to sit back down in the chair when the doorbell rang.

Opening the door a crack, she saw Matt standing on her doorstep holding flowers. Smiling slightly, she opened the door and let him in. It was obvious he had something on his mind and he wasn't giving up, just as Beth had predicted.

"What can I do for you Matt?"

"You can actually just take these and put them in some water. I don't think they did well on the car ride from the airport."

Taking the flowers she went into the kitchen to put them in her vase. Matt followed suit and they were soon in her kitchen alone. She turned around to speak to him and came chest to chest with him. Looking up she sighed.

"So what is this all about Matt? I thought I made myself perfectly clear on where I stand with you."

"I don't think you did, because what you did tell me I don't believe. So I'm just here to tell you that I don't give up easily, and that kiss was just the beginning. I can make your life hell on Smack down Aurora, are you sure you can handle that?"

"You're going to make my life hell? You've already done that Matt so there really is nothing left to talk about. Thank you for the flowers, but I think its time that you left now."

"I can't do that Aurora."

"Why the hell not?"

"Because you don't want me too."

Laughing sarcastically, Aurora looked up at him and smirked.

"I just told you to get out, but if you want me to do the same thing as what you did, I will say this only once. Get the hell out and forget you ever knew me. I don't need you Matt Hardy, I don't need anybody."

"That's where you're wrong princess, you do need me. The only thing you need to figure out now, is that you have me."

Pulling her close to him, he bent in and kissed her lips hard and deep, just wanting to taste her again after the kiss they'd shared the night before on Smack down. He felt the fireworks and was almost sure she had too, and pulling away, he looked at her face, and her sweat beaded forehead, and with one small kiss to her forehead, turned on his heel and walked out, leaving her there to pick up the pieces of another mistake.

***********