Gently she pulled his head down to whisper into his ear, "I love YOU Matthew."

Straightening he looked at her with that goofy lopsided grin on his face that she found so endearing. Resting on his legs but still inside her from their last encounter, Matt gasped then moaned as she tightened her muscles around him while lifting her hips. "Please," he breathed wanting something he was afraid to ask for. Needing something more than the sexual encounters they had been sharing. This woman… his only remaining bond to the brother he once loved so dear… this woman his part time muse and other time nemesis… this woman his full time siren.

More alluring than the goddess Aphrodite she lured him in wrapping her claws into him. Claiming his mind and heart and soul until there was nothing left of him that she couldn't call her own. Then though with a single cry from a man old enough to be an adult yet immature enough to act as helpless as a newborn babe, she'd run from him without so much as a backward glance leaving him alone in his despair.

Just when he thought he could move on, just when he thought that he could breath again without her whispered urgings, she'd breeze back into his life begging his forgiveness claiming she never wanted to leave him if he'd only… Only what he didn't know because she never told him. Always she'd let her words fall off there leaving him hanging on some edge of insanity ready to pull his hair out in a fit of madness if he didn't find out what it would take to possess her completely.

Leaning down quickly he claimed her lips in a biting kiss, his mind and soul torn with need to be her only one thinking, needing, wanting for her to be only his. Like a broken record she cried over and over that there was no other, that the other was just a friend, that he was like some lost child that tugged at her heart and like some childless mother she was hopeless not to run to him. What about him? What about what he wanted, needed, ached for? Her fingernails biting into his back brought him some tiny sense of reality and furiously he began pounding into her again as if he could push the other from her heart.

With a roar he cried his release shouting his angst for all the world to hear angry that she would never, he was sure, be his and his alone. Her chest heaving she looked up at him with a tiny bit of blood dotting her bottom lip. Her eyes held something that he couldn't quite interpret, but knew without having to ask that the other knew what it was. Most likely he had gotten the answer straight from her lips and that knowledge was like a knife to the heart. That she would confide such a thing in HIM and not the one she labeled as HER Matthew was like the worst betrayal. But whatever could he do about it?

Without a word he got up then watched as she did the same while she studied him carefully… like some specimen in a science experiment gone bad. She stood there as her breathing calmed studying him then without a word put on her clothes and turned to leave. "Where are you going?" Matt asked and pausing she turned her head to half look over he left shoulder. "To Jeff," she said simply and like the straw that broke the camel's back he screamed enraged. Picking up a vase he threw it almost hitting her in the head then let a copy of his book fly it also coming close to hitting her. But like a statue she stood there unmoving but at the same time he sensed no fear in her with made him all the more angry. "Are you done, Matthew?" she asked quietly only to get another book thrown at her this one hitting her in the shoulder.

With a tiny squeal she was knocked forward but caught herself on a nearby wall preventing herself from falling. His mouth working like a fish out of water Matt stood watching as she waited another few moments before calmly walking out the front door. Throwing back his head he cried the primal cry of a warrior before battle then proceeded to try his best to tear his home down with his bare hands.

A few miles away his car was pulling into a long drive and a young woman got out cradling her left arm with the other. Her foot hadn't even touched the bottom stair to the front porch before the door flew open and a man a few years younger than her rushed out. "Angelique, what happened?" He asked helping her inside. "I hurt my shoulder is all," she said quietly. "Now my arm is numb." Jeff nodded helping her out of her top then studied the back of her shoulder frowning. "What happened? It looks like something hit you."

Angelique nodded sighing. "A copy of a book felt damn big. Is it bad?" Jeff just shrugged probing at the wound wincing when she winced. "Who threw it at you?" He asked frowning when she just sighed. "Don't matter. Is it bad?" She asked again only to hear a grown from her friend's lips. "I'm gonna fuckin' kill him." Slightly she shook her head before pleading. "If you love me, if our friendship means anything you'll let it be." Jeff just growled then turned to get his car keys. "Come on I gotta take you to the hospital."

Many hours later Shane and Shannon knocked on Matt's front door and when no one answered let themselves in. "Jesus fuckin' Christ," Shane swore and panicked Shannon took off running through the house screaming Matt's name. The house looked like a cyclone hit it. The walls had holes in them. Anything breakable was broken and anything not breakable was toppled over. Quickly Shane followed Shannon finally ending up in the bedroom. The room stank of booze and running his eyes around the darkened interior he found Shannon knelt in a corner with Matt who was rocking as if in shock.

"Matty please tell me who did this to you? Was it Jeff?" Shannon pleaded, but Matty only laughed almost insanely. Throwing his head back he laughed until his tears turned to tears and ended up bawling in his younger friend's arms. Gritting his teeth Shane turned and stormed to the hall phone finding it under a lamp and some books. Quickly he dialed Jeff's number ready to kick his ass and call him every name in the book.

Back in Matt's bedroom, Shannon was trying to calm Matt down still but all he could get his friend to say was Angelique's name which he cried over and over. Angry Shannon growled and cursed Jeff's very existence. "He's fucking gone TOO FAR! I ain't fuckin' letting him get away with it this time!" This though only brought back the hysterical laughs and confused Shannon stood and stared while Matty laughed himself back into tears.

When a hand touched his shoulder, Shannon jumped and turned to see Shane looking at Matt shocked. "What pathetic excuse did Jeff give THIS TIME?" Shannon spat, but Shane only shook his head. "Wasn't Jeff that did this. I talked to Angelique. She just got back from the hospital. Matt threw a book at her and hit her in the shoulder. So she ran to Jeff like always and he took her to the hospital. Doctor said she just had a stinger, but… Jeff hasn't been here Shann. He didn't do all this Matt did."

On the floor Matty tried to talk through his giggling. "Sh… she always says Jeffy isn't as evil as he acts. Sh… she says he just does it because that is what people expect. It's what gives him attention. She… she… she says that Jeffy doesn't commit all the evils in the world. And look! She was right! I did this." Matt's laughs cease and the tears come again. "I hurt her. I hurt my baby, my Angel, my life. I hurt her. I hurt her. I hurt her."

Shannon shook his head confused. "Matty but WHY? You love her why would you do that?" "Matt finally calmed and looked up at his friend with big sad brown eyes. "I can't share her anymore. I can't wait any longer for her 'I love you's' to be real. I can't… I can't live like this any longer."

Shane scowled and shook his head looking down at his sometimes dense friend. "You are a fool Matt Hardy. She loves only you. She and Jeff are nothing more than friends. If you'd give her what she wanted she wouldn't run to Jeff every time you turn around because she wouldn't have a reason to." Matt stood frustrated again and angry. "SHE WON'T TELL ME WHAT SHE WANTS!" Matt screamed and it was Shannon who answers. "She only wants you to say I love you."

"An you call me braindead," they heard from the door and turning there was Jeff with Angelique. Matt stood his eyes wide with hope, but Angelique just looked at him sadly. "I'm tired of waiting," she whispered. "You want me to say my 'I love you's', but you never return the sentiment and I'm left to guess at your feelings. I'm tired Matthew. Now you abuse me. Throw things at me and injure me. I am no one's door mat."

Matt stood watching her frozen in his indecision. Patiently she waited until it was she that could be patient no more. Turning she left the room with Jeff trailing after her. It wasn't until Matt heard the front door shut that he was set into motion. Running down the steps and through the hallways he yanked open the front door and ran down the porch to see Jeff's car driving away.

"I LOVE YOU! COME BACK PLEASE ANGELIQUE!! I LOVE YOU!" But the car just continued to drive away leaving Matthew all alone in his driveway with only his tears for comfort. He had given her what she wanted a little too late. So now he had to pay the price of loneliness until he could figure out how to bring his Angel back to him.

The End

Read the Sequel Cure for the common Heartache