Matt raced through an intersection, cursing as the other drivers blew their horns at him. He didn't care if he pissed anyone off; all he cared about was stopping Jeff from making the biggest mistake of his life. He sighed as the traffic light ahead turned red, he was never going to get there on time. He picked up the large manila envelope, which was on the passenger's seat. The contents had already changed his life and would change at least two others forever. As the light changed, he put his foot on the accelerator and sped down the road. He had to get there soon he just had to.

~*~

"I can't do this anymore."

"What?" Matt whispered.

"I'm sorry." Jeff replied quietly.

"Baby, what's wrong?" Matt asked softly as he cupped Jeff's cheek.

Jeff closed his eyes as he pressed his face into his lover's palm and sighed. "We have to stop doing this."

"Doing what?" Matt asked. "Loving each other?"

"Yes…no." Jeff replied as he pulled away and slid off the bed. "I need...want more than just a few fucks during the week, secret hand holding, and stolen kisses, Matt."

"Tell me what to do and I'll do it."

"That's just it Matt." Jeff said. "You can't fix this. I didn't fall off my bike and scrape my knee. I need to love and be loved by someone who's not my brother. I want to get married, be it to a man, and I want to one day hopefully be able to adopt kids. You can't give me that."

"Jeff, I…"

"Let me go, Matt." Jeff whispered. "If you love me, let me go."

~*~

"I won't let you go again, Jeff." Matt whispered. "Never again."

After months of trying to forget about Matt, Jeff finally decided that it was time to start dating again. One night after Smackdown, Chris asked if he wanted to go to Denny's with him. At first, Jeff was hesitant but then rapidly accepted the invitation. They talked and talked and talked some more that night. It was a night that changed everything. Jeff was never one to fall in love right away but with Chris, it was different. Chris made him feel things he thought he could and would only feel with Matt but he was wrong. Jeff's relationship with Chris blossomed over nine months and soon the two were inseparable. Then one night, much to Jeff's surprise, Chris popped the question. The memory of Chris' proposal was still fresh in Jeff's mind.

~*~

"Kid?"

"Hmm?" Jeff murmured, he loved when Chris called him that.

"You know I love you, right?" Chris whispered as he stroked Jeff's multi-colored hair.

"Hmm-mmm." Jeff smiled. "I love you, too."

"Do you?" Chris smiled.

"Of course I do." Jeff drawled. "You've made me so happy these past nine months."

"I feel the same way." Chris whispered. "Sit up."

"Why?"

"Just trust me."

Jeff complied with his lover's wish and sat up in bed.

Chris smiled as he reached over to the nightstand drawer for something then sat up also. He looked at his lover for a long moment, just taking in the sight of him. A sheen of sweat was covering Jeff's body as a result of their lovemaking that night. His hair was disheveled. His green eyes were shining with a perfect mixture of love, lust, and anticipation. It was in that moment that he knew he was doing the right thing. "Kid, there's so much I want to say to you and I have no clue where to start." He whispered. "No, that's not entirely true. Kid, I love you. You mean everything to me and I was wondering if you would marry me?"

Jeff looked at Chris with wide green eyes. "Wha..¦what?"

"Will you marry me?" Chris repeated softly as he opened the small box that he was holding. Perched inside was a silver Celtic ring.

"Yes." Jeff whispered. "Yes Chris, I'll marry you."

~*~

Jeff checked his reflection in the mirror for what seemed like the hundredth time. He was dressed in a cream colored tux and his blonde hair pulled back in a loose ponytail. He sighed, something was off, he could feel it. He quickly brushed the feeling off as nerves; after all it was his wedding day. Why should he be nervous? He was about to marry the man of his dreams, wasn't he?

"Hey Kid, you ready?" Chris asked through the closed bedroom door. "The preacher's waiting."

"Yeah, I'm ready." Jeff replied. "As ready as I'll ever be." He whispered.

Matt felt his heartbeat quicken as he got closer to the house. He rehearsed what he was going to say a million times but he knew that wouldn't prepare him for Jeff's reaction. He also knew what he was about to do could cost him Jeff forever but it was a risk he had to take.

"If anyone knows of a reason why this couple should not be joined together, let them speak now or..."

"Me." Matt said as he burst in. "I know a reason why they can't get married."

The small group of guests gasped and murmured.

"Matt, what are you doing here?" Jeff hissed.

"I'm here to stop you from making a mistake." Matt replied.

Chris sighed and rolled his eyes. "I think you should leave, Matt."

"Not until I talk to Jeff." Matt said. "Alone."

Chris looked at Jeff.

"It's ok." Jeff replied softly. "I won't be long."

"You sure?" Chris asked.

Jeff nodded. "C'mon Matt, let's go in the backyard."

Matt silently followed Jeff outside, clutching the manila envelope.

"Alright." Jeff said shoving his hands in his pockets. "What could possibly be so important that you had to interrupt my wedding?"

"Do you still love me?"

"Oh Christ, Matt." Jeff cursed. "You made a scene to ask me if I still love you?"

"Just answer me!" Matt demanded.

"Yes!" Jeff exclaimed. "Yes, I still love you, damn it. Are you fucking happy now?"

"Yes, I am." Matt whispered. "Jeff, there's something I need to tell you."

"What?"

"Jeff, we're not...we're..."

"What?" Jeff asked. "For Christ's sakes, just say it!"

"We're not brothers!"

Jeff felt the blood leave his face. "That's a lie." He whispered quietly.

"No, it's not." Matt replied softly. "The papers in this envelope explain everything."

"I don't care what some fucking papers say!" Jeff exclaimed as tears welled in his eyes. "You're my brother."

"No, I'm not." Matt whispered. "Momma thought she couldn't have kids so she adopted me then three years later, you were born. Don't you see, Jeff? We can be together. I can give you all those things you thought I couldn't if you give me a chance."

"No, don't you see?" Jeff cried softly. "You just ruined the most important day of my life by telling me that you're not my brother!"

"I only told you because I wanted to know that there is nothing stopping us from being together."

"Yes, there is." Jeff replied. "Me."

Six months, 180 days, 672 hours, 241,920 minutes, 14,515,200 seconds, that was the amount of time in which Jeff had not seen Matt. After telling Chris he couldn't marry him, Jeff decided that he needed time away from everyone and everything. He had to learn how to deal with the fact that Matt was not his biological brother and that they both had been lied to. He decided to opt out of his contract and move back to North Carolina. He spent his days writing in his journal and his nights playing his guitar but there was now a permanent emptiness inside him. He never realized just how important wrestling and Matt were in his life. Shane kept Jeff up to date on all the goings on since he didn't watch any matches or read any magazines. Matt and Amy were doing great and that made Jeff proud but it also made him miss Matt even more. He knew Matt was going to be in town that weekend and decided that it was time the two came face to face again.

"Matthew?"

"Yes dad?" Matt asked as he looked up from the newspaper he was reading.

"I have to run some errands today so I won't be back until 10 or 11 tonight." Gilbert said. "You can fend for yourself, can't ya son?"

"Yes dad, I can." Matt smiled softly. "Don't you worry."

"That's my boy." Gilbert drawled as he stood up. "Have a good day."

"You too, dad." Matt smiled and watched as his father left. He stood up and stretched before taking the dirty dishes to the sink. He laughed when he heard a set of keys jingling. "What did you forget dad?"

"Nothing."

Matt felt a thousand sensations and emotions coarse through his body at the sound of the sweet, familiar voice. He slowly turned around and saw those striking green eyes looking at him. "Jeff."

"Hi."

"Hi." Matt replied. "Um, you just missed dad."

"Yeah, I know." Jeff said. "I waited until he was gone. I'm here to see you."

Matt just nodded numbly, afraid of what Jeff had to say. "Want some coffee?"

Jeff shook his head and straddled a chair. "I'm not sure how to say this so just hear me out, ok?"

"Ok." Matt said as he sat next to Jeff.

"You were right on my wedding day when you said I still love you." Jeff whispered. "I do still love you. It was just so hard to hear you tell me that we had been lied to all our lives."

"I had to tell you." Matt whispered.

"I know." Jeff whispered. "I'm glad you did. Matt, I've done a lot of thinking over the past six months and I've made a decision."

"What have you decided?"

"That I can't live without you anymore, Matt." Jeff breathed. "I love you and if you still want me, I'm yours."

"Of course I still want you." Matt whispered. "I haven't stopped loving you, Jeff."

Jeff smiled as he leaned over and gave Matt a soft kiss.

"What do you say we go to my room and make up for lost time?"

"I say the last one there is a dirty jock strap." Jeff laughed as he stood up and ran towards Matt's room.

"I'm gonna get you for that!" Matt laughed and chased after Jeff. Finally things were the way they were meant to be.



The End