"Jeffie?"

"Fuck off."

"Jeffie, baby?"

"Fuck off Chris. Just leave me alone."

Chris knelt by the side of the bed, staring up at the young wrestler. Jeff had been quiet and melancholy for weeks now; it had been getting progressively worse and Chris could do nothing. Jeff wouldn't talk about it. He just pushed Chris Jericho away from him, emotionally and physically, no matter what he did.

Defeated, Chris rested his head on the bed, not knowing what he'd done wrong. All he wanted to do was hold Jeff, but the younger man was so unresponsive it would have been pointless.

Jeff sighed, he hated treating Chris like this. He had no choice in the matter. It would be for the best in the end. Chris needed, deserved better, Jeff knew he did, he knew that he was holding his lover back. He knew that Chris would never be allowed to be champion until Jeff was out of his life. And he loved Chris too much to ruin his career. So he had no choice. He had to make Chris leave him, it was for his own good.

Jeff turned away, to hide the tears that he knew were coming. He hated hurting Chris. This was the worst thing he'd ever done. And it scared Jeff; it scared him that someone would, that someone could manipulate a person's life in such a cold fashion, with no concern for their feelings. But that was what Hunter was doing to Jeff. He'd demanded that Jeff should finish with Chris, threatening the Canadian's career should Jeff not comply. And Jeff couldn't tell Chris that they were over. He couldn't look him in the eye and tell him that he didn't love him. It would all come out and Chris' career would be ruined forever.

Chris stood up and walked away, devastated. Obviously Jeff didn't want him anymore. Much as he loved the young man, if he didn't want him, there was nothing Chris could do.

Jeff heard the footsteps grow more distant and once the door slammed shut he broke down, sobbing. That was it. He'd done it. Chris had finally gone, and Hunter had got his wish. And Jeff felt worse than he ever had done in his life.

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

Hunter listened to the crying from the room next door to him and smiled in satisfaction. Chris Jericho was obviously absolutely devastated to lose the young Jeff, and Hunter was delighted that Jeff was now free. Free of such confines as a loving relationship at least. Checking himself in the mirror, he grinned and made his way to the hotel room occupied by the younger Hardy. Briskly he knocked on the door.

"Jeff, open up, I want to talk to you."

Slowly the door opened and Jeff looked up at him, his face blotchy where he'd been crying.

"Fuck off Hunter." He went to slam the door but the older man stopped him.

"Well done Jeff. You did as I said." His voice was calm and cold. "You're a single man again."

"And I'm staying that way. I hope you're happy." Jeff stared at him, eyes wide and bitterness reflected in them.

"Why do you think I forced you to do that Jeff? I want you and you will be mine. Now go and sit down on the bed." He pushed his way into the room and slammed the door behind him.

Defiant, Jeff stood his ground. "I split up with Chris because I had no choice. I did it for him. Now I have nothing left to lose, so just fuck off."

He was rewarded with a stinging slap to the face, which sent him flying to the floor.

"You will do as I say Jeff. I can ruin your career, and I can certainly ruin Chris'. If you love him, remember that." Hunter smiled. "I'll come and see you tomorrow. Hopefully you'll be more receptive to what I have planned." He left the room, leaving Jeff sobbing on the floor, the nightmare far from over.

Slowly the young man stood up and walked over to the mirror. He studied his face sadly; there was a bruise beginning to form, and blood was trickling down his cheek where the ring Hunter was wearing had cut him. How would he explain this to the others?

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

Chris looked around the locker room for Jeff. Even though they'd split up, he was still concerned for his welfare. He still loved him after all.

Jeff kept his head down when he came into the room. He didn't want anyone to see the bruise yet, not until he'd thought of a reason for it that would allay suspicion. He felt Chris' eyes on him and turned away. He couldn't handle it, not now.

The room emptied quickly, until Chris and Jeff were the only ones left. Tentatively Chris walked over to the younger wrestler.

"Jeff?" He said softly.

Involuntarily Jeff looked up, then flinched as he saw the pain on Chris' face.

"Baby, what happened to you?" Chris asked, his own pain momentarily forgotten.

"Nothing."

"Jeff I know you." Chris knelt down beside him, to look into his eyes. "You're lying to me. Tell me what happened. Tell me who hurt you."

"I can't." Jeff looked away. He couldn't look at Chris and see the pain on his face and know that he'd caused it. "Chris, leave me alone."

"I love you baby." Gently Chris touched the younger man's face. "I love you and I'm not giving up. I know you love me too."

"But I can't be with you." Jeff's eyes were wide and scared. "Chris, it's better for you I promise. You don't want to be with me."

"Why on earth do you think that?"

"I know it. I need to be alone Chris, I have to go." Jeff ran off, leaving Chris confused and alone. But now he was convinced that Jeff still loved him, so he couldn't give up on him.

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

Jeff didn't know how he got through the day, but he managed and got back to his hotel room and collapsed on the bed, emotionally exhausted.

He cursed when he heard a knock on the door. All he wanted was to be alone, but the knocking was insistent so he opened the door, then passively walked back to the bed as Hunter pushed his way into the room. Silently, Jeff sat down, and stared up at the wrestler, waiting for him to speak.

"I saw you talking to Chris. You two are over, you're mine now. You do not go near him, understand?"

Jeff stared at him, unsure of what to say. Hunter was crazy if he thought he could control someone like that.

"Do... You... Understand?" Hunter's voice was cold, eerily calm and controlled.

"Leave me alone Hunter. What do you want with me? You've ruined my life, I'm nothing now, what the hell would you want with that?" Jeff was scared of what Hunter might say.

"I want to fuck you. Nothing more. You'll be mine to fuck when I choose."

Those words sent a chill through Jeff's heart, and he backed away from the blond. "No way. Fuck off Hunter, I mean it, I'm not interested in you and there's no way you are touching me." The tremor in his voice took away the force of the words, and Hunter seemed to just laugh as he easily threw Jeff against the wall.

"I will have you. Don't fuck with me Jeff, because I can and will break you." He punched Jeff in the face, then in the stomach, then let go of him. Jeff fell to the floor in agony, clutching his stomach as Hunter kicked him a few more times. Eventually he stopped and knelt down beside the younger man, whispering "I will have you" in his ear before leaving Jeff alone.

Jeff lay on the floor, sobbing in agony. When he'd lost Chris he thought that the pain couldn't get any worse. Now he knew he was wrong and wished that Chris could be there to tell him everything was going to be OK.

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

Chris lay in his hotel room debating with himself. Should he go see Jeff? Should he let it be? His heart was telling him one thing and his head another. Jeff had told him to leave, and so many times had been almost cold towards Chris, but there was something in the back of Chris' mind that was telling him that Jeff didn't mean it, that Jeff needed help. Chris knew he sounded self-centered, but he truly believed that Jeff loved him.

As always, his heart won. He made his way to Jeff's room; tentative, nervous, scared with every step that Jeff would reject him again. He didn't know what to do or say, but somehow it didn't matter. He needed to know. He needed to know what was hurting Jeff.

As he knocked on the hotel room door it swung open. Concerned, he stepped in, to see the usual Jeff mess. But the usual Jeff mess didn't normally include a bruised and beaten Jeff lying on the floor amongst the dirty clothes.

"Baby." Chris ran over to him and knelt beside his battered body, helping him to sit up and pulling him against his chest when he started to cry.

"Chris? oh god." Jeff sobbed into his chest. "Help me I'm so scared."

"It's OK baby, I'm here now. There's nothing to be scared of." Chris uttered the soothing words without really knowing what they meant. All he wanted to do was comfort Jeff, to make him feel better.

Jeff realized where he was and scrambled away from Chris, as far away as he could. "I can't be with you Chris. Please leave. He'll hurt me if he sees me with you. He'll hurt you."

"Who?" Chris moved closer to Jeff, kneeling with him but not touching him, knowing that would probably scare him. "Jeff, who wants to hurt you?"

"I'm scared Chris. I love you but he won't let us be together and he says he'll ruin your career and I can't let him do that I love you too much." Jeff hardly paused for breath before breaking into heartfelt sobbing again.

"Shhh, Jeffie." This time when Chris put his arms around him Jeff didn't pull away. "You are more important to me than anything. You are the only thing that matters to me. More than my career, more than anything. Never forget that."

"But... But..." Jeff choked on his sobs.

"No buts. Now calm yourself baby. I'm here, and I will protect you. It's OK." Chris rubbed his back tenderly. "Shhh Jeffie. Look at me, yeah?"

Jeff looked up slowly, revealing a bruised and tearstained face.

Chris looked into his green eyes and his heart broke. "Oh Jeffie. Who did this to you?" Jeff shook his head, so Chris pressed the issue. "Tell me Jeff. I promise I won't do anything, I just want to know who's hurting you."

"It's Hunter." Jeff sniffed. "He says he wants me."

"Oh Jeffie." Chris knew well what Hunter was like. He was notorious for fucking with relationships just for the hell of it, and liked to take his pick of the younger wrestlers. If it wasn't one of them, it would be another.

"Why Chris? Why is he doing this?" Jeff snuggled up close to him. "He said if I didn't finish with you he'd ruin your career. I couldn't let him do that, cos I know you want to be champion, so I did as he said, but I hated myself for hurting you. I'm so sorry Chris I love you so much I never meant for you to hurt." Jeff started sobbing into Chris' chest again.

"It doesn't matter. All that matters is you. Jesus." Chris kissed Jeff's forehead softly. "Look at what he's done to you."

"I don't care."

"I do." Chris ran his finger lightly over a bruise. "No one should do this to you and get away with it. You don't deserve this."

"He said he wanted me. He said he wanted to fuck me. I was so scared. You're the only one I want. You've always been the only one. If… if I couldn't be with you I'd rather be alone… I told him that and that's why he hit me. I… he can beat me all he wants but I won't fuck him, I won't." Jeff sniffed sadly, resting his head on Chris' shoulder.

Chris sighed. "Jeffie, this is just Hunter's way. He hates seeing people happy, and he likes the younger boys in the company. He puts that together to make people miserable. I'm not gonna let that happen to you. I love you so much and I am not gonna let him ruin that. Baby we have to go to Vince, we have to tell him what Hunter's done. We have to stop him hurting people."

"He won't believe me. Hunter's a big star. I'm just me."

"Come on Jeffie. Look at what he's done to you. Vince will believe you." Chris traced Jeff's face gently with one finger, forcing Jeff to realise what had happened to him.

"OK." Slowly, Jeff stood up, grimacing as his bruised ribs ached in agony. Chris helped him to stand then gently lifted his T-shirt to see more bruises forming.

"Oh baby I'm sorry. I'm so sorry I wasn't here to protect you."

"It doesn't matter. Let's go talk to Vince now, while I still have the confidence to do it." Jeff closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "He did ask me about the bruise on my face earlier. I told him it was an accident and he said if I wanted to talk about it he would be around, he said… room 206."

Chris held out his hand. "Come one then, I'm here for you baby."

Gingerly Jeff walked to Vince's room and knocked on the door. Vince opened it, smiling, then frowned when he saw the state that Jeff was in.

"Jeff, are you going to tell me what happened?"

Jeff nodded sadly, squeezing Chris' hand for reassurance. "I can't handle it anymore."

"You'd best come in."

Jeff sat down on the couch with Chris next to him. Vince sat opposite, noting how much Jeff's hands were shaking.

"Who was it Jeff?" Vince's voice was kind, relaxing the younger man a little.

"Hunter." Jeff watched Vince's reaction, and was surprised to see that his boss was not shocked at all. Tentatively he continued. "He told me I had to finish with Chris or he would ruin Chris' career, so I did as he said. Then he said he wanted me and I said no, so he beat me."

Vince nodded thoughtfully. "I suspected as much. I've heard rumours about Hunter's conduct, but no one has ever had the guts to tell me. Thank you Jeff. I'll make sure Hunter gets what's coming to him."

"I'm not in trouble?" Jeff asked innocently. "Hunter's your big star. I don't want to cause trouble."

"Hunter's a big star as long as I let him be." Vince replied calmly. "I have to take care of everyone Jeff, especially you younger wrestlers. You are the future of the company after all."

Jeff stood up and made to leave. Chris followed, but Vince stopped him to whisper in his ear. "Look after Jeff. He's taken this to heart and it's really scared him."

Chris nodded and followed Jeff out of the room.

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

Jeff lay on the bed, his arms wrapped around himself and shivering with cold and melancholy. Chris sat by his side, unsure of what to do. Jeff's eyes were closed and he was whimpering, sounds that gradually became muffled sobs, then choking, heart-wrenching sobbing. Chris didn't know what to do, he watched Jeff fall apart and was terrified.

"Baby what can I do?" he asked despairingly. "I'll do anything to take the hurt away."

"I'm scared Chris. I'm so scared." Jeff sobbed brokenly. "Hold me please."

Chris did as he was asked, laying down next to the young man and wrapping his arms around him. He felt the sobs that wracked Jeff's body and it broke his heart. He rocked him gently, kissing the tears away as fast as they came. Jeff held on to him tightly and tried to calm himself. He didn't want to scare Chris away by being so weak.

In a soft, melodic voice Chris began to speak, intent on calming Jeff, reassuring him. "Jeff baby, you have nothing to be scared of. Hunter can't hurt you now, Vince'll make sure of it. And anything else that scares you, I'll protect you from it. I won't let anyone else hurt you ever again. I'm here for you baby. I'm here to protect you, to love you and care for you. I promise you baby, you're safe and you'll never be alone."

Jeff listened to Chris and his heart grew. He felt so much safer, so much happier. Wiping his eyes, he looked up at Chris and smiled a little. "I'm sorry for hurting you," he whispered. "I never wanted to. I was only doing what I thought was best for you. You should never have to give up your career, especially for someone like me."

"You are the only person I would give up my career for." Chris replied, smiling gently. "I love you more than anything."

"I love you too."

"And I want you to promise me something." Jeff looked at Chris expectantly. "I want you to promise me that if anyone, or anything, is bothering you, you'll tell me and we'll work together to try and make it better for you."

"I will. I promise Chris." Jeff angled his face for a kiss, which Chris eagerly provided. "I… I know I'm not… I have issues I need to work through… I'm not perfect."

"No one is, baby." Chris kissed his eyes shut then squeezed him as tightly as Jeff's injuries would allow. "But if they have someone who loves them, then there is nothing they can't do."

The End