Author: Katie
E-mail: [email protected]
Disclaimer: I don't own 'em & I'm not claiming that this happened, only in my mind.
Distribution: Only at Castles in the Sky http://members.tripod.com/katemarie_1
Rating: NC-17
Summary: Chuck screws up� Can he make it up to Shane? Or will outside forces get in their way?
Note: Huge thanks to AJ for convincing me this was done� and for betaing this crazy thing :)
Chuck looks at his young ex-lover dancing on the dance floor with his friends and sighs. He turns to his best friend and shrugs. "I don't get it Sean. What the hell did I do wrong? Why won't Shane speak to me anymore?"
Sean raises an eyebrow at the older man. "You really don't know do you?"
"No. One minute everything is fine and the next Shane is telling me to fuck off and that he no longer wants to speak to me. You're with one of his best friends. So what does Shannon say?"
"Shannon is staying out of it because he and I are together so I am going to do the same. But ask Hardy. He'll know."
"Which one? The rainbow haired freak or the other one?"
"Jeff. He and Shane have gotten� Close."
Chuck grinds his teeth in an effort not to lash out at his best friend. "You mean to tell me that Jeff Hardy has moved in on my lover?"
"He's not yours Chuck. You fucked up and that's all I am allowed to say. Ask Jeff what you did wrong. Because as good of friends as Jeff and Shane are, Jeff is trying to hook up with Rhyno. So you may, I repeat MAY be able to win Shane back. But don't bet on it." Sean gets to his feet and walks over to the table where the younger men have just sat down.
Chuck frowns as he watches Shane laugh and joke with his best friends. His frown deepens as he glares at Matt Hardy who in his opinion is way too close to Shane to be thinking just friendly thoughts. He is startled out of his thoughts by someone sitting next to him.
Shane is watching his ex out of the corner of his eye while he laughs at something Matt had just said. He hears Jeff giggle and smiles until someone slaps him on the arm. "You know Shane. I could just go talk to him about all of this?"
"No you can't Jeff. If Chuck doesn't know what he did wrong then that is his problem, not mine." Shane frowns when he sees Billy Kidman sit next to the man he loves and starts flirting with him. "Besides I really don't care what that idiot does anymore."
Sean laughs and wraps an arm around Shannon. "You know what Shane I'd almost believe you if you didn't look like you want to rip out Kidman's eyes right now. But trust me when I say that Chuck misses you. He's going out of his mind trying to figure out what he did to piss you off enough to dump his ass."
Shane turns around to glare at his best friend's lover but can't. He blushes instead. "Shut up O'Haire. He really misses me?"
Sean nods and smiles. "He doesn't know what he did wrong but he asked me to find out from Shannon. I told him I wasn't getting involved."
"Why not?"
"Because I told him if he told anyone, his ass was sleeping alone for the next year." Shannon says a grin on his face. "Chuck needs to figure out what went wrong on his own. If he can't figure it out then maybe he's not the right guy for you."
Matt smiles at his opportunity. "They're right Shane. If he doesn't know what he did wrong then maybe he's not the right guy for you after all. I know you think you love him but you said yourself he never returned the sentiment."
Jeff glares at his older brother. "Quit trying to make Shane pissed off at Chuck. Listen Shane, I know Chuck is an idiot but what do you expect, he's from the north after all." Shannon laughs at this. "Chuck loves you. I can see it in the way he looks at you. I'm not saying that you should go back to him right away but doesn't he at least deserve to have one of us help him figure out what he did wrong?"
Shane looks away from his friends and his eyes as always go back to where Chuck is sitting with Kidman. He frowns at the way Chuck is smiling at the smaller man. "Well, he certainly doesn't look like he's in love with me now does he?"
Chuck smiles at Kidman derisively. "You know what Billy. I don't care what you think. And no I will not go back to your room and discuss this with you. I don't know what I did to piss off Shane but I do know that if I go to your room I have no chance at getting him back."
Billy pouts up at the older man and tries his best once again to seduce him. "Come on Chuck. I really do want to help. Please let me?"
Chuck rolls his eyes and goes back to watching Shane. "Not in this lifetime Kidman. You are not my type so just leave me alone."
Kidman frowns and catches someone's eye from across the room. He shakes his head and his frown deepens. His plans are not going well.
Chuck sighs and stands up. Billy follows him to his feet. "Chuck I am totally serious about this. I want to help you."
"You want to help end my relationship with Shane. Well, guess what? I am not giving him up that easily. I love Shane Helms and he loves me. I know he's pissed off right now but I will find a way to make him forgive me."
Shane glares at Kidman as he places a hand on Chuck's arm. "What the hell is that little slut doing touching my man?"
Sean laughs. "Shane, buddy, he's not yours anymore. You dumped him remember?"
Shane turns to glare at the older man but stops when he sees Shannon frowning at Sean. Shane stifles a laugh instead knowing that Shannon has Sean totally whipped.
Sean smiles sheepishly and shrugs before leaning over and pulling Shannon into a passionate lip lock.
Jeff rolls his eyes at the couple and leans against Shane. "Babe, you have no reason and no right to be jealous. You broke up with him remember?"
Chuck closes his eyes against the wave of pain that crashes over him at the sight of Jeff leaning against his lover.
"Look Chuck. Shane doesn't even care that you're here. He's too busy making out with Jeff Hardy."
Chuck grabs Billy by the front of his shirt and slams his against the nearest wall. Billy groans as Chuck gets in his face. "Listen up you little slut. Shane would not cheat on me. He loves me and it's just a matter of time before we get back together. So back the fuck off and stay the fuck away from me."
Chuck drops the younger man and turns on his heel heading for Shane and the others. Letting his anger get the best of him, Chuck grabs Matt first and punches him before shoving him to the ground. Next he pulls Jeff to his feet and gets into his face. "Listen up you little bitch. Keep your goddamn hands off Shane. He's mine."
Shane manages to squeeze between the two and shoves Chuck back. "No Chuck. You keep your hands off of my friends. I'm not yours. Not anymore. Why don't you do us all a favor and go back to your little fuck toy, Kidman." Shane doesn't even bother to hide the bitterness in his voice.
Chuck's anger dissipates quickly. "Baby, I don't want anyone but you. I love you so much. Kidman was hitting on me but I told him I wasn't interested and I'm not. Shane, baby, you are the only one who interests me. I don't know what I did wrong but I am so sorry. I never meant to hurt you. I love you Shane. Please forgive me."
Shane looks at the man he has been in love with since they first met and shakes his head, tears streaming down his face. "I can't Chuck. If you knew what you were apologizing for then maybe I could forgive you but I can't until you know what you did wrong."
Chuck drops into the nearest chair as Shane turns and walks away. "What the hell have I done that is so wrong?"
Jeff looks at the other guys who all frown and shake their heads. He sighs knowing that Shane is going to kill him for this but needing to help out his friend in someway. "Chuck? Have you ever told Shane you loved him?"
Chuck nods. "Of course you idiot. I tell him all the time."
Jeff frowns and shakes his head at Chuck. "Not during sex. And not when you two are fighting and you're trying to get your way. Have you ever honestly told Shane that you love him for no reason? Without wanting anything from him? Without trying to get your way?"
"I don't understand what you're talking about."
Jeff rolls his eyes and walks over to the jukebox. He finds the song he's looking for and selecting it walks back to the table. "Just listen to this song okay?"
Chuck nods his head and frowns as a country song begins to play.
*^*
He could see the storm clouds rollin' across the hill
He barely beat the rain in from the field
And between the backdoor slammin' she heard him say
"Damn this rain and damn this wasted day"
But she'd been waitin' for this day for oh so long
She was standin' in the kitchen with nothin' but her apron on
And in disbelief he stood and he stared a while
When their eyes met, they both began to smile
Somewhere other than the night
She needs to hear I love you
Somewhere other than the night
She needs to know you care
She wants to know she's needed
She needs to be held tight
Somewhere other than the night
They spent the day wrapped up in a blanket
On the front porch swing
He'd come to realize he'd neglected certain things
And there are times she feels alone even by his side
It was the first time she ever saw him cry
Somewhere other than the night
She needs to hear I love you
Somewhere other than the night
She needs to know you care
She wants to know she's needed
She needs to be held tight
Somewhere other than the night
To know she's needed
She needs to be held tight
Somewhere other than the night
*^*
Chuck drops his head to the table as the song comes to an end. "I never even... I mean Jesus why didn't he just say something?"
Jeff smiles sympathetically and reaches over patting Chuck on the arm. "Because he didn't want you to say it just because he wants to hear it. He wants you to say it because you mean it not because you're trying to get something from him. Chuck, I've known Shane a long time. He's my best friend next to Shannon. He doesn't want your pity. He wants your love."
"He's had it all along. I was just too stupid or ignorant to let him know that." Chuck sighs and gets to his feet. "Thanks Jeff. I'm glad you told me."
Jeff nods as his best friend's lover walks away calmly.
Shane sits on the bed in his hotel room and sighs to himself. "Boy you really fucked this one up Helms." Shane looks up surprised to see Mike Sanders standing in the doorway.
"What do you mean?"
"Chuck. He loves you and you know it. So what if he doesn't say the words? He shows you all the time."
"It's not the same Sanders. And it's not the words so much as the feeling put behind them. Every single time I have had sex with Chuck it has always been just that. Sex. It's never more. It's never him making love to me. He's never taken any time and made me beg him for more. It's always in out and over with. He has never once said the words when he wasn't inside me or trying to make me forgive him for something. I'm sick of it. I do know he loves me but I need to be reminded of that once in a while you know. The words would be nice occasionally but actions speak louder than words and all his actions ever say is that he likes fucking me."
Mike frowns. "Are you sure about this Shane?"
"Mike I know you and Chuck are friends so you can tell him it's not going to work. I mean it this time. I am not taking him back until he says the words and shows me somehow."
"But you don't even know how he should show you!"
"I don't have to know without him doing it. If he ever figures it out then I'll know."
Mike nods his head and leaves the room. He approaches a door down the hall and smiles at it's occupant. "Cake baby. Cake."
Billy smiles at his lover. "Are you sure Mike? Shane really won't take him back?"
"Not until Chuck finds out what he did wrong. And we both know Chuck will never figure it out. He's not that smart and Shane is really pissed this time. So when do you want me to go play best buds with Palumbo?"
"Let's wait a few days. Let Chuck cool off and realize that Shane isn't going to take him back."
Mike nods pulling the younger man into his arms and kissing him. "I still don't get it Billy. Why are you so intent on fucking up Chuck and Shane's relationship?"
Billy smiles at his lover. "Simple. Shane messed with my relationship with Rey Rey so he's getting paid back. Don't get me wrong Mikey. I love you but Shane has to pay for messing with Rey and me."
Mike smiles and nods his head. "I guess I get it. And I definitely don't mind you wanting Chuck in our bed."
Billy grins at the older man. "Can you imagine how crushed poor Shane is going to be when he finds out that his lover hopped in bed with other men? It's gonna be great."
Chuck sits dejectedly on the bed of his hotel room. He finally picks up the phone and makes a call. "Mr. McMahon? It's Chuck Palumbo. I hate to do this but is it at all possible for me to get some time off? Why? Because I am having a lot of problems in my personal life and I'm afraid it's going to start interfering in how I do in the ring. That's right. Yeah. Well, I don't really want to talk about it but if you must know... Yes sir. Thank you sir. Goodnight Mr. McMahon." Chuck hangs up the phone and packs his bags. Calling Sean he leaves a message on the younger man's cell phone. "Sean, this is Chuck. I'm heading home for a while. I can't be around Shane knowing that I hurt him so much. Can you do me a favor and tell him I love him? I know it's not what he wants but I don't know what to do. I don't know when I'll be back but I'll call you. And I know I'm asking a lot but can you look out for Shane? I don't want to see him get hurt the way I hurt him. Thanks man and bye." Chuck hangs up his phone and heads to the airport.
Shane is lying on his bed when the door flings open. "He left." Shane sits up and stares at Sean with a blank look on his face.
"Who left Sean? What are you talking about?"
"Chuck. He left. He went home. He said to tell you that he loves you."
"He left? But why?"
"Because he couldn't stand being around you knowing how much he had hurt you."
"Who told him?"
"Who else? Jeff."
Shane drops his head to his knees and starts to sob. "I didn't mean for Chuck to leave. I just� I just wanted him to show me he loves me."
Sean stands just inside the doorway unsure of what to do. He watches silently as Shane composes himself and gets to his feet. "Chuck went to Rhode Island?"
Sean nods. "That's where his home is."
Shane nods and reaches over picking up his cell phone. "Hi Mr. McMahon. Its Shane Helms� err Gregory. Is there any way I can cut out early tonight? I know Chuck took off. Yes sir. Thank you sir. I can do that. Yes sir." Shane turns to Sean and smiles. "I leave right after my match tonight."
