Home is the place where, when you go there, they have to take you in

Author's note: It's my story, so I make the rules, LOL! No brand extension, my choice of superstars and all other bets (including pre-existing personal relationships) are off if I deem them to be so! And since I haven't been watching for a while, I will ignore current storylines and events - including the unmasking and shaving of Kaane, which I consider to be an act that "reeks of heinousity", to quote the lovely Edge. I will also at random use both wrestlers' real names and "stage" names - mostly where I don't know real names.

This follows directly on from "You know I'm hot, you know I'm sexy". It does contain not smut, but does have some nasty violence. Again,know nothing about Teamsters, so am basing this on Hollywood and TV myths and Australian wharfies! Bear with me - this is a bridging fiction!

Usual disclaimer - own nothing but my original characters Vivvie and Lexie, all the other people own themselves, WWE owns the trademark names, I'm doing this to exercise my creativity and for the sheer pleasure of writing. Ask my therapist!

Chapter 1

When Vivvie woke the next morning, she felt tired but pretty damn fine. She stretched and headed for the bathroom. She had just enough time to shower and pack if she was going to be ready when Shawn arrived to give her a ride to the airport. She smiled at the memories she now had of Shawn. "You know, I'm hot, you know I'm sexy," she sang in the shower, grinning. He damn sure was! But he was also sweet and funny. And if you could package him, he'd be labelled "100% Grade A Pure Sex" and the patent rights alone would make you rich beyond your wildest dreams! And to give him credit, he was trying to spread it around. She chuckled.

She had just done drying her hair, and was about to finish her packing. There was a knock on the door, and she checked her watch. She had fifteen minutes before Shawn was due. Well, if he was early he'd just have to wait for her.

She checked through the peephole, and saw a guy in a FedEx cap and uniform, holding a FedEx document envelope. It wasn't unusual to have the company send documents overnight, but she wasn't expecting anything. Oh well, she thought, it wouldn't take a second to sign for it, and then she could get her packing done. She could read it on the plane, whatever it was.

Vivvie opened the door, and was instantly rocked by a blow to the face. As she staggered back, she realised that it wasn't a FedEx uniform at all, simply a plain blue shirt. And the FedEx envelope was not new, but old and taped shut.

"Hello bitch!" the man snarled, and hit her again with a backhand to the side of her head. She cried out and tried to dodge past him into the hallway. He grabbed her arm and pulled her around roughly. She felt something pop in her shoulder and her arm went numb.

"No one fucks with the Teamsters, you mouthy bitch. I'm here to teach you a lesson," he panted heavily, as he pounded his fist into her stomach. She doubled over, unable to draw a breath. She hadn't thought the Teamsters would target her personally, hadn't thought to increase security at the hotel. The wrestlers were able to take care of themselves, but she should have thought about the crew.

She fell to the floor heavily as the man punched her again, and felt a sharp pain as he drove his foot into her side. He kicked her in the belly then dropped to his knees and started using his fists again. She tried to curl into a ball and protect herself but he was still able to land heavy blows. She had no idea how long it went on, but it seemed like an eternity.

Finally, he stood up and gave her one last savage kick, and spat on her. "Don't come back here bitch, you're a marked woman. Next time, we'll kill you."

He tried to slam the door, but it bounced back off the envelope he had discarded on his entry. Vivvie knew she was badly hurt. but she had to make sure the man was stopped before he left the hotel. Her cellphone was on her belt, and slowly she brought it up to her bruised and bleeding face. She used her speed dial to call Jeff, praying he hadn't left the hotel yet.

Chapter 2

Jeff was standing in the lobby near the elevators, waiting for Matt and Lita. Matt took forever to get going in the mornings, he thought, not really noticing as the far elevator opened and a FedEx guy walked out. And then his cellphone rang, and the ringtone was the one he had assigned to Vivvie's calls. He snapped the phone open and said in his usual cheery voice, "Good morning Vivvie."

The voice on the other end of the line was faint and odd. He frowned as she said, "Jeff stop the FedEx guy. He's a Teamster. And send help - I'm hurt." And then there was a soft thud, as if the phone had fallen on the floor.

Jeff didn't hesitate. He snapped his phone shut and took off, scanning the lobby for the FedEx guy, spotting him about 20 feet from the door. And Glenn Jacobs wasn't far away from him.

"Glenn! Grab that FedEx guy!" he shouted, and then yelled at the desk clerk to call 911 for the police and an ambulance. He didn't wait to see if the guy was stopped, he had to get to Vivvie and make sure she was okay. He sprinted back to the elevators and dived through an opening set of doors.

Glenn had reacted instantly to Jeff's alarmed tone, and so had a number of other people. The fake FedEx guy was hit simultaneously by Glenn, John Layfied and Bubba Dudley. They didn't know what the whole story was, but the guy wasn't going anywhere. The sound of sirens in the distance made the guy in the blue shirt writhe to get up, but he had 900 pounds or so of muscle holding him down. Glenn looked up and spotted Matt coming into the lobby with Lita. "Find Jeff - the cops are coming and we don't know what this guy did."

The man in the blue shirt struggled and snarled, "I taught that mouthpiece of yours a lesson. Bitch won't be talking much anymore."

"He attacked Vivvie!" Glenn shouted. At least now they knew where to send the ambulance crew.

Jeff burst out of the elevator and almost collided with Shawn, who was exiting the next one. He ran down the hall to Vivvie's suite, and saw the door was ajar. He threw it open and was horrified to see Vivvie on the floor, bleeding. Shawn had followed close on his heels and ran past him to Vivvie's side.

"Vivvie, darlin', oh god," Shawn sounded stunned. Jeff realised the man had feelings for Vivvie. Not that it wasn't understandable, but Jeff felt a bit protective about Vivvie, and Shawn had a reputation as being a ladies' man.

Vivvie moaned softly, and Shawn and Jeff realised that she was gravely injured. The sound of running feet in the hallway gave them hope that help was on its way. Suddenly, Matt was in the doorway, ushering in paramedics and police officers. As the EMTs began to work on Vivvie, Shawn caught Jeff's arm and pulled him to one side.

"Jeff, I'm sure you'll want to go to the hospital with Vivvie. There is something you need to know," Shawn began. "If she was . . . raped, or if they test for it, they will find semen. Mine. Vivvie and I spent the last couple of nights together."

Jeff glared at him. "If you . . . "

"Christ Jeff, you think I'd be capable of hurting Vivvie like that? When she's able to talk for herself, she will tell you what I just told you - we were together and it was quite consentual. I'd just like you to be able to mention it to the doctors, so it doesn't come as a surprise. I fully expect to be questioned about this - I was with her last night. And I was on my way here to drive her to the airport. If I had only been a little earlier . . . " Shawn's voice trailed off and he looked back at Vivvie.

The pain in his eyes more than anything else convinced Jeff that he had had nothing to do with the assault.

"Okay Shawn. I'll let them know. Damn, if we never come to Arizona again it will be fine with me."

The police and the crime scene technicians were working, bagging the bogus FedEx envelope left at the door and dusting for fingerprints. The EMTs were very carefully moving Vivvie onto a backboard, and transferring her to a stretcher. Jeff insisted that he was coming to the hospital with her. Matt travelled down in the elevator with them to let everyone know what had happened, and Shawn remained with the police in Vivvie's suite.

For once, his cocky self-assurance was not in evidence. He was worried for Vivvie, and sick with guilt about not being here to prevent it. Damn, if he hadn't been so big on being discreet, he could have taken out that bastard before he hurt Vivvie too much. He told the police everything that had happened the night before. They had already found the torn panties and buttons and the seminal fluid on the carpet, sofa and bedclothes. He provided a DNA sample willingly, knowing that he had nothing to fear. He could even give them the letter she'd given him - he'd kept it as a souvenir.

The road manager arrived soon after Vivvie had been taken to the hospital, and gave the police the background on the trouble they had had with the Teamsters. He had also called the State Troopers and informed them of the attack, making sure that the local police couldn't sweep it under the rug.

And Shawn was free to go. His pull case had been abandoned in the hall as Jeff had come flying past him, and he retrieved it now. But he wasn't even sure what would happen with the next show. This attack on Vivvie would make everyone feel awful. He headed for the lobby, knowing he would find wrestlers there waiting for news.

The road manager confronted the waiting wrestlers and crew in a hotel conference room 15 minutes later. He explained that Vivvie's condition was very serious, but that they had an obligation to continue. The company was flying down representatives to deal with the police investigations, and the crew and roster needed to get moving. Most people had the weekend off, but would need to be on the road and at the next venue in two days to set up for the Raw taping. Some were heading on to a house show scheduled for the following night.

It wasn't easy to go on when someone was hurt, they all knew that. But mostly it was wrestlers, people who knew the risks and were paid to take them to a certain extent. When it was someone like Vivvie, or even one of the crew, it was different. Their jobs shouldn't involve the threat of physical injury, and it was difficult to come to terms with when it did. Accidents happened, but an assault like the one on Vivvie was almost unheard of.

The crew and roster were sombre as they dispersed to rental cars and trucks. Arizona was somewhere none of them wanted to be anymore, even if Vivvie remained here. But they had to go on - if only to show that they respected what Vivvie had done to keep them working.

Chapter 3

Jeff had been horrified by Vivvie's injuries, when he and Shawn had seen her in the hotel, but seeing them in the cold light of the ambulance, and hearing the paramedics relay them to the hospital, was sickening. He held her hand, not even sure if she knew he was there. But he needed her to know she wasn't alone, that she was being cared for.

At the hospital, they refused to allow him into the trauma centre. One of the administration clerks did ask him a number of questions so that Vivvie could be admitted. He knew most of the details, because of their relationship, but others escaped him. And he also knew that he had to call her family.

He pulled out his cellphone. Luckily, he never deleted numbers, and he knew he had Vivvie's dad's number stored. While he and Vivvie were involved, he had met Dave Taylor and they had become friendly. Now, there was a lump in his throat as he dialled Dave's number.

"Gidday," came a deep male voice as the number was answered. Dave's Australian accent hadn't at all softened through his years in the US, and Jeff remembered Vivvie telling him with a giggle that her dad probably did it just to tick off her mother.

"Dave? This is Jeff Hardy."

"Jeff! How the hell are ya?" Dave Taylor grinned. He'd always liked Jeff, and had been a bit disappointed when he and Vivvie had called it quits. But they were still friends, so at least that was a plus.

"Dave, I'm really sorry, but I have some bad news about Vivvie. She's alive," Jeff hurried on, hearing the older man's intake of breath, "but she has been very badly hurt."

"Where is she, mate?" Dave asked, and then Jeff heard Dave bellow to his assistant to get him on the next flight there - even if it was a private charter. "Jeff, what the hell was she doing down there? She works in the office, not on the road - how did this happen?"

"Dave, I'm sorry, we had some trouble with the Teamsters in Phoenix and Vivvie came down to sort it out. She did, but one of them found her at the hotel this morning and beat her up pretty badly. She's in the hospital now, and I think either you or Mrs Taylor needs to be here. They'll let me sign for surgery in an emergency I hope, but she needs her family, sir. It isn't promising, she's very badly hurt," Jeff swallowed back his tears.

"Jeff, son, you did right by calling me. Vivvie's mother won't be much good at this kind of thing, so I'll be there as soon as I can."

Dave Taylor hung up the phone and sat in his office chair in shock. He picked up the phone to the house, and asked the housekeeper to pack a bag for him for a week and send it to the airport, and then asked her to put Vivvie's mother Bernice on the line. He steeled himself to tell his wife that their daughter was in a hospital, and might not live.

The company had sent representatives, including Brad Davis from Legal Services, to make sure that the case against Vivvie's assailant was pursued properly. They had also hired private security to ensure that no-one got near Vivvie in the hospital. The WWE had gone on the attack in the media about the assault on Vivvie, since the assailant had been stupid enough to make statements about his intents. There was widespread outrage, both in Arizona and nationally, about the actions of the Teamsters, and there were fears that another attack might eventuate.

It was one of these security guards who first noticed a tall, well built man heading down the hallway at a run later that day. He stepped out to stop the man, who rushed past him to go to the nurses station in intensive care. He grabbed the man's arm.

"Sir, please, I need to see some ID," the guard spoke in a low voice.

"Goddamnit! I want to see my daughter," the man spoke over the guard's shoulder at the nurse as he fished out his wallet. "Vivianne Taylor - she was brought in this morning."

Vivvie's name perked interest in the guards, but the man with the ruddy complexion produced a drivers licence that said he was David Taylor, with a home address in Boston. Jeff had heard the raised voices, and Dave's distinctly Australian accent, and headed out of the waiting room. He approached the guard and told him it was okay.

"Jeff, thanks mate. How's Vivvie?"

Jeff turned to the nurse at the station and told her that this was Vivvie's father and asked her to page the doctor to speak to him. He then led Dave into the waiting room. He introduced Brad Davis, from Legal Services, and Jim Ross and Vince McMahon, who had been on the first plane from Connecticut at the news of the attack.

Dave shook hands in a distracted manner and then turned to Jeff, the only one who he knew personally. "Jeff, give me a straight answer, mate - how's Viv doing?"

"They aren't telling us much, Dave. We know they had to take her up for emergency surgery, she's here in intensive care and it's pretty serious. The doctor's been paged, hopefully he can tell you everything."

Dave Taylor ran his hands through his wavy hair, the hair Vivvie had inherited. An administration clerk had him complete the admission forms that Jeff had begun, and then they sat, waiting for the doctor. When he arrived, the doctor asked to speak to Dave alone, but was brought up short by the older man.

"No - these fellers are Viv's friends, and they've been doing what they can to help her. They stay - anything you say to me, they need to hear anyway."

The doctor hesitated, and then addressed himself to Dave. "Mr Taylor, your daughter is in a critical condition. We had to operate almost immediately she was brought in - she was bleeding internally from a ruptured spleen, and an injury to one lung caused by a rib fracture. The lung was punctured, and she was bleeding into her chest cavity as well as her abdomen. We've had to remove her spleen altogether, which in itself always presents recovery problems due to lowered resistance to infection. We repaired the lung, and the damage to the chest wall. She has a very badly bruised kidney - we aren't sure if that's going to create problems later. If it does, we'll likely have to remove it surgically."

The dispassionate recitation of his daughter's fearful injuries shook Dave badly, as it did the other men, but the doctor wasn't finished. "She also sustained a number of fractures - ribs, collarbone, wrist and orbital. These have been attended to. She had some severe lacerations to her face - we've had a plastic surgeon look at these, and he feels he can repair them with little or no scarring. She had a dislocated shoulder, which we have reduced. However the rotator cuff has suffered severe trauma, and we will have to repair that surgically, as soon as she is stable enough for further surgery. She suffered a massive concussion - the fact that she was even semi-conscious when the paramedics arrived is a miracle. We're watching closely for signs of brain injury, but so far there have been no signs of that."

"Dear God," Vince said softly. "Doctor, whatever you need, whatever personnel, go ahead. My company will pay for it." He turned to Dave. "Mr Taylor, I am so sorry that this happened to your daughter while she was working for us. We will meet all her medical care costs. And if there is anything else we can do the help, please let us know."

"You want to know what you can do to help?" the doctor addressed himself to Vince. "Ms Taylor has received transfusions due to her injuries, and is still being treated with blood products. An appeal for blood donations would be appreciated - your company has the profile to get donors in."

Jim Ross leaned in to speak to Vince and then left the room. "Consider it done, Doctor. I'll make a public appeal as soon as we can arrange it, and we'll mention it on our upcoming televised events. It won't hurt having blood donations across the country either."

"Thank you. Mr Taylor, your daughter isn't conscious, but you can see her if you wish."

Dave didn't even think about it. "Take us to her," he said, indicating Jeff by his side.

"Mr Taylor, it's family only in intensive care."

"This feller is as good as family to Viv, and I know she'd want him there. He's coming," Dave spoke with the quiet authority of a man who was used to getting things his way. The doctor didn't argue, but led Dave and Jeff to Vivvie's bedside.

Jeff was horrified. Vivvie was hooked up to machines and IVs, and her face was swollen and caked with blood. Dave also paled at the sight of his daughter. The intensive care nurse spoke with calm assurance. She was used to dealing with families who came in to find loved ones looking so unfamiliar. She explained the monitors and other devices, relating them to Vivvie's condition. She drew chairs up on either side of the bed, and told them where she would be if they had any questions.

Dave reached out to gently stroke his daughter's hand. "Viv, it's dad, love. I'm here, and so's Jeff. They're taking good care of you, pet, don't you worry about that." He looked over at Jeff. "There was one thing the doctor didn't say Jeff. Was she - did that bastard rape her?"

Jeff shook his head. "No, Dave. She was fully clothed when I found her. They tested anyway, it's standard procedure, but Vivvie had been with her lover the night before. He was the only one . . ."

"Well thank Christ for small mercies. Listen, I gotta go and call Viv's mum, let her know the score. Will you stay with her?"

"Of course. I've wanted to be with her all along, but they were insistent about it only being family."

"Shit Jeff, you are family. I always wished you and Viv would get together again, but even so, you're close enough to her to be family. I'll make sure they let you stay as long as you want. You gonna be in strife with work?"

"No. Jim and Vince have already given me leave to stay with her until she's more stable."

"Good-o. Well, I better go and talk to the missus. Jeff, I'm glad you were here for her, mate. You did good, son," Dave left to find a place to speak to Vivvie's mother in private. He saw the tears in Jeff's eyes, and figured the boy could use a bit of privacy himself.

Chapter 4

Vince McMahon's appeal for blood donors in Arizona had met with unprecedented reaction, and donors in their thousands turned out to give blood. Appeals on Raw and Smackdown produced similar results across the country. Vivvie was never mentioned by name, simply being referred to as a WWE employee who had been injured.

Jeff remained by Vivvie's side with her father. Vivvie's mother had been devastated by the news, but had been persuaded to remain in Boston. It was Dave and Jeff who stayed with her. The intensive care nurse encouraged them to talk to her, as it was assumed that even comatose patients responded to familiar voices. Dave spoke of past good times and plans for the future with his company. Jeff told her stories about the roster, made jokes and reminded her how much he loved her.

It almost broke Dave's heart the first time he heard Jeff express those feelings for his daughter. He knew that their relationship had mellowed into friendship, but it seemed that Jeff still cared very deeply for her. He wondered if she would ever reciprocate them, and hoped Jeff wouldn't be too hurt if she didn't.

It was almost five days after the attack when Vivvie finally regained consciousness enough to speak lucidly. There had been moments when she had awakened and recognised her father or Jeff, but then had slipped back into unconsciousness. But now, she was awake and, as the doctor put it, oriented as to time and place.

The police were called, and Brad Davis summoned, for her to give her official statement. It confirmed the physical findings, the statements of Jeff, Glenn, John and Bubba and the initial statement of her assailant himself. The man had since been provided with a lawyer and was disputing everything. However, his fingerprints on the FedEx envelope and the door of the hotel room, and positive identification of him through hotel security cameras, coupled with Vivvie's instant identification of him from a photo array, made it difficult for him to continue to deny the charges. He changed his plea and was sentenced to the maximum term for grevious bodily harm.

Vivvie continued to improve, very slowly. The bruising on her kidney was improving, and she was strong enough a few days later to have the surgery to repair her torn rotator cuff. The plastic surgeon also had his time in the operating room, very carefully doing the final work on the lacerations to Vivvie's face.

Two weeks after the attack, the doctors in Arizona finally agreed that she was stable enough to be transported by air ambulance to a hospital in Boston, closer to her parents. Jeff and Dave travelled with her, and when she was settled in the hospital in Boston, she told Jeff to go back to work. He argued and she put her foot down.

"Jeffy," she said through lips that were still swollen and split, "it's okay. Dad's here, and so is Mother. If you don't go back to work now, you'll lose match fitness. Honey, please - don't put your career at stake unnecessarily. I'll love you always for staying with me in Arizona, but it's time for Mother and Dad to take over. Call me though, let me know how everyone is."

He couldn't argue with her, so he returned to the road. He had recuperated from his supposed injury, the story they had used to explain his absence, so he was able to start wrestling again straight away. Most of the wrestlers made a point of coming to see him, to find out how Vivvie was, despite the regular updates in her progress that had been given by Jeff through Jim Ross. Many of them made sure to check on how he was doing.

His relationship with Vivvie had been common knowledge, and it hadn't escaped anyone's notice that in a crisis, it was to Jeff that Vivvie had turned. Mark in particular had sat with him for a while after his return, asking how he felt leaving Vivvie to others' care now. Jeff had just shrugged, and Mark placed a big hand on his shoulder and offered to be there if Jeff ever needed to talk about it.

Chapter 5

When Vivvie was released from the hospital, she went home to her parents. She couldn't really manage by herself, and her dad in particular wanted her to come home until she could. So she moved back into the suite of rooms that had been hers as a girl. The rooms had been redecorated over the years, but it was familiar and comforting. Her dad had made a trip to Connecticut to collect some of her clothes, and she settled in to recover.

The worst part, except for the pain of her healing, was the nightmares. She would wake up screaming, having dreamed that she was back in the hotel being beaten again. The doctors arranged for a therapist to come and work with her through this post traumatic shock.

Her mother had been upset by Vivvie's injuries, and felt that working for the WWE had been the whole cause of it. But when the flowers and gifts continued to arrive for Vivianne from her colleagues and friends, Bernice Taylor started to feel differently. A visit by Linda McMahon, the CEO of the company, also changed her thinking. Linda had been warm and friendly to Vivianne, and it appeared the two knew one another quite well. But the wrestlers - well, that was another matter.

Bernice had been mortified when Vivianne had become involved romantically with one of them, a strange young man whose hair seemed to change colour on a regular basis and who quite often sported black fingernail polish. However, it appeared that Jeff had been a capable person in a crisis, having looked after Vivianne very well in Arizona and having to be sent away quite firmly when she arrived in Boston. He called her everyday, just to see how she was feeling, and it was during one of these conversations that Bernice heard her daughter actually laugh for the first time since she had come home.

A month or so after Vivvie had been released from the hospital, the WWE was scheduled to do shows in and around Boston, and Jeff had called her to see if she was up to having some company. She had readily agreed, and then had thought about how her mother would react. Well, it would just be a visit, what could be the harm, Vivvie thought, and mentioned it to her mother.

To her surprise, her mother was quite unfazed. She told Vivvie that her friends were more than welcome and quietly arranged for refreshments to be available during the afternoon. She did however, insist that Vivvie limit the number of people at any one time, if only to preserve her energy. Bernice knew her daughter, and was well aware that she was far from recovered. But that proved too difficult to coordinate, so Vivvie simply extended an open invitation for a buffet lunch and afternoon party.

On the morning that everyone was due to visit, Vivvie was in her bathroom, carefully drying her hair. It was difficult, as her wrist and rotator cuff were still healing and she was essentially doing everything one handed. But she was managing okay, so long as she had plenty of time to get things done. She was wearing a pair of hipster sweats and a cut off T shirt, trying to avoid any pressure on her healing abdominal incisions. Later she planned to change into a dress that would be loose around her body, and maybe disguise the weight she had lost.

Funny, she always felt she could stand to lose a few pounds, but now she wished she hadn't. She looked like a scarecrow. The dress would hide that, mostly. But she was going to have to wear some makeup to try and make her face look less gaunt. The scars she couldn't do much about, but they were fading.

With the hairdryer running, she didn't hear the doorbell.

When the housekeeper escorted Jeff to the sitting room, to his surprise, it was Vivvie's mother who greeted him. He'd always felt that she didn't approve of him while he and Vivvie were together, but today she was all smiles.

"Hello Jeff," Bernice greeted him warmly.

"Hi Mrs Taylor," Jeff responded.

"Jeff, call me Bernice please. You're like family now."

Now Jeff was totally off balance. He just smiled.

"Vivianne's up in her room, why don't you go up and see her? I'm sure she'd like some time alone with you before everyone else starts arriving. It's the suite of rooms at the end of the hallway to the left."

As he turned to go, she surprised him again. "Uh, Jeff?" He turned. "Jeff, Vivianne is healing, but she still doesn't look like herself yet. I wanted you to be aware, be prepared for when you see her. Later, I'm sure she'll have fixed herself up to try to hide it, but you won't be seeing her at her best."

Jeff smiled - it seemed that Bernice had softened a bit. He did the only thing he could think of, walking over and giving her a hug and a peck on the cheek. She looked flustered, and Jeff finally saw what must have drawn Dave to her in the first place. She was cute when she was surprised. "Thanks Bernice, I appreciate what you're telling me. But so long as she looks better than she did when I saw her in that hotel room, I'll be happy."

Bernice saw the pain in his eyes at the memory and realised how hard it must have been for Jeff to find Vivianne like that. She surprised herself by hugging him quickly. "She does, Jeff, much better. Go on up now and see for yourself."

Jeff returned the hug and took the stairs three at a time. Bernice watched him go, suddenly seeing what her daughter must have seen in him. A deep chuckle from behind her made her turn, seeing her husband in the doorway. "I heard he was here."

"He's a good man, isn't he Dave?" Bernice looked at him.

"One of the best, I reckon, love."

"And he still loves her, doesn't he?"

"That's for damn sure," Dave said, crossing to his wife and kissing her forehead.

"I'm seeing a new side of these people. I've been judging them harshly, haven't I?"

"Well, a bit I guess. They aren't Boston society for the most part, but they're still damn good people. Just a bit different," Dave thought about some of the men Vivvie worked with, and thought he better give his wife a warning of her own. "Darl', the fellers who come this afternoon - well, let's just say some of them are gonna make young Jeff there look positively wholesome." He grinned at the look of surprise on her face.

Jeff stood in the door of Vivvie's rooms, and heard the hairdryer running. He waited until it stopped and then knocked. "Vivvie? You decent?"

"Jeff?"

"The very same, can I come in?"

He sensed her hesitation, and remembered what Bernice had told him. "It's okay Vivvie, I can wait downstairs if you'd prefer."

Vivvie looked at herself in the mirror. She knew she looked like hell, but this was Jeff, who had seen her looking much worse. She put down her hairbrush and walked out into her bedroom.

Jeff had been leaning against the doorframe, waiting to see what her reply would be. Hearing her, he looked up. Bernice was right, Vivvie didn't look like herself, but she sure as hell looked better than she had the last time he had seen her. It took him three long strides to be beside her. He wanted to sweep her into his arms, but wasn't sure if he would hurt her.

Vivvie smiled, and it was the same smile he had fallen in love with, the smile he would always love. "I won't break, but no bone-crushing hugs!" she said. He gently put his arm around her, avoiding the sling that supported her shoulder injury, and pulled her close to him. Her good arm went around him, and they stood that way for some time. He bent his head to kiss her gently before letting her go and stepping back. He looked at her, and she winced.

"I know Jeff, I look like hell."

"Actually I was thinking the whole bare midriff thing was a sexy look for you," he joked. "Get you a belly ring and you be one hot mamma!" She laughed in spite of herself, as he assumed that whole serious contemplative pose thing. His face did sober, and he asked, as she knew he would, "So how are you, Vivvie? Seriously?"

This afternoon, most people would get company manners and "I'm doing really well", but with Jeff, she could be totally honest. "It's slow going, Jeffy." His heart ached at her use of the affectionate name. "But I am mending. Any one of the injuries alone would have taken a long time to heal. Trying to do it all at once just makes it longer."

"It's not like you had a choice, sweeting."

"I know. But, despite appearances, I am getting there."

She moved to the bed, slowly but with confidence, and sat on it, easing herself back against the headboard. Jeff didn't even think about it, he joined her, lounging cat-like at the foot of the bed, gently caressing her ankle as they spoke. They spoke almost every day, but still found things to discuss. It was in that position that Bernice found them an hour later when she tapped on the door and came in.

Jeff started to get up, but Bernice waved him back. "Don't get up on my account, Jeff. I just wanted to see if you wanted my help getting dressed, Vivianne." Jeff looked startled, and Bernice smiled. "It's very hard to do up a bra with only one working arm, Jeff. I help Vivianne when she needs it."

Vivvie looked at the carriage clock on the bedside table and realised it was time she dressed. "You mind, Jeffy? Stay there, it's not like you haven't seen it all before." She tipped a wink at him and waited for her mother's explosion. She was disappointed.

"She's right Jeff. We'll only be a minute," Bernice smiled. Vivvie took off her sling slowly, and pulled off her T-shirt with her good hand, cradling her left arm against her belly. Bernice helped her into a bra, and fastened it carefully. "I think Jeff can help you into your dress, Vivianne. I want to make sure cook has things under control. Jeff, make sure she chooses something to bring some colour into her face." and she was gone, leaving both Vivvie and Jeff in shock.

"Who was that woman?" Vivvie giggled.

"Tell me about it," Jeff grinned. "I think she's been taken over - she's one of the pod people for sure. Or maybe a Stepford wife?" That had them both howling with laughter, the image of Vivvie's very proper Bostonian mother being a lady in the living room, Julia freaking Childs in the kitchen and a hooker in the bedroom.

Jeff helped Vivvie into the dress she had chosen to wear, zipping it up at the back, and sat in the bathroom on the edge of the counter while she applied some cosmetics. Their easy friendship was as it had been since the beginning, and just being together soothed them both. When Vivvie was ready, they headed downstairs.

The constant stream of arrivals had the potential to wear Vivvie out completely, but Dave manned the door, sending everyone out to greet her on the terrace where Bernice presided over the buffet and bar. Vivvie sat quietly, with Jeff in attendance, and everyone came to her. At one point, she laughed to Jeff and remarked that despite being a damn Yankee, she felt rather like Scarlett O'Hara at the Wilkes' barbeque, with everyone crowding around to speak to her.

Despite Dave's warning earlier, Bernice had been astonished at the people who crowded around her daughter, laughing and kissing her, showering her with open love and affection. The McMahons were there, Vince and Linda, and their son and daughter - looking like the wealthy business people they were. Apart from them, Bernice had never seen such an assortment of characters, outside an Australian pub with her husband on an outback trip on their honeymoon.

There were two giant men, Mark and Glenn. Mark seemed to be covered in tattoos, and wore his red hair long and loose. Glenn had no tattoos, but his curly brown hair was just as long as Mark's, pulled back in a pony tail. Looking at them, you would fear for your safety, but they had both been well spoken and polite, and their concern for her daughter was obvious. Dave, standing with her, remarked that Glenn was one of the men responsible for restraining Vivianne's attacker before he could leave the hotel.

Another tall man, with long dark hair, John, had also been instrumental in the man's restraint. And Bernice recognised him from a finance program Dave watched on CNBC. Two tall blonde men, Adam and Jason, had clowned like overgrown children to make Vivianne laugh, but had spoken seriously and respectfully to Bernice and Dave of their regard for their daughter.

A slightly shorter man, with breathtaking blue eyes and glorious blonde hair, had spoken to Bernice with deep admiration of her daughter, and had shared baby pictures of his own small son, explaining that without Vivianne's help, he might not have made it home in time for his birth. Bernice later saw him showing the same photos to Vivianne. Another of those huge men, who had arrived with the dark haired Amazon who was helping Vivianne with her exercise regime while she was healing, had Vivianne laughing at some story of his.

Jeff's brother Matt, with his girlfriend Amy, had spoken quietly with her before making their way over to Vivianne and lounging with her in a way that suggested long familiarity and friendship.

Amy wasn't the only woman - there seemed to be a great many of them as well. To the last they were beautiful women, but they all spoke of Vivianne with such respect and admiration. There was a gaggle of them around her at one time, and the giggles and laughter were light and loving on the afternoon breeze. At one point, they were singing together - Bernice recognised Vivianne's voice, not so strong as it had once been, in the chorus. The men stood around listening, as the women, led by Vivianne and a woman named Lilian, sang:

I don't think you ready for this jelly
I don't think you ready for this jelly
I don't think you ready for this
'Cause my body too bootylicious for ya babe

That had prompted loud applause, laughter and catcalls from the men, and Bernice looked at her daughter, seeing no embarrassment in her face, but a smiling acceptance of the praise. She began to see Vivianne in a completely new light.

The parade of men, who had long and short hair, or no hair, tattoos, facial hair or piercings had long since blurred for Bernice. Only one other stood out for her - a tall man with long dark blonde hair who stood speaking seriously with Dave. He seemed to be expressing some strong emotions, which Dave accepted, finally shaking the man's hand and gripping his shoulder tightly. The man walked off alone before going to see Vivianne, waiting until she was alone before approaching her. Bernice was curious. He stood before her, speaking politely, before suddenly dropping to his knees and burying his face in her lap. Vivianne's face contorted as she bent over him, gently smoothing her good hand over his back. No one approached the couple, and Bernice realised that this was something that was known about within this community of people. Dave finally came to stand with her and explain.

"Feller's name is Shawn. He and Viv were involved in Arizona. Reason he was talking to me in private was he's been carrying a heavy load of guilt. Figures that if he hadn't been so all fired up to protect his and Viv's privacy by going back to his room the night before, maybe Viv wouldn't have been attacked. He hasn't spoken to her since then, and I guess they're just sorting out how they feel."

Bernice watched as her daughter spoke with the man with the long dark blonde hair. She was smoothing her hand over his face with tenderness and finally the man began to smile. They shared a gentle kiss, and sat quietly together speaking until Bernice made her way over to them. She wanted to make sure Vivianne was still feeling alright.

Vivvie looked up to find her mother trying not to hover. "I'm feeling fine, Mother, don't worry. And the crowd will break up soon, they have to get to the arena at some point."

The man who had been sitting with Vivianne had stood when she approached. He waited until Vivianne had finished speaking, and then reached out his hand to Bernice. "We haven't met, Mrs Taylor. I'm Shawn Michaels. I'm sure you've heard it a lot this afternoon, but we are all very glad to see that Vivvie-anne is feeling better." His voice was deep, and very Texas. And rather astonishingly sexy. Goodness, Bernice thought. She smiled and excused herself, sitting on a chair with a glass of club soda, watching as, just as Vivianne had predicted, the party began to break up.

There were kisses and hugs and goodbyes, and it took quite a while for the last of the guests, Jeff, to leave. Finally, Bernice and Dave sat down near their daughter. It was Bernice who broke the silence.

"Vivianne, I've been a fool."

"Mother?"

"I've misjudged these people so badly, simply because they don't live in Boston and move in the same circles that I do. But there is not a one of them that I wouldn't be proud to have back here as my guest."

"Thanks Mother, they are pretty terrific aren't they?" Vivvie smiled. But she looked tired, and it wasn't long after that she excused herself to go upstairs and rest. Her mother came with her to help her undress.

"Vivianne?"

"Yes mother?" came the distracted response.

"Shawn? Tell me, was he very good in bed?"

Vivvie straightened up so fast she almost fell over. "Mother!"

"Goodness, Vivianne, I saw the way you two were with one another. Besides your father told me about Shawn this afternoon - Shawn spoke to him about feeling bad about not being there to help you. But it wasn't until I heard him speak that I wondered." There was a broad smile on her mother's face as she spoke.

Vivvie giggled. Unfamiliar as it was, it was rather fun to talk this way with her mother. "Well, Mother, the only thing I will tell you about Shawn is that his performance in bed, combined with his voice, mean he's dynamite!"

The two women looked at one another and laughed together, feeling that magical moment as mother and daughter as they connected simply as women.

Chapter 6

Vivvie's healing continued, slowly enough to make her frustrated. She flew to Connecticut one week to check up on how things were going in her absence. She had already had the discussion with Jim Ross about which of her managers to be pro tem in her absence, and had cheerfully negotiated a substantial pay increase for Lexie. She was worth every penny, he told Jim, especially since she was going to be working with a pro tem manager and shouldering even more responsibility. Jim didn't argue, but even added a few percentage points to the figure Vivvie requested.

Lexie was delighted to see her, and they had lunch in the cafeteria in Titan Towers together one day and spoke at length about a lot of things, most of them having to do with work. Lexie always had the best gossip, and the lunch flew by with laughter and smiles in abundance. One thing Vivvie did notice was the way Lexie got a little tongue tied when Al Snow wandered over to say hello at one point. That was interesting. Lexie was self-assured and confident, and yet being around Al made her more than a bit flustered. And Al seemed to be a bit hesitant too, frequently shooting sidelong glances at Lexie.

Goodness, Vivvie thought, watching the two of them, was there something there? Finally, Al walked off to meet his own lunch companion and Vivvie gave Lexie a broad grin.

"Okay, spill," she said with a giggle. "What was that all about?"

"What was what all about?" Lexie tried to duck the question.

"Don't give me that - you and Al Snow? When the hell did that happen?"

"There isn't anything . . . nothing's happened."

"Right. So why are the two of you so edgy around one another?"

"It's a long story, and I've got to get back to work, I've got a meeting to go to," Lexie gathered her purse as Vivvie chortled gleefully.

"You don't get out of it that easily - we're having dinner tomorrow night and you will tell me all about it!"

Lexie agreed with a laugh, happy to see Vivvie looking more like her old self. Although she really wasn't looking forward to having to face Vivvie's probing questions about Al Snow, unaware that her eyes were seeking him out as they left the cafeteria.

Vivvie also met with Jim, Brad and Vince during her time in Conneticut. They had some preliminary discussions on restructuring the road operations to make sure the Teamsters weren't able to put the company in jeopardy in future. Jim had also asked what kind of timeframe they were looking at for her return. Subject to medical advice, it was decided that Vivvie would return in the new year.

Chapter 7

As Vivvie began to get stronger, she started to rebuild her body to its former state. Joanie Lauer had worked with her doctors all the way, giving her gentle exercise routines to keep toned and then gradually moving to rebuild her wasted muscle mass.

One thing that surprised Vivvie was that she had lost her powerful singing voice. She noticed it when she went to church one Sunday with her mother, and familiar hymns no longer came as effortlessly. Her doctors explained that it was because of the punctured lung, and bruising to her diaphragm. Their suggested solution was singing lessons. So Vivvie went back to her old singing teacher, and worked to rebuild her singing muscles.

She had always enjoyed the lessons when she was a child, because her teacher had always used modern mysic to teach, finding that people responded better to their current music and were more likely to practice. Vivvie had been horrified at the difficulty she had in even singing scales, and projecting her voice. Fortunately she could take lessons almost every day, and it did fill in her time.

Eventually, she began to rediscover her voice and strengthen it. She began haunting music stores, looking for sheet music to practice with. Her singing teacher had added a small recording studio to her office, and encouraged her students to record special songs onto CDs as gifts. She had decided to record something for Jeff, and for her parents. She had found a modern gospel arrangement for her parents, but a song for Jeff was harder to decide on.

She had been in a music store one day and heard the last few lines of a song that sounded perfect. She had searched out the sheet music, and read through the lyrics, and suddenly was not sure. It was a sweet love song, about saying goodbye. She took the music anyway, because it didn't hurt to have new songs to learn.

It wasn't until she was speaking to Jeff that weekend that she realised that it was actually a good song. She and Jeff had realised that, much as they loved one another, they were not going to get back together. The song she had found might just be a way to express how she felt. She had asked her mother to play it for her on the piano one afternoon, as she sang it, to see if Bernice thought it was a good choice. Her father sat with them to listen.

Vivvie's voice still wasn't as strong as it had been, but she put her heart into it:

Time, sometimes the time just slips away
And you're left with yesterday
Left with the memories
I, I'll always think of you and smile
And be happy for the time
I had you with me
Though we go our separate ways
I won't forget so don't forget
the memories we made

Please remember, please remember
I was there for you
and you were there for me
Please remember, our time together
The time was yours and mine
and we were wild and free
Please remember, please remember me

Goodbye, there's just no sadder word to say
And it's sad to walk away
with just the memories
Who's to know what might have been
We leave behind a life and time
We'll never know again

Please remember, please remember
I was there for you
and you were there for me
And remember, please remember me

Please remember, please remember
I was there for you
And you were there for me
Please remember, our time together
When time was yours and mine
and we were wild and free
Then remember, please remember me

And how we laughed and how we smiled
And how this world was yours and mine
And now my dream was out of reach
I stood by you, you stood by me
We took each day and made it shine
We wrote our names across the sky
We ran so fast, we ran so free
And I had you and you had me

Please remember, please remember

(Please Remember: LeAnn Rimes)

Both Dan and Bernice had tears in their eyes when Vivvie finished. It was Bernice who finally spoke.

"I think that song will tell Jeff exactly how you feel, Vivianne. And I think he will treasure it," her mother got up and gave her a hug.

When it came time for Vivvie to record her songs, her voice was at its best. She recorded Jeff's song first, and them moved to the gospel song she had chosen for her parents. It was a hymn of thanksgiving, but also one of personal thanks. Vivvie knew she had come through a time of great darkness, and she wanted her parents to know that she had put it behind her.

Thank you Lord halleluiah
You've been so good to me
Thank you Lord halleluiah
I'm grateful for my blessings
I'm grateful for my struggles, trials and tribulations I've been through
I've realised no one can love like you do

Thank you Lord halleluiah
I feel your presence near
Thank you Lord halleluiah
I won't hold back my tears
I gave you my trust and you took me out of the dark rain
My Lord I survived it, I give you the praise

Lord you've been so good
You've been so good to me
I'm so grateful for my blessings
Giving you all the praise

Lord you've been so good
You've been so good to me
I'm grateful for all of my blessings
Giving you all the praise

Jesus loves me, oh yes he does
Jesus loves me, oh yes he does
Jesus loves me, oh yes he does
For the Bible tells me so

Amen, amen, amen, amen
Amen, amen, amen, amen

(Gospel Medley: You've been so good to me/Now behold the lamb/Jesus Loves Me/Total Praise
B Knowles, K Franklin, R Smallwood)

Vivvie's singing teacher had decided to record Vivvie singing three parts of the harmony that the song was written in, and mix the tracks. It was ambitious, and she had a friend who worked in the recording industry come in to give her a hand. Much to Vivvie's surprise, it was Lilian Garcia's producer, and she was even more delighted to find Lilian with him.

Lilian hugged her. "Did you honestly think I wouldn't be here for your recording debut?"

Vivvie chuckled. "A CD for my parents isn't quite a recording career, Lilian."

Lilian stood in the booth as Vivvie did the first harmony part. Her producer smiled in approval. "This woman could sell serious numbers with that voice, and the right material."

Lilian was rooted to the spot - she was hearing the lyrics, which summed up what Vivvie had been through. What a triumph of praise this song was for her! She had an idea, and wondered if Vivvie would go along with it. She grabbed Vivvie between parts, and her producer.

"Vivvie, I know this song is for your parents, but I'd like to make a suggestion. You know the McMahons' Christmas party? Well, I think it would end this year on a positive note for the company if we could play this song. No wait, honey," she could see Vivvie about to object, "and hear me out. You'll be coming to the party, and that is going to bring up some heavy bad memories for a lot of people. That time in Arizona was very dark for us, Vivvie, because we're family and one of us got hurt. If we sang this song, you and me, and maybe Amy, then we could express the fact that it was a bad time, but that we have all come through it. Just the way you want your family to know you survived. I think it could be a really positive healing experience."

Vivvie considered what Lilian was saying. It was true, she'd seen that in a lot of the people who'd been at her parents' for lunch that day. And most especially in Shawn. It was Shawn who needed to hear this song, more than anyone. And she surprised herself by agreeing to Lilian's idea, and leaving it in her hands to arrange.

Chapter 8

She worked with Lilian and Amy, rehearsing the song, along with a small group of gospel singers to provide background harmonies, until it was perfect. And at the Christmas party, after his speech, Vince turned to Lilian. "And of course, it wouldn't be a Christmas party without a song from our own Lilian Garcia. Take it away, Lilian."

Lilian walked to the small stage near the band to her usual loud applause from the WWE family. The revellers were a little surprised to see Amy Dumas get up from the table where she sat with Matt Hardy and walk over to join her, but they applauded just the same. But then a third figure began to walk towards the stage. When she reached the well lit stage, and was recognised as Vivvie, the applause grew to a roar of acclaim. The WWE family were welcoming Vivvie back, and with open arms.

Vivvie had been sitting at a back table with her parents and Lexie, and had so far been relatively unnoticed except for a few close friends in the corporate team. She was taken aback by the roar of noise from the revellers, and pleaded with Lilian to get them to stop, for fear she would cry and be unable to sing. Lilian quieted the crowd, and Linda McMahon, who alone had been told of Lilian's plan, quietly announced that the three women had a special song for the occasion. The small gospel group walked out from behind the bandstand to stand beside the stage.

Vivvie took several very deep breaths, calming her nerves, as she stood between Lilian and Amy. They took hands, looked at one another, and Lilian very softly counted them into the acapella gospel medley, in sweet three part harmony. As they began to sing, they turned to look out to the crowd. Vivvie picked a spot in the centre of the room, unable to see much past the lights. They sang from their hearts, allowing their emotions to shine.

The crowd were spellbound, the women's voices clear and pure, and the lyrics sending the message that Lilian had intended - acknowledging the pain of what had happened, but putting it where it belonged, behind them. Bernice and Dan, holding hands at their table, were touched again by the aptness of the song which their daughter had recorded for them, and its appropriateness for this occasion. They noticed more than a few people at tables around them blinking back tears as the song finished.

For a long moment, there was silence, while the three women stood, still holding hands in the spotlight. The applause then thundered to life in the cavernous ballroom. Lilian, an old pro at professional singing, had coached Vivvie and Amy on how they would take their bows, and now they stepped back in unison and took a joint bow. As they straighened, smiling, the applause somehow doubled in sound, and Vivvie in particular was amazed by it. There was a joyous feel to the sound, and she turned to Lilian and then Amy, grinning widely. The three of them embraced and the sound swelled again, a sheer wall of sound washing against them.

Lilian knew that the applause was not just for the song, or for them for singing it. The applause was an affirmation of life, of survival, a celebration of their ability to move on. She smiled at Linda McMahon, who also realised its significance. But Vivvie was central to the feelings. She symbolised at once the hurt and healing, and Lilian grinned at Amy and the two of them stepped back to give Vivvie her moment in the spotlight, something they had discussed and planned alone. This was Vivvie's moment, her welcome home, and they stepped back to let her enjoy it.

Vivvie found herself alone when they stepped away, and the stage manager realised what a special moment it was, without having to be told. He gradually brought up the house lights, which allowed Vivvie to see the family which was now thunderously welcoming her back. To her joy, she was able to spot special faces easily. Jeff and Matt, Paul and Joanie, Mark and Glenn - all clearly visible to her, applauding loudly. And Shawn, his eyes very bright, standing at a table in the centre of the room. She smiled widely, feeling the wash of emotion, and tenatively took a bow. As she straightened, the crowd broke and surged forward, and she found herself at the centre of it, surrounding by smiling faces.

Jeff was the first to reach her, giving her a bear hug that lifted her off the ground, and she found herself being passed from person to person, all of them eager to greet her, to hug her and let her know how much she had been missed. It was somehow fitting then, that the last person to greet her in such a fashion was Shawn, his blue eyes shining. His hug was tender and Vivvie was surprised at how difficult it was to leave that embrace, to step away from him. But she did, looking up into his face with a smile, her eyes bright with unshed tears of happiness.

Shawn looked at her, and gave voice to the sentiment that everyone in the room wanted to express.

"Welcome home, Vivvie-anne."

Vivvie's adventures will be continued . . . stay tuned!

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