2 XTREME!

SMACKDOWN XTREME, FEBRUARY 1ST, 2001

Angel groaned and rolled over, daring to open one eye and look at the clock. No, impossible. She’d crashed early, before nine. How could she have gotten almost nine hours sleep and still feel this dead?

It had all started on Tuesday when Al Snow had come to collect Head. He’d talked to it for a while and then offered to train Angel, free of charge, provided she’d occasionally baby-sit for Head. Apparently Head had a fantastic time with Angel, especially the part where it was used as a weapon against Steven Richards. Al and Head had never liked Right To Censor. Months back, when RTC was just starting to make its presence felt, Al had a habit of being accompanied to the ring by two ladies of the inflatable variety. Al had been quite upset when his ladies had been subsequently censored, so Angel’s attack had been greatly appreciated.

Since that moment, Angel’s training had barely stopped. She had cardio for fitness, weight training for strength and lessons on psychological fundamentals and those were before she even learned any holds or moves. Then there was basic offence and defense with Al Snow as well as martial arts and weapons with Blackman, who felt guilty about what had happened on Raw and also volunteered to train Angel for free, provided it didn’t conflict with his own schedule.

After only two days Angel was physically and mentally exhausted, but now it was almost six AM, time to start again.

Moving very carefully and trying not to wake Lita, Angel made her way out of the room and collapsed in the doorway, waiting for Al to come collect her. Another long, hard day was ahead of her, and then she had to find the energy to valet at Smackdown Xtreme.

"No pain, no gain," she murmured through lips she swore were bruised, as she curled up into a tight little ball.

* * * *

"Angel? You ready to go?"

"Nooo," Angel groaned, not raising her head. "I can’t, Al. I can’t get up."

"Okay then."

Angel heard movement. ‘Good,’ she thought. ‘He’s leaving me alone.’

Then she realized she was no longer on the floor. Al Snow was carrying her to the gym and she really didn’t have the energy to struggle. If there was one bad thing about hanging out with wrestlers it was that their strength meant they could easily carry the weight of a woman. If you didn’t want to go somewhere, it was too bad. You were going.

"No, Al. I can’t today. Let’s take today off."

"You’ve got tonight off. It’s Smackdown night."

"If I can survive that long."

"Alright, how’s this? Breakfast first, then theory. Then half an hour of cardio and half an hour of weights. Then one hour of training and I’ll go easy on you. No martial arts today. Three hours, we’re done by nine. How does that sound?"

"Okay," Angel murmured.

"Super. You think I can let you down now?"

"No, no, I don’t think so."

Al laughed. "You’re going to thank me, Angel. When you win your first Women’s Title, you’ll grab the mic and say…" He paused and cleared his throat, putting on a high pitched voice. " ‘Of course, I have to dedicate this to Al Snow, the best coach there ever was’."

* * * *

Angel’s back hit the mat. Al snow quickly hooked her leg and made the cover.

"One…two…thr-Angel, you’re supposed to kick out or raise your shoulder or something. Two and a half…two and three fourths…Angel?"

"Not going to happen, Al."

Al sighed and released her. "I guess we’re done for today."

"Fantastic," Angel murmured, still not moving.

Al grabbed a bottle of water from the corner of the ring, drank half of it and handed the rest to Angel. He crouched down next to her.

"You know, you’re really improving. Even Head thinks so."

"Thanks for lying," Angel smiled, finally starting to move. She decided to announce her progress in the style of a commentator. "But Angel raises her shoulders. How did she do that? And now she’s getting to her feet. This may be the most phenomenal comeback I’ve ever seen."

Al grinned, showing his dimples. "That’s the spirit."

Angel grinned back. "Thanks for going easy today, Al. I’ll see you tomorrow."

"Bright and early," Al replied. He picked up Head and stared it in the face, nodding. "Yeah, I know you like her. I like her, too." He sighed, frowning. "It’s going to take some time, but we’ll get there."

* * * *

Angel walked blindly through the weight room, her body engulfed in pain and fatigue.

"Angel."

"Hi Jeff," Angel said, turning stiffly.

Jeff was at the bench press and Angel’s eyes bulged at the amount of weight he was lifting.

"You know, wrestling boots with gym shorts are a really good look," Jeff joked.

Angel just nodded. She knew he was just teasing but it was true, she looked like an absolute wreck. She had so many bumps and bruises that she was going to have to wear something more substantial than a bikini tonight, or talk to Lita about the wonders of body makeup. Angel took a long, sweeping look around the weight room. It wasn’t even nine and already it was full. Most of the patrons were wrestlers, lifting ridiculously heavy weights. Some were sweating, but it was a healthy gym shine and unlike Angel, they didn’t even look tired, let alone like they’d gone swimming in their gym clothes and almost drowned. Their hair was perfect, their tans were perfect, their bodies were more than perfect and the whole scene was making Angel sick to her stomach. She was in way, way over her head. Squinting, Angel stared at Jeff, but didn’t really see him, as she tried to collect her thoughts.

"Angel," Jeff said, frowning. "Are you okay?"

Those three words were enough. Angel burst into tears. Embarrassed, she turned to run but the most she could manage was to walk slowly with only her momentum keeping her going.

"Angel!" Jeff cried, racing after her. He put an arm around her shoulders and walked with her and she hated herself that she let him, that she was so weak all she could do was lean on him and let him support most of her weight. "I’m sorry, Angel. I should never have said that."

She wanted to tell him that it wasn’t because of him, but her mouth wouldn’t work and the tears wouldn’t stop. She just stumbled and cried and kept her body moving towards her room while Jeff did the rest. He even had to open the door for her.

Lita was up, eating breakfast and watching tapes of Jackie and Ivory’s matches.

"Hey Ange. You should try some of this fruit. Ange?"
Angel stared at Lita with wild, tear-stained eyes. "I’m…" She broke off and swallowed before trying again. "Shower."

Lita watched her, puzzled, before noticing that someone was still in the doorway. "Jeff Hardy. Did you make my cousin cry?"

Jeff sighed and stepped into the room. "I made some crack about her clothes and she just bawled. I feel like such an asshole."

Lita frowned at him. "You should. She’s on vacation, Jeff. She brought maybe five outfits and I guess she was going to be spending some time with our relatives down in Florida because they’re mostly bikinis. She sure wasn’t planning on becoming a wrestler."

"I know. I’m sorry."

Lita shook her head and picked up another piece of melon. "You know, Jeff, I really don’t need this. I have a title match and I haven’t even started at the gym yet. Now I have to comfort Angel because you said something stupid."

"You can go, Lita. I’ll wait for her."

"No, she’ll want to talk it out and she might not even want to talk to you."

"It’s my problem. I’ll deal with it."

Lita sighed. "Okay. But if she kills you, don’t come running to me."

* * * *

After a twenty-minute shower Angel still felt dead, but she was a whole lot better than she had been. Her tears had stopped, she’d regained the power of speech, she could even walk…just. Wearing just a towel, she opened the bathroom door.

"Lita, what do you know about body m…oh my gosh, Jeff!"

Jeff nearly choked on the piece of apple he was eating. "Angel! Sorry. I’ll turn around."

He spun to face the wall as Angel stared at him, dumbfounded, then walked over to her suitcase. She dressed quickly in her commando pants, tank top and jacket – the outfit shed worn the very first day. She sat cross-legged on her bed.

"Okay, I’m dressed. What are you doing here, Jeff?"

Jeff walked over and sat next to her. "Angel, I’m really sorry about what I said. It was stupid and I didn’t mean it and I really didn’t mean to make you cry. In fact, I think you looked really cute in that outfit."

Angel frowned at him. "You didn’t make me cry, Jeff."

"I didn’t?"

"Well, I guess you sort of did," Angel said thoughtfully. "You and Matt, Blackman and Snow, Crash and Hardcore, everyone who was in the gym this morning."

Jeff stared at her, puzzled. "Angel?"

Angel bowed her head. "I don’t know if I can do this, Jeff. It seemed like such a good idea, you know. Get fit, get strong, get some moves and kick Steven Richards’ ass. But it’s so hard. I’m a wreck. I hurt all over. It hurts to walk, it hurts to lie down. God, Jeff, it even hurts to talk. You guys train for hours, day after day. I’ve done three days and I’m ready to throw it in."

Jeff put his arm around her and was sliding it up and down her back. "What is Al Snow doing to you?"

"Training me!" Angel cried with an ironic laugh. "You know what we did today? He put me in the holds for the different kinds of suplexes. All I had to do was pull the reversal or break the hold. If I couldn’t, over I went."

"That sounds okay," Jeff told her.

"Yeah, you’d think. Only I didn’t pull a single reversal. I didn’t break a single hold. So over I went. Again and again and again."

Jeff cringed and wrapped his other arm around her. He held her tight and waited for her to continue.

"It’s like that with everything. I completely suck. I mean, I can’t even do a freaking hip toss and if you saw the weights Al’s got me lifting you’d just laugh."

"Well, you have to start somewhere." He sighed. "I don’t know what you want me to tell you, Angel. I can’t say it gets easier, because it doesn’t. What I can say is that it gets better."

"How do you mean?" Angel’s muffled voice asked.

"Just little things. Friends are important. So are critics. The first time I heard ‘Good work out there’ from someone who hated my guts I thought I was in heaven. But the best moment will come when you go out to the ring and you look at the crowd to read some of the signs. You might see some negative ones – ‘Suckton Bomb’ is a favorite of mine, but finally the day will come when you see a sign that might just say your name, or they might get creative and write something like ‘Send Me An Angel’. The point is that they took the time to write that so you know that when you walk out there you’re making at least one person’s night. That’s what it’s all about, Angel. You’ll see."

Angel raised her head and smiled at him. "You know what, Jeff? I think you actually made me feel better."

Jeff smiled back. "Think you can go on living now?"
"Yeah. At least for a day or two."

"Excellent." He gave her one more hug. "So, I would definitely love to hang with you all day, but I have a title match tonight and a table one at that."

"It’s okay," Angel replied. "I was just going to lie here and watch TV all day anyway."

Jeff looked horrified. "You can’t do that. Let’s see now…"

"It’s okay, Jeff. I like American TV."

"That’s it!" He grabbed her hand. "Come with me."

He led her to the elevator and up a few floors where the better suites were. They stopped by a particular door.

"Wait right here," he told her and knocked.

"Jeff!" cried a female voice as the door opened. "Honey, how are you? Come in, come in."

Angel was left alone, waiting in the hallway. After about half a minute she heard voices coming from down the hall.

"And you are so going to beat the Rock."

"Yeah, he’s a dork."

"Total dorkbag. But you, my friend. You’re totally Olymptacular."

"I am, aren’t I? And I do have my three I’s."

"You’re totally about the three I’s, Kurtski."

"Hey, what’s this? It’s so totally a Hardy girl, lost in a random buzzed world."

"Hi Edge," Angel said coolly, hoping Jeff wouldn’t come back yet.

"Hello. Where’s your dorkjob boyfriend slash bodyguard?"

Angel shrugged. "I don’t know."

Edge grinned. "Well, in that case, I’d totally like you to meetage two people who, like me, totally reek of awesomeness. This is my younger brother Christian, the other fighterific half of the five time tag team champs, Edge and Christian. And this photogenic man is your Olympic Hero and World Wrestling Federation Champion, Kurt Angle."

Angel wondered if she was supposed to applaud now. "My Olympic Hero?" she asked, heavy on the accent.

Christian scoffed. "Well, maybe not yours. What are you, like, a foreigner?"

"Shut up, Christian," Edge scolded. "Her accent’s totally awesome."

While the brothers argued, Kurt stepped up to Angel.

"I’m not sure I caught your name, young lady."

"Angel."

"Angel’s close to Angle so you must be okay. Tell me, do you believe in the three I’s?"

"Three I’s?"

"Intensity, Intelligence and Integrity. If you base your life on them you’ll never be a loser. Take me, for example. You see these gold medals, Angel? I won these at the 1996 Summer Games."

"What sport?"

"What sport?" Kurt looked offended. "Wrestling, of course."

"Wrestling? Oh, Greco-Roman. They still have that? Oh yeah, that’s right. When we had our games in September they only showed it on TV if they were making fun of it."

Kurt looked puzzled. "Traditional wrestling is an ancient and highly respected sport. Why would anyone want to make fun of it?"

Angel shrugged. "Search me."

Edge and Christian were listening again. "Man, Kurt. She just put you on slam!"

Kurt turned and glared at Edge. "I know that." He spun back around. "Let me ask you this, little miss Angel, if that is your real name, where are your gold medals?" He held them up in her face. "You don’t have these, do you, Angel?"

Edge pulled him back. "Okay, easy, Kurtski. We have to go get you ready for your match, ‘cause you so totally are going to rule."

Finally, Kurt backed off. "Okay, let’s go."

Edge gave Angel one last grin. "See you round, Angel face."

"Bye."

The three of them had just entered the elevator when the door in front of Angel opened again.

"Angel," Jeff said. "This is the Kat. Kat, this is Angel. You two have fun today."

"Jeff, what?" Angel asked.

The woman in front of her was tiny, blonde and very pretty. "Relax, honey, I ain’t gonna bite ya. Of, she is cute. Jeff, she’s adorable." She giggled and waited for Jeff to get out of earshot. "Honey, he really likes you."

"Jeff? Yeah, he and I have gotten pretty close lately. So, what were you two talking about? If he’s been begging you to hang with me, you don’t have to feel obligated."

"Angel, honey, it would be my pleasure. Actually, I need a really hot outfit to wear tonight. You should come along and help me pick."

"Are you sure?"

"Sure I’m sure. Hell, I’ll even buy you lunch. So, are you in?"

Angel smiled at her. Kat’s enthusiasm sure was infectious. "Okay. I’m in."

* * * *

"Angel, come see this one." Kat stepped out of the cubicle wearing very little.

"It looks great," Angel confirmed.

"Yeah, I thought so," Kat grinned. "Oh, honey. Those pants look great on you. Of course, the guys’ll be saying they look better off you, if you know what I mean."

"Yeah, well, I can’t afford them anyway. Are we done at this store?"

"We sure are."

They got changed and Angel waited while Kat rung up her purchases. Kat soon arrived carrying three bags. "I saw some more stuff I had to have!" she shrugged.

Angel laughed. It had been like that all day – they’d already made three trips back to the car. "Angel, we should have brought an entourage of fine young studs to carry all this for us."

"Are you actually going to wear all of this stuff, Kat?"

"Sure I am. Well, for a few minutes, anyway." She giggled. "Okay, I think we have just one more place to go." Kat led Angel into a beauty salon. "Hi," she chirped when they reached the desk. "I have appointments for me and my friend. I need you to make us look hot."

Angel was examining the price board. "Kat, I really can’t afford this."

Kat grabbed her arm. "Relax, honey, it’s on me. My treat for you having to watch me shop all day. And I won’t take no for an answer."

"Well, I guess I can’t stop you."

"You’re damn right you can’t. Come on. What’s your favorite color, Angel?"

"I don’t know. Purple…blue."

"Great!" Kat pointed at a beautician. "Make it happen."

"Wait, Kat…"

"Don’t worry, Angel. You’ll look great."

By the time the hairdresser was finished, Angel’s black hair ha streaks of purple and blue and her makeup made her look something like a whore.

"What do you think?" Kat asked.

"I don’t know…"

"You know what, Angel? You’re afraid of your own beauty. I always say, if you’ve got it, flaunt it and honey, you’ve got it. Now look again in that mirror and this time look properly."

Angel stared at her reflection, examining her features. This time she saw a girl with full lips and smoldering eyes, a girl whose hair and makeup looked freaking cool.

"Okay, Kat," Angel smiled. "You’ve sold me."

"See, I told you. Hey, you know what you should do? You should get your belly button pierced. Guys really dig that."

"Kat, I don’t care what guys dig and I’m a little sore to get holes punched in me right now."

"You’re sore? That’s great! If you get a piercing you won’t notice the rest of the pain."

Angel thought about that. "You know, Jeff has his done and it does look pretty cool. What the hell, you only live once, right?"

* * * *

"This one. This is what I’ll wear tonight. Don’t you agree?" Kat asked.

"Yeah, that’ll look great when you take it off," Angel joked.

"See? Now you’re thinking on my level."

They were back in Kat’s room, having paid several bellhops to help carry the bags. Now Kat was giving Angel a runway show of sorts as she decided which outfit to wear to strip on Smackdown Xtreme.

"Okay, Angel. Now you have to choose what you’re wearing tonight."

"I’m wearing this," Angel replied. "Okay, this," she added, taking her jacket off. "And I might hike up my tank top a bit to show off my belly ring."

"Well, you’re starting to think right, but you’re not thinking Xtreme." She jumped over to the pile of bags, filed through them, then thrust one at Angel. "Here, go put this on."

"Kat, you’re half my size. There’s no way…"

"Put it on! Go, go!"

Angel gave Kat a funny look, grabbed the bag from her and entered the bathroom. Soon after, there was a knock at the door.

"Right on time," Kat murmured, walking over to answer it. "Hi Jeff, she’s just getting ready."

"So it worked?"

"Like a charm. She saw something she remotely liked, I begged her to try it on, then I bought it for her while she waited. It was the best."

"Thanks, Kat," Jeff smiled.

Kat grinned. "Don’t thank me yet – you haven’t seen the bill." She handed him a slip of paper.

Jeff’s eyes bulged. "You spent this just on her?"

Kat giggled. "I’ll show you mine as well, if you want. Anyway, I had so much fun today I’ll split Angel’s bill with you."

"Kat, you don’t have to."

"Come now, Jeff. You’re just as bad as her. Let someone do something nice for you…unless you want to pay for all of it alone."

"Kat, you’re the greatest."

Kat grinned again. "I know."

They heard the bathroom door opening and turned around.

"Kat, I have a bone to pick with you," Angel blurted.

Jeff’s eyes almost fell out of his head. "Wow, Angel. You look awesome."

Angel’s eyes locked with his. "Oh, so you’re involved in this. I should’ve known." She stood in the bathroom doorway, hands on her hips. She was wearing a tiny purple cropped tank top and leather pants that fit her like jeans. On her wrists were countless bangles and bracelets and the beautician had seen to it that her hair and makeup were perfect. "Okay, I’ve modeled. Now I’m taking these things off and we’ll take them back to the store."

Kat pouted. "No, Angel. You have to wear that outfit tonight. You look fantastic."

"These clothes aren’t mine. I can’t keep them."

"Sure you can. Do you know what Jeff does when he wants to wear a Hardy Boyz shirt? He goes to the merchandising people and says, ‘Hey, could you please fix me up with a shirt?’ Bingo, he gets a shirt. We’re your merchandising people, Angel."

Angel frowned. "Kat, no. I can’t afford these."

"Angel, dammit, you’re keeping them and that’s final. You look so good in them it’d be a crime for you to not wear them. And besides, I can’t be the only one attracting attention tonight."

Angel sighed. "Okay. Just this once."

Kat grinned again. "Yay! Here, Jeff. These are Angel’s bags."

"What?" Angel cried.

"Come on, Angel," Jeff said. "There’s no time to argue. Matt and Lita are waiting to head over to the arena."

Angel scowled and went to retrieve her old clothes.

"Well, Jeff, did the Kat pull through or did the Kat pull through?"

Jeff smiled. "You did it, Kat. Thanks for everything."

Kat giggled. "My pleasure, kiddo. Send her my way anytime, she’s a blast!"

* * * *

It wasn’t until they reached the arena that Lita saw Angel’s makeover. It had been a cold day in Columbus, Ohio and Jeff had loaned Angel his jacket. She took it off at her office and Lita noticed immediately.

"Jeff Hardy!" she yelled. "What the hell did you do to my cousin?"

Jeff and Matt came running.

Jeff frowned. "You told me she needed some clothes so I sent her shopping with the Kat."

"You what? And no, I said she only had a few outfits, not that she needed charity."

"It’s not charity. I think she looks great."

"Of course you do! The hair, the belly button ring. Jeff, she’s not your Barbie doll!"

Jeff shrugged. "Matt, what do you think?"

"I think we have title matches tonight and shouldn’t be fighting amongst ourselves."

Jeff turned back to Lita. "What exactly is so wrong with it?"

"What’s wrong? You’ve made her a female version of you!"

"Don’t be stupid. Anyway, what’s so wrong with me?"

"You guys," Angel cut in. "Can I say something?" They looked at her expectantly. "I like it. I hate the fact that Jeff paid for it but I love these clothes and my hair and I guess the belly ring will grow on me."

Lita’s scowl softened. "Well, I guess it’s settled, then." She gave Jeff a glare and retreated to the locker room. Jeff followed her, smirking triumphantly.

Matt picked up Jeff’s jacket. "Don’t worry, Lita’ll get over it. And for the record, you do look pretty hot."

Angel grinned. "Thanks, Matt. You don’t, though. What happened to your eye?"

Matt raised his hand to his blackened left eye. "Dudleyz. Don’t worry, I’ll get revenge tonight. Speaking of that, since Lita has to concentrate on her own match, you should come valet for me and Jeff."

"I’d love to."

"Alright, but it’s a table match. It’s pretty brutal so I don’t want you getting involved."

"Matt," Angel smiled. "I don’t even know the Dudleyz. They haven’t had a chance to upset me."

"Still, no matter what happens, you stay away from the action. Okay?"

Angel nodded.

Matt smiled at her. "You know, I really do like that outfit but you know, it’s missing something." He reached to his neck and took off his Hardy Boyz pendant. "Here. Now no matter whose valet you are, everyone will know who’s got your back."

"Thanks Matt."

"No problem. Now I better make sure Lita and Jeff haven’t killed each other. It’s hard to win a belt if you’re dead."

* * * *

Angel got her stuff organized and opened her appointment book. Under February first, where she’d written ‘Smackdown Xtreme’ she added the words ‘Matt and Jeff – tag title tables’. She hoped she’d get to the day when she’d write in a whole list of appointments.

"Howdy, ma’am. Are you the valet?"

Angel looked up at a tall man with short blonde hair and both ears pierced. "I sure am. What can I do for you?"

He rubbed his neck and squinted at her nameplate. "Well, Angel. I’m here on the advice of my friend, Chyna. She was a wrestler here, absolutely the greatest – strong, beautiful, smart. You know how it is. But then those sons of bitches in Right To Censor cut her career short. The doctors, well, they don’t think she’ll ever wrestle again. So I told her. ‘Chyna,’ I said. ‘You can get through this. You need to get out there and promote your exercise video and your book’. She’s got a new book out called ‘Chyna - If They Only Knew’. I said, ‘Chyna, you’re smart, you’re beautiful and you’re the strongest person I know. You can get through this’. So that’s what she’s doing. She’s done Howard Stern, Conan, the works."

Angel watched him, wondering two things. Firstly, was he friends with Chyna like Lita was friends with Jeff or like Lita was friends with Matt; and secondly, when exactly was he going to get to the point?

He must have sensed her agitation because he finally moved on. "Anyway, while Chyna’s been doing that I’ve been hanging around here trying to avenge her injury. Besides beating Val Venis in a lumberjack match I haven’t been very successful, but you never know. On to you. Chyna was watching Raw the other night and she saw what you did to RTC. She just wanted to tell you that she appreciates having you on side."

Angel smiled. "You can tell her she’s welcome."

He smiled back. "We also heard that you’re a valet for rent so we both decided that, as a token of our appreciation for you attacking Steven Richards, I should hire you. Now, I don’t have a match tonight yet, but I do have to do an interview so I might get one at the last minute. If all things fall into place, would you like to be my valet?"

Angel nodded. "Definitely…oh, one second." She leafed through her book. "What was your name?"

"Billy Gunn."

Angel searched for it and skimmed Matt’s notes. "I can’t see a problem with it.

Billy half-smiled. "Okay, so if I have a match I’ll come by and get you?"

Angel nodded. "I hope I see you then."

Turning back to her February 1st entry, she added the words ‘Billy Gunn’ and a question mark. It wasn’t perfect, but a question mark was better than nothing at all.

* * * *

After Billy left, Angel had plenty of time to think and the more she thought the more uncomfortable she was about what Jeff had done. Finally, she couldn’t take it anymore. Stuffing her bag full, she climbed out of her office and stormed over to the locker room.

"Jeff, we need to talk."

Lita frowned. "I knew it," she snapped, staring at Jeff accusingly. "Why today, Jeff?"

But Jeff was looking at Matt, as if asking for permission that he didn’t think he’d receive.

"Go," Matt said quietly.

Jeff looked puzzled but noticed the intense look on his brother’s face and nodded. He silently followed Angel from the room.

"Matt, this is not good," Lita said. "She’s going to chew him out."

"Good, great," Matt replied. "It’ll get him fired up for our match."

"Matt, arguments with guys are completely different to arguments with girls. He won’t get angry, he’ll get depressed."

"It doesn’t matter."

"Doesn’t matter? He likes her, Matt."

"I know that. And that’s why, no matter how their little talk ends it works in our favor. Whether or not they’re happy with each other, Angel’s still our valet so she’ll be at ringside and Jeff still likes her. I told her just to watch and not get involved so Jeff’s going to want to impress her. And if she finishes their talk still angry at him, even more so because he’ll be wanting to score points. No matter what, Jeff’s on top of his game tonight."

* * * *

"I have to keep these because I’ve worn them but first thing tomorrow I’m returning the rest."

"Angel, no. We’ve been through this."

"No we haven’t. I gave up before with Kat because I couldn’t get a word in edgewise. I can’t afford to pay you back so it’s the only way."

"You don’t have to pay me. It’s a gift."

"Gifts this big come with a catch."

"No catch, I swear. Lita told me it was your birthday just before we met. Consider it a late birthday present."

Angel shook her head, exasperated. "It’s just…the bag and the other stuff, that was a gift. And even the boots – they were expensive but Lita’s family and that makes it okay. But the clothes…it’s almost like you own me. You don’t own me, Jeff."

"I know. I don’t want you to feel like that."

"But I do. I do feel like that. I mean, how should I feel? This guy I hardly know buys me all these expensive clothes for no reason at all and I don’t have to pay him back. It’s a little strange, don’t you think?"

If it was a movie he would have said, "I had my reasons" and then kissed her. But he simply stood where he was, thinking carefully before he spoke. "You’re valet for me and Matt tonight, right?"
"Don’t change the subject, Jeff. This is important."

"I’m not. That’s how you pay me back. The clothes are your payment for the match."

"No, Jeff. Hundreds of dollars worth of clothes?"

"Your sign says ‘All offers considered’. Well, consider this. After the match tonight we’re square, even, you owe me nothing. We can go on living and forget about it."

Angel stared into his intense green eyes and finally started to soften. "Okay, but I still don’t like it."

"You have to like it or there’s no deal," Jeff warned her.

Angel sighed. "Fine. But I’m really not worth it. I’m not that good a valet."

Jeff grinned and led her back into the locker room. "And I guess I’m still waiting on a thank you," he mumbled under his breath. He was glad she didn’t know that Kat had paid for half, although he had an answer for that, too. Angel had managed to spend almost a whole day listening to Kat talk without once complaining. As far as Jeff was concerned, the clothes weren’t payment enough.

* * * *

The entrance music started and the crowd roared.

"Let’s do this," Matt said and the three of them ran out onto the stage, moving their bodies in time with the music. They struck a pose – Matt with his arms in the air and hands making gun signs, Jeff crouched over and Angel pointing her index fingers straight up, then bringing her arms down almost like wings. She was getting used to this valet thing. They ran down the ramp and dove into the ring, posing for the crowd and reveling in the cheers. Soon they were interrupted by an explosion, announcing the entrance of their opponents, the Dudley Boyz.

Angel took one look at them and climbed out of the ring. Matt didn’t want her getting involved in the match but, noticing their size, Angel knew that wasn’t going to be a problem. Leaning on the apron and watching them enter, she listened to the ring announcer. A combined weight of five hundred and sixty-five pounds. They outweighed Matt and Jeff by a hundred and thirty-five pounds – a whole Lita. How were her friends going to win?

The Dudleyz and Hardyz talked trash and got in each other’s faces, coming to blows as the ring bell signaled the start of the match.

Matt pushed D-Von over the second rope, then turned to help Jeff, who was tied up in the corner with Buh Buh Ray. They gave Buh Buh a double whip, then Matt set up for Poetry in Motion. As Jeff’s legs collided with Buh Buh’s face, Angel applauded.

"Yeah! Way to go, guys!"

But D-Von came back and knocked Matt down, allowing Buh Buh to set Jeff up for the double team neck-breaker. Angel cringed as Jeff’s neck hit the ground. "Oh! Come on, Jeff. Get up!"

The cavalry arrived in the shape of Matt but he ran straight into a Buh Buh Ray slam. Buh Buh threw his hands in the air while D-Von climbed the turnbuckle, flagging their signature move. Buh Buh held Matt’s legs open.

"Whassup!" both Dudleyz cried before D-Von flew from the turnbuckle.

Angel cringed again. "Come on, Matt!"

Buh Buh got a crazy look in his eyes.

"D-Von!" he shouted, shoving his half-brother. "Get the table!"

But victory was never going to be that easy. Matt attacked D-Von outside the ring while Jeff caught Buh Buh with a low blow just before he was about to be put through the table. Jeff tried to flip Buh Buh into a table but D-Von moved it just in time. The Dudleyz then set Matt up for the 3-D.

"Go Jeff!" Angel shouted as Jeff, too, moved the table in the nick of time. He then put D-Von on the table and climbed the ropes for the Swanton Bomb, only to be pushed by Buh Buh. While he was recovering, Buh Buh set up for the superplex.

"Matt!" Angel cried. "Help him, Matt!"

It looked to be over but, just before the superplex, Matt leaped through the table, sacrificing himself for his brother and the continuance of the match. Angel applauded wildly. "Well done, Matt! Yeah!"

While Jeff lay stunned in the ring after the superplex, Matt jumped to the ground.

"Angel. Help me with this."

Angel ran to him as he pulled a ladder from under the ring. Buh Buh Ray grabbed her just as she got there. Angel screamed, causing Matt to spin around and hit him in the face with the ladder. As Buh Buh let Angel go and fell, Matt hit D-Von with the ladder and he too dropped to the ground.

"Set it up right there, then get out of the way," Matt commanded, grabbing D-Von.

Angel nodded and stood the ladder up next to the ropes, moving out the way just as Matt whipped D-Von right into it.

"Let’s get these tables."

Angel helped him set up two tables as Jeff began to get up in the ring.

"Ladder," Matt said as he picked D-Von up and placed him on the table. Angel opened the ladder and tried her best to steady it.

"Now go, go," Matt ordered her as Jeff got to his feet.

Angel walked around the ring as Matt climbed the ladder and Jeff looked on. He noticed Buh Buh watching Angel from the other corner and ran at him, but Buh Buh was ready and caught Jeff with a big clothesline. He then ran over and tried to pull Matt from the ladder as D-Von got up and climbed the other side. Matt punched Buh Buh and started on D-Von as Jeff ran at Buh Buh. But again, Buh Buh was ready and threw Jeff into the air. His body connected with the ladder, knocking it, Matt and D-Von down. Matt and D-Von’s heads caught the edge of the nearest table and it toppled over, causing a tangle of steel, wood and broken bodies.

"Matt!" Angel cried, running to his side as Buh Buh picked up Jeff and tossed him over his shoulder into a massive back body drop.

"Matt, are you okay?" Angel asked frantically as Buh Buh grabbed Jeff by the hair and pulled him from the ring before whipping him into the ring post.

"Matt, Matt, get up," she murmured, lightly tapping his face and not noticing as Buh Buh dragged Jeff past them and to the side of the ramp.

"Matt, come on. You have to help Jeff."

Even if she’d been looking she wouldn’t have seen Jeff and Buh Buh who were now battling it out in front of and ten feet below the stage, out of Angel’s field of vision. Matt’s eyes were closed but he was breathing and grimacing from the pain.

"Come on, Matt," Angel begged, squeezing his hand. Behind them, Jeff now had control and was forcing Buh Buh up the ramp towards the stage.

"Matt, please get up."

Matt finally coughed. "Angel," he murmured, not opening his eyes. "Angel, where’s Jeff? Is he…is Jeff okay?"

"I don’t know," Angel replied. "He’s…"

CRASH!

Angel sat bolt upright at the sound that had cut her off, gripping Matt’s hand tightly.

"Jeff," she gasped, her voice no more than a whisper. She released Matt’s hand and leaped to her feet, looking around frantically.

"Jeff!" she screamed.

The bell rang and the Dudleyz song started playing.

"Jeff!" Angel still didn’t know where he was and the fact that he wasn’t answering terrified her.

The ring announcer was talking.

"Here are your winners and still World Wrestling Federation Tag Team Champions, The Dudley Boyz!"

Finally, she found him. He and Buh Buh Ray were lying on two crumpled tables under the stage. They were both writhing in absolute agony and Buh Buh was moaning loudly as some referees checked on them.

"Oh, Jeff," Angel murmured, climbing over the debris. "What happened here?"

"Powerbomb from the stage through these tables," a ref told her. "Ma’am, if you’ll just step out the way, they’re both in pretty bad shape."

Angel ignored him as she reached out for Jeff.

"Angel," Jeff managed. "I’m okay. I’m okay."

But he wasn’t okay, only managing to get halfway to his feet before collapsing again. He and Buh Buh each needed two men to help them back to the makeshift medical room. Matt and D-Von were already there, with Matt having recovered enough to sit in a chair while his brother and the Dudleyz received treatment.

"Matt!" Angle cried when she saw him. She fell to her knees in front of him, tears streaming down her face. "Powerbomb from ten feet through two tables." She hugged Matt’s legs and he leaned over to put two tired arms around her.

"I know, it’s okay. It happens sometimes. He’ll be okay, I promise."

But Angel kept sobbing, especially as the medics rolled Jeff onto his side, into the easy breathing position.

"Jeff," she sobbed into Matt’s lap as he tried to comfort her. "Poor, poor Jeff."

At that moment Lita ran into the room, completely frantic. "My God, you guys, that was totally crazy!" She stood over Jeff. "Are you okay? Are you okay? What’s wrong with him?" She spun back around to Matt and Angel. "Matt, you guys, what’s wrong with Jeff, you guys…"

"Lita, Lita." Matt raised one hand from Angel and cut her off. "We can take care of ourselves. You just worry about winning the Women’s Championship. We’re okay, I promise."

Lita looked at him carefully. "Okay. Okay, Angel?"

Angel raised her head. "I’m staying here."

Lita nodded. "Okay."

"Good luck, Lita," Angel murmured.

Still worried, Lita took one last look at Matt. He gripped her hand. "Good luck."

Lita gave a half-smile and silently left the room.

Still gripping Matt’s legs, Angel tilted her head so that she could see Jeff. At that moment the though that she was supposed to be Billy Gunn’s valet wasn’t even close to entering her mind. Some things were just more important.