Be My Protector

Jeff Hardy was never one to admit his fear. To him, fear was a sign of weakness, and he hated being seen as weak. Tonight however was a different story. The rain poured down like a round of angry punches, taking down everything for miles. Jeff was huddled under a blanket, curled up on the couch, jumping when a crash of thunder shook the foundation of the home he and Mike shared. He doved further under the blanket as a bolt of lightening lit up the room. "Where are you Mike?" Jeff whimpered. "I need you."

Mike was running late, he and Alex had been training when the first strike of lighting lit up the sky. As quickly as he could Mike bid Alex a fairwell and gathered his things; trying as hard as he could to get home to Jeff. As ike was speeding down the highway, Rain coming down like little bullets out side. "Don't worry Jeff baby, Im coming." Mike drove on.

Jeff curled into himself, shaking as he waited for Mike to get home. He'd tired his best not to let his fear show around Mike, but he knew that his lover was aware of his fear. Jeff's eyes were to descriptive for him not to.

"Damn!" Mike cursed, pulling his coat up; trying to block the rain from hitting his face. He was 3 miles from his and Jeff's home and his truck had just run out of gas. Mike had meant to stop and fill up but in his hast to get back to his lover he forgot. "Great, just great." Mike sighed and grabbed his important belongings from the truck. Mike locked the door, picked his things up, and started running. The rain was stinging his face, He was soaked and tired, but the thought of Jeff alone at home during a storme Made Mike only run faster.

Jeff burrowed himself under the blanket so he couldn't see the lightning, covering his ears as best he could. He began to worry for Mike's safety out in that mess.

Mike didn't see the lights of the car as it came speeding down the highway and apparently the driver didn't see him either. Mike wasn't fast enough to avoide the car completely, the car managed to hit his side; throwing him into the air. Mike blinked, the pain in his right arm and and ribbs was almost un bairable. Mike was suprised he was still alive, so considering he was indeed alive; the pain he felt was a clear indecator of that. And there was not way he was getting help out here, Mike slowly got up and once again started his treck back home. Fortunatly for him, his home wasn't even a mile away. When the house finally came into veiw, Mike couldn't help the grin that split his face at knowing in a few moments he would be home.

Jeff lied, still curled up on the couch awaiting Mike's return. He had no idea what had happened to Mike on the way home, but he would soon learn just how much Mike cared for him. Just what he would do for him.

Mike turned to door nob to find it was locked. "Damn it! Just my luck!" Mike seethed, the pain in his ribbs and arm becoming too much. "Jeff!" Mike yelled, banging on the door as hard as he could with his good arm. Mike leaned his head against the door, praying that Jeff would hear him and let him in, Mike didn't want Jeff to be alone anymore. "Jeff, baby its me!" Mike whined, banging again on the door that separated him and his lover.

Jeff walked quickly to the door, flinging it open in a desperate attempt to be closer to Mike. "Mikey, darlin' you're soaked!" Jeff gasped when he laid eyes on Mike. He quickly rushed the smaller man inside. "You poor thing!" Jeff said, accent thick with worry.

When Jeff opend the door Mike was so releaved to see he was okay. Mike slowly stepped inside, sitting down in a stool that sat in the kitchen. Mike clutched at his arm, Mike knew Jeff didn't want him knowing about his fears so Mike decided he would act normal seeing as Jeff was okay, Mike didn't want to make Jeff uncomfaratable about his fears, as long as Mike knew he was there now to protect Jeff; Jeff didn't need to know what he had gone through just to be here. "Hey Jeffy-" Mike gasped, His ribbs ached when he tried to speak. Mike's good hand immidiantly went to hold his ribbs.

Jeff eyed Mike cautiously, something was up and he knew it. "Mike, what happened out there darlin, did you hurt yourself?" Jeff asked. "Don't lie to me now."

Mike put his head down, contemplating. He didn't want to lie to Jeff but he didn't want Jeff to feel bad. "Its nothing Jeffy," Mike tried to smile reassuringly but failed misserable. "Alex just got a little rough, hes doing good." Mike didn't dare look up into his lover's eyes.

Jeff's green eyes narrowed. "You're lying," Jeff said. "Don't think I don't know when you're lying to me Michael, I know you better than that."

Mike was chewing his lip to shreds. "Come on Jeffy, please.." Mike glanced up at him but immidiantly put his head back down. "I'm fine, there's nothing wrong." Mike hated lying to Jeff but Mike didn't want his lover feeling bad about it. Mike sighed, trying to supressed the pained look, talking was hurting him. Mike took a deep breath but gasped and started coughing, clutinging his ribbs. Miike could feel the back of his eyes sting but he refused to cry infront of Jeff. He had to be stong for his Jeffy.

"Mikey...." Jeff sighed. He got down in front of Mike placing his hands on the smaller man's knees. "Darlin.....don't be like this,"Jeff pleaded softly. "What happened to you?"

against Mike's will the tears started cascading down his face. "I-i got hit by a car on th-the way here." Mike's ribbs were hurting him so bad he felt like a knife was sticking in him. He hated crying but he couldn't stop, the pain was to much. "Th-the truck gave out of g-gas and I-I started to run home t-to get to y-you and a c-car just hit m-me." Mike put a hand over his mouth, tying to stop the pathetic sobbs that gusshed forth. Mike was afriad to look at Jeff, not knowing what his reaction would be.

Jeff's eyes widened and he shook his head. "You poor thing," Jeff said softly. He picked Mike up gently and laid the smaller man in his lap, stroking his hair gently. "You didn't have to go through all that for little ol' me."

Mike yelped and clutched his ribbs, the movie had jared them. Mike coughed again. "I-I didn't want tyou to be alone." Mike whimpered, feeling suffocated.

Jeff sighed softly. "Mikey, we need to go get you looked at baby, you might have broken something."

Mike shook his head violently. "N-no, I don't w-wanna." Mike sniffled. "Its still raining, I don't want go b-back out there." Mike snuggled up to Jeff as much as his ribbs would let him. Mikes breathing was ragged, his bleeding lips begging to turn a light purple.

Jeff shook his head. "I have a friend that's a doctor, she'll come look you over baby," Jeff said. "I'm not letting you back out in that mess."

Mike sighed in relief, his breath becoming shorter, his ribbs not allowing much air into his lungs. Mike was getting sleepy, his eyes were wanting to slip shut. "Hey J-Jeffy?" Mike paused attempting to get a breath. "Y-Your okay now right?" Mike weazed. HIs good hand clutching tightly at Jeff's shirt.

"I'm fine Mikey, I'm fine," Jeff said. "You worry about you right now darlin, keep those pretty eyes open for me now," Jeff said, his accent growing thicker the more he began to worry.

"Nawwwwwww," Mike whined, tuning away from Jeff, wanting nothing more than to go to sleep now that he knew Jeff was okay. "Just let me sleep Jeffy." Miike murmmered, a sleepy haze settling over him. It was almost to the point where Mike couldn't breath. Mike gasped, his eyes slipping shut.

"No, no no no Mikey, you gotta stay awake right now," Jeff stressed. "You gotta stay with me now, you falling asleep could be a very bad thing right now."