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*RAW, August 23, 2004*
Adam felt a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth as he watched the segment come to an end. It was only fitting, and in spite of not being a sadistic person, the blond man couldn't help but feel pleased - not to mention relieved.
"Well, I guess that does it for Matt," Jay Reso said with a nod toward the television monitor. He and Chris Jericho were visiting their friend to catch the remainder of RAW. Adam's and Jericho's matches and segments had come to an end, and Jay had stopped by the arena just to visit with his friends. Technically, he was still on the injured list, but he would be making his official return the following week on RAW. Ironically enough, that would occur during The Highlight Reel, where the short-haired man would attack Chris.
"Yeah, man," Jericho concurred. "Hey, Amy must be happy." He gestured toward the monitor with one hand. "I mean, she won't have to deal with him anymore - at least not for awhile."
Adam jerked his head sharply in the older man's direction. He hoped Amy would *never* have to deal with Matt Hardy again. He wondered how she was able to keep so serious a look on her face as she stared down at the fallen bastard - Kane had chokeslammed him off the stage and into a table - when he knew she was really in a partying mood at that very moment. On the contrary... His wife had gotten to become quite a good actress in the past couple of months due to having no choice but being forced into working in this storyline with Hardy.
"If I have anything to say or do about it," the tall blond man said, "she won't ever have to deal with him again."
The segment was over as Kane carried his new bride in black, Lita, backstage. Adam knew the firt thing Amy would do would be to rush here to his locker room, bursting with excitement. She'd told him how happy she was to be working with Glen Jacobs - the big man was kind, very gentle with her, and had kept an eye out and protected her anytime Hardy had been around them. In short, he was like a big brother. She would continue to work with him for some time as well.
He could hear her giddy, feminine voice from out in the hallway as she approached his locker room. Jay and Chris recognized it as well, and the two exchanged amused and almost conspiratorial glances.
"Should we leave?" Jericho asked as Adam rose to open the door.
"Yeah," Jay said. "You never know what those two might do in our presence."
"Dream on," the tallest man said, practically unable to hold back his laughter, "because that's exactly the *only* way you'll ever get a 'show' out of Amy and me." As he opened the locker room door, his wife nearly jumped up on him. The next thing he knew, the redhead was in his arms, her lips seeking his in an urgency. He did exactly as his mind, heart and body alike screamed at him and kissed her back with equal fervor.
"Not gonna give us a show, huh?" Jay remarked. He smiled, shaking his head. "C'mon, Chris - let's get out of here before we see something we don't want to."
Without breaking the kiss he and Amy were still engaged in, Adam raised one hand and flipped the bird at his friend. That drew laughter from both men, and they made their exit.
Moments later, soft laughter bubbling from her, the redhead pulled back just enough to gaze up into the tall blond man's eyes.
"It's over," she said with vigor. "It's finally over and done with!"
Adam nodded.
"And that calls for a celebration tonight," he said with a grin.
*
Gene Snitsky rose from his seat in the deserted catering room to leave.
A newcomer to the WWE, he'd competed in his first ever dark match for the company earlier in the night. He'd gotten to pretty much demolish Steven Richards, and he had to admit, even though the guy was a jobber, it had been fun.
As he was leaving and returned to the hallway, the big man noticed a superstar couple lingering out there. They were engaged in conversation, but Snitsky noticed that the moment they caught sight of him, the pair hushed and seemed to stare.
Gene thought to nod and smile at them, but then thought the better of it. Neither was greeting him, or even smiling at him, so what was the point in being nice? Instead, he simply passed them.
"Wait... Hey!" Matt Hardy started after him and tapped the big man on the arm.
Gene turned then, his gaze skipping almost completely over Matt and drinking in the lovely vision that was his girlfriend, Torrie Wilson. He definitely would not have minded the chance to experience that!
"Yeah?"
"Matt Hardy," the dark-haired man said, putting out his hand as though to shake. When the much larger man merely glanced at him and didn't offer his own hand, Hardy decided to forget about it. "This is Torrie," he said, gesturing to the tall blonde at his side.
"Nice to meet you," Snitsky said with an awkward grin for the diva. He all but ignored Matt.
"And you're?-"
"Snitsky - Gene Snitsky," he said gruffly, actually looking at the Hardy for a change.
"Yeah - I caught your match earlier. Very impressive," Matt said, nodding his approval. "I wanted to actually talk to you about something, Gene... Ask a favor."
Snisky frowned in confusion. What the heck could Hardy possibly want from him when he hadn't even known or remembered his name? He decided to find out.
"Huh?"
Matt exchanged quick glances with Torrie, then gestured to the large man.
"I'll explain all about it - in private."
Gene's head was full of question marks as the elder Hardy and his Playboy covergirl sweetheart led him to a
nearby empty locker room.