Inspiration from "Giving In" by Adema

I was browsing around on one of my favorite author's (CaraMascara, go check her out...) profile and found this as sort of a challenge, and decided to take it up. So in a way this is dedicated to her, because I love reading just about everything she writes!

Title: Take Me Under
Author: Skyy Ryder
Rating: T ... may go up
Characters: Jeff Hardy, Matt Hardy, Shannon Moore, Shane Helms, and others. Along with OFC.
Pairings: Eventually Jeff/OC with mention of Jeff/Beth, and perhaps future hookups.
Summary: Jeff Hardy is suspended for the second time after failing another drug test. He goes home, where his best friend tries her best to help him fight his addiction. Will he give in? xxx JeffxOC / Inspired by 'Giving In' by Adema.

Take Me Under
Written By Skyy Ryder

Chapter 01
Weeding out the Bad

Dark soil and unmanageable weeds were her priority at the moment. The evil green villains that plagued her front yard on one of Cameron's hottest afternoons. The sun beat down on her pale skin, which by June of that summer would be crisp and tan once again, but for now remained a color that resembled lily white.

She barely noticed the familiar onyx colored Corvette that drove past in a speeding frenzy that was until it pulled in to the dirt drive next door to her. She watched as her best friend of twenty-some years pulled in, the car slowing down as he too noticed.

The dark haired woman dropped the tools in her hand and walked the few yards to the driveway next to her own. The person in the Corvette slowly got out of the driver's seat, leaving the vehicle running, but in park.

A pair of dark eyes met a pair of glazed over green ones, she knew that look and it wasn't good. The smile that had once adorned her face slowly slipped away. Her strides towards the man she once knew very well stopped. The man rested his forehead against the roof of the car in a defeated manner.

"Jeff," His name barely slipped out of her mouth, he looked up at her again and she could feel the pain in those eyes. She could feel the pain deep with in just looking at the rainbow haired man before her.

She knew, he could tell as soon as she saw him. She knew what was going on… it was happening again. He cleared his throat and she looked down at her dirty hands, slapping them together and rubbing them on to the back of her denim shorts.

"Nicole, I…" Before he could say anything else a red Corvette pulled up at the end of the street, and a dark brown head popped out, glaring at the green eyed creature that was sulking.

"We need to talk," The dark haired man barked, Nicole looked from one brother to the other and decided that he would talk to her when he was ready, he always did.

She didn't say anything to either man as she turned around and walked back to her side of the property, she kneeled back down picking up her tools and getting back to her work. Her eyes lifted slowly to watch both men get in to the cars and drive the long distance up to the all-too-familiar house.

Sitting back on her heels, the woman sighed, this wasn't good at all. She decided. Using her forearm to wipe at the sweat that was glistening on her forehead she stared at the drive way again, wondering what had tripped him up this time.

What pushed him to the brink?

Jeff slammed his car door closed as he pulled his keys out and heard his older brother do the same. He wasn't in the mood to deal with Matt right now, he wasn't in the right state of mind for this lecture that he knew was coming.

Unlocking the door, he left the door open for his brother whom he knew was on his heels. The door slammed behind him as he walked in to the kitchen. He grabbed a beer from the fridge and offered one to his dark haired brother.

"What the fuck is your problem?" Matt asked denying the beer that was offered to him.

"You know, Matt, I really don't feel like talking about it… OK?" He stated running a hand through his blue, red and green hair.

"Why not?" Matt asked angry. "You have no problem doing it, but you can't talk about it?" Matt got right in to his brother's face. Both had well defined features, their noses pinched at the end, which were now just centimeters apart.

"Get out of my face, Matt…" Jeff stated he didn't want to be rude or mean to his brother; let alone hostile, but he was not in the mood to be hassled about his problem.

"I'm your brother Jeff; you should be able to tell me anything…" Matt stated, his dark brown eyes showing his concern as he spoke to his younger brother.

"Look, Matt… I'm not ready to talk ok?" He stated as he chugged down the rest of his beer. "I'll talk when I'm ready…" He mused before leaving the kitchen, and leaving his brother speechless in the kitchen.

Matt was leaving his brother's house defeated when he noticed the younger woman that was wedding outside of her house. Matt pulled in to her drive and exited the red Corvette. A pensive look placed itself on his face as he watched his brother's very close friend walk over to him.

Her, obviously dyed, black hair was pulled in to a messy bun on the top of her head, her hands were dirty, her knees red from kneeling on the pavement that surrounded her well-groomed yard. Matt stuffed his hands in his pocket and she lifted her chin to her front door.

Without a second look Matt was walking up to her house, she placed her tools away and followed the eldest Hardy brother in to her home. She sighed feeling the cool air hit her face.

"What is it this time, Matt?" She asked him as he poured her a glass of water.

"I know but I don't know…" Matt stated calmly. "He won't talk to me right now."

"You know Jeff, sometimes he needs time to think things out before he comes out and says them…" The woman stated taking a sip of the ice-cold beverage. "What do you know?" She asked.

"He failed his second drug test, and he's suspended for sixty days…" Matt stated carefully.

"Again?" She whispered, knowing in her gut that it was the truth.

What she had previously thought was correct. He had slipped back in to the whole, he let it take him under again. She pursed her lips together and watched as the older man sipped at his water. They stood in silence, neither knowing what they could do next.

"I don't know what else to do Nicki," Matt sighed, pushing a hand through his curly dark brown hair.

"We can't help him unless he wants to be helped…" She stated carefully.

"I think I know what pushed him this time," Matt stated solemnly, remembering the last civil conversation he had with his baby brother.

"What?" She asked placing her glass down on the island, "What happened Matt?" Her eyebrows rose wondering what was going on.

"Beth, she left him… for good this time…" Matt swallowed hard at the news.

"You're kidding; she hasn't said anything to me…" Nicole commented feeling her face flush with anger. "Why?"

"He didn't say, he was just absolutely devastated by it…" Matt stated. "He tried to win her back, tried to work it out, but she refused. She packed up all her things and left last week."

"I didn't even ask questions…" Nicole stated as brown eyes locked with brown eyes.

"You didn't know .how could you?" Matt stated. "You've got your own life to lead still, without worrying about Beth and Jeff's problems…"

"But she's supposed to be my friend, he's supposed to be my best friend, and neither of them told me about it…" Her brows slammed together in dissatisfaction.

"He'll tell you when he feels that you need to know," Matt pursed his lips together. "He told me he'd come to me when he's ready to talk,"

Nicole sighed and rubbed her temples, Jeff did this to her. He drove her to the absolute brink of insanity sometimes. She worried about him like she was his mother, sometimes she felt more like his mother than his best friend.

"I leave tomorrow, for a house show in Fayetteville, I'll be back on Saturday, but leaving again Sunday night…"Matt stated. "If you hear anything, let me know, ok?"

"Do you know if he's talked to Shan?" Nicole questioned.

"Not as far as I know, but I'll ask him tonight, he's coming over for poker… you're more than welcome to stop by if you want…" He stated with a grin in her direction.

"We'll see…" Nicole stated as the eldest Hardy Boy saw himself out.

Nicole watched him leave the house, the rev of the engine and the screeching of the tires as he took off. A small smile appeared on her face; it was nice having the boys back home for awhile, though she was sorry that for Jeff, it was under these circumstances.

Well, let me know what you think... R&R!