A/N: I don't own anyone!

Gravity

A Team Adorkable short fic

Chapter Three: Shatter

Most days, I'd tell you that I have the best job in the world. No, really. Maybe someone else might not think so, since it involves getting beat up pretty frequently, but if it's done right, it's more like a dance than a fight. It's beautiful in a way I can't describe.

Today? Not so much. The new script is in front of me, and Michelle is cracking jokes. "Told you creative was going to give you hell for that kiss!" she crows.

"I don't know why you're so happy about it," I grumble. "Team Adorkable is part of this, too."

"Oh, I know," she says, sliding onto the bench across from me in catering. "But we get to come out and save you again." She flips through the pages and points triumphantly, as if I hadn't already seen what she's talking about.

I sigh and look to my girlfriend, Serena. "Please explain to her why this isn't good."

"Sorry, Punk," Serena says with a chuckle. "I'm with Michelle on this one. Serves you right."

"Hmph." I pick the script up and stare at it, like that will make the words change to something more palatable.

Luke drops his script on the table and sits down next to Michelle. The two eye one another for a moment before he turns to me. "This…"

"I know," I say. "It's awful."

Luke chuckles. "Actually, it's way better than the last script they had. I can't wait to get this scene done today."

Michelle looks like she's holding back a snicker- not very well, I might add. "Why am I the only one who doesn't like this?" I ask.

"Don't whine, Cuddle Monkey," Michelle says to me. "It's unbecoming. Besides, this is going to really put a rocket on the current storyline. The feedback on that kiss has been amazing."

"So I hear." I lean against Serena, who smiles at me. "I still don't like getting the crap kicked out of me, two weeks in a row."

"Join the club," Matt grumbles, taking a seat on the other side of Michelle.

"At least we're winning again this week," she tells him. "That's better than what they had you booked for before Team Adorkable."

Matt's face is like a stormcloud, ready to break. The talk we had last week has been on my mind for days. Before he can make whatever comment he's gearing up to make to Michelle, I say, "You're right. This storyline is good for all of us. Plus it gives us a chance to really push the new SES."

"Now that it's breaking up, you mean?" Serena says with a smirk. "Because you know after last week, I'm out."

I sigh. "Doesn't matter. Suddenly, we're all Team Adorkable. Wow." I turn to Michelle. "This is like when you joined the Straightedge Society, but in reverse. Instead of us taking you in, now you're taking us in."

"What is the WWE going to do with a mixed stable?" Matt asks, his eyes on me. "Where is it going to go without another mixed stable to fight? Look what happened to the Hart Dynasty and now to the SES. That's us in a few weeks."

"There's no need to be so negative," Michelle says.

"Just telling it like it is," he says with a shrug.

"Excuse me," Michelle says, getting up. "I've got somewhere to be right now."

Once she's gone, Serena looks at Matt. "You didn't have to do that."

"Yeah, I did." Matt smirks. "Push her away so she doesn't get hurt, right, Punk?"

Serena turns to me, eyes wide. "Punk?" she says, barely above a whisper.

"Raindrop," I say. "That's not what I said."

"Sure it is," Matt says.

"Well, it's not what I meant!" Serena stands up without a word and follows Michelle's lead. I turn to Matt. "I thought," I say, through gritted teeth, "that you were going to stop being an idiot and let the storyline play out."

"Maybe I'm tired of waiting," Matt says. He picks up his script and moves away from the table, leaving Luke and I alone.

"Damn it," I sigh. "Can't everyone get along for five minutes anymore?"

Luke shakes his head. "Sorry, Punk. But hey, you could always do what Hardy suggested and just cut ties with him."

"Not while there's a script, I can't. Besides, Matt's my friend. I'm not going to let him throw away everything he cares about because he suddenly has some kind of problem with management and creative."

"You may not have a choice."

"I know. That's what worries me." I run my teeth over my lip ring. "Guess I'd better go track down Serena and Michelle."

"Better you than me," Luke says.

^%^

I end up outside the girls locker room. I'm debating whether or not I ought to push the door open and risk being called a pervert when Layla comes out. "Are Michelle and Serena in there?" I ask her.

Layla makes a face. "They're in there," she says, right before she pushes past me.

That decides it. I push open the door and go inside. Luckily for me, they're alone. "Punk?" Serena says, standing from where she was half crouched beside Michelle's spot on a bench.

Michelle looks up at me, eyes red from crying. I think back to the last time Hardy made her cry, and the promise that he wouldn't do it again, and I can't help it. I clench my fists at my sides. "What's wrong with him?" Michelle finally blurts out.

"Ah, God. I wish I knew," I tell her.

"Serena told me he said you told him to push me away."

I sigh and take a spot beside where Serena is now crouched again. "Listen, Sunshine, it wasn't quite like that. It was… Well, let's just say that I told him if he planned to self destruct, he shouldn't try to take the rest of us with him."

"Is that what you think he's doing? Self destructing?"

"What would you call it?" I ask.

She stares at me for a long moment before nodding. "He said something to me the other night about not being happy. About not wanting to do the Team Adorkable storyline, and wanting to pursue the belt. I thought maybe he was just having an off night, but he hasn't been himself lately."

I nod, because there's not much to say to that. Serena pats Michelle's back. "Do you want to stay with us tonight?" she asks.

"No, I'll be okay. I booked my own room this time." She smiles, but it looks sickly and nothing like her usual perky self. "I can't believe he's doing this to me. I can't believe he's going to throw away a storyline that he fought for in order to be so… so selfish."

"Don't forget the crappy entrance music," I mutter.

Michelle glares at me. "I'm being serious, Punk! My relationship may be ending, and you're worried about us walking out to Pearl Jam?"

"Sorry," I say. "Nothing's changed for tonight, though. We're still doing the segment, and if he wants to talk to creative after that…" I shrug. "Well, that's really up to him. But you know that you can always hang with Serena and I."

"Absolutely," Serena agrees. "Maybe you and I could do some tagging, Michelle, like in the old days."

Michelle smiles. "Thanks, you guys. I don't know what I'd do without you."

"Probably not have as much fun screaming in unison," Serena says, and the three of us smile at one another. No matter what Matt does from here on out, Serena and I will make sure that Michelle is okay.

^%^

The promo starts with me, cornering Serena backstage so we can talk. She has a reluctant look on her face. "Serena," I tell her, "Luke and Joey aren't going to treat you right. They're not here for you. I am." The words are eerily similar to how I feel about Matt and Michelle right now, but I push that thought aside, giving my best serious look to Serena.

"I can't, Punk," she's saying. "I can't betray them again."

"You're not betraying them, you're staying true to yourself. That kiss we shared…"

"You forced me!" she says, her eyes pleading. "I told them it wasn't my idea, that you were the one who kissed me."

"You stopped the match last week," I remind her. "You saved me."

"I know. I…" Her eyes get huge as she glances behind me. I turn, and the camera follows, showing Joey and Luke, arms crossed, glaring daggers at me.

"I thought I told you to stay away from this loser, Serena," Luke growls.

"Sorry, Luke," she says, cowering.

"Leave her out of this," I snarl.

"If only I could, Punk," Luke says. "But you just keep dragging her back into it." He and Joey attack, taking me down without too much struggle. "Stay away from Serena!" he yells in my face before getting up, grabbing her arm, and dragging her off. Serena casts a look over her shoulder at me before they disappear.

"Oh my God, Punk!" Michelle runs up. "Are you okay? What happened?"

"The new SES," I gasp. "They took Serena."

Matt follows Michelle into the shot. "Don't worry," he says, "we'll get her back."

The scene wraps and Michelle helps me up. "You okay?"

"Never better," I say, making a face at her.

She chuckles and nods to Serena, who has come back. "It looked good from my angle."

"Yeah, that's going to generate some interest in the storyline," Serena agrees, almost warily.

Matt's been watching us the whole time, but now he snorts and walks off. Michelle says, "He's not getting any better. In fact, he seems worse."

"A revolution is coming," I tell her. "And we're going to have to pick sides soon."

"You think he's that unhappy?" Michelle asks.

"Don't you?"

She sighs. "I don't know anymore. I've quit trying to plan the future because it seems like it's so fragile right now. One wrong move, and he'll take off into the sunset without me."

"Then maybe you should let him go."

"Easy for you to say," she tells me. "You and Serena are solid."

"Don't worry too much about Matt. This too shall pass," Serena tells her. "But in the meantime, maybe you should let him have his space. Stay clear, in case Punk's right and he's on the road to self destruction."

"Yeah, maybe," Michelle says, "but that's easier said than done."

A/N: This is the end of Gravity, and yes, I know it's a cliffhanger. I DO have plans to write another full length Team Adorkable fic, probably from Matt's POV, that deals with his darker side and what's going on with him. I won't be getting to that until I've finished something else, though, since running three big fics + school + my life offline = me not sleeping, ever. I may add another chapter (or more) to Gravity in the meantime, if the mood to write something to do with Team Adorkable hits me, and it follows the storyline I'm going to be working on for the next one. As always, thanks for reading! :)