Matt Jackson x Original Female Character
WC: 29,234
Warnings: Medical discussions, Talk of medical surgery, Secret baby, Use of Pet names. Use of Swearing.
Summary:
Eight years ago, Matt and Heather found themselves torn apart, unwilling to compromise for each other, certain things went unsaid. He's avoided her part of the country ever since until the past shows up when he least expects it.
The secrets kept between them might be unforgivable, but Matt is determined to get the girl of his dreams back. Can they make it through another storm or will the things they never said come back to Haunt them?
Warnings: medical discussions. Talks of medical surgery. Epilepsy discussion. Talk of seizures. Getting back together. Secret Baby. Fighting between Matt and Adam (They make up). Use of Pet Names.
When he arrived at the hospital and went to see Heather, he was afraid something had happened when they told him he'd have to wait, but they were running tests and checking on her incision. They moved her to a less restrictive unit a few hours later, meaning Matt could sit with her all day if she wanted him to. The medicines were still making her sleep more, but each time she was awake, she seemed more and more like the old Heather he knew. Nick returned around ten a.m, bringing Heather flowers and Matt some food.
"I was fine," Matt told him, even as he scooped more yogurt up with a spoon. His little brother rolled his eyes.
"Did you even nap when you went home?" Nick asked him.
"No," Matt covered his mouth as he chewed some granola. "Had to deal with Paige and Page. Should we just call them Page Squared? Would that be weird?" Matt thought about it for a second before shaking his head. "Anyway, had to deal with them and them acting like I was going to murder them, before…"
"My dad hates that he's a wrestler…" Both men jumped at the soft, hoarse voice coming from the bed.
Matt sat his yogurt down before he got to his feet. "Hey, you're awake." He smiled down at her.
"Heard.." she turned her head to cough. "Ouch. Heard you two talking. I'm sorry about Paige."
Matt grabbed the glass of water and passed it to her without asking if she wanted it. She took it gratefully and took a few sips and handed it back over. "Don't worry about Paige. Either of them actually. Adam and I are fine. And I told you sister I didn't care."
Heather tried to nod, a wince of pain crossing her features. "My dad hates that Adam is a wrestler. So when he comes around…It's mostly a ruse to see Paige. But he's so good with Charlie."
Matt could only guess why their father hated Adam's profession. "They're fine at my house. And Adam should know that. Nick brought you flowers." He leaned down and kissed her forehead.
Heather looked over in Nick’s direction. "Thank you. I'd tell you they look great but," she tried to wave her hand in front of her. "No glasses."
Nick laughed. "It's alright. I'm glad you're awake."
"Don't know for how long though," she sighed and closed her eyes. Matt grabbed her hand.
"I'll be here when you wake up again. I'm not leaving the hospital until you do."
"Okay. Love you." She turned her head and closed her eyes again.
"I love you too," he responded quietly.
Nick stayed quiet, but raised his eyebrow at Matt who shrugged in response. Matt said nothing and returned to his breakfast.
*ONE WEEK LATER*
After putting Charlie to bed, Matt walked down to his room and knocked on the door before opening it and poking his head in. Heather had something playing on the television quietly as she wrote in a notebook. Every day that she was home she looked better and better. Layla had even volunteered to fix her hair, so Instead of it falling to her shoulders, it was now a cute short style. Almost a pixie cut. He loved it on her, but he sometimes admitted if only to himself, he missed her longer hair and playing with the strands.
"Hey, Charlie just went to sleep. Only took four bedtime stories and a promise that she could go to a show when vacation hit. Do you need anything before I go downstairs?" Even though Paige had gone back to Philly, Matt had put Heather in his room when she got out of the hospital and slept on the couch in his office. Heather closed the notebook and put it and the pen on the nightstand.
"Company," she gestured to the rest of the bed that was empty. "Sit and talk? Or you could sleep up here. It's your bed." The king sized bed could fit the three of them comfortably, but he didn’t want to make Heather uncomfortable.
Matt stepped into his room, closing the door behind him and crossing the room. He sat on the end of the bed by her feet. "I don't want to make you uncomfortable, the couch in the office is more than fine. You're trying to heal up, my bed is way more comfortable than the guest bed, the one in your room."
"It's a king sized bed, Matt. Pretty sure you're not going to bother me if you actually lay in it and get a good night's sleep."
He shrugged. "Maybe, maybe not. I told you, I'm okay with the couch."
She huffed. "Gosh! You're still as stubborn as ever! Will you at least stay and watch some TV with me? We don't have to talk if you don't want to."
Considering her request, he got up and walked around the bed and slid into the other side, crossing his legs as he sat on the bed. "What's on your mind?"
She turned in the bed, looking over at him. "You could tell me what you were up to for eight years, besides wrestling everywhere."
Matt shrugged again. "There's not much to tell. You probably know what I was doing since Adam was doing it too."
Heather cut her eyes to the side. "We Never really…Jersey, You, and for the first year…wrestling in general was off limits. It upset me too much. I didn't ask, he didn't say. We talked about my work and then Charlie came and…things changed."
Matt moved and laid down, pillowing his head on one arm. "I declared Jersey, and most of the east coast off limits from every discussion. He never once…well there was a lot of shit he didn't tell me. Before…when you were pregnant, did you have anybody? With you I mean." He should kick his own ass for that slip up.
"I know what you wanted to ask. And no, I had Adam and Paige and Diana. She was a former work Colleague. Adam…he was trying to fill a roll, I think in his own way. It was and still is sweet of him. Did you…after Jersey?"
"Nothing serious. They just never worked out. Then AEW happened and," he spread his hand to encompass the room but also meaning the house and everything he'd accomplished since then.
"I'm proud of all of you. You did amazing things." Hearing her say that meant the world to him, but also hurt. Because her and Charlie should have been there with him through it all.
"Not sure how amazing it actually is considering the current situation." Maybe if he stayed, this mess could have been prevented.
"You wanted to live a dream. You got to." She reminded him.
"And you didn't."
Heather huffed out a breath. "It was my choice to keep Charlie. My plan was to keep working, give her the life she deserves. No one…some seizures just happen. Mine just kept happening."
"You could have called, had Adam tell me." Something, anything, except eight years in the dark.
"I didn't know how to tell you. I'm sorry you missed out on so much."
Matt reached over and took one of Heather's hands, interlacing it with his. "You're here now. She's here now. Tell me what else you've done. Books you read? TV shows?"
She sighed and moved a little closer. "Do you remember that book series we'd read together on rainy days?"
Matt tried to push his memory back seven, eight years. "Which one? Sparkling vampires or things that go bump in the night?"
Heather laughed. "Yes, the vampires. There's a fifth book now."
Matt closed his eyes for a second. "Yeah? Must have missed the news. We should read it."
"You mean I should make my sister send my copy and read it to you?"
He hummed in agreement. "Same thing." She laughed again. It was the last sound he heard before falling asleep.
***
When the Alarm rang in the morning, Matt tried to roll over to turn it off, but bumped into something. Opening his eyes, he saw Heather just stirring from sleep. He scooted the opposite way out of bed and ran to shut off the beeping. She turned around, rubbing sleep from her eyes. "Morning? Already?"
"Go back to sleep. I'll get Charlie up and settled. I am so so sorry I fell asleep in here. I didn't mean to." He felt bad he was encroaching in what was essentially her space, even if it was his bedroom.
"It's fine Matt. Stop worrying. I'll come down in a bit,” she reached for her glasses, slipping them on.
"Okay." He turned and practically ran out of his own bedroom.
Charlie sat at the table, eating her breakfast, her legs swinging back and forth. Matt was in the middle of fixing something for him and Heather when she walked in. She was dressed for the day, a comfortable tee and the leggings she seemed to live in, and walked over and kissed Charlie. "Good morning honey."
"Morning! Are you feeling better?" Their daughter asked Heather that every morning.
Heather sat down next to her. "A little. Be good at school okay?"
"I will and Ellie said we might go to the library after school if I did good on my math test."
Matt let them have their conversation as he fixed breakfast, setting hers down in front of her and sitting with them. As he ate breakfast, he tried not to picture it always like this when he got back from work. Being with the two of them in the morning. He couldn't ask her to stay, a promise was a promise.
They put Charlie on the bus and Matt was trying to rack his brain on what they could do together, other than avoid each other. "I'm going to jump in the pool for a bit. You can get some sun if you want."
"As long as I don't get my head wet, I should be able to go in. I could…do you mind? If I join you?"
"If you're sure you can, I'd like that." Seeing her in a bathing suit, the sun shining on her. Matt knew he’d have to stop himself from wanting her, but he wasn’t sure how.
Once they were changed, him in his black and pink swim trunks and her in a two piece orange and blue tankini, they headed outside. Matt ran and jumped into the Pool, emerging back on the other side. He swam over to the steps, giving Heather his hand. "Thank you. Oh! That's cold!" Matt laughed as he kicked his legs to stay afloat in the water.
"It is. You okay?" He watched her for any sign she wasn’t.
"Yeah." She sat on the last step, kicking her feet. "How do you deal with the sun, all the time?" She squinted against the sunrays beating down on them.
Matt moved into a back float, closing his eyes, absorbing as much sun as he could. "You get used to it. Being born here helped. But I'd love it regardless. Sun on your face just feels good. Boosts your mood. What?" He said as he stood up, glancing over at her. "Not liking the heat?"
"It's just different. And what you have taken us to see has been great. Do you think…once I'm cleared and you're home we can take a drive? See more? Show Charlotte more?" More time with the two of them? Matt wouldn’t refuse if you paid him.
Matt swam to the opposite end of the pool before he answered. "Yeah. We can do that. Speaking of work… Are you going to be okay next week?" He didn’t want to go back, he was enjoying the time off, time with both Heather and Charlie, but sick leave was up.
Heather shrugged. "Should be. Not sure what I'm going to do by myself all day. You're only going to be gone two or three days, right?"
"Yes. We typically fly out on Tuesday and home by Thursday afternoon. Ellie agreed to pick up mornings too while I'm gone." He wanted to know both of his girls were in good hands while he was in another part of the country, until he could see them with his own two eyes.
"You know," she started as she pushed off the stairs. "You didn't have to do any of this."
He pushed himself through the water and over to her. Standing up, he held onto her. "Of course I did. You're the mother of my child. Just because we're not together doesn't mean I don't still care for and about you. It doesn't work like that for me."
"Did you mean it?" She asked him suddenly, staring at him intently.
He had a pretty good idea by what she was asking, but he wanted to be sure. "Mean what?"
"When you said you loved me still? You haven't…" she blew out a breath, looking away for a second. "We haven't told each other that since I got out of the hospital. Were you only saying that because we were both scared?"
Taking a deep breath, he decided to be honest. His little would be proud of him. "I wasn't scared. I was terrified. And everything I told you," being mindful that they were in the water, he eased her closer. "Before they took you away from me, I meant. There hasn't been a day in over eight years that I haven't stopped loving you. And knowing you had our daughter. Someone amazing, wonderful, ours. Knowing we created life together made me love you and her all the more since the second I laid eyes on you again and her for the first time." Heather laid her head on his shoulder and cried. He held her for a few minutes before nudging her. "Let's go get warm. Then you can have a nap."
She picked her head up and wiped at the underside of her eyes. "I'm fine. But we should get out." She turned and he grabbed her wrist, not wanting her to hate him for opening up to her again. Heather looked over at him. "What?"
"I'm sorry." He wasn't sure if he was apologizing for meaning what he said, for not walking back through the door or for the current situation. She nodded and he released her, knowing they both needed to get out of the water.
Once they were both dressed and comfortable, Heather wanted to relax on the couch. He made them both something to eat. Just because things had gone back to strained between them, didn’t mean he wasn’t going to take care of her. He promised he would. And he kept his promises. He told her he loved her, but he couldn't ask her to stay. He did mean it. He just wasn't sure she did.
Warnings: medical discussions. Talks of medical surgery. Epilepsy discussion. Talk of seizures. Getting back together. Secret Baby. Fighting between Matt and Adam (They make up). Use of Pet Names.
"Oh! Mrs. Jackson! Sorry."
His sister-in-law chuckled. "It's fine. Everyone is presentable." Layla crouched and came face to face with Matt's daughter. She held out a hand. "I'm Layla. How are you?"
His little girl took Layla's hand. "I get to meet the Young Bucks! I'm Charlie! Are you a wrestler?" She tilted her head, studying her as if she was flipping through their roster mentally to figure out who Layla could be.
"Nope. But I get to hang around them." Layla rose to her feet. "I'm gonna go see if Everything is okay. I'll be back," she closed the door behind her as she asked Troy to accompany her back to makeup.
No one said a word as they stood there awkwardly for a second. Adam cleared his throat and crossed the room, hugging Heather. "Everything's okay. Why don't you sit down." He guided Heather to a chair, before grabbing her a water.
"Uncle Adam!" Charlie launched herself at Adam the minute his hands were free.
Matt turned around and headed into the bathroom for a second. Standing at the sink, he took some deep breaths. He wondered why Adam was being so gentle with Heather. What was wrong with her? And did Adam pick up where Matt had left off? She got paler the longer she stood there. That wasn't the woman he used to know. The Heather he knew was vibrant and sassy, the one in their dressing room was a hundred times softer by comparison. Splashing some water on his face he put his mad away. He knew how to feel and project two different emotions at once. Charlie was sitting next to Nick talking excitedly.
"And Uncle Adam gets me shirts all the time! I even have these!" She held up the Young Bucks micro-brawlers. "I like super kicking everything!"
Matt laughed. "When we were younger I always super kicked everything. Even Nick." He sat on the arm of the couch, looking into the face of his own daughter. It killed him not to call his brother Uncle Nick.
"I got in trouble for kicking Nana's vase last week. It didn't break but I got grounded for a whole day. And I can't super kick in the house."
Everyone laughed and Matt looked over at Heather. "It's nice to see you."
"You too. We can't stay long." She gripped the strap of her purse, looking like she wanted to steal Charlie away and run.
"We'll have you and Cinderella over here home by Midnight."
Heather shook her head. But Matt saw a ghost of the smile he used to see all the time. He missed her. And to know he missed Charlie being born and all of her firsts hurt something deep inside of him. They could have said something. He wanted to rage at Heather, at Adam. But really he had no one but himself to blame, he walked away.
"So," Nick turned his attention back to his niece. "Are The Young Bucks your favorite wrestlers?" He grinned. They both loved it when kids told them they were their favorites.
Dark brown curls went flying. "Nuh-uh! Best Friends are my favorite!"
Nick clutched at his heart and fell over pretending to be wounded. He even made Matt laugh.
"Why are they your favorite?" Matt asked her.
"They have puppies in their graphics and they hug! And Alien Kris is so pretty!" She told them.
"I see. So we're not cool?" He supposed they needed to learn how to up their cool factor then.
"The Elite has Uncle Adam so you're cool. But best friends are cool."
Matt chuckled. "I guess you're right." Matt flicked his eyes to Heather. "Does your mom have a favorite?"
Charlie nodded. "You! She tells me all the time when we watch Dynamite how your moves are awesome."
Matt cut his eyes to Heather again. "Yeah?"
Heather shrugged. "The Northern Locomotion set is pretty."
Nick suddenly jumped up. "Be right back!" He dashed out of the room.
Heather followed his movements with her eyes. "Okay then."
"That's Nick for you. Charlie! I almost forgot!" Adam snapped his fingers and got up for his bags. "I picked this up for you in Texas last week." He pulled a Bucky Bu-cee stuffed animal from his bag.
He held it out and Charlie got up and ran to him. "Thank you!"
"You're welcome, sweetie. Now, let's see what did I get your momma…" he turned back to the bag and rooted around before saying, "Ah! Ha!" And pulling out a small book. "Texas Cooking 101. Reported to have the official Texas Chili recipe too."
Heather smiled softly and got up to go grab it. She gave his arm a squeeze. "Paige will love this! Well, not my first of many failed attempts but." She said, speaking of her little sister.
Adam laughed. "She'll tell you she liked it anyway. I thought she was gonna come with you?"
The pair launched into a conversation, completely ignoring Matt. Apparently, they’d grown closer than he thought. Adam should have told him then. Maybe the past eight years of crap could have been better if he’d known. Charlie was having fun making her micro-brawlers super kick her newest stuffed animal. He wanted to know everything he could about his daughter. She was small like Nick was but so articulate for her age.
"What's your favorite color, Charlie?"
"Green, like mom's! But also Pink! I have a pink dress I wear all the time."
"Do you like other things besides wrestling?"
"Books. Since mom is sick a lot, we can only go to a few places and the library is one of them."
Matt looked over at the conversation in the corner and the way Heather tensed up. She frowned at something Adam said and shook her head. Before Matt could say anything, the door to their dressing room opened. Nick popped his head around it and smiled over at Charlie.
"I have a surprise for our guest of honor!" He opened the door wider and Trent, Chuck, Orange Cassidy, and Kris Statlander wandered into their dressing room.
Charlie's dolls fell from her hands as she screamed, making everyone laugh.
Matt wanted to ask about Charlie's name. But now wasn't the time.
"But mom! It's Kris!" She pointed to the striking woman standing next to Orange.
Nick helped introduce everyone to Charlie and she launched into a million questions for her favorite faction. Nick flopped back onto the couch next to Matt.
"Show off," he muttered to his brother.
"I am always the favorite. That's also why Roux likes me better than Layla." He grinned.
Matt rolled his eyes. He got up and walked over to where Adam and Heather were standing. "Hate to interrupt but can I talk to you, now?"
Heather sighed. "I don't want to get into a fight with you, Matt. I want Charlotte to have a good memory."
"I don't want to fight either but I have a lot of questions. When is her birthday?"
"December Seventeenth."
"She's in school?"
Heather shifted from foot to foot. "Yes. She goes to a private school on a scholarship. We pay the other half."
"We?" Did she have a husband? Matt's eyes drifted down to her hands but he didn't spot a ring. Or did she mean her and Adam? Or another partner? Who was raising his daughter with Heather?
"Hun, you need to sit. You know you don't need to work yourself up." Adam helped her back to the chair she'd occupied.
Matt raised his eyebrows. He wondered again how close they were and if they were involved if that was the reason Adam never told him about his child.
"We as in my parents and Paige and what little income I get. After Charlie was born…things changed. So I had to quit working full-time." Green eyes looked up at him. "You can go on and say I told you so."
He shook his head, that old argument over whose job was more sustainable was done and over with as far as he was concerned. "I won't. But you should have called…If you need someone to pay her tuition, send me the letters. I'll handle it."
"I don't want your money, Matt," she told him. But to him, it was about way more than money. That was his child. No one else's.
"She's mine and if you need help, I'm offering." He wanted to make sure, even if Charlie didn’t know she was his daughter that she was taken care of.
"Her school is paid up for the next six months. We're fine."
Heather looked down at her watch, before pulling out her cell phone from her purse. "We have to go. It's way past bedtime." She got up and pulled her purse tighter to her.
"Let me give you my number and you can give me yours. That way if you need anything I can have it sent to you." Matt would be in their lives one way or another. He wasn't going to take no for an answer.
Her shoulders seemed to sag in defeat. "Fine." Heather unlocked her phone and handed it over.
"Charlotte, honey. We have to go." She smiled briefly at the little girl as she talked with the members of Best Friends. She sent Chuck and Trent a wave. Matt couldn’t remember if Heather had been with him during the other tag teams' ROH run, but surely she must have met them over the years they were together.
"But mom! Kris was going to teach me sign language!" Charlie pouted.
"I'll get you books from the library and you can practice with Aunt Paige."
"How about just one for now?" Kris suggested and showed her how to say I love you in Sign language.
"Thank you!" Charlie gave her a hug.
"You can't leave without pictures," Matt said as he keyed in his number to Heather's phone and sent himself a text. If this was the last time he saw them, he wanted proof it happened.
"I need to order an Uber so we'll have to make it quick."
"I'll order it, Heather. Just have a little fun with Charlie, okay?" Adam told her.
"Thanks, Adam. I appreciate it." The smile she sent him was soft and sweet. Matt banked the anger he felt rise up in him for later.
They took many pictures, phones were passed back and forth as someone else wanted one. Charlie posed with all seven belts the Elite and Best Friends had between them. By the time the Uber for Heather and Charlie got there, Matt didn't have nearly enough photos or time, but he autographed a few things for Charlie, as did Nick and the others. He was just Matt Jackson, a member of the Elite and one-half of the Young Bucks to his own child. Watching her walk through the door, knowing it might be the last time he saw her, killed him.
Nick was quiet for a minute before he blew out a breath. "What should we do?"
Matt looked over at him. "There's nothing we can do. Filing for custody would be wrong. I can't keep flying back here for visits. I just…I don't know, Nick." He hated not knowing.
His brother leaned up on the edge of the couch. "She's your kid, Matt."
"I know! But…" He shook his head. There wasn’t anything he could do. He saw exactly how it was, at least what it looked like to him. His best friend stepped up when Matt stepped out. "She's already being raised by someone else.” He closed his eyes, willing himself to save the crying for when he was alone in his hotel room. “I'm ready to get out of here."
"Let me see if LaLa's ready to go," Nick drew his phone from his pocket and called his wife.
"Alright." Matt rose to his feet to see if he needed to pack anything up.
this is a new space for the thoughts that constantly overfill my mind about all the things we never say -
in hopes of shedding light and sparking empathy on how ultimately we are not alone in our worries, and we all share similar questions about this strange and wild human experience :)
“God, your voice.’, Brian breathes and Freddie immediately recoils so sharply that he almost hits the opposite wall.
‘My what?’
or the Early- Queen Era 70s (sort of) AU in which Freddie’s a modern-day Siren, Trident is run by Apollo and nothing is as it seems. (inspired by lots of conversations and this post)
