A family matter

Christian knew he was in trouble the minute William Regal and his 'Round Table' came walking into his locker room. He tried to jump around them and run for the door but Kozlov grabbed him by the throat and threw him to the floor.

"You're not going anywhere" Regal muttered smugly "We're not finished with you."

"Why am I not surprised?" Despite his predicament, Christian couldn't help but smile mockingly at the trio who stood above them "Seriously, when have you ever finished anything, Bill?" Bristling at the nickname, Regal lifted his foot up and brought in crashing down into the blonde's chest, smiling when Christian moaned in pain. Then he signaled to the two monsters and Jackson and Kozlov went to work, stamping, kicking and punching Christian in any and every way that they could. When they finished, Christian's vision was blurry and his chest hurt so bad he could barely breathe.

"Let that be a lesson to you" he dimly heard the Brit murmur as he strolled out, Kozlov and Jackson in tow. Groaning in pain, Christian attempted to get to his feet, but as he straightened up, a burning pain shot through his ribs and he fell back to the floor, blacking out when his head smacked the unforgiving cement.

Adam was hapyy as he walked through the halls toward the ECW lockerroom. Jay had jumped ship from TNA and come back home where he belonged. Adam's normally smug smirk was replaced with a look of happieness as he approached the lockerroom, his eyes widening at the scene before him.

Jay still lay unmoving on the floor, his face a swelled mess of bruises and blood

Adam walked quickly over to Jay, trying his best to wake him.

"Jay, Jay wake up," Adam said softly, worry quickly filling his eyes.

Jay groaned and twisted weakly "Ad..Addy?" he spoke through bloody lips, his voice barely audible.

"Yeah Jay, it's me, I'm here," Adam said.

"It hurts..." Jay mumbled, eyes starting to go glassy again "Tired..."

"No Jay, stay awake," Adam said. "You gotta say awake."

"They did a number on me" Jay groaned, head lolling around as Adam picked him up "Probably shouldn't have teased them..."

"Your mouth is gonna get you in some major trouble one day Jay," Adam chuckled.

"I think it already did" Jay moaned, coughing in pain as his ribs were jostled. He weakly lifted a hand to his mouth and gasped when his hand came away with red on it, "Addy..." he gasped "I think I'm in very big trouble here..." he showed him the blood on his fingertips

Adam nodded.

"You just hang in there, okay?" Adam said. "I'm gonna get you taken care of."

Jay nodded breathlessly, letting his head rest against Adam's chest, his swollen eyes gradually fluttering shut.

"Stay with me Jay, keep talking to me now," Adam said. "I gotta know you're still in there." Adam cracked a smile. "I know there wasn't much of you in there to begin with, but I gotta know you're stil there."

"S..Smart...Aleck..." Jay whispered, groaning softly "Here I am dying and you're cracking jokes..."

"It's my job," Adam chuckled. "At least it got your attention."

"I just don't want to die..." Jay moaned, eyes incredibly glazed over "There's a...a Brit who needs his ass kicked..."

"You're not going to die Jay," Adam said. "I'm not gonna let that happen."

"G..good ol' Addy..." Jay managed to crack a weak smile "What would I do without you?"

"By the looks of you right about now.........you'd die," Adam said, chuckling still.

"If I don't die..." Jay whispered, voice starting to grow extremely weak "I'm going...to...smack...you...."

"You smack me and I will kick your ass later," Adam said. "Cause you're not gonna die."

"You sound so sure..." Jay whispered, coughing up another handful of blood "I think my body disagrees with you."

"I know you Jay, you're a hell of a lot stronger than you think," Adam replied.

"Glad you think so..." Jay whimpered "But I could really use some help right about now..."