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"Well, I'm here," Matt said testily as Amy opened the door to see him. Her ex-boyfriend wore a look of irritation on his face. He stepped inside and past her, his eyes shifting from Adam to little Mandy, who was now awake and sitting up on the big bed.
His eyes narrowed. The little girl seemed somehow wary of him. He thought he knew why, too...
"So, you turned her against me, huh? Is that it?"
Amanda grew scared at the hardness of the dark-haired man's tone. She drew her knees up to her chest, hugging herself in expectation of yet another fight between the grownups.
"Matt, you're paranoid," the redhead stated as she came forward and sat down on the bed. She opened her arms to her daughter, who instantly moved over to allow her mother to gather her into her arms.
"Well, whatever," Matt said.
Adam glared at the other man. He realized that, no matter what they told him, Matt was going to believe whatever he was going to believe.
He cleared his throat. He still held the manila envelope consisting of the DNA test results in his hand, and damn it, he wasn't going to wait any longer. He was sick and fucking tired of waiting.
"Go ahead - open it," Matt said, a gleam of challenge in his dark brown eyes.
Amy gave him a stern look as she held Mandy closer against her. It was just a damn shame that the little girl had to see such a bitter, vindictive side of the man who'd basically been like a father to her for her entire young life.
The tall blond man wasted no more time as he ripped open the envelope. He reached inside, pulling out the sheath of papers within, his heart pounding uncontrollably in his chest. It wasn't that he was doubting Mandy's paternity, he was just nervous with anticipation at reading the truth - that she *was* his child.
Amy gently stroked her daughter's soft blonde hair. Her heart leapt up into her throat at the anticipation of it all. They were about to confirm what she'd always known without question... She knew little Mandy had no idea of what was taking place right now - but that was all right.
Adam rifled through the papers. Then, locating the exact information he sought, he spoke, reading aloud.
"Adam Copeland... Amanda Dumas... probability of paternity is 99.9999 percent." He felt a measure of triumph and satisfaction, but more importantly, joy - his heart bursting with joy - as he looked Matt Hardy stright in the eye. "If that isn't clear enough for you - *I am her father*," he stated in a clear, strong voice. Had this jerk not been present, he probably would have broken into tears of joy.
Amy nearly did so herself. She was slightly choked up as she hugged Mandy to her. She cast a look at Matt as he turned toward her.
"I told you," she said. It honestly hurt that the dark-haired man had doubted her and questioned her sincerity. She'd never been the type to sleep around, and yet he'd made some attacks against her integrity. "I *told* you," the redhead repeated in a whisper.
Matt stared wordlessly at Adam, his mouth running dry. He shifted his gaze over to Amy and Amanda, disbelief coursing through him. However, a spark of doubt struck him, and he inched closer to the tall blond man.
"Just a minute... lemme see the papers myself." He reached a hand out, and an aggravated Adam gladly handed the forms to him.
"Go right ahead."
The elder Hardy took the papers, perusing them quickly. All the blood drained from his face as he saw the evidence - the truth... Adam Copeland was indeed the father of little Amanda.
"Well, I'll be damned... I... I can't believe it."
The blond man glanced at Amy and their daughter, and he and the redhead shared an unspoken communication. Then, Matt shuffled around a bit and started to speak again.
"I guess it's true, then."
"Correction," Adam said, "you *know* it's true."
Matt swallowed hard and ran a hand through his hair.
"Yeah... Look," he continued, his discomfort all too evident, "I'll leave ya'll alone for now." He started for the door, anxious to get out of there.
The moment he was gone, Amy let out an audible sigh of relief.
"Oh, God... I was so worried!"
Adam felt a tiny smile touching his lips as he put the papers cementing the truth of himself and Mandy being father and daughter down and sat on the bed, joining them.
"Why?" he asked curiously. He glanced from the redhead to Mandy, at whom he could now not stop staring. It was absolutely official - she was *his*. "Did you really fear I wasn't...?"
"No, no," she said. "I was just afraid Matt was going to try to cause more trouble."
"Ahh... Well," Adam said softly, love bursting at his heart for both of them. "Hang on tight, ladies - it's going to be a long, bumpy ride... But we're going to have a helluva time in our new life together." He winked at Mandy, who looked up at him, a little smile finally peaking on her face. He gave her nose a small, affectionate poke, causing her to giggle.
Amy gazed at him with love shining in her eyes. For the first time in over six years, she
was so unbelievably happy.