To The Matt Part 1 free porn video

A man in his late 20s/early 30s stands tall in the ring, looking strong as she faced a crowd of 15,000 people in the sold-out arena as well as millions watching at home. The man was short, barely 5'9" tall and weighing in at just over 160 pounds. He had muscular arms and a flat stomach showing strong abdominal muscles while sporting slim legs. He was hairless everywhere except for the long dirty-blond hair on his head. He waited for the music to fade and the cheering to stop, the fans expecting something major to come from the mouth of the beloved babyface in the top tier of the professional wrestling world. They let him know that they loved him, but the look on his face wasn't one that they liked. He was serious, whatever he had to say was going to be major. He paced the ring and fought for courage, finally putting the microphone to his mouth and announcing to the world, "You know me as Matt Simpson, the #1 contender for the Global Championship Wrestling title and the guy who has taken down the largest competitors in our sport. You know me as a one-time NCAA wrestling champion. You know me as the doctor who became a professional wrestler. But that's the real me. That is all a lie that I have told since1was 13." He steeled himself then proclaimed, "Matt Simpson was the name I was given when I was born, but for years I have known that inside that wasn't who I was. The real me is someone entirely different. My real name isn't Matt Simpson. My real name, the name that I have carried in secret for years and until recently only a few close family and friends know about, is Taylor Thomas. I'm a woman inside and can't hide who I am from the world any longer." He looked over the crowd and expected the worst, but continued on, "I'm transgender. I can't keep this a secret as I have to let it out. This secret was discovered recently and that is being used against me to try to harm both me and my family. I won't let him get away with it, so I am choosing to kill my career and admit the truth rather than be extorted into giving up my dreams. This person doesn't deserve your love nor your respect, he is nothing like the person he portrays on screen. For years he has hated me, why he does I'll never know. He has made it his mission to destroy my career but until this past week, he has kept it to just harming me. That changed when he targeted my family." He grew angry and screamed, "My wife and children were threatened by a man who used his wife to get control of our company so he could extend his fledgling career and make into a personal playground. They have kept away from the GCW, only interacting when hired to by wrestlers who needed her help as a doctor or we needed someone to perform a quick sketch backstage. They have never said one bad thing about this company and supported it from birth and from the first time they met everyone here. Yet this person felt the need to threaten to harm them if I didn't leave. He used images of me obtained by breaking into my RV and placing hidden cameras in our bedroom and bathroom. He crossed a line from rivalry into criminal harassment and is paying the price. But I can't just sit idly by with that information ready to hurt us. I'm stopping him before he can hurt us. I'm confessing the truth to you." He sighed and explained further, "I'm transgender. I freely admit it. I choose to show my feminine side at home as I am not ready to become who I need to be. This person saw to it to exploit my true self for his own personal gain, threatening to go public with all of the images unless I gave him what he wants. I choose to out myself and accept the consequences, knowing full well that he will fire me for being a public embarrassment to our company when he makes bail tomorrow morning. I accept that, but I can't accept threatening my family. He can hurt me, but NOBODY THREATENS MY FAMIL!" He had tears in his eyes as he proclaimed, "I can't live a lie anymore and am choosing to retire rather than give him what he wants. I'll live with the pain of the whole world knowing who I really am. I am immediately transitioning to female, this is the last you will see in this ring. Goodybe to all of you and good luck to all of the members of the GCW roster- you will do great without me." He waved goodbye and left, walking away to a stunned audience while the news broke worldwide that a prominent professional wrestler had just come out as transgender. In the back, his family hugged him and led him out, with the entire roster of the GCW seeing him off for a final time. All except the man who had tried to extort him, he was a half mile away in a jail awaiting arraignment for his crimes. The young man didn't look back, his head was dropped in shame while his two children hugged him tightly and his wife offered encouraging words. He knew that things were going to change, he just had to weather the storm and endure. It's what he had been doing for years, only now he would do it as his true self and not look back. --------------------- Years earlier: Professional wrestling. It's a sport that few people respect for what it is. It's performance athletics. It's synchronized movement that has you believing that two people in the ring are trying to kill one another through holds, strikes, slams, and use of various weapons while keeping themselves safe from any real damage. To most, it's known to be fixed. That doesn't stop it from being entertaining, especially if you know the hard work that the wrestlers put into their matches both before and after. It looks like it's an easy job, but look closer and you see just how tough it is to move at the right moment and brace for impact at the right time to sell a move to look like you are going to die but really barely feel the impact. Some of them are better actors than the high priced, high maintenance Hollywood stars, especially those in action movies. It should come as no surprise really that some top action stars grew into their roles thanks to the hard work of those who plied their trade in the ring. The two trades are close with more danger and less fame for wrestlers. Global Championship Wrestling was the top professional wrestling company in the world. Every kid knew who they were and who the top stars were. Many wanted to be those guys, with even a growing number of girls wanting to be one of the female stars. The company was an international juggernaut. It had built up over the decades as it acquired smaller companies and won over fans in farther and farther reaches of the United States, Canada, then finally across the globe. It was the top for a very good reason: the talent was the best in the world and the art of storytelling was top notch and copied the world over by other companies. For over 30 years, GCW had been the top company and in that time it had become the envy of smaller companies. Fans were vocal in their support but also vocal in their detracting of it. The treatment of the female wrestlers was often the cause of flame wars online and shouting matches at the actual events. GCW was in the midst of changing itself. It needed someone to make that change, it needed a new star who could unite fans and bring them back to the sport while winning over new ones. They needed a new star, but sometimes old habits died hard especially when that star causes the powers that be to get looked at for what they really are by the ownership group who had placed their trust in them. Matt Simpson was born into the world of professional wrestling thanks to his parents. His father Wally oversaw the road crew that assembled, disassembled, tested, and fixed the barriers, ring, ramp, and entrance stage before and after every event. His mother Nancy was the head costumer, dressing the stars in their newest t-shirt designs and working with the wrestlers to design their ring attire so they were able to stand out to the cameras and fans while still being flexible and comfortable. Both had met and fallen in love during the hours they had to spend working around the wrestlers, each finding the other to be their dream companion and finding a kindred spirit. Wally's parents were upset with him for not working in Hollywood alongside his father and uncles building sets for movies and TV shows. Her parents were upset that she decided to follow her instincts and take a job with the GCW as their new seamstress and designer instead of working closer to home in suburban Orlando, FL. The duo was the top in their fields and through them helped build the company's second brand from behind the scenes. Few people outside the company realized how important they were to the success of the brand, but those who were around the stars for more than a few minutes saw that nothing got done without their help. Wally was the one who oversaw the entire construction unit while Nancy sewed just about every bit of clothing seen on camera and in-ring for all performers. Matt was an only child but grew up around the kids of the wrestlers and some of the support crew so he had never been for want of companionship. He was a smart kid who made friends with everyone, especially the ladies of the GCW. They saw him as a nephew and were happy to babysit him when Nancy had to make an emergency spare set of trunks or Wally and his crew was running late setting up for that night's action. To a kid growing up alongside the sport, it was the most amazing thing you could ever see. Even when you know the ins and outs of the sport, you still look on in awe as you watch the action of two people brutalizing one another. It gets even better when you are able to actually participate in the sport, being part of a backstage segment or part of a crowd scene as one of the babyfaces interacts with you and, "Saves" you from the bullying heel that belittles you or gets upset that you make fun of them. Matt got to experience it firsthand, learning the ins and outs of the sport and all of the fun that it really could be if you suspended belief. He understood the sport so well that he earned the trust of the ladies of the GCW who then used him as a sounding board to bounce ideas off of, with Matt having an eye for the action and seeing what others couldn't see but was proven right via replays. His analysis became legendary among the ladies, so much so that he was one of the few trusted to help build their feuds before the bookers and producers got them together to work on their matches just before showtime. As he grew older, he was never around other kids outside of the extended GCW family and even those he was around were only there during school vacations. Wrestling was his life and other kids couldn't get how he could be so passionate about the theatrics and skills while ignoring the characters. He tried to be like them, but every time he tried it blew up in his face as the kids just didn't understand him. He stuck close to the ladies and became like their little gopher, often helping them with little things as they hurried to get ready for the night. He grew adept at makeup and tying boots and putting out their water and over-the-counter pain medicines for them. It was hard work and it was fully appreciated. He spent a lot of time with them, never realizing that the ladies would often change in front of him as he was busy helping them prepare and doing their little necessary tasks. He never noticed their nudity, and even if he did he never said a word about it nor did he react to bare breasts and sometimes seeing bare vaginas. He simply didn't care, he was being trusted by them to help them get ready and he would do his job to the best of his abilities despite loving the sight. When he grew too old to be with them, he was put to work with the guys and immediately hated it. The males were an entirely different species to him, it wasn't the happy place with joking and helping one another that the ladies had in their locker room. The men were focused on their matches and what they would say and ignored him to the point that there was no point in him trying to help anyone as they just didn't want it and didn't feel that Matt was any help even if he had a few years of experience already. He got to see more of the sport than anyone had seen, and what he saw and heard made him sick. The guys were frequently talking about doctors and medications and dealing with avoiding getting hooked on the drugs prescribed. He would get noticed whenever they talked about that and was tossed out by the self-appointed leader of the locker room with an angry complaint about a kid being there even if he knew who he was and why he was sent there in the first place. This ejection caused issues with his parents as they weren't happy that he had caused trouble in the locker room even if he hadn't done a thing to earn any of the punishment. He was sent to live with his maternal grandparents in Florida in retaliation, not being given a chance to defend himself nor the opportunity to go stay with his other grandparents in California. The company paid to get rid of him, paying for his plane ticket and telling him that he was too old to be around them anymore even if none of the wrestlers were actually asked that. It was devastating to Matt, his whole life had been professional wrestling and trying to help the GCW. He missed the ladies and had to fight tears as he saw them making the same mistakes over and over again while nobody tried to stop them. The ladies would listen to him, but he wasn't allowed to speak with anyone at the GCW anymore- not even his parents. Matt was stuck having to go to regular middle and high school, enduring whispers about his family and why he was with his grandparents and not his parents. His grandparents, Ned and Lois Thompson, were decent people, they had put aside their anger at their daughter leaving them for the sake of Matt and tried hard to give him the love and affection that he needed even if their hearts weren't really into it. That didn't stop kids from seeing him as an easy mark who could be exploited for their own use or made to be the scapegoat for their antics, he was just too easy of a mark and never fought back. Matt made few friends while in Florida. Most kids just didn't see him as anything more than the poor kid dumped on his grandparents when his parents couldn't deal with him. The few who did befriend him were outcasts like him and saw him for what he was- smart, intuitive, and inquisitive. Matt was one of the few who saw the good in everyone, even if they were seen as trash or gay or any of the worse things you can call a kid in middle school. He was nicest to Hank Park, the school's resident charity case and the poorest kid in their town. Hank was the first to greet Matt and treat him like he was just like any other kid, Matt saw in Hank a lot of himself and kept close even if they weren't able to fully become friends but that didn't stop them from enjoying the few fleeting moments of closeness. He made friends with one person, in particular, a tall, skinny, blonde- haired girl by the name of Betty Black who acted as a sort of liaison between the outcasts and others. He was immediately smitten with Betty when they were paired together in class, listening to whatever she had to say and doing whatever she wanted of him. In his eyes, Betty was the most beautiful girl in the world and also the nicest person he had ever met. Betty never met a person she didn't like, but there was something about Matt that she couldn't resist and made her intrigued. He wasn't interested in dating her like other boys their age, he looked at her like she was a person and not a sexual object. He talked with her four hours before, during, and after school and always made her feel like she was the smartest, funniest, most caring person. The Blacks treated him like any other boy but saw the closeness between Betty and Matt. He wouldn't try to steal kisses nor try to grope Betty, he just worked alongside her and talked to her as an equal. It did give them some concern, he was a bit too close to Betty and led them to suspect that maybe he was not entirely heterosexual and may have been secretly gay and was overcompensating for the feelings. Betty would give him kisses and hugs for helping her, much to his shock and surprise. She blushed as she did so, but it felt natural to kiss him. He was the nicest person she ever met and was closer to her than any girl had been and was the only boy she could ever see as a potential date. Lois and Ned were indifferent to Betty. They didn't think too highly of Matt so saw her as using him to get what she wants for herself. It couldn't have been further from the truth, but they never had a chance to talk with her as she would always leave as quickly as possible to keep from saying something to the couple about their assumptions about her and Matt. Matt eventually talked with Betty about his past and was shocked then laughed as he revealed his time with the ladies of the GCW and how much of a gentleman he was. She kissed him deeply for admitting his secret, it was the noblest thing she had heard and it impressed her how he was so much of a little gentleman that he didn't take advantage of the situation or gloat to everyone that he saw some of the most beautiful women naked. The stories about the male wrestlers made her roll her eyes and complain that the worst trash talkers and guys who got him kicked out were drug addicts who were hiding their secret from others. He knew she was right, but hated to see them as less than gods. He did know that the worst offender, the head of the locker room and self-appointed next head of the GCW, King Reign, was always trying to talk with the doctor hired by the GCW to oversee the health of the wrestlers. The two spent two years growing their friendship. By the time they reached high school, Betty and he was inseparable to the point that they were joined at the hip inside and outside of class. After a long summer apart where Betty stayed with her aunt and uncle on a farm in Ohio, they stopped fighting their urges and started to date openly. Whenever the GCW visited the town, Matt would take Betty to the show. Wally gave Betty a personal tour while Betty was shown off to the backstage personnel as Matt's girlfriend. She never corrected him and Nancy had to fight her urge to ask about her intentions with their pride and job, but Betty gave off a clear vibe that she was more than a friend to Matt and the way she hung onto him made it clear he was her love. The ladies of the GCW welcomed Matt with open arms and big kisses that would always make him cringe, while Betty tried her hardest not to laugh at his reaction. She was given the once-over by them, having to endure a battery of questions while they gauged her reaction and tried to determine if she was using him to get what she wanted or whether she was a true friend. She passed with flying colors, with the ladies welcoming Betty into their unofficial family and giving her personalized gifts of pictures and signed t-shirts in the newest designs that were not seen by anyone yet. Immediately, the ladies went to work and asked Matt for his thoughts on their performances that night. Betty was in awe of his ability to work with them to suggest subtle changes, with the women listening to what they could do to sell their moves while keeping with the overall theme of the heel winning by a quick move missed by the referee and done in a new light that was classic yet modern and something to be talked about for weeks. It was as if Matt was a whole other person, moving certain ways as he described the moves and giving a sense that he truly understood their movements and mindsets. When they were all but pushed out of the locker room by their minder so the ladies could get dressed, the male wrestlers gave them a look of disgust and pity. One of Matt's few supporters among the men told him, "King Reign is on the warpath. He hates that you are allowed in here again and will make sure you get kicked out if you so much as look at a camera." Better grinned and asked, "Why" which caused him to glare but was soon followed by others doing the same as nobody could exactly explain what Matt had done wrong to get on King's bad side or was in such trouble to get barred from touring alongside his parents. Betty's simple question started to give the men a clue that they had no reason for giving Matt any animosity and he was singled out by King in a way that none of them had seen before let alone would allow. King Reign caught sight of Matt and demanded he is removed from backstage. Matt was going to leave but was stopped when the owner of the company, Vince Turner, stepped forward to see what was going on and why King was screaming. He was the infamously secretive but hands-on owner of the GCW and who had spent many hours babysitting Matt during hectic times when both of his parents and the ladies were at work trying to put on a revamped show that had changed due to one or more of the men being fired or taken off camera due to injury or controversy. Vince rarely had the chance to interact with Matt once Matt started to get older and had put him with the ladies as they enjoyed his presence and his calm demeanor and idolizing of them helped to give the ladies a better performance. He had nothing against Matt and upon seeing him again, demanded to know where he had been for the past year. Matt was at a loss for words, but Betty held his hand to give him much needed strength as he built his resolve to tell the truth to Vince. Matt finally vocalized, "King got me sent to my grandparents' house. You were out sick and by the time you came back I was already with them and enrolled in school. The GCW paid for the plane ticket, mom and dad had to pay you back for it. You know he has hated me for years, he's why I was kicked out of the ladies' locker room two years ago. Your daughter was fine with me being there and none of them had an issue changing around me especially when you got them their own stylist so I wasn't stuck doing all of their makeup for them allowing me to help them with their matches. I heard some things that he didn't want me to hear, I heard what he was doing with that doctor you had just banned from coming around. He said to the others that you rehired him because you were wrong and the allegations against him were false. He came back that night and gave medication to a couple of the guys and saw that I heard everything and talked with King making him kick me out." Vince had a visible scowl but kept his cool. He looked over at the three men coming up behind Matt and told them firmly, "King is to keep away from everyone for the rest of the night. He knows I don't fool around when it comes to the good doctor, he's suspended for the next three months and his title is being stripped tonight. I don't care what he says, he broke the biggest rule that we have had for 20 years in exposing us to the feds and the media for drug issues. Dr. Bien Sentisimo was banned for a reason and I don't care if King is his friend. Ignore my orders and you will need to find new jobs. Not even the Indies will take you once I'm done with you!" King was looming nearby and lost it, tearing apart the backstage area causing Vince to smile brightly at the gall of the once-great champion and top heel in the company. It was what he was hoping for, he had shown his true colors to the rest of the GCW and was paying the highest price possible anyone could pay for directly disobeying an order from Vince. He was already on the way out the door and had given Vince the perfect excuse to start burying him for his antics behind the scenes. Vince escorted the couple to the Gorilla position and had Matt give his takes on what needed to be done and why they needed to be done. With an hour to go and the writers furiously reworking the show, Matt was one of the few trusted enough to be direct with Vince. His idea to have Impossible, a young star on the rise in the company, win the title and have him be the focus for the next month while the babyfaces and heels chased him caused Vince to grin widely, it was brilliant and allowed Impossible to have his time in the spotlight while working in multiple angles of jealousy and revenge that King would never allow ot happen unless he directly benefitted from them. Matt's hunch paid off as the crowd went nuts in the main event. King was forced to make a show of his choosing the most unlikely candidate to face him for his championship and lost handily as he tried in vain to no-sell then oversell the moves only to have Impossible make them sell themselves. After the match, Matt was personally thanked by Impossible while Impossible's friends grinned widely at Matt proving himself to the company for what he truly was and not what King had claimed him to be. On the ride home, Betty asked what the big deal was with the guys smirking at him. Matt looked down in shame but confessed, "King spread rumors about me dressing up and acting as a girl when I was with the ladies. He used my ability to put makeup on them and help them create their styles as a way of justifying the abuse towards me. He's deeply homophobic and hated that I'm small and skinny and look like a girl if you style my hair a certain way. I won't deny it, I did dress up as a girl. It was fun when I was younger and the ladies needed something to do to keep themselves from going crazy with boredom during the long, "Wrestlecade" events in April or when they missed their kids." She smiled at hearing that, asking him, "Did you enjoy it? I'd love to see you in some of their outfits." He blushed and looked away, she had her answer and it was just too cute in her eyes. He finally stopped stalling and confessed, "I loved it. I felt like a girl and couldn't wait to try wearing them again. They treated me like a girl and gave me a sense of finally fitting in. You know how I am with boys, they hate me on principle and whenever I try to be like them it blows up in my face." She kissed him deeply after he calmed down. It was the bravest thing she had ever heard. He wasn't like any other boy, he was almost like a sister to her. She smiled at the thought. She loved him for how he was and would gladly help him out any way she could. She didn't care if it meant he would be a girl, she loved him regardless of what was in his pants. The two let the big secret go and focused on the next day. Matt would have to bite his tongue hard over the boys talking about the main event shocker and knew that they'd never believe that he had played a big role in it let alone had gotten Vince to listen to his ideas in the first place. He listened and had to fight laughs as the boys were touting how Impossible couldn't retain it for long. It was the truth, but he would be back fighting for his title within six months and would headline the company for the next three years. It might be longer if King Reign accepted that he needed to go as the top heel and allow others the chance to show their mettle and be the top guys. Betty listened and smirked as they talked about the ladies and how they looked. Matt knew what she was about to do and gave her a pleading look. She just smiled and told the boys, "We got to meet them." All eyes turned to the two while Betty smirked and showed several pictures that she had taken of Matt and the ladies. A collective gasp went out, with Betty adding, "He knows them all and even got babysat by them. You all made fun of him for living with his grandparents, well he got to do some things that you could only dream about with the ladies. He's even Stacy Turner's godson, she told me about how he got to be baptized by her and Ice Block Stan Dallas- his godfather." Matt never said a word, Betty led him away while the boys tried to figure out if it was all a big act, or if he was telling the truth. The boys started looking online and spotted something that shocked them: a picture of Stacy Turner hugging and kissing Matt with the caption, "Seeing my godson for the first time in a year" with Betty in the background talking with the other ladies as they questioned her about her intentions with Matt. Matt had no idea that she posted the picture online, but it would go a long way towards the boys giving him a lot of slack and laying off the teasing and rumor mongering. At Betty's house, the Blacks asked about the night before and why they were driven home in a limo. It took a lot of energy but Matt explained who dropped them off and why and what their relationship was to him. It was exactly what Matt's grandparents had told them earlier in the day, it was hard to realize it was the truth but his grandparents never lied nor did they need to lie. Inside the sanctity of Betty's room, she had him strip off his clothes and try on one of her skirts. It was a bold move that could get them barred from ever being allowed to be alone together, but she knew that her parents would leave any second as they trusted them to not have sex. Matt was "safe" in their eyes, even if he was fighting his feelings for Betty and she had kissed him deeply the night before. Betty could not believe how pretty he had made himself just by styling his hair and putting on her skirt. He could easily pass as a girl, especially with small breasts added to his chest. He looked so feminine and with the right makeup, he might be prettier than herself. Her next move was just that, having him put on a blouse, her training bra, and her inserts to give him a more feminine chest to match his feminine legs. He blushed as she took out her own inserts, telling him with a teasing tone, "They are still warm" while showing off her own mostly flat chest. She saw no need to wear a blouse or bra, in her eyes this was her girlfriend wearing her clothes, not her boyfriend. Matt felt weird but when she showed him how he looked in her mirror he nearly fainted. A tear ran down his face, he was beautiful. Matt ceased to exist, in his place was a 13-year-old girl that he dubbed "Taylor" after one of the female wrestlers' real names. Betty kissed Taylor's cheek, telling her warmly, "I love you for you. If you are really a girl I'll love you as a girl. If you are really a boy I'll love you as a boy. Either way, I love you." Taylor kissed her back, telling her affectionately, "I love you too. I don't know why I do but you make me feel weird inside. You aren't like any other girl I ever met, you are special." Betty asked her what her name was now that she was dressed as a girl. Taylor smiled and warmly told her, "Taylor. Taylor Thomas. I can't go by my family name nor can I go by my grandparents' name, I don't want my parents or grandparents to get upset with me." It was official. She was now Taylor Thomas when dressing as a girl. Betty pulled her to her bed and put her hair up in a different style and then had her go with her for a walk around the block so she got used to being dressed as a girl and feeling the weight on her chest from the bra and inserts. Betty grabbed her spare inserts and put her bra back on, blushing at Taylor finally realizing that she had been topless the whole time. Looking away in shame, Betty explained to her, "You aren't like most boys. I gave you the biggest peek anyone could get at a girl and you didn't react at all. You really are meant to be a girl and so help me, I'll ensure that you do become one someday." Their walk was uneventful but they didn't make it back in time to change before the Blacks returned. It was tough to explain where Matt went and even tougher to explain why he was dressed as a girl. Betty finally told them the truth, with Matt trying to flee in panic only to be given a deep hug by Mrs. Black. Jerry Black wasn't sure what to make of the situation but his wife Carey insisted that it was alright and it wasn't going to be harmful to either of the kids. He looked at Matt as Matt quivered in fear and saw that it was more than just Matt dressing to get closer to his daughter, Matt was genuinely terrified that Jerry was about to harm him. Jerry backed down but set some ground rules about what the two could and couldn't do especially as they had already broken a major rule in Betty showing off her chest. Jerry drove Matt home and stopped a few blocks away. He looked over at the scared boy and tried to rationalize why anyone would allow themselves to be dressed as a girl let alone going outside as one. He couldn't think of a rational answer, only Matt knew and he was too scared to tell him. Jerry sighed, then explained to Matt, "She loves you. She's only just turned 14 but she loves you. It is taking all of my might to not see you as a potential father of her children, which scares me. She's too young, but she is blossoming into a woman and before long will have boys all over her. You aren't like them, you are different. Whatever you have going on inside is making her become a better person and I know that if you two stay together through to graduation you two will be destined to marry." Matt took that as the greatest praise possible- her father's blessing. He thanked Jerry, who then added, "I don't know what you see in that sport but it's clear that you love it with a passion that goes beyond any rational thought or understanding. I hope that you have a backup plan for what you do in life as you will be disappointed if you pursue the sport. Try to hold off wrestling until after college, you are too good of a person to work hard for little pay and no recognition. You might have a bigger shot than anyone at getting to the GCW, but you still should have a career to fall back on in life." It was sage advice that Matt loved receiving. Jerry cared enough about him to try to help him and it was giving him a feeling that he wasn't just trying to cheer him up. As much as he loved his parents, Jerry was trying to see that there was more to life than just the GCW and deep down Matt could be someone greater than he already was. Matt went to bed with a smile on his face that Ned and Lois couldn't figure out. He was happy, but neither could see what could have possibly have made him so happy let alone smile so brightly that it was still on his face as he quietly slept. The Blacks were no help, Jerry kept Matt's privacy while Carey turned things around and asked if it was a bad thing that he was happy or would they rather that he got into trouble like other boys his own age. That hit Ned and Lois hard, they couldn't rightly be upset with Matt nor could they see an issue with him being in a good mood especially after spending time with a girl. They would have to tell their daughter about Matt's odd behavior but given how they had entrusted them with complete control over Matt there was not going to be much help from the Simpsons. Matt wasn't acting out nor was he in trouble, it was just so out of character for the withdrawn and private boy to be so happy. In the morning, Matt was confronted by Ned and Lois and confessed what was going on with him. He hated telling them, but he couldn't lie and would rather face punishment for what he had done than to endure their constant badgering. He was scared to death but chose to lay it all out rather than lie. The couple needed time to think and told him he would see a shrink about the issue. They didn't want to have anyone know the truth so they made it seem like he was seeing one because of issues involving his parents. In a way, they did blame his parents for the issues especially as it started while in their care. Matt went to school and was immediately hugged by Betty, relaxing him a little but he was still tense as the day wore on. She tried to get him to open up about what was bothering him but he wouldn't tell her for fear of what she might do to his grandparents. She kept close to him throughout the day, but he kept his distance emotionally and only vocalized to her when they had to do schoolwork. After school, Betty insisted on him talking with her. He walked home with her and told her everything that he had told his grandparents and what they were going to do with him. He was in tears as he told her, he didn't want to be treated like a freak but it was going to be impossible to not have the therapist go at him for being a freak for liking dressing as a girl. She hugged him tightly and rocked him until he stopped crying, with Carey being shooed away by Betty when she came rushing to see what had Matt so worked up. Carey called Lois and Ned and insisted that they give Matt the chance to talk his problems out, going so far as to threaten them if they did anything to harm him. Ned and Lois demanded to know why they were so concerned about Matt, getting an angry, "He's a great young man who doesn't deserve anything that has happened to him so far. He loves our daughter, and she loves him. This isn't puppy love, this is true love. Let him work out his issues, he needs your support, not your ridicule and scorn." They were beaten badly. His parents would side with the Blacks and get him help. They weren't happy with his issues but to not address them meant causing chaos in their lives and harming Matt. Matt was left alone by his grandparents after that, only interacting with them during meals and for the frequent rides to and from a psychologist's office. Matt didn't talk to them much either, only speaking when necessary and even then only when directly asked. The arrangement was tough but it worked. Matt met his new psychologist, Dr. Vlad Acula, just before Christmas. He snickered at the name, Vlad nodded in agreement adding, "It's a family name on my mother's side, they just have a twisted sense of humor. Don't worry about me turning into a bat or drinking blood, I had my fill from the last patient." Matt had to smile at that, it was an act but it eased the tension. Vlad got down to business and asked about the dressing and his feelings. Matt couldn't explain why he liked what he did, only that it felt as if he was a girl and nothing else mattered to him. Vlad nodded in agreement, writing notes then asking about other boys and his parents. He was sullen, it was a sore spot with him but he did admit that he never learned how to be a boy and being around the women made him want to be part of their world. He hadn't considered that he might be trying to be like them for the wrong reasons, he might just need to be around kids his own age to be who he really was. Vlad had a lot to work with but he wasn't afraid to help Matt tackle his inner self. He admitted to Matt that he lacked experience in gender issues, but was willing to learn for Matt's sake. Matt needed a lot of help over a long period of time and Vlad was willing to help him through it all if need be. Matt was pleased to hear that he had another supporter, he just hoped that Ned and Lois didn't go overboard in their attempt to get him to be like other boys. He knew that some would be willing to hurt him just to show that they were bigger and stronger than him, even if Matt could counter most of their moves thanks to the ladies of the GCW showing him some self-defense moves they learned. Matt never told anyone about that training, it was a secret. The ladies could see early on that Matt was going to be a lot like his mother in terms of looks and size, he wasn't a big boy and was smaller than some of their own younger sons. The younger of the ladies, Mickayla Jace, showed just what she meant as she showed Matt a picture of her sister and husband and nephews side by side giving him a subtle nod about him being smaller than normal for a boy. Vlad talked with Lois and Ned and couldn't help but see that they were seeing their own daughter in Matt as Matt was the spitting image of his mother. Vlad was brutal with them, asking if they were upset that Matt might possibly be their granddaughter or if they were upset that he is what they saw in their daughter. Neither could answer directly, it was a mix of both. Vlad finally told them what he learned and why they needed to be supportive even if they didn't like that Matt had any kind of feminine tendencies. He went for their throats and told them, "He hasn't had the chance to grow up among boys and men. He might have been around dozens of men but they were a caricature of masculinity. He needs to be active with sports or youth groups and enjoy time among the boys his own age. Start him on martial arts and have him indulge in his passion with the wrestling team at his high school. He has a lot of issues to work out, his dressing could be simply an outlet or it could be a need to please others or it could be his true self. Either way, he needs support, not scorn." He dared them to say something, they were angry at being told off but Vlad countered with a firm, "I know that you were hoping that I'd find something wrong with him but there isn't anything wrong. He needs to discover himself among boys. He could be a transsexual or he could be a crossdresser or he could be gay and confused. It doesn't matter, he needs help from you and if you can't give him that I think it might be in the best interest of Matt that he lives with his parents again or move on to his other grandparents. I know that they have had issues with their son, but they are open to helping Matt if he is in dire need of their help. And in my opinion, he is in need of help." That hit them hard. Losing Matt would be a blow to them on multiple levels. Matt had to stay with the couple or they would lose everything that they had. The couple agreed to his recommendations and was given information for youth groups and organized activities that Matt should participate in. Matt was told and agreed, with Vlad adding, "I told them that I would insist on you moving in with your other grandparents if you couldn't live with your parents. I know it's clear across the country, but it's in your best interest to do so. It might not be ideal for your relationship, but Betty would understand." At home, his grandparents laid out what they wanted him to do. Matt looked at some of the programs and refused the basketball, baseball, and football teams. He angrily told them, "The guys on those teams are jerks and wouldn't hesitate to hurt me just for fun." He pointed to the gymnastics and wrestling programs, telling them happily, "The guys in those aren't too bad. Don't say they are gay because they aren't. Betty's friends date them, they got involved when they were younger and the girls love talking with them about it since they understand them." Ned had to crack a smile, it was hard to insult them if they were doing a smart thing with girls at their age. Lois wasn't so sure and had him do something more athletic. Matt pointed to the martial arts and gymnastics pamphlets and refused to do anything else, telling them firmly, "It's either this or I stay home. It's not feminine or masculine, it's equal. The girls are as good as the boys in both." The stage was set for Matt to start doing masculine things and quench his need to dress as a girl. He told Betty about what he would be doing and got a sad response, but she understood why he had to do what he was doing. She was hoping to have a girlfriend more often but it was for the best, he was still her boyfriend even if neither would admit to being boyfriend/girlfriend in full. Matt didn't dress up much after that fateful day, the desire was there but his mind would often be on whatever they had to do in school or whatever he was doing after school. Betty was nice enough to not push the dressing on Matt, but she did miss their quality time alone in her bedroom. Her parents were adamant that they stay downstairs now, especially as she started to blossom to the point of no longer needing her inserts to give her chest a proper shape and they had caught Matt noticing her breasts. As Betty blossomed, Matt stayed small. The two were similar heights which drew a lot of attention to them as people thought they were siblings rather than dating. Matt took it in stride, he loved the Blacks and if he ever had to choose a sister Betty would be the one he would want. Matt dressed as a girl during spring break as the Blacks arranged a small trip for the two. It took some convincing, but Ned and Lois agreed to allow him to go with them. There was one stipulation that the Blacks had, he was to be their niece and not Betty's girlfriend. That hit them hard, but it was acceptable. Matt became Taylor Thomas again, spending the week as her and enjoying every minute of being the daughter to Carey in ways that Betty wasn't able or willing to be. Jerry fought hard and lost the struggle to quell Matt's growing femininity as he saw just how much of a girl Matt could be, Taylor was such a dream daughter and was a positive influence on Betty. The trip was a one-off trip, Matt returned that Sunday and cried as he said goodbye to the Blacks. His grandparents didn't bother to ask about his trip, he wouldn't tell them the truth anyway. He would only say to them that he wasn't going to be a father in nine months and the Blacks were amazing people. In his room, he cried some more as his sadness of being himself again hit hard. It was tough but he had the memories and pictures of the trip. He kept them hidden from everyone but the memory would endure. Taylor would come out again, it was only that he couldn't be her too often or else he'd be in danger from other people finding out. Over the rest of the school year, Matt joined the local youth wrestling and gymnastics programs as well as the martial arts program. He was flexible and had a good ability to jump and tumble but struggled at times with strength and stamina. He'd work on that, it was why they had the program in the first place and it wasn't such a drawback as he had flexibility and could bounce back from a tough fall quickly. He put on muscle mass and his stamina improved. During school, the girls noticed that he was starting to sport bulges in his biceps which Betty happily drooled over. The girls giggled about Matt and her but she was thrilled that her boyfriend was starting to get so handsome and filling out in all the right places. Towards the end of the school year, Matt was ready for his first gymnastics performance. He competed in floor exercises but had a great pommel horse routine. He struggled with the parallel bars and rings but it was to be expected of him as he hadn't built up strength. In wrestling, he took a while to break free of the pro wrestling move mindset as those could actually hurt his opponent and himself without thinking. His arm and legwork were good, he just took a while to not strike at knees and ankles like he had done so many times before while helping the GCW ladies in their preparations. Once he got over those, he did well against opponents even if he was often put against smaller, younger kids due to his own smaller than normal size. His teammates were surprised at how powerful and fast he was as he worked. In either Greco-Roman or freestyle, he was quick to move and counter holds and flips and scored pins and points faster than anticipated. He was good, but his smaller size meant he struggled to find opponents who were in his age range who weren't forced to wrestle due to their overzealous, masculine parents. Matt was a great help to others as he could endure the holds and flips more than anyone else and was able to move quick enough to give his teammates a real challenge. Sparring with Matt meant you were prepared for your next match, with Matt doing a lot of coaching on his own to help the team. The coach was pleased with him, he knew what he was doing even if he had to relearn everything from start. In martial arts, Matt was often paired with equally sized girls as their sensei wanted them to be as equal as possible. He wasn't the only boy paired with girls, as larger boys ended up being paired with larger girls especially the high school girls. Matt did well with the girls and improved each other as time wore on, the same couldn't be said of the boys as they complained about being beaten by girls even if it was their own arrogance and underestimating the girls that cost them. He rose through the ranks, earning his green belt faster than anyone expected. His sensei was pleased, he and the girls were learning from one another and were overshadowing the rest of their class with the ability to help one another and adapt to their opponent's strengths. Matt was an asset to the class, so much so that their sensei would use him as the example for the class as he would be able to use what they had just learned and helped his partners learn it alongside him. He did attract complaints from other parents. Their sons were falling behind and were either struggling to spar with the others or were causing issues in the class from their sexist attitudes. Matt was seen as a sissy and weakling and didn't deserve to advance, their own sons had failed to advance let alone do so in a short period of time that Matt and the girls had done. Sensei just grinned and asked if they were jealous of him using what he learned and helping others to be the best they could be or if they were upset that someone smaller could be better than their sons. The question was a legitimate question, yet it hit the parents hard. They couldn't answer either way as it was clear that they were both jealous of Matt doing better faster than their sons while also showcasing their own beliefs that size mattered in sports. The couple did well in school while juggling their growing afterschool activities. Betty was encouraged to join other girls in different clubs in school and enjoyed the talk about boys while planning events and putting on their school's dances. Matt was always a target of discussion, with Betty happily touting his virtues as a handsome boy with growing muscles and a heart of gold. Betty's assessment was confirmed by Matt's sparring partners as they offered quick jokes about him being stronger than he looks and carrying more meat in his shorts than any other boy. Betty would give a deep blush but she knew it to be true as she had seen it before during Spring break. She never told the girls about her trip with Matt, but her parents watching them closely quelled any rumors of sex. Matt started to get integrated into the girls' fun and was a frequent visitor to their homes. Being close to Betty and earning a reputation as one of the better boys to have around the girls gave them slack that the girls wouldn't have gotten with other boys, but he did have constant scrutiny from their fathers as he was seen as being a shrimp who didn't deserve Betty's affections. The girls defended him constantly, he was one of them in all but name and through him had found the girls dates with boys who were more like the guys they wanted them to date but without the bravado and arrogance. Their grades improved as Matt and their boyfriends slowly became more popular. By the end of the year they were the undisputed most popular groups in school and unlike other popular cliques, they had a reputation for being fun and didn't badmouth any other groups. The other cliques were jealous and by the time June rolled around the school grew tired of their complaints to the point that several of the old cliques saw their popularity vanish and many get suspended or expelled for their actions. Matt and Betty graduated from middle school with honors and high praise and moved up to the high school. They were put into advanced classes and had a lot of homework to do but were among the few who were trusted to do all of it without needed email reminders. They celebrated their graduation with a pool party, with the parents seeing just how amazing Matt was with the group as he was the life of the party and had the girls enthralled while the boys had the girls swooning. His parents sent for Matt and included Betty in their invitation, with the four sharing an RV for the summer as the Blacks eagerly accepted the second honeymoon thanks to the Simpsons' offer. Betty was treated like a daughter and given ground rules for her and Matt's behavior but neither dared to break the rules especially as they would be sent home immediately. The Simpsons saw the love and affection the two had for one another and couldn't help but feel pride for Matt as he was growing up right in front of their eyes every time he caught sight of Betty even if it was in passing. Matt's dressing was immediately addressed with the couple asking about it directly. They had Dr. Vlad Acula's opinion about it and listened to him explain what was possibly happening and offered their full support to Matt just in case it was more serious and Matt was really Taylor inside. Wally was upset that he might have made a mistake in not settling down in Hollywood alongside his family but seeing how Matt had acted during Spring Break with the Blacks he understood that it was something deeper. The Simpsons showed Betty what they did for a living and gave her a crash course in setting up a ring and how to stock it with the needed "supplies" of tables, chairs, trash cans, lids, and other weapons. It was great fun for her as she watched the wrestlers practice before their matches, with Matt talking away with them as they went back and forth over what works and what doesn't. Matt was in his own little world, Betty couldn't believe how someone so young could have such a positive impact on a sport let alone help them create matches that turned out to be visual highlights of the night. There were a few dark spots during their summer with the Simpsons. King Reign was vocal about Matt being there and would often get into a war of words with Vince Turner that Vince's daughter Stacy had to mediate. King gave in to Stacy's requests to ease off of Matt, especially when she saw that he was, in fact, helping the GCW as she observed him working with the wrestlers to improve their matches. Stacy could see that he was starting to change physically. He was still small, but he had muscles and had a look of content that brightened whenever he saw Betty. Betty was a ray of sunshine as well as she was like another daughter to the male wrestlers who couldn't afford to go home for a day or two after their network broadcasts, giving them a chance to be a father even if only as a surrogate. King's slide down the roster coincided with Impossible's rise up the roster. The masked "Technic?" luchador owed Matt his career and through Matt's suggestion had earned not only the title, but a hefty new contract, a push to obtain the title on his own at the biggest event of the year which he had won on his own to the shock of everyone except Matt, and large amount of money in new endorsements and merchandise sales. He happily embraced Matt when he saw him the first night, barely holding back tears as he thanked Matt for all he had done for him. Betty was given a glance and had to hold back a blush as Matt told Impossible about her, getting a big smile and hug from the man while he also whispered to her, "He's a keeper. Don't let anyone tell you that he isn't good enough for you. He's going to own this company in the future, just watch!" Matt's sudden appearance earned Vince's attention and got Matt put to work with the producers as they came up with rewrites for upcoming shows. Betty was always close by and offered her own input, often getting looks of annoyance but her subtle changes were ones that worked out better for them as it came off more organic and used fewer extras that they had to hire than before. She had an eye for subtlety, it was what Vince had wanted and earned her his praise. Betty's reward for helping them was to get put into a backstage segment where she and Matt were stuck waiting in line to buy merchandise while one of the undercard wrestlers who was getting a push from the GCW tried to choose which shirt he wanted only to be told that none of his shirts were for sale. The two were asked who the guy was, and gave a quick joking reply that ended up being the basis for the man's push. It was really Betty's line and for her effort, she helped Matt's mother Nancy design the shirts for sale at the next show earning her more praise and a nice paycheck since she was considered an employee for the day. Stacy had trouble keeping King at bay. She loved him but there was something about Matt that just ate away at King. Matt was a darling boy, she felt for him and wished King would just let his anger go so he could move on and stop harming his career. King was forced to endure long sessions with Vince about his actions and was on thin ice with Vince as time wore on. His performance was suffering and the more time he was around Dr. Senstismo the less he was able to do and the more others had to work. He was becoming too much for Vince and with no need for him, Vince had to let him go from his contract or find a new place in the company for him. King was furious and stormed out, seeking out Matt but only finding a wall of his now-former friends and colleagues surrounding Matt. Impossible offered him sound advice on how to deal with things, "You have to get yourself clean and get away from that quack. You screwed up badly and you are blaming the boy for your actions. He hasn't done a damn thing to you, you were told to stay away from him yet you still act like you need him. Come after Matt Simpson again and we will ensure that your friend the doctor gets a visit from the feds regarding his medicating you. Do it anything to his parents and you won't leave the state alive." King stormed out and vowed he'd get Matt. Stacy drove him home, taking over a day to drive to their home in New York but it was time well spent as she talked with him about everything and tried to get him to see that he had a problem that needed solving and Matt was not it. King closed off from her but kept up the act, he couldn't defy her or he'd lose everything they had built up at home. Vince sat Matt down and explained what happened and why. Matt looked over at the GCW roster and thanked them for protecting him but it wouldn't stop King. They all knew it to be true, the man was too far gone to not return the hate at some point even if it took two decades to do so. Vince needed to have a way of getting rid of King and making it look real. He sealed the office and had Matt and Betty working hard to come up with a storyline that had him leaving for good that would be both believable and give fans what they wanted. Matt came up with the idea of an extreme match, one that King was always good at because of his violent tendencies but would be for the title and would be him vs. Impossible with it being a, "M?scara contra carrera"(mask vs. career) match with Impossible putting his beloved mask on the line vs. King's career with the company. It was a bold move and required Impossible's approval but getting rid of King was worth it. Impossible was in favor of it especially after the final confrontation, while the rest of the GCW were willing to be his replacement and endure King's hammer hits if it meant he would be gone for good. It was going to be held at their Bash of the Summer pay per view, the main event of the night and the match that all would talk about for years to come. Being part of the setup crew meant Wally would be one of the first to head to the next destination once the show was over, allowing Nancy and the couple to talk and discuss things. Nancy waited a week before she asked about Taylor, with Betty smiling and asking if she wanted to meet her daughter. Matt was just about to faint due to embarrassment but Betty's pleading eyes told him he should dress up. A half hour later, Matt came out of the bedroom and was met by a gasp and tears as Nancy couldn't help but see Taylor as a beautiful little girl. Wally pulled over, saw his son dressed as his daughter, and went right back to driving as he couldn't face Taylor yet. In his eyes, he was seeing the beautiful girl who grew up to become his wife- there was no doubt about it in his eyes, she was Nancy's daughter. Matt spent two days dressed as Taylor and even went swimming and worked out in the hotel gyms as a girl. Nobody noticed anything out of the ordinary and those who did notice Taylor wisely clammed up about her. Wally did get asked about it, with him carefully telling them, "He's got a lot of issues going on that he is working through, including maybe being transgender. Please don't make this an issue as I will always choose my child over my career, same as my wife." He trusted his crew to keep things quiet, but Matt was treated a little differently by them when he put away his Taylor persona at the next show. They did say that Taylor was beautiful and it was a shame that he was forced to have to hide himself frequently as he was a great looking girl who was the spitting image of her mother. He would blush, but it was the truth. The summer went slowly but had a lot of excitement as Matt started to earn money from the GCW as a producer and booker, two highly sought- after positions that some of the elder wrestlers were hoping to get but didn't have the chops for. Matt worked with them to learn the job, he was a rare talent but it was one that had proven itself time and again. The more he taught, the more they learned and the better they got in their own matches as they started to see why he was right about their moves and timing. Betty earned some money as an assistant to Nancy, helping her with designs and talking with the ladies as Nancy was making adjustments to their tights. The two worked hard thanks to needing lighter tights for the summer heat, with Betty getting an earful from the ladies as they complained about their new boyfriends or husbands while admitting that they loved them even if they couldn't see them every day. Betty fits in among the ladies, earning respect for being close to Matt while giving him the chance to be his own self. She blushed when they recalled the cute little boy who tried on their outfits and acted like he was them now turning into a heartthrob who would have any girl he wanted if not for her. Her blush didn't go unnoticed with several gasping at realizing that his dressing wasn't limited to just them. When Stacy closed the door for privacy with security standing guard so as to not disturb the ladies, Betty explained what happened and why leading the ladies to laugh and hug her for being so bold and so caring with Matt. Stacy beamed with pride, he was always one of them even if he wasn't a woman. Betty sighed and added, "He's a girl inside and you ladies helped him see it. It's his darkest secret, Matt is really Taylor and he can't be her without hurting his parents." Stacy nodded in agreement, it sounded like something that would happen. King would have gotten the couple fired for any reason he could think of and would have had Matt put in a mental institution, "For his own safety" just to protect the GCW from the predators who wanted to harm it. His real reason was his raging homophobia, but Stacy couldn't help but love him as he could be the most amazing person outside of the arena away from others. Betty saw that Matt wasn't going to be hurt and showed the ladies pictures of Taylor, with all of them looking around in shock and awe at how different he could look just by putting on makeup and a new outfit. Betty had to blush as they asked if she treated Taylor like a friend or a lover, with Betty trying to not answer it. Stacy pressed her, getting a timid, "She was my cousin during Spring break and my friend during the times we swam and worked out at the hotels. Mrs. Simpson wanted to meet Taylor, and my parents wouldn't let us act like we were dating as they didn't want Taylor to get hurt by anyone in case they didn't like girls who date girls." The ladies saw the hurt in her eyes and didn't press further. Stacy had an opening and asked if there was any way that Taylor could join them for the day as they had a free day coming up on Sunday. It wasn't her right to answer for Matt but she agreed to ask him if he would go with them as Taylor. In the RV, Betty asked Matt if he wanted to join the ladies for a "girl's day out." He gave her a shocked look, to which she confessed telling them about Taylor and showing them pictures of her. He looked at his mother who nodded, especially as Nancy would be their wrangler to keep the ladies from being too rambunctious and getting hassled by fans and men seeking companionship. Four days later, the ladies hit the spa. Taylor was introduced to all of them, with her blushing deeply as she was hugged by the ladies. They couldn't stop looking at her, she was beautiful and only needed a different hairstyle to appear any different than she did as Matt. Like other times, she and Betty were chaste and only held hands. Nancy had to smile at the couple as they blushed at changing but there wasn't anything that they hadn't already seen on one another. It was funny to her, he was getting every boy's dream but was too much of a gentleman to react to her nudity. Nancy had to smile at Taylor's body, it fit in with the other ladies as they all had muscular frames even if you couldn't see too much of them. They were athletic and most sported fake breasts, but still had a hint of femininity. Nancy felt awkward while Betty felt pangs of jealousy over their larger breasts. Nancy could tell what Betty was thinking and smiled at it, she was a typical 14-year-old girl under her exterior and was reacting as girls had for millennia. She looked over at Taylor and grinned at her trying to keep her false breasts from falling off while trying to not look at Betty. She was doing a great job of being herself but her affection for Betty was tough to control especially as they were nearly naked. The ladies went to their own private sections and endured hours of feeling their muscles relax and the pressure of performing in front of thousands at each stop fade away. Taylor and Betty got to share some discreet kisses and hugs while they waited to move from each section of the spa, with Nancy and Stacy seeing how close they were when they were allowed to be themselves. It was tough to not see the girl inside of Taylor coming out, especially as Betty treated her like her girlfriend and not her close friend. During the shower after their mud baths, Stacy got to see just how Taylor looked and had to fight the urge to ask about her lean yet muscular body. Nancy caught the looks and whispered to her, "She's been taking gymnastics and martial arts alongside her wrestling classes. She's doing well in all three, but has to endure a tough coach soon." Stacy grinned and knew that Matt would have his own cheering section soon, they couldn't let him go without one when they came to town that winter. It was going to be tough to keep the press away, but it was worth it to cheer on one of their own as he started down the path to joining them in the future. It was also going to be a good chance to meet Taylor again, but she wouldn't spring that surprise until it was closer to the date so they didn't make a promise they couldn't keep. During the cleansing bath and swim, the ladies made mention of how much Taylor had grown and how much of a man she was becoming even if she was having feelings of being a girl. Betty blushed at what she was hearing but confessed to them, "She's growing larger and stronger than anyone in school even if she is below average in size. The boys can't compare to her, trust me on that- she's 'bigger' than them." There was a round of laughter while Nancy fought for the right way to react to that. Taylor didn't say a word, not wanting to answer how Betty knew but did add, "They talk big, but are closer to little boys than the big men they believe themselves to be. And that's from her own friends' statements, they are the ones who were checking out bulges and spotted who was using socks and who was naturally big." The spa trip was a resounding success, the ladies were relaxed while their husbands and boyfriends had a wild day together without the ladies. Stacy was the only one without someone waiting for her, but she had a plane ready to take her to the next destination and would be seeing King for his needed talk about his future. She dreaded it but King would either become her house-husband or would find work with a smaller company allowing him to remain active while giving him a chance to redeem himself. King chose the third option- working out of the front office. He finally had enough support from them to stop fooling around and get things done his way while keeping "undesirables" at bay. He was up against a lot of opposition so he didn't have total control, but he had enough to make the changes that he wanted while Vince Turner would have the final say over everything and undo mot of his work. His match against Impossible was not going to be changed no matter what he tried to do, Vince had it set in stone thanks to leaking plans to the dirt sheets and having some of his guys talk to the media to drum up support for the match. He wanted King gone and fast, but couldn't stop him from being in the front office and away from the action directly but could overrule most of King's hairbraned schemes. Matt returned to help and was told about King's new job. He rolled his eyes, the stories were going to be bad. He admitted that he was afraid for them, but knew they'd keep King from ruining too much. The big match finally approached and King went down fighting. He broke every rule in the book by using every banned move to try to hurt Impossible but as usual, he vastly underestimated his opponent's abilities. He was made to look bad by all, his moves were slow and lacked power and he didn't sell any of Impossible's moves despite him telling King what was coming. King used every weapon they had, from chairs to tables to ladders to his own gimmicked balpine hammer. Nothing worked and he struggled to keep pace with the aerialist. When the referee's hand slammed the down for the three count the crowd went wild and gave the GCW their biggest cheer in years, Impossible was the new king of the GCW and King Reign was all but booed out of the building. Stacy offered her congratulations to Impossible while King offered him an angry sneer while packing his locker for the final time. She felt bad for her husband but he did it to himself and he at least had a job waiting for him at the company headquarters so he didn't have to endure the torment from fans in the other wrestling organizations. King didn't see it that way, he blamed Matt for costing his job. Matt and Betty had to return to school the following week so spent much of their time with Wally and Nancy. He did let Taylor out for another day with the ladies, this time wearing a wig and glasses to hide his true identity from fans and the media. The ladies were actually on the news as they were at a new restaurant and got to interact with several celebrities who were in town to film a new movie and who saw a chance to do double promotion for themselves and the GCW by mingling together. Taylor got to talk with several actors, two of whom tried to seduce her with one trying to do the same to Betty after getting shot down by Taylor. They had to casually tell them that they were only 14 and had to stifle a laugh as the hotshot was run off with his tail between his legs as he realized that they might have just saved him from going to jail or worse- a ruined career. The duo was praised and hugged by the ladies for standing their ground and being honest, he was a tough man to get rid of and had just ensured that they would have a quiet meal and evening. Pictures of their outing were plastered across the internet as fans wondered who the two were. None of the ladies told inquirers who Taylor was, with anyone asking being told that she was a relative of one of the backstage crew and was enjoying a few days with friends before she went back home for school. It wasn't a lie, it was actually the truth- just not true in the way they thought. When they finally returned home, Betty told her parents about all of the great things that she had done and how much money she had earned working with the GCW. Carey asked about the pictures of her and Taylor, getting a blush and happy, "The ladies wanted a day out with Taylor before we left. She went to the spa with them two weeks before so they already met her." Carey smirked while Jerry asked about the spa trip. Betty turned a deep shade of red as she explained it while Jerry had to quell his anger at the two being naked together. When she told him about Nancy and the others being the same way he had to fight a laugh, they couldn't do anything with Nancy and the ladies there especially as no male wants to see their mother naked. Betty's friends came by the next day and asked about what she had done during her time off. She told them about the great fun they had and their impact on things. They were extremely jealous but kept it to themselves lest they upset Betty especially as she had never been happier. School started the next day and saw them getting into the high school mindset as they tried to focus on their new subjects and not on their eventful summer. Matt was looked down on by the students but he was used to that. He did earn some fame as people recognized him from pictures online that the GCW wrestlers put up, especially Impossible who thanked him for being his inspiration. Matt's start wasn't all fun and games as the wrestling program he signed up for the year before was only for elementary and middle school students so with their graduation Matt and his teammates moved on to officially organized wrestling at the high school. His teammates were thrilled to be part of the high school's wrestling team but Matt had a strong suspicion that he would be cut as soon as possible. Their coach, Harry Waite, was a notorious snob who only wanted the strongest boys on the team and wasn't afraid to cut kids even if they helped the team. Harry wasn't just their coach, he was their gym teacher. He had a long hatred of smaller and weaker boys and wasn't afraid to let the school know it. Boys in his class could do as they pleased even if they hurt their fellow classmates, if they were smaller then in his eyes they deserved to be hurt. Matt spent much of his day meeting his teachers, learning the ins and outs of his school, and trying to keep Betty focused as she got used to the same. She did have some troubles as boys from the middle school across town noticed her and tried to entice her. When she explained that she was dating Matt and had been for over a year they didn't back down and had to be told off by her friends. Matt took it in stride, it was something she would have to endure for years to come. He was smaller, supposedly weaker, and she was seemingly, "Out of his league" but that didn't matter one bit to Betty. Her friends couldn't help but be proud of her for being so close to Matt, he had inside what they wanted in a boy but none of them would ever admit that he was physically a little too small for them. After school, Matt had to report to Harry's office regarding his signing up for wrestling. It was what he had expected, Matt broke the mold regarding wrestlers and Harry was going to show him that he wasn't cut out to be part of his team. Matt was ready for it and had his own ace in the hole ready. The meeting was in the physical education office and was observed by Harry's colleagues. Harry felt like he was going to be alright but didn't know that they were supporting Matt. When Harry got out of line, they would happily slam him hard for his actions and turned things around on him to protect Matt. Harry wasted no time and told Matt that he was too small to be on his team. Matt countered that he wasn't underweight nor undersized for any of the state's divisions and their conference had plenty of boys competing in his small weight class. Matt then countered that the school routinely lost points in meets due to not having someone to compete against the smaller wrestlers so his being part of the team gave them a chance at more points thus more wins which meant more funding from the school. His colleagues laughed at Harry's complaints about losing close matches bit him in the rear end. It was his own fault as those points were coming from smaller kids like Matt who were beating others while his team was competing against one another to earn points in the heavier classes. Matt was not one to be taken lightly and had earned the respect of them from their own observations, Harry was about to kick off someone who had earned his spot on the team without setting foot on the mat. Matt didn't have to reply any further, the other gym teachers asked if Harry had seen what he could do or had he just summarily dismissed Matt without knowing a thing about him. That got the reaction they wanted, he had to admit he hadn't then would have to see what Matt could do. Matt would be the one to embarrass Harry, he deserved it and would go a long way towards helping the kid socially. Harry and Matt changed into their wrestling gear and went at one another, drawing a crowd as Matt was recognized while the notoriously anti-lightweight Harry had rubbed most of the students the wrong way. Matt was stronger and a lot faster than expected, tripping Harry then putting him into a series of holds that were tough to break and even tougher to keep breaking as Matt wore him down faster than anyone had before. Matt had him hitting his back against the mat while he was in the holds, earning Matt cheers as he had gotten multiple pins on Harry without realizing it. When the time period ended, Matt looked up and saw that Harry had only scored four points while he had earned a staggering 12 points with other gym teachers telling him he had scored four pins as well as those hard 12 points. Harry couldn't believe it, he refused to acknowledge that Matt had it in him to not only better him but to also beat him so handily. His colleagues were blunt, if he refused to allow Matt onto the team he would have to explain to the school why he was purposely trying to harm his team especially as he was excluding someone who was better than him on the mat. Matt was on the team, picking up his school singlet, headgear, and shoes from the athletic office and getting high praise from the athletic director. Matt shifted it to his former coach while also confessing that he had several tutors prior to him that had years in the business. He was questioned about that, to which he explained, "My parents work for GCW, before I moved here to stay with my grandparents I was around them all of the time. The ladies taught me a lot while the guys showed me some of what they remembered from school. It was hard to convert them back, but the principle is the same." At home, Matt showed off his singlet and went right to finish his homework. He dealt with Betty's phone calls then calls from his parents, each of whom was proud of him and were ashamed that they couldn't see him humiliating Harry. It gave him some pride he was happy to impress them all. In school the next day, he earned notoriety for what he had done to Harry. If a video recording of the entire match hadn't been posted online nobody would have believed the small Matt could humiliate the larger coach, but it was there for all to see. He was a hero to the smaller students, especially the ones that Harry had done the same to the year before and who would have been assets to the team. Harry treated him with contempt and ran him ragged during gym class, but he wasn't alone in his running as others joined him while Harry fought hard for a way of punishing Matt that wouldn't get him fired. Matt ignored him, Harry was just another bully and no different than King Reign. School went better for Matt after that as people left him alone and he wasn't looked down on by anyone or else they would have to explain why they felt the need to be jerks to him. Matt took his newfound popularity in stride and kept close to Betty. He loved having her close by his side and endured a lot of her affections during lunch and in-between classes, she did a great job with him and was one of the few who could get close to him without anyone thinking that he was being used by them. The two had few days alone together, her friends were always over her house and his own schedule was filled with karate and preparations for wrestling. They did manage to have a day to themselves during the Columbus Day holiday, spending it en-femme at Betty's request while Carey kept a close eye on them. Taylor made Betty's day as she gave her a needed ear while allowing Taylor to kiss her on the lips for the first time, giving Betty a flutter in her loins as she felt love for a girl for the first time ever. Carey drew the line at Betty trying to cop a feel from Taylor's breasts, they were fakes but she was still too young to do those kinds of things and Taylor was reacting as anyone in her position would- by becoming erect and squirming. Betty realized she had crossed the line and apologized to Taylor, it was hard to not react to her girlfriend especially as she was falling for her female form more and more. It took Taylor a bit of time but she calmed down and accepted the apology, letting the issue drop. Betty struggled to explain to her friends what they did the day before, while Matt tried to come up with a plausible excuse that the girls would buy and deflect their questions away. Matt finally grinned and told them, "We watched the GCW pay per view from the night before. My parents told me it was good and Betty's designs were being worn by the ladies. We know what happened already, but it was still fun to see how they were doing things and texting them our thoughts about certain things." Betty added, "He really has a nasty habit of being critical with them. He was screaming at Mickayla Jace as she botched a move she should have made. I won't even talk about Crusher Bundy and his big slip at the bottom of the ramp, but Matt told him to go easy on his Crush stomps especially when they have several matches before his mid-card match." The two showed them a clip of Crusher tripping over his own feet as he stopped on the ramp to pose for the cameras. The big man didn't listen to anyone and did what he wanted, making his slip inevitable and one that everyone knew would come at the next event. He didn't work the smaller matches and had little time with Matt so he ignored his advice, but Matt saw it coming before everyone else. Matt loved that they understood him and for the first time ever, he felt like he had real friends. The girls were of the same thought, they liked him a lot and enjoyed his upbeat attitude. He wouldn't have been a friend to them if not for Betty, but he had secured a spot with them and one they appreciated greatly. Matt did have some trouble as October rolled along. Harry was on his case about his being lazy in class and tried anything possible to get him detention or suspension. Matt ignored him until it was too much and asked for a transfer to another gym class, citing constant harassment from Harry. Matt's request was denied due to being unable to fit him in any of the other classes. Harry did receive admonishment from the principal for his actions. It was the first time in a long time that he had faced any kind of disciplinary action and he vowed that he would pay the principal back. The principal just smirked and dared him to do it, he had more than a dozen witnesses to the threats and had a better track record with the superintendent than Harry ever would have. Matt was sat down and had it explained firmly, "Mr. Waite will back off of you for a while. He will be in a heap of trouble if he tries this stunt again, but he will do it just to spite me. You are smaller than normal, but that's not an excuse for his actions. Don't react, let him hang himself out to dry. You are proving to be one of the students that we will talk about for years to come, don't let one man ruin your four years with us. You have a right to not suffer for four years, he doesn't have a right to harass you." Harry left Matt alone for a while but couldn't fully let things go. He ran Matt ragged during class and worked him harder than anyone else during practices. Matt never complained, he didn't have to. Harry was always on guard for other teachers or the principal whenever he was alone with Matt. It was rare and the few times it happened Matt told him he was recording it for his own safety. Harry tried to snarl and complain that he couldn't do that, but was shown the order from the principal with the clear instructions that if Harry took issue with it then Harry would have to talk with a lawyer before lodging any kind of complaint with the school and his union. During the first marking period, Matt got great grades and helped several classmates raise their own to a higher level. His worst grade came from Harry but that was provisionally changed to an, "A" as it was shown that he had done everything right to earn the grade and Harry had no excuse for the lower than acceptable marks for him. Matt didn't ask for the change and those who complained were showed that he had earned it outright and were questioned about why Harry raised their grade unfairly despite them having automatic failures due to being late or absent from classes beyond automatic failure. Harry endured a lot of tough questions from parents over his grading, especially from those who had been targeted by him in the past and didn't have the nerve to demand an answer. His firm grip over the students was starting to slip, Matt had gotten breaks in his armor and others were taking aim at them. Harry eased up on the criticism, but Matt's damage had already been done to his reputation. In November, Matt got to spend the week with his parents. He had a lot to do with a pile of schoolwork occupying his time but he was happy that his parents were spending the time with him. It was a light week, after Monday it was clear until the next Monday for the crew allowing the Simpsons to visit Nancy's parents and see the eager Matt again. They got to also meet the Blacks, with the couple thanking Wally and Nancy for the time off during the summer and giving them the news that he had neglected to tell them- they were expecting a child. Matt and Betty blushed as Carey beamed with pride over the new baby, they expected them to have sex but having a baby was completely out of the blue. Betty loved that she was going to be a big sister, but it still pained her to think about the couple having sex while she was away with her boyfriend and his family and enduring constant watch to keep her and Matt from doing what her parents had done. Nancy had a tough time with her parents but got them to remain civil long enough to talk about Taylor and her rare appearances. The Thompsons were adamant that Matt never dresses, while Nancy wanted him to dress as Taylor as often as he felt like it. Wally was caught in the middle and towed the line that Dr. Vlad Ackula had set- let him do it as needed but don't force him to be a boy or else he may do what he felt he had to do and harm himself. It was a tough week, but Matt was happier than he had been in a while. Matt felt great and Betty was seeing him mellow out and enjoy himself. She wished that the Simpsons could remain, but it was tough to do especially with the GCW needing them so much especially as they would possibly be considered for the newest brand started by the company, the "NEW" or "Next evolution wrestler" brand that would be centered around one location and only feature a few shows away from the venue. Two weeks before Thanksgiving week, the state's wrestling season started and saw Matt being pushed to his limit by Harry. He was used to this, he prepared himself by working on his stamina with the ladies over the summer and kept at it throughout the fall. Harry couldn't break him and the more he tried the harder Matt worked, with Matt showing that he wasn't going to break anytime soon. Matt proved his worth to the team as he sparred with each of the wrestlers and helped them work on the basics while Harry only focused on his favorites. It was typical of Harry Waite, he didn't bother with the, "Lesser" wrestlers as they weren't going to win matches or score a lot of points. Matt didn't care if he was smaller than them, they needed help and if Harry wasn't helping them then Matt would. Harry constantly complained to his selected few, "Better" wrestlers about Matt screwing up his team by helping the, "Nobodies" but as the team started to get better and better those few saw Matt for what he was and what they were doing, with a couple trying hard to justify why Harry was acting like such a jerk when Matt was trying to help them win. The debate went on and on for hours until it was agreed that Matt was one of the best wrestlers on the team and was doing more to help them than any other wrestler had done in years even if Harry hated having him on the team. Matt had to blow off steam and talked with Vlad about his frustrations and couldn't fathom why he was so hated by Harry while everyone else was alright with what he was doing for the team. Vlad let him vent then offered a somber, "Some people are so used to being right that they can't accept anything that makes them wrong. You are the epitome of what he believes is wrong: fast, agile, cunning, patiently waiting for your openings, quick to make others make mistakes, and quicker to capitalize on them. You are different, you break the mold for what it means to be a wrestler and he just can't accept that he is wrong about you. He is hurting his team and will lose his job if he doesn't stop. You are an asset and until he sees that you will always be better than him in every way." The talk helped calm him but Matt needed to blow off steam and spent most nights dressed as Taylor in his room. She kept working on her makeup skills as well as presenting as a female, honing them until she was able to move like a girl without any thinking. She had to struggle to bring herself out of her girl mode and return to being Matt, it was becoming tougher and tougher to do it but he did so without his grandparents finding out just what he was doing when they were in their own room. After three weeks of practice, Matt's team was finally ready to face others in a competition. Matt was a nervous wreck, but Betty's kisses and encouraging words from their friends gave him the strength that he needed to perform. Betty's heartfelt words weren't lost on his teammates, she had given them high praise without knowing it as she told him that they were the best of the best thanks to themselves. Matt got a huge shock before the matches started as his parents entered, followed closely by many of the men and women of the GCW. The bulk of the roster was there, the only ones who weren't were the few who were out injured or who was doing promotional work for the company or who were not big fans of Matt or his work, like Crusher Bundy. Impossible was one of the few who couldn't be there, but given the crowd, he didn't want to be seen without his mask. Matt embraced Nancy and Wally and got a big hug from the ladies, earning looks of shock and surprise from all in attendance while Betty herself had to fight her own hugs as the guys gave her attention of her own. Matt felt a surge of energy as the whole lot was cheering for his team with his own match being loud and full of cheers for him as he scored multiple points and pins on his opponent, winning the match handily. His opponent was intimidated but Matt told him he did well, earning respect from the opposing team while his own team fed off of Matt's good sportsmanship. The media were there as word spread quickly that a large group of professional wrestlers were at a high school wrestling event and cheering on one of the wrestlers and it wasn't a publicity stunt to drum up support for one of the "dying kid charities." Matt's connection to them was discussed and seeing his parents there and talking with none other than Stacy Turner showed just how important he was to the group. They never questioned why they cared so much about Matt, their reactions alone were worth the visit to the school especially as he was given deep hugs and kisses by the GCW ladies. Matt's team won a close one, thanks to Matt's points and a shocking win by a "lesser" teammate that Harry had ignored. Matt changed quickly and greeted his entourage with a big smile, with the lot in a good mood thanks to him. The team were invited out but declined to join them, Harry outright refused while some of the others couldn't go due to needing to do homework or having dates. The celebration lasted for two hours, with Matt having to head home while the rest went on to the arena for that night's show. Matt would have gone with them, but it was hard to stop himself from trying to do a lot of the things he wanted to do and felt that it was best to let the producers do their work and not have to worry about him looking over their shoulders. They were doing well on their own, King Reign wasn't terrorizing them anymore and his work at the office was in development rather than writing despite his constant demands to be allowed to write the shows like he had been promised. Despite being at home, he did get a lot of texts from the wrestlers, most of them asking for his opinion on what to do and how they should react. It wasn't too much and he loved helping them. He did all of this while around his friends, with the girls fighting laughs as he was telling men in their 20s and 30s how they should fall and how long they should hold off certain moves- all at the age of 14. The next morning, Matt was the talk of the school as the shocking arrival of the GCW personnel was a story that would live on for decades. Matt hadn't planned it, they came on their own to cheer on their school to victory and give support to someone they knew and loved. He didn't have to say anything, it was all on camera as the school recorded every match for school records and legal reasons. The newspaper had a story about Matt's visit and saw the GCW getting a lot of good press over them doing something so basic but also giving due to someone who was part of them in all but name. He was given a big write-up, with people who knew him from other cities telling stories of his closeness and how he was almost a lucky charm to the GCW. The only ones who had anything negative to say were the few who had been upset about him for other reasons, most of whom were jealous of him or who had been humiliated by him in karate competitions or lost to him the year before in wrestling. Matt needed to decompress and spent the evening dressed as Taylor. He was now spending each night as her, doing his homework as her while talking with Betty on the phone or on a laptop. Betty didn't ask why she was around and not Matt, it was clear to her that Taylor was his outlet and she needed to be in girl mode to deal with the unwanted attention from everyone. Vlad asked about his dressing, showing some concern that he might be starting to split into two people to deal with the stress of his life. Matt looked down in shame and discussed how Taylor was her own person and she didn't need to work twice as hard as everyone else just to be normal. It was a logical answer and Vlad could only follow it up by adding, "She isn't known to many people, but she will one day learn that girls do have it just as tough. Sexism is strong and she will encounter people who will see her as weaker and less of a person than them because she isn't a strong, fast, or tough." It was a lot to think about but Vlad hit on an irrefutable point. Matt had heard a lot about women's lack of equality and he had seen just how bad it could be with the GCW ladies' paychecks. Still, Taylor was the outlet that he could come up with that let him be himself without being himself so it was hard to not see her as having a better life even if it was still him underneath the panties and bra. It didn't help matters that Lois kept noticing his makeup in the morning and complaining about his wearing makeup without their consent even if he had his parents' consent to do so. He ignored her but had to remember to double-check his face before going to bed after his therapeutic Taylor sessions. Ned loudly complained that Vlad was a quack and was doing more harm than good but whenever he called Nancy about it Nancy fired back about him not caring about Matt's health and to accept it or else. Nancy was starting to feel the strain of her parents' actions against Matt and had to have several talks with Vlad about Matt and Taylor before she started to see that Matt needed her and Wally there and if he kept living with Ned and Lois Matt might do something to harm himself. Matt wouldn't think of that, but Vlad couldn't rule it out and couldn't trust Matt to find his own solution to his troubles. Matt and Nancy talked for hours as the weeks went on, with her calls causing him to only bring out his Taylor side when they talked on Skype. She understood him more than anyone else, and encouraged the dressing as a stress reliever but did ask that he only do it for her or when with the Blacks. Matt agreed and told her a lot of what was going on with Harry and the wrestling team that she had missed. Harry had to back off of Matt and reached the point where he was the coach in name only as Matt was doing most of the work for him, with the team listening to him more than anyone else. He was the de-facto captain, worked on who was best to face who in matches and helped arrange meets so the teams were equal and neither team had an overwhelming majority. He did well in his own matches, but he told opposing coaches and referees that his heart wasn't in amateur wrestling beyond high school. Taylor got to come out most weekends that he spent with the Blacks, with Betty clearing some space in her closet for Taylor's few outfits. She gave him a gag gift for Christmas that caused Taylor to almost faint in embarrassment: a skimpy, see-through, lacy bra and pantie set. Carey scolded Betty while her father had to hide his shame over seeing something so delicate in his daughter's hands. The girls calmed down and kissed for a bit before Carey asked Taylor if her parents were coming home for the holidays. Taylor nodded but added a solemn, "They and grandpa were having a fight about me yesterday. Grandpa said I can't come out anymore and grandma threatened to have me cut off from them unless they stopped my coming to visit. Mom and dad are trying to figure out how to help me, but it sounds like I'm not going to be allowed out anymore even over here." She was in tears as she told them, crying into Betty's shoulder leading to Carey to call Nancy to find out the truth. Nancy sounded upset, telling her angrily, "They are threatening to sue us for custody, saying that allowing their grandson to dress as a girl was harming him and no matter what Dr. Ackula said they would fight for Matt. It has nothing to do with Matt's health and well-being, it has everything to do with them not accepting Matt is all an act. I won't pretend that Taylor isn't real, she is really our daughter and so help me she will be her true self one day." Carey agreed, offering her a happy, "We'd take Taylor in before we let them harm Taylor. She is just a darling and we want to help her as much as possible. It might be awkward for a bit, but they are mature enough to know their limits and won't end up making us grandparents before they are ready." Nancy asked if they could make it official, with Jerry Black agreeing to it. Nancy added that she would tell her parents herself and would talk with Stacy Turner about working with the NEW brand instead of touring. It would be a promotion on her part, and she had more than enough seniority to allow her to take the job and be able to be the mother to Matt/Taylor that she hadn't been for a while. Wally was told about what the Blacks had proposed and asked to give him a few days to get things in order on his end, it wouldn't be right for her to go alone. He went right to Vince and explained what was going on and why and confessed that they needed to do it for Matt for his own sake. Vince only had to hear that Matt needed them and set in motion Wally replacing the current head of NEW's crew allowing him to work from home and give the crew a more experienced overseer for their operations. Vince couldn't hold his glee, Wally had just gotten them two of his best people allowing NEW to grow to be just as good as his other brands while keeping the theme of learning the ropes and improving as wrestlers that NEW had been intended to do. King Reign's baby was growing extremely fast and with the Simpsons as part of the crew, it was going to see a whole new level of greatness. He wasn't directly involved with NEW so the Simpsons wouldn't have to endure his antics especially with NEW being so close to Matt's current hometown in Florida. Taylor was told the news and cried deeply, hugging the Blacks and thanking them profusely for caring about her so much. The couple kissed her cheek and hugged her back, with Jerry offering a warm, "You need stability and support and your grandparents aren't willing to give you that. We want to help you even if it means you may one day be our daughter-in-law. You are a beautiful young lady, if they can't accept that then it is their own problem and you shouldn't have to deal with them anymore." Jerry went to work, getting his lawyer to draw up a custody agreement while also having them look at seeking a restraining order to prevent Nancy's parents from going after them in retaliation. It was a tough explanation, but his lawyer agreed to do everything and showed up with the agreement later that day. Nancy and Wally only needed to sign it to make it official, with both telling him that they would be there in two days to finalize it. Taylor wasn't told her parents were coming but was happy to be staying with the Blacks. She changed back into Matt and was driven home, getting his things together but left out enough clothes for two days while ignoring questions from his grandparents about what he did at Betty's house. He kept quiet for the rest of the night and into the next day, only ever speaking to Betty and his friends and talking about school so his grandparents weren't given much information to use against him. When his parents arrived, they went right to the Blacks and talked about Matt/Taylor's situation, signed the change of custody agreement, then had Matt talk with them while the Blacks got his room ready to be used. Matt was adamant that he loved being Taylor but he wasn't a girl inside, it was just his way of being someone else and dealing with Harry and the pressure of school. Neither Wally nor Nancy could refute that statement, Matt had a lot to deal with and being someone else was just easier on him. Jerry asked what they would do for a home, saying that Nancy's parents weren't about to let them stay there now that they had no reason to be civil with them. Wally grinned and proudly told him, "We got an offer on the house next door. The bank agreed to give us a loan since we have a strong financial back in my boss, Vince Turner. He is on the board of directors for the bank so a request from him was a request that they couldn't be refused without hurting themselves. It's only a small loan, we had a lot of money saved up but it's still a loan nonetheless." Matt was in tears at hearing the news, with Betty cradling him as the reality that he was going to live next to his girlfriend set in. The couple shared a kiss which led to their parents agreeing that the two needed to be close. It was going to lead to a long talk with the two about their relationship, they were a bit too close for comfort. Nancy and Wally drove Matt to his grandparents' home and explained his future to them, leading to a war of words between Nancy and her parents but ending when Wally growled that they were the most inconsiderate and selfish people if they couldn't see that Matt needed people who were trying to help him and not trying to hurt him by treating him like he is some kind of freak or deviant. He rarely got angry, and when he told them that it was a done deal and had it legalized by a lawyer who would be happy to obtain restraining orders against them they stopped their arguing. Matt packed up everything that he had and walked out to his grandparents looking at him angrily while his mother offered him a consoling hug. When he was safely outside in their SUV, Wally added a harsh, "He's staying with the Blacks because they actually care about him. He cares about them and they love him like a son-in-law. Even though he's only 14, they can see that he and Betty are in love and aren't about to stop them from dating. You may not like either Nancy or me but whatever you have against us should never have affected him. He's innocent, he is going with people who only have his best interest in mind. We are moving down here in three months, he will go with us then and won't have to deal with either of you ever again unless he chooses to. Goodbye, and good riddance." The Simpsons looked at one another and shared the look of mutual understanding. Matt was their child and his interests came first, always. Nancy hated to lose her parents, but they were never close to her nor did they see Matt as their grandchild even if he was their own flesh and blood. The Blacks offered condolences but Wally explained, "It's been a long time coming. They only took in Matt out of desperation. We had to pay them for his food, clothes, and entertainment so they are really only upset at losing the extra money they were making from housing him. They had years to make amends with us, they just couldn't let old issues die and were trying to use Matt to harm us. He matters most, you two are closer to him than anyone else and are who we hoped they would have been." The two families set up Matt's room while the couple stayed downstairs. Neither moved from their spot on the couch, they simply put their heads on one the other's shoulders and relaxed. Their parents were observing them for a while and were pleased to see that neither was willing to break the rules they set. The Blacks and Simpsons went next door to look over the new house and noted the heated pool, hot tub, gym, office, and large bedrooms. It was larger than the houses in the neighborhood and was expensive, but it was worth the price to them if it helped Matt stay safe and be who he needed to be. Matt would have his own room, bathroom, and could enjoy swimming anytime he wanted, and with his girlfriend next door, he would enjoy being part of the family more often as the two families interacted. Matt was told about the house and was instantly enamored with it. Betty asked if Taylor was going to go swimming, getting a blush and smirk from their parents while Matt offered a warm, "She will, but I want to go as well. It'll help ease my muscles after practice and matches." That night, Taylor came out and bonded with her mother and Carey in the living room while Wally and Jerry talked privately around the television nearby. The girls were observed and there was a lot of affectionate glances but the more they saw the less it looked like they were trying to be sexual with one another. Betty treated Taylor like a close friend, a lot less like she did when she was with Taylor the previous summer but with the added reason of not wanting to cause trouble with their parents. Christmas itself turned into a tough holiday as Nancy's parents were angry with her and turned them away at the door after a few terse words. It was clear to them that they weren't wanted anymore, so through tears, Nancy told them, "We are sorry that it has come to this but we will always choose our child over either of you. No parent can choose anything over their child. Your views are noted but you aren't right. We love Matt and love Taylor, even if you can't see them as being the same. Taylor is alive and well and Matt is her even if you choose to believe otherwise." Matt hugged them goodbye, crying into his grandmother's bosom but seeing that both were disgusted by him. In the SUV, he looked down in shame over Nancy's family imploding while Wally explained to him, "They have never liked me and were angry when your mother married me instead of becoming a seamstress like her mother. Her dad came from money and financed her business but without your mom, it wasn't going to do well. It closed after two years costing him a large chunk of his inheritance, money that he was supposed to live on for years to come. His family shunned them for mismanaging their business which is why you haven't met any of your 2nd and 3rd-cousins. Your grandparents haven't forgiven either of us since then and took it out on you as payback." Matt knew the story, he just didn't like hearing how it was still affecting his life over 20 years later. He just wanted to go home, his real home now. The Blacks were great people and he loved them with all of his heart and would gladly marry Betty if only to be their son-in- law. The family spent Christmas together in the Black home and saw the girls enjoying their gifts. Taylor had to fight a laugh as she opened Matt's presents, then saw that she had some of her own from her parents and the Blacks. They were blouses and skirts in a larger size, meant for when she had a growth spurt that she was overdue for. Betty got the sweetest present, a beautiful charm necklace with small yet symbolic charms on it that she cried at seeing. Matt knew it was going to hit her hard, but each meant something special and it was tough to not get it for her once he saw it in the store. Their friends were all smiles as they saw the little charms, with Matt explaining what each one meant and why Betty would love them. Taylor struggled later on in the day as she dealt with phone calls from the GCW wrestlers, with Stacy giving him support and a boost as she explained how he had helped the company without meaning to do so. Wally and Nancy moving to NEW and putting on their house shows at the GCW enhancement center allowed the company to have their top seamstress and designer work with them to make their new looks work while the stage and ring crew had someone who had experience and the clout to make the shows the best possible shows anyone could want to see. The ladies were all smiles as they called with their families. The little kids were giggling at Taylor while the tween and teen boys were feeling weird seeing a pretty girl sitting in front of them knowing that underneath her makeup and clothes was a 14-year-old boy. Betty got leers and a few out of line comments from the boys but their parents were happy to set them straight and give them a needed punishment while showing Betty and Taylor that even good boys can devolve into idiots at times. The holidays ended and Wally and Nancy had to leave, but first, they assured Matt/Taylor that they were not going to let anything keep them from being there for their child and even if the hotheaded King was upset at them being part of his baby. They would be there for Matt/Taylor regardless of King. It made Taylor's day while she still felt upset at her grandparents no longer being in her life, but that was far beyond her control and they did it to themselves. The Blacks treated Matt like their son, including Jerry treating him to some quality time away as the ladies had some, "Girl talk" as they dealt with Betty's first menstrual cycles. Matt understood and was happy to give Betty space, especially as her hormones made her become a nasty creature that made him cringe at times while also showing that being a girl wasn't entirely fun. Jerry took pride in the time they spent together, Matt was a solid talker and never tried to act up and respected his advice. The school was a bit of a pain for the couple as their living together was a shock to the school and all sorts of rumors circulated about Matt and Betty sleeping together and her being pregnant. She let them talk themselves into a frenzy then asked if they were concerned, jealous, or upset that Matt and she were closer than anyone in the school let alone their town. She smirked as the girls who were the worst gossipers were called out and couldn't answer while the guys were shown to be meatheads who were jealous that the smaller, weaker Matt was allowed to be so close to a girl with parental blessing. The couple had to endure a long lecture from the principal, Mr. Jack Erickson, and school's guidance counselor but when Jerry asked what the reason was and if they were going to do that for every single couple in the school they were allowed to leave while Mr. Erickson apologized to both for humiliating them publicly. The school guidance counselor was taken to task for trying to make an example out of the couple without any sort of evidence that they had done anything at all. She tried to make an issue about them sleeping together but the more she talked the less actual understanding of the couple she actually had and the more bias she had against Matt especially when her own son was mentioned as eyeing Betty's sexual attention making her actions cross the line as it broke ethical rules. Harry was harder on Matt now that he had something to use against him. Matt never gave in to his attempts to bait Matt into striking him, instead Matt ignored him and worked just as hard at doing his job in practice then winning his matches during meets. Harry had to be told to cool his jets by the rival coaches several times, with the referees going so far as to threaten to eject him if he didn't ease up on his yelling at Matt and his teammates. In gym class, Matt endured multiple chewing outs by Harry but never retaliated nor did he deviate from what he was doing. Harry couldn't do much more than yell, with the other gym teachers close by during Matt's class Harry was under constant watch for when he finally snapped. Matt never gave in, instead, he worked just as hard as anyone and earned a solid, "A" for each quarter while Harry had to explain to Mr. Erickson why he tried to fail Matt when he had done the best in his class. Matt's social life grew as the team's success became apparent. He was the focus of bullies who tried to make a name for themselves but were stupid enough to attack him at school but each time he was able to outsmart them and force them to strike him first allowing him to incapacitate them while they got the brunt of the punishment. He didn't get away unscathed, he did have to do several papers on the history of sports and violence as a way of mitigating punishment and give him something to do at home. He wasn't the only target, once half of the basketball team had been suspended for assaulting Matt the targets for bullying turned to smaller, easier prey. They chose Hank Park as their target, going for the tall, skinny, pimply boy who was afraid of his own shadow but who was great with everyone once you overlooked his flaws and weakness. He was easy to single out, nobody except Matt supported him. Matt and he were teamed up frequently when their teachers wanted to spruce things up and keep the couples from one another to focus on their work. Hank was a good worker, with Matt bringing out the smarts within him. They had good chemistry, which most thought was a bad thing for Matt as Hank was the school's pariah and would ruin his social life. Hank wasn't an athlete but he was great with writing and was able to connect ideas that Matt and Betty thought up while his own writing needed the push that Matt and Betty gave to him. The two grew close and the more Matt was around Hank, the more he opened up to Matt. The two shared a common bond, they weren't entirely welcome in their homes but Hank had the dubious honor of being stuck with his family as there was nobody who was willing to take him in forcing him to live with his aunt and uncle. Most in their town knew that Hank's parents were dead, the victims of a drunken night out on the town to celebrate that his father finally getting a paying job. He was only four-years-old when they died, but it hurt him for years to come. He never got over their deaths, especially as everyone in town knew that it was their own idiocy that caused their deaths and nearly killed their only child. Hank's only family willing to house him were "white trash" in just about every conceivable way. They lived in a dilapidated trailer in a trailer park on the outskirts of town, had little money and lived off of the government while selling drugs on the side. Hank brought them money from the state and federal government, which was then used by his aunt and uncle to pay for their booze while barely feeding and clothing Hank. His uncle was tough on Hank and would constantly point out his faults while his aunt would use him as an excuse to explain why they were always struggling to get by. His, "Real" parents were dead, the two were the only people he had and he was stuck with them until the checks stopped coming then he was out the door. Hank endured because he knew deep down that he would get away from his life, even if it meant he would lose everyone he knew including his new friends. The Blacks felt bad for Hank while Matt took him under his wing as his personal protector. Betty was by their side and kept the girls from whispering nasty things about Hank while helping to ease him into her own little world among the girls. Hank was seen as a charity case by the ladies, but Betty was quick to point out his positive traits and how they were being vain in disliking him simply because his family had no money and he was stuck with a nasty family. Matt and Hank grew close and whenever Matt wasn't at practice he was with Hank at the Black home working on their schoolwork and honing their writing skills. Matt's love of professional wrestling was always talked about and once Hank got to know the people that Matt knew through listening to Matt's constant Skype calls from the GCW wrestlers looking for some advice from the wunderkind producer Hank understood things immensely. Matt was brilliant and could see things far ahead that others didn't, that is everyone except Vince Turner and even then he and Matt saw eye to eye on the future. Hank got the hang of the sport and started to think up ideas and new avenues of thought for feuds that Matt had to laugh at while agreeing that some would work. Hank had some ideas that were never going to work and would fall flat if tried but he was trying harder than King Reign was which was a blow to the domineering head of the new GCW brand. Vince himself talked with Hank, which for the young man was akin to speaking to a god but when his ideas were actually used and he got a small check his whole world started to become clearer with Hank seeing that he might have a future in the sport. Hank kept his small payment from his aunt and uncle and bought new clothes with the money. He was able to open a savings account which the Blacks countersigned for, allowing him some freedom while also ensuring that his aunt and uncle weren't able to drain it without him knowing. They did find out but were unable to do anything and when they did try to take money out they ended up in legal trouble. The Parks doubled-down on their abuse towards Hank to the point that eventually he was removed by the state and stayed in a foster home not far from the Blacks. Hank was ridiculed by the school but he ignored it, it wasn't anything new and the people who were tormenting him would do it no matter what. He was happier in the foster home but still felt like he wasn't worthy of Matt's friendship. Wally and Nancy moved in during Spring Break, which was just before the biggest pay per view of the year and the traditional starting of new storytelling year in pro wrestling. GCW's Wrestlecade was two weeks later, so it was a rush to get things moved in while also getting Matt situated while the Blacks worked on a special project that they wouldn't tell anyone about. Jerry and Wally were whispering a lot while Matt and Betty set up Matt's room while Nancy and Carey gave the couple space but kept a close eye on them with frequent walks past Matt's new room. The trio spent much of the week together, often with Hank staying over while Matt stayed at his new home with his parents. When the week was over, Matt regretfully returned to the Black home while the duo left for two weeks of nonstop work and promises that this would be the last time they left until he was finished with school. Hank saw his sadness and felt even worse, which snapped Matt out of his funk as he forgot that his friend was in a tougher situation and didn't have parents of his own. Matt wasn't the same at school which only caused Harry to have at him again. Matt let it get to him but soothing words from Betty calmed him while Harry endured the team refusing to listen to him over his treatment of Matt. They knew why he was upset, any of them would be as well. Matt's schoolwork took a hit but it was understandable. His teachers took pity on him and didn't call on him so much while others took it to be a case of the teachers trying to ensnare them in a trap to see if they were actually doing their own work. It worked to their teachers' advantages, Matt's lessened role in class turned out to be what some needed to show they were just as smart as Matt in many ways. When Wrestlecade came around, Matt, Hank, and Betty got to go to the show. Being held in Orlando and being the biggest event of the year meant the trio were being seen as gods by the school as they not only got to visit some of the biggest athletes in the world but also some of the biggest movie stars in the world. Being alongside John Johnson or Dwayne Cena was eyeopening for Hank, but meeting the guys of GCW in person and getting thanks from the two whose stories he helped steer made him want to faint while Matt and Betty just smiled and offered nods showing it was alright. When Vince Turner personally thanked Hank he collapsed from the excitement. Seeing Stacy Turner holding him while Matt whiffed smelling salts over his face almost made him pass out again but Stacy held him firm. Matt just shook his head and offered a solemn, "I tried to tell him that it wasn't a dream, he really did talk to your dad and now he met him in person." Matt and Hank were worked to the bone as they helped the wrestlers with their matches and even with some of their lines. The best part came when Hank got to be part of one of the in-ring segments as he and several other, "Chosen" fans were able to make the current "comedy heel" look foolish as they were treated poorly by the heel then turned things around by showing they were smarter and braver than the man himself. Hank stole the skit, winning himself a huge cheer while the poor heel was run off as the mighty Hank allowed a tarantula to crawl up his arm while the supposed super brave heel was nearly in tears while his opponent for their match afterward used Hank's bravery against him to earn a win. Hank was hugged deeply by the heel, with the man actually having a fear of spiders making Hank's bit all the more impressive as he didn't react. It was the highlight of Hank's life, his big moment made the rounds of the press with the media loving his non-reaction and calling him more of a man than most of the fans in attendance. Matt took it in stride, it was all planned and got Hank a lot of slack in school. After the excitement, Hank went back to his foster home that night only to be told that he had been transferred to a new home that afternoon. He was upset but knew that it was all temporary and few wanted a 15-year- old kid whose family was sitting in jail facing a hard time in prison. It was a shame but he'd endure as he always did. His heart sank when he was driven around the town before stopping. He was disoriented, he hadn't recognized most of the buildings due to the lack of streetlights but when they stopped he nearly fainted. His new foster home was the Black home, with Jerry's big secret being the Black family housing Hank so he wouldn't have to leave his friends. Hank was in tears, thanking them for their kindness while Matt and Betty were hugged deeply for being too good to be true. Carey showed him to his room, Matt's old room, and got him settled while Jerry got the grinning Betty to bed while Matt went home for good. His life was changing for the better but he still had a long ways to go. Hank's staying with the Blacks was almost as hot a topic for gossiping as Matt's being dropped off at school by his parents. Few knew what was going on, rumors had swirled that Matt was kicked out of the Black home because he was caught having sex with Betty while others circulated that Hank had knocked-up Betty thus was being forced to marry her. None of them were true, but it didn't stop any of the rumors from swirling causing Hank to look fearful thus fueling more rumors. This all lasted until Hank was recognized by people trolling the internet during class, causing him to be looked at weirdly by most while others tried to get in his good graces for being close to wrestlers. It was quickly ignored that Matt was actually the one who knew the wrestlers and was the one who had set up Hank being used the way he was. He let Hank get the credit and attention, he needed it more. Hank's sudden popularity hit Harry Waite hard, causing him to try to go after Hank but doing so during the worst possible time- a visit by the principal, Mr. Erickson, and a member of social services who was there on the behalf of another student but who knew Hank's situation. Harry was vicious in his criticism and in his actions towards Hank, yelling at him for every little detail of their sprints even if he did them right. Hank was fighting a losing battle with complaining about his treatment, holding back for much of the class but finally losing his nerve and yelling back at Harry when he couldn't hold back. Harry smirked then proudly told him, "Detention...no wait, make that suspension. I believe you also struck me when you snapped. Don't try to claim otherwise, nobody will believe a piece of trash like you. Nobody here will defend you, that pansy Simpson can't help you now." He never noticed Mr. Erickson coming up behind him while the social worker was on the phone to the school board seeking Harry's suspension. Harry was laughing while Hank got up to go to the office, only to be stopped by Mr. Erickson who told the rest of the class to head to the showers and let him have a word with Harry about abusing students. Harry was about to say something but was cut off by Mr. Erickson smirking and proudly explaining, "His foster parents are going to love hearing how you went after him without provocation, were willing to lie to have him suspended and likely try to get him expelled in the near future, and did so without an ounce of remorse. I can't sweep this under the rug, you are gone for the rest of the year. Social services would have my head, you just abused one of your students in front of one of their most prominent employees and who is willing to take all of us down to protect Hank Park. Just be glad you have tenure, she'd have your job in a heartbeat." Hank didn't say anything while Matt assured him that Harry was in a heap of trouble that was only just beginning. At home, Hank explained to the Blacks what happened then listened as Matt retold the events and Harry's long history of going after anyone just for fun. Jerry Black grinned, called their lawyer, and had the school make Harry's suspension official and legally binding. Things were quiet for two weeks, with the only notable things happening being the Blacks asking Hank if he wanted to become part of the family in full. Hank didn't hesitate, he tearfully agreed and asked to take their name so he could rid himself of his family's past allowing him to never feel like he was less than a person because he was a Park. Betty hugged and kissed him when she was told, with the new siblings fast becoming closer as time went on and with Hank serving as Matt and Betty's mediator. The other notable thing to happen was Carey Black giving birth to a baby boy after he refused to be born for over a week. Little Richard Black was the spitting image of his father and was a quiet yet active baby, giving the teens plenty to do as they helped around the house while they kept their minds off of Harry's harassment and punishment. Hank worked hard to show that he wanted to be part of the family, being the first to change Richard's diaper and helping feed him overnight. Thanks to Matt constantly being around Hank during their afternoons and helping out with Richard, Taylor didn't get to surface much. That changed when Matt left out one of Taylor's dresses which Hank saw and inquired about. Matt was too shocked to say anything, but Betty insisted on him telling Hank the truth so they didn't keep any more secrets from one another. Matt confessed, "It's my dress. Half of my closet is filled with girls' outfits. I love being a girl, I have for a long time. Betty got me to dress as a girl before and dragged out my true feelings. I don't get to dress much because we didn't want you to get upset or angry at me. This is the real me, I try to act like I'm a normal guy but I love being a girl. It's liberating to me, Taylor is different from Matt. Taylor is the girl who everyone likes and wants to be friends with while Matt's the small guy everyone pities." The duo waited for Hank's answer, only to be given hugs and a warm, "You don't have to be a fake girl, you are already the coolest guy in school with the most awesome friends and a job waiting for you in the GCW when you graduate. You have the best girlfriend, you won her heart right from the start and make every guy jealous. You don't have to be a fake, you are the coolest already." Betty chimed in with an authoritative, "It's not a joke, it's not a phase. Matt is really a girl inside, but he can't be her because of other people not accepting him. People don't just become others on a whim, he has struggled for a long time with being a girl and can't become who he really is....yet." Hank had to go downstairs to think. Betty helped Matt turn into Taylor to show Hank the real person inside Matt Simpson, the girl who should have been born but who could only come out sparingly. She dragged Hank back upstairs and caused him to nearly faint at the sight of a beautiful 15-year-old girl sitting on Matt's bed but looking nothing like him and sporting an impressive bust on her chest. The two struggled for words, with Betty finally explaining, "Hank Black, meet Taylor Thomas. She's the girl who is inside Matt Simpson and is nothing like him in personality. Don't let the change fool you, she still likes girls especially ones with brothers who can't stop staring at their boobs." Hank blushed and apologized, with Betty hugging and kissing Taylor while Taylor added a meek, "I am not gay. Well as a girl I am, since I still love women especially Betty. She loves me for me and has no problem with my female body. And no, we haven't done anything to one another, I have seen her nude as she has me but we haven't touched one another 'down there'. She has let me touch her breasts, but it was mostly to show me how they feel compared with the falsies I wear." Hank got up to go back home but told Taylor warmly, "You are really pretty. It's too bad you are dating my sister." Betty was going to tease Hank but Taylor's warning glare told her to stop, it wasn't the time to joke about that especially as he was struggling to come to grips with his best friend being a girl. The trio spent time together as Hank calmed down, with Nancy and Carey staying outside while they talked. Taylor wasn't any different than Matt, so much so that Hank wasn't sure if Matt was really a girl who had a penis or was a guy who could pass as a woman if he felt like it. Either way, Matt was his only friend and Taylor was too different from Matt in looks to not see them as separate people. Through the rest of Spring, Taylor made more and more appearances. Hank was teased by Betty about being a girl too, which made him blush and claim he couldn't pass no matter how hard they tried. It was what she needed, it wasn't a solid "no" and he had thought about it otherwise he would have refused outright and showed that he did try to imagine himself as a girl even if he was hard on his looks. Finally, in late May during a dull weekend, Betty made her move and asked Hank to become a girl for her just once. He tried to refuse request but her pleading looks and assurances from Matt that it would be alright calmed him, allowing her to get what she wanted from him and give him little reason to not go through with it. Betty smiled at her brother, giving him a hug and kiss while Matt left the room to give the siblings privacy as well as give Hank the needed support by explaining what was going to happen to the suspicious Blacks and curious Nancy and Wally. Betty worked furiously for an hour before she revealed a tall, skinny girl. She was timid and tried to hide her face, but it was tough not to see some of Hank's features in her. Her sparkling green eyes and her skinny nose were evident, but Hank's voice gave her away as not being whom she appeared to be. The Blacks returned from shopping with little Richard and waited for Betty to explain who the new girl standing in front of them was, to which she happily told them, "Meet Heather. She's the girl in Hank that I had to drag out into the open. This was all my idea, please don't get upset at her." Heather looked away in shame but Carey hugged and kissed her cheek easing the tension. Jerry looked at Betty and firmly stated, "Leave your brother alone regarding this. Matt can handle himself, but Hank is delicate and an easy target. The wrong person knowing Hank is Heather could be both disastrous to him and to us. Heather can only come out at home or when the neighbors are away." Jerry looked over Heather and shook his head, the girl was pretty but Hank's masculine features were starting to show. He didn't notice it, but Jerry could tell that Hank was on the verge of growth spurts and growing a beard. His new son would soon be too masculine to hide even with makeup. The three spent a while together before Hank returned, with Hank insisting, "I'm not a girl inside. I just did it because Betty wanted to know the truth. I did it once and don't really like it." That made Jerry respond, "We don't expect you to do anything, this was curiosity and pressure. You are fine being yourself, that's all we ask of you. You tried it once and didn't like it, that's more than most guys would do. You are more man than any one of those boys in your school. None of them could handle being anything less than a boy yet you showed you could." Things got even tenser as the school threw their annual powderpuff football game, complete with a pageant for all boys and girls to show their feminine and masculine sides. 90% of the school joined in the fun with only the most stalwart macho jerks refusing to participate while the rest either couldn't due to pregnancies, lack of money, or parental pressure. Matt and Hank were the odds-on favorites to make the worst looking women while Betty was ignored by everyone except her friends. Matt used this to give Taylor a soft introduction to the world especially the already harmful school, while Heather was allowed to come out but with Hank insisting that it was only for school and not for more fun. Taylor didn't try to put up a fight, it was clear that Hank was his own person and would do as he needed to do. Heather was still Hank, as much as Taylor was still Matt physically Heather was only a temporary false facade and was only out in the open because of the school's tradition while Taylor would come out on a whim. The school went crazy as the trio were dropped off by their parents. Betty wore Matt's business suit, a gift from Vince as thanks for helping his newest recruits work on their characters. Betty just happened to be the same size as Matt allowing her to wear it while binding her breasts for the day and putting her hair into a simple unisex hairstyle that looked great on her. She chose the masculine name "Ben" for her name for the day, joking that she wasn't masculine enough to be "butch" causing a snicker by all as the girly-girl couldn't pull off the name with her body. Heather wore one of her sister's dresses, but with her height, it was shorter than on Betty making her show some more leg than she wanted to but catching the eyes of the arriving, "Guys" and, "Girls." She had one of Betty's bras and added some silicone inserts that her mother had gotten for her, making her look like she was a regular girl with just the subtle hint of her Adam's Apple showing to give her away. The look was completed with a long auburn colored wig that hid her short hair while also giving her eyes a lot more pop making her stand out from the other arriving students. For all of her hard work, Taylor was barely noticed by anyone. She walked into the school with the other two and was about to be stopped when Heather asked:, "Do we answer by the feminine names our moms picked out or do we continue to answer by our real names." Taylor looked over at Betty, who explained, "We go about this as normal. It's just a tradition. You are still Matt Simpson and Hank Black." Whispers started among the students and faculty as Heather and Taylor walked along, with Betty giving the gossipers a smile as everyone couldn't believe the school's trailer trash and shrimp could convince so many that they were "real" girls without any effort. People started to come closer to them to look at the trio, with many mumbling about it being a trick but when Taylor spoke and Matt's voice came out there was no denying that the pretty new girl was Matt Simpson. Heather spoke and the subtle crack of her voice and look of concern showed she was really Hank Black, making the aura even stronger. School went without a hitch, with the students voting for the best girl and boy among themselves while the faculty and staff made their own votes that would either counter the votes if it was an offensive choice or support the vote if it was in agreement. Matt Simpson won hands down, with Hank Black coming in second once adjusted to reflect his new surname and the insulting remarks removed. The two had created two girls who would live in legend among the school for years to come. Betty did well, coming in third but losing to two girls who chose to go beyond just dressing and wore a full beard that looked so realistic that they could easily have grown it themselves. They also happened to be two of the girls who were more feminine than Betty, with bigger breasts and a better figure but who hid both to the point of being unrecognizable even to their friends. They deserved the honors in her eyes, with Heather deserving it more than Taylor but knowing she didn't want the accolades. After school ended for the day, the annual football game got underway out on the football field. The whole of the student body was there, with multiple parents and relatives watching the fun and making snide remarks about the looks of the "boys" playing. There were the usual complainers about it being a sexist game, conveniently ignoring that the cheerleaders were all "girls" who dressed the same and who had even more humiliation against them for appearing any sort of femininity. The complaints were dropped when the "boys" confronted them, asked what was sexist about it, and asked if they had participated in it or were just there to complain about it instead of supporting their children. They then added, "Nobody here was forced to dress as boys nor were boys forced to dress as girls. We wanted to do this, we wanted boys to see just how much work we put into looking feminine just as we learned how tough it can be to appear masculine. If that is sexist then you have no idea what the definition really is because that isn't sexist at all- it's understanding the other gender." Betty went at them with both barrels blazing, she enjoyed putting people in their place and as one of the freshman coordinators she knew just what would be claimed by whom and when. She dared them to complain, then casually told them, "Try to sue and it'll fail. My parents and their lawyers are more than willing to sue you for violating our rights as none of you are parents of students so you have no right to sue. You may live in this town but you have no reason to complain about what we choose to do!" She wasn't letting up, with other parents getting upset at the people attempting to ruin their children's fun and for exploiting their own agendas to harm their children without any reason. They backed off and made snide remarks that showed their true intent, they were upset at the fact that they couldn't gain anything from the game and were really about money and not about protecting the girls from masculine influences nor fighting sexism. Carey and several parents happily told them, "We will be in contact with our lawyers, you stepped over the line here. Extortion is illegal, and we will happily ensure that you and your organization can't force your views on anyone again." She wasn't joking, she sued on their behalf and showed the organization was just a fraud looking for the easy money that fear of lawsuits bring. The powderpuff event was shown to be beneficial to the school as girls happily stated they understood men more and boys stated that they understood why it took their mothers, aunts, and sisters so long to get prepared to go out. There was nothing to argue against, they had won handily and earned the school a tidy sum from the now bankrupt, "Feminist" organizations. Betty's team won, with the, "Boys" enjoying their afternoon of fun from the other side of the coin. It was all well and good, with the boys bemoaning having to sit to pee as their dresses and skirts were too long to stand up at the urinals. The boys who wore slacks and jeans had it easier but complained that they had to use handbags due to not having pockets making their parents laugh while their sisters smirked. Taylor and Heather got a lot of unwanted attention, with both fighting to keep their secrets while trying to be nice and show that they were still guys and not girls as a lot suspected. It didn't help that Harry was back and trying to get Taylor to slip allowing him to run Matt out of school for being what he knew him to always be. Heather called him on it, making Harry have to backtrack and run off as parents took notice and started to ask questions about what dressing so convincingly had to do with his sexuality and supporting the school's annual tradition as all boys and girls would be "sissies" as claimed them to be. Taylor finally got the nerve and confessed to the "boys" and few "girls" that were insisting on knowing his secrets, "I had mom, Betty, and Mrs. Black help me. Mom does this for a living, you know she is the head of style at the GCW's NEW. Mom and Mrs. Black insisted that we learn just how tough it was to get ready and just what kind of makeup is involved and how it differs from girl to girl. I have less on than Hank, they had to hide his Adam's Apple and make his eyes look brighter. They gave me some lipstick and eyeshadow to make my eyes look different, we both have eyeliner and mascara on top of lipstick. It took a while, almost an hour this morning just to get ready. They wanted us to experience everything and it worked since we won first and second place this year. Mom insisted that we wear Betty's clothes and she had some of her former inserts, Betty happily said she didn't need them so that's why we have boobs and look so different than we always look." He hit on everything possible, then added, "I've had this done to me before. It was part of the penalty for being babysat by the ladies of the GCW, they wanted to see how the makeup looked on a person even if I wasn't a girl. They had more fun than mom and Mrs. Black, but I was used to it. I don't like wearing any of it, but mom and Mrs. Black insisted on us going the whole route and not looking like guys in a dress for the day. We won't do this again until next year, despite them wanting more fun with us." He had them speechless, then Nancy showed pictures of the five-year-old Matt having the makeup put on him and his dour expression. It was a false face, he loved the attention and it was one of the biggest catalysts for him bringing Taylor to life. It was what he needed, the "boys" swooned while the "girls" cringed at him doing something so bold while getting praise for knowing the GCW ladies. The group left with their heads held high and endured the temporary popularity of Matt and Hank being the guys who broke the mold regarding the annual opposite gender day, with then acting like nothing happened and wanting to move along towards getting things set for the rest of their year. It only made the girls swoon with the ladies believing it was all a show for them and making a play for the boys even if Matt was already in a solid relationship. Hank was all but ignored by everyone, with his fleeting popularity evaporated but to him, it was a good thing as he hated the spotlight especially from folks who used to harm him every chance that they had. Harry put up with the talk about Matt and Hank out of concern for his own job. He was starting to rub the staff the wrong way and endured hours of arguments with his own colleagues over his constant hatred of Matt and attempts to make the boy out to be the pariah that he felt Matt deserved to be. There was no support for him, Matt was being seen as a model student and an athlete that deserved to be praised while Harry was starting to show that he wasn't the kind of teacher the school wanted. Wrestling wrapped up with Matt earning all-state honors but declining to participate in the annual state tournament. His reason was smart, he had a lot of schoolwork and didn't want to compete without his teammates. The fact that he would have to travel to Miami with Harry was the real reason, with all who asked him agreeing that Harry was the last person anyone wanted to be around for several days. Betty's friends started to come around more often once Hank was entrenched with his new family. Matt and he would go next door to swim while the girls looked on with shock as the skinny boy that they had known since kindergarten was starting to fill out in all of the right places and look more manly. He sported a flat stomach, but his biggest bit of surprise was the big bulge in his tight swimsuit. Betty smirked and added, "He's starting to get stronger thanks to dad working out with him. Dad is buff but doesn't like to show it, Hank gave him a reason to workout again which made mom happy as dad is getting healthier. And yes, it's pretty big. Trust me, he's the biggest in our class." The girls blushed while she nodded. It was being a bit over the top but Hank deserved the attention that the girls were going to give to him. She didn't know anything about penis size, but being a teenage girl she couldn't help but notice that it was pretty big especially compared with Matt. The girls started to ask about Matt and Hank's dressing, hoping to get them into dresses again so they could see just how feminine they could become. Betty tried to deflect this but they insisted on seeing the boys dressed again. The guys were confronted by the girls and tried to back out of it, but their looks of disappointment were hard to deny making the duo agree but only if they kept it to themselves. After showering and fighting off attempts to peek at Hank's hidden, "Treasure," the duo entered Betty's bedroom and proceeded to put on panties, a bra, then the dress the girls selected. When they reentered the room, both had styled their hair to look like girls and endured the girls putting on makeup to make the two look more presentable while giving them a chance to enjoy their fun. The girls went at it fast and heavy and left the two reeling from the onslaught, but they got their fix. Matt's non-reaction was put down to his enduring it countless times before thanks to his confession, but Hank's cringing and reluctant acceptance gave the girls something to smile about as he was fighting the urge to say something while they worked on him. He looked great, but they couldn't get the same magic that Heather had when he was acting as her. Still, he won them over just by being himself and enduring the treatments even if he hated receiving them. When the girls left, they debated which one of them should date Hank. He was no longer the pimply, skinny, poor white trash that he had been before. Looking back, he was starting to get more and more handsome making it tough to not see him as good looking even if he wasn't the best looking in school. It was decided that Betty's best friend, Lillian Rose, would be the lucky girl. None of the others could argue against it especially when she was going to be around Betty more often than anyone else and she had her eyes on Hank from the moment she saw him in his swimsuit. They all agreed that if any other girl took issue with Hank then they'd rally around him and show the pettiness behind the objection. Hank and Lillian went on several dates with Betty and Matt. She wasn't into pro wrestling so didn't get the whole experience that she got as she was introduced to many of the wrestlers but she did enjoy that she was treated as a VIP despite only being a girlfriend. Nancy and Carey kept the girls at bay when they were being too frisky and used the threat of putting the girls in the ring with the ladies as a real incentive to keep them in line, especially as the larger ladies happily volunteered to help Nancy. Matt and Hank performed with the male wrestlers, honing their own skills while giving the guys a real glimpse into how fans would react to them as they made their debuts and whether they were making a mistake by going by one style instead of using another style. Matt was able to move at a strong pace and gave them a workout as they honed their grappling skills trying to move at the same pace and make the moves look real while Hank and the girls gave comments about hand placement and hiding the flaw in the move that kept the recipient safe. Through the four, two got a head of steam as they were able to show that they were ready for their pushes and were merely waiting for their openings in the roster to make the jump to championship caliber matches. Matt's passion was never on display more for Lillian than that afternoon as she saw the real Matt in the ring working maneuvers and enduring hits that should have sent him screaming in pain but only gave her a glimpse into the inner workings of the sport and how people could compete for years and not die. It was great fun, especially when she and Betty worked with the ladies to get them into the mindset of a newbie who was trying to make a name for herself. She couldn't believe how strenuous it could be to run, jump, take hits, and fall on cue but she was having the time of her life doing it. The group enjoyed their days with the NEW and got offers to join them anytime as jobbers which they had to decline, but did get smiles from Lillian as she had never considered wrestling as a career. She was all smiles as she told her friends about the trip, with Betty nodding and adding her own take on the fun. Betty added that it was normal, especially as they were just beginners with GCW and trying to learn their roles while unlearning bad habits from the independent circuit. The year went on and dived into summer, with Matt joining his parents on the annual Bash of the Summer pay per view event. The Blacks decided against letting Hank and Betty join them, using the time to enjoy a family bonding trip with Hank getting to go to the "Happiest Place on Earth" and spend some time on the west coast meeting with distant relatives as Carey and Jerry showed off little Richard to his aunts and uncles and older cousins. Matt understood, it was needed and he was happy that Hank was able to enjoy it even if he would miss all of their fun. Matt endured countless hours talking with the NEW and GCW wrestlers as he tried to keep his mind occupied, with Matt going so far as to work in the ring with the ladies earning him a lot of praise for his ability to keep up. He was growing larger and was on the cusp of puberty, which he tried to block out of his mind but it was starting to become clearer and clearer as time went on. The ladies felt bad for him, but he accepted that he was going to get bigger and his days as Taylor were going to be numbered. Nancy was the first to notice his growth spurt then his subtle Adam's Apple showing. Matt shed a tear the first time he saw wisps of hair on his upper lip and chin while looking down at his pubic hair and sighing deeply. It was a losing battle, he was going to become a man soon and his life was going to change no matter how much he secretly hoped that it wouldn't. His heart wasn't fully broken though, his doctor explained to him that he was going to be shorter than normal due to him taking after his mother so much genetically. He would top out at maybe 5'9" and would struggle to gain more than 180 pounds in weight total. He was going to be buff, but would never be meathead buff like other guys in his school. Returning to school was met with mixed reactions. Hank and Lillian being close raised a lot of eyebrows as well as a lot of whispers, but seeing him looking even more buff and being one of the tallest boys in school was even more eye-opening. For the first time ever, Hank had girls looking at him like a sex object, with the girls whispering to one another about his "prowess" and how he made their own boyfriends look small. Harry was his old self but this time when he tried to go in on Hank he was met by Hank looking him down, asking him what his real problem was, then telling him angrily, "I don't know how you are able to keep your job when you are the worst teacher in the school. By all means, send me to detention. My parents will love to know why you did so and then rip you to shreds before they get you fired. And they will, they have had enough of your crap and so have I." He dared Harry to say something. Eyeing Hank he saw that the meek boy was finally showing that he was no longer going to be pushed around by anyone anymore. Hank was his own man, he was not a little boy in a growing body anymore. Harry tried to have a go at Matt but stopped when Hank grinned and dared him to try it on his best friend. For once, Harry was at a loss for words and couldn't function in the class. He barely muttered a few syllables all period then hid in his office when the guys were changing. Hank's standoff with Harry made the rounds of the school with guys telling their own versions but each one being similar and painting Hank as the conquering hero. Harry grew angry and tried to make his later classes work harder but it only ended up giving them resolve to stand up to him and make him back down before he went over the line with them. He was just a shell of himself by the end of the day, Hank's defense of himself caused Harry to become the little child he was inside. The year went along quick, with Hank and Lillian growing close and at times too close for Carey's liking. Lillian became part of the trio's daily life to the point that she was always around and earned the trust of the Simpsons and Blacks to be left alone with the trio. Their relationship was different than others, it was built on mutual understanding with Lillian seeing the inner Hank others couldn't see. Eventually, Lillian gained their trust to the point that Matt agreed to introduce her to the real Taylor, not the girl that he had dressed up as for the powderpuff day. One night in late October, Lillian was blindfolded and told that Matt wanted to introduce her to someone. When she took off her blindfold, the girl she had met twice before stood in front of her and introduced herself. Lillian was floored, Matt sheepishly explained, "This is my true form. I'm a girl inside but I can't be her too often. We kept her from you until we could trust you, we didn't want you to tell anyone about her as it would end up harming me outside of school. She's who I should have been, she's what I need to be. Please, it took a lot to try to show you who I really am. Please don't tell anyone." She was unsure how to react. She took a while before she finally asked, "Are you a crossdresser or is it more? I read up about guys who dress like girls last year as I tried to put together my look for the powderpuff day event. Some guys only dress like girls because they like to look like girls, are you like that or are you transgender and going to become a girl fulltime?" Taylor didn't know how to react, Betty whispered to Lillian, "She never thought about that. She loves to be dressed as a girl but I don't think she really wants to go all of the way. She's a girl, but she isn't a girl when she's wearing boy's clothes. You might have helped Taylor out without realizing it." The four sat together, with Betty hugging and kissing Taylor while Lillian tried to think about the girl sitting across from her. She asked Betty, "Are you OK with her coming out? I don't think I could accept Hank being a girl like that, it would feel too weird especially as she is so convincing." Betty smiled and offered a warm, "I love her and him, it doesn't matter. If it makes me bisexual then so be it. I'd rather have her living as a girl, growing breasts and having a sex change, than having her upset and trying to be someone whom she isn't." Lillian looked over at Hank who offered her a terse, "I'm not going to become Heather. Sorry, but I'm only going to do it for the powderpuff game. I don't like doing it, I only did it because Betty and you girls guilted me into doing it." Hank stood firm, despite her pleading looks he refused to even entertain the idea. Betty's patting the back of her hand caused Lillian to back off but she still felt disappointed. In her room, Betty explained, "He has put up with years of being called all sorts of names like 'sissy' and worse. He has a good reason to not do it, please don't force him. He's a great guy, you already saw how he looks like as a girl twice. He knows more about girls than any heterosexual guy knows, only Matt knows more but he's not normal. Matt is Matt and you might have just saved Matt from a lot of internal conflicts. He will talk with his psychologist about his feelings, Dr. Acula thought he might be the same but has held off due to the way he was starting to act around all of us and his helping Hank." Lillian never pushed the issue with Hank, earning a kiss from him over understanding him. The couples were closer than ever but still on edge around others lest Matt's secret double life came to light. He was able to handle girls and his empathy was easily explained by his upbringing but he had to quell a lot of his feelings about talking with girls about makeup and other feminine things as they ate lunch. Vlad Acula was pleased that Lillian had given Matt something to think about and agreed that the way he was able to hold off his feelings made him believe that Matt might be a crossdresser and not just a closeted transgender girl. He had a solid feminine side that needed to be let out, but it wasn't an urge that got so large that he would harm himself if he couldn't be a girl for an extended period of time. Taylor came out more frequently, with Matt becoming her whenever he had a free night or weekend. The foursome had to juggle schedules around Matt's wrestling season, Hank's job interning at NEW, and the girls' part-time job at a shopping center to earn money for themselves. It was tough to get them all together, but once they reached a balance it got easier especially when the four earned their licenses and could drive themselves to and from work, school, and matches. Taylor acted like a third girl among them, with Hank feeling left out at times but understanding that he was too much of a guy to understand the inner workings of the female mind in the way that Taylor was understanding. He drew the line at kissing, not letting Taylor kiss his cheek even if it was an innocent gesture. He loved Matt like a brother but he didn't want to even give any chance someone might say that the two were "more than friends" even if they weren't. Wrestling became Matt's biggest distraction and he was good at it, not losing a step despite not doing it as an amateur for several months. He put on some weight during the off-season allowing him to move up two weight classes putting him in a competitive area as there were a lot of wrestlers in his 125-pound weight class. Harry hated that Matt had finally started to fill out and put on weight naturally, he couldn't make fun of Matt and now had to have a competition to see who was going to be the lead wrestler on the team in that class as Matt was hands-down the best among them. Harry refused to name Matt as the lead wrestler, letting others work before him but seeing them all lose while Matt handily beat his opponents. The team lost multiple matches due to his refusal to put Matt in their team meet, he accepted this and let Harry endure the criticism from teammates as well as the opposing coaches who were critical of his treatment of his best wrestler. Matt had to fend off offers to wrestle at several private schools on scholarship, Harry was often named as a reason why he should go to their school but he was happy at his current school and politely declined in a manner that was tough to refute nor allow them to press onward without causing an issue with Matt's family. Harry's actions caught the attention of the state and ended up costing him his job as the head coach. The state couldn't justify not punishing a coach who was openly acting against one of his players while also going over the line and trying to harm his team to keep that player from representing the team. It wasn't that Matt was liked by the state, he just happened to have some powerful allies in the NEW and GCW alumnae who were coaches or parents of wrestlers and who knew Matt personally. Harry was stripped of his job and admonished by Mr. Erickson but managed to keep his job as a physical education teacher since he hadn't crossed the line in school again. He kept a low profile for the next year and ignored Matt to the point of not even saying a word to him all junior year while angrily watching the wrestling team practice and compete. They did better under their new coach than they did under him, going so far as to win the state title in Matt's junior year while Harry looked on in disgust. Junior year was the turning point in the lives of the four. Hank started to gain new friends while Matt kept to himself more, spending a lot of time as Taylor while Lillian and Betty worked or kept Taylor company at home. Hank was still Matt's friend, but the two started to go in separate circles and were on the verge of losing one another with only Betty as their common link. Hank's job at the NEW was off and on and at times was too much for him. He had to have Matt help him, forcing the two to spend time together to work out the logistics for NEW and how each character was developing and who got focus at what time. Hank saw that he wasn't cut out to be part of the NEW but they kept him on out of respect for Matt and the Simpsons, with Matt being who they really wanted to do the job but knowing that he was focused on wrestling and school to be able to do it. Hank finally had to quit when he couldn't keep up the pace, letting the NEW know that he was grateful for the opportunity but needing to focus on school. Matt took over for him, with Hank letting him know that it was for the best and he would always be Matt's friend even if he had more friends than he had ever had before. The two were bound together, Hank loved him like a brother and would never let Matt get away from him even if he felt that one day Matt Simpson would disappear and Taylor Thomas would take over for good. Senior year was a trying time for Matt. Hank was always busy with his new friends and Betty and Lillian were at work or out with their friends. Harry was doubling down on his hatred of Matt to the point that he was almost stalking him in-between classes, hoping to catch Matt doing something that violated the school's rules allowing Matt to be suspended. Matt didn't bite, he was always quick to get to class and never use offensive language nor roughhoused making the stalking a waste of time. Matt doubled-down on his studying, working with Hank and his friends while slowly making inroads with the guys so they weren't strangers to one another. Hank was in a unique place for him, he was the one who was acting as a facilitator while Matt was the one who needed guidance from the experienced Hank. Matt had been so isolated and so focused on his own life and being Taylor that he had never given himself any sort of opportunity to get to know other guys let alone befriend them. They had a lot in common beyond pro wrestling, with Matt being able to contribute to their discussions on girls, parents, work, school, sports, and even sex. Hank glared at him whenever sex came up, it was his sister whom Matt was talking about but Matt never pushed things and never let on that he had done anything untoward Betty that Hank would take offense to. They hadn't done anything beyond kissing and some light petting, the same amount of petting that Hank and Lillian always did when all alone. Matt gained allies and through the guys, he got more and more support that belied his quiet, reserved lifestyle. His social life also included vetting girls for the guys as both Betty and Lillian could give the guys their critiques of which girls were worth dating, which just wanted quick sex, and which ones are only looking out for themselves at the expense of the boys' bright futures. The guys had the pick of the school, but once the critiquing finished there were only a few girls left but enough to give them dates. Matt's growing entourage upset Harry to the point that he finally snapped. Matt was confronted by the angry teacher, with Harry violently punching Matt as he berated him over being a sissy, a homo, and trying to ruin his school and destroying his team. It was a complete shock to Matt, catching him off guard allowing Harry to get the drop on him before Matt could react. He punched Matt squarely in the eye with a quick and powerful punch causing an immediate black eye and swelling to the point that Matt couldn't see then kicked him hard enough to stun him, causing him to gasp for air for a second. Adrenaline and Matt's previous, yet unknown to Harry, thorough martial arts training took over and Matt was able to avoid the next punches and do a quick takedown of Harry then pulled his arm back out of the socket while pressing on his ankles in a double ankle lock move. He added further humiliation to Harry by breaking Harry's ankle as Harry tried to squirm out of the hold. Matt's counter was so fast that Harry couldn't react, causing Matt to almost tear his arm out as he pinned Harry while keeping his free arm from being able to be used. The ankle locks gave way to an armbar that was more than a typical armbar, he didn't hold back and purposely hurt Harry so his arm was unusable and would be in a sling for weeks and would likely need surgery on both the shoulder and elbow to fix the damage that was inflicted. Matt could have done the same to his legs but he chose to not harm them any further, they already suffered tearing along with a broken bone. Principal Erickson and other gym teachers had to forcibly remove Matt, with Harry screaming that he was assaulted and Matt needed to be expelled for harming a teacher. Mr. Erickson just grinned, asked if he was aware that they were in full view of the CCTV cameras, then explained, "You really are full of yourself. He didn't assault you, you assaulted him. And unprovoked, as you went at him without any reason except because you can't accept that someone smaller than you can be as athletic as you. You went beyond suspension this time, you are going to be arrested as we can't let this slide. We would have simply fired you for verbally assaulting Matt yet again but striking a student is too far and we couldn't allow any teacher to get away with assault. Don't blame him, blame yourself." Harry was put in handcuffs and taken to the hospital for an examination. The school nurse looked at Matt's injured eye and announced that he was fine but needed a couple of days off to rest and allow his vision to clear when the swelling went down. Matt hated it but he had to take two weeks off from wrestling, with the coach allowing him to help coach until he was medically cleared. Harry was terminated immediately and had to explain to a judge just why he felt the need to assault a student who wasn't even his student and had no physical education that year. Harry was angry and demanded his good name be cleared but had to endure his criminal record being explained for all to see and showed that the mighty Harry Waite was actually a frequent drunk who had lost his driver's license and who had fines for DUIs and speeding dating back to age 16. He lost all support that he had, with none of the few friends that he had daring to support him anymore lest his stink get stuck on them. Harry had to accept a plea bargain that sent him to prison for three years as well as a lifetime ban from teaching. He blamed Matt for what happened to him, with nobody believing that he was innocent and that Matt got what he deserved. He was lucky, the Simpsons chose not to sue him for the assault thus allowing him to keep the nest egg that the had accumulated over the years from his time as a boxer and MMA fighter before retiring to teach. Matt's coaching saved the team from losing two key matches as the team sought a conference title. He used some incentive, working with the coaches to get something that the wrestlers could work towards to entice them to do their best. After reading about it in a book one of the girls bought for their powderpuff game fun the previous year the team decided to go with Matt dressing as a girl and being their cheerleader, something he was reluctant to do but with the team supporting him any naysayers were put in their place allowing Matt to dress as a girl without recourse. Mr. Erickson was reluctant to allow that, but Matt agreed to do it for the sake of the team. He knew that he would face opposition, but it was the opposition that he normally faced and the few who opposed were doing so because they felt inadequate compared with the stronger, faster, smarter Matt. The group reached an agreement with Matt telling the team he'd go full-tilt and would have them do the same if they won the conference championship, making them shake their heads at falling for the same trick. The team improved, with two wins in a row making Matt have to become Taylor publicly for the fourth time and enduring the complaints of guys who were upset that he was so beautiful and of girls who were jealous that a boy could make himself look so much like a girl to cause guys to only look at him. Taylor's day was one of constant wolf-whistles, attempts by uninformed boys to ask her out, and of the teachers calling on her during class and making no light of Taylor's presence. It was basically the day that she had dreamed of for years but with the added stipulation that the team does the same soon. The team's improvement, coupled with a surprise loss by another school, earned the team their coveted championship and meant that the entire team would join Taylor in going to school for the day as a girl. This was agreed to by all, with the guys swallowing their pride and masculinity and donning dresses, putting on makeup thanks to the help of their girlfriends and sisters, and going to school as girls. It was a fun sight, with many of the guys looking like, "Real" girls while others tried their hardest but couldn't look like girls no matter how much they tried. Their sudden appearance as women shocked multiple parents who, in turn, went after the team outside the school for their behavior and trying to harm their fellow students with their vulgar display. Mr. Erickson just smirked, asked if they were aware that they were living up to their end of a bargain they had made with a fellow student who endured the same treatment just two weeks before, then asked what their particular issue was with the way the guys were dressed. Not one of the guys were dressed against the school's dress code, with each wearing similar clothes to other girls including several who matched classmates. He had what he wanted, the reply was that it was vulgar as the guys should never be allowed to wear a woman's clothes especially as it would give the wrong impression to boys who mistake them for the, "Real thing" and may lead them down the path to homosexuality. They had no excuse, their real reason was spelled out in their own words: they were homophobic and saw crossdressing as just that. Mr. Erickson just kept grinning then told them he had cleared it already, and explained that the school board was aware of the situation and agreed with him. Matt had cleared it ahead of time, with the Blacks going before them on his and the team's behalf. There was no argument, it was happening regardless of their protests. The sight of 15 guys dressed to the nines as girls was a shock to the school, but when their girlfriends gave them deep kisses things turned to it being a big stunt and a funny one. When it came to light that it was the result of the previous time Matt came dressed as Taylor it took a turn for the hilarious as Matt's reputation for looking feminine despite showing a now prominent Adam's Apple and sporting muscular arms and legs. His makeup job hid a lot of his facial features, but he intentionally left some clues which nobody at the school except Hank, Betty, and Lillian knew about. The boys were a hit and their refusal to be campy nor to act any different turned a lot of heads and led to a lot of whispering about the different personalities of guys and girls. They understood that they are just wearing different clothes, a lot of guys believed who you were changed just because you wore a dress or skirt but none of the wrestlers did. Matt had unintentionally opened more eyes and made the upcoming powderpuff day events all the more interesting as there would be fewer campy "girls." Matt had to let loose and released Taylor for a full week during Spring break. She couldn't control her urge and needed to vent herself before she finally snapped. The school was wearing her down, the only one who knew about just how much she was tired of the place and the constant struggle to keep Taylor at bay and how lonely Matt felt despite having Hank's friends close was Dr. Vlad Acula. He got Nancy and Wally to allow Taylor to be released for the week, with Nancy being encouraged to take her out for some feminine fun even if it was at a distant location. Nancy reluctantly agreed, with Betty and Lilian joining Taylor for moral support and to give her a distraction. Hank was upset that he wasn't going to have much time with his girlfriend, but his father managed to get him to see that he was being selfish and his best friend, the one person who stood beside him and fought for him when all others wouldn't, needed him and was all but abandoned in favor of new friends. Hank stewed in his room, rarely leaving it and trying hard not to say anything to anyone especially the frequently visiting Taylor. He loved her but the two were just too distant. As hard as it was to admit it, the two grew apart as they matured and found interests that didn't involve being around one another. Hank found his calling, it was among the writers of the school with Hank having a strong ability to see the truth behind stories and report facts. He was a budding reporter and could write great articles, his coverage of the wrestling team and their antics had won him a coveted scholarship to Pensacola State University writing for their sports journalism department. He and Matt were friends, but the two just did not have a lot in common anymore once Hank's real self finally overtook his past. Matt earned scholarships to several prominent Florida universities but he chose to not accept any due to being under the total control of the schools. He'd earn his place on the team and would pay his way through school even if it meant having to work long hours for minimal pay. He had a standing offer from the GCW for employment, which he would gladly accept but only in a non-competing role. Taylor talked with Hank about all of that, with Hank looking down in shame and trying hard to see that it was part of growing up and both had delayed childhoods which were what their feelings were really. Hank was her friend first and always, but they were becoming different people. She kissed his cheek and told him, "You were the first person who showed me kindness way back in 7th grade. You were the one who made me see that things could be a lot worse. You will always be my friend." The duo hugged and cried. It was the beginning of the end of their childhood. They were maturing slow but were finally seeing they would always share a special bond. Prom was the toughest night Matt ever had. Seeing the women dressed in glamorous dresses while he was in a tuxedo ground down his resolve and made him feel horrible that he couldn't join the ladies in being beautiful for one night only. He did his best to keep his sadness at bay, it took a long talk with Betty and Lillian to calm him to the point that he was able to get through the night and even enjoy the cruise along the coast as their classmates danced the night away. After the prom, Betty and he went to a hotel room that the Blacks had paid for and enjoyed losing their virginity to one another. Neither said a word the next morning, Betty happily gave him an encore and told him that he was stronger than he believed and Taylor was still part of him even if he was dressed in a tuxedo. It eased Matt's inner turmoil, but she did add that he'd have a lot of time being Taylor that summer whenever they weren't at the arena for the NEW performances. Graduation came four weeks later and wasn't too glamorous. Hank, Betty, Lillian, and Matt kissed and hugged and said goodbye to their friends and teachers. Matt felt terrible that he'd likely never see a lot of their class again, but they had to move on with life and would always have their memories. After the ceremony, Betty moved into the Simpson home as her family agreed that there was no point in keeping her home when she and Matt were all but engaged. Lillian replaced her, with her family not happy that she was going to the next level with Hank but seeing no way to deny her now that she was 18. Both couples were allowed to do as they pleased, but all were made to know the consequences of their living together especially ones that wouldn't see the light for nine months. When they were alone, Matt went down on one knee and asked Betty to become his wife. She was in tears and agreed, telling him happily, "I love you for you and know in my heart that one day I'll lose my husband but will gain a wife. I love you, Matt. And I love you, Taylor." The two made love that night and enjoyed the weekend together without any parental interference. She did eventually tell her parents about Matt's proposal and her declaration of love for Matt even if he was destined to become Taylor. The Blacks were pleased, but Hank was upset that she would be so open to her husband becoming her wife and enduring the horrors of ridicule that went along with it. His disappointment was evident, with Lillian having to get him to confess that he knew he was going to lose his best friend to femininity and one day Taylor would be there to stay. He hated it, Matt was so stable and was the rock in all of their lives yet he was going to become someone who would suffer because of who they were inside. Lillian sensed his real reasons and kissed his cheek as he cried himself out, he was losing Matt and was going to only have Lillian soon when they left for college making him revert to the lonely, miserable boy who they had known three years before. Matt and Hank spent much of their time together before Hank left for Pensacola. The duo rewrote much of the NEW Bash of the Summer Take-On event, enjoying the opportunity to work together and be at their creative best while also working hard to give proper spotlights to wrestlers who were in need of a push. Much of their work was spent on the ladies, with Hank working with the ladies and seeing them from a different side while understanding how Matt could grow to feel so connected to them. The storylines were a hit with fans, with Hank refusing any credit due to harming his budding reporting career. Matt and the ladies spent days together, with Matt happily becoming Taylor for them so they could enjoy a "girl's night out" and bounce ideas off one another. They knew he had been Taylor several times in high school, it was easier for the younger ladies to talk with Taylor than Matt especially when it came to discussing moves and hand placement during matches. Taylor was a natural, with at least two ladies asking about her natural femininity. She tried to lie and say that it was an intensive class from Betty but they saw through it yet didn't press her. One did ask if she was possibly going to return to being Taylor, with Taylor unable to answer truthfully. Taylor loved the night out with the ladies, while Betty felt terrible that she wasn't able to join them for the fun especially as she wanted to be around Taylor whenever possible. She was busy with her parents as they got ready for an extended vacation with her younger brother Richard, the longest they have gone without Betty since Richard was born. The Blacks were spending two months traveling the country and visiting distant relatives while also giving themselves time to see events that Jerry Black had always dreamed of seeing but unable to go to. College proved to be boring for Matt. He worked hard to obtain good grades but his heart wasn't in it. His wrestling was average and improved as the season wore on, but he struggled at times due to not being used to coaches who were supporting and understood how to build-up a wrestler. Betty was his rock, with the two spending most evenings together as they studied. Both chose to go into medical fields, with Matt trying to earn a degree as a sports medicine specialist while Betty went into emergency medicine. Their choices raised eyebrows, most figured Matt was going to follow in the footsteps of his idols and become a pro wrestler while most figured Betty would stay at home. The two spent countless hours with various groups, spending a lot of time with the campus LGBT+ group helping them organize events and offering ideas about what to do regarding groups that wanted to harm students or who were overlooked by the school because they couldn't be used to tout the school agenda of "inclusivity" and "tolerance." The athletic department wasn't happy with Matt spending any time with the group, but he had them in a vice as they couldn't prevent him from working with them nor could they punish him for being seen among the members. He had a lot of interest from donors to the university, all of whom would pull their support if the department retaliated against Matt. Matt spent countless hours working with the trainers to improve his strength leading to constant clashes over their insistence on him taking growth hormones to make him gain mass and strength to make him bigger and stronger than his small 5'9"170-pound body. He refused to listen to them, citing that they would harm him with no actual gain to his performance. It was a standoff, with Matt not hesitating to demand that they either get the medical reasoning for his taking the substances or he was going to report them for their illegal actions to the school, state, and NCAA. He had a strong reason for refusing to take the supplements and shots, increasing his muscle mass was going to make him look more masculine and less like a female when he was Taylor. Taylor was already having trouble hiding her Adam's Apple as well as shaving her face more thoroughly to ensure none of Matt's stubble remained. Makeup could only go so far, Taylor would spend too much time hiding the few traces of Matt that shone through taking the fun out of being her. Taylor was allowed to be seen around campus during Halloween parties and the annual fundraising charity showcase, which featured the LGBT+ group putting on a makeover showcase to show that the guys on campus could become women easily if they wanted while also showing that dressing as the opposite gender had nothing to do with sexuality. Having the wrestlers take part in the event was a big coup for the group, with the school having to back them and showcase them while Matt took center stage as the showcase that you could be athletic and feminine without looking like a gorilla in a dress. Matt's activities caught the eye of the NCAA, who wanted to show that a new breed of student-athlete was able to take part in outside activities and make the image of athletes improve from the usual meathead, sexually charged, overly masculine image that they held for decades. His wrestling prowess and ability to be one of the best friends you could have while supporting everyone regardless of their perceived flaws made him the poster child for their drive. Matt was paid by the NCAA for the use of his image and in return for towing the line of inclusion and tolerance for differences in athletes. He enjoyed the spotlight, especially as it allowed him chances to get away from the school's constant attention and focus on his studies while allowing him to enjoy visiting several cities that he had never been to when he was traveling with his parents when he was younger. His grades were all in the "A" range allowing him plenty of downtime while his minders didn't need to do much at all as he kept to himself. His lack of any outside interests that would draw unwanted attention gave the NCAA drive to keep him in the spotlight as much as possible, which would help him in the long run. His only indulgence was trips to visit the GCW at major arenas when they were in the same city. He made no attempt to hide that he knew them nor did he hide that his family had strong ties to them. He was happy to point out he worked for them from time to time with it all documented and approved. Matt talked extensively with Stacy Turner about the ladies' moves and storylines when he was able to catch her while at one of the visits, with Stacy happily giving him an ear and offering counters that Matt knew she would give only to counter with his own few suggestions that were compromises to what they wanted to do. His minders listened to both sides of the conversation and saw just why Matt went so far to ensure that he was within the NCAA rules for remaining eligible as he demonstrated his knowledge while not competing as a professional. He walked a tight line, but he was within guidelines and showed why he was chosen to be a spokesperson. When he wasn't competing or finishing his work, he was talking with Betty and showing how strongly they were connected. He missed his fiance, with Betty missing him more. When he was on campus, the two were always together and shared many a night together in bed with Betty giving him amazing sex that rocked his world and proved just why he loved her. When the season drew closer to a close, Matt's prowess on the mat proved to be enough to earn him a top spot in the country and an invitation to the National Championship Tournament. He had no choice but to accept, the school used him to further their agenda and showcase him as one of the best in the country while allowing him little free time to himself. It was annoying to him, he knew he was good, but the school was trying to make him out to be the next big thing in wrestling and a savior to them. He was under constant watch, with the school having someone escort him everywhere while keeping him away from the GLBT+ group, "For his own safety." He fought them over that and was told that he was going to tow their line of publicity or they'd ensure that he'd be removed from the school for being a fraud. He demanded evidence, which was returned in full right away with photos and several written statements from people who reportedly knew him and gave him bribes. He laughed at the names, they were people whom he had spurned while dressed as Taylor during the cross-dressing fundraiser. One of them was his former rival in high school, another was one of the guys he had beaten repeatedly in practice and who eventually lost his place on the team due to bad behavior. The school was being played, but he suspected they knew it all along and encouraged those statements. Matt just grinned, called his lawyer, then sat back as the school had to back away in shame and anger as she happily pointed out that they were trying to go directly against their own pledges of inclusion and were stopping a student from assisting a group that they were supposedly supporting in full. He had them on the ropes then added, "I am competing because you made me, now I'm going to do it on my own. I'm representing my school, not your department. I have to go or else there will be a lot of people asking questions about me that you don't want to be asked. You try telling Vince and Stacy Turner why their beloved prodigy was removed from the national tournament. It won't be pretty, especially among the many in the GCW and around the country who competed in it before and who still keep tabs on it." The school backed off and were forced to publicly apologize to Matt as well as to the LGBT+ group for offending them by trying to prevent a student-athlete from helping the group. The group got needed notoriety and press, allowing others to come to them and join or help at their events while also giving Matt a chance to unwind and take time off. Matt simply went to work preparing for the tournament and giving it his all, with Betty by his side and his parents joining him for moral support. The few in GCW who could afford to go went to see Matt compete and win his first five matches but losing his next two before winning his final match, finishing in 3rd place overall winning the bronze medal as the third best in the country in his weight class. For a freshman, it was a strong achievement but to him, it was the icing on the cake as he had his accolade and didn't need to be the top guy again. The school was told that he would try again the next year but he wouldn't compete in his junior or senior years as he needed to focus on his classwork, preparing for his MCAT exams, and trying to be a good boyfriend to Betty as she herself endured the same. During the summer months, he trained with the GCW and did his usual storytelling assistance while also helping to develop serviceable characters that were useful even if they would never get to the top. He could spot who would be good long-term jobbers who worked in a pinch and who could take bumps while also making their opponents look good, it was his specialty and he saved countless careers by giving lesser wrestlers a spotlight and storylines that could get them plenty of traction in the indies when they were released by the GCW. He had to fight off constant offers from the main roster to work matches with the smaller wrestlers and do spot house shows, it was tempting but he wanted to remain an amateur as long as possible and avoid issues with the school. Sophomore year, he let Taylor out every weekend at a special invitation- only gathering of the LGBT+ group. He never admitted that he was a crossdresser, but two of the transgender ladies figured it out as he was a little too willing to become Taylor the previous year. They were happy to help him let Taylor out, even if he would never admit it to them nor would be accepted by anyone else at the school. Betty dressed-up as well, becoming "Ben" for the evening and talking with the transgender guys as the guys appreciated her willingness to experience some of the issues of transitioning such as issues with needing to pee as well as binding her breasts. Betty understood more than she let on, ever since she had discovered Taylor inside Matt she had read about transgender issues and talked online with many of the girls and boys who were transitioning. She saw them as heroes who deserve praise for being brave enough to admit to the world they aren't as they should have been born and took measures to correct it. It was a lot of fun as Taylor proved to be the life of the party and had most of the attendees asking her if she was going to stop pretending to be Matt and allow herself to be released. Taylor tried to lie to them but admitted, "I really don't know what I am. I love dressing, but I also love being Matt and doing what Taylor would never be able to do. I'm a wrestler, I want to compete in the GCW. I can't do that but as Matt, I can. He has a future, I'm just a facade he puts on to get away from the strain of being him." She didn't realize it, but she had admitted her inner self to the group and had all but admitted that she was the real person and Matt was the fake. Matt was a mask, Taylor was the real person. Matt would be who everyone saw, while Taylor was what Matt became because he couldn't be himself. Taylor's vulnerability caused her to finally accept that she was real and at some point, Matt had to cease to be and Taylor would burst into the spotlight as the real person. She had support, not one person there was able to deny that Taylor was their strongest member and the one all relied on to be there for them. Taylor may have done almost everything as Matt, but it was Taylor's feelings that drove Matt's actions. The group met multiple times, often whenever Matt had a free night to himself in between matches and when not studying hard. His participation kept a lot of the vultures at bay, allowing the group to host a variety of parties and social events letting them enjoy a quiet night without protests or threats of being assaulted by, "Concerned parties" as the few who needed to prove their worth claimed to be. Matt was the guy who could carry a party and make others take notice, if he was supporting you then your group was going to be left alone or else you ended up in serious legal trouble from the school and others. Taylor was released almost every weekend, with Ben joining her as they stayed in their own house on the campus and enjoyed their privacy to be themselves without interference. Being able to let out their tension and enjoy being someone else kept them from fighting, with Taylor finally offering to marry Ben that summer. Ben grinned and agreed, but added that Betty and Matt needed to do it. The couple was in constant contact with Hank and Lillian, working out a double wedding for them as the two couples didn't want to go through their ceremonies alone. Being the best man and maid of honor of each other made it a lot easier, with Jerry paying for both while Lillian's parents refused to pay a penny. They weren't happy that Hank and Lillian were marrying, letting her make her own mistakes while awaiting her eventual realization that she could do better than him. Matt's wrestling season went flawlessly as he didn't lose a single match and ended up being one of the top wrestlers in the country again. He did better in the national championship tournament, winning a tough match against a senior who was faster and more experienced. The two had a strong hatred for the other as his opponent made multiple offensive remarks about gay and transgender people, all in the hopes that it would knock Matt off of his game and allow Matt to make mistakes as he grew angrier. He didn't let that get to him, there were a lot of flaws in his opponent's game and after waiting for the right moment Matt made him pay as he scored a hard takedown that ended up leading to a pin by Matt. Matt did it a second time soon after, with his opponent growing angrier as their match went on. He made the mistake of mouthing off within hearing range of the referee, earning a removal of two points while Matt stayed cool and didn't let the words affect him. The vile words were captured on the national TV feeds, causing the covering ASPN to cut the feed from the mat's microphone while giving the referee praise for taking a stand against offensive language and unsportsmanlike conduct. Matt's non-reaction was put down to having heard it all before and being a tough competitor, but it was really due to Matt focusing on waiting for his opponent to make his own mistakes allowing for the takedown and pin. It worked, as Matt won by two points. His championship took the school by storm as he was their first ever champion and one who tried his hardest to go unnoticed on campus. The football and basketball teams were the main focus of all of the students, but Matt actually winning a championship instead of just making tournament appearances or heading to bowl games made the students think about the other athletics programs at the school. He shied away from most of the celebrating but did make token appearances just to appease the school. Matt's matches were watched by the GCW, with Vince Turner personally making an appearance at the event to show his support to his favorite youngster. Matt and Vince being close sent alarm bells among the NCAA but his documented work for them on the creative side was backed by Vince happily telling all that Matt was one of the few that he trusted with his company even if Matt was only 20-years-old. Matt tried to shy away from Vince, but Vince showed that it was no joke and he deeply respected Matt. Media attention was just the start of things. Agents tried to get him to go pro while the US Olympic Committee tried to get him to join the national team so he could wrestle at the Olympics. Matt wasn't interested in any of those things, he just wanted to be left alone now that he had nothing left to prove. The rest of the year was spent at home with the couple finalizing the wedding. Hank let the ladies do all of the work while Matt wisely kept them from going overboard. The two guys talked a lot, with Matt offering Hank insight into how tough he had things with people trying to gain something from him. The actual wedding took place in Orlando on the Friday before the annual Bash of the Summer event. Most of the audience were members of the GCW, with Matt and Betty having only a couple of friends from college there while Hank and Lillian had a dozen friends from their own college attending. They had few friends from high school, with only the girls' friends attending alongside their boyfriends most of whom had little to no contact with Hank and Matt since graduation. Matt's wedding caught local media attention as the number of professional wrestlers there was hard to miss, and when it was revealed that Matt was the reason for them being there they had their sights set on Matt and some sort of illicit connection between them. Matt ignored most of their attention, but after finally enduring the 40th question he angrily proclaimed, "I'm not competing any longer for my college so there isn't any reason for any of your allegations. If you can't be bothered to do your research as to why my parents' employers, colleagues, and friends are attending the wedding of their son, the person that many of them have known since birth and helped watch for years, then I'm sorry for all of you." His harsh words were backed-up by Vince angrily asking if they were willing to bet their professional futures on slandering and libeling someone who was not afraid to go toe-to-toe with those who were trying to hurt his family. The reaction was both a shock and seen as a real challenge, with several trying to claim that he was a professional thus had broken NCAA rules. Vince grinned, looked at the angry Nancy and Wally, then happily stated that his company would foot the bill for Matt's lawsuits against all who aired or printed known lies in an attempt to seek dirt on Matt, on his wedding day to boot. The wedding wasn't anything new, with little Richard Black stealing the spotlight by becoming scared as he led the ladies requiring both to help him along and kissing him to ease his fears. Matt and Hank had to hold back tears as the ladies said, "I do," while their parents were crying openly. Wally and Jerry dropped all sense of masculinity as they had tears in their eyes as their children wed, with Jerry seeing his baby girl become a woman right in front of his eyes while his son became a man and did what few would have ever thought he'd do. Lillian and Hank kissed deeply while Betty smirked, grabbed Matt, then dipped him deeply as she kissed him. Matt was gasping for breath when she broke the kiss, making everyone laugh as Betty had made her statement that Matt was her husband and they were doing things their own way. He blushed and kissed her again, this time doing the same to her causing her to gasp and blush like he had done. Their friends were all smiles, with the ladies happily admitting that they were jealous of Lillian and Betty. Lillian was speechless while Betty offered her heartfelt apologies for staking a claim to Matt when they first met in 8th grade. The ladies were crying at all of the memories and stories they were sharing while Matt and Hank sat back and enjoyed their new wives getting their needed attention. Hank offered Matt some shocking news as they were left to talk alone, explaining to him, "We made a big mistake when we were celebrating Lillian's birthday. I hate to admit it, but we are going to become parents soon. She is trying to hold herself together and keep the news from mom and dad, but it's hard to do with so many emotions flowing and her hormones playing tricks on her." Matt nodded, adding, "Betty has kept up her birth control since we moved into the house. She doesn't want to sidetrack our futures. She has a lot of work ahead of her while I'm going to be doing a lot of work of my own to earn my own degree. We love one another but don't want to hurt our careers." Matt asked about what they would do now, getting a somber, "Lillian is moving in with mom and dad so she has support. She's only doing a degree in management and it can be done online. She's ready to be a mother, it's just that I didn't want her to lose her career because I forgot a condom." Matt nodded but added, "She's no fool. Lillian knew what she was doing when she did it. She wouldn't have done it if she didn't know already you would be alright. You two still have a bright future ahead." Hank understood but felt betrayed. Matt sighed and added, "It happens. You have two loving parents who will help out. There's plenty of reporting to do at home, especially investigative. You are going to be a great father, you are nothing like your aunt and uncle or your birth parents." Vince managed to corner Matt and gave him an envelope, telling him to open it right away as it was time sensitive. Inside was a check for $500,000 and an offer from the GCW to be one of their executive writers. He tried to refuse the money and offer, but Vince refused to allow him to say no to the gift to start his family life especially as he needed the help now that he was married. Vince sat him down and explained to him, "I'm going to move to the front office and spend more time with my wife at home. King Reign and Stacy will take over for me as the heads of GCW's two shows. I want you to be our top writer for NEW replacing Stacy and her crew. You have a chance to be in on the ground floor of your career, I know your heart is set on making it in the ring but I want you to have a fallback career especially as you build up your own career. I'm no fool, you might be a doctor but your passion and heart are set on being part of us. You pick your team, you pick who you want as your producers and bookers. It's your baby now, we are passing on its legacy to you. I know that you are having a lot of struggles internally, your parents have spent far too long talking with Stacy and I about you. I know about your other half and what she means to you, you and she will always have a place with us no matter what you need to do. Please, think it over." Matt needed to speak about this with Betty, such a decision couldn't be made without her input. He did explain that he had a commitment to the school and to finish his degrees. Vince was fine with that, especially as a lot of the work could be done from home and over the phone with weekly visits to the NEW complex in Orlando to be hands-on with the wrestlers. Hank saw that Matt was thinking hard about something and asked about it, not letting his friend get out of telling him what was bothering him lest it involves his sister. Matt whispered to him about the offer and the gift, with Hank shaking his head in disappointment. Matt was given the golden ticket in the world of professional wrestling and couldn't get over his desire to be part of it in the ring to see that he might belong in the back helping create the world of the NEW and GCW, he was part of its legacy now and Vince Turner was trying to show him that he was the true heir of the GCW. That evening at their hotel, Matt told Betty the news and received a sharp, "Take the job. It's huge pay for you and it's what you really wanted to do. You will run it until you finish medical school then do your residency, then you can do as you please. School costs a lot of money, we won't make any until we are done with our residencies and even then we will have a lot of bills to pay off. Do it for us, Please?" He hated to admit that she was right, but she was. He signed the contract and called Vince, getting him to happily tell Matt that he expected the two to report to the training center once they all got back from their honeymoon. He then added that his only consolation was to name their firstborn after him. That was no problem, as they were planning on doing that anyway. Vincent Wallace Simpson was their choice for a boy, with Stacy Nancy Simpson as a choice for a girl. They had to hold off Carey's and Jerry's requests that their children be named after them, that was the right of their son and as they were already expecting it would be Hank who would exert that right. The honeymoon was your standard cruise/resort experience, only with additional luxury as they were VIP recipients due to Vince's influence. When they returned, Matt was refreshed and ready to start his new life as a head writer for NEW. Not once did he bring out Taylor during the duration of their trip, he was at peace for the moment and was proud to enjoy his time with his wife on his arm and allow Taylor to wait until the time was right.