Disclaimer: NellyLove owns Nelly. I own the other random OC's and the story, but after that we own nothing else.

Author's Note: Welcome to my new series of one-shots. The first three chapters are gifts to my good friend NellyLove. I owe you at least these chapters, Nelly. ^_^ This series runs in my Alternate Universe where most wrestlers are superheroes. The universe doesn't have a name- yet. It'll have one shortly though. I hope.

By the way- some of the inspiration for this story was John Wayne's classic Western film, The Angel and the Badman. It's cute. Watch it. ^_^

Jay Reso was the last person on Earth to say that everyone had a soul mate. He believed in destiny, but soul mates? He'd been burned too many times to believe in them.

First there was Zivia in 1st grade, Jay thought. She had commitment issues. Then there was Raleigh in 8th grade. I had commitment issues. And then Hannah when I was a junior in high school- He shuddered at the memory. She was more than a little crazy. And finally, Gretta…

Gretta had been his college sweetheart, and they had been serious about each other… Right up until the moment where she dumped him for some actor and ran off.

"Some fiancée she was," Jay grumbled as he thought about her.

If she could be considered his ex-fiancée, since they had called it off pretty much every time they tried to set a date for the wedding.

The woman had been cold, condescending, and a complainer, just to name her good qualities. Add on to that a constant wandering eye and a penchant for stealing, and she was just a regular Bella Swan.

Or not.

He was still trying to recover from the painful breakup that had happened years before when he had decided to go out for a late-night jog.

When he was jogging around the club district of the city he lived in, he never expected to see the woman of his dreams. Seeing her was a dream.

"Her", his soul mate.

He only saw her briefly- a vibrant red dress and a smile that could wow a room- before she was gone again, but that was enough.

His heart had stopped as he'd passed her while she was climbing into her car, and he wasn't sure if it had started again when he stopped to watch her drive away.

"Damn," he said as he watched her go. "So it IS real." Love at first sight, that is.

He could count on one hand the number of friend's he had that were happily married. The other end of the spectrum required him to use both hands and his feet. Teeth, too, if he was going to be honest. Love at first sight had been something for fairy tales and cheap romance novels for him right up until that moment.

Turning, he started walking away from where she had been parked and the club it had parked in front of, struggling to remember anything else he had noticed about her when she had rushed out of the club moments before.

But there was nothing. He had been too far away to really see her clearly, and she had climbed into her car far too quickly for him to notice anything else.

He would never forget that moment though. He could never forget that moment.

Pressing his fingers to his neck, he checked his pulse, somewhat surprised to feel he still had one.

"Guess I'm going to be running this route a lot." He told himself, resuming his jog, his hopes high that he would run into her again, perhaps literally.

Kicking up his pace, he began to sprint as rain began falling, thunder and lightning flickering in the dark night.

Somehow, though, the fact that he had just seen her managed to light his way home.

He had hope again. His recovery had happened in a matter of moments.

"God, I hope she wasn't an angel." Jay prayed. "I do not want to have just fallen head-over-heels in love with something I can never be with."

He had no idea just how real, or close, she was to him.

Cornelia "Nelly" Contreiras hadn't been sure whether the blond man jogging towards her as she left the club a friend of hers ran was a jogger or something else, but as she climbed into her car, she swore the air was charged.

Their eyes had met briefly and she was sure he was a ghost.

He had to be, because there was no way she had seen this man before outside of her dreams.

Had she?

That was what she wondering about the entire drive.

"He's gotta be just a figment of my imagination." Nelly finally told herself as she parked in the driveway. "Gotta be." She repeated, more unsure than ever.

When she thought about the strange dreams that had been plaguing her since a car accident a few years prior, she began to wonder if maybe they weren't dreams, but actually memories of the events leading up to, during, and just after the accident.

Grabbing her purse from the passenger seat, she climbed out and hurried to the front door of the house, engaging the lock of her car with the tiny remote over her shoulder as the rain fell gently in the cool, calm night.

They're just dreams, Nelly. A bitter part of her subconscious told her. Like that guy was there to rescue you when the accident happened? Yeah right. It told her.

She stopped as she was unlocking the front door, closing her eyes as she thought for a moment.

"Okay, he was real." She admitted, opening her eyes again. "And cute. But, c'mon, where have I seen him before?"

Pushing the door opened, she stepped into the house. She nudged the door shut behind her and turned the light in the entryway on as she looked around her temporary place of residence.

A friend had asked her to house-sit the place while they went out of town- well, eloped- and she had agreed since she was currently searching for a new place. She liked the neighborhood; it was quiet, happy, and her neighbor's weren't real rambunctious.

The only thing preventing her from enjoying her stay were the dreams, or nightmares, that plagued her every night.

Rubbing her forehead, Nelly sighed. "Stupid dreams." She muttered, kicking her sky-high platforms off.

The black items landed with clunks and clatters while Nelly shut the light in the entryway off.

"I doubt I'm getting much sleep tonight." She told herself.

She had been right.

Thank God today is Saturday! Nelly thought.

It was only 10 AM and, on the day she usually spent shopping and hanging out at the beach, she was seated on the kitchen counter with her third cup of coffee.

"Mreow?" Her friend's cat Wichita, which she was cat-sitting along with the house, trilled as it weaved itself around the legs of the kitchen table.

"Your owner isn't home yet, Wichita." Nelly told the cat as it hopped up on the counter and looked out the window at the driveway. "You've got three more days." She told it gently.

Yet the cat wouldn't listen to her as it sat down and began watching the driveway, determined to will its owner home.

Rolling her eyes, Nelly hopped off the counter and put her cup in the sink. "Why am I even telling the cat? It doesn't care." She said, leaving the kitchen.

Heading upstairs to the guest bedroom she was staying in, she began trying to find an outfit to wear.

Meanwhile, back downstairs, Wichita had decided that the driveway was too void of birds. He hopped off the counter and sashayed to the back of the house, going for the solarium.

The solarium was Wichita's favorite room in the house, since it gave him a great view of the backyard where squirrels, birds, and bees frolicked constantly.

The cat licked its lips and took a seat, watching nature flutter around its yard.

It would never admit it- it couldn't admit it to the humans, really- but it was agoraphobic. In other words, it was afraid of large, open spaces. Going outside was impossible for it to do.

So, bird watching was the next best thing.

The obese white cat was just beginning to get bored when suddenly something- something certainly not falling into any of its "munchies" categories- hit the window.

"MREOW!" The cat screeched, sprinting upstairs to Nelly's room and under the bed.

It was now afraid of large, flying objects too.

Nelly whipped around in alarm when she heard Wichita yowl, but seeing the white blur fly into her room and under the bed was a whole different kettle of fish.

"Wichita?" Nelly questioned, a little worried. "Are you okay?"

"Mreow." The terrified cat told her in a pitiful tone.

Nelly knelt and looked at the cat, who was hiding behind a shoe box. "Are you-" She was cut-off by the buzzing of the doorbell. "Now what?" She wondered, getting up and going downstairs.

Grateful to have changed into a sundress and sandals instead of answering the door in her pajamas, she looked through the peephole only to find an eye staring back.

Nelly sighed. This can't be good. She thought, opening the door.

A very tall blond man stood there, grinning. "Hi, my friends and I were playing football and we accidentally tossed the ball into your backyard. Would it be okay if I retrieved it?"

Nelly raised an eyebrow as she noticed he was covered in mud and shook her head. "Let me get it- white carpeting." She explained. It was the truth- much of the house did have white carpeting. Oddly enough, one of the bathrooms was included.

She wasn't sure what her friend had been thinking when they had redecorated the house to include that, but she knew they hadn't been thinking with a full bag of marbles.

The man nodded and stayed put as Nelly walked to the back of the house.

Going out onto the back veranda, she began looking for the nefarious football while several men bickered on the other side of the fence.

"For Christ's sake, Chris! Just because you have the strength of a gorilla and the eyes of a… A… Tiger, doesn't mean you can just throw the football all willy-nilly. What happens when you hit the car of the police chief again? I don't want that scary SWAT woman raiding my house again just because it looks like we've got a football cannon."

Nelly frowned as she listened to the argument going on in the next yard over. She remembered her friend telling her about that. Evidently the "scary SWAT woman" went to her friend's church and was a nice, albeit frigid, woman.

"C'mon, where is that stupid ball?" Nelly muttered, checking a rose bush carefully.

"Well it's not my fault, Jay." The man who seemed to be at fault snapped. "All we've been hearing all day is, "She had to be an angel," and, "Dammit, if she was then I'm going to have to get creative to get her to fall in love with me," and-"

"Stop talking, Chris. Right. Now." Jay growled as Nelly shook her head and straightened.

The pair kept exchanging insults as Nelly groaned.

Now I might have to let those guys over here. She thought with a cringe. Perhaps they would be willing to jump the fence instead of going through the house?

Just as she was about to throw in the towel, she heard the crunch of wood and was knocked off her feet by an object that, she realized as she caught a quick glimpse of blond hair, was a person.

Damn. She thought as she cringed. Lady Luck had issues with her that morning.

After a long night of no sleep, fitfully trying to see her face in the memories and realizing that he knew her from before, Jay had climbed from bed grumpy and in dire need of an energy drink. Or sleeping pills.

Not an impromptu football game with a couple of his rowdiest friends.

But that's what he got.

DING-DO-

CRUNCH.

Jay cringed as his doorbell rang in sync to someone- probably Chris Irvine- accidentally putting their fist through his front door.

"Randy, you bumbling idiot. I told you, until you can actually control your powers, don't touch anything." Chris snarled at the newbie, the ever-sheepish Randy Orton.

"Sorry. Wait- what do you mean "anything"?" Randy said. "How the heck am I going to go to work or even get up in the morning without touching something?"

"Figure it out." Chris said in a dry tone.

Jay rolled his eyes as he dragged himself over to the door.

He eyed the hole that was eye-level with Randy's face before opening the door to find practically half of his friends, both superhero and not, standing there.

"Yeesh, Jay. You look horrible." Adam Copeland said, passing his best friend. "But don't worry, we've got beer." He added, holding up the cases in his arms for Jay to see.

Jay cringed as Shane Helms entered the house, carrying several boxes of frozen beef patties. "We've got a ton of stuff out in Adam's truck-"

"PLU-US!" Chris cut-in dramatically, stepping forward and flipping a football inches from Jay's nose. "I brought Vincent."

Jay sighed wearily as Chris ginned and passed him, heading into the house. Why Chris had named the football after the police chief who was constantly a thorn in their sides, he didn't know.

"Hey, Chris! Aren't you helping?" Randy called from next to Adam's truck.

Chris stuck his head out the door. "No-oooooooo, Newbie! I am the original Ayatollah of Rock 'n Rolla! You, meanwhile, are just Randy."

Jay couldn't help but crack a small smile. That was Chris for you. He was… Flamboyant. To say the least.

"But how am I going to get anything out?" Randy asked, his brow furrowing.

Jay cringed. Good question.

With the party, which was a get-together of a lot of the superheroes Jay knew and a few he didn't, underway, Jay felt slightly better.

"Ah. Beer. Burgers-" Adam started to say when one of the rookies, who had just a smidge more of seniority than Randy, popped up behind his lawn chair holding a badminton racket and a shuttlecock.

"BADMINTON!" Matt Korklan screamed before ducking down.

"What the?" Adam turned and looked around, trying to spot Matt, who had vanished.

Jay, who was nearby on a similar lawn chair, started laughing. "New recruits rock!" He said.

"They most certainly think along their own separate wave lengths." Adam muttered, turning back around, thoroughly unnerved.

Just then, Chris walked by, the aforementioned football in his hands. "Randy!" He yelled, the young man looking up from across the spacious yard. "Catch!"

He threw the ball with all the strength he was legendary for, Randy moving quickly to catch it.

He dove into the air, catching the ball, as he fell into Jay's swimming pool.

"Oh!" A chorus of males, including Jay, shouted, laughing amongst themselves as Randy resurfaced, holding the ball up for them to see.

"Tch, rookies." Chris said, turning away to head back into the house when the ball crashed into his back.

He stopped as Randy climbed out of the pool, wringing his clothes as dry as best he could.

"Oh, it's on." Chris said, turning at lightning speed to grab the ball.

Thus began an epic game of superhero football which ended when Chris pitched the ball into the neighbor's yard.

While Adam went to retrieve it, Chris and Jay argued.

Shane tried to break them up, but was unsuccessful. Eventually, Randy and several of the others were forced to intervene when the two started scuffling.

Unfortunately, Randy pushed Jay away with a little too much force, sending the smaller blond Canadian through the fence separating the yards.

Jay crashed through the fence and knocked the woman next door off her feet, moving to his feet just in time to catch her.

He hoped she hadn't noticed his faster-than-human speed.

Nelly blinked up at the man kneeling over her, his arms around her.

"Um… What just happened?" She asked just at the same time as he blurted out, "It's you!"

They stared at each other in stunned silence for a moment before Nelly swallowed, her heart calming down.

It's him. She thought. My dream... Ghost.

"What do you mean, "it's me"?" She asked, frowning. He was also that jogger…

Her ghosts were one and the same?

He certainly isn't a ghost now. She thought wryly.

"I saw you outside of a club last night. Red dress? In a hurry?" He asked as he stood up, taking her with him.

She nodded as she stepped back, away from him. She was stunned; he hadn't been a figment of her imagination.

His arms dropped to his sides as someone coughed nervously nearby. A blush crossed her cheeks when she realized that his friends were watching them intently.

"Ma'am, I'm-" Randy started forward, an apology on his lips, when Chris threw his arm out, stopping him.

"Shush!" Chris hissed.

"But-"

"Okay, everybody inside. Let's go. All of you." One of the only women at the party, Amy Dumas, shouted, herding everyone away from the ruined fence.

Nelly mentally groaned. Today was an…

…Odd one.

"I- I- I didn't mean to knock you over. Or to startle you." Jay said, his heart pounding. His angel… She was real. "I, um, I…"

Nelly smiled at him. For a complete stranger who had literally swept her off of her feet, he was cute. Really cute.

"I just really, really, really wanted to meet you and ask, um, and ask…" Jay trailed off as he looked into her eyes.

True love. Soul mates. Wow I feel like I'm on cloud nine. But what do I say to her?

It also hit him just then that he had seen her before- and where.

Four years prior, he had helped rescue workers with a car accident.

THE car accident.

He had ripped the door off of her car and carried her to the waiting ambulance.

He couldn't believe it.

"Will you go out with me?" He asked her. She looked surprised, and he was a little surprised himself by the fact that he had said that.

Nelly studied him for a moment, biting her lower lip.

Okay, I didn't even know he was real up until a few minutes ago, and now I'm getting asked out by him? C'mon, today totally tops my top ten list of weird days. Nelly thought.

"I don't even know your name." She said, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.

"It's Jay." He said, a hopeful grin spreading across his face. I think I've loved you forever. He thought.

"Well, I'm Nelly." Nelly said, cocking her head. I feel like I've known you forever. She thought. "And yes, I would love to go out with you."

"REALLY?" Came a chorus of shouts from Jay's back porch.

The pair looked at the group on the porch, which scurried out of sight quickly, before looking back at each other again.

"Do you-" They both started to say only to break off in laughter when they realized the other one was saying the exact same thing.

"You go first." Nelly said.

"No, I am a perfect gentleman." Jay said, crossing his arms. "Ladies first."

Nelly chuckled. "Do you believe in ghosts, Jay?" Nelly asked him, nervously threading her fingers together and apart.

Jay wasn't too surprised by her question. "I… I think I do." He said.

"Okay." Nelly said, nodding. "What's yours? Question, I mean." She added, clarifying her statement.

"Oh, um… I just wanted to ask…" He looked at the ground before raising his head slightly to look at her. "Are you an angel?" He asked her.

She smiled and chuckled. "The last time I checked: No."

Jay chuckled. "Good."

Nelly raised her eyebrow and he hurried to explain.

"I just meant that if you were an angel, then I'd really have almost no shot being with you. But, if you're human, then I won't have to worry about whether or not I am really seeing you." He said.

Both of them were quiet after that, twin grins on their faces.

"Well… That was the most beautiful pickup line I have ever heard in quite possibly my life, Jay. Got any more I should hear?" Nelly asked him in a teasing voice.

"Plenty," Jay said, wrapping his arm around her shoulder as he lead her across the yard, through the ruined fence, and into his yard. "But I'll save those for our date." He said, winking at her.

Nelly giggled.

That day took the cake, and it was one that neither of them would ever forget.

Adam pressed the doorbell again. Man, she must be combing the entire yard for that ball. Adam thought, running his hand through his hair. She was pretty cute. Maybe I should ask her out when she comes back.

He thought about that for a moment before shaking his head. Nah, too much Jay's type. Oh! I know! I could set her up with him!

He grinned deviously. This is going to be great!

Little did Adam know that the Ghost and the Angel had found each other…

…And that they were going to live happily ever after…

…Plus, he had his own soul mate out there, waiting for him.

Yes, Evan Bourne did have a Mort from The Penguins of Madagascar moment there. Can you blame me? Admit it- it was cute.