Author's Note: I own diddly squat. The only thing that's mine is Aracely… and anyone else you don't recognise. I got this idea the other day when I was thinking about how you can't judge a book by its cover. Enjoy.

Nothing Lasts Forever

Chapter Two

Aracely Michaels (she was still getting used to that) was laying on her back in the ring, staring up at the ceiling while lost in thought. Everything was silent, since they'd arrived so damn early and since she wasn't involved in the meeting she'd decided to venture out here.

"Hey kiddo."

Jeff's soft Southern drawl startled her a little and she'd rolled onto her side, putting a hand to her chest as she realised who it was. "Jeff." She said simply as he chuckled at her, sitting while she watched him slide into the ring. Today she had a similar outfit on, same shorts, same converse and a Ramones tee that she'd cut the sleeves off. She also had the same jelly bracelets and makeup on.

"What're you up to?" He asked her, sitting beside her and glancing up at the ceiling. She laughed softly and lay back down against the canvas, shrugging as she did.

"Dunno. Thinking I guess."

"What about?" Jeff asked, looking down at her and causing her eyes to turn to him.

"Not much really." She laughed, "I was letting my mind wander, I wasn't really focusing on anything. I need to get a new sketchbook though, I always draw some really good stuff when I let my mind wander,"

"Ahhh so you are an artist." Jeff said, "I thought you might be."

She nodded, "Shawn mentioned that you're a good artist when he saw some of my art…" Then after a moment of silence, "What are you doing out here, shouldn't you be in the meeting?"

"Meeting's over honey. I guess I just had a feeling you'd be out here."

Lee looked at him curiously, a little surprised that this man she hardly knew seemed to share so much in common with her and understand her already. Jeff just smiled at her and lay back on the canvas too, staring up at the ceiling. They lay there together for a while in a very comfortable silence, almost communicating through it.

"What on earth are you two doing?" Came Hunter's voice a little later. Neither Lee or Jeff knew how long it had been since they lay down together but they both sat up in time together and looked at Hunter. Then they looked at each other and back to Hunter before laughing.

"Thinking," they said in unison, watching as the man shook his head a little.

"Well come on, you need to get backstage now, before things start up out here." He said and Jeff rolled out of the ring easily before giving Aracely a hand out.

Both of them followed Hunter backstage, going their separate ways as Jeff said he needed to go and find his brother.

"So what were you guys doing?" Hunter asked now, enjoying the soft giggle that escaped Lee.

"Thinking." She repeated, smiling at him. "Just… letting our minds wander. Thinking in drawings and photos."

"You art types." Hunter teased, fluffing her hair and then opening the door to Shawn's locker room for her. She walked in, realising that Shawn wasn't alone in there, as both his and Cena's heads turned towards the door at her entrance.

"Found her. She was with Hardy in the ring, thinking, was it?" Hunter teased her and she rolled her eyes.

"Yes Hunter, thinking, a novel concept for you." She responded and he gave her a fake insulted look, and then sent a nod towards Shawn.

"I'll see you later man." And with that he left.

"I won't interrupt you two." Lee said, pulling out her iPod and putting the little headphone buds in her ears before taking a seat on the couch.

John had watched this whole exchange with analytical eyes. Hearing that she had been alone in the ring with Hardy worried him a little. It wasn't that he didn't like Jeff- the man wasn't a bad person but he didn't feel like he was a stable enough role model for someone like Aracely.

He also failed to see the joking tone in her exchange with Hunter, taking it as an insult toward the man instead. He was a little shocked but he supposed it was a natural defence mechanism. Obviously something had happened to this girl and he wanted to help fix it.

She just seemed so dark in comparison to the teenage girls he was used to. The clean cut preppy types were really all he had ever known and he was sure that there was a pretty young woman underneath the thick black eyeliner and blood red lipstick. In fact, he even suspected that maybe she suffered from depression and he wouldn't have blamed her. Obviously something had happened to her parents if she had been adopted by Shawn and the man himself had said that her past had been a sad one.

What Cena just couldn't see was that she was just different. That's not to say there wasn't anything that had gone wrong in her life, that there wasn't anything that made her sad sometimes… but she wasn't wearing her makeup as a mask. It was just part of who she was. She liked it. But he was certainly going to learn a big lesson.

There was a knock on the door and both Shawn and John looked up again as it opened. In the doorway stood Jeff with a bit of a smile, "I have something for Lee, thought she might like it."

Shawn nudged her, since she was sitting with her eyes shut. She opened them and smiled the moment she saw Jeff, turning her iPod off and getting up. "Hey Jeffro," she greeted him.

The man made his way into the room, clearly holding something behind his back. She watched him, waiting for him to reveal what it was. When he was a little closer he brought out a sketchbook from behind his back and her grin grew. "I had a spare one laying around and thought you might want it. I also brought some pencils and an eraser with me just in case you needed those too."

"Thanks Jeffy!" She responded brightly, wrapping him up in a hug and enjoying the way his chest vibrated with a chuckle. Lee accepted the sketchbook and the other art equipment from him happily and he kissed the top of her head.

"You're welcome honey. I can't stay though, I promised Matt I'd be quick." He said, rolling his eyes at her and making her smile again.

"I'll talk to you later…" She said and he nodded before saying his goodbyes.

Aracely sat down again, getting comfortable on the couch and flipping the sketchbook open right away so that she could get started, not paying attention to the look from both Shawn and Cena. Shawn was smiling a little, glad that she got along with Jeff so well and was quite happy with her new life. Cena however, felt a little more concerned about her immediate closeness with Jeff.

Author's Note: Okay so it's past 4am here and if this makes no sense, I apologise. Feel free to tell me so. I just couldn't sleep so I had to write this down lol. Anyway, I think the pace will change a little soon, and there'll be some more interaction between Lee and Cena. Also, just so you know, Aracely is pronounced like Arachelly ;)