A/N: Sorry for the long wait on the update. I've been super busy... Got engaged back in May, so I've been dealing with that, plus my job has been keeping me busy. So, here it is...

Chapter 3.

I got tired of the sympathies, the calls, the cards... I called Vince the following morning and begged to return to the ring, "Are you sure you're up for it, Jeff?"

"Of course, I am. I'm ready to return to the WWE."

I heard Vince sigh, "OK, come on up to Connecticut and we'll get you set up."

I smiled, "Thanks. I'll be up by Wednesday."

We hung up and I began to pack my bags. I called the airlines and booked a flight on Tuesday to Connecticut, then I called a hotel to book a overnight stay. I also called a car rental company, to make sure I had a ride. Once everything was done, my brother called me.

"Hello?"

"Jeffro?"

"Yea?"

"What're you doing? I've been trying to call you for the past 30 minutes."

I winced, "Sorry, I was making flight, hotel and car reservations."

I heard my brother practically scream, "What?! Your'e going back to work?! What about the twins?"

I sighed, "Matt, you're out with an injury. You can take care of them, and when you come back have Beth or Dad take over. I need to get back into the swing of things, otherwise, I'll never return."

"You're their father," Matt sputtered, "You should be taking responsibility, not thrusting it on everyone else's lap!"

I frowned, I knew he was right, but I was not ready to face the responsibility of being a dad, "Look, I'll be on Smackdown, so I'll only have 3 days of work, then the rest of the week I'm off. I'll be home on my days off to see them and give you and whomever else takes care of them, a break."

Matt sighed, "You better, Jeffrey Nero."

I nodded even though he couldn't see, "I promise. My plane doesn't leave until tomorrow, so I'll have today to spend with them."

"I'll bring them over in about an hour," Matt stated firmly.

"That's fine, I'll see you guys then. Bye," I hung up, not giving Matt a chance to respond. I looked about the empty master bedroom and thought aloud, "I'll be glad to get on the road again."

JHJH

An hour had come and gone, Matt and the twins were still at the house. Both Sarah and Johnny were sleeping, Matt was just biding time to yell at me again. Finally, he looked at me, a scowl on his face, "Are you fucking crazy?"

I rolled my eyes, "Matt, now is not the time."

He raised his voice, "Bullshit!" I actually chuckled, his outburst caused Sarah to wake up and start wailing. I picked her up and did what any good father would do; I handed her to Matt. But, Matt had none of that, he stood up and pushed me back on the couch, "You hold her. She's yours."

I blinked at his forcefulness and held Sarah until she stopped crying and fell back asleep. Once she did, I placed her back in the play pen Matt helped me assemble. I didn't feel comfortable around Sarah or Johnny... I guess because they remind me too much of Destiny, and Sarah is looking like her every time I see her. I couldn't bear to watch them grow up and see Sarah turn into another Destiny; I had thought Matt understood that, but the way he was acting, made me think he didn't care... at all. I frowned at the thought, and pushed it to the back of my mind. Matt finally stood, "I think it's time I get them fed and into bed."

"Okay, thanks for bringing them by," I muttered.

"Jeffro, they're your kids, I told you. You can come by and see them any time you want. I understand that you don't want to see them because they remind you of Des, but dude, you've got to get over that and move on. You need to become a man and take responsibility."

I nodded and helped him put my two little angels into the car. I watched him drive off and I headed back inside, sat on the couch, and for the first time in two days, I cried. Eventually falling asleep and waking up the next morning, about 30 minutes before my flight. I muttered under my breath and quickly changed, grabbed my bags and drove off to the airport.

So, here I sit, on a plane, headed for Connecticut to see none other than Vincent Kennedy MacMahon, himself. Nervous didn't even begin to describe how I felt... I twitched and tapped, huffed and puffed, unexpectedly falling asleep, and waking up just as we were landing. Bags in hand, I walked out and saw my rental, getting in, and taking off towards the hotel to check in. Once I checked in, I drug my bags to the room, and shuffled back out. I looked at my phone, to check the time and I had 6 missed calls. I rolled my eyes as I saw 2 were from Matt, 2 were from Beth and the last two were from Dad. I listened to the voicemails as I walked out of the hotel and sat in the rental. Seeing I still had another hour before I had to meet up with Vince, I decided to stop and grab something to eat.

JHJHJHJH

Tapping my fingers on the plush chair in Vince's mansion, sounds like horse hooves on cobblestone. I eventually stopped as I saw Stephanie walking down the winding staircase. She stopped halfway when she spotted me, my blonde completely un-dyed, she squealed and ran towards me. I stood up with a small smile and embraced her.

"Jeff, what are you doing here? I thought you were taking time off?"

I smiled, "I did. I'm here to talk to your dad about coming back."

She looked at me confused, "So soon? Its been only 3 weeks, since Destiny passed, Jeff."

I shrugged, "I need to get back into the swing of things. I know the draft is in two weeks, so I'm hoping I can get Vince to draft me over to SmackDown."

She squealed again, "Oh, that would be so much..."

She never got to finish as the booming voice of Vince MacMahon echoed throughout the otherwise, quiet mansion, "Well, I'll be damned, Jeff Hardy, come on into my office, and we'll talk about your return."

I hugged Stephanie one last time and followed Vince into his home-office. I sat down when he motioned to one of the chairs.

"So, you want to return to the WWE?"

"Yes sir. I know the draft is coming up soon, so I would like to be drafted to SmackDown, it would give me less time on the road, but still give me enough TV time, that I can let my fans know that I'm still alive and well."

He nodded, "That's a helluva idea, Jeff. Next Monday, we'll have your return debut match against... CM Punk, that will get your foot in the door for SmackDown."

I nodded and shook his hand, resigning my contract. I left Vince's office and headed back to my rental, and before I knew it, I was laying in my hotel bed, calling everyone back home that I got resigned.