Thank you for the great response on this story! I really appreciate it! Here is the next chapter, enjoy!

Chapter 04
Maybe She Was Right

Three days. It had been exactly three days since she had last talked to Jeff. Since he stormed out of her house pissed at her, and at Shannon. She wanted to give him his space, give him time to figure this out, before she made a move.

She had called him though, several times. She looked at her cell phone and thought one more time, just once more. Maybe he would answer.

Picking up the silver piece of technology she dialed his number from memory and waited for it to ring. After one ring it went straight to voicemail, he was ignoring her phone calls. Her heart fell heavy as she left him her sixth or seventh voicemail.

"Hey Jeff, it's me…" She glanced over at the blender sitting on the island. "It's me… I was hoping that you'd answer this time. I think we really need to talk. What you saw the other night wasn't what you thought it was… I'm sorry you got the wrong impression. I'd really like to talk to you, call me."

Hanging up the phone she decided to finish her smoothie. Pressing the button she held the lid down tightly, her thoughts plagued with Jeff Hardy. The sound of the blender going was almost enough to drown out her thoughts, but not quite enough.

She poured her smoothie in to a glass and grabbed her things, she had a long day ahead of her and she couldn't wait to get it over with. It seemed as thought her days were getting longer, she tried her best to keep herself busy enough to where she would be going to work early and leaving late, and working on new tattoo designs until she went to bed.

Arriving at Gas Chamber Ink she noticed D opening up shop. He glanced over to see her getting out of the Prius and quirked an eyebrow up at her in interest.

"You're here early, Nicki…" He stated as she walked in to the shop holding her files to her chest. She tossed him a bemused look and he put his hands up in defense, "What's going on? Trouble in paradise?" He asked.

"What paradise?"

"I heard you and Shan went out for lunch the other day…" D inquired.

"People in this shop have really big mouths…" She concluded. "But yes we did go out for lunch but just as friends,"

"Well then what's going on sister?" D asked.

"Nothing," She lied.

"Jeff?" D asked.

"How do you do that?" She asked making light of the situation by smiling at him.

"Years of practice, and four sisters…" He stated with a grin.

"Well I'm going to be in Shan's office…. My first client isn't in until 10…" She stated before heading back to Shannon's office.

She kept herself back there until D came knocking at the door, she looked up from her sketch and raised an eyebrow. She glanced at the clock and it was only 9. D closed the door behind him and waited for her to stop sketching.

"What's up D?" She asked.

"Well, Chad just called in and he's not going to be able to make it in until 2," He cleared his throat. "And his 9 o'clock is here…"

"Tell them to come back," She stated knowing that Chad didn't like anyone else working on his clients, and she didn't like working on most of his clients.

"They requested you," D stated. "It's just a touch-up…"

Nicole rolled her eyes and left her work sprawled out on the desk, she followed D out in to the waiting room and a crooked smile appeared on her lips as the person turned around. She rolled her eyes and walked over towards the man.

"What's going on Phil?" She asked looking the WWe Superstar up and down.

"Well, my artist wigged out on me, so I had to get the next best thing…" He grinned.

"Sure, what's going on?" She asked looking over at D and silently telling him to hold off on her 10 o'clock. She led him back to her room and he took a seat.

"Not much, just have a couple of days off… you?"

"Same ol'…" She shrugged getting her area ready as she continued to talk to him. Phil had come in shortly after Shannon opened the shop and got some work done by Chad, and fell in love with him as an artist. He had come back several times and because of Shannon became acquainted with Nicole.

"How's uh… how's Jeff?" Phil questioned knowing that it was probably a sore subject.

"Well, he's not doing great… but then again he hasn't talked to me in three days…" She stated watching him take off his shirt.

She was only woman after all. Seeing a man, a very handsome man take off his shirt and show off his spectacular build, it took all she had not to drool. Her eyes fixated on the new work that Chad had been doing and nodded.

"Fabulous piece," She remarked taking out the black and white, all that was missing was the shading. Something that was easy enough she could do without taking away from Chad's vision.

"Thanks, I had it in my head, but Chad just hit it right on the head with this one…" Phil stated with a grin. "I'm real happy about how it came out…"

"I don't blame you,"

She started in on the shading, and touched up some of the areas around it. After about an hour and a half she was finished, and their conversation had drifted back to Jeff. She looked up at Phil and those eyes caught her for a second, deep pools of hazel stared at her for a moment.

"Do you think he'll get through it this time? I mean, with everything that happened when he got back?"

Hell, news traveled fast around the locker rooms. Granted that the news about Jeff's house was all over the news, but she knew he was leaning more towards the break-up between Jeff and his long-time girlfriend Beth.

"I don't know Phil…" She told him placing the plastic over his tattoo, and grabbing the piece of tape carefully applying them to his freshly tat'd skin. "I hope so," She stated giving him a forced smile.

Phil nodded his head and as they were leaving her studio he offered to take her out to lunch. She looked at her 10 o'clock and glanced over at D. She held up a finger before checking her schedule, she was clear after her 10 o'clock until 2.

"Sure, I have a 10 o'clock, but I should be finished with him in about an hour and a half…" She stated glancing over at the person sitting around and staring at the two.

"I'll pick you up," Phil grinned before tossing her a sly grin.

Nicole smiled before saying goodbye to him and welcoming and apologizing to her 10 o'clock. She finished up with him within an hour and thirty minutes, and heard the front door open. She had heard it open quite a few times today, but this one was different.

Was she really about to go to lunch with Phil Brooks? She thought to herself, just as friends. Her mind laughed at the thought. She had enough on her mind now with the Shannon and Jeff thing, why would she want to add more fuel to the fire.

She thanked her client, as he paid her for their session and she cleaned up her room. Hearing a light tap on the frame she turned around much expecting to see Phil, but was more surprised to see the rainbow-haired warrior that had been plaguing her mind since… forever.

"Jeff! What are you doing here?" She asked.

"I wanted to talk to you," He stated carefully taking a seat on the bench in her room.

"Why don't we go in Shan's office…" She stated glancing back in to the full waiting area. All the eyes of the patrons were on her room, the room where Jeff Hardy just entered.

"Ok," Jeff agreed leaving her room and heading back to Shan's office.

Nicole cursed her bad timing as she saw Phil walk through the front doors. She walked over to him and glanced to make sure that Jeff was out of ear shot. She smiled at him, though it was forced, and he returned it with a grin.

"Can we push lunch back?" She asked him softly.

Phil looked at her concerned, "Sure, is something wrong?" He asked.

"Not really wrong…" She stated glancing over at the people to her right and then back at him. "Jeff just came in and we haven't talked in three days… and he looks like he wants to talk… I can call you when we're done or…"

"It's ok… I'll hang out over here…" He nodded his head over towards D who was falling asleep in his chair, while Tanya looked through her book to see if she had an opening for one of the walk-in clients.

"Thanks Phil," She smiled before walking back to Shannon's office.

As soon as she walked in Jeff grabbed her attention. He was shuffling through her sketches and had his feet propped up on Shannon's mahogany desk. She felt a small smile tug at her lips as she rested against the closed door.

"What's up?" She asked him.

"I was pretty brash the last time we talked," Jeff cleared his throat. "And I was pretty fucked up…" He admitted.

Nicole could do nothing but nod, she could tell that he wasn't exactly sober right now either, but him admitting this was a step. A small step, but it was still a step closer to recovery. She nodded her head waiting for him to continue.

"I realized something today," He swallowed letting his feet fall to the floor, and dropping her sketches. "I went over to my house… rather what's left of my house…" She could see his eyes begin to water, the glossy look coming as a hint of red found it's way to his face. "I realized a lot of things while sitting where everything used to be…"

"Jeff," She said his name softly, but he didn't stop to look at her.

"What you said was right," He decided. "I was using Beth as my excuse…" The mop of faded red, blue and green hung low, his voice was deep. "I don't want to have excuses anymore," He looked up at her, there eyes locked.

"What do you want?" She asked him carefully.

"I want my life back,"

Nicole was silent for a minute and he stood up, he held her face in his hands and he looked her dead in the eye. His dark green eyes seemed to be opening up for her, they were telling her things, but she couldn't hear them. Not right now.

"I can't do this alone," He told her honestly. "I need you… I've always needed you…"

"You know I'll help you anyway I can, Jeff…" She whispered, her brown eyes searching his.

"I can't do it by myself," He told her again.

"I know," She nodded, putting her hands on top of his. "I'll help you Jeff, you just have to want to do this… I'm not forcing you anymore."

"I do… I want to do this… I want my life back…" He leaned his forehead against hers. "I want my career back, I want my house back… I want you back…"

A small smile spread across Nicole's face as she nodded her head, "If you're serious… I'll come to Matt's tonight, Jeff… you can stay with me…" She stated carefully.

"Ok," He agreed. "Ok…"

She opened the door and almost forgot about Phil waiting for her until Jeff glanced at her with a look on his face that said it all. What the hell was he doing here? He was talking to Chad who had waltzed in, and Phil was showing off the finished job.

Jeff walked over swiftly, Nicole on his heels as he interrupted their conversation.

"Phil, what are you doing here?" He asked glancing between the two.

"Well, I…" Phil was about to explain when Nicole grabbed Jeff's arm and pulled him back a bit, he was in Phil's face, and Phil wasn't one for confrontations.

"He was just going to take me to lunch as a thank you for finishing up for this slacker…" She grinned hoisting her finger in Chad's direction.

"Lunch?" Jeff looked down at her and then back at Phil, hazel eyes met green eyes and the two men stared each other down. Jeff 's nose twitched slightly as he glanced back down at Nicole. "Have'er back at a decent hour, will ya Brooks?"

With that a calm and collected Jeff Hardy left Gas Chamber Ink, causing Phil, Chad and Nicole to look at each other oddly. Chad broke the ice, as he pointed to Phil's back and smirked at her.

"That's a whack as job you did on the shading…" He grinned.

"Maybe if you're lazy ass would get up in the morning I would have to take your clients, fucker…" She snapped back smirking at Phil. "You ready?" She asked.

"Yeah," He agreed as she took his elbow and led him out to his car.

"So, where you taking me, Punk?" She asked him with a sideways grin.

Shattering, that's all Jeff felt like doing right now. Shattering something, he was livid. Who the fuck was Phil Brooks? Who was that punk, to think he could take out Nic? As soon as he got in to his room, he shattered the first thing he got his hands on which was a vase that their mother had made a long time ago with Matt.

He looked over at his bag and pulled out the bottle, without a second thought he took out two of the large pills and dry-swallowed them. His head pounded at the thoughts running through his head.

First fucking Shannon, now Punk? What the fuck is going on with Nicole… she's my Nicole. His face turned red with anger as he punched his fist through the drywall of the room. She had always been HIS Nicole, no one else's. Grinding his teeth he ravished towards the bathroom, he was hot.

Sweating profusely as the high he was on was crashing, the new one had to kick in and soon. He looked at himself in the mirror. Those glassed over green eyes stared back at him, wolf-like that's how Nicole always explained them. She thought they were sexy. Her words from years previous echoed in his head.

"You'll always be the only man for me Jeff Hardy,"

She had told him that the night of her senior prom. He had taken her, and she was absolutely thrilled. He was her everything then, and he was her everything now. She didn't have anymore family left, Jeff, Matt and Gil were it. They were all that was left for her.

"What's wrong Nic?" He asked her pushing her light brown hair out of her face. She looked up at him her dark brown eyes sad.

"I don't have anythin' Jeff, nothin'…" Her eyes flooded with tears as they ran down her rosy cheeks.

"You've got dad," He pointed out. "You've got Mat…" His grin widened, he put a finger under his chin and smiled at her; those dark green eyes were warm and full of love. "And most importantly you've got me, Sugar…"

Sugar, he stared at the mirror. He hadn't called her that in forever. Beth didn't like it when he called her that. She didn't get along with Nicole at first, but the two grew on each other, but Beth had a hidden animosity towards her, because of Jeff.

Because she knew that Jeff loved Nicole. And he had always loved her, and she believed that he loved Nicole more than he loved her.

Maybe she was right, Jeff thought staring down at the sink. Maybe she was right about something.

Please remember to R&R! Your reviews add fuel to my inspiration, and more inspiration, means more updates!