Chapter 27:

"All passengers please fasten your seatbelts, we may begin to experience some slight turbulence." The Captain voice came over the intercom on the American Airlines flight, rousing Haley from the catnap she had been taking.

With a languid stretch and yawn, she checked her seat belt, before curling back into John's shoulder. "Good thing I took that motion sickness prevention crap before we left." She murmured sleepily.

"Haley, you fly off the top rope and you get sick on airplanes?" Jeff Hardy, who was sitting with the duo, commented with a disbelieving tone.

"Shut up, Hardy." She blinked open one eye. "You should see me on a boat when the water is less than calm."

"How am I supposed to take you fishing then?" Jeff snapped his fingers in a dramatic manner.

"Yeah right, like you fish." Haley sat up and rolled her eyes. There was no way she was going back to sleep now that Jeff had caught her attention.

"I'm going to use the little boys room, kiddies. Don't bicker too much while I'm gone." John grinned at the two of them, before standing and heading down the narrow aisle.

"So what were you sketching earlier?" Haley turned her full attention to the rainbow haired warrior.

"You sleeping, don't worry, I made the drool look really classy!" Jeff teased.

She reached behind her for the mini pillow and whacked him with it. "Jerk!" She said it lightly to show she was kidding.

"I'm kidding." He opened the sketch pad on his lap and offered it to her.

On the page, he had roughly sketched a dozing Hunter. His blonde hair falling into his face and his chin resting on his chest, Stephanie was leaning into his shoulder, talking on her cell phone. If it hadn't been so rough, which she assumed was from the motion of the plane, she might have mistaken it for a black and white photo.

"Jeff!" She gasped in delight. "This is awesome! You have so much talent!"

"Thanks Haley." The southern gentleman actually blushed. "That means a lot. My art's very personal."

"As it should be." She handed it back to him. "There are so many different aspects to you, Jeff. I think that's wonderful about you."

"Nobody really takes the time to get to know me, Haley. That's why there seems to be so many sides to me. I mean, yes, I fish occasionally. Hunting is more of a thing in my family, but fishing is good. I love music and art as much as I love wrestling. It's all a part of me." Jeff shrugged. "But everyone just sees the crazy kid that does risk taking moves from high levels."

"I always thought there was more to you than that, Jeff." Haley told him. "From what I can tell, you're incredibly loyal and family orientated. You've got quite a hero complex, you're daring yes, but you're also quiet and mild mannered. You have an eccentric style, which shows off your affinity for art and you always have your iPod, so that shows me you like music."

"Well, then. You're very astute, and not one of the typical airhead Divas that run around here." Jeff smiled brightly at her. "I notice that kind of stuff about you too."

"Except, I cannot paint or draw to save my life." She laughed. "I make a stick figure look demented."

"But you can sing real nice. I can't carry a tune particularly, play the guitar, yes, but sing not so much." Jeff reached over and squeezed her hand. "I heard you singing to yourself at takeoff, your voice is pretty soothing."

"Thanks. I sing to myself when I get nervous or uptight. I hate the initial takeoff in a plane, so singing distracts me." She admitted softly.

"I'm feeling a little nervous, will you sing for me?" He asked.

"What are you nervous about?" She replied inquisitively.

"How much I reveal in our conversations." He said it matter-of-factly. "I like to be a private guy, but you have this aura about you, makes me want to spill my heart out. So will you sing for me?"

"Sure." She nodded. "Any requests?"

"You pick." He gave her hand another squeeze.

"Your fingertips across my skin,

The palm trees swaying in the wind

Images…

You sang me Spanish lullabies,

The sweetest sadness in your eyes

Clever trick…

I'd never want to see you unhappy

I thought you'd want the same for me

Goodbye my almost lover

Goodbye my hopeless dream

I'm trying not to think about you

Can't you just let me be?

So long, my luckless romance

My back is turned on you,

Should have known you'd bring me heartache

Almost lovers always do

We walked along a crowded street

You took my hand and danced with me

Images…

And when you left you kissed my lips

You told me you would never

Ever forget these images, no

I'd never want to see you unhappy

I thought you'd want the same for me

Goodbye my almost lover

Goodbye my hopeless dream

I'm trying not to think about you

Can't you just let me be?

So long, my luckless romance

My back is turned on you,

Should have known you'd bring me heartache

Almost lovers always do."

"Now that was just as beautiful, if not more so than anything I've ever sketched or painted." Jeff's eyes were half closed, as he let her voice wash over him.

"You're sweet." She giggled quietly. "A terrible liar, but incredibly sweet nonetheless."

"Now see, I try to compliment a pretty girl and she calls me a liar. A guy can't win around here." He shot her a teasing grin.

"You think I'm pretty?" She threw right back at him.

"Simply beautiful, darling." He exaggerated his natural southern accent.

"You're quite studly, yourself." She tucked a lock of her hair behind her ear. "Hey look, you had me so distracted, I'm not even sick from the turbulence."

"You see, a good friend of mine likes to tell me that I have this hero complex, so I just had to help such a damsel in any way possible." Jeff joked.

"Haha." She stuck her tongue out at him. "I guess you're also trying to take your comedian act on the road as well."

"You like it." He flipped his sketch pad open to a fresh pad. "You think I'm funny."

"Funny looking maybe." She quipped.

"Nah, that won't work because you called me studly already." He dug out a thick lead pencil.

"I'll revoke it." She playfully threatened.

"Yeah right." He took a close look at her. "Try to hold still for a moment, so I can get your basic outline."

"You're going to sketch me?" She exclaimed incredulously.

"Yeah. I'll let you have it once I'm done, just don't move for a sec." His pencil began to draw random curving lines on the paper.

"Wow Jeff." She breathed out.

"You gave me a sample of your art. It's only fair that I do the same." He began to press down harder, making more of a shape, as the two fell into companionable silence. Jeff sat with a focused frown on his face and Haley had an adoring smile on hers.

A/N: okay, enough mushy stuff, time to get into the drama. But now all you Jeff Hardy fans can stop cursing me. He got this entire chapter to himself and this won't be the last we see of our rainbow haired warrior. REVIEW!

1: Jeff

2: Batista/Randy (What happened to the Batista love people? When did Randy become popular? lol)

3: John

4: Chris