"Do you seriously have to go?" Phil asked as he held her. They were standing in the middle of the airport. Lex smiled at her boyfriend before placing a kiss on his cheek. She giggled a little because his beard tickled.

"Yes I have to take my finals and then there are the holidays." she reminded him. "I'll miss you though."

"A week is too long to be away from you."

"You'll be fine Punker. Go home and enjoy the time with your family. I will be back the night before New Year's Eve."

"Are we still going to the concert?" he asked.

"Yep, I don't care where we are as long as I get to kiss you at midnight." she was really excited. She had never had a boyfriend on New Year's Eve before. So being able to kiss Phil at midnight was something she was really looking forward to.

"You know you could just stay and then you can kiss me as many times as you want whenever you want." he suggested.

"Nice try. Phil I really gotta go they are calling my plane to board. I will skype you when I get in I promise."

Phil shrugged. "Can't blame a guy for trying."

She grinned at him. "You know sometimes you are just too much. But yes I really do have to go now. They are about to call my plane. You'll be fine and I will see you soon."

"Don't worry so much about your finals you will do fine." he called to her when she began walking away from her.

"Thanks." she called back, taking a quick look over her shoulder. He was still standing there rocking slightly back and forth on his heels. She bit down on her lower lip, she hadn't even left yet and she already felt lonely.

She wanted nothing more than to turn around and run into his arms but she didn't instead she used all her will power to continue walking to the terminal. Once she stopped she briefly turned around, Phil was still standing in the same spot looking at her. She gave him a small wave before disappearing.

She wondered if he was as miserable as she was. She tapped the eraser of her pencil against her desk, her mind was millions of miles away. She shook her head and forced herself to concentrate on her final. She really needed to pass this class. Plus later on that night she was going to be having a welcome home dinner with her family and Vanessa, but even that didn't excite her. It was then she realized how bad she truly had it. Once again she forced those thoughts aside and focused on her exam.

"Phil come on it's not that bad." Natalie chided her best friend as he sat moping at her kitchen counter. Although he would not come out and say it she knew that he missed his girlfriend. She found it quite adorable to see him like this. "She had to go take her finals besides isn't it a little soon for you two to be spending the holidays together?"

"It's not that." Phil sighed. "Don't get me wrong I miss her but she took the cat. I miss my little buddy."

Natalie let out a very unlady-like snort. "You mean the cat that you did not want?"

"Yea that one. We have come to and understanding, if he doesn't destroy anything he gets to continue to live in the spoiled fashion he has become accustomed to. This cat has it good- real good."

"Well you will see your cat soon enough." Natalie smiled before shaking her head. "So what did you get Lex for Christmas?"

"I didn't. She said she didn't want anything." Natalie's eyes became wide with alarm. Phil looked confused. "What? She literally told me that she did not want anything. I did ask her."

"Phil you have to get her something. She may have said she didn't want anything but this is your first Christmas as a couple. Is she against Christmas the way you are?"

"No she likes it. She likes the whole tree and lights and spending time with family thing. She even likes going out shopping and buying stuff for people. Oh god I am such a moron!"

"See this is why you have me in your life. What does Lex like?"

"Well she likes romantic comedies and Grant Morrison Batman comics." he made a face as the Grant Morrison part. He was such a horrible writer. "She also loves Bruce Springsteen and country music. She loves wrestling but she works for the company so that's out. She loves her dogs and the cat. I am at a loss here."

"Does she like jewelry?"

"It's hit or miss with her. Some stuff she really likes other stuff she hates with a passion. I suppose I can get her another Pandora charm but I have already gotten her two."

"Wait a minute she likes Springsteen? This could work you know the people from Against Me right?"

"Yea." Phil retorted before he scratched the back of his head. "I don't see what that has to do with anything."

"The drummer is the son of the drummer from Bruce Springsteen's band."

"Jay? Really?"

"Yes, Captain Clueless. He's even filled in for his dad on some of Bruce's tours."

"Wait a minute! How do you know all this information?" Phil narrowed his eyes.

"Lex told me. We got into a conversation about her favorite bands and yours. Because she actually cares about the stuff you like."

"Ok so you are a better boyfriend to her than I am."

"That is not true you are a great boyfriend. What's Lex's favorite candy?"

"It's tied between twizzlers and skittles. She also really loves Starburst jelly beans but you can only get those around Easter."

"She told me that whenever she gets too overwhelmed with studying you always seem to show up with her favorite candies and then you help her study. Or that you sit through stupid movies just because she wants to watch them."

"Yea I do that but it's not that big of a deal." he shrugged.

"Maybe not to you but she thinks it is."

"Come on Lex." Her cousin Carissa followed her around her apartment. She wanted Lex to go out clubbing with her and a few other people. "We never get to see you anymore so you have to come out with us."

"Riss, I told you I have one last final tomorrow afternoon that I need to study for." Lex sighed. She wanted to go out but she knew she needed to study if she wanted to pass.

"Just come out for like an hour and then you can spend the rest of the night studying. It's country night at Rain tonight. You know how much you love country night."

"One hour." Lex agreed holding up one finger. "No more no less." Carissa squealed in delight and gave her a huge hug.

"This is gonna be so much fun." She looked at the time on her phone. "I gotta go pick up Cait from work but I will see you in a few hours. I promise you will be glad you came out tonight."

"Famous last words."

If Phil was certain about one thing it was this, he hated malls with a passion, especially at Christmas time. There were people everywhere and it was almost impossible to walk around. He hated crowds, he hated them with a passion.

"Maybe I should just give her another one of those coupons. She really loved the one I gave her for the stupid romantic comedy I gave her for her birthday."

"That is not a horrible idea. Lex does seem to love gifts from the heart. Are you sure she doesn't like jewelry?"

"Not really but it never hurts to look at some." Phil shrugged.

"What about those infinity rings that everyone is wearing these days?" Natalie suggested.

"Aren't those like wedding bands?" Phil questioned to which he earned a rather shocked look from his best friend. "What I have younger sisters I know these things." Phil shrugged.

Natalie just rolled her. "Whatever you say."

"How do I look?" Lex did a little twirl, she was clad in a pair of shirt jean shorts and a blue plaid shirt that she had tied up so her toned abdomen was showing. She left her hair down but curled the ends and finished her look with a cowboy hat and boots.

"Oh my god you look so good." Lex laughed a little.

"You really think so. I mean I haven't been to one of these things in forever."

"You are gonna so get hit on tonight. Like hardcore."

Lex blushed a little. "Riss, I already have a boyfriend. I don't need to get hit on."

"Oh before I forget I have a surprise for you." Carissa's brown eyes light up. Just as she made her announcement the doorbell rings. Lex raised a brow at her cousin. "I'll get it." Carissa walked over to the door and opened it to reveal a rather attractive man on the other side.

"Cuz, you really didn't need to get me a guy." Lex joked.

"Well look at little Ladybug all grown up." Lex's eyes went wide.

"Jordan?" there was no way the man before her could be the same little boy who was practically her twin brother growing up."

"Get over here Buggy." Yep, it was him. Without thinking twice she ran over to him and hugged him tightly. "You certainly grew up since I saw you last."

"Well Jord-A-Roo it's been ten years since we've seen each other last."

"I am so sorry it took this long. I heard you were sick but I was overseas studying abroad at the time. Otherwise I would have been here."

"It's fine Jord. I am alright now. Completely cancer free. I have a guardian angel who swooped in and saved me."

"Well that is so good to hear." He hugged her again. "So you ready to go out?"

"God Nate I am so bored." Natalie punched him as hard as she could in his shoulder.

"Do not call me Nate." Phil rotated his shoulder a little. For a small woman Natalie could sure throw a punch. He wasn't sure why he still called her Nate. Maybe it was because it annoyed her so much and that was fun for him. "Why not go hang out with Colt or go see your sisters. Or maybe even your parents."

"Nah it's so much more fun messing around with you while you are trying to work." He smirked at her.

"God I wish Lex was here."

"You and me both." Then he looked at his phone. "I'll be back later I have to go pick up your gift."

"It better be good." He waved her off before leaving.

As Phil walked past all the placed he knew so well from his city he took comfort in the fact that he was home. He smile danced across his lips. Things were pretty good right then and there, the only way it could be better would be if Lex was with him. But he understood that she couldn't be.

The club was just starting to get filled up when they got there. Lex was a little surprised that even the day before Christmas eve it was as crowded as it was. She just hoped that she would not get recognized. She just wanted to enjoy the night with her cousins, she didn't want any focus on her.

"You look really beautiful tonight." Jordan complemented her when he walked back from the bar with his beer and her coke.

"Thanks I thought it would be fun to get into the spirit. It is country night after all. But I don't normally dress like this. Normally I am either in jeans or sweatpants. I travel a lot for my job so it's nice to just be comfortable."

"Carissa was telling me about your job. Congratulations I know you have been a huge wrestling fan since you were a baby. It must feel like this amazing dream come true right."

She smiled. "It is pretty amazing and the people who I travel with, they are amazing as well. I am really fortunate."

"I kinda wish you were going to be around more." he casually brushed a stray piece of hair out of her face. Cause I would have definitely liked to have spent some time with you and learned a little more about my Buggy all grown up."

"Well I am still the same girl you knew back then except now I do not have braces or those horrible glasses. Do you remember I used to "lose" them all the time. Somehow my mother always found them."

Jake Owen's "Alone With You" started playing. Jordan raised an eyebrow. "Care to dance?"

"Sure."

One hour had somehow become three. Lex could not have been having more fun if she tried. The only way this could be better was if Phil was with her. She would have to bring him to country night sometime. Maybe she could even get him into a cowboy hat. That thought made her smile, she could just see the scowl on his face now.

"Buggy why are you sitting down?" Jordan asked making his way over to her. "They are playing Barefoot Blue Jean Night. I love that song you have to dance with me." he pulled her to her feet and dragged her back out to the dance floor. He got behind her and grabbed her hips, pulling her back flush against his front. "Now this is the way to dance."

She just laughed. After all he was just a very close friend of the family. What harm could possibly come out of one stupid little dance?

Phil had just finished cleaning up the pizza dinner he and his sisters had had when he heard his cell phone ring over on the opposite counter. He wiped his hands with a dish cloth and grabbed his phone. He had gotten a text from Colt with a website link. It was one of those stupid dirt sheet sights but Colt must have had a reason to send it to him. Not thinking anything of it he clicked on the link. The site popped up before his eyes, there was his girlfriend grind up against some random guy at a club.

His jaw set as his heart hardened. "Well merry fuckin Christmas to me-"

To Be Continued ...

A/N: I am so sorry this took me so long. Work had just been crazy and I just haven't had the time or the energy. But I am starting to get back into the swing of things so there will be more frequent updates.