~!*1 week later*!~

~!*(Ring Ring)*!~

"Hello?" answered a groggy voice.

"Hey Jeff, it's me Jennifer," she replied.

"Oh hey, what's up?" Jeff said sounding a little happier then when he answered.

"Nothing much here, I was just calling cause I know your concerned about the where abouts of Marie," she started.

"Is she okay, where's she at?" Jeff interrupted.

"Yeah, she's fine. Listen, she'd probably give me a real ass kicking if she knew I was calling you. She's here at my place for awhile. Some stuff happened to her when she was in Pittsburgh and she hasn't fully told me, but yeah. I know how bad you've been concerned about her. So I just thought I'd let you know," Jennifer explained.

"Oh thanks a bunch," Jeff sighed sounding a little relieved.

"Your welcome Jeff," she replied.

"Hey Kiddo, can I go and talk to her?? I mean so that way we can work some things out, I never got the chance to explain to her why I did what I did and I think she needs to hear it," Jeff asked.

"You know, I think I can arrange that," Jenn started.

"Arrange what?" Marie asked walking into the room.

"Oh just, a little surprise for my friend Leimomi," Jenn answered covering up the phone.

"Oh okay, well, I'm going out to the park to go think, I'll be back within 2 hours," I said walking to the table that had the car keys and cell phone on it.

"Hey Marie, do you want me to go with you? I mean you seem really distant ever since you got here. You've been going to the park to think a lot.. I'm concerned about you, that's all," Jenn explained.

"Naw, it's okay Jenn. I know I've been distant. I'll get over it. In time you'll know why. I'll see ya when I get back," I said walking out the front door.

"Okay Jeff, sorry bout that. Listen, you know, you can just get a flight out as soon as you can and let me know when your here and when your ready to talk to her and I'll just happen to HAVE to do something, sound like a plan to you?" Jenn asked.

"Yeah sounds good. I'll talk to you when I find out. Bye." Jeff replied as he hung up.

"Bye Jeff," Jenn said before hanging up the phone.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

~!*(3 days later)*!~

~!*(At the park)*!~

'What was I thinking just taking off like that on everyone. I had no right to do that, no matter who I am. It's just not fair.. what was I thinking? Obviously not very clearly. I haven't even heard from Jeff. He must not even be concerned about me at all.. what a butt
monkey.. hell, I haven't heard from anyone over there,' Marie thought to herself as she sat on the grass looking out onto the lake.

"Excuse me Ms., but are you Jade from wrestling?" asked a little girl tapping me on my shoulder.

"Why, I am. And just who might you be?" I returned trying to be as happy as I could.

"My name's Marie. I was wondering if maybe I could get your autograph," she asked so innocently you just couldn't refuse.

"Well, of course I will. You have such a pretty name, I guess we have something in common, we have the same names," I said trying to be nice.

"Marie April! You shouldn't be bothering her, leave her alone, it's her day off!" her mom shouted as she seen her daughter talking to me.

"Hey it's not a problem. I enjoy talking to fans. Hey Marie, guess what, we got another thing in common, my middle names April too, "I whispered.

"Really? That is cool, mommy did you hear her?" Marie asked as she turned to her mom.

"Yes I did. We better leave her alone now. Thank her for the autograph honey," her mom said nicely.

"Thank you Jad... err, I mean Marie. Thank you taking time to talk to me," she said as she turned around to walk with her mom.

"Your welcome, hey Marie, come here a sec, I wanna give you something, here, it's my favorite bracelet. I want you take good care of it. Okay?" I said putting my lucky silver charm bracelet on her wrist.

"Okay I will, I promise!" Marie smiled as she gave me a big hug.

"Marie's mom, listen I know you probably don't want your daughter watching wrestling or anywhere near a live event, but the next time we're in Albany did you want to bring her by the arena?" I offered nicely.

"You know I'd love to. But her dad would never let her go. I had a hard enough time getting him to let me bring her here," her mom explained.

"Oh okay. Well, I'd really like to see Marie again, she's such a nice little girl. Do you think we could possibly meet up here at least once a week?" I asked nicely.

"Sure, I think we could do that. How bout every Wednesdays your here at say 5 o'clock? By the way my name's Alexis," she responded.

"Yeah, that's cool. Starting tomorrow? I come here everyday. I'll be here up until the end of the month. It was nice meeting you guys. Maybe I'll see you around, I'm going to be here for a couple more weeks. You promise not to tell anyone where I'm at Marie?" I asked in a child like voice.

"Scouts honor! It'll be our little secret. Right mommy?" Marie giggled.

"It sure will be. Come on honey, lets go home now," her mom said grabbing Marie's hand and walking her back to their car.

'It was nice to see something like that. Made my day that's for sure. Made me a happier person. I guess I better be getting back to Jenn's. I've been gone for a good three hours.
She's going to be so concerned," I thought to myself as I got up and wiped off my bottom of any dirt.

As I was making my way back to my rental car Marie and her mother waved good bye to me as they pulled out of the park parking lot.

When I was driving back to Jenn's Truly Madly Deeply came on the radio. I turned up the volume and sang along with the song. When I pulled up in to Jenn's drive way it was 7:28 pm.

"Hey Jenn, you wont believe what happened at the park," I said loudly as I entered the family room stopping abruptly at the sight I seen on the couch, "Jeff? What are you doing here? Where's Jennifer?".

"Hey Marie. I'm here cause I need to talk to you and Jennifer went out to go get something," Jeff explained.

"Right. Uh huh. I'm all ears. What'd ya need to talk to me about?" I asked looking straight into Jeff's eyes.

"Okay, I need to talk to you about what happened between us and can you please not stare at me like that you look like you wanna kill me!" Jeff stated.

"Well, you haven't made an attempt to contact me at all, and it's been over a week since we've talked, what do you expect from me a warm welcome?" I shouted.

"No I was sort of expecting this. Can we just talk about this?!" Jeff started to raise his voice.

"Yeah, we can. Lets go sit outside on the bench," I sighed.

"Okay, before I say anything, you promise not to say anything before I'm done talking?" Jeff asked.

"Mm hmm, scouts honor," I giggled as I remember Marie saying that to me.

"Do you remember when we were in the car and you were talking about going to go visit Mark? I was jealous. That's why I was upset. Just like when you dance with Adam and Chris I get jealous, because I knew you would never dance like that with me. I get jealous of any guy who spends time with you when I'm not around. Just like all those times when you would walk up when Matt and I were taking and we suddenly got quiet, we were talking about you. Matt was always tryin to convince me to confess my true feelings for you. But I never did, I was afraid I'd loose you as a friend, and I wouldn't be able to stand that. Then when you left just out of no where no one knew where you were. I thought it was my fault. I thought all the way back to when I first met you when you accidentally ran into me cause you were going to be late for your meeting with Vince and you were lost. I remembered exactly what you wore, a green tank top with overalls on and your hair up in a pony tail. That's how much I remembered. I even recalled your smile and how great I thought it was, I remembered waiting for you outside of Vince's office to see how things went. I even thought of the conversation we were having about how you like writing and doing things you could only dream of doing. Those first few moments I met you I felt a strong connection with you, I felt like you were actually the one who I was meant to be with. I was barely even talking to Matt when you first left, cause I was thinking about the times we had together. When I found out where you were I just had to come and see you and explain. I wasn't just going to let you slip through my hands that easily and over one argument," Jeff explained.

"Awe, now I feel awful. I'm so sorry Jeff. I had no idea! Give me a hug," I sniffled out.

As we hugged I continued to cry on Jeff's shoulder. I had never had anyone tell me something as charming as what he just told me. This made me love Jeff even more then I did. Who could resist someone just as nice as him? I can tell you, me. After all this, you would think I would have at least somewhat of similar feelings.. well, I don't. none! how much does that bite? To be loved by someone and not love them.

"Jeff, I love you too, just not the same way you love me. It's a horrible thing. I know. I am really sorry, I'm just not ready for a relationship and every time I get involved in one something bad happens and like you said, I don't wanna ruin the wonderful friendship we have. Can you forgive me Jeff?" I cried.

"Yeah, I can forgive you. I just had to tell you how I feel for you. I guess I can be going now," Jeff sighed sadly.

"Wait Jeff, don't. I want you to stay a while with me. At least till Thursday. There's someone I want you to meet tomorrow, will you come?" I asked politely.

"Yeah I guess I could do that," Jeff said.

"Now Mr., I want you to do me a favor, start trying to see other people. I know it's hard being we're always on the road and everything. But try and get yourself involved with someone, I want to see you happy again, okay?" I asked.

"Okay, I'll do you that one favor," Jeff sighed.

The next day at 5 o'clock I took Jeff with me to go meet Marie April. Marie was really happy that she got to meet Jeff. She's such a cute little girl. While Marie and Jeff were playing I got to know Alexis a little better. Just as me and Jeff were leaving Marie ran up to us and gave us both "big" hugs. Alexis thanked us both for taking time to spend with her daughter. We told her it was our pleasure and that she didn't have to thank us 24/7. The rest of the week went by pretty fast and Jeff had to leave to go catch up with the rest of the Federation. At the airport I gave him a hug and a kiss good bye and told him I'd see him at the end of the month.