PART 5

Jackie once again found herself racing through the halls in search of Charlie, and once again the former tag team champion was nowhere to be found. This time, her desire to find him was much stronger, and as a result there was a bit more speed in her step. He had fled from the ring so quickly after kissing her, she hadn't even gotten a chance to react, which - had he given her the opportunity to - she would have done so favorably.

"Where the hell could he be?" she asked herself as she passed by his empty locker room, which she discovered to be empty.

She couldn't believe what was going on. The events occurring within the last five minutes alone were a whirlwind in her mind. A few minutes later, just as she was about to give up, she spotted him. His back was to her, and he was walking so briskly in the other direction that Jackie had to run in order to catch up.

"Charlie!" she called, wincing as he froze in his tracks. "Charlie, where are you going?"

Taking a deep breath, Charlie turned to face her. He could only hope that she wouldn't take note of just how red his boiling cheeks were. He was mortified over what he had just done.

"Jackie, look, about what just happened..." he began, his gaze dropping immediately to the floor. He knew he wouldn't even be able to give her the common decency of looking her in the eye, he was that thoroughly embarrassed. "I'm really sorry... I don't know what came over me."

Jackie frowned, "Sorry? Why on earth are you sorry?"

"Because," he shrugged, "I should have said something to you first. I mean, I just went off and kissed you, in front of ten thousand people, no less. It was just disrespectful, it was wrong of me, and it was..."

"Spurr of the moment?" Jackie finished for him with a smile. "It's called spontaneity, Charlie, and most women happen to find it very attractive."

A nervous laugh escaped Charlie's lips as he dared to look up at her. Maybe being a little spontaneous worked well with most women, but he didn't want most women. He wanted Jackie. And if he learned anything about her in the time they'd spent working together, it was that Miss Jackie was not most women.

"Women like you, I'm sure as hell hoping," he said quietly, his eyes dropping down again.

"Yes Charlie, women like me," Jackie replied with a laugh, moving closer to him.

She took his hand in hers, calming his wired nerves with her soft, gentle touch. He glanced up at her again, sending her an adorable half smile. Nodding his head in the direction he was walking before she stopped him, he gestured for her to walk along with him. The pair strolled hand in hand, in silence for a long while, till Charlie spoke again.

"Even if you don't care, I still wish I hadn't kissed you out there," he said.

A second after he made the statement, he cringed, suddenly feeling the urge to kick himself. Open mouth, insert foot, he thought to himself. He looked at Jackie, who wore a confused look on her otherwise lovely face.

"What I meant was, uh... I didn't want to kiss you like that out there, in front all those people, and the way I did it. Call me old fashioned, but I normally don't kiss a girl till after I had a date with her... not after I wrestled a match with her."

Jackie smiled softly, cocking her head to the side and looking up at him.

"Being a traditional romantic is very attractive," she said with a nod of approval.

Pausing from her walk, she stepped in front of him, wrapping her arms around his lean waist. Charlie laughed, returning the hug.

"What happened to spontaneity?" he questioned, playfully narrowing his eyes at her.

"Well, I guess you've just got it all," she replied, winking at him.

Charlie laughed again, but he shook his head. Despite how nervous and uneasy he felt only a few moments ago, he feld unusually calm. He supposed Jackie just had that effect on him... she brought out sides in him he didn't even know existed. Whatever doubts or insecurities he had concerning their relationship dwindled away in her presence.

"Not quite," he said, tentatively forward.

He sealed off all the distance between them and lowered his head, pressing his lips to hers. Jackie not only responded this time, but the blonde woman responded eagerly. When they parted a few moments later, Charlie gave her a satisfied smile.

"Now I've got it all."

"John, did you see that?!" Torrie squealed, snatching her boyfriend's arm excitedly. "He kissed her! I can't believe it, they're finally together!"

John shook his head, eyeing Torrie in amazement. She had the two of them crouching behind the corner of a wall for nearly five minutes, since they'd happened to walk up behind them. Torrie was on her way back to the locker room to meet Dawn Marie, whose hair spraying extravaganza turned in to, "I need more makeup, too... and I'll have to get changed." She had insisted they stay behind to watch the pair interact, and vehemently refused John's suggestion that they go congratulate them on winning their match.

"Louder Torrie, I don't think the Raw roster heard you," he quipped, placing a finger to her lips.

"Oh, shut up. I can't help it, it's cute! Look at them," she said, clapping her hands together in delight.

"I see it, Torr, and it's terrific," he said sincerely, "but I think we've done enough watching for now... let's leave them alone."

"Aw, come on," she pouted, her gaze locked on the two as Charlie pressed his forehead to Jackie's, kissing her once more. "They're too damn cute. And besides, we're not hurting anyone."

John sighed, smacking his forehead dramatically. Considering the countless times he'd lost battles with Torrie, he didn't even know why he bothered to instigate them.

"No, babe, but you are spying," he pointed out matter of factly.

"Shut up," she spat with a laugh. Then, with a sigh of her own, she turned away from the couple. "Oh, fine. But you have to admit, it's about time they got together."

"Yeah, it is," John nodded in agreement. "These types of things always work out on in the end. I gotta admit, I'm proud of my boy for getting the job done. They look awesome together."

"Oh, I'm happy for Charlie, but even more so for Jackie," Torrie said with a smile. "She's been looking for love since the day she got here."

John laughed, "And who woulda thought she'd find it in a man crazy enough to tag with Rico?"

It seems like I can finally
Rest my head on something real
I like the way it feels
It's as if you know me better
Than I ever knew myself

::The End::