Emilie smiled with delight as she felt the warm country breeze rush through her hair. She couldn't remember the last time she was in a convertible, especially one as nice as this. Living in New York she never needed a car. With the exception of an occasional drive to Long Island to visit her family, she mostly walked and took the subway everywhere. So needless to say she was ecstatic when Jeff pulled in to pick her up in his 2000 black Corvette. Relishing in the sweet summer air she threw her head back and closed her eyes, taking in every drop of happiness she was feeling. Jeff couldn't help but grin at the woman sitting beside him. She looked just like Mamie Van Doren with her Jackie O sunglasses and her blue chiffon scarf tied loosely around the top of her head. She was quite a vision to behold. Feeling his gaze penetrating her skin Emilie opened her eyes and smiled at her male companion.

"What?" she asked with a slight laugh.

"Nothing. I'm just glad you're here."

"Me too."

She put her hand on his as they drove towards Jeff's house. Cameron was completely different from anything Emilie had ever seen before. Just an endless flat terrain of grass and trees. Almost completely unspoiled by human hands. No huge shopping malls or busy express ways. Just a few mom and pop shops and farms. Normally Emilie would have been miserable in the type of environment but right now all she could feel was pure contentment. Perhaps it was because the town reminded her of Jeff. Quiet, laid back with an unmistakable sense of something else going on beneath the surface. She was so caught up in the scenery that she didn't even notice Jeff pulling into his driveway. Emilie stepped out of the car and removed her sunglasses to take a better look at the outlandish world Jeff called his home. The house in its self was an average Ranch style. Blue with white shutters and a standard wood porch leading up to the front door. But that's where the simplicity ended. The front yard was taken over by large mounds of dirt and a fifteen foot high sculpture made out of, what Emilie could only guess was, tinfoil.

"What is all this?" she asked Jeff as they unloaded her bag out of the trunk.

"This is my very own motocross track."

Emilie was taken back by his response. Out of all the things he could have said that was what she wanted to hear the least.

"I didn't know you rode dirt bikes." She said trying to hide her inner emotions.

"Yeah. Dirt bikes, motorcycles...anything fast."

Jeff looked at Emilie and flashed his famous smile at her but it quickly faded when he notice the look on her face.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing...I was just thinking about something."

"You sure? You look upset."

"Yeah I'm fine." She said plastering on a fake smile. "Come on. Show me the rest of your house."

Jeff threw Emilie's bag over his shoulder and took her hand to lead her up the walk way. As they entered the front door a loud barking echoed through the house soon followed by a large dog rushing towards them. Jeff placed Emilie's bag on the ground and knelt down to scratch his long time companion behind the ears. Emilie laughed as she watched Jeff attempt to shield his mouth from the dogs slobbering tongue.

"Hey there buddy! Ya miss me? Emilie this is my trusty dog Liger."

"Hey there boy." Emilie said reaching out her hand to pet Liger's shinny brown coat. The dog turned to nuzzle his wet nose against her hand. Emilie squealed as she felt Liger's tongue lapping at her hand.

"He's so cute" she laughed.

"I think he likes you."

"What can I say, the boy's got taste."

"I'll put your stuff in my room. Make your self at home." Jeff said as he picked up the duffel bag and walked towards the bedroom with Liger following close behind.

Emilie untied the scarf from her head and ran her fingers through her slightly tangled hair as she walked through the house. She had expected it to be a pig sty but was surprised to find that it was pretty spotless, nearly impeccable. There where plants everywhere. Along the floors, leading up the walls, and circling on the ceiling. Considering Jeff's travel schedule she assumed they were artificial. There's no way he'd be able to keep all these live plants. She passed through two lights shaped as palm tree as she walked into what she could only describe as the T.V. room. Due to the huge television that was positioned against the wall. Emilie was always amused by men's obsession with their entertainment systems and Jeff's was no different. He had every electronical device known to man, video game systems, DVD/VHS player, CD player, etc. There was also a couple of dome shaped lights strategically placed around the room and a disco ball in the center of the ceiling. It all just screamed Jeff Hardy. Suddenly Emilie felt something brush against her legs. Startled she jumped back to see a small furry creature scurry across the floor. Letting out a high pitch scream Emilie jumped onto the near by couch. Jeff came running into the room ready to attack whatever was alarming Emilie.

"What? What is it?" He asked trying to calm her down.

"There...there's a Raccoon in your house." She shouted to him remaining on the couch.

Jeff let out a small laugh.

"That's just Imagi. He's one of my pets."

Jeff walked over to the other side of the room where he found the small animal huddled in the corner.

"Aw look you scared him." He said as he picked Imagi up off the floor.

"I scared him?"

"Come on; help me put him back in his cage."

Emilie stepped down from the couch and followed Jeff down the stairs into what looked like the basement. There she saw two cages, both lined with soft cushions. Emilie guessed the larger empty one belonged to Imagi, but she couldn't tell what was in the second one. She watched with great interest as Jeff carefully placed his raccoon into the cage and shut the door.

"I hate keeping em in these things but I can't just have running around the house."

"Jeff is it safe keeping a raccoon. I mean don't they have like rabies or some sort of disease."

"Not Imagi. He's a South African Raccoon. For what I paid for him he better be as clean as a whistle."

Jeff walked over to the other cage, opened the door and pulled out what looked like a tan rat. He ran his thumbs over the small animal as he walked over to Emilie.

"And this is my prairie dog Witty."

"A prairie dog? I am defiantly not in New York anymore."

"You wanna hold him?"

"I'm scared I'll hurt him."

"You'll be fine. Just be gentle."

Jeff gently placed Witty in Emilie's hands. She was surprised at how light he was. She had never actually held a prairie dog; in fact the only time she had ever seen a prairie dog was at the Bronx Zoo. They were a lot cutter then she had remembered. Why shouldn't someone want this little guy as a pet? Emilie glanced around the room to see what other sorts of wildlife Jeff was keeping. Her eyes fixed on a large terrarium.

"What's in there?" she asked as she placed Witty back in his cage.

"Oh this is my big guy" Jeff walked over to the glass case and pulled out the biggest iguana she had ever seen. "This is Zeus."

"He's huge!"

"Just liked his daddy." Jeff winked. Emilie just laughed and playfully slapped Jeff's arm.

"Well stud I think we need to get going we told Matt and Amy we'd be there by twelve."

"Don't worry they expect me to be late."

"Well I am not gonna show up late the first I meet your father."

"Alright" he said placing Zeus down "Let me just go change."

"Please hurry Jeff."

"Your really worry about this aren't you?" Jeff asked noticing the sincerity in her voice.

"I'm just scared he won't like me." She said softly. Jeff walked up to her gently cupping her cheeks in his hands.

"He's gonna love you." He whispered.

"But what if he doesn't. He's so important to you; I just don't want to be a disappointment."

"My girlfriend could never be a disappointment."

Emilie looked up at Jeff with wide eyes.

"What is it?"

"You never called me your girlfriend before."

"Is that okay with you?"

"Yeah. In fact I think I like it a lot."

Jeff smiled as he leaned down to kiss his girlfriend. Yes that's right girlfriend. Jeff knew he never used the title before. Manly because he was afraid of Emilie's reaction. She seemed so warm and loving one minute and then she'd completely shut down the next minute. Just like she did before with the motocross track. Jeff had no idea what kind of baggage Emilie had but he knew that until she let it go she could never truly be his.