Thank you to Little Knux, Phoenix, Coors and Stratusfaction (Lissa) for reviewing the story. You're all so special and I appreciate every little bit of feedback I get from you all. Thank you! (And Melissa, I'm glad you liked what I did, re: the CFS. I was having a really tough time with the disease when I wrote this and that scene with Jeff and Josie is the one thing in the story that I have never, ever changed. Thank you for your comments, I really appreciate them.)

Anyway, I've started the process of going through the story and adding/subtracting things, since I wrote most of this years ago, it's a bit of a challenge to get everything right date wise and such. But, hopefully in the end it will be all worthwhile, so thank you for being patient while I tweak a bit.

Please R&R!

Mark Calloway stared straight ahead, trying to avoid eye contact with anyone who might try to inflict some sort of inane conversation on him, as he sauntered down the hallway of the arena. It was the night after a pay-per-view where he'd had a particularly strenuous match against Rikishi and had put his shoulder out again. No matter how accustomed to pain he had become over the years, the constant ache was still a drain on his energy. With a sigh, Mark considered that he might be getting too old for this, that maybe he should step aside and leave the nightly punishment for the younger guys to deal with. The thought only served to bring a wry smile to his face. He knew he wasn't ready to give this life up, no matter how inviting the options seemed, the road and the ring were his home. Always was and always would be.

Turning a corner he observed Josie warming up for her match, her expression an odd mixture of concentration and faraway sadness on her face and, for just a moment, he could have sworn he caught a glimpse of her father in that look. Mark hesitated in his stride for a moment, catching Josie's attention as he did so, and her face changed dramatically when she served him a shy smile. Even though they had been acquaintances for a few years, and had now been working together closely for over a month, Josie still seemed somewhat in awe of the big man who was one of the unofficial leaders of the locker room.

"How's it goin' kid?" He asked casually, leaning against the wall as Josie rose from her seated position on the ground and shrugged.

"Not bad, just warming up for my return match with Amy tonight. Same shit, different day really." Mark nodded carefully, knowing that there was something she wasn't telling him as she avoided his eyes.

"I have a question for you." He stated, in an almost challenging tone of voice, and Josie gave him a suspicious look, before nodding assent. "You've finally gotten everything you've worked for. A spot in the big company, a big push and a shot at the title." He told her, his face giving nothing away as Josie raised an eyebrow, waiting for him to continue.

"Yeah. Life is good." She replied with a wry smirk when he just examined her silently for a few moments.

"Well, if life is so damn good, then why the hell have you been walking around with the expression of someone who's just lost their best friend for the past month?" Mark finally asked, not really caring, but wanting to get the girl's mind back into gear. She'd seemed distracted since Wrestlemania and he'd learnt the hard was that working with someone who had other things on their mind was a recipe for disaster. He didn't want to go through that again.

"With all due respect, that's none of your business Mark." Josie told him archly, her eyes ice cold as she turned to walk away.

"With all due respect princess, it is." He retaliated, following her at a slow pace around a corner. "I have to work with you, so I think I have a right to know what's got that pretty little head of yours so screwed up."

Josie turned to respond, when something behind Mark caught her eye, her face screwing up in a perfect mask of bewilderment. When Mark turned to see what was so interesting that Josie would back off from an argument, he had to choke back a sudden burst of laughter that bubbled up inside of him.

Just down the hall from them Adam Copeland was banging his head against the concrete wall, muttering something unintelligible to himself.

"What on earth?" Josie mumbled quietly, her expression almost comical and Mark realised he had to walk away before the inevitable bout of laughter hit.

"I always wondered how long it would take for the peroxide to start breaking down their brain cells." He mused and Josie just flashed him an irritated look as he walked away, pretty sure that Angel had more to do with Adam's apparent breakdown than the peroxide he applied to his hair.

A month after Wrestlemania, Angel had been brought into the WWF roster full-time and while Adam had done everything he could think of to get her to go on a date with him, she always seemed uninterested. She finally walked up to Adam, trying to seem casual and leaned on the wall next to him.

"What are you doing?"

"Just leave me alone," he mumbled, "I'm fine." Josie rolled her eyes, grabbing his arm and pulling him roughly into the middle of the corridor.

"I'm not worried about you, I'm worried about the damage you're doing to that wall. What did my darling best friend do to you this time?" She dragged him over to a couple of chairs. "Sit." She commanded and pushed him down.

He leaned forward and started smacking his head on the palm of his hand. "I'm so stupid!" Josie sighed.

"I'm not going to argue with that, now don't make me knock you out!" She threatened and he finally looked up at her.

"She is the most exasperating, annoying, stubborn woman I have ever met in my life."

"She told you to shove it again, didn't she?" Josie asked dryly and Adam glared at her.

"You are no help." He got up to leave but Josie quickly grabbed his shirt and pulled him back down again.

"If you want sympathy, go to someone else. If you want advice from someone who knows that girl inside out, stick with me."

Adam sighed. "I'm not sure it's even worth it anymore." Josie couldn't help but smile. It was all too familiar.

"Look, if it wasn't worth it, you would have given up already. Angel likes to play games. At the moment you are being way too persistent. She usually waits 'til the guy cools off a bit, then goes in for the kill."

"So, if I back off, she'll go for me? Is that what you're saying." Josie shrugged noncommittally.

"She'll only want you for a little while though. She gets bored easily. What you need to do is make her want you as much as you want her."

"I thought she did want me?" Adam looked confused.

"She does, but she'll get bored with you if you follow her around like a puppy dog." She explained patiently. "Up until right now, she had the advantage. Now you do." She smiled slyly.

"What is my advantage, exactly?" Adam asked suspiciously and Josie posed with her arms above her head, flashing her cutest smile at him.

"Me."

He started laughing. "So, you'll help me?" He asked and Josie shrugged.

"As long as you want me to."

At that moment, Jeff walked around the corner and saw them huddled together laughing. He tried to ignore the pang of jealousy he felt at seeing them together and forced himself to walk over.

"Hey guys, what's up?" He asked, trying to sound casual. Adam grinned at him.

"Josie's going to help me get Angel. Isn't that awesome?" Jeff tried not to let the relief he felt show as Josie looked around uncomfortably. "Yeah, awesome." He smiled, trying to catch Josie's eye.

"Rule number one, Adam. Don't tell the whole locker room, okay? If she finds out, you won't have a chance. I gotta go, I'll see you boys around." She grabbed her bag and almost ran into the locker room.

"What is up with you two?" Adam asked, looking annoyed. "One minute you can't get enough of each other and the next..." He shrugged and looked at Jeff, who was still staring at where Josie had made her abrupt exit. Jeff just shook his head.

"I don't know man. She's been like this since right after Wrestlemania, I don't understand it." He sat down and Adam gave him a suspicious look.

"What did you do to her that night?" Jeff looked surprised.

"Hey, nothing! We just talked, I mean, she really opened up to me that night. But now, I don't know." Adam was surprised by how hurt Jeff sounded.

"Don't tell me you've fallen for her?" When Jeff didn't answer, Adam laughed. "Oh my God, you have! I can't believe this! I never thought I'd see the day."

Jeff glared at him. "So what if I have? What's so wrong with that, huh?" He snapped and Adam stopped laughing. "The first girl I've really liked for a long time, and she doesn't want to know me." He laughed bitterly.

"Aw, come on. Jeff...Jeff!" Adam called as Jeff walked away. He sighed and sat down again, shaking his head.

He looked up and saw Josie standing there with her hand over her mouth and a dismayed look on her face.

"Josie." She looked over at him and shook her head before running the way Jeff had gone. Angel walked out from the locker room and saw Josie bolting down the down the corridor.

"What happened?" She asked Adam, alarmed. He jumped up and grabbed Angel by the arm.

"Let's go."