Chapter 3

Maria awoke that morning to her phone ringing.

She answered it with a sleepy, "Hello?"

"Maria! Where are you? The plane leaves in an hour!"

"Oh my God!" Maria screeched! Maria jumped out of her bed like a pop tart.

"Hurry up! I'm waiting in the lobby."

Maria, who thankfully packed up her things the night before, quickly got changed and zipped up her suitcase. She grabbed her bags and flew out the door. Her attempt at a get away was slowed down at her wait for the elevator, but when the lift dropped her off at the lobby, she continued her mad dash.

"C'Mon! C'Mon!" Shawn hurried her along as he opened the door for her and slid in after her.

"Shawn! I'm so sorry! I set my alarm but I guess I didn't hear it."

Shawn grabbed her face between his hands and looked into her eyes. "Maria. It's fine. If we don't make it we could take a train or something. Don't worry. We'll get there."

"Thanks, Shawn. You saved me."

"Yeah, well, you're about to kill me."

"Why?"

"Your breath! You didn't brush your teeth did you?"

"Well, no." Maria smiled sheepishly, but began to defend herself at Shawn's expression. "I was rushing out the door. Did you want me to take three extra minutes to brush my teeth?"

"Maybe it would've helped…"

Maria pulled out Listerine strips. "Better?"

"Yeah, a little."

"I brush them for real when we get up in the air."

"C'Mon. We're here." They rushed out of the car, their suitcases in tow. They went straight check in their bags. Once that was complete without a hitch, they looked to see an incredibly long line for security.

"Damn! There's no way that we'll make it in time." Shawn said as he stared at the line dismally. He grabbed her hand and pulled her over to a security guard.

"Excuse me sir?" Shawn got the man's attention.

"Yeah, whatdayou want?" His thick Texas accent told the two that he wasn't one to be reckoned with.

"We really need to get past this line to make out flight. Would you be able to help us to the front?" Shawn asked the man.

"All of these here people really need to make their flights too. What makes you so special?"

"Listen, I normally don't play this card but I really need to be on my plane in the next 20 minutes. I am a professional wrestler for the WWE."

"Oh…" The security guard seemed to contemplate this for about a minute before pulling Shawn off to the side and out of site before he grabbed him and pushed him up against the wall by the collar of his shirt. "Boy, you like running around with those greased up homosexuals? Touching them on their privates? Boy, you are messed up. Being gay is a sin. You want to jump in front of all these people who actually follow the bible? Over my dead body, boy. Over my dead body."

Shawn squirmed underneath him. He knew he could take him out if he wanted to, but he really didn't need another set back. Maria walked over and tapped the big security guard on the shoulder.

"What?" The man snapped, but when he noticed it was a pretty lady, he corrected himself and released his grip on Shawn's shirt. "May I help you ma'm?"

"Yes. I am with him and we really do need to get to the next state. We don't have to skip in front of all these people, but if we could that would be great. Or if you could tell us another way to get to San Diego, that would be great."

"Well, miss, may I see your ticket?"

"Sure." Maria showed the man her ticket.

"Well you're flight is gonna leave in about five minutes. I don't think that you'll make it."

"Whose fault is that?" Shawn muttered off to the side.

Maria and the security guard glared at him. "Is there another way we could get there within the next three hours or so?

"There is a train station about a mile away. We can get you a taxicab that will take you there and there is a train to San Diego. I have family there, ya see, and I know the train schedule. The next train leaves in about twenty minutes."

"Where can we go to get a cab?" Shawn asked.

"Walk out those doors and speak to a man in a uniform.

"Thank you very much, sir."

"No problem, ma'm,"

The two took the man's advice and headed to the exit to hail a cab.

.:.

"John? It seems like something is bothering you," Mickie said to her boyfriend as they waited for the plane to take off.

"That I can't think of anyone who could love someone more than I love you." John told her sweetly, kissing her lips.

"You sweetheart!" Mickie smiled at him as she kissed him. When she pulled away, she whipped out her compact mirror and reapplied her lip gloss… again. "Am I alright?"

"You asked that a billion times" John said as he went through the playlist on his iPod, "Yeah, baby, you look great." He couldn't help but wonder if all she cared about was looking good and showing off. He scrolled to find some good tunes and didn't come across anything interesting yet. "Lindsay Lohan?" He questioned, looking at her. He let Mickie put some of her songs on there so he could 'think of her when he's listening to his music.'

"Hey! She is good, even though she's Hollywood's biggest slut" said Mickie. We have that in common she thought with a smile.

John had searched through all of his songs but he went back to the playlists and found one only marked by a heart. He didn't recognize it, so he asked Mickie.

"Darlin', what's this?"

"Oh, Johnny, that was on your iTunes. I just kept it. It's got some pretty good songs on there." Mickie said with a wave of the hand as she looked in her compact, checking to see if her nose needs to be powdered.

John had remembered Maria mentioning something about putting a playlist on his iPod a few days before he was caught. He clicked shuffle and listened to the playlist.

John blocked out all things as he put his Skull Candies in.

The first song was I'm Not Saying Goodbye by A Rocket to the Moon. He wasn't really wasn't into alternative but it was catchy.

Next was I've Just Seen a Face by The Beatles. Who was he to not like the classics? He listened on.

After that was Whisper Something Fragile by The Cab. He didn't like this kind of music, but it reminded him of Maria. She was always listening to this crap.

Then the device played L.O.V.E. Machine by Fozzy. He laughed as The King of Bling Bling played the repetitive song.

Next was Eye of the Tiger. He didn't know why that was under a playlist called "3" but he digressed and listened to Survivor.

After that was I Love You by Chris Brown. Shit John thought, this was a playlist for us.

He pressed the next button and Baby, We're Invincible by A Rocket to the Moon played.

He pressed the button again. Three Cheers for Five Years by Mayday Parade.

Once again, he pressed the next button. The Mixed Tape by Jack's Mannequin All these songs were about being in love. Maria put them on his iPod when they were still dating. He didn't understand how he didn't realize that they were there. But they were there, and for a brief moment he wished Maria was too.

John looked to his left to see Mickie checking her face in her compact and sighed in defeat. He brushed the feeling off before shutting off his iPod and giving Mickie a kiss on the cheek before drifting off into a restless sleep with the strange feeling that something needed to be fixed.

.:.

It was fairly quiet in the train. Maria had stared out of her window the whole time because she was thinking again about her failed relationship. The nerve...She thought as she pictured John sitting on the plane, kissing Mickie passionately. Then she realized that she needed time to get over John. I guess I should stop thinking about him. Maria had enough of that, and looking over at Shawn, her mouth open and ready to talk, she found that he was fast asleep.

Wow, Maria thought. The sun was shining brightly in his face, and Maria observed him, his chest rising and falling slowly as it reached closer to deep sleep. Maria knew that he stressed and worried but when he was sleeping it all melted away. His dark blonde hair crowned his face in a sexy but mysterious. She caressed a finger on his cheek and he moved slightly but not waking. You've been here the whole time Maria thought to herself.

Maria sat back in her seat and listened to the radio playing on the train. She recognized the song. Rearview Mirror by Jet Black Stare. She really liked the song but as it progressed it made her sad to the point where she was tearing up.

She finally realized why that song made her sad, the song reminded her of John. I need to get over him she thought.When she thought about what he did to her, she burst into tears. Not because she was hurt, but because she still loved him. I can't do this she thought to herself, I can't get over him, its hopeless. She felt an arm over her shoulder, and Maria found her way into a soft, freshly cleaned T-shirt. "I'm sorry Shawn" she said with an appreciative smile, sniffing, "I'm ruining all your T-shirts."

Shawn smiled himself, "It's okay Maria. I'll let them get ruined, because what matters is that your okay, and I want to help you get over John." He rested his head against hers, inhaling the sweet scent of orchid and coconut in her hair. "Hmmm...your hair smells good."

Maria chuckled, "Shawn, you can say the most silliest things, and you can be so comforting too."

Shawn squeezed his arm that was around her affectionately. "I try." He looked at her and knew that he had fallen in love with her. He couldn't deny the emotions. He had fallen in love with Maria, but he knew that advancing on her at this kind of time wasn't what she needed to make her more stressed out. But if only you knew how bad he wanted to kiss her, touch her, and how bad he wanted her to be his. "You are beautiful, Maria."

"Thank you" Maria said, blushing, and then something else popped in her head. "Wasn;t it funny how that man at the airport thought you were gay?"

"What?" Shawn asked confused. But then he remembered. "Oh. Right, that was hilarious." He answered sarcastically.

Maria hit him playfully. "Oh, don't lie! You thought it was funny too."

"I thought the look on his face was funny when he realized that I was with you." HE realized the connotation of his words and corrected himself, "Well not with you but on your flight, I guess. Heh."

"Yeah. That was funny too." Maria said quietly as she thought about being with Shawn. Well that wouldn't be so bad…

A/N: Yeah… what do you think? WAIT! Stop write there and say it in a review! Haha… wow I'm so pathetic…