Disclaimer: I am not affiliated with WWE nor own the rights to any of the superstars or workers, including CM Punk. I am making no money off of this in any way. Please don't sue me.

Author's Note: Special thank you to StephLauren and Kaiya's Watergarden for your reviews!

The knock on Nicole's door caused her dog, Bertie, to begin to bark with excitement.

"Hush, Bert." She called and the little black and brown dog gave a final indignant bark, though her tail kept moving rapidly. As she opened the door Rami was standing with two red suitcases, one smaller than the other. "Do you think you're moving in?"

"One is clothes, one is presents." He announced happily. "Plus, I have a few movies." Nicole let him in her house and he put his stuff in the living room. The two story house was a ranch style. White on the outside, Nicole had painted the living room a light blue. Her own bedroom was purple.

"What movies?"

"Well, 'National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation', 'A Christmas Story', 'A Year Without A Santa Claus', and several wonderful other Christmas favorites."

"Wow, you're all ready." She beamed.

"Where can I put my other suitcase?"

"My room is up the stairs, turn right, it's the second door on the left."

"Gotcha." He raced up the stairs and Nicole couldn't help but laugh at his excitement. It was the type of Christmas she had always grown up with. Living in Florida wasn't much different than California, except for the wall of humidity. When she and John had split Kayley had mentioned that a house near hers was available. Kayley wasn't one for heat, but NXT and most of the training programs were here, so when she moved out of Chicago it seemed like the easiest place to go. As Rami came back down the stairs he picked up Nicole making her cry out in laughter.

"I don't know how I was too busy to stop and do this." He placed a passionate kiss on her lips before putting her back down. "Hey, Bertie!" Immediately on the ground, he began petting Nicole's dog who was lapping up the attention.

"You are energetic."

"Way too much coffee. Your bedroom is purple." He called before standing up.

"I told you it was."

"Some part of me didn't believe you, but I like it." He grabbed his other bag and brought it to where she had her tree set up. Reaching in he pulled out four presents for Nicole and two for Bertie. They joined the ones already under the tree. Some for him, a few for Kayley.

"Alright. All good to go." He announced.

"You didn't have to get me anything."

"Well, you didn't have to get me anything either." He countered and she just smirked. "So, what movie do you want to start with?"

"Come on, Bill, I just want to train for a little bit." Kayley argued.

"No one is going to be there, Kayley." Bill DeMott was the head trainer of NXT and he oversaw the facilitates.

"Someone has to be there."

"It's Christmas Eve." He said but she heard him sigh. "I will double check. Hold on." Kayley waited patiently. It had been a little over a week since she talked to Phil. He had tried calling a few more times, but she wasn't ready to hear it. Worse was that it brought up a ton of memories that she had forced back, unwilling to remember. Instead of going home for the holidays she stayed in Florida. She could have gone over to Nicole's, but she knew Rami was heading over today and she wanted to let them have some time alone. So, she figured if she could get in some training, even if it was just weight lifting, it wouldn't be a total bust.

"Kayley?"

"Yeah, still here, Bill."

"Turns out someone will be there today, well at least the facilitates will be open."

"Thank you, Bill. You're a life-saver."

"Yeah, yeah. Just don't do anything dangerous without a spotter, okay?"

"You have my word." She answered.

"Merry Christmas, Kayley."

"Merry Christmas, Bill." As she hung up the phone all she needed to do was grab her keys. Her shoes were already on. However, as she was about to leave her phone rang.

"Hello?"

"Hola, chica. What's up?" Nicole's voice was bright. Immediately it made Kayley feel at ease.

"I was thinking about going to train."

"Train? Kayley, it's Christmas Eve."

"I know." Knowing this phone call might not be too quick she headed back into her living room. Kayley's house was a little different than Nicoles. With a design called "Storybook" her home was two stories with a high pointed roof. Built in the 1920's, Kayley maintained the outside as it was built. However, the inside was more her style. Her living room was painted a cream with paintings on every wall. Several had been given to her by Jeff Hardy when they were closer. Her own bedroom was emerald. Never able to keep her house perfectly clean cat toys littered the floor. She had a three year old boy cat. He was a half-sphynx with a slight rat like appearance. So, she called him Splinter.

"Tell her no." Rami's voice echoed from the background. "Tell her if she wants to train we'll go the day after Christmas."

"I'll take him up on that too." Nicole relayed the message. "But I'm still going today."

"Why?"

"Honestly, sis, I just need to. I need to get out of my own head. Does that make any sense?"

"Completely." Nicole understood. "Too much sense."

"What are you guys doing?"

"Watching movies then we're going to get mass amounts of Chinese food." Kayley's stomach growled.

"Oh man, that sounds awesome."

"You should come then." Nicole pushed. "Please. There will be plenty here and Rami and I would love to have you. Not to mention, Bertie. She hasn't seen you in so long that she's practically wasting away." Kayley laughed slightly. "I heard that. Does that mean you'll come?"

"Yeah."

"Good."

"But I am still going to the training center first."

"My god, Kayley there is no stopping you. Are you preparing to kill someone? Is it Nikki? It should be Nikki."

"Sure, if that will make you feel better. In reality I'm a little depressed and this will help."

"Still haven't called him back, huh?"

"Do you think I should." Kayley asked. Nicole huffed.

"No, I'm still pissed as hell at him."

"That's what I thought."

"But, if it's making you this crazy."

"Hey, I like my crazy." Kayley defended.

"Yeah, but you don't like this."

"No, I don't."

"Kayley." She could hear Rami's voice as he pulled the phone away from his girlfriend. "Go get your endorphin's on, get over here, and I promise I will make you laugh. I'm good. Listen." Kayley made a gagging face as Nicole's squeels of delight came though the phone.

"Stop it! That's my neck." Nicole's laughter didn't muffle her words nearly enough.

"Ugh, okay. Please stop. I'm still on the line here." He handed the phone back to Nicole.

"Chica, the food will be here in 3 hours. So will you."

"So will I."

"See ya, sis."

"Bye." Kayley hung up the phone and headed out the door. The drive there was boring, and weird. She still wasn't used to a warm Christmas. Being from PA, most of the time there was snow, or at least a chill, in the air. As she pulled into the parking lot, she realized hers was the only car. She hoped Bill was right, that it would be open. Grabbing her gear out of her passenger seat, she headed into the facility. She expected quiet, but no such luck. She could hear someone lifting weights.

"Hello!" She called out, but no one answered. Figuring they were wearing headphones she threw her bag over her shoulder and headed around the corner. What she saw stopped her in her tracks. Enough to make her drop her bag. Phil was lifting weights. His hair was shorter than she remembered and he looked leaner. His shirt was an old straight edge shirt he owned and he was wearing black work out pants. As her breathing kicked in she debated running. Literally, just turning around and heading out. Even if she left her bag there she could get new gear. Who cares about gear. However, Phil could tell someone was there and he looked into the eyes of the last person he expected. Her curly hair was pulled into a pony tail and her deep brown eyes were just as beautiful as he remembered. Immediately, he pulled the head-phones out of his ears. Kayley could hear his breathing, fast from the exercising. As he walked over to her she could have sworn her sneakers were glued to the floor.

"Hey Kayley." His voice sent chills through her.

"Phil. What are you doing here?"

"I figured a little extra training couldn't hurt." He answered and she nodded. "You?"

"I didn't have really much to do."

"I thought you'd be in PA."

"Yeah, I was going to, but it was just easier to stay here this year."

"I heard you moved to Florida."

"From who?"

"Brian." He answered and she nodded.

"I can give you the place today."

"Please don't go." Phil knew he sounded pathetic, but he couldn't help it. Now seeing her, the amount he had missed her seemed to increase exponentially. Kayley's experience was quite different. She knew she would have to see him, but she didn't expect it to be so soon. "I mean, there's plenty of space. No reason we can't both work out and train." Kayley nodded. Grabbing her bag she immediately headed toward the treadmills, trying with everything not to look at him. Putting in her headphones, she turned the music up and tried to concentrate on the wall in front of her. Glancing over, he had returned to the weights, but she could feel him looking over periodically. Her mind raced through memories. Their first date, when they saw "The Dark Knight" and their first kiss after that fight in the hall. The night she was injured and the look on his face when he thought he would lose her. When he proposed with the ring tie and when he finally showed her the engagement ring. It was white gold with diamonds and emeralds. When they drove to Wrestlemania singing Coldplay but changing the words. The night he left. At this point she was sprinting on the treadmill and she finally slowed down. Looking over at him, a million thoughts raced through her head, but one question was louder than the rest. Turning off the treadmill she ripped her headphones out and walked over toward him. Immediately he put the weights down.

"I need to ask you something."

"Okay. Anything."

"Why did you leave me?" The tension hung in the air as he stared at her. Kayley had almost forgotten that his eyes weren't brown. They weren't green either. They were both. Phil wished he could just hold onto her, but he knew that she wouldn't let him. Why did she have to ask that question?

"I don't have a good answer, Kayley. I wish I did. I wish I could say, 'I did it because...' and there would be a definite answer, but there isn't."

"Did she have something I didn't?"

"AJ... She just. She wanted me so badly and I felt like you didn't as much." Kayley's eyes narrowed.

"When we were together, I never stopped wanting you."

"It felt like you did."

"Then you should have talked to me! It was a rough patch. You work through those, you don't go off with the first person who wants you."

"I know." He answered, ashamed. Rubbing the back of his neck out of habit, he took a long breath. "I was wrong. I was stupid. Kayley, I got caught up in something and it wasn't me."

"You're damn right it wasn't you."

"She made everything easy." Kayley gave a short laugh and shook her head. "It's not right. It's not okay, but there it is. That's why I stopped talking to you."

"What?" As Kayley's eyes grew wide Phil tried to take a step toward her and she took a step back.

"She begged me too and I listened because I think we both knew that she and I wouldn't last if I did."

"I'm going to go." Kayley said, her eyes slightly unfocused.

"Wait. Can I ask one question?" While Kayley thought better of it, she nodded. "Did you stop thinking about me?"

"I wish I could say I did, Phil." Her voice was drained. "I had a great guy that I let walk away because I couldn't stop thinking about you." As she turned to go his voice stopped her one more time.

"I didn't stop thinking about you either, but I'm glad I didn't." With her last ounce of strength she pushed the poor open and he watched her leave.