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: Sorry this took so long. it's been a weird few months.


The Rumble had been set in Orlando, Florida. So, it was nice for both Nicole and Kayley to be able to go back to their homes to sleep. Even better was that RAW the next night was set for Miami. A three and a half hour drive away. It wasn't a bad drive. The annoying part was the drive home after. They could sleep in their bed for one more night after that. Smackdown was in Tampa, only an hour away. No sense in getting a hotel room. A yawn escaped Kayley as she drove on the Turnpike. Rami was asleep in the back of the car and Nicole was humming along with the radio.

"You can't be tired. You didn't even wrestle last night." The announcer argued.

"Maybe not physically."

"Thinking about Phil?" Kayley nodded. Though she slept much better than she would have in a hotel room, she still only get a few hours. "Well... maybe you should give him another chance."

"What?" Kayley asked loudly. Rami stirred, but went right back to sleep with a soft snore.

"The guy is pouring his heart out, here." Nicole reasoned. "You know how much I hated him after what he did to you, but I really think he's being genuine." Nicole had been wanting to say it for the last few days, but she wasn't sure how Kayley would respond.

"If it was John, what would you do?"

"What?" Nicole's eyes were wide.

"If John and Nikki broke up and he came to you and said he made a huge mistake and he wasn't sure he ever loved Nikki and that he missed you and was going to try to win you back, what would you do?"

"Hold up, one hot second. Before we get back to me grilling your ass on the differences, and I will, I promise..." Kayley could hear the anger seeping through Nicole's voice. "He told you he wasn't sure he ever loved AJ? When?"

"Last night. In Steph's office."

"Kayley... that's huge. That's been your biggest hang up. You've been wondering if it was the same between those two and it's obviously not."

"It's not that easy to forget, Nicole."

"Tell me about it. Speaking of which..." Nicole actually turned in her seat and suddenly the 4'11" frame looked intimidating. Even though she was wearing a lot of pink. "There are STARK differences between what Phil did to you and what John did to me."

"I know, Nicole, I-"

"Stop." She took a few steadying breaths. "We are not going to sit here and compare who got more fucked over. We both got pretty fucked over."

"I agree."

"Hush!" Nicole yelled.

"I was just saying I..." Nicole's eyes looked practically on fire and Kayley quieted down.

"We both were hurt in different ways. You and Phil were practically married and it was completely out of the blue. John and I weren't ever going to be married and there were signs that I didn't want to see." It had taken Nicole a long time to admit that he had been acting strange. Suddenly he was working out with Nikki, he would go without inviting Nicole. He put a password on his phone where there wasn't before and constantly hid it from her. They stopped communicating. Part of her just wanted to think it was something innocuous. She took a deep breath and pushed it aside. "There are two big differences between the two. One being that Phil isn't John."

"Meaning?"

"Kayley, Phil didn't cheat on you. He specifically broke it off early because he didn't want to cheat on you."

"Yeah, he didn't screw AJ, but he still wanted a relationship with her."

"And he's explained that. He doesn't want her and he never really did."

"Two years is a long time to stay with someone you don't want to be with." Kayley pointed out and Nicole had to admit she had a point.

"Okay, that's a good point. Phil did act like an idiot. He admitted that, but he's not with her now and the only thing he wants is you."

"And when it gets too hard again, what then?" Kayley asked. "What if I give in and we're together for another five years before he decides someone else is easier and goes for her."

"That I can't answer, and Phil probably can't either. It's your decision whether or not you're willing to take the risk. He says it's not going to happen again and it very well might not. Or, it could. You need to decide if Phil Brooks is worth that hurt." They were both quiet for a moment as the tension eased in the car.

"Whats the other one?" Kayley asked.

"What do you mean?"

"You said their were two big differences. What's the second?"

"You're single, Kayley. There is no one who could hold you back from Phil. More than that, you've never stopped thinking about Phil. I stopped thinking about John pretty quickly and was left with only anger. You kept remembering the good parts of the relationship. I only thought about the bad." She sighed and tried to collect her thoughts again. "You regretted it was over, but I regretted the relationship as a whole. Plus, I have Rami... and Kayley... I wouldn't give Rami up for anyone. Especially, not John. There's the big difference." Kayley nodded. "You couldn't stay with Finn because, by your own admission, it wasn't fair to him when you were thinking about Phil, right?"

"Right."

"I can't stop thinking about Rami and how much happier I am with him. Sure, you've had a few guys that you've spent some time with, maybe just a week or two, since Phil. But, has anyone come close to him?"

"No." Kayley answered honestly.

"Then, chica, you have an answer." She pointed out and the girls lapsed into a silence as the ride continued. Neither saw Rami in the back seat, his eyes opened, with the biggest grin he'd worn in a long time.

As they made their way into the arena, Kayley went straight to the locker room and geared up. She was facing Charlotte that night and she wanted to be ready early and take no chances. Pulling on her teal outfit, and Jeff's black belt, she wrapped her hands taking extra time to do it. Something she used to do with Phil, she wasn't sure what made her want to do it again. As soon as she finished she made her way out and through the hallway.

"Kayley." Nicole's voice made her stop. The announcer was already wearing a silver dress that crossed in the back. "Are we okay?"
"Yeah. Yeah. You're right. I'm just... Anxious and tired."

"I know something that might make you feel better." Nicole gave her a smirk.

"What's that?"

"Come with me." Kayley hesitated a minute, looking at the clock on the wall. "You have plenty of time, let's go." Nicole grabbed her hand and led Kayley threw the hallways toward the bosses office. "Wait here." Nicole knocked on the door and out hobbled a smiling Jeff Hardy. Wearing his classic white wife-beater and work-out pants, she noticed the brace going up his leg. Since she had last seen him his tattoo's had become more extensive and his hair was teal and purple, almost matching hers.

"Jeff..."

"I see you're still dressing like my brother and is that..." He stared at her belt. "That's where that thing went." His smile was wide as he moved toward her with the help of crutches. He wrapped his arms around her waist, hers went around his shoulders as they held each other.

"Can I just not let go for a while?" She whispered in his ear, resisting the urge to cry.

"You can hold on for as long as you want." He answered as he held her tighter. Jeff Hardy was one of Kayley's best friends until he got back together with his wife, Beth. Not only was she controlling, but she enabled his drug use. Using right beside him, she tempted him to keep going and almost got him killed. From there she systematically cut anyone out of Jeff's life who wanted to help get him clean.

"I've missed you." They finally pulled away from one another and he looked better than she had seen him in a long time. His body looked stronger and his skin wasn't sickly pale anymore.

"You have no idea how good it is to see you." He replied in his southern accent.

"Does this mean you've signed?" He smiled. "Yes?"

"Yeah. I'll be coming back to RAW the week before Wrestlemania."

"God, Jeff, that's great to hear." Nicole called. He smiled toward her, having got all their hugs out when they first saw each other before she found Kayley.

"I'm definitely excited.' He answered.

"Hey, Jeff." Punk's voice was strong as he came from the locker room area. He was wearing a hoodie and under it was nothing but his blue wrestling tights. Kayley had to pry her eyes away, but she desperately wanted to stare. Jeff's green eyes moved between the former couple.

"Phil..." He wasn't exactly surprised. He watched the Rumble. However, he half expected Kayley to be attacking him. He held his hand out, which Phil shook. "Long time, no see man."

"Looks like we're both coming back at the same time."

"Well, almost. Need my leg to heal."

"What happened?"

"Motorcycle accident." Jeff explained. Is eyes kept darting to Kayley who didn't look nearly as nervous or uncomfortable as she should so he looked toward Nicole.

"I'll explain later." She mouthed at him silently and nodded. A round of quiet settled over them as Kayley tapped her foot nervously.

"Well..." She said making the people around her jump. "I should go get ready for my match. Jeff, I'll catch up with you later?" The younger Hardy nodded.

"Can I come with you?" Phil asked and Kayley tentatively nodded before the two walked off. When they were safely out of ear shot, he turned toward Nicole.

"What the hell is all that about?"

"It's complicated." Nicole explained. "Another time?" Jeff nodded.

"So, you have a new guy, I hear?" Nicole nodded with a small blush. "What are we waiting for? I want to meet him!"

Kayley stopped at the gorilla position and began doing a few stretches. Phil tried to keep his eyes on anything else.

"When do you go out tonight?"

"Late in the second hour." Phil explained. "Wyatt's are going to attack when I am making my coming back speech."

"Is anyone running out to help?"

"No... Why? Want the job?"

"And give Vince permission to run that story-line between us? No thanks. Just... be careful out there."

"I will." He answered. "So, have you thought any more about out conversation yesterday?" Kayley nodded. "And?"
"And I have a long way to go, Phil." She answered. "I don't trust you and that's not something easily gained back. It's not that you're a bad guy. You could have cheated on me and hurt a lot worse. I realize that. This is something that's on me..."

"And?"

"And I miss you a lot." As she said it he could see the sadness on her face. "And it hurts so bad to be this close to you and not do anything about it."

"Why don't we try a date?"

"I'm not sure if I'm ready..."

"Then not yet, we'll plan it for a little while from now. How does that sound?" He suggested and she knew he had something in mind.

"How far from now? I know you, you're planning something." He smirked and gave a small laugh.

"Our first date was Dark Knight, remember?"

"I do." She recalled with a small smile. "We argued over who would pay."

"So, Deadpool is coming out on the 12th." He commented.

"I know that."

"I figured you would, you're a nerd."

"You're a nerd." She countered and he laughed.

"We're both pretty big nerds. So, why don't we say, you take some time and think about it. If you want to go out with me then we'll go see that."

"Deal." She answered and he kissed the top of her hand before he turned to walk away, but he stopped and looked at her.

"Oh, and Kayley..."

"Yeah?"

"If we go, it's a date. I'll be paying."