He stood staring morosely out the window. His life changed so much over the last year. He'd gone from having everything a man could want to losing more than he even knew he had. The partner, the lover, the gold, the glory, the career, hell even the fans were gone now.

He knew people thought that he deserved what he'd gotten. They thought that he didn't deserve what was given to him. They thought that he was nothing more than a mooch, latching onto his partner's charisma, talent, glory and sucking everything out of it he could get. They said that he had no skill of his own. They said that he had no talent of his own. They said that he was pretty, but not pretty enough. They said that he didn't want it bad enough to be there.

And maybe they were right… after all he was the one that quit in the end… not Edge.

No Edge was still there working match after repetitive match with Regal. Working a storyline and a feud that were doing nothing for him or his career. Content to just patiently wait for someone to hand him a belt and say, "there ya go kid." Edge never had been in a rush to get anywhere believing that in time he would get what was his.

But Christian hadn't been able to do that anymore, Christian hadn't been able to be patient any more. Christian hadn't been able to take go nowhere feuds and lame comedic gimmicks that did nothing to move him forward. Eventually it wore him down to the point where he just couldn't believe in anything… let alone Christian.

Maybe they were right. Maybe he didn't deserve it. Maybe Christian was nothing more than a tag along. Maybe Edge was the golden child and Christian was simply the wanna be. Maybe they were right… maybe Christian wasn't good enough.

And maybe that was the problem. He was Jason Reso, not Christian. Maybe Christian wasn't good enough, but if he wasn't where did that leave Jason?

He could go to WWA, or XFW, or pretty much any Indy he wanted; but what was the point? If he wanted to wrestle he'd still be in WWF… right? He could go home, but what the hell would he do there?

That's what his family wanted. That's what his friends wanted. That's what Adam wanted… what Edge wanted… weren't they the same? Of course they were. That's why everyone loved Edge, because he WAS Adam and God knows everyone loved Adam.

Sighing Jay rested his head against the cold glass of the window exhausted from all the bitterness he couldn't seem to escape. He didn't want to be angry with Adam, but he couldn't seem to help it. It was so easy to blame Adam even though deep in his heart he knew it wasn't his friend's fault that he was the one they cherished and Jay was simply the one they'd tolerated.

Maybe he should go home, but what would he do there? Work a 9 to 5 job in an office somewhere punching numbers in all day until his brain deteriorated into mush? That just simply wasn't an option. So what now?? Open a school… and do what? Teach others misdirection, soul deep confusion, and listlessness. That would be just a great idea. He could ruin the dreams of people who actually had a chance.

So what then? Somehow the thought of going home just gave him hives. It would be like admitting that he really was a loser. So what was he going to do? Closing his eyes he let the pain come washing over him like a tidal wave suffocating him in his own anguish. He felt his body jerk as the sobs came and the tears ran down his face. Sinking to the floor he curled up in a fetal position as all his dreams and hopes that had been crushed to bits in Edge's overpowering shadow washed away leaving him empty and alone.

When the tears stopped more from a simple inability to cry any longer than any feeling of relief, Jay lay there curled up on the hotel carpet his eyes red and his throat sore from the sobs. Unable to fight it any more he let nature take its course and sleep came in giving him no option but to relinquish himself to its superiority

He didn't know how long he slept, but when he woke he had one of those skull splitting headaches you got form sleeping too much. He felt drained and tired still despite the sleep. Sighing he rubbed his cheek against the material underneath it expecting the rough scratchy carpet to greet his tender cheek, but when he felt instead the softness of a pillow he blinked in confusion. Blinking he tried to decide what was going on as he realized he heard the faint sounds of a television and a woman's soft voice talking to someone he assumed on the phone since he didn't hear anyone else speaking.

He listened to her quiet laugh and felt her soft drawl wrap around him like a blanket warming him and comforting him. He was filled with this urge to get up and find out who this breathing guardian angel was, but suddenly was too afraid believing that she'd simply vanish into thin air leaving him alone and cold on the carpeted floor.

Letting his eyes close again he shallowed his breathing hoping that sleep would over come him again taking him to a place where this heavenly hallucination was real and he was worthy of its presence. Unfortunately being the fickle entity it was sleep refused to come and he was left to lay there wondering when this miracle from above would vaporize.

He listened as she ended her phone conversation and when he heard the cheep bed springs squeak he wondered where she was going to. Panic wanted him to open his eyes and cry out for her to stay, but his new found cowardliness forced him to lay where he was still pretending to be asleep. Because his eyes were closed he didn't know that she came to kneel next to him watching and smiling at his attempt to feign sleep. When she spoke he jumped despite the quietness of her drawl.

"Jay-Jay, you might as well open those pretty eyes, baby. I know you're not sleepin'," the woman said laughing and he almost groaned at the effect that husky drawl had on his ravaged soul. "You fake sleep about as well as Jeff did when he was a kid hoping that I didn't know he had his book and a flashlight under the covers. He'd lay there frozen in place like a statue. The only problem was that it would be the ONLY time Jeff laid still while 'sleeping'."

Intrigued Jay opened his eyes and the first thing he saw was a pair of big gray eyes looking back at him. The second thing he saw was a smile that reminded him of someone though he couldn't quite place it. Whomever it was though must be important to him because he felt himself relax even more at the sight of it and somehow knew that he wasn't alone any longer. "Jeff who?" He finally asked too curious for his own good.

"Why Jeff Hardy baby," She replied standing and offering a hand to help him up with. Jay didn't take it right away as he was too intent on burning this creature into his brain.

She didn't appear to be too tall. In fact he'd bet that she didn't come much above five foot tall. She had long blonde curls surrounding a heart shaped face. She had on a large sweater that he recognized as Matt's. He had a vague memory of there being a pair of large beautiful breasts and a soft waist beneath the wool although he couldn't tell you where that memory came from. The hips he knew would be rounded and soft as well and were encased in tight faded denim.

Eventually he reached up and took her small hand into his larger one and tried not to gasp at the immediate connection he felt form. Standing he gaped down at her with his mouth hanging open. He knew that he looked like a fool, but his brain was so drained that he couldn't change it for the world. As if in slow motion, he watched her reach up and shut his mouth struggling not to laugh at him out loud.

"Who are you?" He asked almost breathing the question rather than speaking it.

"I'm Elizabeth Hardy… Matt and Jeff's older sister sorta. Most call me Lizzy though instead of Elizabeth. The boys sent me here to take care of you darlin'."

When her words soaked into his mind Jay shuddered, but wasn't sure if it was from the knowledge that she wasn't going to disappear or from the security of knowing he wasn't alone after all.

On to Part 2 of 24