A/N: This fic is a joint effort written by Seraphalexiel, XxShawns Guardian AngelxX, and Wrestlefan4. We sadly own nothing, although we feel we should get royalties because Creative leeches off of us obviously lol.

Sins of the Father

Father, Father, why have you forsaken me?

Rowdy Roddy Piper found himself back on Raw, only a few months after he'd shown up as a guest host. Right now he was hanging out in the locker room, smoothing out the front of his trademark kilt. It was getting a little snug around the middle, and he noted not for the first time that he should try and do something with "Piper's Paunch" as the oh-so-witty Vince McMahon had once called it. His relationship with that man was a rocky one. It was a love-hate relationship, usually more of the last description than the first. But Roddy loved wrestling, and that's what won in the end. Wrestling had given him his life, supported his family, and introduced him to so many great men who he loved and cherished dearly. So, despite some personal feelings that he held about McMahon, when he was asked occasionally to come back to Vince's company, he always did so without hesitation.

Tonight he was meant to do a bit where he showed up in Vince's office, confronting him about the "accident" with Bret Hart getting injured in the parking garage. Roddy was going to accuse Vince of being behind it in a low down attempt to get rid of Bret once and for all, since Vince was too spineless to be a real man and face him in the ring. Piper was there to call Vince out, and as Bret's cousin both in real life and in this storyline, he was going to challenge Vince to a match to avenge Bret. There had already been a few hints, such as when Roddy had hosted Raw and challenged Vince to match, which Vince had backed away from as well. Then, there was Cena's spot when he was calling Vince out about the way he treated his employees, Bret's name was dropped, and so was Roddy's. They were just small things that may or may not have given fans something to wonder about, but seeing Roddy again large and in charge, making the bosses varicose vein pop out of his big nose, was sure to be a winner.

Laughter sounded from a corner of the locker room as he finished adjusting the belt on his kilt. He glanced over to see a small group gathered around a TV. set. Triple H, Cena, Shawn Michaels, and others were watching the newest competition—TNA. Roddy sauntered over to get a glimpse, and his lips curled into a small smile when he saw his old buddy and fellow hell raiser Ric Flair.

He stood quiet at the back of the group, with his arms crossed over his t-shirt, and watched as Ric and that kid A.J. Styles—and damn, he really was a lot like Ric, it seemed--confronted Kurt Angle in the ring, of course with a few pretty girls hanging around them for good measure. He noted how most everyone watching the TV was grinning or laughing; clearly none of them took TNA's move to Monday night too seriously. Well, that was except for Michaels. Shawn seemed to notice something none of the others did, because he looked solemnly serious, and even vexed. He seemed to be watching Ric, and yet looking past him. Roddy shrugged, and grabbed up his leather jacket. It was time for him to go tear up the mic, and Vince, just like he loved to.

Meanwhile, while everyone else was laughing at TNA's latest shenanigans, Shawn was taking the time to see what they were bringing to the table. Segment after segment passed without so much as showing anything worth panicking about until the final one. Ric Flair, the man he retired just over a year ago, was standing in the ring with arguably the best wrestler on TNA's roster. The Phenomenal AJ Styles was standing next to Ric, sporting one of Ric's famous Armani suits, cutting a vintage promo about wheeling and dealing. The camera kept at a particular angle so it was easy to watch both Flair and Styles, but what intrigued Shawn the most was the way Flair's eyes seemed to beam.

AJ took a step closer towards Angle leaving Flair standing in the distance looking very proud. Suddenly Flair's hand came to his lips as he was holding a mic of his own.

"Let me tell you something son…"

Shawn watched Ric cut one of his famous, over-the-top promos and when it was over, he cupped AJ's face as he said something to him inaudible because of the theme music. The way Flair held AJ's face and the way the kid smiled back, it was almost as if they…

Shawn shook his head. He'd been doing this a lot lately. Watching TNA as if obligated to watch, but he couldn't help it. He knew he probably should have been angry at Flair for breaking his promise about retirement, but Shawn knew all too well how hard it was to just walk away. If anything, he was secretly happy that Flair was on screen each week. Shawn still considered Ric to be "The Man", a title that Ric insisted on giving him last year. Shawn watched as Ric threw his arm around AJ leading him up the ramp. Each time he would see Ric with AJ, it always reminded him of the last night they hung out together before Ric's official retirement began.

A lot of people were glad that Wrestlemania was finally over but none were as thrilled as Mr. Wrestlemania himself. Tonight's Raw taping ran a lot longer than usual but that was to be expected because of Flair. Ric Flair, Shawn's idol growing up, was standing in a wrestling ring for the final time in his career thanks to Shawn. Shawn shook his head laughing to himself. It still hadn't really sunk in just yet that he was the guy Ric had chosen to retire him, and to think Shawn always figured it would be Ric's adopted son, and his best friend Hunter. Shawn was still a little trippy over the fact that he was chosen over Hunter, and he had even questioned Vince about it.

"Shawn let it go," Vince said lazily. "Flair chose you, so you should just be proud. Hunter's inducting him into the Hall of Fame; it's no big deal."

Shawn scoffed. Maybe it was no big deal to Vince, but Shawn couldn't shake the feeling that maybe Hunter deserved it more. After all, while Shawn worshipped the ground Ric walked on, it was no secret that Ric called Hunter his adopted son. Shawn could hear lots of voices out in the hall which was his cue to leave. Ric wanted to go out for drinks and insisted that Shawn come along.

"Flair, you're lucky I love you so damn much," Shawn mumbled as he left the arena.

When Shawn got to the bar, he didn't see many of his fellow coworkers. That's odd. I thought we were all supposed to meet up here? Shawn looked around the bar for Hunter, but then he spotted Ric sitting in a booth all by himself staring out the window into the darkness. There were two shot glasses sitting on the table along with a bottle of Jack which was now half empty. Shawn frowned, hoping Ric hadn't drunk all of that.

"Hey, Ric!"

Ric suddenly looked up flashing Shawn a half hearted smile. Shawn hurried to their booth sliding in across from him. Shawn raised the bottle of Jack shaking his head.

"You know all of this isn't good for you. I know this is a celebration but I'd like you to live long enough to enjoy your retirement."

Ric shook his head. "Enjoy my retirement? That's an understatement." Ric slid a shot glass towards Shawn. "Have a drink."

Shawn rolled his eyes. "You know I don't drink anymore and besides…" Shawn looked around the room and there was still no sign of any of the others. He sighed. "I'll drive you back to the hotel, now let's go. You don't need to drink anymore."

Ric didn't say anything else. He reached into his pocket throwing a twenty on the table before allowing Shawn to help him to his feet.

"Let's go Naitch. You and I can have our own celebration another time," he soothed.

Ric looked up at him, his eyes red with a weary expression on his face. He suddenly reached out to Shawn, cupping his face like he'd done in the ring earlier that night.

"Ric? Are you alright?" Shawn asked. He was starting to worry about Ric, and wondered if it was really okay to take him back to his room alone. As if he suddenly remembered where he was, Ric shook his head and laughed, although it sounded horribly forced.

"Yeah, let's go kiddo."

Minutes later Shawn was leading a drunk, half asleep Nature Boy to his hotel room. Though the ride back to Ric's room was fairly short, Ric had passed out in the car, out cold. It took Shawn forever to wake him up. It wasn't Shawn's style to just shake people, and he cared for Ric so much that he didn't have the heart to toot the horn, which was his way of waking Hunter on the road. It took Shawn a few minutes to get Ric up long enough to get him out of the truck. Once they reached the hotel, one of the bus boys was only too happy to help get Ric in the elevator. Shawn signed an autograph for him, and it was as if the incident never happened.

"Alright Naitch, let's get you into bed," Shawn said pulling a mumbling Ric behind him. Shawn sort of propped Ric against the wall as he pulled the covers back, getting the bed ready, when he heard a sudden muttering.

"Son…my son…I'm so sorry."

Shawn shook his head. Ric was talking in his sleep again which struck Shawn as funny coming from a man who used to all the time talk about things like that in his promos. Getting caught up was something the great Ric Flair would never do. He was the master of kiss stealing, among other things. Shawn shook his head, laughing a little as he pulled Ric towards the bed. Seeing Ric like this reminded Shawn that even though he was his idol Ric Flair, he was still just as human as everyone else on the roster.

"Son…like your mother," Ric mumbled as Shawn pushed him into bed.

"Yeah, yeah," Shawn laughed. He had no idea what Ric was going on about, but he had learned from watching the Discovery Channel that it was best not to wake a sleep walking person. So Shawn did the next best thing- which was to pretend like he knew what was happening.

"Shawn…Shawn…where's my son?"

Shawn sat on the edge of the bed near Ric, looking down at the older man. "Your son?" Shawn asked jokingly. "Maybe he's at home with his mother." Ric turned away from Shawn, his eyes filling with tears. "Ric? Ric, what's wrong? Ric!" Shawn cupped his face until finally Ric broke down again.

"I can't do this anymore," he choked. "My son…my son…" Ric slowly turned his head to meet Shawn's gaze, a look of utter remorse on his face. Shawn was scared. He'd never seen Ric like this before and was seriously considering calling Hunter.

"Ric…Ric what's…?"

Ric slid his hands over Shawn's arms, all the way to his face drawing him in. Shawn allowed himself to be pulled in, his stirring blue eyes meeting dashing hazel ones. Ric just smiled. "Her eyes, but my charm." Ric pulled Shawn close enough to plant a kiss on his forehead. "I love you. It just took me a while, ya know? I'll do right though. I'll do right... by the both of you."

Ric's eyes closed again, and after a few moments, he was sound asleep again. Shawn pulled the blanket up over Flair's chest smiling down at the man before him.

"Love you too Ric…even if you are a little trippy."

Roddy barreled back into the locker room, feeling better than a million bucks. The smile on his face was wide and highly amused, as he recalled the look on McMahon's face. That was one of the brilliant things he loved about doing everything without it being scripted before hand—the show through of real emotions was a lot more evident. The look of shock and awe, and eventually eye-twitching anger that twisted Vince's old mug as Roddy shot lines at him, was just the best thing ever. He strived for those moments when Vince's eyes looked ready to pop, and when the nervous beads of sweat sprouted up along his silvery hairline. Those moments were better than any paycheck ole wrinkle bags—er, money bags--could put into Rod's hand at the end of the day.

"Ha! I love to make that ugly dog squirm." He mused to himself, as he pulled his jacket off and walked towards the row of the lockers.

Yeah, the confrontation tonight had gone well. It was all going to end much how Bret had. The Rowdy One was due to show up on a few more shows, rattle McMahon's cage, try to get a match out of him, and then be taken out by Batista in the parking garage (damn those hellacious structures and their snares of danger), and rendered unable to avenge his cousin. It was all going to lead up to some angle Creative wanted for Mania where Cena was going to be the Superman avenger for Legends everywhere, against the evils of McMahon and his henchman Dave Batista.

Roddy dumped his jacket onto the bench, and noticed for the first time how quiet the room was. The TV had been switched off, and he thought the place had been all but abandoned. It seemed like it was just him and his skirt wearing shadow, the pussy. He propped one of his feet up on the bench and began to unlace it, when a light tap against his shoulder caused him to glance back. It was Shawn, touching him timidly.

"Geeze Heartattack Kid, don't go sneakin' up on an old guy like that!" He joked, turning to Shawn, only to find him looking all but in a jovial sort of mood. His eyes were clearly conflicted, and he nervously twirled a strand of golden hair around one of his fingers. "What's eatin' you up, besides that Helmsley kid? Alright, bad joke…I'm sorry."

He laid a hand on Shawn's shoulder, and put all ribbing aside. There was a time for it, and there was also a time for seriousness. Despite being known for his wise-cracks and sarcasm, Roddy was also known for his never-fail advice and wisdom, or so said the rumors. When he had gotten so wise, he sure as hell didn't know. If he really did have such amazing advice, he wondered often why he'd never bothered to take any of it for himself when he was a young, crazy pup.

"Tell Poppa Piper about it." He urged, squeezing Shawn's shoulder a bit.

Shawn hovered over Rod for a minute wondering how best to ask. It was eating him up inside, but he didn't want to just blurt out his question no matter how anxious he was. Besides, a part of him felt like he was over reacting, but that was hardly the case if the same memory kept clouding his thoughts during TNA each week. Shawn sighed. Now or never I guess.

"Rod, I need to ask you something about Ric. I know he's your friend but...I got to know."

Roddy narrowed his eyes a little, feeling an eerie tingle pop out over his skin for no reason. He had this sudden feeling creeping up along his spine, and something Ric had told him years ago seemed to stir under the dust of filed memories. He hoped what Shawn had in mind wasn't as serious as what was lurking in the back of his.

"Go ahead Shawn, what is it?"

Shawn turned his back on Rod for a moment, closing his eyes as he remembered Ric's words. "Shawn? Shawn where's my son?" he asked softly to no one in particular. "Her eyes, but my charm," he continued on, his voice as empty as the room itself. "I love you. It just took me a while, but I'll do right though. I'll do right by the both of you." Shawn finished, feeling both the emotion Ric conveyed it with and the confusion he himself had when he heard it.

The room was now uncomfortably silent, and Shawn had feeling Rod knew something because the tension was so think, Shawn was finding it hard to breathe now. The hairs on arms were standing and he had goose-bumps. "What's it mean Rod?" he asked sternly, that hard Texas drawl coming off a little rougher than usual. He suddenly felt the need to be angry, but for what, he didn't know. "And Rod, don't lie to me."

Words were stuck in the veteran's throat like a sudden jam of traffic, dead stopped on the freeway. Rod knew. He knew exactly what it meant and after all this time, here it was finally leaking up to the surface like a slow weeping wound.

"Shawn..." Roddy couldn't say much else, the actual memory linked to what Shawn was unknowingly referring to crashed to the front of his mind, and suddenly it was 1978.

Roddy was sharing a room with Ric, as they did often when out on the road together. Now was a great time of their lives. Both their careers were sky-rocketing upwards in the business. They'd only known each other for a short time, but had clicked the moment they'd met, becoming instant best friends. It seemed like they were two parts of one, and they could often be found together raising all sorts of hell both in and out of the ring.

Lately though, Roddy could easily see that something was eating at Ric. He'd tried to ask him about it before; out of concern for a guy he truly loved and held dear. However, Ric always avoided whatever was haunting him, and Rod had finally taken to not prying any further. Right now he was just stretched out on the bed, and would have been enjoying a moments rest had he not been preoccupied with Ric pacing, and mumbling to himself.

"Ric...damn man, can you calm down?"

Ric hardly heard Rod, his mind breaking under the stress. He told himself he could forget about the beautiful blond woman from all those years ago, the woman with the blue eyes and the shining smile, but it seemed as if karma had other plans. Everything he had so carefully built up threatened to collapse around his head; the success he clawed for under crisis from the ghosts of his past, and now his present. He turned to his best friend, trying to find something to cling to, but he couldn't escape the racing thoughts.

"I can't," he said, bringing his hands to his head. "I worked so hard, I can't... but God, I... I can't."

"Naitch, are you trippin' out on me?" Roddy rolled from the bed and went to Ric, stopping his frantic pacing by placing his hands on his shoulders. "Listen, it can't be that bad...can it?" The look on Ric's face had him legitimately worried, and a thought hit Rod."Does this have to do with us and... y'know?" Roddy asked. It was the only thing he could think of that might jeopardize Ric's career should the depths of their friendship be brought into the open. But then again, one of them wore a "skirt" and the other wore sequined robes, so maybe it wasn't all so expertly hidden, even though they tried hard to keep it in private. He took one of Ric's hands, and linked their fingers. "It is that, isn't it? Listen, if it is I don't want to be the reason--"

Ric shook his head, the warmth from Rod's fingers giving him the strength to respond. "No. No, it isn't. It has nothing to do with you." He gulped, trying to make himself reveal everything to his best friend. "Pipes, I- I was only sixteen, what was I supposed to do? I wasn't ready to be a father, I couldn't raise a child! So I left, thinking I was doing right by him, but I must've been wrong, because I'm being punished right now."

"Ric, we all fuck up when we're sixteen...oh believe me. I sure as hell know I couldn't have been no father at that age, and what do you mean about being punished? I hardly think you can be punished now just for being scared back then." He gave Ric's hand a little squeeze.

"You don't understand." Ric said, his chest heaving, representing how close to the edge he was. "I did- it happened again. I did it again. This girl I met, she- she's pregnant. And I'm pretty damn sure it's mine." Ric felt a tear leave an acid trail down his face. "I'm going to lose everything, my career, my reputation, you- and I don't know what to do. I can't lose it but I can't do it again. I can't leave another one. I just don't know what to do. Please...help me. I don't know anymore!"

Roddy was at a loss for what to say. He could understand Ric's pain too clearly. He had a wife and young daughter at home himself, and another on the way. He knew firsthand the hardships of having a family and a wrestling career. It was certainly a heavy burden to bear at times. Thinking for a moment, he couldn't even remember the last time he was home to spend a moment with his own family. His pillow that rested empty next to his wife's too often didn't even have a worn dent in it, showing physical proof of just how much time he was away from them. A heavy sigh escaped his lips, as his daughters face came to his mind as if she was there.

"I...man, I don't know what to tell ya. You just have to do what you think is best, that's all any of us can do. But y'know, even at best you'd just be barely in and out of the kid's life. I don't know, Ric."

"I can feel it, you know? I can feel he's going to be a boy," he said. He knew he was rambling but he couldn't stop himself. "My first was a boy, you know. Shawn. Hair like corn and eyes like the devil himself. Barely a teenager. And I was never there-" Ric sniffled, holding back anything else that threatened to weaken him. "Pipes, what about my baby- my son? I want to be, I want to be the father he deserves. What if I can't be, though? And what if I still want this too? Don't tell me you don't know. Please, I need an answer. I need something. Anything. What do I do?"

"Ric...I can't tell you that. You have to make this choice for yourself, and just know that I'm here. I'm always here, no matter what happens." He tilted Ric's chin and kissed one of his tear streaked cheeks, and then his trembling lips. "I'm sorry." He wished he could show Ric some answers swirling to life inside a magic crystal ball, but there was no crystal ball, just choices that loomed like oncoming storm clouds.

Ric nodded, feeling the pit deepen in his stomach. He was torn between the unborn child and the life he'd grown to love, and he had no idea where to go next. He just wrapped his arms around Rod's neck and leaned into his chest, sobbing into his shirt. He felt Rod's arms around him, trying to comfort him, but he couldn't feel any of it- all he could sense was the gravity of the choice he had to make.

"Oh Shawn, oh fuck."

Rod lowered himself to the bench and scratched at his ear out of habit. This whole thing had been lodged in his mind for so many years—sometimes it stayed tucked away in the back, but other times it occurred to him from out of nowhere, and haunted his thoughts like a lost spirit. There wasn't much that kept Roddy Piper up nights, but sometimes this one thing did.

He'd even brought it up to Ric a few times, that maybe he should tell Shawn about everything. The first time he'd suggested it was when Shawn showed up on the wrestling scene. Rod's suggestion for him to out the situation only upset Ric, who was already shocked enough to realize that this was the Shawn. So, Rod tried not to press Ric about it. It was his own past, his own decision, and if Ric wanted to talk, then he would. But now, here was Shawn standing over him asking him what some jumbled words meant, and Roddy was the prize decoder ring in the bottom of the cereal box.

"Shawn…sit down, son." He said, his voice a little rough. He patted the metal bench, and Shawn sat. "Shawn, do you remember when you were sixteen? Remember how crazy us guys are at that age? Sixteen, that's just a stupid kid gettin' himself into trouble, y'know? Well…see…when Ric was sixteen, he met this girl. He did what most boys do, what with being brainless hornballs and all, and um…well, you know I don't have to give the whole "birds and bees" talk about how babies are made and all that, I think by now you get the point. Ric was scared, and he didn't know what to do about this kid, so he left."

Roddy reached over, and laid his hand on Shawn's knee. His chest was tight with the rest of what he had to say, and it occurred to him that maybe he shouldn't be the one outing this whole thing, but he couldn't stop now.

Roddy, promise me you won't tell him. I…I can't tell him right now.

Ric had begged him once with those words when Rod had suggested he talk to a budding Shawn Michaels, and Rod had promised him. He gave his word as a man, as a friend, and more, that he would keep his lips locked and throw away the key. Well, even locks rust and break over time, and it was all spilling out whether any of them wanted this or not. He couldn't stop it; the momentum was just too strong to stand against.

"See, Ric told me in 1978. He almost broke down man, he was having the same thing come round and haunt him again. There was another girl, another baby on the way, another choice to make. We talked, and he cried on my shoulder for a while, and then he went to his suitcase. He took this crumpled up envelope out, and he came back to where we were sittin' on the edge of the bed, and he pulled out a few things. There was a letter, for one. It was from that girl he'd put in the family way when he was a kid. Now that The Nature Boy was at the peak of his career, and well known, well she'd been able to get in contact. He had some pictures…" He trailed off, looking down at his boots, chewing his lip. He was trying not to look at Shawn now. He didn't want to see the look on his face when the truth was revealed.

He remembered the small photos clearly. They were those Kodak instant photos with the wide white boarders. The boy in the pictures was just thirteen, and had a fiery spark to his piercing blue eyes and a mop of dark blond atop his head. In one photo he was wearing a football jersey and gear. Another was at Christmas, as he stood in front of the lit tree, his eyes in the middle of a blink. The third was a typical school portrait. On the back of each picture was the boy's full name and the date of each, printed in a small, loopy script.

"The…the pictures…Shawn, I'm sorry. Those pictures were of you."

Shawn's eyes glared daggers at Rod. Lying--Roddy was lying to him, but what he couldn't figure out was why. Why did he have to lie to him? What was so important about Ric's drunken rambling's that made him spin a tale that preposterous? It was as if Rod was implying…

Shawn shook his head. "No. Rod, look…I don't…have time for this," he snapped irritably. "If it was something that you didn't think I needed to know then you should have said so. Why on earth…?" Shawn shook his head in disbelief. "I can't believe you would go so far as to-as to spin such a tale!" he said angrily, his voice cracking. Shawn quickly stood to his feet, ignoring the nagging feeling he had about those pictures. It just couldn't be. "Lies, Rod. All of its lies!" he snapped, hurrying towards the door.

"Now you just wait a minute kid." Roddy reached out and grabbed Shawn's wrist. "I know this is all the shock of a lifetime, but don't you dare accuse me of lying. I would never lie to you about such a thing. This, this is serious." He added, lowering his voice a little. "Listen...it shouldn't have come out this way, I know. I just...it just came out I couldn't stop it." He sighed. "Maybe you ought to call Ric." He let go of Shawn's wrist.

"Call Ric?" Shawn asked, almost cruelly. "For what? So he can add to this bullshit story you just told me?" Shawn shoved the older man against the door, his watery eyes giving him away. "Pictures of me, Rod? My mother sent pictures of me to Ric?" he asked. "Why Rod? Why would my mother send pictures to a man she hardly knows?" he pushed. "Why?"

Shawn's voice sounded almost desperate at this point, as if he was barely holding on - and he was just barely standing on his own two feet because a part of him felt...but it couldn't be. Not Ric, not his idol, and certainly not the deadbeat father he never knew.

"Rod..." His voice cracked again, and it was all he could do not to break down. Shaking his head, he met Roddy's eyes, the realization fighting to overtake him. "Lie to me," he pleaded. "Reassure me that it was all lies. Reassure me that it's not possible, and make me understand that my missing, deadbeat father is not the man I've loved and worshipped all my life. Remind me Rod…lie to me…lie to me," he pleaded before he choked, his attempt to hold back a sob failing with his defenses. He took two, trembling steps forward before falling into Rod's arms, his soul no longer able to shield him any longer. Realization kicked in and it was at that moment that another piece of his 'perfect' life came crumbling down. Ric Flair was his long, lost father.