A/N: Have you seen the way these two have been acting on Smackdown, as of late? The hugs, the 'rescues', the tension...Everything about them screams "slash us! slash us!" So I did. (They are now one of my fastly developing OTPs - Team Chrandy ftw.) Though the first chapter was written shortly before the draft, and therefore Randy isn't on SD yet. This is my first real on-going slash fic before, so despite me being nervous as Hell, I'm testing the waters and seeing if I should continue. Also, after a long absence of being subdued to merely reading fan fiction and not being able to contribute to it, I hope that I (or my skills for the matter) will recover. And, if it isn't too obvious...I love Christian. *insert fan-girl praise here* He's most likely going to be a character in the majority of everything I write, considering he's my primary muse, and I hope that you can all bear with me and appreciate the story for what it's worth and not only the character it surrounds - although that must be so hypocritical of me. I must add that I've done all that I could to improve my structure and grammar and I pray that there will be differences between fics I've written past and present. Without further ado, I bid you all a good read. :)

Burning Alive

Prologue

A couple weeks prior to the set date of Jay's homecoming, Adam Copeland had forewarned his long-time friend that the landscape on Smackdown had changed, mainly due to Alberto Del Rio's presence, but Jay Reso paid no heed to the advice he was given. Instead he played his matches against the Mexican Aristocrat by ear, and as a result, had torn his pectoral muscle.

Jay was out for nearly six months, and during the time he was given off for his resurgence, he had spent more than half of that duration plotting and calculating his payback. Sure it seemed like a useless thing to do, but with Jay, the time he spent recovering could have translated into mounting success, and by the time February rolled around he could have been in the Smackdown Elimination Chamber main event instead of making a lousy appearance in it. But optimistically he was grateful for the fact that he had received the opportunity to avenge the cause of his absence in at least the smallest way possible. It hadn't been an explosive comeback, but hey, by that time he was well on his way to one...

Flash forward to nearly 14 days' time later, and Jay is exclusively set to be welcomed back into the brand he considered his home. Yes, his turf was being infringed upon by some poor Mexican man's JBL but he'd be damned if that were to be true any longer. After all, being back on Smackdown also meant he was back with one of his most-trusted allies, and as far as he knew, Adam also wanted the riddance of Del Rio.

"Jay!" was the first thing Jay heard before a pair of familiar skinny arms was encircled around his bare waist, a pair of lips pressing against his neck in a manner that was both usual and recognizable. He twisted around in the hold of the person's grasp to find that it was none other than his dear best friend.

"Adam!" Jay exclaimed warmly, wrapping his own arms around his fellow Canadian and pressing his face into the taller man's neck. "I missed you like Hell!" came his muffled voice.

Adam chuckled and patted Jay's shoulder as the two separated. "You don't even know the half of it, bro," he said, rubbing at the stubble of his chin before stepping back and taking the sight of Jay in.

Captain Charisma traced his gaze and blushed under his examination, embarrassed and slightly flattered by the looks of approval he was receiving. "I put on a bit of weight," he said slowly, scowling and recollecting the number of days he'd spent in front of the television, ketchup chips in one hand and the television remote in the other. He had been far too exhausted from the physical exertion of his arm to do anything else, much less find the energy to work out.
Adam frowned.

"It doesn't seem like that to me," he stated matter-of-factly, "if anything it looks like you lost some." He then furrowed his eyebrows worryingly. "Are you on a diet?"

"You mean one that doesn't consist of anything else besides combinations of peanut butter and banana sandwiches, granola bars, and the occasional potato chip? No."

"Good."

The two shared a laugh before the same bothersome expression reappeared on Adam's face – this time directed towards Jay's hurt arm. "Is it still...you know...sore?"

"A bit, but I'm told that the sensitivity should go away pretty soon."

"Oh, that's good." Adam nodded thoughtfully.

Jay watched him for a minute but then asked if he was alright with his plans for tonight, which they had discussed earlier on during a phone conversation (due to the fact that they had been booked in separate hotels for the night).

The Rated-R Superstar looked as if though he had been caught with his hand in the proverbial cookie jar. He played the 'innocent and supportive' card. "What?" he asked, as if Jay's question had been unnecessary. "Of course I am."

"Adam."

"What?"

"You're lying."

"I'm not lying. Why would I lie? Besides, what makes you think I am?"

"You're rambling. Your eyes are shifting."

"God damn it." Adam sighed, knowing full well that those were two of his most revealing habits, and once Jay had figured them out, it was all that was needed for the younger blonde to decipher whenever he was telling the truth or not.

"Adam."

"What?"

"Answer me," the slightly younger man commanded, "honestly."

"Honestly?"

Jay rolled his eyes. "That's what I just said."

"I know, I was just asking for you to clarify."

"Adam!"

"What?"

"You know what!" Jay snapped, frustration getting the better of him.

His former tag-team partner smiled sheepishly. "Sorry."

"Don't...don't apologize, just," he rubbed at his cheek, "just answer my question."

"Ok," Adam agreed, pausing for a moment to consider what he was about to say. "I," another pause, this time for him to clear his throat, "I'm not exactly 100% thrilled about it."

Jay crossed his arms and leaned back against the dresser placed in the locker room. "Oh?" he said in mock surprise, evident that he was offended, "and why would that be?"

"I just..." the taller of the two heaved a sigh, "I just don't think it'd be wise for you to immediately target Del Rio on your first night back." He motioned towards his injured limb, "he did that six months ago and it still hurts. He could easily do it again and cause you even more time on the sidelines."

A glare was directed his way. "Who's to say he'll do that again, huh? Is your faith in me so weak that you believe that I'm always going to get my ass handed to me?"

"Jay-Jay...I didn't say that..."

"You didn't need to," Jay turned his back towards Adam, focusing on the amateur paint job done on the walls like it had suddenly become his only friend in the room and then again glared back at Adam. "And don't call me that!" he barked.

Adam grasped Jay's hand and tugged it, gently forcing the smaller man to face him again.

"I'm sorry; I didn't mean it like that."

"Oh yeah? Then howdid you mean it?"

"Jay, you know I care about you right?" Said man grimaced and nodded grudgingly. "Then you know that I'm worried about you, and that I'm not trying to offend you when I say I don't want you near Del Rio. Yes, it might have come off otherwise, but trust me, what I was trying to say was that I don't want your night ruined by that...turkey. You deserve a great welcome back, and I don't think that exacting revenge right away is suggestible. Please just take it in consideration that even though I'm angry as Hell for what Alberto did to you, I still want you to wait a while before you go tearing hisligament – which, I'm sure, you're more than capable of."

Adam took a breath and stared down in the wondrous crystal blue eyes of Jay. "Just hold off on it for a while, ok? Please?"

Jay searched Adam's own emerald orbs and sighed in defeat, giving in. "Fine," he agreed, much to his own disdain and Adam's utter satisfaction. "But only for a week or so," he added, mulling the fact over that he was possibly lying through his teeth. The reason being his need for revenge was far more significant that the obligation to keep his word to Adam, who as he grinned, was obviously pleased with his talent of persuasion. He enveloped the shorter blonde in a hug.

"Well then, welcome back, reekazoid."

/

Despite what he had promised, Jay did know for a fact that when he had agreed to Adam's request, that he was lying. Plain and simple, there was no way in Hell that he was staying away from Alberto tonight, because as much as Adam would hate to admit tonight was important to Jay; very important.

Tonight was the night he was set to make his in-ring return. Tonight was the night he was set to redeem himself. Tonight was the night, simply said, to get revenge and his only goal besides beating Alberto Del Rio to a pulp was not fucking it up. Not only had he been on the shelf since mid-October, but he had only been cleared to wrestle a mere month ago. A month wasn't enough for him to readjust to using his arm and improve his mat-skills, but he made the most of it anyway. Six months taken from his career was a matter he did not intend on dismissing so easily.
If anything he was going to make sure he returned the favour.

Massaging and loosening his still aching muscle like he had been taught in physiotherapy, Jay eyed himself in the mirror of his Smackdown dressing room as he recited motivational speeches to himself under his breath. The last thing on his mind was allowing himself to be heard saying such cliché things, but unbeknownst to him, through the door that had been accidentally left slightly ajar when Adam had left, someone waslistening. But the person paid hardly any attention to what Jay was muttering, and was instead focused on Jay himself; standing in front of his reflection, pale blue eyes narrowed in determination, rapid and concentrated breaths hauling from his lips, and no shirt on to conceal his perfectly defined abs.

"Damn," came a young man's voice from the doorway. His remark wasn't loud enough to be heard, but wasn't so low that it hid the amusement in it. A breathy and impressed chuckle followed, along with a lip-lick that had been caused when Jay turned to the side, admiring his form and at the same time unknowingly allowing whoever the person was an image of his rear.

"Ted was right..." Jay's fellow Smackdown superstar Cody Rhodes smirked to himself as he watched the Canadian bend over to retrieve something from his bag, "Randy does know best."