I forgot in to say this in the previous Chapter... While I will try my best not to, I will deviate from the timeline that most fans are used to. I will leave out matches, backstage stuff, and whatever other encounters, and MOST LIKELY replace them with made-up stuff. I am REALLY sorry if you don't like that.

Hope you enjoy otherwise! :D

Okay... back to the story.

*-*-*

The loud screams and chants of the energetic RAW crowd could be clearly heard. The sounds even managed to pierce the locker room, which was near empty as the show was drawing to a close.

//He remembered my name!// A red blush lit up his smiling face instantly. He tried his best to suppress the girly-squeal that threatened to escape his throat.

"Bourne! You're on in five!" A gruff voice called from behind the door.

Evan snapped out of his dream state, quickly busying himself with getting into the remainder of his ring gear. However, the minute those baby blues and that low, throaty voice that had called his name popped into his mind, Evan immediately went full circle landing right back into his former dream state.

Chris Jericho had called his name.

//Okay, so he said some other mean things after that//, Evan's face soured as he recalled Chris' 'insinuations' about him sleeping with Dave Batista, //but, those were only insinuations right?// He argued with no one in particular, //and he only said it because he was tired and agitated.//

Another drawn sigh escaped Evan's lips as his shoulders slumped for emphasis. For some reason he just instantly felt very exhausted. //I wonder if he's okay// he thought as he looked down at the floor.

"Earth to Evvy! Earth to Evvy!"

Evan quickly shot up to a standing position – bracing for something. "J-Jackie!" Relief washed over his face. "You scared me!" He threw his friend a quick hug. "So what brings you by?"

"I have a match – or something like it – remember?" He gently nudged his friend in the shoulder, "It's our debut man!"

"Nervous?" Evan gave a cheeky smile, knowing full well that the term was meant more for him than Jack.

Jack countered with a cocky smile, "Nah man. I'm Jack Swagger remember."

Evan chuckled softly holding his palms up as a means to show defeat, "All right. All right. I give."

Jack eyed his friend closely – more specifically the slight blush that was present on his face. "Evvy, are you thinking about Jericho?"

At the mention of the name, Evan's eyes widened with a 'how-did-you-know' behind them and he blushed heavily. "N-No way man! I-I'm thinking about the match! The match! W-Why would I be thinking about Chris?!" His voice trembled terribly.

Jack gawked at the smaller man. "Chris?" A hearty laugh came up from the core of his being – tears of joy slipping out of azure eyes, "You are thinking about him! Oh man you're just too easy to read!" Once his laughter suppressed, he landed a pat on Evan's shoulder, "So, did you manage to get any sleep at all last night? Hmm?"

Evan blinked quickly in an effort to comprehend. "Yeah. I got tonnes of sleep. I watched TV and bit, but I fell asleep when Dirty Harry came on. I was totally exhausted after training yesterday."

What started as a crack on Swagger's face soon became a smile. "You're too innocent you know that." He leaned in closer to his friend to minimize the length of the information channels. "Come on Evvy. You can tell me. Hell, I know Jericho's good. I mean for an old guy, he's got a hell of a lot of stamina."

Evan's face sold genuine shock, "Huh? What are you talking about? I haven't seen Chris since Friday."

"Wait... you weren't with him last night?" Jack drew back a bit as his mischievous smile vanished.

Evan scoffed, "No. What made you think that?"

Jack shrugged as he raised his eyebrows, "Well...since you called him 'Chris' and not Jericho, I thought you...you know..."

Evan glared at him. His face was deadpan. "You thought I slept with him."

Jack hastily looked to his left as if something was suddenly there, before giving Evan a sheepish look, "Did you?"

"No!" Evan shook his head in disbelief. "Why do you and Chris think that way?"

"Jericho thinks you slept with him?" Jack scrunched his nose. "Weird."

"No!" Evan slapped his forehead with an open palm, "He just thought that I slept with Batista because I called him by his first name."

"Okay. Whew, you had me worried there." Jack sighed dramatically and then smiled, "Well. I hear Orton's music, so I suggest you get going."

Evan glanced at the doorway when the 'Voices' theme hit his ears. He quickly ran to the door, smiling and shouting "Talk to you later" to Jack from over his shoulder before disappearing. Jack causally crossed his arms across his large chest and inhaled deeply. //Evvy and Chris. What a pair// He slowly shook his head as if to add wisdom to his thoughts, before a shout caused him to look back at the door.

A technician stood there. "You're on in ten Swagger!"

"Yeah!"

Orton was scary. It wasn't the cold, stay-away-from-me-or-you-die kind of scary that Chris had. It was a sadistic, I-will-kill-you...slowly that Orton had. Despite being good friends with Cody, Evan could not help but wonder from time to time what such a sweet guy like Cody saw in someone like Orton.

***

Cody was winning – again. Swagger was off with Jericho, so he and Evan had gathered in the empty hotel room to play a new video game that Orton had given him recently.

"Ha! Ha! I beat you!" Cody said teasingly.

Evan stuck out his tongue in a childish counteract, "Only because I let you win, Cody!"

"Yeah right! You wish, Evan!"

The two laughed at each other, stopping only when they sat down on the bed. Cody chuckled to himself as a thought crossed his mind. Evan looked up at him.

"What is it Codes?"

"Nothing. I was just wondering what Swagger sees in a dick like Jericho."

Evan glared at him, "Chris is not a dick!" His face burned red when Cody's cerulean eyes widened at his sudden response. //No use trying to back out now// "H-He's a nice person, and he's supportive, a-and really s-sweet. P-People just d-don't..." He scoffed, and quickly turned away, "Besides, how can you even call him that when you don't even know him?! I mean you're one to even talk when you're with that creep Orton!"

Cody frowned. "Randy is not a creep!"

A silent pause hovered over them. Cody looked at the floor, and then sighed in defeat. When Evan got really mad he was known to stay as silent as the grave, and be very, very cold. He wrapped his arm around the smaller man's shoulder and pulled Evan's head onto his. Evan looked up at him with watery eyes. Cody smiled sweetly with an apologetic look on his face.

"I'm sorry. You're right. I don't know the kind of person Jericho is, so I shouldn't be saying that."

Evan gave a weak smile, "And I'm sorry for calling Orton a creep." His voice rose a bit, "But I really don't know why you like him, Codes."

Cody's face tinged red. "W-Well, he's nice. And strong. And loving. And....pleasing." //Wow// Cody thought, //that sounds really weird// "Plus he makes me happy you know! He spends time with me, and makes me feel special." His face all but melted from the heat of his blushing. Talking about Randy like that made him recall unmentionables.

Evan looked at him silently for a second before his eyes flashed with a hint of understanding, "Oh! I get it – like how he buys you these games right? That really is only something a nice guy would do. I never thought of it that way."

Cody opened his mouth to reiterate what he really meant, but stopped and re-phrased. "Well, what about you Evan?"

"Me?" Evan curled is knuckle under his chin and thought hard. He beamed at Cody. "I like the smile Orton gives you. It's a really sweet smile, contrary to his usual sadistic one." He held his hands up defensively, "But it's not like I like Orton or anything! I just like the smile. That's all."

Cody face palmed his forehead and let out a small, dry chuckle. "No. No Evvy." He gave Evan a look of pity. The man's innocence appalled him, "As nice as that is, what I meant was: why do you like Jericho?"

Evan's breath hitched. He eased off of Cody's shoulder, and looked at the blank TV screen ahead. //Why do I like Chris?// "Um...well...he's attractive, and he's...nice."

Cody laughed shortly, "Evan. I'm nice. Are you telling me that you like me too?"

Evan slowly shook his head. "I like you Cody, but I love Chris."

Cody had spoken the truth. Everyone was nice. Even the fearsome leviathan – Dave Batista – was a nice guy. However, there was a huge difference – in Evan's mind - between Chris' nice, and everyone else's nice. Everyone was just nice because it was polite. Chris was nice by nature.

Cody noted the long silence, "Evan, look at me."

He obeyed.

Cody gently clasped Evan's face with his hands searching those large brown eyes for clues. "Evan, you love him. Are you sure?"

"Yes." Evan's eyes focused on Cody. "I have for a long time now. But..."

Cody looked worried, "But?"

Evan smiled childishly, "I won't tell him yet."

"Huh?" Evan's response made Cody even more worried. "You want this to stay one-sided?!" He took hold of Evan's mall shoulders and gave the man a gentle – but sharp – shake. "Take it from me Evan; it's not going to accomplish anything but self-inflicted hurt! If you're afraid of what he'll say don't be! So he's sleeping with Swagger! Randy was sleeping with someone else too when I told him my feelings! Don't be scared Evan! Just tell him! If he's this 'Mr. Nice Guy', and if you show him that you really, really love him, I guarantee he'll consider it! Heck the two of you might be a couple in no time!"

Evan laughed a bit. "Thanks for the support Cody." He patted his friend on his hand, "But Jack isn't the reason. He even knows. Plus it's not fear that's compelling me either. I just don't want to tell him. Not now. So please keep it a secret okay?"

Not fully understanding why, and not liking the idea one bit, Cody agreed to please his friend. If Evan was okay with how things were, then he'd be the better man and let the chips fall where they may, and be there if some of them got lost.

***

Swagger's music blared loudly in his ears. //I'm gonna need a ton of painkillers if I even want to have a hope of sleeping tonight// He rubbed his sore neck. //That RKO is a brutal move!// The pain in his ribs had subsided after a few soothing rubs, but he knew it was only due to the fact that his neck pains outweighed everything else. Evan slowly hobbled down the hall wondering if Orton would be able to even stand after having to face two more people with such a beaten body. He entered the locker room and sat down. There was a TV inside. He looked on as Jack lied through his teeth on live television. Evan tried his hardest to stifle his laughter, but found it hard to do so, and it garnered him a few questioning stares. Headline topic for the locker room next week: New kid gone mental after debut match.

"Hey Evan." A soft voice called.

Evan glanced up at the owner, and smiled softly as he rubbed his near broken neck. "Hey Codes. How're you holding up?"

Cody sighed loudly as he looked at the happenings on the TV, "Well, Ted's throwing himself into a ballistic fit about Batista being too stubborn and not knowing when to just let it go. He really wants to go out and help Randy."

Evan chuckled, "And you?"

"It's killing me right now to be standing here and talking to you."

"If if helps, I held up a bit to not hurt him too much."

Cody slid his eyes down at Evan, "And yet he still hurt you." His eyes drew to the screen, "Thanks though. You did really great out there." He looked away once Henry threw Randy to the mat, and gave his friend a look bordering worry, and uncertainty. "I hear Jericho's back."

"Really?" Evan's mood instantly brightened. "That's a relief. I was getting really worried."

Cody chewed on his lower lip deciphering how next to move. "Um, Evan?" Evan gave him his full attention. "What are you going to do about...well...is it time to tell Jericho?"

Evan's smile faded as he stared absently at the screen. His voice lowered to a bare whisper. "Yeah. It is."

*-*-*