Cody fell asleep shortly after, leaving Randy lying awake on the bed holding him as if his life depended on it. He was afraid to let him go in case he suddenly jumped up and started freaking out. After a while he reached into his pocket and took out he phone, typing a message to John.

I think Cody needs help…

He glanced down at the young man in his arms and couldn't help but feel a pang of sympathy for him. He knew what being in a shitty relationship was like. Granted, he never got smacked around, but he could guess that it felt pretty shit. He wondered why Cody was with Dave if he was so bad all the time. He frowned and Cody whimpered a little in his sleep and put his hand on top of his head, stroking his hair slightly. His phone beeped and he opened the message.

I no he does. But he wont let me do nythin.

What do you think we should do? I'm in his right now.

The message that came back was fast. Wat u doin?

We had a few drinks and then he kinda spazzed out.

rite… shud I cum ovr

Randy looked down at Cody and sighed, dialling Johns number.

"Hey, what happened?"

"I don't know," said Randy quietly, "We were just having a laugh and then I kissed him. It seemed ok for a few seconds but then he just freaked out. He thought Dave was here and he was going to kill me."

"You kissed him?" asked John, sounding amused, "Why Randy, you dog."

"Whatever," he scowled, "Anyway, he's asleep right now."

"Look," said John, sighing, "Maybe I should leave coming over. I'll come over in the morning when his dad gets there. I might talk to Dusty alone if I get the chance... I spoke to him a few weeks ago…"

"Yeah that's a good idea," he said as Cody turned over slightly, stirring, "I'm gonna go, I think he's waking up."

"Ok, man," said John, "Look, thanks for going back over to him… I kinda knew he wouldn't talk to me."

"It's cool," he said, "He didn't talk to me either."

John laughed a bit and they said goodbye. Randy shifted a little and coughed as Cody sat up, his eyes slightly wide.

"You ok?" asked Randy, frowning a bit.

Cody blinked a few times and rubbed his eyes, "Yeah," he said, relaxing slightly, "You're still here?"

Randy sat up and crossed his legs on the bed. "Yeah… I didn't really want to leave you after that…"

Cody's cheeks flushed and he sighed. "I'm sorry about that…"

"Don't apologise," he said, "You just freaked me out a bit."

"You want some coffee?" he asked, getting up off the bed and padding out of the room, going into the kitchen. He flicked the switch on the kettle and leaned over the counter, closing his eyes tightly. He had a headache. He heard Randy say "sure" from the bedroom and he grabbed out two mugs from a cupboard and he set them on the counter.

"Um, Cody?"

He turned around and seen Randy at the doorway.

"I'm sorry for kissing you earlier," said Randy, "I was out of line…"

Cody sighed. "It's alright," he said, "At least it was my lips this time."

Randy blinked and leaned against the doorframe, folding his arms across his chest. "Well at least I didn't fuck you," he said.

"I know you didn't," he said making coffee for them, "But you did drug Dave."

"Are you telling me he didn't deserve it?"

"Yes," he said, "He hadn't done anything wrong."

"Right… and not caring if I fucked you when your ass was cut was totally ok."

Cody felt his chest and face flush. "I can handle it," he said, sipping on his coffee.

Randy suddenly knew why John hated Cody when he spoke about Dave. He spoke about him like he was some sort of God. "That's wrong Cody," he said, frowning, "He shouldn't fuck you like that. It's fucking dangerous. You could get seriously damaged because of fucking around like that…"

"I won't get damaged. I told you, I can take it and I'm fine. Now please just stop talking about it. If I want help, I'll ask for it."

"See, here's the thing," said Randy putting his mug down on the counter, "You might not want it, but you certainly fucking need it."

Cody glared at him and felt himself tense up.

Randy stood there looking at him for a moment before he moved forward suddenly, pressing his body against Cody's.

Cody froze, shutting his eyes tightly. He felt his arms wrap tightly around his waist and tears swelled in his eyes. "Does he like it when you cry, Cody?" asked Randy, his breath hot against his cheek.

Cody couldn't move, not because Randy was holding him so tightly, but he was just frozen with fear. He felt trapped and his body began to shake. "What do you want?" he asked, his voice cracking, "Just don't…"

"Don't what?" Randy asked angrily.

"Don't hurt me," he whimpered. Randy let him go and watched him tremble, sliding onto the ground, hugging his knees up against his chest. He stepped back and got on the ground beside him.

"I'm not going to hurt you Cody," he said softly, "But you have to understand that what I did was wrong. And it's wrong when Dave does it too."

"Dad!" Cody wrapped his arms tightly around his dad and smiled widely. He was so happy to see him, it was ridiculous. His stomach was knotting as he brought him inside.

"Cody," he said, "Everything ok?"

"Yeah," he said, smiling, "Everything is going really well."

"Dave not here?"

"Um, no, he went home for the week."

"Place looks a lot better than the last time I was here," he said, putting his bag down on the ground beside the freshly cleaned sofa, "Hope you didn't completely re-decorate because I coming."

"Nah, we did it a while ago," Cody lied, picking up his dads bag and bringing it into his bedroom, "Are you staying the whole week?" There a slight hint of desperation in Cody's voice that didn't go unnoticed. He coughed a bit and turned around, looking at his dad standing in the doorway.

"If you want me to," he said, smiling a bit, "We could use the time to catch up on everything that's been going on."

"Yeah, that'd be really awesome."

"Randy picked me up from the airport," he said, going back out into the sitting room, "I haven't seen him in a while…"

Cody froze before going out. "Yeah?"

"Mhm," he said, "Told me that you and him are getting to become friends."

"Uh, yeah we are." Cody sounded nervous as he went to make coffee for them, fidgeting with the spoon.

"He was telling he was over here last night."

For some reason, Cody felt like he was being interrogated. "Yeah… we had a few beers last night."

"John is looking well," he said as Cody brought the coffee out and sat down beside him, "Same as always."

"Yeah," he laughed a bit, "You know John… always in the gym."

Dusty looked at Cody for long few seconds before sitting up. "I worry about you out here," he said, a tone of finality in his voice.

"I'm fine!"

"I spoke to a few people who work the Smackdown roster," he said, sipping on his coffee, "Showed them a few of your tapes."

"What?" he asked, his eyes widening, "Why would you do that?"

Dusty put his coffee down and looked at Cody hard. "Because I want you out of OVW."

Cody knew John had told him. Without it being said, he knew his friend had just fucked up his relationship with Dave all together. When Dave finds out that Cody was going to be going to Smackdown before him, he was going to freak out. Cody didn't want to think about what would happen when he finds out.

"Dad, I can't go to Smackdown," he said, sitting up straight.

"Why not?"

"Because I haven't had enough training yet… I have too much here to do," he explained, colour draining from his face.

Dusty sighed. "Cody," he said, putting a hand on his knee, "Just think of this as a way out." Cody blinked and looked at his dad get up from the sofa. "I'm going to go lay down for a while, I'm pretty tired."

He watched his dad go into the bedroom and close the door.

"Shit," he mumbled, grabbing his phone.

He dialled Johns number and went to the front door, closing it over a little.

"Hello?"

"John. How could you do this to me?" he asked, his voice sounding broken.

"…I had to do something, Cody," he said quietly, "I couldn't fucking sit back anymore."

"You know, you probably just signed my death certificate," he growled, "When Dave gets back and finds out I'm going to Smackdown he's going to fucking kill me!"

"You're going to Smackdown?" he asked, sounding surprised.

"Yeah," he said, "So thanks a fucking million. You really are a true fucking friend."

John sat in the bar, a bottle of Coors Light in front of him. The same one he had been nursing for the past hour. He hadn't meant for Dusty to try and get Cody out of here. That really was the worst thing that could possibly happen. When he spoke to him about Smackdown, he had meant to move Dave there. Not Cody. At least if Dave wasn't there, Cody could start to get his life back together, move in with him and Randy. Not have to fly back to Ohio twice a week to see Dave.

He knew that Dave was going to hit the roof when he found out. He didn't even know when Cody was going to leave.

"Hey, thought I'd find you here."

He looked up and sae Randy, getting onto a stool beside him and ordering a drink. "Hey."

"What's up?" he asked, paying for his drink and taking a gulp.

"Cody called me this morning."

"Oh?"

"Remember I told you that I had been talking to Dusty about what was going on?" he said as Randy nodded his head, lighting up a cigarette, "Well, Dusty pulled some strings and Cody is being hired by Smackdown."

"That's awesome," said Randy, frowning when he saw the look on Johns face, "Or not… why isn't this good?"

"When Dave finds out Cody is being called up before him…" John didn't have to finish the sentence. Randy already knew what he was talking about.

"Is there anything you can do?" he asked, shifting a little.

"Unless we somehow get Dave called up almost straight away when he gets back… then not really."

Randy thought for a moment. "I could talk to my dad maybe…"

"No offence," said John, "But this whole talking to dad's thing, isn't really working out so far."

Randy nodded his head and downed his beer, excusing himself after half an hour. He left John talking some blonde girl in the car and he hugged his jacket tightly around him as he walked back to his apartment. He took his phone out of his pocket and dialled his fathers number as he walked through the door.

"Randy! How are you?"

He smiled when he heard his dads voice and he sat down on the sofa. "I'm alright…"

"What's wrong?" he asked, his tone of voice changing suddenly, "Are you ok?"

"Personally, I'm fine…"

"But?"

"A friend of mine," he said, sighing, "He really isn't…"

Cody raised his eyebrows as he heard his dad shouting down the phone to someone. He left the kitchen and watched him pace around the sitting room, his face red. He slammed the phone onto the table and turned his head, looking at Cody.

"You're staying here," he said, rubbing his temples.

Cody felt his stomach flip over and he walked over to his dad. "That's fine," he said, letting out a breath, "Really, Dad… I'll get my shot."

Dusty looked at him and sighed, sitting down. "Cody, I'm gonna be coming more often from now on," he said and Cody arched an eyebrow.

"I'm not saying that wouldn't be cool… but why?"

"Don't play stupid with me, boy," he said, pointing a finger at him, "You know damn well why."

"dad…"

"Why didn't you call me, Cody?" he asked, his face full of worry lines and Cody sighed heavily.

"They're making it out to be a lot worse than it is," said Cody, "I'm fine and I can handle it… Dave is just… he's just going through a rough patch at the moment but we'll sort it out. I'm fine, Dad."