John didn't look up right away. Tom started to get even angrier, and despite the rape being just allegations at that point, he wanted to beat the hell out of his roommate.

"Cena! I'm talking to you!" Tom tried to get his attention for the second time, and failed for the second time. This sent his anger to a higher level; one even he had difficulty managing.

John finally raised his head to stare at Tom, but it was only for a second before he returned to looking at the floor between his sneakers.

It took every ounce of self-control that Tom possessed not to grab John and shake him. He turned and made a fist with his left hand, then pounded it into his other palm.

"What were you thinking? There are plenty of chicks, and probably a few guys, who'd willingly give it up to you. Not to mention that you supposedly have a girlfriend waiting for you." Tom exhaled through his clenched teeth. "Jesus Christ in a taxicab! Did all those protein shakes rot your brain?"

"Tommy, I..." John buried his face in his hands.

"You what?" Tom demanded "Huh, what?"

"I didn't." A very muffled voice replied.

"What do you mean you didn't?" Tom replied

"I didn't." Cena raised his eyes; finally looking Tom in the face. "I swear to God nothing happened."

"If nothing happened, then why the hell am I angry?" Tom asked

"Because you're an overbearing, overemotional jackass?" Cena shrugged

"I knew that." Tom sat down beside John. They stared at each other for several seconds without speaking; Tom's dark eyes looking directly into John's puffy red ones. "Overbearing and overemotional, huh? Correct me if I'm mistaken, but I'm not the one who looks like he went seven rounds with a bag of onions."

Cena had no quick reply, witty or otherwise. Another long moment of silence followed.

"Look, John. I'm sorry if I jumped the gun."

"Whatever, man. Everyone else on this tub has done the same thing..."

Well, forgive me for asking the obvious," Tom responded "but what are you gonna do?"

"What can I do?" John replied "She went to the Dean and I guess he believed her."

"That explained the noise." Tom nodded

"Sorry. They're kicking me off the ship when we dock in Costa Rica."

"Hmmm... could be worse. Or is it?" The look that John gave him gave Tom the impression that Cena still wasn't telling the entire story.

"I dunno. I guess it depends if the Costa Rican police are going to..."

"Just stop right there Johnny." The last thing Tom wanted to hear was anything involving nosy cops. "That ain't gonna happen."

"It isn't?" John asked "What d'you mean?"

"I mean that by the time we dock in Costa Rica, the only thing you're gonna have to worry about is not getting Trish knocked up." Tom replied "Pardon my crudity."

"I still don't understand."

"Trust me. I may be studying Math, but I'm majoring in sneakiness." Tom smiled evilly. "If you're telling me that you didn't do it, then I believe you."

"You do?" Relief shone in Cena's face.

"Yeah. If it turns out that you're playing me like a guitar, then I'll personally toss you off this boat bare-assed." Tom clapped John on the shoulders and got off his bed. "But for now..."

He rummaged through his school bag until he found an almost- blank scratch pad and a couple black pens.

"Tell me everything you can remember about the other day." Tom said, his pen poised to take down everything John said. "And don't skimp on the details. If she's lying, you gotta have your story more airtight than a submarine before people start believing you. Spill."

"I'll tell you exactly what I told the Dean. I came back to my room and she was sitting on my bed."

"How did she get in?" Tom asked

"I dunno. She got my key somehow." John shrugged

"Go on."

Cena talked deep into the night. Tom wrote down practically everything Cena said, only leaving out a few choice adjectives that John chose to describe his supposed victim.

"And she almost ran me over in the corridor right after that." Tom massaged his aching wrist. "On the surface, your story makes sense."

"It's the truth. It should." John answered

"Not what I meant, John. Sheesh..." Tom ripped his notes from the pad and put them into a file folder.

"Now what?"

"We got four days before we dock. That means we have 96 hours to find a way to blast a hole in her story so big you could drive the Queen Mary through." Tom looked thoughtful.

"Please tell me you have an idea or two?"

"I might." Tom replied "It's gonna depend on how soon I can make a call home."

...

"Brie... are you crazy?" Nikki grabbed her sister by the shoulders and started to shake her. "You actually accused him of raping you?"

"Why not?" Brie appeared unnaturally calm, despite the shaking she was receiving.

"Why not?" Nikki repeated "Have you flipped your damn lid? Do you know what will happen to you if they find out that Cena didn't do anything to you... rape or not?"

"But they won't. I'll make sure of that." Brie looked smug.

"How?"

"Don't you watch TV? They always believe the girl..."

"Yeah, but you're forgetting one thing."

"And what's that, sweet sis?"

"Evidence. Since he didn't actually touch you, much less forcefully penetrate, there's nothing that's gonna link him to you." Nikki folded her arms. "Unless you can magically create DNA out of thin air."

"Already taken care of." Brie smiled

Uh-oh. Nikki knew that look. It usually meant that she was about to be dragged into one of her sister's schemes. "Really?"

"Yup. But I need your help."

"I figured." Nikki answered "But this time I am putting my foot down. I am not getting involved in this. Not now. Not ever!"

"Nikki..." Brie whined

"Don't you Nikki me!" she replied "I said no!"

"It's not like I'm asking you to do anything illegal." Brie huffed "I just need you to keep John's roommate out of my hair until we get to Costa Rica."

"Hardy? What's he got to do with this?"

"Right now, as far as I know... nothing." Brie stated "But there's something about him that I just don't like. He seems to be too shrewd for his own good. History says that if Cena's gonna confide in someone it'll probably be him."

"What if he doesn't?"

"Then your job will be ten times easier and you'll probably get a couple nice dates out of it all. You've been rambling about him since this trip began." Brie answered

To her disgust, Nikki realized that she was actually starting to like her sister's idea.

"Just one problem, though. If Cena has talked to him, then he probably won't want anything to do with me."

"Be persuasive. Use those womanly charms." Brie smiled "Do what you have to do."

"Just don't scream rape, right?" Nikki added

"That might seem suspicious." Brie answered

Why do I let her talk me into these things? "Fine. But if things go to hell, you're burning. Not me."

"They won't. Trust me." Brie answered

Famous last words...

...

It took Tom until the next day before he could find a place shipboard that both had decent reception for his phone and was private enough that he wouldn't have to talk over hundreds of people. Not that he didn't mind a crowd, but when every second person's conversations had to do with the rape, it got really hard for him not to lose his composure.

"...it sounds like the classic 'he said/she said'."

"That's what I thought" Tom replied "and that's also why we're having this conversation."

"Normally I'd say wait until you dock and I'll meet him there, but from what I've heard we don't have that kind of time."

"Exactly. I'm not sure what might happen." Tom stated "You think you can help?"

"I don't know a whole lot about crimes committed in international waters. Give me twenty-four hours to do some research and I'll get back to you. If I can't handle it, I know someone who'll be able to."

"Cool."

"Until then, mum's the word."

"Got it." Tom said "Until tomorrow, then."

Tom ended the call and was in the process of putting it back into his pocket when he realized that he was a lot less alone now than when he'd started talking.

"What do you want?"

"It's a free ship." Nikki answered

"Not free enough for you to be listening in to other people's telephone conversations." Tom growled. "You the one who's fucking around with my buddy's freedom?"

"No." Nikki answered "I'm Nikki. That was my sister Brie."

"Oh." Tom shrugged "You still haven't answered my question... what do you want?"

"I just came out on deck for some air." Nikki answered

"Then I'll leave you to your air." Tom started to walk away.

"Look, just because your friend raped my sister, doesn't mean we have to be enemies." Nikki grabbed his arm in passing.

Tom flinched at both the touch and her obvious attempt at seduction. "Would you like an honest answer... Nikki?" He pulled his arm free. "I don't know what games your sister is playing, but I'm not getting involved in them."

"That's not what I heard." Nikki answered before her brain could stop her mouth.

"Oh, so you were listening in on my conversation." Tom glared "If there's one thing I hate more than bitches, it's lying bitches. Now get out of my way."

"I'm not in your way." Nikki crossed her arms over her bosom.

"Whatever, bitch." Tom sighed, taking her by the shoulders and gently pushing her away yet again.

"Hey! Take your hands off me!" Nikki slapped at him.

"Or what? You'll accuse me of rape?" Tom sneered "I'd love to be a fly on the wall when you explain that to whomever. It'll look real coincidental, dontcha think? The sister of a girl who is supposedly raped accuses the roommate of the rapist of doing the same damn thing." Tom chuckled "My first question would be why were you hangin' around with him in the first place?"

Nikki huffed.

"You're full of shit, just like your sister." Tom stated "Excuse me. I have homework to do."

Tom returned to his cabin, shaking his head the entire time.

Women like that are the reason men go gay...

...

The next morning (Saturday) dawned bright and beautiful. At least that's what the weather held outside. Inside the ship, things were not all sunshine and rainbows. After his encounter with Nikki Bella the day before, Tom was feeling a little skittish. He was one of the few people... actually, the only person on board who believed that John was the victim of a vindictive, heartless, bottom-feeding, trash bag, ho. Having her sister try to get on his good side only reinforced that feeling. However, the rest of the ship was tending to believe the previously characterized ho.

If Tom was concerned with the whispers he heard in the corridors, then he was doing a good job hiding it. He knew he might end up looking like the biggest tool in the box, but until a court said otherwise, he was going with his gut. His gut, on the other hand, was the cause of his skittishness. If one Bella was going to lie about John, what better way to make their point than to have the other one lie about something involving his number one defender?

Keeping everything together was starting to give Tom headaches and he spent many an hour draped over a railing at the back of the ship, watching the ship's wake trail behind like a couple of used party streamers.

"Hey."

Tom turned at the familiar voice. "'Sup, John?"

"Not much. Miz told me you like hangin' out here now, so I figured maybe you'd want some company?" Apart from class and meals, John rarely left the cabin, so this was a bit of a surprise.

"I ain't stoppin' ya." Tom looked out over the waves again. "But are you sure it's me who needs the company?"

John cocked his head.

"Well, since the shit hit the fan, you've been pretty much a lone wolf." Tom continued "Gary got tired of you?"

"Maybe I just wanted some human companionship?" John took a similar position to Tom on the railing.

"And if stuffed giraffes could talk, we wouldn't be having this convo, for what it's worth." Tom tried to make a joke, but even he knew that it was failing.

Both men stood in silence for a moment, the only sounds being the waves and an occasional bird flying overhead.

"Dude, I am so fuckin' scared right now." John said, his voice barely above a whisper. It was so low that Tom wasn't sure if he had heard him right.

"Don't be." Tom answered "I made my call and things are in motion."

"What things? You haven't told me anything." John gripped the railing tightly.

"I thought you said you trusted me." Tom replied, his gaze focused on the horizon.

"I do, but this is my life we're talking about!" John shouted

The change in vocal volume got Tom's attention and he turned to face Cena.

"Lower your voice!" He hissed

John swallowed nervously.

"Sorry." Tom quickly apologized "You're right. I have kept you in the dark. How about after dinner, you and I talk?"

John nodded anxiously.

"I don't have answers right now, but the least I can do is tell you where we stand." Tom returned to looking over the back rail.

"Thanks, man. If this works, I'll make it up to you. I promise." John answered

Normally Tom would have an innuendo-laced reply to a statement like that, but his attention was diverted by the sudden appearance of several members of the ship's grew. They swarmed over the aft decks, gathering up deck chairs, coiling ropes, and tightening lines.

Out of the corner of his right eye, Tom saw something that totally shocked him.

"What the hell?" He took off down the deck.

John, not seeing what Tom had seen, took off right behind him. Halfway down the port side of the ship, he found his bunk mate leaning out over the side, staring at something in the distance.

"What is that?" John asked

Tom looked over at John. Most of the colour had left his face. "I think," he swallowed loudly "that our lives just got a little more complicated."