A.N.: Wow, thank you for all the reviews! Keep that up and I'll have enough fuel for new chapters. ;)

As for the Slash: Since almost all of you let me know that either slash or gen would be fine with you, I'll just see where this story takes us. I'm in for some guy-love (in a touchy-feely friendship sort of way) either way, so I hope that will satisfy everyone in the end even if it turns out that no actual slashy action is going to happen. But who knows... ;)

As far as this chapter is concerned (SPOILER): I had loads of fun writing it. I think the Orton/Rhodes/DiBiase combination has potential for a rather high cuteness factor... AND Orton needs some friends. Desperately. I can't let him run around all on his own all the time. Such a lonely boy...

So... here we go. Hope you enjoy! :)

Voices - Chapter 4: Nocturnal

Randy woke up abruptly, startled by something. He had slept on his belly, something he almost never did, and lifted himself up on his hands, turning slightly to look at the clock on his nightstand. The digital display glared red numbers at him; 00.12h. Shaking his head and rubbing his eyes with the heels of his hands, he sat up, trying to find out what had just woken him.

His question was answered immediately when he heard a hesitant knock on his hotel room door. Who on earth could want something from him at this time of night?
*Be careful.*
Randy groaned silently. He had almost forgotten about this uninvited guest of his that occupied his head.
"And why do you want me to be careful?" he asked, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Are you afraid of Hunter sending over his bloodhounds?"
For a brief moment he thought of Batista and decided that, indeed, the idea of the Animal being here with him in his hotel room wasn't that appealing.
*You need to be careful,* the Predator repeated. *They cannot be trusted. None of them.*
And for the first time, Randy had to agree. The way he had been kicked out of Evolution had left invisible scars that attested to the fact that even the ones he let get close to him couldn't be trusted. He had learned that the hard way.

Another knock came from the door. He considered just staying silent to see if the visitor would leave.
"Randy? Ran, are you there? It's us, Cody and Ted."
Randy released the breath he had been holding. Cody and Ted meant no threat. Although he would never admit it to anyone, he was actually quite fond of the two young wrestlers and enjoyed their company despite the fact that he felt like an annoyed nursery school teacher at times. As a reflex he often said that they were wasting his time, that he didn't even know why he let them keep him company, but all that seemed necessary to keep some distance between him and them. It was like he had lost the knowledge of how to be close to people over the last years. And yet, these two got to him, made him feel like a big brother sometimes and although that bit of him that wanted to be a tough guy rebelled against any of these sentiments, he actually liked having them around. Theirs was the only company he could stand.

At that moment, however, he wasn't so sure if it really was such a good idea to let them in. He wasn't sure about how much he was in control of himself and he didn't know how the Predator would react to the other Legacy members. Randy felt that this voice within him had some paranoid character traits and he didn't really want to see whether its distrust also applied to the only two wrestlers in the WWE whose existence he actually found bearable.

"Randy, please open up. We're a bit worried about you."
Oh, brilliant. Now they were giving him the guilt-trip shit. Randy knew that Cody and Ted didn't actually think that it worked but it did - always - although he was usually able not to let it show. This time, however, he felt silly not to give in. Which adult man hid himself in a hotel room pretending to not exist while two worried frie- …collegues were standing outside?
"Stop waking the whole floor and just come in, it's open."
The door opened and Cody popped his head in. His expression was a mixture of apprehension and caution and Randy knew that he couldn't hold that against him.

"Hey, Ran," Ted said, when he and Cody finally came in and closed the door behind them. "How are you feeling? We saw the match but weren't able to find you afterwards."
"Yeah," Cody confirmed. "We really started to worry when we couldn't find you backstage. Some of the security guys said they saw you leaving in a bit of a rush."
Randy felt an odd sentiment nudging the pit of his stomach. Usually people didn't worry about his well-being, he had made sure of that over the last few years with his arrogance and attitude. Yet ever since the day they helped him knocking out Snuka and Manu, and despite their rough start and their quarrels, these two actually cared, admiring him, looking to him, trying to appease him when he was angry and helping him calm down when he was wound up. They cared. They were looking out for each other and for him, something that he didn't even experience in the Evolution stable, and it was still strange for him every time it happened.

*Pathetic little worms,* the voice hissed.
"Shut up," Randy mentally scolded, "They are okay, they help."
*Dogsbodies, then,* the voice hissed disapprovingly. *Sentiments will make you weak. The Viper is not weak.*
For a moment there was utter silence in Randy's mind, as he lightly shook his head, his jaw tight.
"Ran, you alright?" Cody asked again, sitting on the other end of the bed.

"I'm fine," Randy said, his voice stern as not to betray anything that was going on inside him. "I didn't want to stay after the match. I had no desire to run into Flair's thugs backstage."
Ted laughed.
"He has enough reasons to send them, man! The things you did to Hunter in the ring were fucking brilliant!"
Cody nodded emphatically.
"Yeah, Ran! How did you do that? We thought you would lose that match, it looked like you didn't even stand a chance! And then you just became-"
Cody made a weird gesture with his hands.
"-explosive! I mean, how you put Hunter down with that scoop slam and the R.K.O., that was awesome!"
Randy's lips curled into a smile that didn't reach his eyes.
"Yes, I think I made strong statement today."
*It was necessary.*
"You sure as hell did," Ted confirmed. "They already say that- How did Lawler put it?"
"'Legends of the ring, beware! The Legend Killer has returned!'" Cody quoted in mock solemnity.
"Yeah, that's what he said. You surprised a lot of people tonight. Although everyone seems quite shocked because of what you did to Hunter's face," Ted went on. "But no one should be allowed hold that against you. The way Hunter treated you… I would have done the same."
"As I said, I needed to make a point. This is a warning to Hunter not to mess with me again," Randy answered, surpressing every feeling of guilt that tried to crawl up inside him.
*This is a warning to everyone. We needed to show them that we are the Viper. It was necessary.*
"I know," Randy said annoyed. He just wanted the Predator to stop repeating itself.

"What do you know?" Cody asked, looking at him.
Randy cursed inwardly. He had to watch his own mouth better if he didn't want anyone to know that he had become a complete nutcase.
"I know-" he started, trying to find a meaningful closure to the sentence. "I know that … my actions tonight may have seemed … harsh and rash. But-"
*We accomplished something great. We won. Is that not what you desired? Did I not let you feel pleasure? Did you not feel strong?*
Randy breathed in slowly, his jaw tense.
"But frankly I don't care. It was-"
*Necessary.*
"Necessary."

An odd sense of relief washed through him, as he gave in to the Predator's will, taking the pressure, the responsibility of having to withstand from his shoulders. It was rather easy to give in to the voice's biddings, frightfully so.
*I told you, we would be great together.*

"Rash?" Cody asked. "Ran, you were fierce, like a beast!"
Randy was silent for a second before answering very deliberately: "A beast? Yes, maybe. Maybe the time of the Legend Killer is over."
Ted and Cody raised their eyebrows in a questioning expression.
"What do you mean?"
"I mean-" Randy went on, "that maybe it is time for something new. Maybe it is time to …evolve."
It was rather scary, really. He was starting to creep himself out with his own words. Were these words his own at all?
*They are ours. They are the Viper's.*

"Do you have something specific in mind? A change of image? New entrance song? A new nickname perhaps?" Cody asked. Although Cody was not shallow at all when one took the time to get to know him better, he still enjoyed talking about the look of things, presentation, the show. And although Randy was more interested in simply winning matches and titles, he could see that sometimes a bit of fine presentation was useful. There was almost no better way to intimidate an opponent than a confident entrance.
*We need to show them who we are.*
"Something along those lines, yes," Randy answered.
"Oh, come on, Ran! You have something planned, don't you? Don't keep us on tenterhooks, man! Tell us!" Ted said very interested and rather enthusiastic. Randy smiled.
"You'll see soon enough," he said simply and stood up. "Right now I think it's time to get some sleep."
"But we're not tired!" Ted protested. "We haven't talked about the match at all!"
"We've talked enough," Randy said looking at the disappointed faces of his team mates. "And don't say things like that. You sound like a little child."
"But-"
"No buts. I want you to go to bed. Come on. You are no use to me as team mates when you're tired and groggy. Off you go."
"Yes, daddy." Ted and Cody said in unison and burst into a fit of laughter. Even Randy couldn't stop the genuine smile appearing on his lips. It felt rather good.
"Night, Ran. See you tomorrow."
"Yeah, see you tomorrow."
With that he closed the door behind him and was alone again. Almost.

*Do not get too attached. They will leave you some day. I am the only one you can trust.*
He felt his chest tighten uncomfortably at the thought but pushed it away as far as possible.
He took a deep breath to calm himself and decided that a shower was in order. Maybe it would even help him to clear his head. Taking off his shirt and trousers, he went into the bath.

The hot water felt incredibly good on his tense body, slowly relaxing his shoulders and back.
*You deserve to feel good,* the Predator hissed.
"I know," he answered plainly. He couldn't remember the last time he had actually felt really good. He couldn't even remember the last time he had felt okay. How incredibly messed up he was.
*You deserve the success.*
"I know."
The success that almost nobody wanted to grant him. Not Hunter, not Ric, not Batista or any of the other ones he had tried to show how much he could do, how brilliant he was, how talented, how good. He had tried to be good. He really had.
*You deserve the respect.*
"Yes," he said through gritted teeth. The respect and honor that came with victories. All the respect that he had been denied…
*Then why didn't you claim your rights before?*
Randy started to tremble slightly.
"I don't know," he whispered. "I don't know."

The feeling of the Predator's body was on his shoulders and his back again, enfolding his form, gliding over his skin, crawling underneath. It was a heavy feeling but oddly comforting.
*Do not despair,* it said, its hissing whispers close as if it sat right next to his ear. *We are together now. You will gain success. You will gain respect. They will know the Viper. They will fear us.*
"I don't know if I can do that," Randy said, giving voice to his doubts.
*You are not alone. You are with me now. Do not be afraid. I will not let anyone harm you. We will be strong. Together.*
The body wound itself around him. He felt shielded, protected.
"Together," he said, his own hiss echoing from the tiles.

He almost overheard the loud knock on his room door. Almost but not quite.