A/N: So, I'm kind of upset at my boyfriend because he got to watch WrestleMainia and I couldn't because I had to work. He's so lucky! Anyway, a big thanks to everyone who has been reading and following this story. I hope that I continue to please. R&R. Enjoy.

Survive

It's hard to fight an enemy who has outposts in your head.

Sally Kempton

John hated calling off work, he really did, but he just couldn't go in. After Randy had called and told him what had happened, he felt numb, sick, and repulsed. Despite all of his faults, Mike was a good man, a good detective, and a good friend. Having known him for years, John had bonded with Mike and Kevin and he thought of them as family. They would often invite John, Randy, and Cody over for dinner or just to hang out when they had free time, and Cody would always house sit for them when they went away.

But this… This was unforgiveable.

However, Wade wasn't the only one John blamed. He also blamed himself. The possibility that Wade might come after him has haunted the blonde ever since the trial and he should have told those closest to him and Randy about it. If he had done that, then maybe Mike wouldn't have gone on vacation, maybe he'd still be alive…

Whenever John thought of telling Randy this, he'd cringe and push the idea out of his mind. He knew what his husband would say: He'd tell him that it wasn't his fault, that he had nothing to do with this. The truth of it was that John was responsible, at least partly, for all of these murders and disappearances, for the loss of life that Wade had brought upon them along with his escape. John had a responsibility to all those who were close to him, like Mike and Kevin, and he should have warned them.

But he didn't.

Somewhere, deep down inside of him, John knew that Wade wasn't finished with him just yet. He knew that his godfather would come back for him; Wade had basically expressed that all those years ago, and he had kept true to his word. After he started thinking about it, really thinking about it, John realized that he should have created a plan or something, just in case his godfather ever did escape. However, his years with Randy, with that feeling of safety and security had blinded him, and now there was a price to pay.

Randy's phone call only reinforced his feelings about everything, and it upset him greatly. Because of John, Michael was dead. Because of him, many people had died and suffered. How on earth could he be okay with that? He wasn't, and he never would be.

Wade was a coward, and so was he.

/

"Alright, now I want you to call me as soon as you reach your mother's house, got it?"

Randy knew that if Barrett had gone after Michael, that it was possible that Kevin was a target as well. Anyone who was close to John was a target, and those people needed to be warned and kept safe. So, after a long discussion, he had finally persuaded the blonde to pack up and leave for a little while with Philip in tow. It'd be a long drive, but Kevin's mother was more than willing to let her son stay with her until the coast was clear.

"Randy, we've been over this already. Yes, I'll call you. Can I just…can I just go now?"

Shaking his head, Randy suppressed a laugh, smirked and looked away. He understood what Kevin wanted to do: He wanted to get going and to drive, because he'd be able to clear his head that way, to get things straightened out. No doubt he'd probably break down once he arrived at his mother's, but he needed to be calm and collected, for Philip if not for himself. When Randy first suggested leaving town, Kevin flat out refused; he wanted to bury Michael first. However, his body was still being autopsied and was, technically, evidence, so it wouldn't be released for a few days anyway. Although he looked upset, Kevin nodded and agreed to Randy's suggestion in the end.

"Sure thing, kid. I'll have Cody house sit for you, if that's okay with you."

"Yeah that's…that's fine. She's a good kid; I trust her."

"Glad to hear. Have a safe trip. Take it easy, Kevin."

"Will do. And Randy?"

"Yeah?"

"I'm not a kid."

Barking out a laugh, Randy shook his yet once more and walked away from the vehicle as Kevin pulled out on the street and drove off. While it was true that he was concerned for Kevin's safety as well as Phil's, Randy had another reason for wanting the younger man to leave. Truthfully, he wanted Cody away from home and if she was at Kevin's house sitting, then she'd be a little bit safer. He knew that Barrett was on his way towards their town; hell, he was probably already here. And he also knew that Barrett would target their house for sure, and if Cody was there while the Brit attacked…

Sighing heavily, Randy opened the door to his car and got inside. He'd have to talk to John and Cody about this. But first, before he went home, he needed to call Ted. His plan would work a whole lot better if Ted, John, and himself went over it together.

/

Justin didn't want to do this anymore.

He really didn't. Hell, he was done with Wade way back when the Brit had been arrested and taken to trial. All he wanted was to live out the rest of his life, forget his past mistakes and Wade, and just…be. But fear kept him detached from everything and everyone around him; fear of being forced back into Wade's clutches. His fear was justified, for he was back in Wade's clutches, and he wanted out.

In all honesty, Justin was disgusted with himself. Not only had he helped Wade by hiding him, driving him around, and assisting him in killing all those people, but he had abducted an older lady right out of a parking lot. In the open where anyone could see. And oh, how he wished that someone had been watching because then he'd be caught and the lady would be safe.

Unfortunately, Lady Luck was not on his side. Period. No one had been watching the parking lot of that Advocacy Center. So he had no choice but to hit the woman over the head with a gun and drag her to his car. If he didn't do as Wade instructed then he would die. Although, now that he thought about it, Justin would have preferred death to this. But he was a coward and he wanted to live; he cared more about his own livelihood than anyone else's.

So he dragged the lady to his car and heaved her into the back seat, just as he had Mike. Only this wasn't an old friend; this was an innocent lady who didn't do anything wrong, as far as he knew. All Wade had told him was to keep a watch on the building and look for the person in charge. The Englishman never told him why he wanted her, he just did.

After he had placed her into the car, and got in and drove away, heading towards the house that he and Wade had broken into. It was outside of the city, closer to a nearby town, but it was abandoned and it worked as a decent enough hiding place. Thankfully, he had hit the woman hard enough to keep her knocked out for quite awhile, which was good because he had forgotten the duct tape and, as a result, he couldn't keep her quiet.

With shaking hands, he drove towards their house and pulled into the driveway. Making sure that no one was watching, Justin heaved the lady out of the car and started towards the door. He had to stop, however, when her brief case fell onto the pavement and opened, revealing numerous papers and files. Cursing under his breath, he laid her onto the grass and bent down to pick up the papers. He nearly had a heart attack when he saw John Cena's name on one of the files.

His heartbeat quickened and he started sweating. Justin had no idea what to do; he was at a crossroads, he truly was. On one side, he could give the briefcase and the papers to Wade, while on the other side, he could either leave them in the car or destroy them. When he first turned against Wade, Justin had sworn to turn over a new leaf, to become a better person. However, since Wade had reentered his life, Justin found it hard to stick to his guns, seeing as the threat of death was constantly being dangled in front of him.

As he thought hard about what to do, Wade opened the front door and walked down the sidewalk, scowling at the younger man. He had taken a while to get the woman and return and now he was just crouching down in the driveway, reading. When he approached the younger man and peered over his shoulder, Wade nearly barked out a laugh. Grabbing the papers away from Justin, he stood up and read over them carefully.

Oh, it was good to know that he was right. So, the woman did work with John after all. Hell, the file even had his address and everything… This was too good to be true. And the best part was that his godson didn't live all that far away from the house he was currently staying at.

"Justin…I've had a change of heart. C'mon. Let's get her inside first, and then we'll talk."

Wade didn't notice how pale Justin's face became nor would he care if he did. All that he cared about was finding John. Oh, how he couldn't wait to see his godson once again.

/

"So, you want Cody and I to stay at Kevin's house while you and John continue to stay here, or something like that?"

Ted's tone made the plan sound like a joke and John would have laughed, had the situation not been as grave and severe as it was. Randy finally came home around ten in the morning and Ted had arrived not too long afterwards. Once everyone, expect Cody of course, was in the living room, Randy told them about his plan. It sounded good to John, until his husband suggested that Cody and Ted go elsewhere. John would rather stay with his daughter and his best friend, and, apparently, Ted thought so as well.

"Look, I'm not saying that this plan is perfect, because it's not. But if Wade is in town, then he'll surely find out that this is our house. He could show up at any time, which is why I'd feel better if Cody was elsewhere, and I'd feel a hell of a lot better if you were with her, Ted. I trust you and I know you won't let her get harmed."

"Of course I wouldn't. But Randy… For the love of God, none of us should be separated."

"He's right, Randy. I'd rather Cody not go and stay at Kevin's. Even if Wade doesn't go looking around there, I'd feel better if she was with us. Where she belongs."

Randy took a deep, calming breath. When he had called Ted and invited him over, he had assumed that he'd side with Randy on this. He knew that splitting up into two separate groups would be dangerous, but he also knew Wade Barrett. And he knew that if Wade was in their town now, that he'd be trying to find out where John lived. Barrett wanted revenge, and he'd be targeting anyone and everyone who had close enough contact with John. Ted was a security officer for a private firm, so protection and defense were specialties of his, so Cody Marie would be plenty safe with him. Besides, he would trust no other to keep his only child, his beautiful daughter, safe and out of harm's way.

He just wished that John understood all of that.

"John… Baby. Believe me, I wouldn't suggest this unless it was the last option, and it is. Ted's parents and mine own are both deceased, and we've no other family or relatives that we're close to. You know how your godfather is. No one's safe from him, especially Cody, so keeping her hidden is a key part of her surviving. Besides, she doesn't need to know the real reason why she's staying at Kevin's, and the less she knows the better."

Randy approached his husband and crouched down in front of him. Taking John's hands in his, he gazed into those bright baby blues that he adores so much. Held within them, he saw pain, remorse, love, and fear. So many different emotions…those expressive eyes are one of the many features he loves most about the younger blonde. More than anything, he wanted to wipe away all of the pain, all of the sadness and the fear, but right now, he couldn't. Things had to get done before it was too late.

"Baby, I wouldn't ask this of you if there were any other options. If it makes you feel better, I'll stop in every day, I promise. Just please…please…"

He pleaded for John to understand and for him to say yes. As he stared into his husband's eyes, he saw his resistance fade and slowly, John nodded and bit his lip, looking unsure and frightened.

"He's here Randy. I know he is. I can…I can just feel him here."

"I know, baby, I know."

Randy pulled John into a hug and kissed him softly, trying to calm the younger man down. Ted sighed loudly and flopped onto the couch, shaking his head yet smiling slightly.

"You guys are nuts. But if John's okay with it, then so am I. But I am not to be held responsible for the electric bill."

"Damn right you're not. All lights go off at nine at night, you got that DiBiase?"

"Yeah, yeah, you old man…"

Randy growled, but let the remark go. He stood up, pulling John with him, and started for the stairs.

"I'll go and get her. Try not to break anything, Teddy."

As he walked up the staircase, Randy couldn't help but feel as though something was about to go horribly wrong.