John was more than a little nervous. Soon he would have to drive with her to Atlanta, soon he the only thing separating them would be her stick shift. She hadn't spoken to Shane since yesterday and that was odd. Not that he expected her to call him, no, but he expected him to call her. When he was in the locker room Shane spent every free second he could find calling Ray. He wondered what the fuck Jayda was doing at his ex's house anyway. Could little John be Shane's? Oh you talking about fucking up way worse than he ever could think of…then again, John did have Ray kidnapped. John shook his head, you talking about a flipping a lid when she ever found out that tidbit of information.

"You still with us John?" her soft voice came out of nowhere.

He smirked up at her, "Yeah I'm here, why aren't you upstairs resting?"

"I've rested all I can rest," she sighed wearily. "I can't sleep really."

He really sympathized with her. He couldn't believe that Shane got to marry the woman of a damn life time and he fucked up it up with the slut of a, well hell he really didn't know where to say she was a slut from. He just knew that she didn't deserve all that shit that he had put her through and Shane was preparing to put her through.

"Want something to eat?" he asked.

Ray looked shocked, "You cook?"

John looked at Ray as if there was a third eye free floating on her forehead, "Yeah I cook," it was then that he realized that they really didn't know too much about one another. They never really got to know each other before they immersed themselves in that relationship. Well he was determined that while he had her at his house he would get to know her and let her get to know him. He led her by the hand, "My lady, I can whip whatever you desire."

"How about a little Italian?"

"Mama, I got an Italian sausage that will knock your socks off," he smirked leading her to the kitchen.

"What do you know about Italian food John? You're a city boy,"

"We know everything about Italian food," Matt said joining the conversation from where he stood in front of the refrigerator; "And we grew up in the suburbs,"

"I'm not talking about how to eat it Matthew," Ray joked. "And you sure as hell don't look like you grew up in the 'burbs,"

"We're full blood Italian baby girl," he narrowed his eyes on Ray who was looking at him dumbfounded; "you didn't know that, did you?"

Ray was probably wearing the stupidest look someone could probably paint on someone at the time, "No, I didn't,"

Matt turned his attention towards John, "And just how long were you two dating?"

Ray and John looked at one another, "About five months," John said with a shrug.

"Damn, you two barely know one another," Matt said pointing out what John was already thinking.

Well thank you Captain Obvious, John thought to himself.

And while the thought had occurred to John, it was something Ray never thought to think about. She didn't know much about John and he really didn't know much about her. She felt like this would be a good time to start.

"Matt, do you have something else better to do than to gawk at us?" John asked dropping a hint.

"You're damned right I do," Matt said leading Ray to the island to sit, "So Ray, tell me about you,"

"Matt!!"

Matt burst out laughing, "Okay, okay big bro, don't have a conniption, I'm leaving," he kissed Ray's cheek, "check on you later,"

Ray blushed, "Okay,"

As Matt left John surveyed the scene, "What was that about?"

"What?"

"Why is he checking on you later," John looked at her as he gathered supplies to begin their meal, "You okay?"

"Yeah," Ray said pushing an invisible piece of hair behind her ear, "I was upset earlier and he came to check on me. He was the one that got me to come downstairs,"

"Want to talk about it?" he asked.

"Not really," she said looking up at him, "what are you making?"

"Chicken cacciatore, you like?"

"I love; it's one of my favorites,"

"Remind me to write that down,"

Ray laughed, "Okay, I'll buy you a palm pilot for this sort of thing,"

"Yeah, good idea," he said, "so,"

"So," Ray said.

"So what do you want to talk about?"

"Let's talk about you."

"What about me?"

"Tell me about you,"

"What?"

"Tell me about John Cena," she said.

He smiled at her, those pretty blue eyes sparkled. It had been so long since he had looked at her like that and she loved it. He was amused by her, amused, not annoyed. This was good.

"Well, let's see here," he said as he started the chicken cacciatore, "My name is John Felix Anthony Cena; I was born April 23, 1977 in West Newbury, Massachusetts. I'm a junior, named after my father, I am one of five boys, I'm the second oldest. I don't have any kids, I'm a wrestler and currently I'm the champion," he sniggled, "this has got to be the craziest thing I've ever done."

Ray shook her head with a grin, "Can't be the craziest thing you've ever done, you dated me for 5 months."

"You're right," he said as he cut diced up the mushrooms.

"What?" Ray said indignantly.

"You're right, this isn't the craziest thing I've ever done," he looked back at her with a smile. The look was scorching, the sexual tension was there just as quick and with such force that they were sure they would be electrocuted by it.

"Let me help," Ray said suddenly breaking the silence.

"Here," he placed a tomato in front of her, "can you cut that up for me?"

Ray smiled, "So what was the craziest thing you've ever done?" she asked as she began to cut her tomato.

John wasn't sure how to tackle this question, but he did it in a way that was sure to make her laugh, "Well I had this girlfriend right,"

She smiled as she cut up her tomato, "Right,"

"And I let her run off and get married," John said, "And that person she's married to isn't me,"

"Bummer," she said, and then looked up in his eyes, "Anyway for you two to get back together?"

He took her tomato from her and handed her green peppers, "Probably not," he said. "I wasn't that great a boyfriend,"

"Could it be possible that she too wasn't that great a partner?"

"Oh she was everything a man could want in a woman,"

"That's not what I meant John," she said as she carefully cut into the bell pepper, "I meant is it possible that she was inexperienced at relationships," she continued to cut, "and perhaps that's why she can't keep her current husband happy,"

Though Ray didn't look up or even stop what she was doing as she said something so profound it made John do a double take, "Ray?"

"What?" she said with a shrug, "it would certainly explain some things wouldn't it?"

"Like what?"

"Like why he's cheating on me?" Ray said.

"No," John moved over and sat in front of her, "Shane's cheating because Shane's an asshole. Not because of anything you've done,"

Ray gave John a sad smile, "Do you mean that?"

"Would I lie to you?"

Ray held her knife up to him mockingly, "You'd had better not, because there'd be some hell to pay,"

"John," Sean scared them both, "Can I talk to you?"

"Sure little bro," he said getting up, "Ray, why don't you add those veggies to the sauce?"

"Mmmkay," she said.

"What's going on Sean?"

"I'm about to ask you the same question,"

"I beg your pardon,"

"What's the deal between you two? Why is she here? Matt told me she was crying earlier, and I just heard what you told her about her husband cheating,"

"Well then I guess you know why she's here," John said his jaw beginning to tick.

"No, I don't. I don't know why she's here instead of the millions of other places she could be, and somebody had better talk to that girl's family."

"She's already talked to her husband,"

"Her husband knows she's in her ex's house? Somehow I find that hard to believe,"

"And I find it hard to believe that in the middle of the night I caught my husband fucking a woman who has a baby who no one knows the paternity to. I find it hard to believe that the whore is wearing the symbol of our love. I find it hard to believe that our son was just down the hall when all of this occurred and I find it hard to believe that you would think I'd want to talk to the coward about a damn thing going on with me,"

"Ray,"

"No Sean, you have good intentions and under the circumstances I agree, but right now, I can't think about him without wanting to puke so right now I think we'll just leave things as is. Besides," she unhooked her cell phone from her hip, "I've been here all day and haven't received a single call. Sounds like someone I need to hurry up and alert my whereabouts to,"

"I just don't want any heat coming down on John," Sean said.

"I'm cool Sean, I want Ray here. I want her to feel comfortable here,"

"I'm fine here John," Ray said, "Thank you,"

"You're welcome, now get in there and wait for me so we can eat,"

"Kay,"