DISCLAIMER: As much as it breaks my heart to admit it, I do not own anyone or anything connected to Vince McMahon and his awesomeness. I can only claim property rights of OC.
John was surprised to find Erin waiting for him in the hotel lobby. It was time to leave for the arena. Their room had been empty when he'd gotten back from the gym. She was sprawled in one of the overstuffed chairs. Her long legs were tucked into the chair, her arms folded across her knees. She was talking to someone. Curiosity made John walk a little faster. He stopped mid-stride as he realized Randy was sitting on the arm of the chair she occupied. His eyes were locked on Erin and she was smiling up at him. Once upon a time he had been dead set against Randy dating Erin. She had been so young, practically a baby. Randy was older, more cynical. And there was the little problem of his reputation. It was known far and wide that the Legend Killer was also the Lady Killer. John couldn't count the number of notches in Randy's bed post. And because of that, he had done whatever was necessary to make sure Erin wasn't added to the collection. She was too innocent, too naïve to believe Randy would be capable of anything dastardly. As much as it hurt to be the cause of their break-up, it had been worth while. As John silently observed the pair, he knew things were much different now. While Randy was still a man in possession of an unparalleled libido, Erin was no longer a child. She had grown into a beautiful young lady. John knew she was the kind of woman who would listen to the wisdom of her older, more mature brother. And besides, as long as she stayed away from the wrong kind of guy, she had nothing to worry about.
Wiping the smirk from his face, John quickly crossed the lobby. "Are you ready?"
Randy quickly stood as John came to stand beside Erin's seat. He shoved his hands deep into his pockets. He wouldn't look anywhere but at the floor. John had to bite the inside of his cheek to keep from smiling. Pulling the keys from his pocket, he handed them over to Erin,
"Go get the car. We'll meet you out front."
Erin arched a brown as she took the keys from John. She didn't say anything. She merely looked between the two of them and shook her head. She could take a hint when she had to.
"No problem."
John waited until the automatic doors closed behind Erin before turning back to Randy, "Looks like you two are getting along."
Randy muttered a soft, "Yeah." His gaze stayed focus on the floor at his feet.
"I'm glad to hear that. Really glad." John looked at Randy and tried to figure out why his friend wouldn't even look at him. Just what was he trying to hide?
Randy turned and strode quickly toward the door. John caught up to him before Randy stepped outside. "It's okay, man."
Surprised, Randy looked at John, "What's okay?"
"That you and Erin are back together. It's okay." John smiled as he slapped Randy hard on the back. What else needed to be said between friends? Whistling to himself, John walked out into the sunshine. Randy stared at John's retreating back. No way in hell he had just said he approved. Not after the hell he and Erin had been through. John had an awful lot of fucking nerve to stand there and hand out approval as if he were the fucking president. Fuck that Randy thought. Just as soon as he could get Erin alone they were going to have a little heart to heart.
Nattie was waiting for Erin when they pulled into the parking lot. She was standing just inside the roll-up doors. The instant she spotted Erin emerging from the car she crossed the parking lot.
"I thought you would never get here!" Nattie linked her arm through Erin's as they walked towards the building.
"Blame Sleeping Beauty. He didn't want to get up on time this morning." Erin made sure her voice was loud enough to reach John. She glanced over her shoulder in time to see John give her the finger. Sometimes teasing John was irresistible.
Nattie led Erin to catering. The room was occupied by a lot of the production hands mixed in with a few of the roster. Erin grabbed a bottle of water and a bowl of fruit salad before following her friend to a table in the far corner. She sat down in the chair with her back to the wall. "So what's up?"
Nattie smiled happily as she dug in her bag. She pulled out four small black rectangles of paper and spread them out on the table, "This is what's up."
Curiosity got the better of Erin. She leaned forward and studied the papers. "What's this?"
"It's four tickets to see Daughtry. Fifth row center stage." Nattie seemed rather pleased with herself as she reached into Erin's fruit bowl and picked out a grape. She popped it in her mouth and chewed as she waited for Erin's reaction.
"Seriously? Where did you get these?"
Nattie smiled as she shrugged a shoulder, "Just one of the perks of being me."
Erin stared at the tickets in wonder. She had wanted to see Chris Daughtry in concert since he'd found success on American Idol. The man had a voice that was absolutely devastating.
"Who is else is going?" Erin leaned back in her chair. She just couldn't take her eyes away from the tickets. This was definitely something she could mark off her Bucket List.
"I thought we could double. TJ and I and you and Stephen. What do you think?"
Erin couldn't help the smile that crossed her face, "I think I love you!"
"Tell John you're spending the night with me. Tell him you're getting testosterone poisoning!"
Erin had to admit, Nattie was brilliant strategist. As long as she were with Nattie, she had a cover that couldn't be blown. At least it would be good as long as John didn't somehow snag a ticket to an already sold out show. No big brothers, no curfews. She would be able to enjoy her evening without worrying that she was about to turn back into a pumpkin.
"Why don't we just make a day of it?" Nattie asked.
"How?" Erin was intrigued by what Nattie could be up to.
"We can get our hair done, go for a mani/pedi. You know, get all dolled up!"
"Have I told you how much I love you?"
Nattie laughed as she reached for the tickets and placed them back in her bag. She looked up as a shadow crossed over the table. Randy was leaning over the table, his blue eyes focused on Erin, "We need to talk."
Uh oh! Nattie thought as she looked up into the blue eyes of the Viper. That was the only way Nattie knew how to describe Randy's mood. He was definitely throwing major asshole vibes. He was not a happy camper.
"What's wrong?" Erin leaned forward in her chair, looking Randy in eyes. She wasn't afraid when Randy was in one of his moods. They'd known each other too long. His angry posturing didn't faze her at all.
"I said we need to talk." Randy said the words slowly. "Now."
Erin gave Randy a heated glare before turning to Nattie. "I'll be back."
Randy took a step back as Erin walked around the table. As soon as they left catering Randy grabbed her left arm and pulled her to his dressing room. He slammed the door behind them.
Erin stared at Randy in anger. What the hell was his problem? She was enjoying a perfectly lovely conversation with Nattie. Now she was just a pissed off.
"What is your damage, Randy?"
Erin continued staring at him. His chest was heaving as he tried to suck in a deep breath. His hands were balled into fists on his hips. He studied her with unblinking eyes. "What kind of game are you running?
"Excuse me?"
Randy laughed softly. The sound was low and full of venom. "What kind of bullshit are you feeding John?"
Crossing her arms over her chest, Erin bit down hard on the inside of her cheek. She wasn't going to say a word until Randy finished his tirade. They stared at each other in silence. This was a silent battle of the wills. Neither of them would back down.
"Why don't you tell me why your brother thinks we're back together?"
A startled gasp left Erin, "He what?"
Randy rolled his neck and arched his shoulders as if trying to relieve the tension centered there. "John. Thinks. We. Are. Back. Together." Each word was said slowly and precisely as if he were explaining something to an idiot.
"Oh shit!" Erin crossed the room and sat down heavily on the hard edge of the bench. "Why does he think that?"
"I don't know, Erin. What have you told him?" Randy realized he was close to shouting but he didn't give a shit. It was well past time they had this little conversation.
Erin shook her head slowly as she thought back over the last couple of days. She had been very careful not to let anything slip. She was pretty sure that Nattie kept her secrets. Maybe it was just wishful thinking on John's part. Once he took to an idea he was like a dog with a bone. He wouldn't leave it alone until he was damn good and ready. "I haven't told him anything!"
"Are you sure?" Randy asked as he came to stand in front of her.
"Oh yeah, Randy, right! I just told my brother that I'm back with my ex to cover up the fact I'm dating the man he hates more than anything? How fucking stupid do you think I am?
"Did I say you were stupid?" Randy crossed his arms over his chest. Stupid was not among the litany of things Erin was.
"What are we going to do?"
"We? Oh no,no, no honey! This is all on you!" Randy pointed a finger sharply in her direction.
Erin resisted the urge to tell Randy to talk a long walk off a short pier as she thought about what she was going to do. If she thought about it long enough maybe should could find a way to turn it to her advantage. She just had to think, which was nearly impossible with Randy towering over her. His presence was slightly overwhelming.
"You know what you have to do."
Arching a brow in question Erin looked up, "And what, exactly, do you suggest I do?"
Randy rolled his eyes as if she had just asked the most obvious question in the world, "You need to tell John the truth."
The laughter bubbled up from deep inside. She couldn't help herself. The thought of telling John anything was absolutely insane. Most certainly she did not have a death wish.
"No way, Randy. You promised you'd keep quiet."
Randy shook his head as he looked at Erin. She was asking way too much of him now. It was one thing for him to offer to cover for her one time. It was another thing all together for her to expect him to get involved. His relationship with Erin was over. As painful as it was, he'd come to accept that their time had ended. He wasn't going to continue being the fall guy every time Erin made a decision. It was time for her to stand on her own.
"Come on, Erin, think about what you're doing. Do you really want to keep sneaking around like this? Why don't you just tell John?"
Erin stared at Randy in horror. The man was certifiably insane! No way in hell was she going to tell John that she was seeing Stephen! "No."
"When are you going to grow up, Erin?"
Her mouth fell open as she stared at him. Surely she just had not heard him say that! She stood up and stepped toward him, nearly coming chest to chest with him. "Excuse me?"
Randy took a deep breath. This was the side of Erin he rarely saw. She was usually very laid back, an easy going kind of girl. During the entire year they were together he'd only seen her pissed a handful of times. "If you want to be with Stephen so much, just fucking be honest. When are you going to learn to fight for what you want?"
The change in Erin was like a switch being flipped. She went from being angry to being absolutely livid in less than a heartbeat. For a moment he had to appreciate the savage beauty of her emotion. The appreciation died a quick death as Erin took another step toward him, bringing them practically nose to nose. "Me? When will I learn? Give me a fucking break, Orton! I don't remember you ever fighting for what you wanted!"
"Damn it. This is not about me. This is about you. You need to ..."
Erin felt the last shreds of her control snap. She gaped at Randy in shock. He was not about to stand there and lecture her. The days of him having that much influence in her life was over. "Do not tell me what I need to do." Her word were punctuated by sharp jabs of her finger in his chest. "You asshole! Don't you dare stand there and tell me to fight for what I want when you never did!"
Reaching up, Randy captured her good hand with his. He pinned her hand behind her back as he stared deeply into her eyes. His voice was soft and filled with emotion, "I live with that every fucking day of my life, Erin. Never think that I don't."
Suddenly overwhelmed, Randy leaned toward Erin. He took a deep breath, bringing the scent of her skin deep in his lungs. For a moment he was young again. And he and Erin were still in love. "I have to live with that for the rest of my life."
Erin sucked in a sharp breath. She hadn't expected things to go like this. Rarely, if ever, did Randy give away what he was really feeling. She never knew how deep his regret ran. He took the blame for their failed relationship. Tears stung her eyes as she forced herself to look away. It was breaking her heart to know that things were still so unsettled between them.
The locker room door swung open sharply. Erin turned toward the door and felt her heart drop to the floor. Of all the people she didn't want to see right now, Stephen was right at the top of the list. He stood framed in the door way, his green eyes wary as he looked between the two of them. He couldn't believe it. If he didn't know any better he would think he interrupted a lover's quarrel. Randy roughly let go of Erin's hand and took a few steps away from her. Stephen nodded slightly. The distance was minimal at best but it was a shitload better than seeing Randy standing so close to Erin. His anger tempered only slightly as he watched Erin quickly swipe away her tears.
"Ah've been lookin' for yah." Stephen said, his voice was even and calm.
Erin took a deep breath as she looked at Stephen, "We're finished here."
Randy didn't say a word as Erin crossed the room. She slid past Stephen without looking at either of them.
"Ah'll deal with yah later, fella." Stephen turned sharply on his heel and followed Erin out into the hall. She was standing against the wall, her face buried in her hand. He approached her slowly, afraid that she would spook.
"Are yah alright, love?"
Surprisingly, Erin shook her head. The tears were burning her eyes.
Gently he took her hand and pulled her away from the wall. He lead her further down the hall to his locker room. He quietly shut the door behind him. He leaned against it as he studied Erin. Her eyes were liquid with unshed tears, their color magnified even more than usual. Her lips were pulled into a thin line. Once again he took her hand and led her to the wood bench. He sat down and pulled her into his lap. He loved holding her this way.
"What happened?" he asked softly.
Erin sighed a little and rested her head against his shoulder. She was quiet for a long time. "It's a long story."
"Ah'm a good listener."
"Did he say something?" Stephen coaxed gently. When she didn't respond, he knew the answer. "What did he say?"
"I don't want to talk about it."
Stephen took a deep breath. He placed a hand on her back and began to rub in slow circles. "Are yah sure?"
"Randy and I were together once." Erin felt Stephen take a deep breath. He didn't say anything. He just keep rubbing her back in a way she was really starting to like. "We were young. My brother didn't approve. John kept pushing until we broke up. He just couldn't let me be happy."
"Ah'm sorry, love."
Surprised, Erin pulled away enough to look at Stephen. She hadn't expected him to be sympathetic. Not very many men responded well when they found out she and Randy had been an item. Unexpectedly the tears started anew.
"And it's gonna happen again. When he finds out that we're dating he's going to flip."
Stephen made a soft sound low in his throat as he pulled Erin tight against him. He hated to see her so upset. But in her emotional state she'd let slip a very important piece of information. She considered them to be dating. That was definitely a step in the right direction. "Mah sweet Erin. Ah'm not leavin' yah."
Erin sniffled rather loudly as she rubbed her cheek against his chest, "Promise you won't leave me."
Stephen leaned back, putting some space between them. He looked at her with serious green eyes, "On mah life, Erin. Ah won't leave yah."
Blinking back the tears, Erin looked up at Stephen. There was nothing but open honesty looking back at her. She believed him. What else could she do? Stretching slightly Erin brought her lips to his. She kissed him slowly, her lips grazing across his until he opened for her. With a tentative caress she tasted him. He made a small sound of approval as his hand came up to cup her cheek. He pulled away slowly, his eyes locked on her.
"Ah care for yah deeply. No man will care for yah like Ah do."
Erin felt a sad smile tugging at her lips, "You say that now."
"Do yah trust me, Erin?"
She wasn't sure why, but she did. There was something so honest about Stephen that it was impossible not to. "Ah don' care what yah're brother wants. Ah only care what yah want, what makes yah happy."
Suddenly shy, Erin looked away. Her eyes settled on the place where his hand rested against her thigh. In a heated rush she remembered exactly what those long, elegant fingers were capable of. She forced herself to concentrate on anything other than where his fingers had been. "How did you find me?"
"Nattie. She told me yah had gone off with Randy and yah'd been gone for a time."
Once again Erin realized just how much she owed Nattie. The girl was an absolute treasure. There were not enough ways for her to return the kindness.
"She said we have a date tomorrow." It was more of a question.
"You want to go?" Erin asked. She was surprised that Nattie had told him about the concert.
"Ah want to be with yah. If yah want to go, we shall."
Erin risked a glance at Stephen as she nodded. She really wanted to go to that concert. There wasn't a reason for her not to. At least if she were looking forward to going to the concert, she wouldn't have as much time to worry. Maybe things would work out after all. And when they didn't, she would have something nice to look back on. Erin shook her head firmly. No! Not this time. She was not going to let John win. He was not going to ruin what could turn out to be the time of her life.
***A/N – Wow! What a load of emotions from everyone! I hope you enjoyed! Please review!***
