"Are you sure you're not gonna get into trouble?" Cooper asked for the tenth time since they'd left the hotel.

"Cooper, if you don't stop asking that, I'm gonna leave you by the side of the road and let Patrick have his way with you." Tom glared from the seat beside. "We've been over this. Just stick with Jeff 'n me and no one will give you any trouble."

At least that's what Tom hoped. After Randy's kidnapping ordeal, WWE had beefed up their security requirements and limited the number of people that were allowed backstage. Even wrestlers that weren't scheduled at the show were sometimes banned, not that it would've prevented Evan and Jack from doing what they'd done.

"What do we do if they don't let Cooper backstage?" Jeff worried aloud. "Anyone who would think that we'd miss Randy's return to the ring has shit for brains."

"Amen to that, li'l bro," Matt replied. It had taken almost a year of counseling, and constant support from both the Orton and Hardy families before Randy's psyche had healed sufficiently. If anything good had resulted from it, it was that Cowboy Bob, Randy's father, had finally accepted that his son was both gay and completely in love with Matt and vice-versa. It didn't take a genius to see that, but after the sleepless nights that Matt spent by Randy's side, the hours of crying he'd endured, it had even broke the Cowboy's tough heart.

They turned into the arena and parked their rental car.

"Try to look nonchalant," Tom said. "The last thing I need is a hassle." He was still carrying his gun. Even though he'd already unloaded it, just the sight of a gun could cause a lot of unnecessary questions to be asked.

"Hey, there's Randy..." Matt squealed with delight. He ran from the group and threw himself into a bear hug with his boyfriend who was leaning against the loading dock having a cigarette.

"Wha?" A brief flash of panic crossed Randy's face before recognition set in and he returned the hug. "Matty, you made it!"

"After everything you've been through, I wouldn't miss this for the world." Matt broke the hug and kissed him noisily on the lips.

"Matt's boyfriend." Tom whispered to Cooper, who was staring impolitely.

"Anyone in the WWE not sleepin' with one of their coworkers?" Cooper demanded with a sardonic smirk. "You 'n Jeff, Mark and Dad, these two..."

"When you're away from family as long as we are, you take what you fuckin' can get." Tom punctuated this with a peck to the cheek of Jeff, who screeched in surprise.

"Guys, come on!" Matt waved at them. Randy and Matt entered the arena, hand in hand, the other three a few paces behind.

"I gotta find Glenn," Cooper whispered.

"That won't be too hard." Tom stated. The Big Red Machine was in catering, demolishing a good-sized hoagie.

As soon as Cooper laid eyes on him, his face lit up He had actually been wondering if Patrick had gotten him too. "Glenn! Glenn! Crispy Critter!" he shouted, running toward him.

"Cooper?" It was blatantly obvious by the tone of Kane's reply that he hadn't received Cooper's or Jeff's messages. "What the fuck are you doing here?"

"What the fuck am I doing here?" Cooper repeated. "Didn't your big red ass get my messages?"

"Sorry, kid, but my phone's been dead. I left my charger at home." Glenn chomped down on his sandwich.

"Oh..." Cooper stared at the floor. He'd hoped Glenn would've already agreed to help and maybe even be willing to crash the address Connor had sent him before needing to be asked.

Glenn lifted Cooper's chin. "Oh?" he repeated. "Oh what?"

Cooper didn't say anything. He honestly didn't trust himself to open his mouth and not either freak out again or break the fuck down.

"Hey, Hardy!" Glenn shouted over.

"What?" Jeff and Tom responded at the same time, then looked at each other and laughed. "Jinx... you owe me a beer." Jeff added with a giggle.

"You mind if I take Cooper for a bit? I think he wants to spend some time with his uncle." The last statement was added for the benefit of the wiseguys in the locker room who'd love to start gossiping about how Kane was seen taking a good-looking stud into his private locker room just before a show.

Jeff looked to Tom, who nodded agreement. "Fine, Glenny." Jeff sang

They watched Glenn and Cooper until they were outta earshot, then started their own stroll; searching for Matt and Randy.

"You thinkin' what I'm thinkin'?" Tom rubbed the scar tissue on the side of his neck lightly.

"Prolly not... you hate Skittle pancakes," Jeff replied.

"Mm," Tom grunted, then suddenly grabbed Jeff and pulled him down a side corridor. "Not even close. I'm wondering what, if anything, should be said to Randy."

"About what?" Jeff asked.

"About anything," Tom answered.

"Mebbe we should leave that up ta Matty?" Jeff replied.

"Second-smartest thing you've said all week." Tom ruffled Jeff's locks. "Let's go find him."

"Tommy..." Jeff twined their hands.

"What, hon?"

"You said that was the second smartest thing I'd said... what was the first?" Jeff grinned sweetly at Tommy.

"That would be I love you." Tommy pulled Jeff close for a quick cuddle. "Now where are those damn locker rooms?"

...

"Seriously Cooper, what the fuck is going on?" Glenn asked. "You look like you've been put through the wringer."

"No, a fucking wringer would be more pleasant," Cooper muttered. "This has been a clusterfuck of epic proportions." He told Glenn everything about what had been going on since Mark and James's anniversary (leaving out the old lusty feelings for Jeff and the new ones for Tom—that was a topic he didn't even want to start to approach), ending with the reading of the email Connor had sent him before he was taken. Glenn listened to every word carefully, his expression completely stoic and unreadable. "Well?" Cooper said impatiently once he was done explaining everything.

Glenn just continued to stare at him for a minute before shaking his head. "He's got all three of them?" he said incredulously.

Cooper rolled his eyes. Oh Lord, they did not have time for this! "Yes damn it!" he said angrily. "This asshole has taken all of them!"

Glenn sighed. "What do you want me to say Cooper? Nothing like this has ever happened before. It's kind of hard for me to wrap my head around it."

Cooper leaned against the wall. "How do you think I feel? I mean, nobody has ever fucked with us like this before. This isn't some drunk looking for a fist fight. This Patrick guy targeted us on purpose."

"Yeah and he's fucking insane to do it," Glenn said. He looked around to make sure they weren't getting eavesdropped on. "Are you sure he's acting alone on this? James and Mark…well I have trouble matching them in a fight and I can fight with the best of them."

Cooper shrugged. "I don't know," he admitted. "I'm pretty sure this guy is working alone for now, but I could be wrong." He ran his hand through his hair. "I have to get them back Glenn. I can't just keep hiding and avoiding trouble like this. I have to fucking do something."

"I know you do," Glenn said. He understood the way of the Lawsons better than anyone besides Mark. "And I'll help you get them back. But for the moment, playing this Tom's way is the best thing you can do. If Wolfe is going through all the trouble to make sure he nabs each and every single one of you, then the longer you stay out of his reach, the longer we can probably guarantee the others living."

Cooper folded his arms over his chest. He was really tired of other people saying that he needed to lay low. Just once he wanted someone to say fuck this laying low shit and go in guns a-blazing with him.

Glenn sensed what Cooper was thinking and shook his head. "Cooper—"

"I'm not stupid," Cooper said, stopping the lecture in its tracks. "I know what I want to do is only going to get me captured. You don't need to tell me that again." He knew damn well they needed to figure out if this Patrick was truly working alone or not and they also needed to figure out when and how they could catch him off guard. "But Glenn, you don't get it: Dad and Connor—they're not okay. I can feel it in my gut and it's driving me insane."

"What about Mark?" Glenn asked.

Cooper shrugged. He wasn't close enough to Mark to really know in his heart when his biological father was hurt. "He's probably in big time pain as well for all I know." He stuck his hands in his pockets. "I know Dad's tough and all and he can take just about anything but Connor…Connor's just a baby." I'm the one who's supposed to watch out for him, but I failed completely at that this time. He didn't say that last part out loud but that still didn't make the guilty feelings go away.

Glenn sighed and hugged Cooper. Cooper didn't hug back, but he didn't push his uncle away either. He was too busy trying to control his anger, which was starting to be fueled with the guilt he was feeling. Normally he was the best one at controlling himself besides Mark, but that wasn't the case at the moment. He had been pushed beyond his limits and something had to give. It was going to have to give very, very soon.

……..

"Any nerves, man?" Matt asked, watching Randy get ready for his big return. He was facing his former Legacy stable-mate Ted DiBiase.

"Now that you're here, no." Randy laced up his boots. Even though their stable of the Four Aces had disbanded many months ago, Randy was still going to wrestle in their ring gear, the only change being the removal of the logo from the back of the leather jacket. "I just gotta focus on DiBiase and Rhodes."

"Don't worry about Cody. I'm in your corner tonight." Matt sprung this unexpected bonus on his former tag-team, but current life, partner.

"Awesome!" Randy beamed broadly.

"Mister Orton... DiBiase and Rhodes are making their way to the ring... you're on in two minutes."

Cody and Ted (the original Legacy, at least in their minds) strutted down to the ring.

"The Legacy has arrived!" Cody proudly announced to the capacity crowd in attendance. "But we hate to be kept waiting. After what we did to Matt Hardy here last week, I wonder if he has enough hair on his ass to challenge us again..."

"Nah, you showed him last week Codeman exactly why we are the most dominant multi-generational superstars in the history of the WWE." Ted interjected "But Matt said he had a surprise for us, so Hardy, bring your ass on down here!"

Matt stepped out in his street clothes, leading the crowd to correctly guess that he wasn't getting in the ring against DiBiase.

"Did I hear correctly? Did you two just call yourself the most dominant multi-generational superstars in the history of the WWE?" Matt repeated

"Yeah." Cody shouted

"I seem to recall winning the match last week." Matt answered "But I guess in your world, dominance means jumping someone when their back is turned."

The crowd booed loudly. Cody and Ted soaked it in, seeming to get off on the negative reaction.

"I will give you a little bit of credit. You are right about one thing. I don't have enough hair on my ass to challenge you again tonight. (Anyone who has seen THS "Win the Shot, Call the Spot" will agree with that statement!) But I have someone here who is not only willing to challenge Ted to a match, but he will prove when he defeats you who the most dominant multi-generation star in the WWE is."

"Bring him out then," Ted gloated.

Matt crossed his arms, waiting for the music to hit.

Hey!

Nothing you can say

Nothing's gonna change what you've done to me...

Cody and Ted aged ten years in five seconds when the former Legacy leader stepped onto the stage. With a nod to Matt, he strutted down the ramp Matt at his heels.

……..

Patrick was on the hunt again. But he wasn't on the hunt for Cooper. No, that plan had to be temporarily abandoned. Jeff and Tom had taken him to the arena and now Glenn was getting involved as well. He hadn't heard the entire conversation between Glenn and Cooper, but the Big Red Machine was definitely getting involved. And now that they all knew who he was and were on the lookout for him, he couldn't play this the way he had before. There was no way he could get to Cooper all by himself. He was going to need some serious backup.

"Fucking nosy shits," he muttered under his breath as he pulled up to a nightclub on the very outskirts of the city. This was not supposed to be happening. He hadn't bothered with Glenn because in his stalking, he had seen that the man more famously known as Kane didn't really get along with James and the boys that well. In fact, there was a definite intense dislike between James and Glenn. That should have taken the bald headed bastard out of the equation, but apparently that wasn't the case. And as for Tom, Jeff and now Matt…yeah, he still didn't understand the Hardy's logic. But he officially did not care anymore. If they wanted to be involved in this, they were going to get taken out, just like Glenn was. It was as simple as that.

He went into the club and went straight to the back room. The security guards let him through because they knew who he was. His cousin Tim owned the place and even though Tim hated him, he was let in because the little weasel didn't want any trouble. And if Patrick didn't get what he wanted, then trouble would be coming right to Tim's front door.

Patrick found Tim with three strippers back in his "office". "Hey there Timothy," Patrick said pleasantly. "I need a favor."

Tim's face turned an ashy shade of pale. He knew how Patrick was and he was terrified of the psycho. "What do you want?"

Patrick took a step forward and Tim and the girls all flinched. "You got any boys to spare?" he asked. "Ones that will do what I say when I say it and not ask any stupid fucking questions?"

Tim gulped. "Look man, I'm not—"

"A simple yes or no will be enough Timothy," Patrick said, getting impatient with his younger cousin. "I don't have time to listen to your bullshit."

Tim sighed and pointed a door off to the right. "I've got some in there. Please Pat—"

Patrick walked away from Tim and opened the door that had been pointed out. Inside the room was a pool table, a bar and six very large and very tough looking dudes. He grinned evilly, knowing he had just hit the flunky jackpot. "Oh yeah baby," he muttered. "This is going to be fun."