Present Day

"Dad…Daddy!"

Randy jerked up his head from the computer screen and looked down at his 6 year old son standing beside him, a frown marring his sweet face.

"Dad, you said you were gonna take me and Ally ice skating today!"

Randy sighed. "I'm sorry, Angel. I completely forgot. Just give me a few minutes and I'll get ready. I just wanna finish this page."

Angel leaned over his father's lap and stared at the computer screen. "Are you still doing homework from your doctor?"

Randy pulled his son into his lap and nodded. "Yeah, but I'll stop for now, OK."

Angel turned around in Randy's arms and lowered his head onto his father's chest.

Randy frowned and hugged him close. "What's the matter, baby? I said I would take you ice skating."

Angel shook his head. "No, it's just..." He lowered his head slowly and began to bite his lip. Randy shifted him up and gently lifted his face up. He stared into his son's big blue eyes, so much like John's, always warm and full of life. Angel had made Randy a huge believer in nature versus nurture. Angel wasn't John's biological son but the child could not have been more like John if he were.

"Baby, what's the matter? Talk to me."

Angel looked into Randy's eyes for a minute before lowering them. "I don't like that doctor. I know what he's trying to do. My friend told me."

Randy smiled slowly. "What's he trying to do?"

"He's trying to get you to forget about Daddy John so you can get another husband! I don't want another daddy. I only want Daddy John."

Randy frowned as his son's eyes filled with tears. He sighed and tightly hugged the small boy to his chest. "Angel, that's not what the doctor is for. I don't want another husband and there is no other man who can be a better daddy to you or Al than John. I'm not seeing the doctor for that reason,"

Angel frowned and looked up at Randy. "Then why are you seeing him?"

Randy frowned as he tried to figure how to explain to his son why he was seeing a psychiatrist. "I feel angry because Daddy was taken away from me and you kids. I need someone to talk to about that anger. The doctor is helping me understand that even though Daddy is gone, I'm gonna be OK enough to be a good Dad to you and Al. He also wants me to, maybe one day, be OK with the idea of getting married again."

Angel looked up at him with wide eyes. Randy quickly placed a kiss on his head. "But that's not for a long, long time. I'll bet you and Al get married first."

Angel laughed. "Gross. I don't want to get married."

Randy rolled his eyes. "Whatever you say, kid," He stood up and placed Angel on the floor. "I'm gonna get dressed. Why don't you make sure your sister is ready? You know how slow girls are."

Angel nodded and ran off, screaming Alanna's name. Randy smiled at his son's enthusiasm and slowly lowered himself back down into a chair. His smiled faded as he thought of his conversation with Angel. It was laughable to him to think of a time when he would be able to let go of the anger he felt inside over losing John. He wasn't sure who he was angry at; the doctor's who couldn't help John, God for not granting him and their children a miracle or just everyone in general. His doctor swore one day he would be able to move on from John's death and possibly find love again. Randy wasn't so sure. There was no better man in the world to him than his late husband. The thought of being with another man and having another man around their children was unimaginable to him. The thought of him ever being at peace with John's death was inconceivable.

Angel walked back into the room and sighed loudly when he saw Randy sitting down again. Alanna bounced along behind her brother and came to a halt next to him, her blond hair flying behind her.

"Dad, come on. Angel, you said he was dressed!"

Angel frowned in his direction. "He said he was gonna go get dressed. Dad!"

Randy looked at his children and smiled sheepishly. "I'm sorry, guys. I'm going right now, I promise."

Alanna rolled her eyes and sighed dramatically. "My goodness, Daddy. You're so slow,"

Apparently the lack of patience ran in the Orton gene, as Randy had come to know at Alanna's young age. He stood up and walked past them quickly, dropping a kiss on each of their heads.

January 2010

"Whose Daddy's pretty girl?"

Alanna giggled loudly as Randy lifted her in the air. He laughed along with her as he spun her around. Randy smiled as he stared into her bright blue eyes, so much like his. He couldn't believe she would be 2 years old already later that year.

"God, Randy, don't rile her up, please. She'll be a nightmare in the car."

Randy placed Alanna on his hip and narrowed his eyes as his ex-wife entered the room with a scowl on her face. Alanna's face brightened at the sight of her mother. He sighed loudly as Sam brushed past Alanna's outstretched arms and into the kitchen.

"I'm not riling her up, Sam. I'm showing her affection. Seems like she could use some from you, too."

Sam rolled her eyes as she sat on a stool around the kitchen counter. "Please, I give her more affection than you ever could. Don't forget who's here with her most of the time. I don't have the luxury of traveling the world for most of the year."

Randy shifted his daughter in his arms and tried to control his temper. "I don't consider it traveling around the world for most of the year, Sam. I consider it working. How do you think those magical green pieces of paper that buy stuff get into your hands every week?" He walked back into what was now his former living room and grabbed Alanna's suitcase from the floor. He laid Alanna on the sofa and put on her coat. Samantha came into the living room and placed a kiss on her daughter's head.

"All right, I gotta go. The guys are in my house for a barbecue. I'll see you in a couple of days." Randy took Alanna from Sam's arms and noticed her frown. "What is it now, Sam?"

She grimaced. "Are Ted and Cody gonna be there?"

Randy nodded. "Yes, Sam, they are. They're my friends. What's wrong with that?"

Sam shrugged her shoulders. "I don't think I'm comfortable with my daughter hanging around with gay guys. Are we teaching her that's OK?"

Randy glared at her and shook his head. "These are the moments I look at you and really realize I have no idea who you are anymore. I don't know, and I really fear, what you're teaching our daughter but I know I'm teaching her to accept everyone for who they are, not what they do in their private lives. I think Ted and Cody are amazing people and I love that my daughter has contact with them. "

Sam smiled and cocked her head. "Fine, Randy. You're so much better than me."

Randy sighed. "Sam, I don't want to argue with you. I don't think I'm better than anyone, either. Just don't judge my friends, OK."

Sam raised her hands. "Fine, Ran, I won't. God, I only thought you were this sensitive when I talked about John. Who knew Ted and Cody were now in your inner circle? I'm surprised you let them in. Seems like your number one is always John. You just love John."

Randy rolled his eyes at Sam's crack on his friendship with John. She had become more and more catty towards his relationship with the man. Her insinuations about the two men drove him crazy and her insults towards two of his closest friends made him never want to deal with her. However, for his daughter, he would put up with it all.

"I'm leaving. Standing here arguing with you is only interfering in my short time with my daughter." He put Alanna's hat on and quickly walked out of the door and into his car. Minutes later he was on the road humming along to The Chipmunks CD playing in the car as Alanna tried to sing along in her car seat.

After the divorce from Sam, Randy had moved across town to a smaller home closer to his parents. He enjoyed the closeness of his family and wanted Alanna to be raised next to her grandparents and his siblings. As he pulled up to the house he noticed a car already in the garage.

"Hey Al, Uncle Johnny's here."

Alanna smiled as she recognized John's name. She eagerly stretched her arms out for Randy to pick her up. He laughed as he quickly parked and walked around the car to unbuckle her seat belt. Once out of the car, Alanna ran towards the door as fast as her little feet could carry her. Randy grabbed her bag and quickly followed to the front door, unlocking it and letting her run inside.

"John, where are you?"

Alanna ran ahead of him and nearly collided with John as he walked out of the kitchen.

"Hey there, little princess!" John picked up Alanna and threw her in the air before securing in his arms and began placing noisy kisses on her chubby cheek. Alanna giggled and tried to wiggle out of his arms but John laughed and held her tightly. He looked over at Randy, who stared at the two with a smile on his face.

"So, how did it go with the Wicked Bitch of St. Louie?"

"Bitch!" Alanna repeated with a smile. John quickly covered her mouth and smothered a smile as Randy frowned in his direction.

"Will you watch your mouth? She's like a sponge repeating everything we say."

John let the smile out but nodded. "I will but you gotta admit, she sounded cute."

Randy laughed and walked into the kitchen with John on his heels. "What should I go get for this barbecue?"

John set Alanna down on the counter and frowned. "Why are you ignoring my question?"

Randy buried his face in the refrigerator and shrugged. "What question?"

John smirked. "Come on, you know what question. Spit it out, Ran,"

Randy closed the door and turned around. He shrugged again and looked at his feet. "She said the same shit she always says. She made her little remarks about you and me and about Teddy and Cody and she made me sick. It's the same shit every time I go over there. Don't make me relive it, OK."

John nodded. "OK, but you always make me tell you about my latest Liz encounter." He smiled as Alanna handed him every spoon from the holder on the counter and shook his head. "Though how she seems to find me home is amazing to me. We have no connection but she always happens to be in Newbury when I am. Why must my Mom be so friendly?"

Randy smiled as he thought of Carol Cena and how she still welcomed the former Mrs. John Cena into her house. Carol accepted John and Liz's divorce but still maintained a friendship with the woman.

"Mama Car is too damn good."

John frowned. "I wonder if Liz and Sam are hanging out together. Liz has been making those same types of comments to me lately."

Randy smirked. "Think they know something we don't, Johnny?"

John shrugged. "I think those two have been smoking something, that's what I think."

Randy laughed and grabbed a notepad from the counter. "All right, enough of those two. Let's make a shopping list so I could go get food for later."

Hours later, laughter filled the Orton house as he, Alanna, John, and the new couple of Ted and Cody enjoyed a calm dinner.

Randy smiled as he looked at Cody's happy face. It had taken the men months to cop to their feelings and then months to admit to their friends that their relationship had grown into more. Randy didn't bat an eye when Cody told him; well, maybe a little. He had known Cody since childhood and had seen the handsome, young man date many girls. It had been a bit of a shock when Cody told him of his feelings for their other childhood friend. One look into Cody's happy face, however, had erased all shock. Whatever he felt after the news was nothing compared to what Cody must be feeling. How weird it must have been for him to see his best friend in a different light…and after so many years?

Cody walked over to Randy and peered in his face. "Hey, what's with the silly smile?"

Randy shrugged. "Just happy that you're happy, Codes."

Cody led Randy over to the small bench in Randy's backyard. He sighed deeply and smiled softly at Randy.

"Ran, I'm so happy that you've stood by me and Teddy. So many of the guys just…" Cody trailed off and Randy frowned. He knew how sensitive Cody was to the negative reactions he and Ted received backstage. It had been a shock to him that men he had worked with and known for years so easily and quickly turned on him.

"Codes, none of them matter. Fuck all of them."

Cody smiled and nodded. "You're right; they don't matter. I'm just happy my best friend didn't turn on me but I knew you would never." He looked over as John laughed loudly. Alanna sat on his lap trying to feed him pieces of his now torn burger. "I knew John wouldn't either. He's a good person."

Randy looked at Cody and nodded. The fact that John was a good person, a good man, couldn't be denied by anyone. "I know he is."

Cody took a sip of his beer and shook Randy's arm. "Hey, you never told me how it went with Sam today! What's her new issue?"

Randy groaned and covered his eyes with his hands. "No, Codes, I don't wanna talk about her. You know she says all the time."

Cody laughed and nodded. "Oh, I know." He looked at Randy and shook his head. "Ran, why do you think she suddenly decided to harass you with hints that you and John may be…more than friends? I mean, if she wanted to piss you off all she had to do was pick on that little bump on your nose you hate or your weird, squinty eyes or…"

Randy smacked Cody on the back of his head eliciting a loud yelp from the younger mans lips. "I do not have squinty eyes or a bump on my nose! My face is perfect!"

Cody rolled his eyes. "Of course it is. You were made in God's image of what he believed perfection to be."

He looked at Randy, who stared back at him seriously before erupting into loud laughter. "God, Codes, I don't know why Sam says that shit! Isn't that what all women say when their guy leaves them, though? That he's gay? Maybe it's easier for her to believe that than to accept the fact she's a royal bitch now."

Cody nodded. "That she is. Even with me and I couldn't be a nicer person."

Randy frowned. "John bought up something that was weird early today, though. Seems Liz has been doing the same thing to him; driving him crazy with little remarks about us feeling more than friendship love for each other. He suggested maybe they were hanging out together and coming up with the same idea; you know, drive both us insane with one ridiculous notion."

Cody smiled and bit his nails. "How cool would it be if it were true, though?" His smile widened as he stared back and forth between John and Randy.

Randy frowned and followed his eyes. "What? Are you fucking drunk or just fucking dumb?"

Cody shrugged and laughed. "Hey, I'm sorry but I think it would be cool,"

Randy grimaced. "God, shut up, Cody. You're making me sick! John is like my brother. It would be against the law."

Cody rolled his eyes. "He's like your brother but he's not your brother. It would be fine. It's just an idea, Ran."

Randy glared at him. "Well, stop it. Just stop. I'm sorry to inform you that I am not going to wake up tomorrow in love with my best friend. That is never gonna happen. Gross, man."

Cody wrapped an arm around Randy's shoulders. "You know, it's funny but, that's what I thought, too and look at me now." He looked over at Ted and smiled. The older man smiled back and motioned for him to come over. "I'm just teasing you, anyway, Ran. Learn to take a joke."

Cody hugged Randy tightly and walked over to Ted, wrapping an arm around his waist and leaning into the kiss Ted placed on his head.

Randy rolled his eyes. "Joke; I fucking hate jokes," He glanced at his watch and stood up, making his way over to where Alanna sat with John. "Come on, baby girl. It's way past your bedtime."

Alanna pouted immediately but a raised eyebrow from her father had her reaching her arms up to him. "Say good night to Uncle Johnny, baby,"

She wrapped her arms around John's neck and John hugged her small body. He placed a kiss on her forehead and whispered in her ear, "Love you, princess. Sweet dreams."

As if on cue, Alanna's mouth opened in a wide yawn and Randy smiled as he picked her up. Cody and Ted walked over to wish her good night and then Randy walked her into the house and up to her room. As he changed her into pajamas, her little eyes dropped and she was sound asleep by the time he covered her with a pink blanket. He raised the safety bar on her crib and leaned on the rails, just watching her breathe slowly. A smile worked its way onto Randy's face and he was so focused he didn't hear the footsteps behind him.

"Hey,"

Randy jumped up and looked into John's face. "Hey, what's up?"

"We're waiting for you. We wanna start a poker game."

Randy nodded and looked back down at his daughter. "I was just covering her up and I just started to watch her. I could watch her all day."

John smiled and nodded. "I know. You're a great dad, Ran," He wrapped an arm around Randy's shoulder and the men just stared at the small girl sleeping peacefully.