Ten :: One Step Back

"I'm thinking of taking Sarah and Michael out to the stadium tomorrow. Show'em the setup and everything."

Mouth full, John nodded at Randy's words. He pushed the remainder of his food around his plate with his fork, glancing across the restaurant in time to see Sarah and the boy disappear down the hallway leading to the bathroom. When Michael had asked him to join them for lunch he'd accepted without thought, thinking he and Sarah would get a chance to talk over what had happened the day before. He had to apologize, and explain why he'd kissed her. Even though he didn't regret the action, he regretted the look on her face when he'd pulled away. But when he'd arrived at the hotel restaurant, fully prepared to grovel at her feet until she forgave him, he'd found Randy waiting at the table.

"Why so serious?" Randy asked, chuckling when John looked to him. "You look like you did when you heard Lesnar was coming back."

"That bad, huh?" John set his fork down, the grilled chicken no longer interesting. "Just thinking."

"About what? Sunday? You said yourself it'll be good for you to hit a losing streak."

"It is. But it's not that. Just... Stuff." John didn't miss the covert glances Randy sent in the direction Sarah and Michael had gone. Nor had he missed the way his friend always touched her. He knew it was the man's way of silently claiming her as his own. Just as the cold looks he'd given the waiter were his silent threats if the kid didn't stop looking at her and do his job. Randy wasn't possessive, not in the least, but he tended to dislike other men taking even a second look at what he considered his woman. John reached for his water, hoping it would wash away the bitterness that pooled in his stomach upon realizing what it all meant.

He'd slept with Sarah.

He knew he had no reason to be jealous. She was only a friend to him. Someone he could lean on, someone who finally understood the demons that haunted him day in and day out. He hadn't harbored any feelings that their friendship would become more, but seeing the quick smiles that screamed 'sex' pass between the two made him understand that he would have liked to have had the chance.

"What kind of stuff?"

You getting the girl as usual. John wet his lips, hesitating. He was never happier to see Sarah and hastened to stand up, grateful for the diversion as he helped Michael back into his seat. "There you go, buddy," he murmured, handing him a napkin. He received a grin in return and couldn't resist smoothing his hand over the fine blonde hair that was now covering the boy's scalp before settling into his seat once more.

He glanced over in time to see Randy leaning close to Sarah. His friend's lips moved but John couldn't hear the words. Not that he needed to. The warm smile on her face was more telling than any vocalization could ever be. Dropping his gaze to his plate, he suddenly felt no desire to finish his meal. He felt his phone vibrate in his pocket and shifted to retrieve it, sending up a silent prayer that it be something that would give him an excuse to leave early. Glancing at the screen, he wet his lips as he saw the generic message from his father.

"Excuse me," he announced, getting to his feet. "Mom and Dad got an earlier flight, so I'm going to meet them at the airport." He made sure not to meet Randy's eyes, certain his friend would see that he was lying. It's Randy, he knows I'm lying even over the phone, he thought with a sigh, leaning to kiss the top of Michael's head. "I'll see you tonight, okay?"

"Movies and popcorn in our room," Michael reminded, looking up just long enough to offer a quick grin. "See ya, Mr. Cena."

"Don't you want the waiter to have your meal packed to go?" Sarah questioned as John slipped a few bills into Randy's outstretched hand.

"Nah, I'm good. I'll grab something later. See you tonight."

He didn't wait for further questions. He didn't hang around to see if she looked disappointed by his early departure. He just needed to get away.

As far away as he could.

"You sure you don't want to come?" Randy offered for possibly the twelfth time since dropping by Sarah's room on his way to dinner with his parents. Standing in front of the mirror, he adjusted his tie again and met her gaze in the reflective surface. "My folks don't bite. Promise."

"After you told me how long it's been since you've seen them? No." Sarah lightly tapped his arm and he turned. Her fingers curled around the knot of his tie, giving it a gentle tug so it rested properly. Randy enjoyed the domestic moment, more so when she leaned up to press a tender kiss to his lips. "Go, enjoy time with your parents. I'll meet them tomorrow night at the ceremony."

"You're sure?" He reached for her when she would have pulled away, lifting her up onto the edge of the dresser. "John's coming to hang with Mike, remember? This is our chance to be alone for a little while…"

"Alone with your parents," she corrected, glancing around him to check on Michael. The child seemed immune to their presence, engrossed in the drawing he had started after an early dinner. Sarah turned her attention back to Randy, resting her hands on his chest when he leaned in for a kiss.

"We can go to my room for dessert," he attempted to entice.

"You're insatiable," she whispered against his lips, drawing back when his fingers slipped beneath her tank top. Randy groaned with defeat, pulling his hands away and holding them up in surrender.

"I'll be good," he promised, offering another kiss before helping her down. "But you can come up to my room for dessert later."

"I doubt John wants to be a glorified babysitter." She picked up his jacket and stepped up behind him to help him into it. Her hands smoothed over his shoulders, and when he turned to face her she smiled.

"Do I look like an upstanding member of society now?" he asked, straightening his shoulders for inspection. "Or do I still look like a potential murderer that's going to sneak into your room in the middle of the night?"

"You look like a gorgeous man with a heart of gold," she answered. "And you're more than welcome to sneak into my room anytime you want."

"Are you sure you don't want to—"

"Mr. Cena's here!" Michael announced. There was the clatter of crayons as he hopped up from the small desk, abandoning his drawing.

Randy quirked an eyebrow, watching as Michael darted across the room. There was a soft tap at the door as Sarah's soft laugh bubbled up.

"He just knows," she murmured before he could ask.

Then she was gone, moving to help Michael open the door for their visitor. Randy hated the jealousy that created a tight ball in his gut as he watched John give Sarah a quick hug. It was friendly and completely nonsexual, but Randy knew. He knew John was interested in Sarah, just as sure as he knew he would lose to Kane on Sunday. He wasn't sure of it, but he couldn't shake the sinking feeling that something had happened between them.

Nah, he decided. Sarah would have told him.

But that didn't mean that John didn't want something to happen…

"I better get going," he announced, leaning to scoop Michael into a quick hug. He met John's gaze over the boy's head and didn't smile. You may be his favorite, but the kid loves me, he thought, giving Michael a kiss on the cheek. "Don't drive Miss Sarah crazy," he warned.

"She loves Monsters, Inc.," Michael informed. "She'll drive us crazy!"

"What?" Sarah asked innocently when Randy sent her a disbelieving glance. "Sulley's cute."

"I'm being replaced by a monster," he sighed, straightening. Reaching for her, he pulled her into his arms. Murmuring a goodbye, he caught her lips in a kiss. The need to announce that she was his arose and he deepened the kiss as one hand trailed down to cup her backside. He pulled her closer to him, squeezing the flesh in his hand until he felt her tremble. "I'll call when I'm on my way back," he whispered, drawing the kiss into several tender pecks. He squeezed her backside again, harsher this time, and smirked when he felt her fingernails bite into his neck.

"Have fun," she whispered, fighting the urge to request they slip up to his room before he left for dinner. Wetting her lips, she stepped back. Her eyes followed him as he glanced at John before heading out of the room. Leaning in the doorway, she leaned up when he turned back, anticipating his kiss. He didn't disappoint. If anything, this kiss was more intense than the previous one. It left her breathless and a little weak in the knees.

She was still gripping the doorframe when Michael requested that the movie be started. Giving her head a shake to clear it, she turned back into the room and closed the door. She was aware of John's bewildered glance but did her best to ignore it, instructing Michael to go wash his hands while she prepared popcorn. She would never have thought Randy would kiss her that way in front of others. Especially Michael, who was already questioning her about her relationship with the wrestler.

"Are you okay?" John asked.

Sarah jumped at the sound of his voice, the bag of microwave popcorn slipping from her grasp when he realized he was right behind her. Turning to face him, she pressed a hand to her chest as her heart skipped over several beats. "Well I'm not anymore," she breathed.

"Sorry," he chuckled, leaning to pick up the popcorn. "Didn't mean to scare you. You just looked—"

"Lost in thought," she finished, smiling as he spoke the same words at the same time. "It happens." Taking the popcorn, she turned to the small microwave and set the timer.

"Stop looking at me like that."

"I'm sorry. But you didn't say you were going to cry this hard."

"It's just so sweet. They didn't forget each other, and his face at the end…" Sarah sniffled, reaching for a fresh tissue as Michael switched out DVDs.

John smiled indulgently as she dabbed away her tears. "It was sweet," he relented, tenderly rubbing her back. He grunted when Michael jumped back onto the bed, knee landing painfully on his thigh as he scrambled to sit in Sarah's lap again. The child had insisted she sit beside John, then had claimed her lap as his spot. When Sarah had slipped into the bathroom before the movie started, Michael had whispered that he liked cuddling in her lap because if he fell asleep he had something soft to rest his head on. John knew the kid hadn't meant to, but his words had drawn all of John's focus to Sarah's chest.

Why had he agreed to this? Originally, he had thought Randy would take Sarah out for the night. Show her around; introduce her to more of the WWE family. When he'd heard Randy was going to dinner with his parents he had naturally assumed that Sarah would be joining them. He wouldn't have minded hanging out with Michael for the night. The child was pleasant company, and with the hectic nature of the week he was just what John needed to relax and forget the stress.

But, no, Sarah had stayed. Not that he begrudged her presence. Not in the least. There was a new tension between them now, one he knew he had created. It had formed earlier in the day, at the restaurant, when he had seen the new intimacy between her and Randy. Walking out and going for a two hour run had probably been stupid. It hadn't cleared his mind as he'd hoped it would.

And he desperately needed to clear his mind.

When Michael settled down and she leaned against the pillows propped against the headboard, it seemed the most natural thing to drape his arm around her shoulders. He paused, waiting for her to give some hint that she didn't want him touching her. When she didn't, he relaxed, focusing on the movie that was starting. Recognizing it as Cars, he settled back and forced his mind to forget everything but the movie.

He lasted until Lightning McQueen met Mater. It was then that he saw Michael was asleep, head nestled on Sarah's chest. John shifted, turning to ask if she wanted him to transfer the boy to his own bed. He stilled when she moved her head at the same time.

They both froze and John was certain he forgot how to breathe as he felt the heat of her lips so close to his. It would take the barest of movements to kiss her. Using every ounce of willpower, he refrained, unable to tear his gaze from hers. "Yesterday—"

"It was just a kiss, John," she whispered before he could complete his original thought. "They happen."

"If you'd felt something, you'd tell me, wouldn't you?" he asked, thumb curling around a lock of her hair.

"To be honest, I barely had a chance to feel anything…" Her breath fanned over his face as she spoke, still in a whisper.

That was all it took. As he leaned in he sent up the quickest of prayers that he wasn't making a mistake. Their lips met and he reveled in her soft sigh, arm tightening around her as he memorized the feel of her mouth on his. She tasted of buttered popcorn and the flavored water she preferred to drink. Her hand bumped against his chest before resting on his shoulder.

When she whispered his name he knew she'd felt something. And he could only pray it was the same feeling he had.

A/N: Oh my word I did not mean to take this long to update! I hope you can all forgive me! Time slipped away, as it tends to do, but I promise it will not take me this long to update ever again (barring illness/injury/etc.)

Thank you ALL so very much for the reviews. Amber – LOL Now I have teacher!Randy in my brain. And yes, Mikey's a troll. Blackhat – You sure about that? :D Bingobaby – thanks so much! TheeEveFan – HAHA you had me rolling! Orton Addict – Oh my goodness. You have no idea how much those words meant to me. Thank you so much! Jojo – Team Orton for the win! (or not, we'll see :P) alana2awesome – Thanks dear! :)