"You're seriously not going to tell me what happened?" John asked. His tone had turned angry minutes before when they'd started this conversation after he'd woken up. Despite how exhausted Punk had been the night before, he had been up well before John and John was appropriately worried.

"If I tell you, you have to promise you're not going to go off and attack someone," Punk said, pausing in stuffing his things in his bag.

"You want me to let go of that?" John gestured to him, to the bruise that had formed on Punk's face.

"I can take care of this, John. It's my problem. He attacked me," Punk pointed out.

"If we're together, it's our problem," John protested.

"You mean like Kane is our problem?" Punk asked. "Like how you asked me not to get involved in that and I did as you asked because you said you could take care of it?"

"That's…different."

Both of Punk's eyebrows shot up. "Different how? You think I can't take care of myself?"

"I didn't say that," John protested, frustrated. "But you can't expect me to not want to kick the ass of someone who gave you that bruise."

"Yeah, and I appreciate the fact that you do want to kick their ass. But, you're not going to." He paused, and his tone evened out, turned reasoned. "Look, if we're going to do this, you can't get freaked out every time I get my ass handed to me. This isn't the first time it's happened and I seriously doubt it will be the last."

"I know that…"

"And you can't get involved every time. Besides the fact that everyone can't know about this, how the hell do you think that would make me look? You coming down to the rescue every time?"

"You're worried about your reputation?" John asked incredulously.

"Actually, I am," Punk answered with no amount of shame. "I'm worried about looking weak in front the guys backstage. You know I can't have that, John. Especially not as the champion. I've already got them all coming after me because I'm champion. I can't have them thinking I can't even fight back on my own."

John sighed but conceded the point. Punk was right about that but it still burned to know that someone had attacked Punk and he couldn't do anything about it.

"We've got our days off, John. Go home, be with your family. I'll handle this."

Reluctantly, John relented. Mainly because their flights were soon and it wasn't as if he could do anything about it right then, especially since Punk hadn't actually told him who it was that had given him the bruise, aside from saying that it hadn't been Ziggler.

Xxxxxxxx

They did not cut off contact for the two days they spent in separate states. In fact, Punk sent him texts a lot, most of which were random observations about whatever it was he was doing with his sisters or his friends.

John spent time with his brothers, his parents but it was his mom that figured out something was going on the second morning he spent in her house. He was sitting in the kitchen, eating breakfast with her when his phone vibrated next to him on the table.

"So, you have someone new?" His mother asked with a small smile of her own.

"What? What makes you say that?" John asked, looking up at her.

Her smile widened. "That look on your face. I do know you, after all. I was there for all your past boyfriends."

John couldn't help but to smile. She was right, of course. She always seemed to know before he told her. She'd always been great about it, about who he was dating and the fact that he was dating men.

"Is it someone you work with?" There was mild worry in her voice as she asked this question and John couldn't blame her for that either. Most relationships with people he worked with ended very badly.

"Yes. But, don't worry, Mom. He's a good guy." He was reluctant to tell her who it was, though. If he had a type before Punk, Punk probably wouldn't have fit it.

"Who is it?" His mom asked straight out and John sighed, stared down at his breakfast for a moment.

"His ring name is CM Punk," he answered finally. He looked up to see the recognition pass over his mother's face and then the surprise.

"That boy that was making fun of you all the time last year?" She leaned forward.

John raised an eyebrow. "Wow. I'd figure you'd make the first comment about all the tattoos."

"Oh, please." She waved a hand. "Nearly every one of them have some sort of tattoos. I'm more worried about the things he was saying about you."

"That was months ago, Mom. We've patched things up. He can be a good guy." At least, he was with John lately. He understood his mother's hesitance. Not only had Punk said some pretty nasty things about him last year but he'd also done some pretty nasty things as well while he'd been in charge of Nexus.

"And you're happy?" She asked, studying him.

"Yes, I'm happy."

"Well, then. That's all that matters, right?" She paused. "You know you'll have to bring him here at some point now?"

"We just started dating, Mom," John pointed out. Then again, he had met part of Punk's family. Well, the part that wasn't related to him, anyway. He still hadn't met Punk's sisters and he thought that probably wasn't appropriate at this point in their relationship.

"Still, at one point…"

"Yeah."

The rest of his time home was spent mainly messing around with his brothers and he'd forgotten just how much he missed his family. He loved his job and everything that came with it but it was nice-being back home for a few days.

Xxxxxxxxx

Punk was already at the arena. John was supposed to get there soon but Punk had gotten there a little early in an effort to search out Chris. He wasn't sure what he was going to do once he found Chris but he needed to do something about it before John found out it was Chris that had attacked him and John went after the guy.

Royal Rumble was in a week and he was already dealing with enough in Ziggler and Laurinaitis without adding Chris into the mix but he should have expected it. Chris was still pissed at him for the way they had broken things off last time and, he suspected, for something else that Chris wouldn't name, at least not yet.

He finally gave up when he was told that Chris wasn't there yet, and possibly wouldn't be there at all and went to get ready for the show. He had gotten into his ring gear, his back to the door when it was opened and he was slammed, once again, into the wall.

He had a moment to struggle before a pair of lips that were not John's crashed into his own.

Xxxxxxxxxxxx

Chris smiled into the kiss when Punk did not pull away immediately. He was sure that Punk did not take notice that he had his phone out. He pulled away first and was not surprised when the punch landed on his cheek but figured it was worth it.

He stumbled back a few steps, the grin still on his face at the scowl on Punk's. He said nothing, just blew Punk a kiss and skirted past him, leaving the room at an almost run. He sent the picture a few seconds later.

He was sure that Punk could talk himself out of any trouble over the picture but it was only the first part of his plan, only meant to put some doubt in the mind of John Cena. He was going to make Punk pay….for a lot of things. He was just getting started.

Xxxxxxxxxx

John was smiling as he walked into the arena. As much as he had missed his family, he was happy to be back at work, happy that he'd be seeing Punk again. He was almost to the locker room when his phone vibrated in his pocket and he pulled it out.

John stopped in his tracks when he opened the text message, staring at the picture in disbelief.