AN: I am super sorry for the wait time on this chapter. I had half of it done before I came back to campus for the Fall semester and then like always life hit me with a two ton brick. I've been killing myself working crazy hours and haven't had time to write. I apologize and am thankful for all of you who took the time to check in and show that you are still interested in the story. Every Tuesday I tried my hardest to have this out, but I failed miserably. That is why now that I have finally finished this chapter I'm putting it out now. I hope you enjoy it. Hopefully it won't be another three months before the next chapter comes out.

Reunion
You came out of nowhere
Stealing my heart and brain
Flaming my every cell
You make me feel myself
-M83

"Chris is hiding something." Randy sighed as he shifted the phone so it was nestled between his cheek and shoulder as he continued to go over final editions of articles. "Cody, refusing to share every single detail of their life doesn't automatically mean someone has a secret they're dying to keep from you." They had gone through it time and time again trying to explain to Cody how it wasn't okay for him to know everything about everyone's lives, but it never seemed to sink in.

Not the time when Cody was one hundred percent sure Ted was cheating on him and he hired a private investigator to follow Ted around. Randy knew the suspicions were misplaced and Cody had just spent too much time watching Cheaters, but Cody didn't listen until the PI broke to Cody that Ted was only sneaking away to play golf and meet with the party planner who was helping him plan a surprise birthday party for Cody.

And also not the time when he believed his agent was trying to sabotage his career and preemptively fired him. But in actuality his agent had a heads up about a scandal that was about to break with the agency Cody was contracted under and was only trying to save Cody's reputation. That has cost Cody the best agent he had ever had even if he wouldn't admit it out loud.

It always ended up like that, and Cody knew it. But no one could ever make him see that his hunch about the secrets people kept from him was just his paranoia and incessant need to know everything.

"I know Randy." He could practically hear the eye roll in Cody's tone. "But he was snippy and got oddly weird when I asked him if I could stop by his apartment because I was in the area and haven't seen him in a while. He told me no and hung up the phone on me!"

"That's because he knew you would only pester him until he gave in. Maybe he's training. You know how he gets when you interrupt his workouts. Or maybe he just isn't up for company, that's not too outlandish Cody."

"Randy." The tone made Randy give an unseen eye roll of his own. "Cody."

"Something could be wrong. And then when something bad happens we're going to feel guilty and the blame will be on us because we weren't good enough friends to know he was in trouble."

"Stop being such a damn drama queen." But even as the words left his mouth Randy knew he was going to give in to Cody's demand that he stop by Chris' apartment. He chalked it up to the recent distance in their friendship and not because of Cody's annoying plea, but they both knew the truth.

Later that day after work found Randy in front of Chris' apartment door waiting for him to answer it. He knew without a doubt that Chris wasn't hiding anything and just didn't want to be bothered by Cody and planned on using the visit to catch up on things. Mainly to brag about how he had finally bedded John. And it was this excitement that he later blamed as to why he didn't notice the signs that were there when Chris finally did answer the door.

The greeting he received was a shocked one not a surprised one. And then for an awkward moment they just stood in silence before Chris asked him why he was there. Randy, confused and slightly hurt just shrugged it off and shoved past Chris. "Cody didn't like how you blew him off earlier so to shut him up I agreed to come over here."

"You really didn't have to come all the way over here. You could have just texted me that he was being annoying and I would have called him." Randy ignored the way Chris constantly kept looking over his shoulder and instead headed into the kitchen to grab a beer.

"I figured it couldn't hurt to stop by because I realized you didn't hear my big news." Randy paused for dramatic effect and leant back against the refrigerator as he twisted the top off and took a long swig out of the bottle, but Chris just stared back at him. "I broke things off with Nick." Still there was a lack of reply from Chris. "What the hell? I thought you would be a little more excited seeing that you weren't his biggest fan."

That seemed to snap him out of his trance. "Yeah, I actually already knew that. Johnny told me, but you see this isn't exactly the best time-"

Randy cut him off before he could finish. "Whatever. That's only half of the news. There's more that I know for a fact that Johnny couldn't have told you." He continued as he stood up and walked out of the kitchen and headed to the living room area where he could get comfortable. "Randy, really it's not the best-"

"I've finally gone and nailed-" The words died in his mouth. It was in that moment that Randy began to run back Chris' behavior and what he had said about it being bad timing. Maybe if he had listened when Chris said it was bad timing he wouldn't have been standing frozen in the archway of the living room staring at Dave. The silence seemed endless as Randy and Dave both stared at each other shocked and confused by the other's presence until Chris cleared his throat. That jolted Randy out of his trance and he quickly turned around to face Chris. "Why the hell is he here?"

"I tried to tell you it wasn't a good time, but you wouldn't listen-"

"I can't fucking believe this." Randy snarled as he tried to shove his way past Chris to leave but he was stopped.

"Maybe this is for the best, I mean I've been telling you forever that you needed to talk to Dave and discuss how things ended-"

"There is no need for discussion. He ended it. I dealt with it. I moved on. End of story."

"I don't think everything's completely dealt with. If it was you wouldn't feel the need-"

"Move."

"Randy, just listen for two seconds-"

"Move." Randy's voice had taken on a deadly tone and Chris felt his resolve wavering.

"Stop the dramatics for one damn minute and stay Randy." He felt himself involuntarily tense at the voice, but even with the residing anger still left after four years, Randy couldn't help the repressed shiver that ran through his body. He took in a deep breath and rolled his shoulders hoping to release some of the tension that was built up and slowly turned so he was facing Dave one again. "I just moved back here and needed a place to stay until the lease on my new apartment starts up so Chris let me crash here. There is no reason we can't be in the same room together like civil adults."

"I figured I could keep it under wraps, but you just barged in here…..it's just he was practically homeless, and I felt bad, but I also really think you two should at least talk-"

"Shut up Chris." The words were uttered in unison by Dave and Randy and the tension in the room seemed to triple.

He had really tried to convince himself that after the past four years, he had finally shoved every feeling he had about Dave out of his mind. Granted after how their relationship ended, it was mostly negative feelings, but he was sure he had progressed to just not caring. There was no reason to care.

But standing there with Dave in front of him again just brought back a whole bunch of memories and old feelings he didn't want to relive. "I have nothing to say to you."

"Well that means this should go a lot faster without that smartass mouth of yours butting in." Randy ignored the bait and hardened his glare. "In all seriousness Randy, I really just want to talk to you about a few things. How I went about our relationship is one of the biggest regrets I have in my life."

Randy ignored the painful tug in his chest at Dave's words and once again turned in preparation to leave. "Fuck you Dave."

"Would you just sit down and let me fucking finish what I have to say?" His words made Randy stop once again, but Randy didn't turn around instead choosing to glare at Chris who was still shooting him apologetic glances. "Look I know I was no saint in our relationship, but you were at fault in some ways too. I think it boils down to bad timing if I would have met you maybe three years later things could have been perfect. But you were young and didn't really know what you wanted and I may have taken advantage of that."

The comeback on Randy's tongue was burning a hole in him dying to be let out once Dave finished. He swung around and stalked over until he was standing in front of the couch Dave was sitting on and let him have it. "I did nothing wrong but love you with every damn fiber of my being! You on the other hand failed to tell me you were married, but did I care, no, I forgave you for it. You also lied about divorcing her, but once again I just stuck around for another TWO years while you fucked me over. And then finally when I actually had you all to myself and we were an actual couple you started freaking out about being with me and then to top it off you left me at the altar. I did everything in my power to make the relationship work. I was willing to spend the rest of my life with you. So don't sit there and tell me I'm at fault because I'm not."

The amused smirk that made its way across Dave's face only added fuel to the fire that was Randy's anger. "Babe, you can't honestly believe-"

"Yes I do, I honestly believe that you were the dumbass who ruined what could have been between us." All of the unwanted feelings continued to dredge their way up and Randy felt nauseous at the overload.

Though the smirk had left Dave's face and a grimace now held station there, Randy could still see the mirth in his eyes. He stood up and Randy cursed himself for not remembering the sheer size of the man before him. "I see you've changed in the past four years. I like it. I don't know if it's all an act, or if you really believe it." Randy stood confused as Dave trailed off unsure what he meant but Dave just leant in further until his mouth was aligned with Randy's left ear. "But it's going to take a lot more than four years to get over me. That is if we play under the assumption that you'll ever get over me, sweetheart. And when the realization hits, that you still want me, let me know, because I'll be ready in a heartbeat to fuck your brains out."

He pulled away and smiled back over at Chris. "I'm going to head back over to the gym." The slam of the door behind him startled Randy out of the trance he had been locked in.

Chris rushed forward. "I tried to tell you this wasn't I good time! I know you weren't prepared for that but you know Dave was my best friend way before I ever met you and he needed help." He continued to babble on but Randy tuned him out, still to shaken up and enraged from Dave's words.

He jerkily reached into his suit jacket and pulled out his pack of cigarettes knowing that Chris wouldn't object even though he hated it when Randy smoked in front of him and he hated it even more when Randy smoked inside his apartment. It took him longer than normal to light the cigarette dangling out of his mouth and when he finally did he inhaled a long drag. "Why is he back?" The nicotine only slightly took the edge off of Randy's anger but it was enough to get him thinking somewhat rationally so he took a seat in one of the armchairs purposefully choosing to ignore the couch Dave had vacated minutes before.

Chris did the same. "He told me that he's trying to start anew or something like that. He didn't really go into detail about what he's been up to for the past four years though."

It wasn't enough. He wanted to know why he had chosen to come back out of the blue and why he had to stay at Chris' apartment. Randy knew Dave had dozens of friends in the city he could have stayed with. "He's somehow managed to become even more of an asshole I see."

He only reply he received was an offhand shrug. Randy could tell from the stance Chris held and his lack of words that on some level he agreed with Dave. It was the reason why he let Dave stay at his apartment and why he pushed Randy to talk to Dave. He probably blamed Randy for the strain that had been on the friendship between him and Dave.

John sat nervously staring anywhere but at Ted's inquisitive gaze. He didn't know how he had put if off for so long, but the more he had thought about telling Ted what had been happening with him and Randy, the more his stomach turned. He still had trouble getting his own head around it so he could only imagine how Ted would react. He continued to think himself into a frenzy until he finally couldn't take it anymore and he practically shouted what had been happening out to Ted.

And now they were sitting in silence, and John's mind was running wild once again. "So, you really didn't already know? Cody didn't tell you and you're not just pretending to act surprised?"

"If Cody knew, he sure as hell didn't tell me." He didn't know how to take that. John had imagined that Randy would be out spreading the word to everyone once they finally had sex, Cody being the first to know. "Well don't go blabbing to him now!" Ted gave him a look of incredulity before letting out a harsh laugh.

"What the hell John? What are you doing and why are you doing it with Randy? Of all of the people out there to fool around with, you choose the one most excited to ruin your career?" When he didn't get a verbal response Ted shook his head. "Look, I'm not here to approve or disapprove of who you decide to sleep with. What I am here for is to point out to you when you might be making a mistake you will regret for the rest of your life. I've listened to you for the past three years go on and on about how much you hate Randy and trust me I know the feeling is mutual. I know he's hot as hell, but is good sex worth everything you've worked so hard for?"

The words hung heavy in the air. Not because they were mean or uncalled for, but because they were the words John himself was too afraid to think. They both knew it was what he needed to hear. He wouldn't have told Ted about sleeping with Randy if he didn't want to hear the honest truth about the situation, but hearing the truth didn't make it any easier to handle.

He was risking everything for a few fleeting moments. But damn did those moments feel good.

Ted sighed as he stood up from the couch. "I'm not going to tell Cody because this isn't high school. I know for a fact Randy hasn't already told him because Cody wouldn't have been able to keep quiet about something like this for so long. Just…think about what you're doing John, before it's too late."

He nodded in acknowledgement but kept his head trained down on the ground. He heard Ted walk over to the door and open it and then a "Why am I not surprised?' John lifted his head in confusion and turned to the door just in time to see Randy lower his hand from where it was poised to knock on the door and see a smirk make its way across his features. "I can't believe this shit." Ted muttered as he slid by Randy and out of the apartment.

Randy just shrugged his shoulders as he stepped into the apartment and closed the door behind himself. "I take it Ted knows, that means in about three hours I'm going to get a call from Cody because that's exactly how long it'll take Cody to get it out of him."

"No, Ted said he wouldn't tell."

"Yeah, of course he won't." Randy said, voice dripping with sarcasm as he ungracefully plopped down on the seat next to John. The lack of snarky reply about Ted's lack of backbone in regards to Cody shocked John, but the fact that Randy didn't just immediately jump him was what really threw him for a loop. Instead Randy threw his head back against the back of the couch and closed his eyes. "Rough day?"

"You don't know the fucking half of it." When Randy had finally calmed down long enough to leave Chris' apartment (it wasn't that long of course, he didn't want to even stomach the thought of having to face Dave again) it had made total sense in his mind to go over to John's apartment to get his mind off of what happened. But now that he was there, and his anger had actually subsided for the most part he didn't know what to do with himself.

"Can't be worse than having your best friend tell you that your fuck buddy is single handedly going to ruin your life."

The smirk once again quickly made its way across Randy's face and even though his eyes were still closed, John could imagine the way they would have been flashing. "Ruin your life huh?" He opened his eyes, lifted his head and slowly moved over so that he was closer to John. When their shoulders touched Randy turned his body so that his chest was pressed against the side of John's body. "I don't know about you, but the idea of having that much power over you makes me so fucking hard." And as if to prove his point, he grabbed a hold of John's hand and directed it to the bulge in his pants. But then he backed off and moved back over to his original spot on the couch. John couldn't tell if Randy was playing with him and wanted him to make the next move, or if his day had been that damn bad that even sex couldn't fix it. And that unnerved him. "Was it something having to do with Nick?"

Randy snorted as he shook his head. "It's really nothing; I'm just being a little over dramatic."

"No, tell me. Now I'm curious and have to know. Something threw you off your game this much? I need to store this knowledge for future reference."

"Nothing threw me off of my game." Randy scoffed as he quickly slid back down to John's end of the couch, however this time he threw one of his legs across John's lap so he was straddling him. Their foreheads touched and for a brief moment they just stared into each other's eyes but then their lips connected and everything sped back up to its normal lust-filled speed.

"I don't know" John said teasingly when they briefly separated to get air. "I think you are off your game."

"I'll show you off my game." Randy growled as he shoved John's body down on the couch.

Later that evening as Randy laid spread out on the couch modestly covered with the throw blanket from the back of the couch it hit him how easily John was able to take his mind off of what was bothering him. Currently John was seated boxer clad on the other end of the couch simultaneously laughing at something that was on tv and scratching his balls."I win the bet."

John turned his confused gaze to Randy waiting for him to elaborate. "In the past half an hour I've gotten three calls and eight text messages from Cody." Randy said lifting up his cell phone which was still vibrating and showed Cody's name on the screen.

"You've got to be kidding me. How hard is it to keep a fucking secret these days?" John wasn't really angry; he was however annoyed at the fact that more and more Cody was replacing his role as the most important person in Ted's life.

"Please Cody could crack the C.I.A if he put his mind to it. The annoyance factor alone on his constant questioning is enough to drive anyone crazy and just tell him."

"How did you keep it from him for so long then?"

Randy smirked and John knew something extremely cocky was sure to follow. "It's simple; I am a super human and all around superior being." He said it so matter of fact-ly that John was stunned into silence for a few moments. "I've perfected the art of dodging Cody when he asks me specific questions about my life. I've had over ten years of practice. In the beginning I was just as weak as Ted. Cody found out within hours when I first slept with Johnny even after I swore to him and myself I wouldn't tell anyone."

On the other end of the couch John shrugged his shoulders. "I guarantee Cody wouldn't be able to get anything out of me. But out of curiosity, do you have any friends besides Cody who you haven't slept with?"

The question was said in a passive tone implying that John didn't actually care about it or the answer, but Randy knew otherwise. "Is that a slight tone of jealously I hear?" Of course the shit eating grin came to cover Randy's face once again as he sat up from his lounging position.

"I'm not jealous." It was said fast and harsh and John quickly tried to cover up because he knew more and more it was sounding like he was jealous. And he wasn't. Not at all. Not even in the slightest bit. "Honestly, I don't even care. You don't even have to answer it. I thought it was just a natural question to ask seeing that you've yet to name a friend you haven't slept with." He still wasn't jealous at all. Nope. If anything he was slightly concerned about Randy's past sexual partners. He knew the list was long and colorful, and with colorful bed partners also came the high risk of STI's.

The question was not one Randy thought about on a daily basis and it took him a while to think it through and gather a response. "I don't know. I guess I have the slight habit of sleeping with my friends. But Johnny was more of Cody's friend than he was mine at the time. He was there and I was horny so we fucked a couple of times. I regret it only because Cody freaked the fuck out and didn't speak to either of us for like three months. Chris doesn't count because we dated first and stayed friends after we broke up. As for the other random acquaintances and friends I've slept with, it's not like I go on the prowl through my friend list of who I'm going to sleep with next. Normally it just happens. But I still think you're jealous." Randy said as he slowly moved back down to the end of the couch where John was slouched.

"I already told you I'm not jealous. I could careless about the guys you've fucked." John tried to ignore how close Randy was getting by pretending he was transfixed on what was on the tv, but in reality he was hyperaware of Randy's close presence.

"Don't worry Cena; I can honestly say you're the first guy I've had such hot hate sex with." Randy said as he grabbed John by the hips and pulled him into his lap so John was straddling him.

John gave an exaggerated eye roll but also rolled his hips enjoying the groan Randy let out and how he threw his head back against the couch. "I'm actually a little pissed at myself for not getting with you sooner. I still hate you, but I also get good sex out of it. Who knew this could have been going on for years?"

"I don't think it would have worked that well. I think the years were important in growing the immense hatred we have for each other. Without that, the sex probably wouldn't have been that good. I mean I saw your moves that night three years ago….they didn't exactly equal a night that would rock Randy's world and guarantee you a call back." Randy said as he leant up in an attempt to capture John's lips, but John quickly pulled back.

John attempted to also move from Randy's lap, but Randy's grip on his hips held him in place. "Fuck you, my moves were on point that night. You were the sub-par one. I only went back to your place to give you a pity fuck because you had been trying so hard the entire night to get into my pants."

Randy chuckled and pulled John in close until his mouth was aligned with John's left ear and seductively whispered into it. "If I've learned anything about you in the time that I've known you, it would have to be that it is not that trying of a task to get in your pants." And before John could pull back for a second time, Randy pulled him in for a kiss.

"I hate you." John said when he pulled back for air.

Randy just smiled before pulling John back down for another kiss.