"Can you believe we only get one day off for Christmas this year? We have to be in NYC on the 26th and they're expecting the mother of all storms that day and we have to get to Albany for RAW and…"

Randy smiled, putting his hand on Ted's arm. "I know, Teddy, it's a nightmare. There's no need to keep harping on it, though because nothing we can do will change anything, right?"

Ted looked at him, a frown on his face. "God, you're starting to sound just like John. Last year you would've been moaning and groaning along with me. I can't stand being the only crazy one in our little group."

Randy shrugged, a yawn escaping his mouth and zipped his gym bag closed. "Well, compared to Cody, you're pretty normal, Ted. You can't fault me for picking up some of John's habits. Doesn't it happen in every relationship?"

Ted shrugged, patiently awaiting Randy. "I don't know. I don't see Cody picking up any of my habits and I damn sure haven't picked up any of his." He widened his eyes and smiled. "I know what Johnny's doing! He's molding you to be like him and trying to get rid of the crazy, angry Randy we all knew and loved."

Randy frowned, his head lifting from his sneakers to meet Ted's smiling face. "What the fuck are you talking about? You're not funny in the slightest bit, you know."

"I'm just messing with you, Ran. Can we go please? I want to get to my hotel and call Cody. We have a phone sex date!" Ted raised his eyebrows suggestively and Randy grimaced. "Too much fucking information, man. Keep your sex life antics to yourself."

Randy stood, lifting his bag over his shoulder and followed Ted out of the locker room. He headed for the Divas Locker Room to pick up his daughter who he had entrusted to Eve Torres in John's absence. He knocked on the door, waiting for the "Come in," before pushing the door open. Randy smiled at the Divas that were gathered as Ted waved from outside, blowing a kiss to his good friend and on-screen partner, Maryse. Randy smiled when he saw his daughter falling asleep in Eve's arms.

"Hey, baby. Did you have fun with Evie?"

Alanna nodded sleepily and reached her arms out to him. "Evie brushed my hair and put a bow on it, Daddy."

Randy smiled and placed a kiss on her forehead as she laid her head on his shoulder. He smiled at Eve and hugged her tightly. "Thanks for watching her, Eve. I didn't know what to do when John left and then Ted had a match…"

Eve waved her hand dismissively. "Anytime, Ran. She's an absolute doll. Whenever you need someone to watch her, I'm here."

Randy nodded and waved goodbye to the remainder of the girls before exiting the room. He walked alongside Ted and they said their goodbyes to the few superstars and other WWE employees that remained in the arena before walking silently to the nearly empty parking lot. Randy placed Alanna in her car seat before taking Ted's bag and tossing it besides his in the backseat of the rental and sliding wordlessly into the driver's seat. He started the car and sighed loudly as Ted turned to look at him with a frown.

"Ran, are you mad about what I said? I was just joking, I swear. John loves you. He would never try to change you."

Randy turned to glance at him before nodding stiffly. "I know. I'm not mad. I know John loves me. He wouldn't want to marry me if he didn't like me for the man I was."

Ted's eyebrows rose so high they practically disappeared in his hairline. "What? You two are already talking about marriage? Are you two insane? Cody and I have been together for almost 2 years and we barely talk about it!"

Randy smiled slowly, amused by Ted's reaction. "It's just talk, Teddy. We're not planning anything; well, not for awhile. Who knows what the future holds right?"

Ted turned away and nodded. "Yeah, that's true. I mean, come this time next year you guys could've broken up."

Randy's smile dropped and he turned to glare at Ted. "There's a little too much bashing of my relationship coming out of your mouth today, Ted. Watch yourself before you find yourself stranded on the side of this highway."

Ted held up one hand. "Calm down. You're always so damn defensive. You're the one who said who know what the future holds, right? Well, honestly speaking, the future could very easily hold a break-up. All relationships can come to that, even my own. Let's be honest, though. One like yours is more likely to, you know..."

Randy shook his head, his hands tightening on the steering wheel. "Wow, you are really pushing me tonight. What the hell are you talking about?"

Ted sighed and turned his body towards Randy's. "All right, look. I love you and John, you know that. I just mean, you and John are in your first ever gay relationship. You two jumped headfirst into this and became instantly exclusive. Neither of you dated other men or even another woman after your divorces. A relationship where both partners bury themselves in each other is not the healthiest. It's more prone to failure and I'm just repeating what millions of therapists have said so don't get pissed at me."

Randy sighed, his jaw clenched. "So, you're saying because John and I never dated anyone else, we're doomed to fail? We were supposed to go around and whore it up a little before giving in to our love? What kind of sense does that make? I love John, Ted. Why should I date someone else if I already know who I love? You didn't date anyone else besides Cody."

Ted shook his head. "No, you're wrong about that. Cody and I did date other people before we decided to only date each other. We made sure we were ready to be exclusive because we had actually gone out there and made sure we were ready to be together. The last thing either of us wanted was to date a couple of months and then get bored because we didn't want to be with just one person. Then the mind starts to wonder and you start questioning everything and it just becomes horrible. It's better to get that out of the way before committing yourself to one person. I know for a fact Cody is the one for me and we'll be together forever but I may never have known that if I didn't date around and see what losers are out there."

He sighed and cocked his head to the side when Randy didn't respond. "Look, I know you love John. I know he loves you, too, but sometimes I look at the two of you and see how fast you're moving along in this relationship and it scares me for you. I don't want you two to fall apart. I mean, you're already talking about marriage. My God, Randy. This time last year you were both married to women! And I know I said I was joking, but you are different now. It's a weird type of different, like you're morphing into who you think John wants you to be. John fell in love with the loud, obnoxious, conceited Randy and he seems to have disappeared. Now, if that's your decision then God bless, but if its not, then you have a problem, Ran my man."

Randy rolled his eyes and pulled into the hotel garage. Ted turned and arched his eyebrow in surprise at how fast they arrived. When he started to talk, all time concepts flew out the window. Randy turned to him and just stared. Ted gulped softly and bit his lip, desperately trying to evade Randy's piercing gaze.

"You can talk a lot of shit but you can't meet my eyes?" Randy sighed. "I gather you think you're helping me when you give me these lectures. I know you and Cody think you're the Obi-Wan Kenobi's of gay relationships, especially mine and John's, but I would appreciate it if you stop trying to help. All your little talks do is give me a headache."

Ted narrowed his eyes and crossed his arms over his chest. "Fine, I won't help anymore but as a friend to you and John, I do have a right to express my opinion, you know."

"Ted, I get everything that you're saying but what you don't get is that maybe John and I aren't like typical couples. We came together, inexplicably but neither of us cared. Isn't the fact that we were so willing to be together, despite how strange it was for both of us, a sign that maybe we're meant to be? Maybe we're the couple that's going to break your theory. We'll be the couple with the two guys who were previously involved with girls and started dating and never dated any other guy, but lasted forever. Why is that so hard to believe?"

Randy smiled and shook his head at Ted. "And if you think I've changed, well maybe it's because I have. It's not because of John, though. I have that little girl back there who sees and hears everything I do. Don't you think I want to be a good example for her? It's also because I'm happy now, Teddy. Didn't you ever wonder why I was so angry and obnoxious? I wasn't happy. This calmness and peace I'm showing is a result of happiness, not of John trying to morph me into anything."

Ted looked down at his hands and slowly nodded. "You're right. I just want you guys to be as happy as Cody and I are and we don't want to lose you. I worry sometimes that you won't make it because I see how dependent you two are on each other. What if something happens, Ran? We couldn't deal with having to pick sides and losing a friend."

Randy laughed. "That's not going to happen. I don't need to date another guy and experiment with anyone to know that. I want John forever and I'm pretty sure he feels the same way about me. You see him mentioning marriage as something strange. I see it as him telling me he has already accepted me into his life forever. It makes me feel beyond amazing…" The smiled dropped from his face and he looked down, mumbling softly. "…and terrifies the shit out of me."

Ted frowned. "Randy, just when I think you two are in your own version of a fairytale love story, you say something to ruin it. If you're so sure you and John are meant to be, why does marriage scare you? Isn't it the next logical step?"

Randy slowly moved his head up, leaning it on the headrest of his seat. "I don't know. What if marriage is a curse for us? We were both married and they fell apart…"

"To women. You were both married to women. That's why they fell apart," Ted interrupted with a knowing smile.

"Well, what if it wasn't that? What if John and I are just two people who should never get married? We could just live together forever. That's the same, right?"

Randy raised his eyebrow expectantly and Ted sighed. "No, it's not the same and I don't fault Johnny for wanting to get married. I want to marry Cody one day and I would be pretty bummed if he told me he just wanted to live together forever."

Randy groaned and closed his eyes. "Great. So you just confirmed that now I have to worry that because John and I don't want the same thing this one time, its gonna mess up our relationship."

Ted laughed softly. "My God, can you be more of a drama queen? Marriage is still a long time away for you two. That I really do hope you take my advice on. Marriage is sacred and should not be jumped into. Cody and I will probably date years before we take that step. It's up to you if you wanna worry about it but I wouldn't. This is how you feel now, Ran. Who knows how you'll feel in a few years?"

Randy wrinkled his nose and Ted laughed harder, Randy soon joining in. A loud rap on the driver's side window made both men jump up and they turned to see John peering inside the car, an amused frown on his face. Randy immediately opened the door and stepped out of the car, wrapping John into his arms.

"Hey, babe. I'm so glad you're back. How did it go?"

John hugged him tightly before shrugging. "Same old, same old. Sign a couple of movies, kiss a couple of kids and listen to hundreds of people fawn all over me and tell me how amazing I am."

Randy sighed and shook his head, placing a hand over his heart. "Wow, those poor, deluded souls. They should get immediate psychiatric help."

John's mouth dropped open and he retorted with a hard slap to Randy's backside. The younger man yelped loudly before glaring at him. "You must not want any tonight."

Ted gasped from where he stood beside them. "Oh my God, what time is it? Cody and I had a date! He's gonna kill me!"

John frowned and looked at his watch. "It's 10 o'clock. Isn't Cody on the West Coast with the rest of Smackdown?"

Ted nodded frantically as he dug in the backseat of the car for his gym bag. He quickly pulled it out and slammed the door shut. "Yeah, he is. We have a phone date. I'll see you guys tomorrow."

Ted quickly rushed off as John stared at him, a small frown still marring his handsome face. "A phone date? Is he talking about what I think he's talking about?"

Randy sighed and nodded nonchalantly. "Yeah. Ted doesn't seem to mind sharing those details with us." He bent and unbuckled a sleeping Alanna from her seat and handed her off to John. The older man cradled her in his arms and kissed her forehead. Randy smiled and dug back in the car to pull his bag from the backseat. He locked the car securely before taking John's outstretched hand and following him into the hotel. The lobby was practically empty at the late hour but a glance toward the hotel bar proved most of the superstars that had returned to the hotel had take refuge there. John waved at a couple of the boys who spotted them through the glass windows but Randy quickly pulled him towards the elevators.

"Don't get their attention. I just want to go upstairs, climb in bed, rent a movie and go to sleep with my honey."

John smiled and nodded, wrapping his arm around his waist. "Whatever you want, babe."

Randy sighed contently, the laughter from his fellow WWE employees floating out of the bar. He enjoyed spending time with the boys he considered his friends, a part of the traveling family that WWE was comprised of. Both John and he had been greatly relieved many months ago when their relationship came out in the locker room and no one had anything negative to say. Well, at least to their face. All that mattered was that the men they considered true, close friends had stood beside them. Maybe it was because of their status as the top dogs on the RAW roster that they got away with it so simply when only months before Ted and Cody had been through hell when their relationship was exposed. Fact was they didn't care. Whether accepted or not, both men had come out to the WWE locker room shortly after coming out to their families and Cody because neither were willing to hide it anymore.

"I'm starving,"

Randy broke from his thoughts and looked over at John. "All right, we'll order something from room service. I could eat, too, now that you mention it."

John nodded, a loud yawn coming from his mouth. The elevator doors opened and the men stepped inside, Randy flipping them so John was wrapped in his arms, his head leaning on Randy's chest as Alanna lay on John's chest. "You work too hard, Super Cena. I don't know how you can never say no to Vince. I hear it all the time from you,"

John lifted his head and stared at Randy's frowning face. "When do I ever say no to you, Randy? You have me wrapped around your finger, babe."

Randy slowly smiled and nodded. "You may be right. I'm pretty good at getting people to love me. I think it's my eyes,"

He narrowed them slowly and stared at John intensely. The older man laughed and stepped away as the elevator doors opened. They walked quietly to their king-size suite and let themselves in the warm room. Randy quickly lit the hall and dropped his bag onto the floor, reaching for John's and doing the same. He took Alanna from John's arms and walked into the second bedroom, quickly exchanging the little girl's clothes for pajamas and placing her in the provided toddler bed. He smiled as he looked down at her, sound asleep and placed a kiss on her forehead before exiting the room. John entered the room quietly and did the same before grabbing a monitor and clipping it to his waistband. He walked into the main bedroom and flopped onto the large bed, room service menu in hand as Randy lowered himself to the ground and began sorting through the gym bags, separating the clothes into piles for the laundry.

"How about some burgers, Ran? Sounds good?"

Randy nodded back his approval. He finished sorting the clothes and placing them in the hotel provided laundry bag before standing up and walking into the room. John had shed his jeans and t-shirt and lay on the bed clad only in his boxers, the television remote in his hand as he flipped from channel to channel. Randy picked up John's discarded clothes, raising an eyebrow towards the older man who smiled sheepishly.

"Must you throw everything on the ground? I'm just gonna leave it there one day."

John smiled and patted the bed beside him. "No, you wouldn't. It would drive you crazy because you're an obsessed neat freak."

Randy sighed and placed the now folded clothes on the chair beside the bed. John smiled and continued patting the side of the bed. "Clothes off, Orton and get in bed with me. I've had a hard day and I need my man."

Randy crossed his arms over his chest and stood his ground. "Did you forget we ordered food? Do you want me to give the guy a show when he brings up the food?" He shrugged and started to remove the shirt but John quickly crawled over to him and pulled it back down. "No, no, keep it on. Only I get that show."

Randy smiled and lay on the edge of the bed beside John. He intertwined their fingers and watched as John settled on the local news. The men lay in silence for minutes before John turned to his side and frowned at Randy.

"You and Teddy seemed to be having a hardcore conversation when I came up to you guys in the car. Is everything OK?"

Randy jaw clenched momentarily, a muscle jumping beneath the smooth skin. "Yeah, everything's fine."

John's frown deepened and he reached over to grab Randy's face, turning it over slightly. "Don't lie to me. We don't do that, Randy."

Randy sighed, his lips parting slightly. He moved John's hand away and sat up. "Ted was just being himself; offering advice where none is wanted."

John sat up and shrugged. "OK, so why does that make your face twitch?" He smiled and grabbed Randy's hand, kissing the back of it gently.

Randy smiled and shook his head. "It's just, I hate when people have something to say about us. It's no one's business how we came together or that we never dated any other guys or that I've changed or if we're talking about marriage or…"

John frowned and shook his head, stopping Randy in mid sentence. "Wait, why is Ted dissecting our relationship? How did that conversation even start?"

Randy shrugged. "I don't know. All I know if I offered to drive him here and I subjected myself to a huge lecture. I mean, I know he means no harm and he really just wants the best for us. Ted and Cody are completely on our side and they want us to be together but while Cody is content just accepting us, Ted will always be the one to voice his concerns about everything having to do with us."

"Well, I don't care what Ted says. All that matters is that you and I know how we feel about each other and are very happy together, right?" John waited for Randy's nod before arching an eyebrow. "Wait a minute. Ted had something to say because we never dated other guys?"

Randy sighed loudly and lowered himself back on the bed. He lifted his arm over his now closed eyes and mumbled, "He thinks our relationship could be more susceptible to failure because we just jumped headfirst into it and have buried ourselves in each other." He opened his eyes quickly and glared at John. "Don't say anything sexual right now just because I said buried ourselves in each other."

John laughed and shook his head, holding his hand over his heart. "I wont, promise." He lowered his hand slowly and dropped the smile from his face. "It doesn't matter what Ted thinks. What do you think? Do you think we moved too fast? Would you like to date some other guy?"

A knot formed in the pit of John's stomach as soon as the words came out of his lips and he frowned as he lowered himself beside Randy. "Oh my God, just saying that makes me feel sick to my stomach."

Randy's eyes immediately turned to him. "John, why would you ask me that? If I wanted to date another guy I would've done so a long time ago. I want to be with you, only you." His eyes lowered and faced forward. "Do you wanna date someone else?"

John smiled and turned his body to face Randy's. He wrapped an arm around the younger man's mid-section and slowly turned him over. "Let's say I did. Imagine I'm on a date with another guy. We're at a restaurant, eating dinner but it's very quiet at the table. Then, we decide to walk around the park or a beach but I have nothing to say to this guy. So, he finally gets the hint and drives me home and when he leaves me at the door, he comes in slow and grabs my face as if to kiss me. He presses his lips to mine and licks them and tries to thrust his tongue inside my mouth…"

Randy's eyes widened and he shoved John back with his hand. "Shut up! What the fuck are you doing? Do you really think I'm interested in how this ridiculous scenario plays out, John?"

John laughed and grabbed Randy's hand, keeping it firmly planted on his chest. "Calm down and let me finish."

Randy glared at him but kept his mouth sealed. John pulled their bodies back in, keeping them as close as they could be. "Do you know why the dinner and the walk would be so quiet on that date? Because no one can top the conversations you and I have. No one can argue with me and make me laugh like you can. Do you know what I would do when he kissed me? I would pull away because I would compare how he kissed me to how you kissed me and no one would be better than you."

Randy's eyes slowly softened and he looked down as John began to trace his lips. "No mouth could fit mine so perfectly because no lips could be more perfect than yours. No one would ever be allowed in my mouth because only you belong there. I only ever want to taste you and have you taste me. A date with anyone else would never work. No one could compare to you, Randy. I only want you."

Randy's eyes came back up to meet John's and he slowly moved his hand up from John's chest to the nape of his neck. He slowly leaned forward and kissed John on the lips, his eyes closing as he relished in the taste of him. John gripped his hips tightly, kissing him back harder and slowly easing his tongue between the younger man's lips. Randy moaned into his mouth, their tongues exploring the caverns of their mouths.

A loud knock followed by a "Room Service," call caused both men to break apart. John groaned loudly, leaning his forehead on Randy's.

"Shit. I completely forgot about the food."

Randy smiled and nodded. "I guess I have to get that." He tried to move off the bed but John's arm remained firmly wrapped around him. "No, you got me all hot and bothered so I'm not even hungry anymore. Just leave it, baby and stay here."

Randy sighed. "I'll be gone one minute, John and I am still hungry. You're not that good of a kisser."

John's mouth dropped open and Randy laughed, taking the opportunity to slide out of John's grasp. He walked over the door and swung it open, signing the bill for the irate hotel employee. Randy grabbed the tray from his hands and quickly shut the door behind him, making sure to place the 'Do Not Disturb' sign on the door. He carried the tray into the bedroom and set it on the bed, smiling at the pout on John's face.

"Did I hurt your feelings, handsome?"

John lifted the cover off one of the plates and sighed. "Yeah, you kind of destroyed me here, Orton. You wounded me bad."

Randy smirked and grabbed a French fry off the plate. "I'm sorry, baby. I'll make it up to you. You better eat, though. You're gonna need your strength."

John smiled at him before leaning over to give him a quick kiss. "Sweet! Dinner and my favorite type of dessert!"