A/N: Update time!

"This isn't working! Your plan's for shit, man!" Cody plopped himself down onto the bed in Dwayne's hotel room, the glare in his eyes pointed at the older man. "Randy looks at me like I'm some pathetic jobber because it's how I'm acting!"

Dwayne rolled his eyes and kicked Cody's shoes off his bed. "Didn't I tell you once already to stop this whining shit you're doing? I've already told you to have patience. This plan isn't gonna come together in one day or even one month. You gotta lay the foundation, Runnels. Fucking relax, will you?"

Cody shook his head. "I'm just frustrated, man. I don't see how I'm gonna get Randy to look at me as something serious when I'm acting so pathetic in front of him. I mean, come on. He's supposed to leave John, super John Cena, for a little whiny, pathetic guy like me?" He frowned. "Well, like I'm pretending to be. I'm really not whiny and pathetic, you know."

"Of course not," responded Dwayne sarcastically. He sighed and leaned back onto the bed. "Look, just be patient, Cody. John isn't responding to any of my emails or texts, either. He's mostly ignoring me unless it has to do with our appearances and match. Do you see me freaking out? No! I know I have to be patient. It's not gonna happen overnight."

"Can't we speed it up just a little, though?" Cody bit his lip and tried to not whine.

"Well, we could speed it up a lot if your little buddy Brock would show up and play his part," responded Dwayne in annoyance. "He's so anxious to help but he never shows up!"

"Brock has his own issues to deal with plus he has a harder road when it comes to Randy. Do you really think Randy is just gonna welcome him back with open arms?" Cody smirked over at Dwayne. "He really needs to take his time with that one. He's got plans to go to Raw in a couple days and start laying the groundwork with him."

"Maybe that'll help. I'm due to go to Raw in a few weeks, too," mumbled Dwayne.

"Getting close to match time or is it a movie?" asked Cody with a smile.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Dwayne sat up, his face in an annoyed frown.

Cody shrugged. "Well, you only show up when you have a movie to promote or you're promoting your own match. You never really visit otherwise and people talk so…"

"Like I give two shits what people say," Dwayne rolled his eyes and stood up, walking to the bar and serving himself a drink. "No one's opinion matters to me but my own. Don't you know that yet, Runnels? Best learn it if not,"

"Hey, I'm all for the 'do what I want' attitude but maybe you should worry that one of those people talking is John,"

Dwayne lowered the cup from his lips and frowned. "What?"

Cody held up a hand. "Listen, I'm the last person to give advice on relationships but it doesn't take a genius to see that John isn't going to warm up to you if the opinion he has of you is of a selfish asshole. You have to show him that you're not that; that you are a good person who is not only using WWE to promote yourself. Show him that you're a person who would never do that."

Dwayne stared at Cody carefully, taking in the younger man's words.

"In other words, you're gonna have to lie," Cody's smile widened. "You're gonna have to put on the biggest act you've ever put on, Mr. Hollywood."

"Looks who's talking," shot back Dwayne.

"Hey, I'm right there with you, man. Point is, I'm already trying. I'm not sitting back and sending dumbass emails and text messages every day. You gotta get up and actually do some work here, D. or else this isn't going to work and I'm busting my ass for no reason!" Cody's smile faded as his temper rose.

Dwayne sighed and shook his head. "Fine, you may have a point." He looked over at Cody and smiled slowly. "Looks like I'll be paying a visit to Raw this week, too."

"So, rumor has it a certain 'roid filled junkie will be gracing us tonight…"

Hunter looked over at Randy, his forehead creased by a frown. "What?"

Randy sighed. "Is Brock really gonna be here tonight?"

"Oh, Brock!" Hunter laughed and nodded. "Yeah, he's starting a new angle with Punk. Wanna see how the crowd reacts to it."

Randy nodded but remained silent, his mind completely focused on Brock's appearance now. He could feel Hunter's stare but pretended to not see the older man staring at him in confusion. He couldn't blame Hunter for the look. Most people did look at him in confusion lately. His cutting of ties with Cody and Brock was a topic of discussion in the locker room despite the fact that no one would dare approach him about it. Randy didn't mind, really. It's not like he was gonna tell anyone what had happened between the men and him. At moment like this, though, it was hard. Hunter was a trusted friend; his mentor and like a big brother on the road for so many years. He wanted nothing more than to open up and trust him with all that happened with him, Brock and Cody.

"Ran, what's going on? I've never heard you talk about Brock like that."

Randy sighed and finally turned to meet Hunter's stare. "We're just not close anymore. He's still messing with stuff that I can't be around."

"Randy, whatever Brock is doing shouldn't matter to you. I mean, you've been clean for years…" Hunter raised an eyebrow. "Haven't you? Is this hate you're feeling for Brock just a cover for what's really going on?"

Randy quickly shook his head. "What? No! It's not that…it's complicated…"

"No; complicated my ass," Hunter stared at Randy carefully before grabbing his arm and pulling him into an empty room.

Randy stared at him in disbelief, "Did you seriously just pull me into a janitor's closet?"

"Don't try and change the subject," responded Hunter angrily. "You're using again, aren't you? That would explain all your mood swings lately, your cutting off friendships, John walking around looking miserable a few weeks ago…you had a slip."

"Hunter, enough!" Randy pulled his arm away from Hunter's grasp, his patience shot. "Nothing that goes on in my private life is any of your goddamned business but since I know all you're really worried about is business, by all means, piss test me if you have to. I'm fucking clean!"

"Randy, fuck the business. I'm worried about you as a friend. You've been weird as fuck lately. I haven't said anything because I know you get like this; so fucking defensive and angry. I'm worried, though," Hunter shook his head and frowned at the younger man. "You know what I've always told you, man,"

Randy felt his anger begin to dissipate as he heard Hunter's constant advice to him in his head, "No one is gonna stand in your way but you, Randy."

"Look, I'm fine. Everything is fine. You can't expect me to be jolly and cheerful all the time, Hunter. Just because I act differently doesn't mean I'm using again," he replied.

Hunter sighed and leaned against the wall of the small closet. "Look, I'm sorry, Ran. I just…you've changed and since you don't talk to me, I just figured…"

"You should know better. I swore I would never go down that road again. I swore to John and our daughter," Randy shook his head. "You should know I would never break a promise to them."

"Ran, I said I'm sorry," Hunter shrugged and stared at Randy in confusion. "If everything is OK, then, why don't you look happier? And neither does John,"

Randy laughed and shrugged, as well. "I don't know what you're talking about, man. John and I are fine and I can honestly say you're the only one that thinks we don't look happy."

"You look all right now but a few months back…" Hunter trailed off. He took a deep breath and raised his hands as if in surrender. "You know what, I'm not gonna pry anymore. Just know that I'm here to talk if you want to."

Randy quickly nodded and exited the closet, the noise from the main hall of the arena for once a welcome sound. He walked off towards the locker room, anxious to put as much distance between himself and Hunter as he possibly could. He also wanted to attempt to reach John before the news of Brock's appearance that night reached him.

The door to the locker room appeared and Randy quickly pushed it open. He spotted John in a corner, surrounded by a couple of the younger boys who loved to either kiss his ass or bombard him with questions. Randy strode over to the group and cleared his throat, his eyes locking with John. "Boys, can you all…"

Before he could finish his request, the men murmured their apologies and goodbyes to John and scattered away. John watched them with a smirk, soon transforming into a full blown smile. "Wow, honey. You can clear a room."

Randy's face remained serious and John soon lost the smile. "What's wrong?"

"Brock's gonna be here tonight," replied Randy softly. "I just heard and got it confirmed by Hunter."

"Fuck," whispered John angrily, his hands immediately tightening to fists at his sides. "What the fuck is he doing here?"

"Starting some new program with Punk," Randy shrugged. "I wanted to tell you before you heard from anyone else. I knew it would upset you and I figured I could calm you down before he got here so that we don't have another locker room incident like last time."

John frowned. "Well, what was I supposed to do last time, Ran? Just let him keep talking shit about you and me and our relationship? He asked for what he got."

"But he is not the one that suffers when you go off like that, John," replied Randy calmly. "You suffer because you could get in serious shit for putting your hands on him and I suffer because I hate seeing you so angry with someone that I still feel partly responsible for."

John's frown deepened. "Ran, you are not responsible for anything Brock…"

"Johnny," interrupted Randy with a small smile. "You can tell me that until you're blue in the face but I will always feel a little responsible that I bought that asshole back into our lives. It's OK, though. I've made my peace with it. I let him in once more after so many years and got royally burnt. It's over, though. I've let it go. Can you please promise me you will do the same? Just let him be, baby."

John sighed loudly. "Fine, I'll behave."

"Thank you, handsome. I promise you'll be rewarded for your good behavior," Randy moved in closer to John and wrapped an arm around his waist.

John slowly smiled, his annoyance dissipating once he let Randy's words sink in. "You're so amazing, baby. I don't know how you're handling this but you are. And, you're more concerned about me. I don't deserve you,"

"True, I am amazing," Randy smiled and rested his forehead against John's. "We deserve each other," He pulled away from John's embrace, content now that the older man wouldn't do anything to bring about a suspension or injury from Brock.

Lowering his body to a bench, Randy began to rifle through his bag for his gear for the night. John sat beside him and he felt the older man's hand rub his back soothingly.

"Are you sure you're OK being here tonight, Ran? I know how hard this is for you, too,"

Randy looked over at John's concerned face and shook his head. "No, I'm fine about Brock. I could care less about the man. It's just," He sighed and lowered his head.

"What is it, baby?" John turned Randy's face over, forcing him to meet his eyes. "Talk to me,"

Randy sighed. "I lied to Hunter. He wanted me to talk to him about what's been going on. He said he noticed how weird I've been and that you've been weird and he wanted me know he was there for me. I lied to him, though."

"How? In what way did you lie to him?" John asked.

"He asked me if the reason I've been so weird lately is because I was using again. I told him no,"

John quickly cut Randy off, gripping his chin tightly. "That's not a lie, do you understand me? You're not using. You had one slip up and it wasn't even of your own doing."

Randy shrugged. "You're probably the only one who sees it like that, Johnny. Most people would say I fucked up, washed down years of being clean and that I'm back to step 1 now."

"Those people can fuck off. We know the truth," John let his hand trail from Randy's face down to grasp his hand. "Ran, if you wanna tell Hunter all that's happened, you can. I know you've been keeping it to yourself because of me. You don't want it to spread because you know how much I hate being the topic of gossip. Hunter isn't like that, though. He won't spread it around. I trust him and I know you do, too. It may make him think twice about bringing Brock and Dwayne back into the fold again and it may help end your storyline with Cody sooner rather than later."

"I know Hunter won't say anything. That was never really my issue. I knew if I chose to tell him that you would understand. I mean, you understood when I told Ted," mumbled Randy.

John frowned. "Then, why haven't you told him?"

"Because I'm embarrassed. I still hate what I did, John and I hate that Brock got the better of me. I should have known better," Randy sighed and tried to keep his voice low. "Hunter always warned me away from Brock and anyone who he thought was bad for me. He always told me that the only person who had to power to ruin my career was me and it would happen if I stayed close to people like Brock. I ignored him because I thought I knew better than anyone. I pushed the good people in my life away and damn near lost it all including my life. A part of me still thinks he's one of the ones waiting for another screw up by me and the thought of having to tell him it happened is too much, John."

"Baby, Hunter would never judge you. He cares about you. He sees you as a little brother. All the lectures he gave you were because he cares. He would understand this. Especially since it wasn't your fault. You didn't take anything willingly, Randy!" John shook his head, willing Randy to understand his point.

Randy rolled his eyes. "I let Brock in. I should never have in the first place. I should've known he would do something like that. If I tell Hunter I'll get the biggest 'I told you so' known to man screamed back at me."

"No, you wouldn't," replied John sternly. "Explain to me how you should've known what Brock would do to you. Had he ever done it to anyone else that you know of?"

Randy shook his head. "No,"

"So, then how the hell were you supposed to know what he was planning on doing?" John smirked over at him. "Are you a closet mind reader, Orton?"

A soft chuckle escaped Randy's lips. "Stop,"

"Stop what? Making sense? Blowing your theory out of the water and not letting you fault yourself for something you have no fault of?" asked John, all humor gone from his voice.

"Why are you always so rational?" Randy squeezed John's hand and pulled himself closer so their thighs touched.

"John has a habit of being very rational. It's just one of his charms."

Both Randy and John's head snapped up at the sound of the other voice in the quiet locker room interrupting their private conversation. John's eyes widened at the sight of the man but Randy was the first to react.

"Wow. It's usually a text or new email interrupting a moment between me and John. It was only a matter of time before you personally interrupted one," Randy glared at the older man, who only smirked back in response.

"I didn't know what you and John were doing, Randy. Hell, I didn't know you and John were even here. It wasn't my intention to interrupt anything,"

John quickly stood up, anxious to diffuse the situation before it escalated. "Dwayne, what are you doing here? We don't have anything planned tonight. I'm still working on something with Bryan."

Dwayne nodded. "I know. I just wanted to come visit Vince and the boys. This place is still my home, John whether I have a match coming up or not."

John frowned. "Really? I would've never thought."

"Well, it is." Dwayne smiled slowly. "Since I'm here tonight, wanna go over some match ideas?"

"Did you forget the part where you interrupted something, man?" asked Randy, an annoyed look on his face.

Dwayne quickly held up a hand. "I meant later not now, Randy. I fully intend on letting you and John finish whatever I interrupted."

"How kind of you," responded Randy sarcastically, his eyes shooting daggers at the man.

Dwayne's smile remained on his face. "I'll just be down at catering catching up with the boys. I hear Brock is due to be here tonight, too. He's always fun to talk to. The shit he says…" He trailed off in a laugh, noting Randy's expression change at the mention of Brock's name. He turned his attention solely on John. "I'll see you soon, Johnny."

John frowned and turned away, not bothering to respond. He looked at Randy's face and sighed. "Looks like tonight is our lucky night, babe. We get two for one."

Randy sighed, as well and shook his head. It was gonna be a long night.

A/N: Review, please!