Title: Taking Chances (4?)
Rating: R for adult themes, or M, as FFN would have it.
Content: Slash, angsting, violence
Disclaimer: Don't own, please don't sue
Characters: Chris Jericho, Randy Orton, HHH
Summary: Randy's relationship with Hunter is complicated. Will Chris help him to see it more clearly, or will that just bring more complications?

It was as Randy thought. Hunter came in, drunk, demanded what he thought was his, and Randy, as always, found it easier to agree and submit. Yes, Hunter was rough, and yes, there was pain, but Randy had always just accepted it. Now, he was questioning everything, including himself. And, as much as he would have liked to have believed that it was all down to Chris, he knew that he'd been questioning a little right from the start, and Chris had only directed him to the best questions to ask.

Once he heard Hunter snoring Randy could relax. The older man was so drunk that it would be a good few hours until he awoke. This at least meant that Randy had a few hours in which to sleep peacefully. If only that sleep would come.

It couldn't. Randy kept thinking about leaving. It was the first time that he'd seriously considered how he'd do it. It was no longer a case of if, but when. And how. How did you leave the man who'd controlled you for so long? Who professed to love you and need you? Who you professed to love and need? In theory, it should have been easy. 'Hunter, I can't do this anymore, I'm leaving.' It would never be that easy though.

Somehow, Randy managed to snatch a few hours sleep. He was awoken by an angry roar.

"Randy? Why the fuck have you been speaking to Jericho?"

Randy shook his head, trying to wake up quickly. "Hunt? What?"

"Don 't fucking play innocent. It's here on your phone. Last call made, Jericho." Hunter launched the phone across the room, watching in satisfaction as it smashed into pieces against the wall.

"I was just talking to him Hunt, I swear."

"You stay the fuck away from him, understand me?" Hunter's voice was low and dangerous. "You speak to no one without my say so."

"Hunt, this is fucking crazy." Randy immediately realised that he'd said the wrong thing. Hunter grabbed him by the arm and pulled him out of bed, wrenching Randy's shoulder as he did so. The older man dragged him over to the other side of the room, where the title belt lay across the table.

"You see that?" Randy nodded, scared. He'd seen Hunter angry, but never like this. "You screwed me over for that."

"I know Hunt, and I'm sorry."

"I don't care for your excuses anymore. I think you need bringing down a few more pegs. A few months out should do it."

"What?" Randy hardly got time to utter another word before Hunter had brutally slammed Randy's shoulder against the table. Randy groaned in horror. He'd injured that same shoulder a few years ago. And he knew from bitter experience, from the tearing he felt in his muscles, that this injury was bad. He slumped to the floor, almost unconscious from the searing pain.

The next thing he knew he was alone in the room. His shoulder was agonising, and there was an eerie silence. Randy didn't really know what was going on, all he remembered was Hunter slamming his shoulder through the table, and then, nothing.

Randy didn't know how long he sat there. He could feel the pain in his shoulder, but it didn't even compare to the pain in his head. He was so confused. How could Hunter do this? Then Hunter's voice came back into his head. Randy had screwed him over for the belt, and then had been doing stuff behind his back. No wonder Hunter was angry. Randy shook his head, trying to get the voice of reason to shout louder than Hunter's voice. Hunter's voice was telling him that he deserved it.

Taking a deep breath, Randy managed to get to his feet. He wanted to call Chris, but remembered that Hunter had destroyed his phone. Somehow, he struggled but managed to pull some sweatpants and a t-shirt on. He couldn't let the others see him like this, so he sat down on the bed and waited for Hunter to return. Whether he was angry or contrite, waiting for Hunter was Randy's only option right now.

It was a couple of hours before Hunter returned, by which time the ache in Randy's shoulder had reduced somewhat, just so long as he didn't move it. As soon as the older man walked into the room, Randy spoke, "Hunt, I'm so sorry."

"I know." Hunter sat down next to him, knocking his arm as he did so. He looked a little sad as Randy winced. "We should take you to get your shoulder seen to."

"Please."

Hunter nodded but made no attempt at moving. "I'm going to sleep for a few hours, I'll take you to see the trainer after, yeah?"

Randy flinched. "Have you not punished me enough?" The voice of reason in his head was finally shouting at the top of its voice. "I know I hurt you but I will not take this from you."

Hunter shook his head. "You won't leave. You're too weak."

"Watch me." Moving slowly, to avoid aggravating his shoulder, Randy made his way out of the room. "I'll be back to pick up my stuff later. Bye Hunter."

He didn't look back He was scared to. All he knew was that if Chris could get past Hunter, so could he.