Title: Taking Chances (8/9)
Rating: R for adult themes
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?
A/N: Thanks to everyone for the continuing reviews, they are really appreciated and always make me smile when they arrive in my inbox
Randy has been inspired in this fic by 'Speak to Me Someone', by Gene.

Randy sat in the locker room alone. He was pretty much out of action now, because of the shoulder injury. The doctors had told him that if he took it easy he would get through the match with the Undertaker. He would definitely need surgery after, and would probably be out for six months or so.

Nothing made any sense to Randy. His head was telling him that he had done the right thing leaving Hunter, and that things would be better now, but his heart was telling him that he deserved to be injured. When Chris told him that it wasn't his fault he believed him, but keeping that belief when your self esteem had been destroyed wasn't exactly the easiest thing to do.

There was a knock at the door and Hunter walked in. Randy sighed and looked away. He didn't want to deal with Hunter right now.

"I'm sorry."

Randy looked up, surprised. Those were not words he ever expected to hear from Hunter's lips. Wondering what had brought about this contrite statement, he remained silent and waited for Hunter to continue.

"I really am sorry Randy. I've treated you badly… I was so lonely without you… please come back."

There was something in Randy's heart that desperately wanted to believe Hunter, but something else in his head was suspicious. He knew that the older man played mind games, but he also knew that he was capable of loving someone. Maybe he was telling the truth, maybe this was another part of the game, Randy had no way of knowing. All he did know was that Hunter had hurt him physically and mentally. He didn't even know if he loved Hunter any more. The coldness Hunter had displayed towards Randy during their relationship was becoming clear; Randy had always assumed that his lover was preoccupied with work, but now he realised that was Hunter's way of punishing him. The changes in behaviour, from loving one minute to angry the next; their reasoning suddenly became clear. He'd never seen Hunter like this though.

"Why should I believe you?" Randy whispered.

"I know I've treated you badly…" Hunter smiled softly and caressed Randy's cheek, not flinching as Randy pulled away from him nervously, "I've made mistakes, I've hurt you, and I will never be able to make it up to you. All I can do is promise that things will change. And they will Randy, come back to me and they will change."

"I'm scared of you." The statement was something that Randy hated admitting to himself, never mind Hunter. Admitting his weakness was something the young man wasn't used to, something that made him feel like it only compounded his weakness even more. He stared into Hunter's eyes as he said it, and saw a flicker of emotion that he didn't quite recognise. Remorse? Regret? He wasn't sure but something about it unnerved him.

"I won't give you any more reason to be scared of me."

That didn't quite sit right with Randy. There was something missing from Hunter's words. He did want to believe Hunter, and he wasn't sure whether it was because this behaviour was out of character for him to behave like this that he was unnerved.

"Let me make it up to you." Hunter spoke like he could sense Randy coming round to him. "I'll have a word with 'Taker, get him to lay down for you."

Suddenly, everything crystallised for Randy. All of the doubts and fears he had about Hunter suddenly made sense.

"That's it Hunter. That's what it's all about to you. You think that getting me a win will make everything better. I don't care about that. I want you to tell me you love me and mean it, to want me and to love me without conditions and without me being scared that if you have a bad day you'll take it out on me. All I want is for you to say sorry for hurting me and genuinely mean it. For you to be honest with me." Randy stopped and stared at Hunter, suddenly realising what that emotion he saw earlier was. "You don't want a relationship with me, you want to win. It's not about me and you… it's not even about me at all. It's about you winning. And much as I love my job and my career, it's not the most important thing to me. I know that in twenty odd years time when my career is over I want to have something, someone, to go home to. You can't see past that damn belt."

Stinging, bitter tears were starting to blur Randy's vision, so he stood up and walked to the door.

"Please Hunter, please just leave me alone. I just can't be with you."

He walked out of the room, needing to be away from his former lover. Needing to get away from everything. Blindly, he stumbled down the corridor.

"Randy?"

He heard footsteps behind him and stopped.

"Chris?"

"Hey, you OK?" Chris carefully put an arm around him and smiled gently. "I'm finished, wanna get out of here?"

"Please."

Chris nodded. He could guess what had happened, and he knew that the best thing for Randy would be to go back to the room they were sharing at the hotel and give the young man a chance to vent. He was thankful that Wrestlemania was nearly upon them. The sooner Randy had a few months off to heal his body and his heart the better.