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John layed down on the bed in his hotel room where he had retreated. Rolling over and covering his head with his pillow he tried to figure out what to do. When his mind remained blank he sighed and sat up. After several minutes he pulled out his phone and dialed a number. Listening to it ring he tried to decide what to say.

"Hello?" asked a young female voice.

"Laney hi." John responded.

"John? What are you doing? Don't you have a match tonight?" Delaney asked him, turning from her computer to lay down on her bed.

"I don't know yet. Probably not. So what's been going on in your life?" He asked stalling.

"Not a whole lot. I should be asking what's going on in yours. Daddy's been having a lot of long conversations with the other elders lately. And they've all been about you." She informed him.

"Oh you know, just normal stuff." He answered noncommittally.

"Sure. If you're not going to talk to me then did you want to talk to Daddy? Cause he's not here at the moment. Went to the store for a part. He really tore up his bike."

Disappointed John was silent for a few minutes. "Hey Laney, how would you feel if I brought another female into my life?"

"Like Journey?" She asked confused.

"No more like someone from my past." John answered carefully.

"What about Journey? Are you going to hurt her just like that?" Laney exclaimed jumping off her bed.

"Journey knows about her and is okay with it." John hastened to tell her.

"Oh, well then, I guess its okay. But I have to meet her so that I can make sure she's good enough for you." Laney said frowning.

"More like the other way around." He said giving a short laugh. "Do me a favor and don't mention to your dad that I called."

"I don't feel good about this but okay. Be careful and please don't end up in the hospital. Its been a recurring theme around here lately." She warned him.

"More likely be jail." John muttered before saying goodbye.

Clicking off the phone John stared into space. After several minutes he stood up and stretched, unsure what to do. Before he could make up his mind his phone rang. John looked at it warily before answering, unsure who to expect.

"John?" Vince's voice came over the line. "I seem to be having to call this number a lot lately. I am going to assume that you were on your way to talk to me."

"Ummm yea." John replied, unsure what to say.

"Well I expected to have to do this soon so I have a plan ready to be put into action. It's an injury angle. You get stabbed in the back at a bar. That should give you about two months. Just keep me updated on your plans. Now the only thing I need from you today is to go to Mike's bar down the street and tape a few scenes. The camera crew will meet you at six. Take care of things." Vince stated before hanging up.

"Why do I never get a word in with that man?" John muttered as he closed his own phone. Relieved to have at least one decision taken out of his hands he didn't attempt to throw his phone when it rang again.

"Hello?" He answered.

"What did you do?" demanded a female voice.

"Hey baby, you been okay?" John smiled as he greeted his somewhat girlfriend.

"Answer me this. If I am already mad at you why would you try to anger me further by using a name you know I hate?" Journey asked giving a half laugh.

John shrugged. "Dunno, seemed like the thing to do?"

"Yea right. So what happened today and no more stalling." She said trying to be stern, something she never managed to be around him.

"What do you have ESP?" He asked, not sure he wanted to tell her.

"No I have Randy. Now talk."

"Messed up big time, lost my cool, and beat someone up, though he half deserved it." John told her quickly.

Journey was silent for a few minutes. "Everything just overwhelm you?" She asked quietly.

"Yea, if just all got to me I guess. I'm just so frustrated and worried." He told her.

"I want details." She instructed him.

He groaned and laid back down on his bed. When the silence stretched out over a minute he laughed and gave in. She was silent when he finished.

"So did I scare you with my big ugly temper?" He asked softly, scared of what she was going to say.

"No, I think you were right. He did deserve it. The only thing you did wrong was doing it in front of everyone." She answered.

John laughed. He was feeling better now that he had confided his feelings in someone. "So how many times has Dave called you since Friday?"

"Oh at least twice a day. Did I tell you how much I appreciate you telling them that I was threatened?" She said sarcastically.

"Yea, I think you mentioned it Friday night when you called me right after Dave, Paul, Shawn, and Randy called you. But I am more than willing to listen to you again." He added quickly when she growled at him.

"Speaking of being threatened, has anything happened since I left you?" John asked, turning serious.

"Not really. Nothing that I could prove was them." Journey answered evading the question.

"What kind of stuff?" He exclaimed, becoming alarmed.

"It's nothing. Just drop it." She told him, not wanting to worry him.

"Tell me." He said in a hard voice, getting up to pace the room.

Journey sighed. "Just little stuff. My tires have been slashed, obscene words painted on my door, and the feeling of being followed."

"You call that little stuff? They have managed to do that in the four days since they threatened you. What kind of stuff do you think they are going to be doing by this time next week?" John shouted, stopping in the middle of the room.

"They are just getting scared. We know and they know that by this time next week the court could make its decision and it will all be over." Journey tried reasoning with him.

"Yea, and then what am I going to do?" John asked despondently.

Journey was silent knowing the turmoil he was going through. "When do you have to pay her again?" She asked finally.

"I am suppose to go see her in the morning. Since this might be the last week she can squeeze money out of me I am sure it is going to be a big payoff." John answered her rubbing his head.

"I am going with you." She told him bracing for an argument.

"There is no way in hell. It's bad enough I have to worry about you just living down there. In fact when I get there tomorrow I am camping out in your apt until this is resolved." John informed her angrily.

"I kinda of like that thought." She said smiling. "But I am still going with you. Wouldn't you prefer to have me at your side than following behind you where I could get in even more trouble?"

"Damn woman. I should bring Dave back with me just so he could deal with you." John muttered.

"Try it and see what happens." She warned angrily.

"Journey, I really can't take this right now." He stated warily, ending their argument.

"I know and I am sorry. Don't worry Johnny you are going to save her." She reassured him softly.

"Yea, maybe, but before they kill her?" He whispered.

After reassuring him some more they say goodbye to each other and hang up. Getting up from the chair he had fallen into John pulled out his bag and began to pack, determined to leave for Boston as soon as the photo shoot was finished.

After RAW

Randy walked into the locker room after his match to find it empty except for an angry Nikki. Saying hello to her he reached for his bag. Getting nothing but a growl in return he turned to face her.

"What in the world put you into bitch mode?" He asked frowning.

Stopping in mid stride she put her hands on her hips and glared at him. "John's gone. I haven't been able to find him anywhere and he's not answering his phone."

"Well he's a big boy. I sure he is just embarrassed about what happened this afternoon." Randy replied not understanding why she was so upset.

"You don't understand. John doesn't do this. At least not without talking to me first. I know all of his secrets. He always tells me everything." She told him angrily, throwing up her hands and continuing to pace.

"Maybe he didn't want to upset you." Randy said cautiously, trying to reason with her.

"No, I'll tell you exactly what it is." She said quietly slumping into a chair. "He has someone else he confides in now. He told her everything."

"Who?" Randy asked confused, going over to try and comfort the forlorn girl.

"That slut, Journey." Nikki answered, lifting her chin and glaring at him defiantly.

Randy narrowed his eyes and looked down at her with hard eyes. "I am going to try to pretend that I didn't hear that. You are just jealous. You don't know her, don't know what kind of person she is. But if you ever call her that again then you and I are going to be having a different kind of discussion." He warned her in his meanest voice.

Nikki looked down ashamed of what she had said. After several minutes of silence Randy got up and went to shower and change. Coming out of the bathroom he found the young girl in the same position he had left her in.

Hearing him approach she looked up and held out her phone. "I called the airport. We have a flight at eight am in the morning. John needs help whether he asks for it or not and I figure its about time I meet this girl you all are so fond of."

"I thought John told you to stay away from Boston?" Randy asked quietly.

She grinned up at him. "That's why you are coming with me. To protect me."

Randy gave a short laugh. "Somehow I don't think John is going to think about it like that."

Later that night

Randy slipped out of his hotel room while Nikki was in the bathroom getting ready for bed. Walking quickly down the hall he stopped in front of the door label 509. Talking a deep breath he knocked on the door.

"Randy?" Dave asked as he opened the door.

"Are you alone, cause I really need to talk to you." Randy said pushing past the big man into the room.

"What's so important that you had to come here at one o'clock in the morning. If I'm not mistaken it's your bedtime." Dave inquired raising his eyebrows.

Randy flushed and looked out the window. "You told me that if I was planning on doing anything that would upset you or worry you that I needed to talk to you first. That you would most likely understand."

"Yea and that still stands." Dave informed him, watching the young man carefully.

"I'm not going home tomorrow. I know I have over a week and a half left of my grounding and I am supposed to go straight home and rest but I can't." Randy said quickly, tripping over his tongue in his hurry to explain.

Dave frowned. "Where are you planning on going?"

"Nikki has it in her head that John needs help and she is determined to go to Boston in the morning. I can't let her go by herself. And she is right. John's in over his head. He was there for me when I needed him. He's asked one thing of me and that's to look after his sister. I plan on doing that whether you approve or not." Randy finished, turning to stare at Dave.

Dave nodded. "Keep me updated and be careful."

Randy almost fell over in surprise. "That's it? No yelling or shouting? You understand?"

"We really have to work on this monster image you have of me." The big man said shaking his head.

"I only have it when I'm in trouble." Randy admitted.

Dave laughed. "Get to bed. You're violating curfew."

"But I can go and not worry about what's going to happen when I get back?" Randy asked again to make sure.

"Yes." Dave said pushing the young man out the door. "Randy," Dave called down the hallway, "thanks for telling me before you got on the plane."