Title: Solving Problems (21?)
Rating: We'll go for a nice safe R, M in parlance
Content: mentions of domestic violence, drug use, swearing, sex
Disclaimer: Don't own any of the characters mentioned herein, except for Laura, no offence meant.
Summary: Laura hasn't been around the wrestlers of the WWE for a while. When she returns, things have changed, schisms have formed, and all is not well. Can she sort things out?
A/N: Well, we're nearing the end. Thanks for all the reviews, I can't tell you how much I've enjoyed writing this and receiving them!

Randy was in yet another hotel bar, trying to drown his sorrows. Hunter and Chris hadn't managed to get through to him. He just couldn't make them see why he was doing this. It didn't help that his reasoning didn't make much sense to himself either. He was sure of only a few things: he would run away when things got too hard; Laura didn't deserve to have such an unreliable partner; he dealt with problems badly; and the baby was too precious to have such a fuck up for a father.

The bar was busy, but Randy still didn't manage to avoid the attention of one of his fellow wrestlers. Batista sat down opposite the young man, and looked at him in sympathy.

"What's up man?" His voice was gruff, and for the first time Randy could see and hear the depth of feelings that Laura had always talked about when she mentioned Batista. Randy had never really noticed before, but Laura was right, there was unhappiness in the big man's eyes.

"Don't ask." Randy motioned to a passing staff member for another beer. "You?"

"Family trouble."

Randy looked at his friend with interest. He knew that Batista was dedicated to his wife and kids, so any trouble must be bad. "Wanna tell me about it? Stop me thinking about my own problems for a while?"

Batista looked surprised, but nodded. He figured that Randy was a little young to understand where he was coming from, but it always helped to talk to another person. "I'm just wondering if all this is worth it. All the travelling I mean." Randy looked a little confused, so he continued, "It's my daughter's graduation soon. I'm booked to be in England. I just hate missing out on all this important stuff. My kids are only kids once, they only have things like this once, and I'm missing out on it all because I'm here. Don't get me wrong, I love wrestling, but I love my kids more, and I wonder if the sacrifices I'm making now are worth it, because in the long run I'm not going to get any of this time back."

Randy nodded, he could see Dave's point, remembering his own graduation; his dad had been away and had missed it, and that, at the time, really hurt. Of course, he'd rationalised since then, but that feeling still remained.

Batista continued, "I figure I've got two options. I can either quit now, and get to see her graduation, baseball games and all the fun stuff with the kids, but be short of money and have to work for a long time. Or, I can wrestle for another couple of years, be sensible with my money and spend the rest of my days enjoying my life with my wife and kids, and not have to be worried about cash and how to survive. I don't know what to do."

"If you quit wrestling now, would you regret it? Not just the money, but what you could have achieved?" Randy had always been very career-oriented, as his father had taught him to be, so that was the first thing that he would have considered had he been in Batista's position. "Would you resent your kids when you wondered 'what if'?"

"I don't know man, I really don't. They are completely the most important things in the world to me, and I know I've fucked up plenty of times with them, but they've always accepted that I make decisions and live by them. I missed a concert that my daughter had been rehearsing for months for, and she was upset, but she understood I have to earn a living. I hated hurting her, but she forgave me. Kids have this fantastic inbuilt acceptance that their parents aren't perfect."

"Sounds to me like they'd understand why you have to work, I guess they know that in the long run it's of benefit to them." Things were starting to fall into place in Randy's mind.

"Yeah, I guess they would." Batista sighed. "I'm lucky, I guess, I got to see them growing up, I was there for all the important stuff. First words, first steps… actually seeing them being born. I can't imagine how hard it must be for Hunter and Chris, missing out on all that stuff."

Randy nodded. Hearing all of this from someone who had been through it all, someone that Randy regarded as a role model father, was a real wake up call. If Batista, of all people, could admit that he made mistakes when it came to his children, could struggle with decisions, then maybe Randy could too. Especially because he suddenly realised that if he didn't make a decision soon, he'd never get those important moments back.

"Batista, thank you so much, I've been a complete fool, and I have some serious apologies to make. I have to go man, but thank you again. I hope things work out for you." Randy threw some ten dollar bills on the table to cover the drinks, and ran off, calling up Hunter on his cell phone as he hailed a cab.

"Hunter, I need some help man, I've fucked up and I need to get Laura back… I'm just in a cab on the way back to the hotel… can you? Great…. I've had a few drinks, can't drive… thanks man… see ya soon."

Randy had finally worked out that being a father didn't mean being perfect all the time, and didn't mean being trapped and tied down. It meant doing the best you can, and making those close to you as happy as you could achieve. Having kids meant savouring the important parts of life, the once-in-a-lifetime moments that only children could bring. Yes, he may be scared of the responsibility, scared of the commitment, but the force and power and belief behind Batista's words, and the genuine love he had for his children, it was all enough to convince Randy that being with Laura and the baby was the right thing.

Now all he had to do would be to convince Laura that she should take him back.