Close to You

A Better Understanding

Disclaimer: I own no one!

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"Are you talking to Charlie or Bobo?" Randy asked, peeking his head out of the bathroom door. Grinning, he noticed John had Trish's little dog, and his teddy bear on his chest.

"Both of them. They are surprisingly good listeners," John admitted. "How's your back?" Randy had taken a hard bump in the ring that night.

"A little sore, but nothing too bad," Randy said. "It would have been even better if you had been my tag team partner," John inhaled sharply. Randy then knew he had struck a nerve.

"I can't wrestle," John said. Randy shook his head. He knew John was just afraid to show off his scars.

In the months since the attack, John's personality had changed significantly. He rarely laughed. He didn't go out as much as he once did. Randy noticed the difference and he just wished John would go back to the way he was.

"I'll be back," Randy said, getting up. "I need soda," In all reality, he needed to get out of the room. John was driving him nuts with his pessimistic views. Why couldn't he see how lucky he was to be alive?

"Hey, You," a feminine voice said. Randy glanced up. Amy Dumas was standing in the center of the hallway. "You alright?"

"Yeah. I'm worried about John," he admitted. Amy nodded. "It's as if since he was attacked, he lost a piece of himself," Amy sighed.

"He probably did. Everything he's ever known, all the comfort he had with who he was has been attacked." She explained. Randy nodded. He could see the logic in Amy's statement.

"You're right," he said. "I just want John to see that despite the scars he's still the man I knew and loved. I want him to see he shouldn't let people get him down," Amy nodded.

"He's never going to be the same again. It's that simple," she said. Randy nodded. Then, he burst out laughing. "What's so funny?"

"When I left, he was talking to Trish's dog, and my teddy bear," he explained. Amy smirked, and nodded.

"You like Charlie?" she asked. Randy nodded.

"She grew on me." He admitted. Amy laughed.

"Charlie's cute." She said. Then, she turned toward her hotel room, leaving Randy alone in the corridor.

Were his expectations too high because he wanted John to get back in the ring? Was he insensitive because he expected John to act like nothing had happened? Where was Dr. Phil when you needed him?

Moving to their hotel room, Randy slid his key card in the door. The door opened effortlessly. Moving inside, he found John sound asleep. An envelope rested on a small table.

Picking it up, Randy saw John's familiar handwriting on the front of it.

Randy

Opening it, Randy removed a sheet of paper. Sitting in a hard backed chair, Randy began to read.

Dear Randy,

Hello, Love. As I write this, you are stalking the corridors of the Holiday Inn. Charlie is asleep in her dog bed, and Bobo is off visiting Yogi and Boo-Boo. I feel like I need to explain myself.

I was pulled from Death's door. Luckily, Death was out when I came visiting. When the priest helped me, I felt that one day you would need me. I also felt like you and I would be together until death separated us years from now.

You're right. My scars do bother me. To me, they're signs of weakness. I was weak, in my inability to protect myself. I almost died, because for thirty seconds, I let my guard down.

I want to get back in the ring. I want to share my love for you with the masses. I guess a part of me is afraid that the weakness I showed during my attack will follow me into the ring, and you know that the ring is the one place you can't be weak in.

I love you.

Love,

John

Randy was stunned. John felt weak? Didn't he realize that few people had survived what he had gone through? He wasn't weak.

Randy knew what he had to do.

He found a pen and a sheet of paper. Quickly, he began to write.

Dear John,

How can you find yourself weak? You have survived where others have not. You're not weak. If anything, you're strong.

I love you. That is a fact. If anything, I want to spend the rest of my life with you.

I know it seems unbelievable, but I do love you that much.

I will stop pressuring you to get back in the ring. I realize now it will take baby steps if anything.

I love you.

Love,

Randy

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Hope you enjoyed it!

-Jen