"...drugs" John said "I don't need 'em".
"You have a high tolerance" Marc said "you haven't puked since the first time".
"I hold it in" John said "I don't like puking it makes me feel yucky. Man I can't wait til I can get out of here. I need a bath really bad".
"No kidding" Marc said, waving his hand in front of his face jokingly. John chucked a plastic cup at him, unaware that it had a few pieces of ice in it until Marc started jumping up and down trying to get it out of his shirt.
"Man" John said "I can't wait til Trish gets here, I'm tired of you" he smiled to take the edge off his words.
"Are you ready to see Kevin?" Marc asked him "you know she's bringing him right".
"I asked her to" John said "he's always asleep by the time I get home usually and not up yet when I leave. That's what sucks about this whole thing, I haven't saw my baby boy in weeks. I talked to him on the phone once when Trish was on the road but that just made me miss him more".
"How do you think he's gonna handle seeing you?" Marc asked, pulling no punches "I mean you look quite a bit differently do you think he'll be able to take it".
"I think so" John said, nodding his head "I mean I may look a bit different but I'm still daddy". About that time Trish came in the room. She came over to John's bed and kissed him deeply. "Where's Kev?" John asked her once they pulled back from the kiss. He looked like a kid on Christmas morning waiting to open their presents.
"He's coming with Sylvain" Trish told him "you don't know where we've all been do you". John shook his head, looking confused. "Well me, Kevin, Sylvain, Jessie, Randy, Lexi, the twins, your brothers and parents all got tested for bone marrow matches. They think one of us may be a match".
"Don't they have to be family members?" John asked, perplexed.
"Nope" Trish said "it can be anybody, that's why some people get marrow through that list". John nodded, cluing in. About that time everyone came in. Sylvain had Kevin in his arms. He walked over to the bed and stood beside Trish.
"Hey kiddo" John said to Kevin. Kevin smiled shyly and waved. "I look pretty funny huh" he asked the little boy, pulling a funny face. Kevin giggled loudly. "Come here kiddo" Kevin crawled out of Sylvain's arms and John pulled him, with what strength he had, into his own. Kevin snuggled up to John and put his hand on John's shoulder. "I've missed you kiddo. No one's been around to watch Rugrats with". Kevin smiled brightly at him.
"I watch a'day" Kevin told him "Tommy an' Uckie wode 'orsies". John laughed loudly, it felt good to him.
"Man" he said faking disappointment "I can't believe I missed it. We'll watch the next one together". Kevin nodded. At that moment a doctor came in. He looked wide eyed at all the people in the room but shrugged it off.
"Mr. Cena" he said coming over to John's bed. He smiled at Kevin in John's arms before continuing "I have the results of the bone marrow tests we did on everyone earlier".
"That hurted dada" Kevin interrupted, looking at John. John made an awww sound, rubbing Kevin's back, kissing his forehead.
"There was one match" everyone gasped at the doctor's words. He looked at a pack of papers in his hands before continuing "Sydney Orton is the match. We can do the transplant later today if you'd like. Then in about a week you should be cancer free and able to go home". John reached his hand out to shake the doctor's hand and thanked him before the doctor left the room.
"Guys" John said looking at everyone "can I have a few moments with Sydney?" Randy, who was holding Sydney came over and sat her on the bed. He picked up Kevin from John's arms and everyone left the two alone. John sat up as much as he could muster and took Sydney's hand in his. "You saved my life" he said, trying not to get choked up. "Thank you".
"I 'a misseded you" Sydney said, looking in what she thought was John's direction. John wiped the tears from his eyes and pulled Sydney to him in a hug. She hugged back and John felt some tears hit his shoulder. He just kept her close to him and let her cry. He knew she felt closer to him than any of her other family members and he knew how it must be affecting her. Even though she wasn't quite 4 yet she still was very perceptive about things and knew what was going on.
"I'm gonna be ok" he whispered to her.
A few hours later John was in surgery to put the bone marrow into his spine. It would take about an hour to do, and he would be in recovery for another hour. While he was under anesthesia John had flashbacks of his life.
Flashback
John was excited. He was getting to go to his uncle's bachelor party. Even though he was only just 16 his uncle told him he could go. At first he was bored. Everyone was sitting around bullshitting about the wedding and all. Then there was a knock on the door. John watched as a beautiful blonde woman came through, she was wearing a cop outfit and carrying a boombox. 'The stripper' he thought giddily to himself. She said some cheesy lines and started doing her thing. John watched, almost slackjawed as she stripped down to a barely there g-string. After she was done the guys invited her to have a drink and stay for the rest of the party. She accepted. John spent awhile staring at her discreetly. He thought she was beautiful. He finally got up the courage and went over to talk to her "hi I'm John" he said, sticking his hand out for her to shake. She smiled up at him as she shook his hand.
"I'm Susan" she said, John marveled at the sound of her voice and got lost in her beautiful eyes. "What's a kid like you doing here?"
"I'm not a kid" John said "I'm 16".
"Oh sorry" Susan said amusedly. They spent a few hours talking and they both found themselves opening up to one another. Somehow they ended up in his bedroom back at his house having sex. It was John's first time and he was so nervous that later on he barely remembered it. The next morning John woke up to a note on his face. As he read he found himself upset more and more.
John,
Last night was a mistake. I shouldn't have taken advantage of you like that. Just forget me and move on. I'll do the same. It's not meant to be for us.
Love,
Susan
End Flashback
Flashback
"Hey old man how's it going?" John said to his dad, he was smiling like a kid on Christmas and was sure that, that came through over the phone.
"Not alot John" his dad answered him.
"Guess what" he said "I got a job".
"Oh yea" his dad answered "where?" he figured it was some plant or something.
"UPW" John said, practically shouting "I'm gonna be a wrestler, just like Hulk Hogan.
End Flashback
Flashback
John stood behind the curtain nervously. It was his first night in the WWE and in a few moments he'd be stepping out in front of the live crowd in a match against Kurt Angle. Even though he was scheduled to lose he was still excited. His music started, some generic stupid crap, and he came out. He realized he looked nervous but tried to mask it. He ignored the fans who were hurling insults at him, saying things like 'who are you being fed to rookie?' and the like.
End Flashback
Flashback
John found himself once again nervously standing behind the curtain. It was the night of his first Wrestlemania. Well the first where he'd have a match that is. He was scheduled to face the Big Show for the U.S. title and win. John knew it was big. To be on the card for the WWE's biggest show of the year was a huge deal. As his music started and the fans started screaming John put on his game face 'time to entertain' he thought to himself as he pumped up the crowd.
End Flashback
Flashback As John stood behind the curtain he couldn't believe where he was. It was Wrestlemania and he was wrestling John Bradshaw Layfield for the WWE Title. He was gonna win it too. He couldn't believe that in a few short years he went from being a fan to almost being WWE champ. As his music started John sent up a quick thank you to God for blessing him. End Flashback
Flashback
John sat in bed thinking. He had found out that day that he had a little girl. She had literally shown up on his door step. John sighed as he thought about her face, contorted in pain from the muscle cramps she had because she had walked from the train station to his house. He also thought about how he was gonna handle being a father. 'I guess I'll handle things as they come' he thought to himself.
End Flashback
Flashback
John cursed to himself as he thought about everything his babygirl had been through. Josh raping her, her losing her baby. It was all too much for her. He mentally wondered why God was doing all of this to her. 'Why her?' he thought. He put those thoughts out of his mind though 'I'll just be there for her' he came to a conclusion
End Flashback
Flashback
'Man I can't believe I'm going to go on a date with Trish Stratus' John thought to himself. 'That's so cool'. He barely remembered getting ready and going to pick her up. As he saw her his breath caught in his throat 'God she's beautiful' he thought to himself.
End Flashback
Flashback
'God I hope she's ok' John thought to himself. Jessie had been taken into surgery to dislodge the bullet quite a few hours before and John hadn't heard anything since. He stopped pacing when he heard his name being called. He looked and saw Trish running full speed toward him. He wrapped her in his arms when she reached him and cried on her shoulder.
"It's ok baby" she told him, stroking his head "let it all out". John stood there crying in her arms for a long time.
End Flashback
Flashback
John was livid. Sitting there and listening to the lawyers hash out everything that Josh had put Jessie through was maddening to him. John spared a glance toward Josh and his anger flared up even more. He wanted nothing more than to go beat him senseless.
As the trial came to a close John was satisfied with the judge's ruling. He watched as Josh was taken away. As he was walked with the guards Josh made a confession that he wasn't alone in everything. John's mouth dropped open as Stacy was revealed as Josh's accomplice. John watched as Stacy shot Josh. Stacy then turned the gun on Jessie. John didn't think he just threw himself ontop of Jessie to save her from the bullet. The next thing he felt was intense pain as he blacked out.
End Flashback
Flashback
John watched as Trish made her way down the aisle of the church. He couldn't believe he was getting married to his dream girl. He had to hold back the tears as she walked slowly with her father. 'Don't cry Cena' he told himself 'it's not cool, its not manly'. Before he knew it he had a wife. As he kissed Trish he couldn't help but think 'this is right'.
End Flashback
Flashback
"Come on baby one more push" John coached Trish as she pushed through a contraction. He was excited. In mere moments he would be holding his son for the first time.
"Shut the fuck up" Trish said as she pushed "don't say a word". After a few more pushes Trish finally delivered the baby.
"It's a boy" the doctor told them. The nurse wiped the baby off and handed him to Trish.
"We have a baby boy" Trish said, looking at the baby in her arms, not being able to hold back the tears of happiness.
"I know" John said also crying.
"Do you two have a name picked out?" a nurse asked them. Trish and John looked at each other with smiles on their faces.
"Kevin Anthony" John said. End Flashback
Flashback
"Daddy I'll be ok" Jessie said for the hundreth time.
"Are you sure?" John asked looking at Jessie. He was putting her on a train to Springfield she would be going to college at his old college. He would have taken her himself but he and Trish had to fly out for the shows that weekend.
"Yes daddy" Jessie said, holding back tears "now I gotta go or I'll miss the train. John wrapped Jessie in his arms and hugged her fiercely.
"I love you babygirl" he mumbled in her shoulder, crying openly.
"I love you too daddy" Jessie replied, also crying openly. John pulled back and watched as Jessie stepped on the train. He stood in the same spot until he could no longer see the train in the distance before making his way to the car where Trish and Kevin were waiting End Flashback
The group waiting in the waiting room looked up as the doctor entered. Carol stood up and addressed the doctor "how's my baby?"
"He's fine" the doctor told her. "He's resting now. You should be able to see him in about an hour".
"What about Sydney?" Randy spoke up, getting the doctor's attention.
"She's fine too" the doctor said "we have her in his arms, per his request, and both of them are still under sedation. Once they wake up a nurse will come get you". After the doctor left everyone shared sighs of relief and hugs. A long hard road was finally close to being over.