Dean gently cleaned Jordan's cut lip as Adam held a gauze pad to Jordan's nose. Adam still had anger in his eyes.
Jade, Janice and James crowded around so close it was hard for Dean to work. Dean shot Ida a glance and nodded to the three anxious siblings.
"Come on, let's put your clothes away. Jordan will be alright." Ida was firm but gentle as she pulled the three out of the way. She gave each child their small pile of clean clothes to carry upstairs. Ida carried Jordan's pile.
"Ow! Daddy, that hurted!" Jordan whined in a childish tone of voice. He tried push Adam's hand away from his nose.
Adam kissed the top of Jordan's head. "I'm sorry, baby. Sit still for Uncle Dean." He wasn't as angry as he once was, but Adam was close to an explosion. He took a very deep breath to center himself.
Dean gave Adam a nod. When Adam removed the pad, Dean gently checked to see if there were any broken bones. Jordan tried to back away, but Adam held his son firmly in place.
"Nothing broken and the bleeding has stopped. Now, let me look at your eye and you'll be finished." Dean spoke softly. He chewed on his cheek, he too was angry.
Both Adam and Dean took a look as Dean held Jordan's eye open. "No blood or other damage. It will just be nasty looking for a while. He would you like to have a pirate's patch? Dean pulled a child sized eye patch out of his bag, it was black.
Jordan looked with his undamaged eye. "Do you have a pink one?" Jordan looked at Dean.
Dean smiled. "No, but if you want a pink one, I will get you one tomorrow, if you wear this one until then. It will be better for your eye to be covered." He held the patch up.
Jordan sighed. "Okay, Uncle Dean. But I want a pink one tomorrow, please. Daddy? Are you mad at me? I only hit him because he hit me first. It was self offense." He let Dean put the black patch over his eye. An elastic band kept it firmly in place.
Adam hugged Jordan. "No, baby. Daddy isn't mad at you. I am mad at that Jericho boy. Oh, and it is self defense. Where was Mister Hamilton?" He wondered why the teacher hadn't stopped the fight.
"He was helping Tommy get on the bus. Tommy busted his leg a couple of weeks ago when he fell off a trampoline at that bouncy house place." Jordan explained as Dean cleaned up the used medical things.
Adam nodded. "That was important. Tell daddy and Uncle Dean exactly what happened" He helped Jordan out of his blood stained white uniform shirt.
"Well, Ash started school yesterday. He was okay, nice even. Then today, he was different. He started in at first recess, said his dad was richer. I ignored him. Then at lunch, Ash made fun of my name, called me Jordie Orca. Mister Hamilton told him to stop. He didn't say anything else. Then when we went outside to wait for the dismissal lines, Mister Hamilton went to help Tommy. Ash said his dad was better than my dad and that his dad would put mine out of business. I said no he wouldn't cause my dad is a better businessman. Ash punched me in the face. I punched him in the gut, that's when he hit my eye. The other teachers pulled us apart. Then, you got there." Jordan told Adam exactly what happened.
Dean spoke to Jordan. "You did the right thing, ignoring him. He was wrong to hit you, and you have the right to defend yourself. But, I want you to promise me, you will never, ever hit first. I know words can be bad, but they are only words. My dad taught me, sticks and stones may break my bones, but words can never hurt me. It may sound silly, but it was true when I was your age and it's true today. No matter what, never hit first. Got it?" Dean spoke firmly, but with deep parental love and care. He just hoped he'd said the right thing.
Adam hugged Jordan. "You listen to Uncle Dean. I will never be mad if you defend yourself. But, if you hit first, you will be severely punished. Understood?" He gave Jordan a firm look.
Jordan looked at Adam and Dean. "I promise. I won't hit first. But, what if he hits Jade or Jan?" He wouldn't take that from anyone.
Dean answered. "That's different. A boy should never hit a girl. If that happens, then you defend your sisters. It's the same as hitting you. Right, daddy?" He looked at Adam.
"Uncle Dean is right. If he hits one of your sisters, then yes, you defend them. Now, go put on some play clothes. You can all go outside. Homework after supper." Adam set Jordan down, kissed him and sent him upstairs.
Adam gave Dean a kiss. "You handled that perfectly. I just hope Jericho gets a call from the Head Master. I have to tell Randy. Dean what if he…I have to tell him, if I don't he will wonder why. It's actually school policy, both parents have to be informed of fights. I'd better go call. Oh Dean, I'm scared." Adam actually trembled.
Dean pulled Adam into his arms. "It's Randy, Jordan's dad. That's all. You can do it. Go call, I will take care of the little lions. I just hope I can find a pink eye patch."
Adam manged to laugh a bit. "If there is only one pink eye patch in Kansas City, you will find it. I will go call from the den." He gave Dean a kiss.
Dean smiled when the kids and Ida came downstairs. "Ready to go play? I am going to grill hot dogs for supper. Miss Ida has made potato salad and baked beans too."
"Yeah! Yummy! Good! Yes!" Came four unison replies with happy laughs.
"Come on, we can be pirates. Jor can be the captain!" Jade yelled as Dean opened the French doors.
"Yeah, I'm Cap'N' Crunch!" Jordan yelled as he ran after his siblings.
Dean laughed and went outside with the children. Ida smiled, her adopted family was in very good hands.
Randy Orton hung up the phone with a deep growl. "That fucking piece of shit Jericho's kid, beat the shit out of my precious, pink loving Jordan. Dolph, you find a pink eye patch and get it to Dean's private practice in the morning." He banged his fist on the desk. He'd just been ready to head home when Adam had called.
Mike Mizanin perked. "Jor alright?" He worried about the kids as much as Randy.
Randy nodded. "Yes, but he has a split lip, bruised nose and black eye. Adam said no real damage was done, he just looks like a boxer who lost." Randy slammed his briefcase shut. Ted picked it up and carried it for his boss. They were all ready to leave for the day.
"Jericho is dead." Mike growled as Randy and his men stepped onto the elevator.
Randy rolled his neck. "No, he's not. It would be to obvious. I have to be the respectable parent. Don't worry, I will get him in the purse strings. Jericho won't have an account left in this city, even if I have to take some loss. Come on, I'm hungry. Adam told me a few other things. I will tell you in the car." He just wanted to get home.
Another meeting took place. This one in Hunter Helmsley's home office, behind a locked door and shaded windows. Bret Hart sat in the office with Hunter.
"So, we ready to bait the trap?" Hunter asked his boss in a quiet voice.
"Yes. Jason is lining up the disguises. I agree with you though, I don't feel like this is any kind of set up by McMahon. I fully think the informant is legit. Maybe he wants a deal to avoid prosecution. If his information is damning enough, he may avoid it. Depending on if he didn't do anything serious, like murder." Bret replied with a bite of the Mexican casserole Nancy had made.
"I agree. So middle level of Kauffman Stadium, Gate E, behind section two hundred forty seven. He will know to look for a zebra striped baseball cap. Thanks to Shawn's college days. It's the only unique thing I could think of." Hunter gave a laugh and took his own bite of food.
Bret chuckled. "Hey it works. I'm in contact with a friend at the FBI. They have much more advanced listening equipment. I am rethinking about Shane. The conversation will be recorded. It could backfire on us if it is a set up. I've made a decision, Shane will be out of it. Sometimes, we put too much cheese in the trap. Know what I mean?" He ate more food.
Hunter swallowed. "Yeah, I do. I agree. If you and I both record and Jason too, we will have plenty to play for Shane. He will be disappointed, but his safety comes first. Shane should be able to tell who it is, he's heard all their voices." He finished his last bite of casserole.
"Have you considered, he may want us to hide him? Guess Shane would have a roommate in Hotel Helmsley." Bret chuckled.
"I don't think so, Bret. I think he will stay and keep informing. Maybe? I dunno, this whole thing has had me fucked up since I read about Randy. I still don't know how Adam will deal with Randy in person." Hunter shrugged.
Bret nodded. "i am sure he will handle it. Randy will come later, who knows, maybe the informant will have info on Orton. Right now, we don't have enough evidence to do much. Yeah, there is the Del Rio murder, but we've got nothing on that either. Let's get in depth about our meeting with the informant." They had a lot of very detailed plans to make and things to work out.
At the McMahon mansion, Stephanie ate dinner with her seven lieutenants. It was a very quiet meal. Stephanie finally spoke when the meal was half over.
"Any word of my dear little brother?" Stephanie asked with a sip of her wine.
Finn Bálor shook his head. "No, ma'am. Wade and I have spoken to Kofi, Big E and Xavier. If they know anything, I'd be surprised. The are really worried about Shane. They think we are friends from college. They want to start a search group. You know, it might not be a bad idea. People might be more willing to talk to them. One hitch, they talked about police involvement."
Stephanie thought for a moment. "No, don't help them. We don't want cops around. They can't file a formal report. They can only ask for a welfare check. If that happens you know what to do. Refer them to me at Saint Luke's. Neutral territory. Shane went to Disneyland. Anyone who knows him would believe that." Stephanie spoke firmly.
Wade Barrett spoke up. "We could tell that to Kofi. Shane called and just decided to go to Disneyland. It would calm them down. Even better, Shane left his phone. Send yourself a text from his phone. Then you have something to back your story."
Stephanie grinned. "Excellent idea, Wade. You have searched his phone?"
"Yes, ma'am. There is nothing on it but some stuff from school. I've even gone deep into deleted files. Nothing. Just a few old texts with Kofi and company. No sign of him doing a deep delete either. Then again, most people don't even know how to erase a cell phone memory." Drew McIntyre spoke with confidence. He'd checked Shane's phone with a triple fine toothed comb.
Stephanie nodded. "Thanks, Drew. You two searched his room?" She looked at Finn and Wade.
Finn responded. "Yes, ma'am. Nothing. If he planned on leaving, he took nothing. His phone was on his charger. His textbooks are on his desk. No suitcases missing or empty spaces in the closet. All his things are in the bathroom. He just got up, left and vanished. No sign of his car either. We did trace his plate to a downtown parking area, but, it's not there." Finn was truthful as always.
Stephanie growled. "Father returns tomorrow. I have no idea what to tell him or even where to start. I have let him down." She looked like she was on the verge of a breakdown.
Wade reached over and laid a hand on Stephanie's shoulder. "Ma'am, you've done nothing wrong. You can't control your brother. He has always done his own thing. Hell, maybe he actually did go to Disneyland. He is twenty one, after all. There was nothing you could do to stop staff leaving the hospital. We let Orton's men get Finn, not you. Ma'am, we will stand behind you."
Stephanie flashed a rare smile. "Thank you, Wade. I appreciate that. How are you feeling? Justin, take care of Wade. Make sure he gets the vitamins and any medication he might need."
Justin smiled. "Yes, ma'am. I have and I will. Morning sickness will start soon, and I have medication for that. It is different for men. If he's lucky, he may not have any, or it could come in the middle of the night."
"Don't worry, I will look after him." Finn smiled at Wade with a wink. The dinner continued, in a better atmosphere.
At Adam's house, the family had almost finished their meal. They sat around the picnic table on the patio.
"Jor, does it hurt?" Jade asked in a worried tone. Jordan had rubbed the cut on his lip.
"Naw, just stings when I chew on that side. I'm Cap'N Crunch, nothing can stop me." Jordan took a very small bite of hot dog, it hurt less than a big bite.
Dean tousled Jordan's long, brown hair. "That will be better by morning. Do you have a headache?" He fussed over the boy.
Jordan swallowed his hot dog along with a sip of iced tea. "Nope. No broke nerve."
Adam chuckled. "Good. When I take you to school tomorrow, Jordan and I have to go Head Master Sandow." Adam dreaded it. Damien Sandow was an excellent Head Master, but he could be very pompous at times.
"Will dad be there? Will he be mad at me?" Jordan hated going to "Sandy's" office. That was the secret name all the kids at school used for the Head Master.
Adam smiled at Jordan. "No, dad is not mad at you. Yes, he will be there. All you have to do is tell the truth, like I've always taught you. There isn't anything to be afraid of." Adam spoke with confidence.
Head Master Sandow had called Adam and requested the meeting just before they had sat down for dinner. It had nearly spoiled Adam's appetite. It would also be his first face to face with Randy since reading the incriminating notebook.
Dean had told Adam to keep in mind, he is Jordan's dad, and that's all. Dean wished he could be there, but it wasn't his place. Plus, he had patients to tend to. At least Mercy was closer to his private practice.
"Yeah, Jor. Sandy is all bark, but he's nice." Jade spoke without thinking.
Adam looked at Jade. "Jade Marie Orton! Do not refer to your Head Master as Sandy ever again. You respect your elders, madame. Understand me, young lady?" He spoke in that parental tone.
Jade sank down low on the bench. "Yes, daddy. I am sorry, but we call him that at school. I won't do it again." She pushed her plate away, no longer hungry.
"Don't call him that. You all know better than to follow the crowd. Now, Jade finish your dinner. Daddy loves you, even when you do something wrong." Adam gave Jade a bright smile.
"I love you, daddy. I am sorry. I don't mean to keep breaking your nerves." Jade smiled and took a bite of her food.
Adam couldn't help but chuckle. "Baby girl, you don't break my nerves. Daddy, dad, and Uncle Dean just want to teach you how to be good people. To be kind, respectful and to help others. Always treat people the way you would want to be treated. You are going to make mistakes, but you learn from them. Even Daddy still makes mistakes, so does dad and Uncle Dean. Mistakes are only bad when you don't learn from them." Adam smiled at his children and took his last bite of food.
"Daddy is right, little lions. Just a few weeks ago, I nearly gave a very sick little boy the wrong medicine. I forgot about his allergy. It taught me to always double check everything on a new patient. Now, take your plates to the kitchen. Get your homework and we will do it out here." Dean also spoke like a parent with a smile.
"It's a good thing you remembered that allergic thing. My eye itches." Jordan tried to scratch, but the patch prevented it.
Dean stopped Jordan. "I know, but don't scratch. It will make your eye hurt worse. Now, get your school work, son."
Jordan took his plate and went inside. Dean and Adam cleared the table from the other things left over.
Ida was in the kitchen. "I will bring out milk and cookies in a bit. It's a lovely evening to be outside."
A bit later, Ida sat outside too as Adam and Dean helped the children do their homework. It was a lovely evening.
Randy Orton and his men sat in the smoking lounge. Dolph and Zack played a game of eight ball pool.
"I have to go to the Academy in the morning. You have goods on Sandow? In case Jerifuck tries something." Randy looked to AJ with a puff on his cigar.
AJ smirked. "Oh yeah. Pictures of him with a woman, in compromising positions. All compliments of photo shop of course." AJ handed Randy several snap shot sized photographs.
Randy looked with his own smirk. "My, my Head Master. I didn't know you liked to be dominated like that...by a woman. I don't think the Head Master's husband would like that very much. After all, he is the Father of the Saint Luke's Academy Chapel." He put the pictures in his shirt pocket. St. Luke's was part of the Episcopal Church. Reverend Father John Curtis-Sandow was the religious leader of the Academy.
AJ lit a cigar and sipped his brandy. "No, not at all. The model in the photographs is happily on her way to Paris, for a nice, long vacation. She thanks you for the bonus."
"Good. She is lovely, but she would easily talk if questioned. Gentlemen, I would like to make a toast." Randy stood, he waited for his men to join him.
Randy raised his glass. "To Adam and Dean. May they have a long, happy marriage." He raised his glass higher, his lieutenants mirrored their boss.
"To Adam and Dean." The eight men clinked their glasses and sipped. They settled back into their previous activities.
Cody looked at Randy. "You really mean that, don't you, boss." He was a bit confused. Most exes wouldn't be so generous.
Randy smiled an honest, soft smile. "Yes, I did, Codes. Adam deserves it. He was always good to me. He stuck by me when we could barely afford to eat. He suffered when we lost our first baby, but still worked hard to make a good home for us. We just...fought too much about stupid stuff. Our relationship is better now than when we were married. He deserves someone like Dean. Dean is a fine man, and good for the children too. I just pray Adam never finds out the truth. It would kill him. He would also try to see to it the kids never saw me again. That can never happen. Those four children are the center of my universe. So yes, Cody, I truly want to see Adam happy, that makes me happy." He finished with a sip of brandy and a puff of his cigar.
At Adam's place, Adam and Dean tucked the children into bed. Dean gave Jordan a dose of liquid children's aspirin to help with the pain, so he could sleep.
While Dean showered, Adam got ready for bed. He tried to read, but seeing Randy tomorrow played on his mind. He knew Dean was right, he had to see Randy as Randy, not a crime boss. The thoughts of what he'd read in that notebook began to over shadow "good" Randy.
Dean came out of the bathroom in his sleeping pants and damp hair. He looked at his future husband. Adam wore his reading glasses, and stared at the book he held, but he knew Adam wasn't reading.
Dean got into the bed. He looked at Adam again, then chuckled. He pulled the book out of Adam's hands and turned it. "I didn't know you knew how to read upside down and backwards."
Adam giggled. He took off his glasses and put them and the book in the drawer of the bedside table. "I can't." Adam then frowned and continued. "Sorry, I know I shouldn't, but I was thinking about tomorrow. I just can't get that fucking notebook out of my head, and Randy wasn't even the main subject. I wish you could be there. I'm too much like…no, Jade is too much like me. I speak without thinking, especially when under stress. What if I say, Head Master Sandow, you remember my former husband, the underworld crime boss, Randal Orton?"
Dean pulled Adam into his arms. Adam snuggled in like a magnet. "You won't do that baby, I promise. You are very smart. Remember, Jordan is the one that matters and that is what will be on your mind. That's what will be on Randy's mind. Randy is Jordan's father. You will be too busy being parents to worry about that notebook. Trust in yourself baby. Also, remember one very important thing. The life of the man that risked everything to give Hunter that notebook is on the line. Think of what he went through to do that. You wouldn't do anything to compromise that." Dean kissed Adam softly and held him close.
Adam nuzzled into Dean's neck. The gravity of Dean's words hit his very soul. "Dean, you're right. I've been so selfish, worried about myself. I never gave a single thought to the notebook person. I feel horrible. That poor person is living in hiding, somewhere, while I am here, safe and comfortable. I am truly, truly ashamed of myself. Tomorrow Randy is just Jordan's dad, nothing else." Adam spoke with conviction and a bit of sadness.
Dean hugged Adam closer. "You don't have to be ashamed. You weren't being selfish, you were being worried. That's only natural. You keep notebook person in your mind, and you will be just fine, I promise. You know I don't lie. Besides, I have the hardest job tomorrow. You don't have to try to find a pink eye patch."
Adam laughed. "If I can do what I have to do, so can you. Dean, Jordan's eye will be alright, won't it?" He went from laughter to parental worry.
"Yes, baby. There was no blood, no optical bones broken, and his pupil reacted correctly. I want him to wear the patch to keep him from rubbing and scratching. That could cause damage." Dean spoke as a physician.
"You are so right. Sometimes, when it comes to the kids, I forget I am a qualified Registered Nurse. Once when they all had the flu, I was in such a state, I forgot how to use a digital thermometer. Ida had to turn it on for me." Adam laughed softly and threw a leg over Dean's hip. Now he was home.
Dean chuckled deeply. "That is exactly why we don't operate on direct family members. It's a natural reaction for parents to panic when their child is sick. Now, are you feeling better about tomorrow?"
Adam nodded. It made his bearded chin rub against Dean's nipple. "Yes, I am. Thinking about notebook person will help a lot. Oh, I forgot, what did Miss Vesta say." Adam nuzzled again.
Dean tried not to moan at the sensation of Adam's beard rubbing his nipple. "She is thrilled and can't wait to retire. She loves me and the practice, but Vesta is ready to go home and be Grandma V. At last count, she had twelve grandchildren, and I think there may even be a great on the way."
"Wow. Sounds like Vesta is a member of Chief Bret Hart's family. Jason once told me, Bret has eleven brothers and sisters. Also, his grandmother gave birth to fourteen." Adam nuzzled yet again. He knew what he did to Dean and enjoyed teasing his fiance.
Again Dean held in a moan. "Goodness. It's a wonder he and Jason don't have a bunch of kids."
Adam sighed. "Jay can't carry. We used to be really close friends, but between his part time police work and my nursing school at the time, we kind of drifted apart. Maybe after all this is over, we can pick up our friendship again. Jay can be really funny, and he plays a killer hockey game on the console. Bret can be just as funny." Adam nuzzled again. This time he pressed even harder against Dean's nipple.
"That's it, you naughty little nymph." Dean growled. He moved quickly and Adam was flat on his back with a grunt.
Adam let out a very girlish giggle and wrapped his body around Dean. The couple were lost in their love and passion for each other. It was a wonderful feeling.
Stephanie McMahon sat at the bar in the mansion's lounge room. Finn and Wade were on the couch. Justin sat with Stephanie. Drake was behind the bar and listened to the conversation.
"Stephanie, stop. You're going to make yourself sick if you keep worrying. Your father is not going to blame you. You've done absolutely nothing wrong. Period." Justin was concerned. Stephanie had barely spoken since dinner. She was so stressed about her father, Stephanie trembled.
"Justin, yes, he is my father, but if he decided to, he would put a bullet between my eyes and never even blink. Okay, maybe I couldn't stop three of the hospital staff leaving, but Shane? How in the fuck do I tell him that Shane may have gone to the cops and has vanished? I should have kept Shane on a tighter leash." Stephanie looked at Justin like a lost child of six.
Justin put a hand on Stephanie's shoulder. "You know we've taken care of that. For now, all your father has to know is that Shane went to Disneyland. All seven of us are going to back you. We swore on our McMahon medals. Ma'am, if the truth be told, all of us would rather follow you. You are a lot better at the new ways. No disrespect to your father, you know this, but he is stuck in the old ways. Your father barely knows how to use a cell phone. He thinks Drew wastes him time on the computer. You need to stay strong, stand up and prove to him that you are more than ready to take over the family. Maybe we wouldn't fail so many missions if we didn't have to always follow the old ways." He spoke firmly.
Drake spoke. "Ma'am, Justin speaks the truth. We do stand behind you." He gave their leader a very firm nod.
Wade Barrett also spoke. "Yes, ma'am, we do. You know what needs to be done and you do it." He too gave Stephanie a nod. Finn chimed in his agreement.
Stephanie looked at the four men in the room. "Thank you for the support. You're right. Shane is at Disneyland. Father does need to listen to the new ways." Stephanie paused and sipped from her cup of tea.
Once again she looked at her men. "Gentlemen, it might be time for me to put a bullet between father's eyes." Stephanie's face changed as an evil smirk crossed her lips. Her eyes almost seemed to glow red in the low light of the room.