Disclaimer: I don't own anyone, other than Lily and Madison.
Rated: M
Warning(s): Slash, Past Mpreg, Storyline Fanfic, etc.

Lily had been off for the rest of that night, and so Hunter was unbelievably thankful that she went out like a light within minutes of take-off. After Mark had ensured that she was properly strapped-in, and had bundled her up securely in her favorite Beauty and the Beast blanket, it had really only been a matter of time before she drifted off into her dreamland. Madison was also asleep, nestled securely in her carrier. This left Mark and Hunter to themselves. An awkward silence stretched between the two, and neither was quite sure how to break it.

Mark wanted to confide in Hunter about his conversation with Stephanie McMahon the night before, but knew that the decision would be unwise. Hunter was unlikely to understand (or, rather, it was unlikely that he would want to understand) the reasons for the conversation, and Mark didn't want to put the wrong idea into his husband's head. And Hunter wanted to confide in Mark about his concerns regarding Mark's potential loss, but didn't wish to seem like he was doubting his husband's capability or questioning his desire to keep The Streak alive.

"Randy called me last night," Hunter found himself saying, if only because he needed something to say to break the awful tension in the air. "He said that they'll need to be bringing Dexter on the road with them for a little while. I told him that he could stay backstage with the others."

Mark, grateful for any form of distraction to delay the inevitable conversation, asked, "How is Dexter doing, anyhow?"

Hunter shrugged. "I don't know. Randy didn't exactly say. It was a short conversation." He'd called while he and John were on the plane to Missouri to retrieve their son. "But if he's still in failing health, it'll do them both good to have him nearby."

Mark stared down at Madison, who was slowly stirring as the pressure built in her ears. "You made the right decision." Reaching into their carry-on, he started to search for her ornate, flower-patterned baby binky. "His match at WrestleMania has incredible magnitude. He can't be distracted."

"Speaking of WrestleMania..." Hunter trailed off, trying to find the words to vocalize his decision.

"What about WrestleMania?" Mark asked - his tone was a little too sharp, his question a little too sudden.

Hunter raised an eyebrow. Mark cursed silently under his breath, realizing that he'd been caught. The blond leaned in a little closer, eyes locking with Mark's tired ones. "Is there something that you want to tell me, Mark?"

Instead of answering, Mark unlatched the screaming baby and pulled her up onto his lap, careful to support her neck and head. He pushed the binky past her wet, pink lips, effectively hushing her as she swallowed and released the pressure building in her ears. Lily stirred slightly, but didn't awaken. Mark shifted the baby in his arms again, watching as she slowly stretched out her little body. She was so innocent... so pure... his eyes shifted over to Lily, and he wondered if, one day, this business... this life... would corrupt her just as it had corrupted Lily. In that moment, he silently swore to never allow such a thing to occur.

"Mark, can I ask you something?" Hunter inquired warily. He didn't bother trying to meet Mark's eyes.

"You already know the answer to that." Anything. Mark had once told him that he could ask him anything.

Hunter gripped the armrest until his knuckles turned white from the effort, squeezing his eyes closed as he did so. For some reason, the sensation made him feel grounded, made it so much easier to ask, "Are we going to survive WrestleMania?"

The question, quite obviously, had two levels. The first, a physical level. Would their bodies make it out of their respective matches intact? The second, an emotional level. Would their relationship survive? Mark frowned, before turning the question around, "Have you signed on to your match at WrestleMania?"

"Steph pressured me into signing the contract. I'm the first match, one-on-one with Daniel Bryan." A pause, then, "And don't try to change the subject."

"I don't see why it is that we wouldn't survive. You always had a flair for the melodramatic. Everything will be fine, you'll see." Mark said.

Hunter stared into Mark's eyes, as if trying to read the emotions that lurked there and morph them into an explanation. Finally, he said, "There is something that you aren't telling me, and it's really starting to worry me. Please..."

Mark stared into Hunter's eyes for a moment, then, "Madison is hungry. Where is her bottle and formula?"

They simply stared at each other for several moments, before Hunter relented and retrieved the necessary items to make Madison's bottle. He could feel their relationship slowly crumbling beneath his feet, and he hadn't the slightest about how to stop the downward tumble. He didn't want it to end like this. He didn't want to feel Mark slowly slip from his grasp, feel him slowly withdraw, feel him pull away from everything they'd worked so hard to build. Before, it had seemed like such a ludicrous notion. But now, it seemed all-too-real.

A breath, and then, "WrestleMania XXX really will be the end of everything."

Daniel and CM Punk were in the airport when Hunter, Mark, and the girls got off of the plane. They were retrieving their luggage when Hunter caught up to Daniel, pulling him aside to tell him the specifics of the match that he would be contesting on Monday Night RAW. Phil got pulled aside to sign a couple of autographs, and when Daniel finished (it had really been more of a one-sided conversation), he grabbed Phil by the hand and tried to drag him out. But it was too late. Hunter had caught sight of Phil and it all just went downhill from there...

Hunter was well-aware of the fact that Phil was still traveling with Daniel Bryan, even if Phil and the business weren't exactly on the best of terms. Daniel didn't feel right leaving Phil home alone in the middle of such a difficult pregnancy, and even if the two of them didn't get along, Hunter could understand because his latest pregnancy hadn't exactly been a walk in the park either. But that didn't mean that the two were on amiable terms when they saw each other. From the look of hatred boiling between them, Daniel half expected things to melt down into a screaming match. Unfortunately, he wasn't so lucky.

"Ah, Phil. I see pregnancy has just about kicked your ass." Hunter bit out, anger and angst present in his eyes. "Tell me, have you always had a double chin?" Phil's eye twitched, one hand resting on his baby bump protectively.

"Oh, Hunter. Is that you? I almost didn't recognize you - what, did you put on seventy-five, eighty pounds with this latest pregnancy?" Phil had obviously hit a nerve, as Hunter visibly flinched. He shifted awkwardly in his tight, silken shirt.

"Funny, Mr. Brooks. Very funny." But neither of them were laughing.

"Oh, I see that we've reverted to a last name basis, hmm? Fine by me, Mr. Hearst-Calloway." He said.

Hunter sighed. "Believe it or not, I did not come here to discuss your impressive girth. Though, honestly, that shirt wouldn't even have fit six months ago." Daniel watched as Phil shifted slightly, a hint of self-consciousness showing through. "I came to offer you two complimentary tickets to WrestleMania."

Phil's eyebrows knit together. "I would only need one. It's not like I plan on bringing anyone."

"Oh, they're both for you. See, I wasn't sure that you'd be able to fit on one seat, considering how much weight you've put on and all... I thought it was rather considerate, don't you?" Hunter's twisted smirk said otherwise.

Mark shook his head, knowing better than to get involved. Daniel Bryan took a step back, watching as Phil's eye twitched. And then, "You really are an obnoxious bastard, you know that? A selfish, cold-hearted, pig-headed bastard."

Hunter really should've seen the slap coming. He knew, realistically speaking, that there was only so far that he could push Phil before he eventually retaliated. It could've been worse, looking back on it - Hunter was lucky that it wasn't worse. The resounding slap echoed through the airport and, following closely behind, Lily let out a loud whimper and buried her face in Mark's pant leg. And then, turning on his heel, he stormed off. Daniel stared at the mess left in his fiancé's wake for only a moment, before racing after him. One thing was for certain - he definitely wasn't getting laid tonight...