Cody walked through the corridor; he was happy and proud that he had won. He decided to pay Randy a visit after the show. He realized that there was more to it than an affair, if it was an affair.
He passed Ted's locker room and stopped as he heard voices "You promised to get him out of the way" Ted hissed.
"You've got no chance, what does it matter?" he heard Jack say.
"It would be easier" his friend sighed "He's stronger as I thought. You assaulted him two times and he's still here"
"His body is here but I think I broke his mind" Swagger sounded proud "Even if he continues to wrestle he won't be able to get in your way. He can't stand to be touched, I saw him with Mark"
"It's not what I wanted" Ted rubbed his forehead "I want Cody back but it wasn't my intention to destroy Randy"
"It's a little too late for that" Swagger crossed his arms in front of his chest "I wanted Orton for a long time but he turned down every offer I made because he loves Rhodes"
"You don't love him anyway" Ted countered.
"True but I'm sexually interested in him but he doesn't like me much" he shrugged.
Cody felt sick, Jack assaulted Randy and instead of helping him he left Randy alone with him. It was his fault; he clasped his hands over his mouth. He wanted to kill him but he couldn't, Randy needed him. He started to run "John" he yelled frantically.
"Calm down! What happened" John put his hands on Cody's shoulder.
"You were right" only now John notices Cody's tear streaked face "I heard them talk, he did… he hurt Randy… he did this because of... It's my fault" John shook him "Not so fast, I don't understand a word"
"Ted wants me back and he asked Swagger to help him. He assaulted Randy to make me think he cheated and he hurt him a second time. He doesn't love Randy he did it because he wanted to f…h- have sex with him" Cody babbled.
"That bastard" Cody could see the anger in John's face and was relieved it wasn't directed at him.
"I was thinking about Randy, how to approach him tonight as I passed by Ted's locker room. He hurt Randy because I hurt him" his tears fell freely.
"You forgave him?" John wiped his tears away.
"I want him back, I made the decision before I overheard them" Cody tried to calm down "I want my lover back"
"Let's watch his match and then we surprise him, okay?" John suggested "He will be happy"
Cody nodded and followed John.
Cody and Randy's friends sat in John's locker room and watched the match. They held their breaths as Rey hurt Randy.
"Geez, he scared me" Adam placed a hand above his heart as Randy stood up.
"Me too" Jeff grabbed Matt's hand.
Cody noticed the changes in Randy's posture and got up "Cody?" John asked.
"Look at him" he ordered "He's hurt" Cody ran as fast as he could.
They were confused and returned their attention back to the match "No" John yelled as Rey got ready for his next move "He isn't ready you idiot"
Their eyes widened as Randy collapsed. They ran into the arena and watched as the paramedics tended to their friend.
Cody stood next to Randy "Randy, everything will be alright. You'll see. They take care of you and you'll pay it back to Rey in no time" he tried to be strong. Randy's eyes were full of fear, the young man noticed that Randy wasn't able to focus on something. He wouldn't be surprised when he didn't know where or who he was. His body trembled and the paramedics did their best to take care of him. Randy's deep voice brought him back to reality "Cody" the older man whispered.
"Randy, I'm here" Cody whined "I'm not going anywhere, you hear me?" he squeezed his eyes shut as Randy passed out.
He felt a hand on his shoulder "Come I drive us to the hospital" John offered.
Cody nodded and followed John to the car "Get in" he shoved him gently into the car.
"Tell me what happened while we were apart" Cody was too nervous to remain silent.
"He'll hate me but you've a right to know how his mind works" John decided.
"Was it bad?"
"I thought the incident with Jericho was bad but with you… it's worse" John needed Cody's help to safe his friend.
"I feel guilty, he got a concussion because of me" was the first thing what popped into his mind to keep the conversation going.
"It wasn't your fault. The doctor said he took more than one hit to the head. I think Swagger caused the concussion" John remembered what the doctor said, it made sense.
"What happened to his arm? He said he had an accident" Cody prayed it was an accident.
"I thought you had seen his scars" John said, they faded over the years and the tattoos concealed most of them.
"He said he fell through a glass door when he was a teenager" Cody believed it.
"He hurts himself" John confessed.
"What?" John could see how Cody's heart broke.
"He cuts himself, mostly not deep but sometimes he needs stitches" Cody nibbled on his lip "Has he tried to kill himself?"
"Not yet" John sighed "Do you remember as Vince gave him a few weeks off after Chris broke up with him?"
"He was sick" the young man answered quickly, scared John would change his mind and stop talking.
"He attempted suicide, he overdosed. We found him just in time. Next to him lay an empty bottle of sleeping pills" he hated to remember that day.
Cody remained silent; he needed time to deal with the information "He hits out on walls, punching bags until his knuckles bleed. He showers extremely hot. He's sick Cody I don't know him differently. I thought you could heal him. He was so happy with you, he didn't need to pretend to be okay he truly was" John continued.
"I'm not easy either" Cody whispered.
"I know and Randy knows that too but he doesn't love you less. He once said he makes you realize how unique and precious you are" John chuckled.
"What's so funny?" he narrowed his eyes.
"It's surprising how low your self-esteem is. Mr. Dashing"
"People tend to use me. They're interested in me because I'm pretty and Randy is the first who's interested in me. He loves me not my looks, my money or publicity" he loved him for his big heart.
"Randy is special" John agreed "He took care of me after my ex-boyfriend decided to marry a woman. He stayed night and day. We talked, we played games and he took care of everything. He convinced Adam to take me out"
"He choose wisely " John was surprised "Really?"
Cody smiled "Yes, you're perfect. It was the right choice"
"Thank you" John parked the car.
"I might be a jealous bastard but that doesn't mean I hate you. You know him better than I do and that pisses me of"
"You know things I don't. You can read his body language and you know how to make him happy"
"You know his secrets, you know how his mind works" Cody countered.
"We should work together" Jon suggested "We're on the same level now and I think we should talk from time to time"
"Okay" the young man agreed.
Cody sat on an uncomfortable plastic chair next to Randy's bed and held his hand.
The doctor said he had two cracked ribs, bruises and a bad concussion but he was lucky that his neck and spine weren't affected from the impact. He had to stay for a few days to exclude the possibility of a coagulum or other kinds of brain damage.
He watched him for hours, his face was bruised and his forehead graced a band aid. Cody used the chance to examine his lover and he found the scars, old and new ones. They looked bad and painful; he couldn't understand why Randy released his pain by causing himself even more pain. He thought about a place to hide every sharp object they had at home as a groan disturbed his musing.
"Randy" Cody kissed Randy's hand "Don't move it spares you the pain"
Randy blinked he wasn't sure if this was a dream or reality "You scared me. Don't do that ever again"
Randy squeezed Cody's hand; he felt real "Why are you here?"
"I'm ready to talk" he smiled sadly "but before I got the chance to take you back you got hurt"
"You forgive me?"
"There is nothing to forgive. I should beg for forgiveness. I didn't listen. I was on my way to your locker room as I heard Swagger talk about you. It was Ted's plan. It's my fault"
"Not your fault" the older man stared at the ceiling. He wasn't sure he was able to overcome his fears and inner demons.
"The doctor said I can take you home in a few days" he let his tears fall "I take you home" he kissed the top of Randy's head.
"Don't pity me" the older man mumbled sleepily.
"I don't pity you but I love you" he got up "Sleep. I get the doctor"
Randy closed his eyes; it was too good to be true. Cody forgave him for what he did, even though he was a dirty whore. He let Swagger use him without to put up much of a fight. He had to tell Cody sooner or later what happened.
~ Will he be angry? Will he think I'm weak? What about the scars they're not healed, he'll see them. Does it make me unworthy to be your boyfriend? You love my strong side, you love the Viper act but do you love me? ~
He fell asleep before Cody returned with a nurse.
She took his vitals and examined the cut on his head "I think you can take him home in no time" she smiled at Cody; it wasn't hard to figure out what kind of relationship bound them together.
"Thank you" he blushed.
"Hey pretty boy. How is he?" Vince entered the room and took Cody by surprise.
"Vince?" he blinked.
"He will be fine in no time" he tried to save the situation; he stepped closer to the bed and tried to hide Randy's stitches behind his body.
"Don't take the trouble, I know him good enough to know what he did the last few months" Vince sat down on the plastic chair "the question is how can we pull him out of the death spiral?"
"I don't know, I'm not used to this part of his personality" Cody wondered how much Vince knew.
"That's because he was happy with you" the older man rubbed his chin "There aren't huge events in the near future. I want you to take some time off. Be there for him and keep an eye on him, it doesn't matter if he has to pee or wants some space, keep an eye on him. And I try to keep Swagger away from him"
Cody's face fell; he remembered what John said to him. Vince knew, he knew everything concerning the Viper. Randy went to Vince for help because he wasn't there for him, he didn't help, he chose to run instead.
"It was Ted's idea, he started all of this" Cody spread his arms to empathize his sentence.
"I have to change my plans then" Vince grinned "What do you think about a hell in the Cell match with Ted and Jack against Mark and Glen? Nexus will line up around the cage, so will the hart dynasty, Hardy Boyz, DX … ah I can't count anymore who wants to participate. Almost everyone volunteered for the match. I talk to you when I come up with a solution. It's funny how the destiny of one member reunites old Tag teams"
"They love him" Cody smiled at his lover "He worms himself into your heart and before you realize it you love him"
"True" Vince watched Randy for a while "We met years ago. He needed my help and I offered it freely, therefore he's here when I need his advice"
"Why should the great McMahon need his help" Cody frowned.
"Steph is sick; I never understood why she behaved like she did. Then Randy came along, young, strong and suffering from the same sickness. He helped me to understand, he made me a better father and somewhere along the way we became family"
"I saw her scars" Cody knew she had issues "On my first day as a pro, I got lost and wanted to ask for the way so I knocked on the first best locker room I found, I opened the door before she had time to put on her shirt. We never talked about it" Cody never told anyone what he saw.
"She stopped a year ago to be destructive; she saw how happy Randy was. He stopped for over two years. She wanted to try it too, she found someone to love, she married and is the happiest girl on earth. I think love can heal all wounds, not immediately but in the long term…"
"I hope you're right" Cody took Randy's hand "Can you keep an eye on him? I have to make our house homely again"
"Go, I take care of our little one" Vince ordered, it was important to make preparation before he came home "Wait"
Cody peeked into the room "He hides a pocket knife in his gym bag, don't throw it away it was a present from his dad but hide it somewhere" Vince saw the knife once but he was happy so he didn't worry.
Cody nodded and searched through his cell phone for John's number.