Title: Ride Of Your Life
Author: Adrian Jade
Summary: One day you wake up and realize that everything you thought mattered to you doesn't. John Cena has a girlfriend who he thinks he loves and a best friend who he knows he will always love. What happens when on a random pit stop to a Walmart they find something that could change all of their lives. John needs to choose where his heart belongs.
Disclaimer: I own all the people that you don't recognize. Everyone else own themselves and their characters belong to the WWE.
Chapter 11: This is Your Life Now
"Home sweet home" Ashley said to a sleeping Phinnigan walking into their new home. They had spent the morning in the park and it had tired little Phinnigan out.
"I have a good feeling about this Phinney life here is going to be different but we'll get through it" she kissed the top of the baby's head.
She looked around the place she was now calling home. It was small compared to her other house but seeing as it was only her and Phinnigan how much space did they really need. She closed the door behind her and carefully removed her coat. She brought Phinnigan to his room and placed him in his crib. Next she ventured to her small little office that had the amazing view of the harbor and watched the last of the fishing boats go out to sea. She sighed and breathed deep the salty smell of the sea.
"Brisbane, Australia who would have thought" she laughed a little to herself "my own little piece of heaven"
There was a knock on her door and she wondered who the hell would want to bother her. The knocking continued to get louder and she knew if she didn't answer the door the person was going to wake up Phinnigan. She cursed under her breath and got up out if her comfortable chair and went to answer the door.
"Hey sis" Keegan, her 14 year old brother smiled gladly when she opened the door.
"Keegan, what are you doing here ... better question how are you here?" she asked shocked to see her little brother.
"I had a fight with dad so I called Randy and got your address" he explained "he didn't want to give it to me at first but I explained the story to him and he knew I needed some time away so he gave me your location"
"Come in" she stepped aside and he entered the home.
"Sweet place" he said looking around.
"Does dad know you are here?" she asked.
"Not yet" Keegan replied.
"Your ass is going to get on the phone right now and call him to let him know you are ok and safe with me"
"Ashley, I'm 14 years old I don't have to check in with daddy anymore"
"Call him" Ashley firmly demanded.
"Fine" Keegan relented as she handed him the phone.
After a very awkward conversation he handed Ashley the phone and it was her turn to talk to her father.
"Hey dad" she said stepping out of the room "what happened?"
"We got into a fight about the fact that I am dating again" Chris explained.
"Wait when did you start dating?" Ashley asked.
Chris sighed, he knew he should have told his children about this sooner "About the same time you adopted Phinnigan"
"So do you really wonder why he got pissed ... I agree that you should have your own life and stuff but dad things like you dating effects all of us not just you"
"Look I'm sorry ok but it's not an easy topic to bring up" he said starting to get defensive.
"Who are you dating?" Ashley asked.
"Lilian Garcia" he replied.
"Well dad you could have done much worse" Ash said "you have my approval"
"Thanks ... I think Keegan might be a little emotionally scarred ... he kinda walked in on us"
"Dad! There is some stuff I don't need to know and that" Ashley exclaimed appalled.
Chris just laughed "So what are we going to do about Keegan"
"Well it is summer so let him enjoy the Australian hospitality and I'll send him home a week before school starts back up"
"Normally I would say no but I think you could use some company around you, I don't like that you are living so far away by yourself"
"Dad, I'm fine out here on my own" she rolled her eyes "for the first time in a while I feel free"
"Please be careful out there ok that is all I ask ... stay safe"
"Ok, no wild parties every other night, just once a week" she joked.
"Well I should be going" he said "tell your brother I love him"
"Will do and don't do anything I wouldn't do" she smirked.
"I can't promise any thing"
"Eww"
"I love you baby girl"
"I love you too dad"
She hung up the phone and returned to the living room to find her brother watching her brand new plasma television.
"Your TV is amazing" he said.
"Should be for the money I paid for it" she said having a seat next to him on the couch.
"So, what's going on in your life?" he asked "we haven't really had any time to talk recently"
"Same old shit, different day ... no actually we've been doing really good I mean it was hell the first couple of months but since we've been here everything has been perfect" she replied.
"I'm glad you are doing good" he said taking her hand in his.
"So why didn't you go stay with Connor, not that I am complaining?" she asked.
"Because Connor has his whole police academy thing going on and I didn't want to add extra stress and besides you live in paradise like I was going to pass this up"
"Well come on little brother I'll show you where you will be sleeping"
Later that night they all had dinner. Ashley sat attempting to feed 10 month old Phinnigan his baby food but he seemed for interested with playing with it then eating it. Keegan just watched them with amusement. Phinnigan was driving Ashley to the brink of insanity.
"Gee, he's kinda a pain in the ass" Keegan said.
"So were you at his age" she retorted.
"You can't even remember me at his age" Keegan countered.
"Oh believe me I do" she said "you used to scream for no apparent reason at all and there are very few baby pictures of your where you weren't crying and you used to torment mom and dad"
"I wish I could remember mom ... I mean really remember her" Keegan said.
"You were little when she died so it's understandable that you don't remember her as well as me and Connor do"
"Sometimes I get so jealous of the time you and Connor got with mom before I was born" he said "there is so much stuff I feel I was cheated out of"
"You shouldn't feel that way, mom loved you as much as she loved me and Connor and she used to always baby you ... it was ridiculous I mean if we even looked at you wrong she'd punish us"
"A kid should have both parents in their life Ash" he said looking at Phinnigan trying to take the spoon away from his mother.
"Not necessarily" Ashley countered.
"He's gonna ask questions one dad about his dad or lack there of"
"John chose his path and I chose mine" Ashley said flatly not really wanting to discuss this topic.
"Look the way I see it is the minute you two signed those adoption papers you bound yourselves together for the sake of that baby and sure John's an ass but he's the only dad that little boy has and like it or not Phin is gonna need his dad in his life eventually" Keegan said "you can only do so much but a boy needs his dad to teach him about being a good man"
"I don't think I can do that Keegan, I don't want to put my son through any pain because his dad has different priorities"
"Just think about what I said ok" he stood up and kissed the top of her head "I'm going to bed"
"Night" she said.
Ashley took Phinnigan out of his high chair and gave him a bath. As she changed him into his pajamas. She took a few moments to take a good look at her little boy. He was growing so fast she felt like if she blinked he'd be 25. She sat him up and he lifted his little arms up so she could slide his shirt on over his head. She laughed because he had so much hair now but she remembered when he had been a bald new born. His hair went passed his ears, and somehow he seemed to have grown a set of emo bangs. Ashley thought his hair made him look very distinguished.
"So little guy do you think mommy made a mistake by leaving everything behind?" she asked him.
He looked at her with his pale green eyes and smiled showing her the few teeth he now sported. She kissed his forehead before picking him up and placing him in his crib.
"I only want what is best for you" she whispered while turning on his night light.
She sat around thinking about what Keegan had to say and she almost convinced herself that he was right. Phinnigan needed his father in his life and she was being a horrible mother by keeping them apart. She picked up her phone and dialed his number.
"Hello" she heard him say.
But the minute she heard his voice she knew she wasn't ready for everything that involved John so she hung up the phone and went to bed herself. But before she did she made her final decision that Phinnigan was better off not having John in his life.