Chapter 5
"I figured I'd be back by the time they both woke up, Code." Layne said, walking inside, carrying a few bags and smiled when her brother's jaw dropped. Her long hair was now a deep golden chestnut that matched her daughter's, only a little lighter, her blue eyes sparkling. She wore a blue denim skirt with a black tank top, grinning as her daughter rushed over to her.
"A LOT better."
"I know." She lifted Reed in her arms and rubbed her nose gently against hers before walking into the kitchen. "It took longer than I thought..." Her eyes widened at the sight of Randy and bit her bottom lip, taking the box from him. "Why don't you let me handle making these, hmm?"
"I got it, the box attacked me." Randy said with a playful smile, blue eyes darting to his sniggering friends. "You both are going to feel an RKO if you don't stop it." He warned.
"With or without the white face?"
Cody leaned against the wall, his arms around his midsection. "Man...The Dough Boy...he just...just-"
"Say it and die."
Layne was giggling along with Reed, seeing the scowl on Randy's face and set her daughter down before taking the box from him, patting his shoulder gently. "Go on, sit down and watch TV or something. I don't want you burning my kitchen down." She winked when he raised an eyebrow, a heart stopping smile on her face while she got the eggs out. "I win again." She winked over her shoulder while Randy grumbled, going to take a shower. The thought of that man in her shower...Layne suddenly felt hot as she mixed the pancakes together while Reed went to visit with her uncle.
Cody let Ted entertain the hyperactive Reed, slipping into the kitchen to help his sister. He could cook. It was kind of a requirement coming from their household, they all could cook. Dad had made them all help him in the kitchen when they were younger.
"Last night...you two were just yanking my chain, right?" He asked softly, accepting the bowl and whisk she passed him, beginning to stir the mix.
Layne's eyes twinkled wickedly as she stared back at her brother, stopping for the moment, and crossed her arms in front of her chest. "What if we weren't?" She shot back playfully, seeing her brother groan. "Cody, I'm older than you so, please, stop being overprotective." When he scowled, Layne sighed and hugged him tightly around the neck. "You have me back and I'm not going anywhere. And no, nothing happened. We were playing a prank on you." The truth shined in her eyes and she smiled when he sighed a breath of relief before they made the pancakes together.
Given what Layne had laid on him the night before about his 'best friend' from back in the day, Cody figured he had the right to worry about her. Not that Randy was like that, no. Randy was awesome. Just...Cody wasn't taking any chances. Not to mention, if Layne and Randy did hook up, be it for a one nighter or something more, and then broke up...Randy could have her booted out of the WWE just as easily as he could get her into the company. This could get complicated in a hurry.
After breakfast was made, the five quickly ate before loading both Layne and Reed's things in the SUV they were all taking to the airport. Randy had already made the call to Vince, who was looking very forward to meeting with the daughter of the American Dream. Layne was nervous as she sat in the front seat, her daughter in the back with Ted and Cody chattering away, while Randy drove. Butterflies were erupting in her system and Layne felt tears stinging her eyes, glad she had a pair of shades on.
Maybe this wasn't a good idea. Maybe this was a mistake and Layne felt herself beginning to second guess everything. That's how she was though. Layne raked a hand through her hair before fingering a strand of it, having looked in the mirror after Michael was finished, and seen the real her for the first time in ten long years.
"I like your hair." Randy commented, glancing in the rearview mirror when Reed shrieked with laughter, smirking at the sight of Ted and Cody double teaming her by tickling her. "Three kids. Great, now I'm a dad." He joked, ducking when Ted tried slapping his head. "Hey I'm driving man! Unless you WANT me to crash?"
"Uh, no..." Reed elbowed Ted with her pointy elbow. "Knock it off Teddy Bear."
"Yes baby girl." Ted replied and smirked when she beamed up at him, shaking his head. This girl already had him wrapped around his finger and he didn't even realize it yet.
"Your hair looks a lot better now, Lay." Cody commented, fingering a strand himself and sighed when she just pulled it away, feeling the sadness radiating off of her. "Lay, everything's going to be fine."
"Somehow I highly doubt that, Code, but thanks for the support." She wiped a tear away from her cheek and sighed heavily, not looking forward to facing her father and older brother, especially with a kid. Layne groaned and put her head in her hands. "Why did I let you talk me into this?" She mumbled to nobody in particular before sitting up again, chewing on her thumbnail.
"Mom, why are you nervous? This is LEGACY and we're going to be with the WWE!"
She smiled back at her daughter, but it didn't reach her eyes, refusing to let Reed see her distress.
"You let him talk you into this because it's a chance at a better life for both you and your daughter, if nothing else." Randy said softly, but firmly, saying what Cody hadn't been able too. Cody was bright, but sometimes had a hard time stringing words together so they sounded good. Randy on the other hand was a smooth talker. "That and family is family. Everything will be fine, you'll see. You might even have fun."
"Might? It's LEGACY..."
He was right, being a stripper wasn't exactly the best occupation, and she would be making a lot more money to support her and Reed. Her daughter was the only thing that mattered though as she nodded back at Randy, silently thanking him for telling her what she needed to hear. Sometimes the truth wasn't always easy to swallow, but Layne was doing it, deciding she could always run with Reed again if things got too complicated. Of course, she had a feeling Cody was going to keep a hawk eye on her for awhile, which made her silently groan. She was the big sister and, yet, he was acting like he was older than her.
"I still can't believe I'm with Legacy and Cody Rhodes is my uncle." Reed was star struck again as she snuggled against him with a grin. "I take back what I said earlier. Legacy is my favorite, Undertaker is second."
Layne started laughing.
"Hmm...Maybe we could introduce you to him?"
"Uh...or maybe not." Cody said, clearing his throat awkwardly.
"What'd you do to the poor guy now?" Randy asked, sounding amused, reaching over to pat Layne's thigh reassuringly before moving his hand back to the steering wheel.
"Nothing, he's sore about what I did and won't let it go." Cody grumbled, shaking his head. "We'll see alright doll?"
"As long as I have Legacy, I'm cool."
They arrived at the airport a few minutes later and Layne stepped out, keeping a firm hold on Reed's hand before finally just picking her up, Cody taking care of their bags. She refused to let her daughter walk through the busy place as they went through security before going to the terminal. Apparently Vince was being generous because they were taking a private jet to Los Angeles, California, where the next WWE show was.
Layne buckled Reed in, along with herself, smiling when Randy sat next to her. Why did he have to be so damn handsome? Layne knew she couldn't get involved with him and wrapped an arm around her daughter's shoulders while Cody sat on Reed's other side. Within moments, they were airborne.
"Okay, this is freaky." Reed muttered, clinging to her mom, swallowing hard and began tingeing green.
"Never flown before?" Cody asked, smiling at her reassuringly.
"No..." Reed hurled on him. "Sorry!"
Cody waited until the green light came on before unbuckling, heading for the bathroom after telling her not to worry about it.
Randy was up as well, getting her a washcloth and a paper bag.
Layne sighed as she rubbed her daughter's back, shaking her head with an amused smile on her face. "You'd better get used to this, sweetheart. We'll be flying a lot with this job." She cautioned softly.
Reed groaned, taking the washcloth and paper bag from Randy, smiling hesitantly back at him. "Thank you Randy." She quietly said before closing her eyes, breathing in the bag slowly.
Layne ran her fingers through her daughter's hair as Reed went to sleep, pulling her on her lap, incase she woke up, and had to vomit again. At least it would be on her and not Cody as she kissed her forehead. "Never forget who you are, Little Star..." She whispered in her ear, closing her eyes, and hoped she was doing the right thing.
"Okay, so game plan?" Ted asked softly once Cody got back, keeping his voice down so he didn't disturb the girls.
"Attacking Paul, of course." Randy snorted. "I have to kiss Stephanie tonight, think I should pop a breath mint?"
"Nah, eat a can of tuna before you do it." Cody said, smirking. "She'll love that."
Layne and Reed slept throughout the plane ride, both of them exhausted. Reed had gotten up three more times the previous night so Layne ended up staying up with her and helped her pack, assuring her she grabbed her DVDs, laptop and whatnot. At ten years old, she had a laptop and knew how to work it better than an adult. She was highly intelligent and Layne just prayed she didn't grow up too fast. They arrived a few hours later in L.A. and Layne carried Reed throughout the airport, the little girl feeling a lot better now that they were back on land.
"We have time to go to the hotel first?"
"No, she has to meet with Vince before the show." Randy said, glancing at his watch, then looked at Layne and Reed, both of who looked like they could use a quick shower and some food. "Actually, I'll call him and let him know we're running late."
Layne was a nervous wreck as she walked into the hotel room, seeing Reed immediately looking at everything imaginable, cracking a smile. Cody told her to take a shower to calm down and Layne obeyed, pulling out an outfit for the night, and walked inside the bathroom. It took her an hour to get ready, simply because she had a breakdown while in the shower that lasted a good twenty minutes.
Sighing, Layne pulled the dark blue tank dress on with black two inch knee high boots and decided to tease the ends of her hair into curls, giving it bounce. Michael had done a fantastic job as she fluffed her hair out before beginning to do her makeup. Dark blue eyeliner with clear gloss, nothing major. She clipped the dark blue choker around her neck, which was lace and went with the dress, before finally walking out as all four heads turned to stare at her.
"Reed?"
She grinned from ear to ear and nodded her approval. "You look very pretty, Mom."
"I'm going to be sick."
"You'll be fine." Cody said soothingly, all three men having changed into blue jeans and t-shirts while she was in there, wearing their trunks under the street clothes, duffel bags waiting at the door. "Take lots of deep breaths."
"You'll do great, Layne." Randy said, ruffling Reed's hair with a grin, laughing when she punched his leg. "Okay, little girl, come here." He snatched her up, putting her over his shoulder. "You surrender?"
"Nuh-uh!"
"Fine, right. Deep breaths got it..." Layne was paling as the thought about what was going to happen and shook her head frantically. "No, I can't. I can't do this, Cody." It wasn't the job that scared her as much as seeing her family again after all this time, her father and big brother.
"This isn't about the job is it?"
"Of course not!" She scoffed, rolling her eyes. "I can do this job like the back of my hand without breaking a sweat. All I do is walk down to the ring with the three of you and watch you demolish people. No, I'm nervous about Dad and Dustin." She raked a hand through her hair and took another deep breath. "I mean it's been TEN years, do you have any idea what they're going to do to me?"
"Well...if it makes you feel any better, they probably won't be watching and they definitely won't be there. Dustin is doing some work down home for a local promotion and Dad is probably helping him." Cody offered reassuringly. "Look, you can run all you want, but you really think Reed is going to not bug you? Or that I won't find you again?" Cody stared at her. "Don't run away again."
"I'm not going to run away again." She promised, staring into his blue eyes that almost emulated her own. "I won't. I'm not ready to face them, not yet anyway. I need to become adapted to this new job first. THEN they can come into the picture." She nodded when Cody agreed and felt him wrap an arm around her shoulders, feeling a little more at ease just as Reed walked over, wearing blue jeans with her new Legacy shirt. "Where on earth did you get that?"
"Teddy Bear gave it to me." She replied with a smirk and grabbed her mother's hand. "You'll be fine, Mom."
"I know sweetheart." She smiled for her daughter and nodded when Randy asked if they were ready, following Legacy out the door.
Ted scooped Reed up onto his shoulder, listening to her shrieks, and took off down the hallway.
"Whoa!"
"I think Teddy Bear is becoming kid friendly. Should we tell him?"
"Nah let him figure it out for himself." Cody chortled while keeping a firm arm around his sister's shoulders, who just kept staring straight ahead.
"I'm fine." She assured him. "I'm just a little overprotective of Reed." Layne was watching Ted like a hawk with her daughter, swallowing hard and hoped he didn't hurt her.
"She's fine."
"I know it's a mother's instinct to worry about her little girl."
"Let's be nice, this is an adjustment period for her bonehead." Randy said, slapping his friend upside the head as he walked by. "Hey, DiBiase, watch it."
