Disclaimer: I do NOT own the following wrestlers, or any of the events that actually happened on camera.

I respect the actual beliefs and sexualities of the following wrestlers.

Thanks for the reviews, everyone.

Well, here's part twenty-one.

Chris woke up with a sigh. He didn't know how, but somehow, Matt protected him. For the first night in a long time... Chris didn't dream. At all.

But he was the only one. When he woke up, Matt's face was scrunched up in horror, squeezing Chris' hand in a painful vice grip. Matt had to wake up. He didn't want him to suffer anymore.

He shook Matt, and, suddenly,a fist slugged him across the face. Matt's eyes snapped open and he saw Chris cradling his jaw. "Powerful," Chris said, rubbing his face, "Remind me why you're holding the US belt and not one of the world belts?"

"Shit, Chris, I didn't mean to..." Matt moved Chris' hand and looked at it. "I don't want to add another bruise..."

"Matt, I'm not fragile," Chris said gently, "A little worse for wear, but not fragile. Don't forget; I have been world champion a couple of times." Chris sat up. "What do you dream about?"

"What do you dream about?" Matt shot back.

"I asked you first."

"But I'm better looking, so I get my answer first."

"Are you implying that I, the Superstar of the Year, am not gorgeous?" Chris asked.

"No, I'm implying that I'm better looking than you. And being the Superstar of the year has nothing to do with how good you look." Matt shook his head. "They say the first thing to go as people get older is their memory."

"You little bastard!" Chris jumped on Matt and they began wrestling. Then, they rolled off the bed and Chris landed on top of Matt. In the position he was in, all he could think about was the threesome and Adam raping Matt. But, before he could get off and apologize, he was on his back, Matt on top of him.

"What do you dream about?" Matt asked soberly. He held Chris' hands down and looked at him with serious eyes. Chris shook his head.

"Tell me yours first."

"I'm not getting up until you tell me." Matt said, pressing his weight on Chris' stomach. Chris turned his face away, but found he couldn't avoid Matt's piercing gaze. He looked into his eyes and sighed. One of the many times he found himself cursing the power this one person had over him.

And the power Adam had over that one person.

"I... you're angry with me," Chris said, "You're crying and you're on your knees and you keep blaming me for everything, and you want to be alone. You don't want anyone near you, but that goes double for me. And then... Adam comes. He jerks you up and tells you to come with him. You don't want to, but he convinces you in the end... with pretty words and ugly slaps. Then, before you're gone, you blame me for what Adam just did to you too."

"And you apologize." Matt shook his head. "No, Chris, I don't blame you. Don't... don't... why do you still think like that?"

"I don't know. I know... you've told me, and I want to believe you... but it's always my fault in my dreams." Chris smiled weakly. "I don't like seeing you like that. So, what do you dream about?"

"I... I'm like Adam," Matt said, "Adam and I beat up you, or Jeff, or Punk together, and then we start making out above your battered bodies."

"Why?" Chris said, "I thought... I thought you knew, you and Adam are nothing alike..."

"I do. But like you, I have no control of my dreams," Matt shook his head. "We're an odd pair, huh? But... I think I need you, Chris. I... I feel better after I talk to you. I was drowning before... I would've shaved my hair, too. But, you saved me." Matt leaned down and hugged him tightly. "I don't know what I'd do without you."

Chris hugged him back. "That's what friends are for, right?" A friend. That's what Matt needed now. His heart needed to heal before he could let anyone else in. And Chris was willing to be whatever Matt needed.

*************

Mark told them they were going out for dinner that night. He didn't want them to become shut ins, and Matt's 'vacation time' was almost up... if he didn't get back on his feet and into the WWE soon enough, he'd lose the belt. And it was one of the few things in Matt's life that felt pure, untainted.

Mark brought them to a burger place and they began eating. Chris and Matt were calm at first, and Mark smiled inside. Maybe they will be able to go out into the world more often, and they could go back to wrestling.

Then, the smile left Matt's face. Matt was staring at something, a shocked look on his face, and Chris and Mark followed his eyes to the TV over the counter. They were giving a commercial for the Wrestlemania 25 recap that would soon give on NBC... and Edge's face came up a lot.

Matt gulped, looking at Adam again. He didn't know what to do. All he could remember was all the good and all the bad that made up his relationship with Adam. He could hardly breathe, thinking about him. He ruined his life, but Matt still held him in his heart. Adam had to leave. Adam had to go away.

Suddenly, a fry hit Matt on the head. He turned around and saw Chris smirking at him. Before Matt could say anything, another fry hit him, and Chris started laughing. Matt's eyes narrowed, mind completely off of Adam again- if Chris wanted a war, he would get a war.

Matt threw a piece of his burger at Chris. It had ketchup all over it, and the red smeared on Chris' cheek. They both laughed and kept throwing food at each other. Mark looked on in horror, and finally said, "What are you doing?"

They shot each other looks, and Chris said, "You thinking what I'm thinking?"

"Bombard the old man?" Matt said innocently.

"Precisely."

"What does that me-" Suddenly, Matt and Chris were both throwing food at Mark. Mark kept protesting, but they just laughed and continued pelting him with food. Mark wondered if chokeslamming Matt would end his relationship with Jeff... or if tombstoning the both of them would set back the healing process. As he contemplated sending the two to hell, a waiter came over and began tapping his foot.

"You're going to have to take this outside," he said snootily. He dropped the bill in front of Mark and marched away, doing a hip walk that made even Chris laugh.

"He does it so much better than you," Matt joked. Chris smiled; he was happy that he was able to put a smile back on Matt's face. Then, they looked at Mark- who was practically fuming.

"Don't say a word," Mark said, "Just- go to the car. Now." Matt stood up, pulled Chris up, and they walked out, laughing and hitting each other. Mark shook his head; those two were going to be the death of him.

************

Mark sighed, looking at the computer screen. Jeff and Punk were both laughing at him. "It's not funny," he said.

"It is," Punk nodded.

"Really, Jeff, I can't handle this anymore," Mark said, "Take your brother back, and I'll throw in Chris for free. Please."

"You're talking to Jeff?" Matt and Chris walked into the room and sat in front of the web cam.

"Hi Mattie!" Jeff said, waving into the screen. "You look good! Maybe thrown food was all you needed." All Matt did was grin in response.

"Hey Jeff, hey Punk," Chris said.

"Hey Chris," Punk said, "You look... better."

Chris rolled his eyes; like he needed a reminder that his face wasn't exactly the same as before. "And you look like shit."

"No, I mean it!" Punk said, "I dunno... the black and blues are going yellow, and it's more your skin color now."

"When are you coming back?" Jeff demanded, "I need my Mark back."

"Maybe we can trade!" Punk offered, "Mark, I'll send you Jeff, and I get Carolina back." He looked at Matt directly. "I can't stand your brother anymore. He's a fucking blasphemer."

"Punk, do you realize you blasphemed while calling someone as blasphemer?" Matt asked.

"I don't mean in the Biblical sense of the word! Keep up, Carrie!" Punk shook his head.

"Oh. Jeff, why are you bringing Coca-cola to the room?" Matt asked.

"I don't see the difference!" Jeff said.

"There's a big difference, Blasphemer!" Punk shouted, "And it gets worse than that. Get this- he doesn't like the Jeffersons."

"It's not that I don't like them! I just don't want to stay awake until fucking three o'clock to watch a guy whose not really that funny anyway!"

"Not funny? Sherman Helmsley is a fucking God!" Punk looked like he was about to hit Jeff now. "See, Carolina? See what I have to deal with?"

Matt and Chris laughed. "Don't worry," Chris said, "Matt and I talked about it, and we actually came in here to tell Mark, but I guess we can tell you now too."

Matt smiled. "We think we're ready to come back."

Mark, Jeff, and Punk all exchanged glances. "But you had a bit of a meltdown out the restaurant," Jeff said.

"I need a distraction," Matt said, "I need to not focus on the past, but my future. And that's with the WWE, and with my brother, and with my Punkers." He grinned. "Oh, and with Chris and Markie."

Mark shook his head. "You won't see me for an entire month as soon as we're back."

"Well, it's your choice," Punk said, "And we all miss you guys, so I can't wait for your returns."

They talked for a bit more, but soon Matt and Chris said goodbye and good night to everyone, and left. Then, Jeff turned to Punk. "Hey, Punk? Do you mind spending some time elsewhere?"

"Sure. Hey, Mark, did you know Mickie also likes the Jeffersons?" Phil grinned. "She has a box set DVD!"

"That's not the only reason you go over," Jeff laughed. Somehow, Phil and Mickie realized they had a mutual love for the Jeffersons, and they watched it together. Really, that's all they did. They didn't even talk during these times; to interrupt George Jefferson was a crime punishable by the Mick Kick and the GTS. But they watched it together.

Punk hit Jeff and left, leaving Jeff and Mark alone on the video chat. "You know," Jeff said, "I want to thank you for helping my brother."

"Really?" Mark said.

"Yes." Jeff covered the camera with a pillow. "It's a surprise!"

"Jeff, this is silly," Mark said, "Just show me the-" The pillow was gone, and now Jeff was completely naked, far back enough that Mark could see the young man's full physique. "So, what do you want me to do?"

Mark grinned. Well, maybe taking care of Chris and Matt wasn't SO bad.

*****************

Chris and Matt snuggled into each other. Now, if they didn't sleep next to each other, feel each other's warmth, they couldn't sleep. They both knew the other would be there for them, should they have a nightmare.

"Hey Chris?" Chris looked at Matt. "Thank you. For the restaurant. I mean it... I really don't know what I'd do without you." Chris hugged him closer.

"It's the least I can do," he said, "You're my reason, Matt. The reason I haven't gone under, crawled under a rock, and just waited until I died. You saved me too."

Matt smiled. "Good night, Chris."

"Good night, Matt." Then, they just leaned against each other and waited for sleep to claim them.

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