"Lawson, if you're gonna keep pacing, then I am gonna go find some better company." Mark complained
James stopped long enough to give Mark a dirty look, but before Mark could reply to that, he went back to his aimless wandering.
"I don't see why you even care." Mark shut off the TV. It was bad enough being stuck in the house with James at the best of times, but being alone when he was in his 'something's annoying me so I am going to annoy the shit out of everyone else' mood was ten times worse. Add to that James' refusal to actually tell Mark what was bothering him, and the bar seemed like a very good alternative.
"You wouldn't." James responded, dropping onto the sofa hard enough to crack one of the supports.
"And I won't until you tell me, Mr. Grump Ass." Mark lunged out of the chair, hearing a loud snap. He thought it was his bones until he heard James curse loudly.
"I told you not to jump on the furniture." He stifled a laugh. The couch had collapsed underneath James.
"Fuck you, Marky." James got to his feet, scowling at the ruined couch. Kicking it disgustedly, he walked into the hallway and grabbed a jacket. "Let's go."
"Go? Where?" Mark asked
"Wherever it was you were going."
"When I said I was going to find some better company, the implication was that you would stay here."
"Why?" James asked
"Because... oh screw it, get the bikes and let's go." Arguing further was useless and Mark knew it. When James decided he wanted to go somewhere, little things like whether or not he was welcome made no difference. Maybe a few drinks would loosen James up and he'd tell Mark just what was pissing him off.
...
"Awww.... it's so cute... Thank-you baby!" Jeff alternated peppering Tom's face, and the face of his new puppy, with kisses.
"Hopefully, this will stop you from being lonely when I'm on the road." Tom answered "I meant what I said earlier. I am taking the job."
"But..." Jeff pouted
"I promise I'll come home as often as I can." Tom knelt as best he could and took Jeff's hand in his own. "Jeffers, please. I need to do this."
"Oh....kay. Promise me if it doesn't work out, you'll quit." Both Jeff and his new puppy, soon to be named Lizzie, stared at Tom.
"It's a deal. I just gotta fire off a couple emails and then I'll take you and Shanny out to dinner if you want."
"I love you." Tom got peppered with kisses from Jeff and licks from Lizzie.
"I know." Not wanting to get overly intimate with Shannon standing right there, Tom quickly ended the necking. "Now if you'll excuse me." Tom sat at his computer. "You don't happen to know Adam's email address, do ya?"
"I already sent him a congratulations on winning the Rumble... from both of us." Jeff giggled
"That was nice of you. I'm still gonna send him a little note." Tom shrugged, surprised. Usually he had to remind Jeff to send thank-yous and congratulatory notes. Rarely did Jeff beat Tom to the punch. "Be ready in half an hour."
Tom fired off the two emails and was just about to sign off when his IM kicked in. It was Mark.
Deadmanwalkin: Tom?
Hardyno3: What's up, 'Taker?
Deadmanwalkin: ???
Hardyno3: This is Mark, right?
Deadmanwalkin: Actually, It's James.
Hardyno3: James??? :-l
Deadmanwalkin: Mark's guy...
Hardyno3: Oh, that James... what the fuck do you want and does Marky know you're using his IM?
Deadmanwalkin: Yeah... motherfucker's sitting right beside me.
Hardyno3: So?
Deadmanwalkin: ???
Hardyno3: You never answered my first question... wtf do you want?
Deadmanwalkin: I dunno y I 'm talkin' to ya anyway.
Hardyno3: Just spit it out. I ain't got all night!!!
Deadmanwalkin: It's like this. Bourne and Tyler are at it again... I think...
Hardyno3: You think? WTF does that mean???
Deadmanwalkin: Some guy called me and said he knew where they were.
Hardyno3: So? If you're gonna deal with them yourself, why tell me?
Deadmanwalkin: Dunno. Mark thought you should know.
Hardyno3: Y isn't he telling me?
Deadmanwalkin: 'Coz he thinks you still hate him.
Hardyno3: My feelings are irrelevant. Put him on.
Deadmanwalkin: Hey, kid...
Hardyno3: Well?
Deadmanwalkin: If my typing sux, it's coz I'm drunk. Like James said, some guy called and wanted us to meet.
Hardyno3: Keep it short, I'm goin' out in 5.
Deadmanwalkin: We got instructions to meet again at this club called the Wolfepack. We're there now.
Hardyno3: And what... u think it's a trap?
Deadmanwalkin: If it was, so? Since this involves u, I just thought you'd wanna know. I know you hate me, but...
Hardyno3: Mark, I dunno what Jeff told you, but I don't hate you. Do what you gotta do, man.
Deadmanwalkin: You don't... ???
Hardyno3: I gotta get gone. Jeff's waiting.
Deadmanwalkin: Thx. Deadmanwalkin is offline
...
Mark turned to James, a grin on his face. "He doesn't hate me." He sighed
"If I were that fucker, I'd hunt you down." James answered, focusing more on his beer than his lover.
"Whatever." Mark raised his bottle to his mouth and found that it was empty. "Shit!"
"Slow the fuck down." James hissed "If things go to shit, I don't wanna fight for the both of us." James thought he could take on the security goons, but he didn't want to press his luck. He'd counted at least twelve of them in the main club and three more in the little cubbyhole they'd been escorted to.
"You can handle them." Mark slurred, rubbing James leg. "My big bad psycho."
"We're not here to cause a scene." Those were words James never expected to use in his lifetime. "We have one goal tonight..."
"To get completely shitfaced?" Mark asked hopefully.
"We have two goals tonight." James corrected himself. "That, and to get information. I swear, if this is another meet me someplace else crap, they're gonna wish they were dead... oh wait, they're gonna be... never mind."
James laughed. An evil laugh, but a comforting one at that. Despite the fights, the arguments, and the fact that James' kids didn't seem to like him, it was times like this that made Mark realize why he was so deeply in love with this man. Now, if only his beer wasn't empty.
...
"Sorry I took so long." Tom trod into the living room. Jeff and Shannon were rolling on the floor and Lizzie was licking them both.
"S'okay... Lizzie loves me."
Lizzie barked as if to agree, then rolled over to allow Jeff to rub her tummy.
"Are we ready to go?" If Jeff asked, Tom would tell him why he'd taken so long, but he really hoped he didn't. It suddenly occurred to him that he'd forgotten to send his second email: the one to Stephanie asking her when she wanted him to officially start and to send him his travel itinerary.
"Yup." Jeff stood up and that's when Tom's cell rang.
"Ugh..." Tom expected it to be Stephanie, or someone else from sales. It wasn't.
"Who is it?" Jeff asked
"Matt." Tom replied "I'll keep it short. You two get the car ready... we'll take my Viper... here." Tom threw his keys at Jeff. "You're driving."
Jeff almost dropped them. Tom letting him drive? That was unheard of. At first Jeff thought Tom was fooling with him, until he saw his husband limp back into the bedroom to take Matt's call. When he had his crutches, his leg was fine, but putting unsupported pressure wasn't.
"Hey, man... what can I do for my favorite brother-in-law?" Tom dropped onto the bed, grimacing when his foot hit the floor, and the shock went straight to his knee.
"I'm your only brother-in-law." Matt stated
"That's why you're my fave." Tom snickered "Is this a social call or...?"
"Can you run some interference for me?" Matt asked
"What kind of interference?" Tom responded "I'm not getting back in the ring, if that's what you're asking."
"No! I would never!" Matt shouted
"Okay, okay, already." Tom answered "Just calm down and tell me exactly what you'd like me to do."
"It's not me, it's Randy." Matt replied
"How's he doin'?"
"It could be better. The only way he was able to come home is that he promised to talk to a counselor." Matt responded
"You want that counselor to be me? Incredible." Tom muttered "I don't think that's such a good idea, bro. I'm too close to everyone."
"Not Randy... his father." Matt answered "You know what happened, right?"
"Sorta."
"Would you talk to him for us, please?" Matt begged
"Are you sure I'm the right person for this? What about Randy's mom?"
"Uhm..."
"Let me talk to Orton, okay?"
"Okay."
Tom quickly walked back into the living room.
"You almost done?" Jeff tapped his foot impatiently.
Tom exhaled loudly. "I wish. Why don't you go out and pick up some dog food and treats and stuff for Lizzie and by the time you come back, I'll be ready to go." He fumbled in his pocket for his wallet. "Here's a hundred. That should be enough."
"Let's go." Matt, Shannon, and Lizzie walked out to Tom's car.
"Make sure she doesn't poop on my upholstery." Tom shouted after them. "Randy, you there?"
"Yeah. I know it's a lot to ask, but..."
"Randy, can you answer me one question... why me? Why not your mother or..."
"You're the only one I can trust. You know what I'm going through." Randy's voice cracked and Tom could visualize him barely holding on.
"But won't they have a problem with me? I mean, I married my brother, for fuck's sake." It was a valid question on Tom's part and hopefully Randy would have a good answer.
"He doesn't know. Matt's told me you have a degree in psych. I'd really rather have him talk to someone I know than a stranger."
Tom stared at the ceiling, softly breathing through his nose. He really wished there was a way he could put Randy down easily, but he couldn't and that was the problem.
"And you want me to arrange this as well, I assume?"
"Well..."
"Obviously, since he won't talk to you, right? I will call you tomorrow and let you know. If he refuses to meet with me, then you'll have to find another way, okay?" Part of Tom was praying that the Cowboy would refuse. "That's the best I can do."
"Thank-you."
"I"ll talk to you tomorrow, Legend-Killer.... Randy...?"
"Yeah?"
Good, he hasn't hung up. "Don't worry about it. We'll get through this, one way or another... okay?"
...
Randy looked at Matt, his eyes shiny. "He said he'll try."
"That's more than I expected, really." Matt answered "I thought he'd say no."
"He didn't, thank God." Randy wiped his forearm across his face. "The first time I met him, it was legit heat, but now I'm really happy that he's in our lives."
"Me too." Matt hesitantly hugged Randy. There were times he wanted the affection and other times he got downright aggressive in his refusal. Matt hoped for the former option, but was always ready for the latter. "Tom's a real good talker. I'm sure he'll find a way to convince Bob to at least meet with us."
But what happens then?
...
"Are you sure I can't have another beer?" Mark whined for the fifth time. For a grown man, he sure acted childish when he was denied something.
"Not until we meet whoever it is we're meeting." James answered "Then you can drink the whole damn Pacific Ocean for all I care."
"Which one of you is James Lawson?"
"Who fuckin' wants to know?" James barked
"Just shut up and listen."
James set his beer down and glared at messenger-boy. He looked to be about five foot nothing, one hundred pounds soaking wet, yet here he was acting like he had a set. James had to grip the table really hard to prevent himself from literally tearing this guy's head off.
"You're in enemy territory so I suggest you relax." James didn't know which pissed him off more... the way this guy was talking to him, or how cool he was doing it. "My cousin has Bourne and Tyler locked up. You wanna piece of them, you'll come back here tomorrow night. Alone."
"And if I decide not to?" James replied
"Those two aren't the only ones with dirt on you."
"What's in this for you? Obviously you don't have enough stroke, or you wouldn't be doing the dirty work." James noticed that the security had their eyes trained at their table and he was pretty sure that the bulges in their jackets weren't just for show.
"None of your fuckin' business. Tomorrow night... midnight... alone. My boys will show you the door."
"We've seen it." James sneered, normally an intimidation tactic, but this guy was having nothing of it.
"You know what I mean. Don't be late. If I ain't around, ask for Tim." Cockiness oozing from his body, he strutted back to his office.
"Let's go Mark. This place is starting to piss me off in a big way."
"Awwww..." Mark whined "But..."
"Marky, I'll get you some more beer on the way home." Normally it was James who did the whining. "Right now, the only thing I want to do is get outta here before shit happens."
"Shit always happens." Mark grabbed James' shoulder. "'Specially when I'm witcha."
"Since when do you complain... and how can you be drunk already? You only had... how many did you have?"
"This many." Mark waved both hands in front of James rapidly.
"Of all the times to be a fuckin' lightweight, it's now. Well c'mon, and try not to trip over your feet on the way out." James half-carried, half-dragged Mark to their cycles.
"Are you gonna... never mind." Before James could even ask if Mark was capable of driving home, the Deadman was gone.
"Dumbass. And he claims that I'm the irresponsible one."
...
The following morning, while Mark was sleeping off his buzz and James was trying to make time go faster, the Hardy household was also just coming to.
"Unghh..." Tom covered his face with a pillow.
"Time to get up already?" Jeff rolled over and blew on Tom's ear. "Didn't we just get home?"
Tom uncovered his eyes long enough to squint at the display on the clock radio. "Ten hours ago." He groaned
"Can't we stay in bed a little longer? Bunny says it's okay."
"Oh she does?" Tom rolled over to stare at the rabbit. "Sorry, but I don't answer to Bunny."
"Lizard agrees." Jeff added
"Oh, that's different." Tom fiddled with the alarm setting. "But I got a coupla calls to make so I can't stay in bed all day."
"Who?" Jeff half-crawled on top of Tom. The warmth from Jeff's body was comforting, particularly since during the night over a foot of snow had fallen and the heat in the house hadn't kicked on yet.
"I gotta talk to Steph, for one thing." Tom replied "I got so excited about dinner yesterday, I forgot to call her and get my travel schedule."
"Uh-huh... who else?"
"I promised Matt and Randy I'd talk to the Cowboy and see if there was any way he'd even agree to meet with his son." Tom shrugged "What time is it in St. Louis?"
"Same as here." Jeff answered
"Then it's too early." Tom was more than pleased to be able to put this off for a while. It would give him enough time to figure out if there was anything he could say as well as allowing last night's Chinese buffet to stop rolling around somewhere in the vicinity of his liver. "I'll call him later."
"Do you really think you're going to be able to talk some sense into the Cowboy?" Jeff asked, curling into a ball against Tom.
"Honestly, I think I'd have a better shot at teaching Bunny how to ride a motorcycle, but I'm willing to give it the old college try." His eyelids already feeling heavy, Tom soon drifted off.
Tom was in for two surprises when he finally decided to wake up for good. The first was that Stephanie hadn't set his itinerary yet, so he was a free man until Monday. The second was that Orton Senior agreed to meet with him, and with little persuasion.
"Imma comin' with ya." Jeff announced when Tom made his own announcement.
"Okay." Tom stated "Wouldn't you rather stay here though? I'm only goin' to be there one night, if that."
Jeff pouted "But I be bored without ya."
"Why don't you go play with Itchweeed or Shannon?" Tom suggested "And, before you start whining, it's not that I don't want you around..."
"Then whatty?" Jeff demanded
"It's..." Tom scratched his head, trying to find the right words to convey his reasoning without causing a tantrum. "Fuck it, I'm leaving in half an hour. If you're packed, you can come..."
"Yay!" Jeff scrambled under the bed, finally pulling out his travel-worn bag. "Imma bring one pair of socks... check... one thong... check... one toothbrush... check... and one bunny... check! Imma ready!"
"Then I guess we're off." Tom tossed the last of his travel items into his own bag, zipped it, then reached for his crutches. The knee was feeling better, but still nowhere close to where Tom felt comfortable walking unaided.
...
"Did they fall for it?"
"Yeah, Pat, they did." Tim stood in front of what was supposed to be his desk. "But I really don't like that you're makin' me close my club on what is one of my busiest nights to do this."
"And what have I told you about calling me Pat?" The other man sneered.
"Sorry... Patrick." Tim stared at his shoes. The one thing he did not want to do is show fear in front of his cousin. Patrick was known for his violent tendencies, tendencies that made James seem like a normal guy and showing fear was the best way to trigger them.
"Just leave everything up to me." Patrick put his feet up, leaving deliberate scuff marks on the desk's shiny surface.
"Don't worry, I will. The last thing I want is to be around when Lawson finds out it's a trap." Tim stated, not that he cared what happened. If Patrick died, it would make his life a hell of a lot easier.
"It's not a trap." Patrick answered
"Whatever." Shaking his head, Tim retreated into the safety of his club where he could drink himself unconscious and not have to think about why, of all the people in the world, he had to be related to this one.
...
Why do I always have to be such a nice guy? Tom pulled up to a nice ranch-style bungalow on the edge of St. Louis. He stared at it, then looked back down at a scrap of paper on which he'd scribbled the address.
The butterflies in his stomach were not going away quickly enough for Tom's liking so he reached into the backseat for a can of beer. He'd stopped at the store on his way, planning to get really drunk with Jeff later. Jeff had wanted to sit on the convo with the Cowboy, but cooler heads prevailed and he had to make do with being dropped off at a local arcade with a fifty bucks.
One the can was empty, Tom quickly swigged the alcohol from his breath with some water and got out of the car. His stomach was still racing, so "plan B" was put into action.
Just pretend you're trying out a promo on one of the guys... I'm surprised ole Bob even agreed to this meeting...
Armed with just his wits, Tom boldly knocked on the front door. Tom blinked twice when it was answered by a lady that was a dead-ringer for his late mother. He quickly shook his head to get rid of his glazed look.
"Elaine?" He asked. He'd never met the matriarch of the Orton clan, but he assumed this was not Randy's sister.
She nodded. "You must be Tom. Come in."
Tom kicked off his shoes and looked around the hall. He felt out of place in the suit he'd worn. Jeans and a plaid shirt might have been better suited for the decor of the Orton household.
"Nice." He looked around the room. "Very, uh... rustic."
"Thank-you... I'm really glad you came. Bob's been so... distant lately."
"Distant? I was under the impression that he severed the relationship." Tom's mind was already racing. This might turn out to be easier than he'd expected.
"Bob's a proud man." Randy's mom took Tom into the kitchen. "And I know he still loves his son, he's just doesn't want to admit that he made a mistake."
"Hmmm." Tom replied "Sounds like someone else we both know."
"Like father, like son?"
"Exactly."
"Where is the Cowboy, anyway?" Tom looked around.
"In the den watching football. I'll let him know you've arrived."
"Any idea why he agreed to talk to me of all people? If he has a problem with Randy being into guys, then I should be the last person he wants to have anything to do with." This was getting more confusing the deeper into it Tom got.
Elaine shook her head. "I don't think it's the gay thing that bothers him... how do I explain this?"
Tom was starting to figure it out on his own. "It's just that it's Randy that's the problem."
"Could be." Elaine answered "I'll let you figure it out... you're the one with the degree in behavioral sciences, right?"
"Something like that." Tom shrugged "You said he was in the den?"
"This way." Elaine led Tom into that haven of male bonding, complete with pine-paneled walls, two deer heads over the fireplace, and an oak bar that took up most of one wall. "Robert... Tom Hardy's here."
"By God, send him in." The second Tom stepped through the door-frame, his hand was grabbed in the huge paw of Bob Orton. This was definitely not the reception he was expecting.
"Good to finally meet you, sir." Tom wondered if he'd ever get his hand back the way it was being shaken.
"Sir? Call me Cowboy. Most people do."
"Okay, Cowboy, can I have my hand back?"
"Oh, sorry." Tom's hand was freed, but he was clapped on the back hard enough to make him stagger forward.
"I guess you know why I'm here." Tom regained his balance quickly, no thanks to almost tripping over the carpet.
The jovial expression left the Cowboy's face. Here we go...
"I'm not here to preach or be hypocritical. Hell, I'm not even here to tell you that you're wrong because it's not my place..."
"Then why are you here?" Orton was back to the self that had stormed out of his son's hospital room.
"Good question." Tom thought he had prepared for every question, comment, or rude remark that Cowboy Bob might say, but this one stopped him dead.
"Well...?"
"Honestly, if it were anyone else, I'd have said no in a second. But you gotta understand my position. Matt loves Randy almost as much as two people can and the fact that Randy's hurting, means that Matt is hurting and I guess that means that big brother has to make everything right." Tom hoped it sounded halfway believable to the Cowboy, because it sure didn't to him.
"You expect me to believe that?" Thankfully, Orton didn't wear his trademark cast any more because Tom had visions of being knocked unconscious by it.
"What the hell do you want me to say... that I think you're being a stubborn jackass who is willing to lose a son because he can't accept the fact that he wants to be happy with a guy?" While Tom had planned to approach this confrontation in a similar manner to if he was in a WWE ring, he didn't think it would degenerate this quickly. "I think you should be happy that Randy has someone. After all he's been through... you know what he's been through, right?"
"Yeah."
"If you're looking to take your anger out on someone, don't make that someone Randy." Tom barked "If anyone should take the blame for this, it sure as hell ain't your son."
"But..."
"I'm sure you didn't stick around long enough to hear the whole story, but the two men who kidnapped Randy... were one-time love interests of me and Jeff." Now Tom was definitely keeping one eye peeled. "They were trying to get back at the two of us and Randy just got caught in the middle."
Tom figured that was as close to the truth as he was going to come with Cowboy Bob. The fact that Matt and Randy had actually hooked up earlier wasn't going to help anything, so Tom conveniently left that out.
"All I agreed to do was come here and see if you'd agree to meet with Matt and Randy sometime and see if there is any way to repair your relationship. The ball's in your court, Mr. Orton. I'll see myself out."
By the expression on Bob's face, Tom thought that maybe at least part of what he'd said had gotten through to him, but he wasn't about to stick around long enough to find out.
"Nice meeting you." He saluted Elaine as he passed her in the kitchen. "Maybe we can do this again under nicer circumstances." Just what those circumstances would be, he could only hope they'd be a little less angsty.
From the den, the Cowboy waited until he heard Tom's car drive away before picking up the phone. Randy's cell rang several times before going to voice-mail.
"Randy?" Bob's voice cracked. "It's yer pop... is there any way we can get together and talk? I think I've made a helluva mistake."