Alerts are down on fanfiction again! Am I just on this site more than I used to be or is it having glitches more than usual?
Anyway, this chapter takes place before, during, and after the last RAW of 2011, which took place in Chicago. I've had some plans for this story that involved two other people besides Cena and Punk, so…
"I just landed," John said into his phone as he carried his suitcase towards the exit of the airport. He'd spent the last several days he'd had off at home but RAW was that night. "You know of any good hotels around here?"
"Sure, I know of a really good one," Punk answered and John could practically hear the smirk. They hadn't seen each other since the last house show but they'd talked. In fact, Punk had taken to texting him a lot. Sometimes random or weird things, or anything he thought might be funny.
"You sure about this. I could find a real hotel," John offered. He and Punk had gotten increasingly closer but they still hadn't gotten as close as John would have liked. He didn't want to be the guy that pushed, though.
"Just get here. If I decide I don't want you around anymore, trust me I'll let you know."
Xxxxxxxx
"About time," Punk said by way of greeting when he answered his front door.
"Good to see you too," John answered with a raised eyebrow.
"Come on." He pulled John inside his house. "Traffic sucks, I know."
"Pretty much."
Punk led him to the room and John sat his stuff down on the bed. Punk's phone beeped at him and he took it out while still standing in the doorway. He shot John and somewhat sheepish look.
"You wouldn't be up to go out would you?"
John shrugged. "Sure, I guess."
"Good, because I may have told my friends that I'd meet them before we have to be at the arena."
"Oh."
"Don't look so happy about it. Look, I kind of told them I'd meet them before I offered you my guest room."
"Right." John chewed his lip and nodded, unable to express why he would be a little wary at the prospect of meeting Punk's friends. Punk talked about them the way that John talked about his brothers. They were family to him.
"I could cancel," Punk offered, though he sounded a little hesitant.
"No, it's fine."
"Sure?" Punk asked skeptically. "They're not bad people. They might give you a little shit but they do that with everybody."
"Its fine," John repeated with a smile at Punk's attempts to make him more comfortable about the idea. He figured if anything was a good sign about how Punk felt about him, it was that.
Xxxxxxxxx
Later, when he and Punk had finally made it back to Punk's house, John was pretty sure of why Punk got along so well with the people they had gone out with. John had had a pretty lengthy conversation with a few of them and Punk had looked happy and in his element surrounded by people he had known for years.
He was pretty sure that was a rare view of Punk and, despite his early wariness, he was happy he got to see it. It was when they were heading back that John began to worry that something had gone wrong.
Punk had remained pretty silent on the drive back to his house and then to the arena.
Xxxxxxxxx
"You alright?"
John had waited until they were walking into the arena to ask the question and Punk turned his gaze briefly on him.
"Yeah, sure." He was just contemplating the decision he'd made while they'd been out. He paused. "You got anything planned for the next couple of days?" The next house show wouldn't be until Friday so they did have a few days off.
"Not yet. Figured I'd just go back home, relax a little."
"You want to stay?" Punk blurted the question while they were in the halls, just before they made it to the locker room.
"Stay?" John repeated.
Punk shrugged. "I know we don't get a whole lot of time off so if you'd rather go see family…"
John was stunned for a moment at the offer and thought it over. He really didn't have anything planned. "Sure. I'd like to stay."
Xxxxxxxxx
"What exactly are you going to do about this thing with Kane?" Punk asked later. They were sitting side by side, the screen in the corner of the room turned on in preparation for the start of the show.
"What else can I do? Call him out again."
Punk frowned but didn't say anything. That hadn't turned out so well last week. Kane still hadn't clarified exactly why he'd been attacking John and even if John wasn't worried, Punk was a little bit.
He was distracted when his entrance music began to play from the screen. He turned his attention to the screen, his frown deepening.
"What the fuck?" His frown turned into a scowl when Laurinaitis appeared with his shirt on, and did his entrance.
John's mouth was hanging open in surprise. "Huh. He didn't do it so badly." Although, he did almost laugh when Laurinaitis screwed up saying his own job title.
"Shut up," Punk said with a glare. He grabbed his title and got up.
"Give 'em hell," John called after him with a shake of his head.
Xxxxxxxx
John did not see Punk for the rest of the show. He spoke briefly to Zack and he was honestly happy that things seemed to be coming together for Zack but he was a little worried when he'd heard about the gauntlet match Laurinaitis had put Punk in. And, after watching it, he was sure Punk was going to be in a bad mood when he did see him.
Then Kane had finally revealed his reasoning for attacking John, taunting him about the fan's reactions towards him. He really just wanted to find Punk.
Xxxxxxxx
Already pissed about what had happened with Ziggler, and worried about what had happened between John and Kane, Punk made his way alone across the parking lot towards his car. He needed to be away from all the people. He sent a quick text to John, asking him to meet him at his car.
It wasn't until he was unlocking the driver's side door that he caught movement out of the corner of his eye, that he caught the person coming out from behind his car. For such a big guy, Kane could move pretty fast and he'd caught Punk completely off guard. The shoulder tackle took Punk to the concrete and the back of his head bounced off it.
Gritting his teeth against the sudden, sharp pain, Punk wrapped an arm around his head. Kane had knelt beside him and one of his hands gripped Punk by the throat, keeping him on the ground. Punk gripped the arm holding him down, trying to get Kane off him.
"You should advise Cena to listen to me," Kane said in a low voice, leaning even closer to Punk. "Tell him if he doesn't, I have ways of making him listen and if I have to use you to do that…"
Kane released him then, and by the time Punk had struggled into a sitting position, still holding his head, Kane was gone.
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So, yes, it was Kane that saw them in the last chapter. I know everyone thought it was Jericho but, hey, this is set before Jericho's return, so...and I just thought it made sense. I mean, Kane was trying to piss John off enough to make him abandon his 'rise above hate' belief.