"What is going on with you?" The deep, familiar voice brought John out of his thoughts. He'd been spacing out, staring off while he sat on the locker room bench but now he looked over at Randy.

"What?"

Randy rolled his eyes. "What's wrong with you?"

"There's nothing wrong with me," John said, tried to make his voice sound firm.

Randy snorted and shook his head. "Yeah, sure. That why you've been looking like you lost your best friend recently?"

John only shrugged. He'd been hoping to avoid a conversation like this. Randy had been on Smackdown and had had a few injuries as of late so he hadn't really had a chance to say anything to John. And Randy was one of the few friends John had backstage that was brave enough to call him out on things, to be so blunt with him.

"You and Punk break up or something?" Randy asked, bluntly.

John flinched at the question but sighed. "Yes, actually," he admitted.

Randy didn't look so surprised at this. "Yeah, figured. Saw him earlier and he looks even worse than you. What the hell happened?"

John hesitated a moment but, maybe he did need to tell someone. It usually wasn't in his nature to hold crap in and he hadn't wanted to tell his family. Randy was someone who would be completely honest with him too. So, he launched into the story, told Randy everything. From the threats from the break up, to Punk's explanation for it and his confession of love.

"You love him?" Randy asked when he had finished.

John shook his head. "What does that matter?"

"It matters," Randy said firmly.

"He lied," John pointed out. "He let Jericho destroy what we had-"

"To protect you," Randy cut him off. "Maybe you two have more in common than anyone thought."

"What are you talking about?" John asked with narrowed eyes.

"Come on, John. I know you. I've known you since we both started in OVW. I've been one of those guys like Jericho, gone after you the same way he's going after Punk. I put you in the hospital once, remember?"

"I remember," John said through gritted teeth. "Are you trying to piss me off even more?"

"I'm just sayin'. If you two were going out back then…If I'd threatened to do the same to Punk if you didn't break things off with him and, say, if I had back up. What would you have done?"

"I would've…" John trailed off before he could finish and frowned. Randy hadn't been threatening anyone he'd been dating back then but he had been threatening John's family. He would have done anything to keep Randy away from his father.

"This whole backwards nobility thing…Knew you had it. Didn't know Punk had it too."

"But he lied…"

"And maybe he's an asshole for the way he went about it. Hell, maybe I'm wrong. Maybe you wouldn't have done the same thing if you were in his position. But maybe none of that should matter if you love the guy."

John stared at him a moment. "Since when are you an advocate for forgiveness?"

"Since my wife forgave me for shit she probably shouldn't have. I know she's it for me, John. And if you think Punk might be it for you, you need to work things out with him."

"I don't know if that's a good idea…"

"Nobody's perfect, man," Randy pointed out. "He made a wrong decision for the right reasons. You should ask yourself what you would have done. And then ask yourself if you love him enough to work this out."

John was silent after this and he looked away from Randy, still a little surprised at the conversation and at Randy's response. But maybe he was right…

Xxxxxxxxx

The week following the rejection from John was even worse for Punk. By the time RAW rolled around again, he felt awful. Lack of sleep and not eating the way he should have left him that way. It was exceptionally difficult to focus on Bryan.

He'd had one big mess of a match with Bryan on Smackdown, where four other people, including both GM's, had gotten involved and the rematch scheduled for the start of RAW was sure to be just as bad.

And it was. After a confrontation with Jericho that had left him seething, he and Bryan had started. The ending of the match had been just as screwed up as the one they'd had on Smackdown, with no real winner.

It was what happened after the match that had sent him reeling again. The attack from Jericho, the slam on the steel, followed by the Walls of Jericho had him writhing on the floor, clutching at his back and unable to leave the ramp without help.

All in all, he'd had a really bad week.

Xxxxxxxxx

John was still sitting beside Randy, both their gazes on the monitors, when Punk's match with Bryan started. Randy's words were still rolling around in his head. He didn't really want to think about them.

But when Jericho had attacked Punk, when he'd seen the agony written on Punk's face, his breath had hitched and he'd stood from his seat without thinking. He paused when he'd realized what he'd done but his gaze didn't drift from the screen until the cameras cut away. He glanced at Randy, who raised his hands.

"You should go find him if you want," Randy suggested.

John only hesitated another moment before he left the locker room, heading for the trainer's room.

Xxxxxxxxx

He was sure that he wouldn't be getting up from the table anytime soon. Punk was on his stomach in the trainer's room. The agony in his back hadn't died down quite yet and he'd had his eyes closed since he'd been brought in, kept them closed as he was checked over.

Chris was most definitely pissed.

A soft touch on his shoulder had him opening his eyes and he turned his head so he could see who was standing there. Expecting to see the trainer, he was surprised to find John there, an unreadable look on his face.

"What are you…?"

"You alright?" John asked softly.

"Sure," he said, his eyes closing again. "Why are you here?"

"Later. We can talk later," John answered. "I just had to…" He trailed off but Punk simply let it go.

"Okay." He reached blindly for John then and was surprised when John grabbed his hand, surprised when John did not pull away.