I'm not entirely sure how this chapter turned out. The angst factor stalled me for a bit. I was updating a lot easier before I got to the angsty parts, I guess but I hope you guys like this one.

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A Revenge Plot

"Are you going to tell me what you wanted to talk about?" John asked finally, watching Punk worriedly. He was sitting on the edge of his bed in his hotel room, watching Punk pace. John could practically see the rage rolling off him and he seemed to be lost in his thoughts.

Or in his schemes. John didn't exactly like the look on Punk's face. It reminded him of the look he'd seen when Punk had been leading Nexus. That light in his eyes that John had seen up close on more than one occasion and always kind of worried him.

"Hey," John called when Punk did not answer him. "What's going on in your head?" He'd often wondered that as well. The smile that spread across Punk's face was devoid of humor and gave John pause.

He'd been a bit concerned since Punk had told him that Ziggler had bailed on him. A bit concerned and more than surprised. He didn't know Ziggler well and he didn't particularly like the guy but he'd seen how Punk and Ziggler acted around each other. He'd seen how Ziggler acted around Punk. He was sure that Ziggler genuinely liked Punk.

"I think I have an idea," Punk said in a low voice, with an undercurrent of satisfaction in his tone.

"About what?" John asked warily.

"About Ziggler…"

John sighed. He should have expected it. "Maybe you should let this go," he suggested hesitantly. He didn't want Punk going off and doing something stupid. Considering how much Punk had changed over the last several months, John sometimes forgot just how vindictive and downright vicious Punk could be when he wanted.

Punk seemed to hesitate a moment and the look he shot John next was almost apologetic. "Look, I overheard a conversation earlier. Between Ziggler and Orton…"

John stiffened at this. "Randy was talking to Ziggler?" He and Randy had had a great day. They had spent some time at the arena together as well. Now, Punk really did look sorry and trepidation welled up in John.

"Yeah." His anger on hold, Punk looked downright uncomfortable as he turned to fully face John. "I don't think you're going to like this…"

"Just tell me," John demanded through gritted teeth. Punk had happily done some pretty damn despicable things without any regret whatsoever. It always worried him when he could see that in Punk's eyes.

"Apparently, Ziggler and Orton made this bet before they started coming after us…"

John listened as Punk repeated the conversation he'd overheard. By the time he was finished, pain and anger had settled into John's chest and he sat, silent, for several minutes after Punk was finished.

"John-"

He held up a hand, cut Punk off. "So this all started because of a lie, huh?"

"Looks like."

John nodded and his own anger hiked up a few notches. He really hated lies. He hated liars. It was the worst thing, at least to him. Maybe that was why he and Punk got along as well as they did. The man never lied.

"Look, I know revenge isn't really your thing-" Punk started but John cut him off once again.

"What's your plan?"

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"No one is going to believe this," John said adamantly as he and Punk made their way from the parking lot towards the arena.

"You're kidding me, right? Half the locker room already believes it," Punk protested and an incredulous look.

"What?" John stared at him in shock.

"Come on, Cena. You keep showing up at my hotel room in the middle of the night to talk, what do you thinks' going to happen? This place has more rumors than high school."

"Yeah….but this one is so ridiculous. I mean…" He shook his head.

There was a sadistic little grin on Punk's face. "I don't think we'd even have to do much, do you? I mean, the rumors are already there. We'd just have to spread them out a bit more."

"I still can't believe I'm agreeing to this," John commented with a groan. He had known that anything Punk came up with wouldn't simply involve kicking Ziggler and Randy's asses but still…

"Well, if you want to back out…" Punk offered a bit hesitantly. "I'm pretty sure this is only going to hurt Orton anyway."

John rolled his eyes and refrained from arguing over that statement. Punk had been convinced that Ziggler didn't really give a damn about him since Ziggler had bailed on him. John may have been blind, as Punk sometimes liked to point out, but even he could see that that probably wasn't entirely the case.

"I don't want to back out." Revenge really wasn't his style but maybe he could get something out of this…

The pain and anger that had settled over him just refused to leave but he was also sure that Randy had meant everything that he'd said earlier that morning. That, more than anything, was what was screwing with his head.

He kind of wished that Randy had bailed on him the same way Ziggler had on Punk. The fact that Randy had stayed somehow made it harder, made him question everything just a little bit more.

Punk was eyeing him and seemed to interpret his expression. "I can do this without you," he offered once again.

"Let's just go," John said, picking up his pace.

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Randy was beginning to get a little worried. John wasn't answering his phone and he couldn't find the man at the arena even though he had searched for him. John was avoiding him. In fact, he didn't see John at all before or during the show but he did hear the rumors.

He didn't pay attention to them at first because he'd heard them before and had known they weren't true but when he received what was supposed to be first hand confirmation, the worry increased.

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Dolph was hardly paying attention to Vickie and Jack. He was distracted, had been since he'd ran out of Punk's hotel room and couldn't seem to get back into his normal headspace. He kept telling himself that he'd done the right thing but he was scheduled for a match against Punk at the next house show and he knew that Punk was probably going to try and make him pay for it.

A slap on his shoulder drew his attention and he glared at Jack. "What?"

"Thought you and Punk were…you know…" He made a vague gesture.

"You know?" Dolph repeated. "You mean dating? Fucking?"

Jack rolled his eyes. "All of that, yeah."

"We're not," Dolph stated shortly. "Why?"

Jack shrugged. "Just saw him and Cena earlier. They looked pretty cozy."

Dolph scoffed and shook his head. "They're friends."

"Didn't look like they were just friends to me."

"Whatever." Dolph sighed. He'd heard that rumor before and had never believed it. As much time as Cena and Punk seemed to spend with each other, Dolph had always been pretty sure that it never went past friendship.

"I'm serious," Jack insisted. "They looked like they were all over each other."

Dolph shrugged. "Why would I care about that?" He asked, keeping his tone uninterested but Jack did sound very sure of himself.

"I saw it too," Vickie spoke up. "Weird, if you ask me. I never believed those rumors before."

"Don't care," Dolph repeated even as he looked away from both of them and his stomach clenched painfully. As loud and annoying-and bitchy-as Vickie was whenever she was in front of a camera, she usually never bought into the rumors that always ran rampant backstage.

She could be surprisingly perceptive about that sort of thing and she definitely liked using it to her advantage. If she believed it…

There was a shocking amount of jealousy and pain that invaded his chest at the very thought of Punk with somebody else. Both of which he shouldn't feel, and he didn't deserve to feel. He'd ended things…and it had been the right decision.

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John looked pretty miserable. While Punk was mostly severely pissed off about this mess, he couldn't help but to feel sorry for John. Most times, their friendship consisted of banter and making fun of each other but when it came down to it; John really was a good friend.

John had also seemed pretty happy before Punk had told him about that conversation he'd overheard and he was pretty sure that Orton actually did have legitimate feelings for John. He'd seen it in Orton's expression before and even heard it in that conversation.

He was pissed…and, okay, a bit hurt if he was honest…but seeing John so miserable had him reevaluating a few things. It was almost unnatural, John being that miserable. Most times he was so happy, so optimistic and nice…

While he still planned on beating the shit out of Ziggler before trying to get over the fact that he might have been falling for the guy, maybe just beating the shit out of Orton wasn't all that they needed to do. And maybe this plan could work in John's favor anyway.

If Orton really did have feelings for John, and if he really did regret making that bet with Ziggler, the rumors they had just started would most likely reveal that.

If he was honest too, it did kind of hurt to think that way. That maybe Orton did regret making that bet while Ziggler didn't. That maybe Orton might actually have feelings for John while Ziggler had only wanted to get Punk in bed.