Joe was quiet until they got to the hotel and he went to his room. All he could see was Colby's brown eyes almost begging him to protect him from Jon. He could close his eyes and see Colby's beautiful face covered in bruises and he felt guilty for not stopping Jon sooner. He knew after everything, Colby did have it coming but he felt that Jon took it too far. He understood that Jon was mad, but he also knew that his best friend had an explosive temper and a wild streak that came out when he was angry. Jon had to grow up hard and learn to fight so when he felt threatened, he came unhinged.
Joe so much wanted everything to go back to the way things were when they were all friends. Colby wasn't acting like the man he knew he was and loved, and Jon had become obsessively protective of Dixie. He had to figure out what happened in Vegas and put an end to all the drama. He didn't want Jon and himself to get in trouble so he would keep his mouth shut but he felt in an odd way that he let Colby down by not stopping Jon sooner. He felt his heart being torn apart by his feelings for the other man. He loved him but he also hated him. Colby hurt him, both physically and emotionally, but he couldn't completely blame him for that. But there he was that night, asking to Joe to save him. He wondered if he was reading too much into the way Colby said his name or the way he looked at him. He wanted to believe that maybe Colby did feel more for him than he would care to admit. But he questioned if he was only seeing what he wanted to see and Colby was just using his feelings against him as a way to save himself.
He thought back to the night they had sex, and he wished Colby would remember, or let himself remember. He hoped that if Colby could see that he really did want it and it wasn't Joe forcing him into anything that maybe things would be better. Joe walked over to the minibar and poured himself a drink. He had too many things on his mind and he just wanted to turn his brain off for a little while.
Colby was lying on the gurney in the trauma bay giving his statement to the police. Jon had beaten him but what hurt more was Joe being party to it. He hated to face it, but hearing Joe say he loved him actually felt good. It felt good to know that someone still loved him and wanted him, even if he didn't feel the same. He remembered waking up in the car and feeling Joe's arms around him, and he genuinely felt safer. He chalked it up to being such good friends with Joe and them holding each other up after matches. He saw Joe's eyes filled with worry for him, and he felt weird. His body was hurting but he was relieved that he wouldn't be left to die in the middle of February in the Colorado snow.
Then his mind shifted to Dixie. He knew that in his heart she still loved him too, regardless of how much she said she loved Jon. He wanted her with him right then, holding his hand to tell him he would be okay. He wondered how she would react to knowing that her new man had assaulted him and was going to leave him for dead. He wondered if she knew that was the kind of man she had supposedly fallen for and given her heart to. He started to think of how he could use this as a way to drive them apart instead of his previous idea to induce Jon to cheat on her, or at least make it look like he was.
He described to them being taken from the arena and being attacked. He told them all of his things were missing but when they asked to describe his assailants, he told them he couldn't remember. He said that he had been kicked in the head and everything was fuzzy until he was being shaken by a nurse. He recalled Jon threatening him and he promised to keep quiet, only to insure that they didn't leave him to his demise. Now that he was safe, he was planning to use what happened to his advantage: Dixie would come back to him or he would have a sudden moment of clarity. Even if she didn't and he pressed charges, when Jon went to jail she would be alone and realize how much she did miss him. He figured either way was a win. After the officers left, he gave the nurse Dixie's number and asked her to call.
Back in Dixie and Jon's room, they were fairly quiet as well. Dixie told him she wasn't mad, but he couldn't shake the feeling that she wasn't entirely happy with him. She hadn't said much about his fighting Colby, but he knew that she didn't want him beating up Colby before when they had talked about it. She was lying on the bed reading when she was startled by her phone ringing. "Hello?"
"Hello. Mrs. Lopez?"
That name shocked her. She wasn't really sure how to answer. "Uh, yeah, I am Mrs. Lopez. Who is this?" Jon heard her answer and jerked his head around, not pleased to hear her call herself that.
"This is Julie from St. Francis Medical Center ER here in Colorado Springs. We have your husband here. He asked us to call you."
"Oh, really? Well, my, uh, husband and I are estranged. What is he doing there?"
"Well, Mrs. Lopez, he was the victim of a mugging and a violent attack."
"I see. How is he doing? I mean, what all is wrong?"
"He is actually very fortunate. He looks worse than it actually is. He has some bruised ribs and a laceration to his head, along with some abrasions and contusions. He was semi-conscious when one of our nurses spotted him outside. He said they apparently dragged him from the car and left him on the pavement. He is lucky that the people who did this at least brought him to us and that he didn't get ran over by an ambulance pulling in."
Dixie breathed a sigh of relief that Jon didn't hurt him as bad as she was thinking but wondered why Colby would want her called. "Thank God. Colby is tough, I mean, he is a professional wrestler. He gets beat up for a living. Thank you for calling…"
"Wait, Mrs. Lopez, he wanted to speak to you to let you know he was okay. Do you not want to talk to him?"
"Oh, yeah, I will talk to him." She stared at Jon who didn't look amused but she wasn't happy with finding out he wasn't exaggerating when he said they threw him out of the car at the ER.
The nurse went to give Colby the cordless phone and walked back out to give him some privacy. "Hey, mama." His voice was hoarse and raspy.
"Hi, Col. How are you feeling?"
"Like I got run over by a train."
"I am sorry."
"Are you?"
"What do you mean?"
"Are you really sorry that Jon did this to me?"
"Yes. I told you I never wanted to see you get hurt. You can't act like you are innocent in this, Col."
"Because I want my wife back I deserved to be beaten half to death and left in the hospital driveway? I guess I should be grateful that Joe wouldn't let Jon leave me to die in the snow."
"Wait, what?"
"Yeah, the guy you love so much had every intention of leaving me on the side of the road to die. I told you before, you think you know him, but you don't, baby. Why won't you listen to me?"
"You are lying."
"The hell I am. Ask Joe. He is the one who stopped him. Look, I want you to come home. Leave him before he hurts you, Dixie. Forget all this divorce nonsense and just be with me. I will buy you a new ring and everything."
"Colby, we can't…"
"Yes we can. Dix, I…I need you. I need you with me so bad. I miss you so much it hurts."
"I can't…"
"Don't make me do this, please. Just leave him for me of your own free will. Please."
"What are you talking about? Make you do what?"
"Tell the police what really happened. I told them I blacked out and can't remember what my attackers looked like. Come home and I swear I will never tell anyone what he did to me."
"I can't believe I am hearing this! Do you hear yourself right now, Colby?"
"I don't want to do this to you but you aren't leaving me much choice. I would rather you just realize where you belong instead of making me be an asshole. I am your husband and your place is by my side. Not with that fucking lunatic. How long will it be before you are lying in a hospital because of him too?"
"Jon wouldn't hit me."
"You sure about that? I told you, you don't know him like I do."
"Colby, I can't do this with you right now. I am sorry you are hurt and I am sorry it is because of me." She disconnected the call and glared at Jon who was looking at her with a worried expression.
"What the fuck did he say, babe?"
"Jon, were you really going to leave him to die?"
She was gripping the phone so hard her knuckles were turning white. He could tell she was angry with him and knew he had better be honest. "Yeah, I said that, but babe…"
"I think you need to go spend the night with Joe."
"What? Babe, listen…"
"Maybe Colby is right. Maybe I don't know you."
"I was just angry and I lost it for a minute. I didn't leave him there, he is fine."
"Yeah, he is fine alright. He is in the fucking hospital! And the only reason you didn't kill him was because of Joe, right? Colby was telling the truth wasn't he?"
"Yes, but Dixie it isn't like that!"
"Then tell me what it is like, Jonathan! You know you are a better fighter than he is and you promised me before that you wouldn't go after him. Not only did you kidnap him for the sole purpose of beating him up, you take Joe with you! I don't really want to talk to you anymore tonight."
"Please don't make me leave, babe. Don't break up with me. I did it for you, to protect you from him and keep him away from you."
"No you didn't. You did it for revenge. It wasn't enough that I came home to you but you had to almost kill him. Look, I love you and I am not breaking up with you, I just need you to go. I need to be alone with my thoughts for a while."
"What do you have to think about? Us?"
"No. He is going to tell the police what you did if I don't go back to him."
"He what?!"
"Yeah. So now he's trying to blackmail me because of your hotheadedness."
"So, you are thinking about it? That is really why the fuck you want me to leave isn't it!?"
"No, Jon. I am not even considering it. I just need to process all this shit. We are going to have a lot of problems when the police come knocking on our door."
"Then let's talk about it, babe. I am not leaving you in here all alone with all these fucking bad thoughts of me going through your head."
"Fine. Stay. I will go spend the night with Joe." She opened the door and Jon tried to stop her.
"Dix, no."
She grabbed his face and kissed him. "I love you, Jon. You are my life now and I am not going back to Colby. Just please understand that I need a little time too cool off. Trust me that I will be back in the morning and we will go home and talk. Right now, I just need to go."
She walked down the hall and he watched as she knocked on Joe's door. He decided to give her the time she asked for instead of fighting. At least she wasn't walking out on him and she wouldn't be alone. He knew Joe would keep an eye on her and maybe he would say a few words on hiss behalf to make her understand. He really hated Colby at that moment for trying to blackmail her and really regretted ever going after him. He saw the disappointment on her face when he had to tell her that Colby wasn't lying. He remembered her telling him she wasn't mad, but that was before she knew everything that happened. He felt as if he had really let her down and he didn't like her thinking bad of him. He opened the Jack Daniels and took a swig right from the bottle.
Joe answered the door and was surprised to see Dixie standing there. "Can I come in?"
"Uh, sure. What's up?"
"Can I spend the night with you?"
"Yeah, I guess. I mean, what is going on, Dix?" he questioned, wondering why she would leave Jon and come to him.
"Shit, where do I start?" She said exasperated as she plopped down on the side of the bed.
"Well, you want a drink? Will that help get it started?"
"Yes. That would be great. Thanks, Joe."
"No problem." He opened the beer and handed it to her, then sat back on the bed across from her. "So tell me what's up."
"My whole life is fucked up."
He could relate to that. He nodded, "I can relate to that. Go on."
"Fuck, I just want to be happy with Jon. That is the only goddamn thing I want in the world. And it seems to be the one fucking thing I can't have. I guess I deserve it for how shit played out with Colby. Joe, I swear I never meant to hurt him. I just, I fell for Jon. I never wanted Colby to be caught up in the middle. Now I think he is losing his fucking mind. Like he has had a psychotic break or something. He is nothing like the Colby I spent the last four years with."
"Yeah, I was thinking that earlier. He isn't himself, but I can see why. No offense. But I had a hand in it as well. I should have fucking controlled myself better."
"I know it is mainly my fault that he is crazy. What am I supposed to do? Go back to him to make him happy, then Jon and I can just be miserable? I guess that is what he wants. He told me if I don't leave Jon, he is going to tell the police what really happened and turn Jon in."
"He said that?"
"Yep. He doesn't want me to divorce him. All I can think is how the fuck did I even marry him. I wish I could remember something, anything. It is like I just blacked out but how could I change into that dress and sign the marriage license? I obviously was conscious."
"I don't know." He didn't tell her he was planning on doing some digging to answer those same questions. Now it was even more important to find out the truth to keep Colby from having Jon arrested.
"Jon has been so great and I know he loves me so much. When he finally listened to me, he believed me when I said I didn't want to be married to Colby."
"He was devastated when he saw that picture. I have never seen the kind of raw emotion from him that I see when it comes to you. I legitimately thought he was going to try to kill himself when he saw you married Colby. He listened because he loves you and he was relieved more than anything."
"I love him too. I just wish he wouldn't have gone after Colby."
"You said you weren't mad."
"I'm not exactly mad. I am upset that it happened because he promised me he wouldn't. I am also upset that he was really going let Colby die. I am glad you were there, Joe."
"Me too."
"I just want this all to be over. Can we not all just get on with our lives?"
"I know what you mean. There is too much shit going on right now."
"We all need a fucking break from the drama. Joe, look, I know we haven't really talked about what I said to you..."
"Dixie, you don't have to…" he said, shaking his head.
"Yeah I do. I was pissed off and I said a lot of shit I shouldn't have."
"We all said shit we shouldn't have."
"I will admit I was livid and fucking shocked but since I calmed down, things make a lot more sense now. I think you should know, I told Colby how upset you were when you found out about us being married. I also told him I want him to be with whoever makes him happy. And I am telling you the same. I will always love him, but it is over. If you love him and want to be with him, I won't stand in your way. I have made no secret that Colby and I are finished so I don't want you to feel like I would be mad or anything."
"Uh, thank you. I do love him, but I don't know, even if he feels something for me, if he will ever admit it."
"I don't know either. Colby is fucking stubborn. But I think you would be good for him. After reflecting on a few things in our relationship, you may be exactly what he needs."
"Really?" he asked, unable to believe what she was saying.
"Yes. Besides sexually too, I mean. Colby needs someone to love him. He deserves that. I think you would give him everything that I never could."
Dixie moved closer to Joe and wrapped her arm around his bicep. "You are a good man, Joe. We all may have had a part in Colby's current state of mind, but I think you are the one that can fix him."
Joe leaned over and kissed her on the forehead. Her words hit him straight in the heart and he felt tears coming to his eyes but quickly bit them back. He couldn't believe that Dixie was essentially giving him approval to pursue Colby.
"Are you saying I have your blessing, Dixie?"
"Not that you need it, but yes."
"Thank you. Since we are all up in each other's business and shit, now it's my turn to help you."
"Oh yeah?" she asked, looking up at him.
"Not that I mind you staying with me, but I really think you need to go back to Jon. He is probably going crazy without you. I know he trusts me, but he can't be happy with his woman in another man's room. I know why you are upset, but don't be. Jon would never have left him there, I don't believe. He may have drove off but when he calmed down, he would have went back. Even though he is furious with Colby, a piece of him still cares for him. Jon did lose his temper but when he was yelling at Colby, he wasn't yelling about anything Colby really did to him. He was yelling about what Colby did to you, and to me. He may have gotten carried away, but it came from a place of wanting to protect you. I know. He told me that you were his woman to take care of and he couldn't let Colby get away with what he had done, talking about marrying you while you were drunk and God knows what else. You know Jon, in ways that even I don't, so you know he has a hard time with his emotions anyway. He never saw what a good relationship was and he never felt unconditional love before. He is petrified of losing what he has with you and it can make him have tunnel vision sometimes. He fought for everything he had growing up and he can get vicious, like a junkyard dog, when he feels like something that is his is threatened."
"I know. We talked about it but after I met Janice, wooo, I completely understood. I know you are right. I guess I just needed to hear it." She kissed his cheek and stood up. "Thanks for the beer and for the talk."
"Thank you too."
"Anytime. By the way, I see why Jon always calls you Papa Bear now." She winked and Joe laughed before she threw the bottle away and walked out, back down to her and Jon's room.
She knocked and Jon jumped up to answer it. When he opened it, she reached out for him. He took her arms and pulled her to him. She hugged him tightly and pressed her cheek to his chest. "I am so fucking glad you came back, babe." He kissed the top of her head and ran his hand down her hair.
She finally broke away and led him over to the bed. "Yeah, Joe and I had a really good talk. It helped a lot."
"I will have to find a way to thank him later."
Dixie smelled the booze and looked around. "You drunk, Jon?"
"Nah. Just had a few shots to make my head shut the fuck up."
"Don't let your head do you in, baby. You know I will always come back. I swore I wouldn't leave you and not even holy matrimony with someone else will keep me from you."
"I know you said that, but I can't fucking help but sometimes think my damn mother was right. You will realize one day that I am not good enough for you and decide you want someone better than a fucked up asshole like me."
"You're not fucked up. You are just scared, but you don't need to be. I am not going back to Colby and I am not leaving you for some other asshole. Relationships aren't easy and I don't want you freaking out when we have a disagreement and I need some space thinking I don't want you anymore. We promised to be honest with each other and sometimes I just need to take a step back and collect myself because I don't want to repeat the mistakes of the past and I don't want to hurt you."
"I know, babe. I can admit it. I am scared. I am scared of how weak and vulnerable you make me feel but I love how strong and secure you make me feel at the same time. I am fucking terrified of losing that."
"I don't want you to be. Not anymore. You aren't going to lose me."
"I will try, Dix. I want to be the man you are proud to call yours, a man you would be proud to have a son with and say 'I hope he grows up to be like his father.' That is who I want to be. I know I keep fucking up and I shouldn't have beaten the fuck out of Colby. I was just so goddamn mad at him for marrying you when you were too fucking drunk to know what you were doing. I just want him to leave you the fuck alone. I didn't mean for it to get so goddamn out of hand and now he is trying to fucking force you back to him to keep me out of jail. I should have listened to Joe in the first damn place and never did it."
"Probably so, baby, but it is done. Now we have to deal with it."
"I am sorry that I asked you to fucking lie for me. When the cops come I will just take the blame…"
She shook her head, "No, you won't."
"But, babe…"
"I will protect you, Jon. Just don't do anything like this again, okay? Let's concentrate on being happy and screw the rest of the world."
"Okay. I won't fuck up like this anymore."
"Come on, let's go to bed. We have a plane to catch in a few hours. I am so ready to be back home." Jon was smiling at her and she wondered what it was for. "What?"
"Home. Our home."
"Jon, you are so crazy sometimes!"
Joe was lying in bed trying to go to sleep himself. After the talk with Dixie, he knew he had to find out what really happened with her and Colby, and soon. He didn't want himself and Jon to end up in jail and fired. He was pleased with what Dixie said to him about Colby and made up his mind that when this was over, he was going to find a way to show Colby that they could be happy together. Her words comforted and inspired him after living with having to hide his feelings for so long. Colby heard him say that he loved him, but he had to show him and get him to accept it. He finally let himself have faith in the fact that Colby was at least attracted to him, even if he didn't love him. He couldn't believe that their conversation could encourage him to follow his heart and was relieved to know Dixie didn't mind him being with her ex.
Later the next morning, they landed in Vegas and drove back to Jon and Dixie's place. Joe sprung it on them that he was going home with them, but they were both okay with it. He told them that he and Mia had an argument and he didn't want to go home to the bullshit to cover for why he was really there. He knew if Jon went with him, he would probably lose his cool, and he wanted to be sure that his suspicions were right before he dragged Colby through the mud without just cause. He just hoped that the man he loves would be able to forgive him.