A Light In the Dark
Chapter 13

Randy sighed, taking a moment to look over at the other bed in the hotel room, which Shawn was currently sleeping in. It had been a little over a week since the fiasco at the hospital, and Randy was still extremely pissed off with what the doctor tried to pull... And he may or may not have reported him to the hospital staff for his actions towards Shawn...

Shawn.

There's another topic entirely.

The older man hadn't spoken more than five words at a time ever since Randy came to his rescue at the hospital. As anyone with a brain cell could predict, Shawn was highly agitated at having to take the medication he had been prescribed. Randy noticed the change in character after only two days of Shawn taking said medication... And he didn't like it.

Shawn was now irritable and quiet. He tried his hardest to blend into the wall when there was more than just Randy in the room. He avoided both eye and physical contact, and he literally struggled to become Shawn Michaels when it came to being on Raw. The only positive side to the medication was that Shawn slept at night, and Randy didn't have to worry about the older man waking up after getting only an hour of sleep and staying up for the rest of the night just to sleep during the day.

Vince was concerned for Shawn, but figured the problem would eventually solve itself. Randy tried to tell him several times the real problem was the doctor forcing Shawn to take the pills for a mental disorder Shawn didn't even have, but Vince turned a deaf ear to him. Randy figured Vince was afraid for Shawn's safety... He'd rather the other man take the medicine than be forced into a psychiatric ward. At least people who knew Shawn were always around him this way.

"Hey."

Randy looked back over at Shawn, but soon realized he was still asleep. He checked his phone to make sure he didn't call anyone on accident... But that was very unlikely since it was on the nightstand. He knew for a fact nobody else had a key to the room, so he shrugged and looked back at the television.

It took a moment or two, but that damn cologne made itself present.

Randy's eyes widened ever so slightly as he turned to look to his other side. "Shane..?"

"Took you long enough."

Randy felt so many emotions go through him at once. Sadness, anger, happiness, confusion... He didn't know which to go with first, but his mind betrayed him as a single tear slipped out of his eye and travelled down his cheek. "I... You..."

"Are you trying to buy vowels?" Shane asked, quirking a confused eyebrow.

Randy laughed, and the movement forced another tear out of his eye. "You're... I mean... Shawn..."

"Oh, that. I'm not a hallucination."

Randy tilted his head to the side in confusion. "What?"

"I'm here as me. You know... Spirit."

"But... You crossed over. I know you did."

"Yeah, well... I needed to come here to help Shawn."

Randy fixed Shane with a cold glare. "Fat load of good that's been doing, man."

"You mean Shawn didn't tell you?"

Randy sighed. "Shawn hasn't been doing a lot of talking recently... But what didn't he tell me?"

Shane sighed, inching closer to Randy and kneeling down next to the hotel bed. "I explained that he isn't seeing or hearing me... His subconscious is messing with him, Randy, and it's using me to do it. He... Literally was going crazy. He still carries a ton of guilt about that night."

"I don't know why."

"Yes, you do."

Randy looked away from Shane for a moment, trying to blink away the tears. Yes, he knew why. Nobody wanted to say why Shawn felt guilty, but everyone knew. He looked back at Shane and saw the other man was still staring at him, waiting for him to say something. "Because... You warned him."

"Yeah, I did. And I went to talk to him. That's why he feels guilty, and he's going to carry that guilt with him for the rest of his life. But... I need a favor from you."

"Anything." Randy replied without hesitation.

Shane smiled. "I need you to help him... Push him to start remembering little details about that nightmare he's been having."

"You know about that?"

"Of course I do... How I know is irrelevant at the moment... Listen. There is something he's missing... A detail he needs to concentrate on in order to move on."

"I've been telling him that for weeks..."

"I know. He told me. But I'm basically saying you're right about why he keeps having the nightmare. He has to focus."

Randy sighed. "Does that mean..?"

"No, it isn't me putting it there. But I know how to make it stop, and that's what I'm trying to do. I already told him he needs to focus. Haven't you noticed he doesn't wake up in the middle of the night anymore?"

"I thought it was because of the meds..."

"Well, yeah. The medicine is making him tired, but... He's listening to us."

Randy nodded. He had so many questions running through his head, he didn't know which one to go with first. Then again, he didn't even know how long Shane was going to be hanging around... "Shane?"

"Mm-hmm?"

"Why..? Um... Why wait a year before telling us it wasn't you?"

"It was getting worse. I had to get permission to come down here... Had I ignored it... Shawn would probably be dead."

"Breakdown?"

"And possible overdose."

Randy blinked. "That night... Back in the hotel... If you held on for three more minutes..."

Shane smiled sadly. "You'll understand it one day."

"What if I want to understand it right now!?"

Shane raised his eyebrows in shock at Randy's sudden tone. "Listen, man... I know you're bitter. I understand, alright? Do you think this is any easier on me?!"

"You left us."

"Yeah, because I totally chose death over my family and friends... You, Shawn, my dad, my mom, my wife... My boys... Listen here, Randy... Everyone has a time to go. We each have a day to be born and a day to die. I shouldn't have even made it to that hotel!"

Randy blinked, sending tears down his face. "What..?" He breathlessly asked.

"I was supposed to die in the hospital... But my dad was in the room with me and that nurse saved my life. I wasn't supposed to tell Shawn anything about Paul being involved. That's why Jude came around. Well... Started being more vocal. He knew I fucked up, man... He knew I didn't have long."

"Did you know?"

"Of course not."

Randy sighed. "I'm sorry I yelled at you."

"I know."

"Anyway... Alannah..?"

Shane smirked. "You'll know when it's time."

Randy scoffed. "I have absolutely no time for women."

"That's what you think... It'll happen when you least expect it... And I genuinely mean that."

"Have you visited any of your family members..?"

Shane sighed. "No. I can't. The only ones that can see me aren't old enough to understand it yet."

Randy raised a confused eyebrow. "Which kids do I have to look out for?"

"Declan and Liam."

Randy scoffed again. "Figures, the two that look the most like you would be born with that ability..."

Shane snorted in amusement. "Try explaining that to my dad in a few years time... I mean... It'll be easy for you to explain it."

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

"He's more understanding of it now,"

My ass.

"I fucking heard that!"

Randy's eyes widened. "Can't I have any privacy?"

"I guess... My bad."

"How did you know about the nightmares?"

"The same way I know about Shawn and Stephanie getting letters from Paul." Shane replied.

"Your dad..?"

"Correct. If you think he delivers long monologues out in the ring, you should hear him praying."

Randy smiled. "You can hear him pray?"

"To me? Duh... Anyway... He's been pouring his heart out, dude... He feels responsible for Shawn's current mental state. There's no way I can tell him it isn't his fault, so I have to ask you to do that. Just... In course of conversation... Tell him nothing is his fault. It really isn't. All the blame goes to one person."

"Paul."

"Fuck that guy."

"Do you think Shawn should read a letter..?"

"Yes."

Randy raised a confused eyebrow. "Why?"

"It might help him out a little."

"'Might' being the operative word."

"Alright, you have a point. I don't know if he should. I mean... Personally... I would. I want to see what he has to say about what he did."

Randy nodded. "Same."

"You mean you haven't read it?"

"Paul's letter? No. That's addressed to Shawn. It's none of my business unless Shawn tells me it's okay to read it."

Shane smirked. "I'm proud of you for respecting his privacy."

"I'd rather wait for him to come to me than force him to do something he doesn't want to do... That just makes him irritated and uncomfortable."

Shane nodded in agreement. "And nobody wants to see him like that..."

A sudden yawn took Randy by surprised. "Ahem. Sorry... Uh... What should I do about the meds?"

"Toss 'em."

"Seriously?"

"Yes. They're no good for him. He isn't bipolar. He's just... Having a hard time."

Randy sighed. "At least he's sleeping better."

"That'll fix itself soon enough."

"Listen... I wanted to ask you... Has your dad mentioned me and..?"

"You and my sister dating? Yes, he has."

"What do you think?" Randy asked.

"I think you should go with the flow."

Randy yawned again. "What's that supposed to mean..?"

"You'll understand when you wake up."

Randy went to protest, but his head dropped to the pillow and he was asleep before he knew it.

A/N: Hey guys. Short update, I know. Interesting things are ahead, I promise.

I just wanted to take this time to announce this is almost the end of the story. I have a few more chapters planned out after this... But once those are up, this one is over.

If you guys have any fic ideas or requests for me, let me know. :D