He sat laughing with his new friends at a table in the bar. Out of the corner of his eye though he saw HIM. They used to be best friends… brothers like no other. Then HE'd found someone to love. Slowly things began to change. When HE was with his new love they stopped talking. HE could hang out with his new lover's friends, but not him. HE only had time to talk or hang out when his lover wasn't around. Suddenly he was second best.

He hadn't understood it, but he never complained. Never said a word because after all he was simply happy that his friend was happy. Eventually though they'd seen less and less of each other. Then it happened He met someone.

Someone that loved him. Someone that put him above all others. He hadn't even thought twice. He embraced his new love and threw his whole heart into making them everything he knew they could be. HE hadn't liked it though. HE'd said that he had deserted HIM. HE'd said that he would NEVER have found his new love if it weren't for HIM. Suddenly his friend wasn't anymore.

The stress took its toll on his new relationship. Eventually they parted ways. HIS relationship flourished though. Slowly but surely he changed. His smile vanished. His work suffered. He found himself alone.

He'd never made friends easily and because of it he had always cherished those that he had. After HIM thought… after him it didn't matter. HE had been the one that knew him best, but he hadn't been the best. When push came to shove HE walked away.

Then it happened. He found TRUE love and REAL friends. Sighing happily Christian snuggled deeper into Triple H's lap and felt his lover's arm curl tightly around him momentarily. Of course he knew what had been going through his mind. "Edge is a fool," The Game growled so softly that only Christian could hear.

Melting Christian looked up at Hunter then around the table seeing his NEW friends. Kevin Nash, HBK, Sean Waltman, Brock Lesnar, Justin Credible, Raven, … they were all people who were REALLY his friends… always and forever. They NEVER didn't have time for him. They NEVER excluded him from their lives. NO ONE was ever more important than him.

Christian couldn't help though but watch as Edge stood up from the table where he'd been sitting alone and left the bar. His relationship with Kurt had mysteriously crumbled not long after Christian's had begun with Hunter. When he found himself surrounded with people that really loved him, Edge's betrayal hadn't hurt as much as it had before. These days Edge was always alone. Kurt's friends were and always had been Kurt's. Once they were no longer together they had no use for the Olympian's little play thing. Too late Edge found out who his real friend had been after all.

Christian sighed. As wonderful as his life was he still missed Edge. "It'll be ok Jaybird," HBK drawled and Jay jerked his gaze to the Texan's face. "We told ya that we would take in your boy and we will."

"Thank you," Jay said as his eyes teared. They really were the best friend's he'd ever had… and hopefully the best friend's Adam had ever had too.

The End!

Read the sequel A Lesson on Love