Watch the sun go down, it's just my luck again
I can hear the sound of your voice haunting me again
But just the sound is not enough, I try to wait, but I'm not that tough
It's hard to do when I need you here, it seems like forever

Chris sat on a railing outside the arena looking out into the distance not seeing the buildings or trees or any of the city trappings. Back home in Florida he knew that the sun would be just getting ready to set if it wasn't already, but there in the nameless city that he was stuck in it was raining. He didn't mind though. The rain was nicer than sunshine would have been. It fit his mood and hid his tears.

"You're gonna catch your death of pneumonia baby," he heard a soft husky voice say and closing his eyes let his head hang wishing that it was real, but knowing that it wasn't. Turning his head he saw Jay looking at him with obvious concern in his eyes. He knew that Jay was worried about him. Hell most of them were worried about him, but somehow he couldn't find the strength to care anymore. "Come on inside Chris, please," Jay begged softly. "I know you're upset man, but buyin' yourself a vacation in the hospital ain't gonna solve anything. He ain't worth all this." Chris shot Jay a hot look growling softly. "Fuck you Jay. You don't know shit. You're fuckin' a comic book geek who thinks he's a superhero. Try a real man and maybe you'll understand."

Jay looked at Chris then turned without speaking slipping into the building. As soon as his friend was out of sight Chris felt guilty knowing that he'd been wrong to say the hateful words that he hadn't meant, but like everything else right then… somehow it just didn't matter. He hurt so bad that somehow that was all that mattered anymore.

He heard the door open up again, and knew it wouldn't be Jay. "That wasn't very nice of you Chris," the deep voice said, but sighed when Chris turned his sad eyes to look at the bigger man. "He's a fool," Dave cursed lifting Chris into his arms and Chris knew that he didn't mean Jay.

When Dave stepped inside Jay was waiting there with two big fluffy towels and Chris looked at him, his eyes filled with regret. "Jay," he started, but his friend wouldn't let him finish. "Shush Chris, it's alright." Dave carried Chris to the locker room the group of friends shared which also included Shane Helms and Rosey. Dave set Chris down and took the towels from Jay to dry Chris' hair as Jay tried to dry his friend off. Shane hurried out coming back in only a few moments with coffee to warm their friend.

Chris let his body relax falling back into Dave pushing away the feelings of betrayal as Dave bent over placing a kiss on Chris' cheek then putting his arms around the smaller man. He was only human after all… and Dwayne had been gone so long. Every day it got harder and harder to remember why he did this. Why he waited, why he hoped, why he held onto a dream…

Without the night, this would be so much easier
Without the night reminding me of the pain
Without the night, I could keep my heart from believin'
I'd be fine without the night

Later that night when the show was over and the crowds had vanished back to their every day lives, after he had let himself be taken back to the hotel, and after Dave had tried his own brand of healing medicine, Chris lay with his head on Dave's chest trying to pretend it wasn't quite so thick and just a little darker. The problem was that the chest wasn't thinner or darker. The tattoos weren't different. The man wasn't different. Dave was still Dave and Dwayne was still thousands of miles away.

During the day he could usually keep himself busy. Between wrestling and his music career he didn't have much time to think but at night… at night everything was quiet, at night everything slowed down, at night he couldn't pretend anymore that he would be seeing Dwayne soon. One movie, two movies, three… it had become obvious that Dwayne was never coming back, not for good anyway. He had moved on, leaving Chris and the rest of the wrestlers behind.

Maybe the fans could live with it, maybe the guys could live with it, and maybe Vince could live with it, but Chris… Chris wasn't sure he had. They had made DREAMS and plans…. TOGETHER. "Nothing will change baby… you'll see," he'd been assured with that cock sure grin and twinkling eyes. But that was the sign… even though Chris had tricked himself into believing then, even though he'd held out for months… that was the sign that things already had changed, because that wasn't his Dwayne that said those words. That was the Rock and he never came out off screen unless there was something to hide… something he didn't want people to know.

Their dreams and plans were dead. Chris' future was… dead, or at least the future he wanted for himself anyway. He could move on, and he probably would… sooner than he might be ready for. But no matter what happened from here, no matter where he ended up, it wouldn't be the same. It wouldn't be as right. It wouldn't be… it wouldn't be them.

I remember you used to say, how much you've been through
And laugh how easy the pain can break your heart in two
All for love, you've given up, you try to wait, but you're not that tough
Too many times when you need me near, it seems like forever

Thousands of miles away Dwayne sat on his movie set watching the action around him, but not really seeing it. His walkman had the same disc in that it had held for months. He's played it so much that he was half afraid that it would wear out, but still he played it, every break, every lunch, every free second and every long hard night. He sounded different when he was Fozzy, but it was close enough that it worked.

HE was scared. The people around him wouldn't know it. His friends wouldn't guess it, but it was true. The Rock… the People's Champion… Dwayne Douglas Johnson was scared out of his mind. He knew he was living the opportunity of a lifetime. He knew it ever time he walked down a red carpet or saw one of his trailers. He knew it every time his agent called, but he was scared to death, because the one man he wanted, needed, couldn't live without was slipping away.

He could tell every time they talked. He could tell by the voices he heard in the background. Chris was a beautiful man. He was also loving and funny and would be a catch for anyone, and he knew that there was at least one that would be happy to pick up all the pieces Dwayne was dropping.

He wasn't worried when friends called him whispering in his ear things like, "you better watch out… Dave wants your man." Chris was HIS. Their love was iron clad and nothing and no one could change that. But that was months and movies ago. Now he didn't need people to tell him that Chris was spending his lonely nights with Dave. He knew it all on his own. He knew because every night when he called he heard Dave's voice in the background… too close to be across the room. He knew that Chris was slipping away because he made no effort to hide that fact either.

Dwayne certainly hadn't been Chris' first. Unfortunately there was a man with a heart only in his last name that had scared Chris in ways Dwayne had never been able to mend, and now here he was making it worse. Dave though… Dave wouldn't make that mistake. Dave didn't have any dreams that would take him away. Dave didn't have aspirations to be bigger than life… just bigger than HHH, or Hogan, or HBK. Dave didn't want to be anywhere but with Chris.

Good times, bad times, in between times Dave would be there, and Dwayne wouldn't. He knew he should give in. He knew he should let him go. HE knew, but… He couldn't, not now, not today, maybe not ever.

Without the night, this would be so much easier
Without the night reminding me of the pain
Without the night, I could keep my heart from believin'
I'd be fine without the night

After the cameras had stopped rolling and the crew and the actors had all gone back to their hotels, after everyone else was asleep, Dwayne lay in his bed with a beautiful woman on each side. They had never felt more satisfied, the legend of The Rock would only keep growing, but Dwayne had never felt emptier. Neither of them could compete with the beauty he had left behind.

They didn't have Chris' whit or his smile. They didn't have Chris' quiet confidence or his strength. But they were necessary, God forbid people find out the new action hero would rather spend his nights with a sequin lovin' Canadian rocker. It would end his career, and he simply had given up too much for that to happen.

It all made such sense during the day, while he was shooting scenes or listening to directions, but at night… at night it was harder. At night he remembered what it felt like to have Chris' body wrapped around him. He remembered the dreams they had made together late at night… houses, travels, maybe even babies. At night he didn't have the strength to admit it was over. At night he knew he couldn't let him go.

All for love, I've given up, I try to wait, but I'm not that tough Too many times when I need you here, it seems like forever

Chris opened his eyes the next morning finding himself still wrapped inside Dave's safeness. Rubbing his cheek over Dave's chest he sighed wondering what was different this morning. Looking out the window he saw the rain had stopped, but looking at the clock he saw it was way too early to be up.

One of his hands rose to run over the smoothness of Dave's chest and again he sighed… almost happily. Then he realized… it felt nice, being there in the arms of a man who loved him. Having someone around again whom he could depend on. He waited for the guilt to come, but… it didn't.

He waited and waited until he heard a deep chuckle and felt a hand in his hair. "If you don't breathe soon Chris, we're gonna have to hold a séance before your next match." Slightly dazed Chris lifted his head looking down at Dave's warm brown eyes and felt… good. Letting out his breath he felt like the world had been lifted off his shoulders, and for the first time in months… he smiled.

Without the night, this would be so much easier
Without the night reminding me of the pain
Without the night, I could keep my heart from believin'
I'd be fine without the night
Without the night, this would be so much easier
Without the night reminding me of the pain
Without the night, I could keep my heart from believin'
I'd be fine without the night

A world away Dwayne sighed looking out his window into the still dark night and promised himself that it wouldn't be like this forever.

I'll be fine without the night

Read Story #2 Ain't a Bitch