~Present~

Chris watched as Randy nearly got his head taken off by Dave and it didn't really register. His vision was foggy and he felt as though his head was trying to split in about five different directions. He remembered Adam hitting Dave with a spear and then himself flying through the air. After that it was kind of hazy until he found himself on the outside of the ring on his knees staring at Randy's broken body. The kid hadn't moved since the close-line and it all started to sink in. He was hurt bad, not just selling for the crowd. If that were the case he would at least be rolling around or flinching a little trying to make it look better. No, this was for real and Chris knew that first hand. He'd taken that same shot the week before and he had his concussion to remind him of it. He didn't miss the fact that the shot was meant for him again this week. Dave had it out for him and tonight Randy had been caught in the crossfire. That set his blood on fire.

~During The Match~

His lover had been trying to stop the heat between he and Dave and Chris knew it. He saw how bad Randy had fought to start the match and how reluctant the younger man had been to give Dave the tag when he and Dave both begged for it. He knew the only thing that made Randy give in was the cheers of the fans and his own presence of mind. Their relationship was still a secret and it would look very odd to both their friends and the fans if he didn't give Dave the tag. So he did and then nearly had a heart attack when he realized that Dave was fighting stiff.

Chris had expected it to be a stiff fight, but he knew that Randy hadn't. Dave had practically tried to kill him the week before and he knew this night would be no different especially since he was still nursing his concussion. Dave was like a shark and he smelled the blood. That thought obviously hadn't dawned on his young lover before the match if his reaction was any indication. Chris had stole glimpses of Randy in the corner throughout the match acting for the crowd as though he was enjoying watching his partner beat the shit out of him, but his eyes told the true story. Chris saw the anger and the pain and the worry turning the taller man's eyes from light blue to almost black. It was almost painful to watch.

He didn't fail to notice that Randy had tagged in as often as he could without it looking suspicious. He'd whisper for him to tag Adam in and get some rest but Chris had flat out refused. He wouldn't tag him in until he absolutely had to. He knew the way Adam felt about Randy and vise-versa, the hatred the two had for each other was almost a tangible thing. They'd fought stiff the week before too and he'd be damned if he'd turn that psycho loose on his boyfriend. He supposed that was how Randy felt about him and Dave but he didn't care. He wasn't going to tag out.

Later, as his vision became shiny and he started to lose sight of the match, he knew he had no choice but to tag. Randy was currently in the ring, and he hated the thought of tagging Adam in at that moment, but he knew he was going to black out if he didn't stop moving and catch his breath. So he said a little prayer and made the tag, hating himself for it all the while.

He truthfully didn't even really remember what happened after he let Adam in the ring. He recalled being scared shitless as he and his fellow Canadian flipped Randy over the top rope and the brunette fell wrong because of the way Adam had distributed his weight. It was purposeful and all three of them knew it. Chris almost choked the blonde to death right then but he set that aside for later and continued the match. From there to the end it was all a blur of desperation and the instinctual need to end the match quick in order to survive.

~Present~

Now it was all said and done and his baby wasn't moving. The fear and anger that was coursing through him at the moment was enough to override the pain in his head. He wanted to kill Dave but knew he couldn't attack the son-of-a-bitch right then, so he slowly walked up the ramp with Adam wanting to rip his blonde head off as well for the way he'd tried to hurt Randy. The only thing that kept him from doing it was the fans. It wouldn't go over too well with them if he started beating his partner's ass post victory. He knew though that as soon as they were behind the curtain it was on.

~~~

"Hey great match, Chris. You should get your head checked out, you looked kinda hur-"

Adam went flying to the ground as a sharp pain shot through his jaw.

"What the fuck, Chris," he cried holding his jaw as his eyes widened. He rolled to avoid the foot flying at his face.

"You tried to hurt him on purpose you asshole!"

"Who," the Canadian asked jumping up and taking a few cautious steps backwards.

"Randy!"

"Oh! Well yeah but why are you so upset," he yelled ducking another punch. "Will you calm the fuck down! I was only trying to make sure he was softened up for Vengeance!"

He didn't avoid the kick to his stomach or the right hand to his temple that followed either.

"You'd try to hurt him for a fucking belt? What the hell kinda wrestler are you? Do you suck that fucking much?"

"What do you care," Adam wheezed from the floor.

"Don't you fucking touch him for real again, do you hear me? If you fight him stiff one more time, or blotch another move I swear to God I'll put you out of commission again. Permanently."

With that he walked off towards Eric's office to request a match with Dave. He couldn't be there when he and Randy walked through the curtain. As soon as he saw that genetic freak he was going to beat the shit out of him, and if he was supporting Randy's weight his lover might get hurt in the process.

~~~

"Eric!"

"Let me guess," the man said in a completely calm voice. "You want a match with Batista at the PPV right?"

"I'm going to rip that bastard's balls off and shove them down his throat," Chris ground through clenched teeth.

"You're beautiful when you're angry," Eric stated in an observational voice. It was said as though he were talking about a painting or a sculpture.

"Is the match on or not," the blonde seethed.

"It's on. The fans love it and this angle could really work. But tell me, just between us, would this have anything to do with our dear Mister Orton?"

"What do you mean?"

"I'm not dumb, Chris. I make it my business to watch everything with a very keen eye and I saw the fire in both your eyes every time either Dave or Adam fucked up a move or threw a stiff shot. And Randy wasn't the same in the ring last week once you left with the concussion. He seemed almost distracted, very unusual for someone with his focus and ring presence."

"Well I guess you got it all figured out don't you," Chris spat as he walked out of Eric's office slamming the door without a backward glance.

Eric just smiled at the closed door. Somebody was about to get their ass kicked.

~~~

Dave and Randy had finally made it back to Evolution's locker room and the guys had sat the youngest member down on the couch with an ice-pack after giving him four aspirin. Right when Dave was about to start apologizing the door flew open to reveal a very pissed off Chris Jericho.

"Jericho! What the fuck are you doing here," Hunter cried jumping up in surprise. "The match is over with!"

Chris ignored Hunter and launched himself on Dave who'd walked up towards him. He knocked the huge man to the floor and unloaded on him. All the fear, anger, and hatred was making its way to the forefront as he pounded into any available body part.

He could make out shouts and felt hands pulling at him but he pushed at them and continued to throw punch after punch. His vision blacked for a second and then he found himself on the ground staring into the angry eyes of first Ric flair and then Hunter.

"Give 'em to me Ric!"

Ric got this gleeful look in his eyes as he handed Hunter the brass knuckles. Chris' eyes shot around the room and unexpectedly met with Randy's a few feet away. He was sprawled on the floor from when he'd tried to help break up the fight and Chris had accidentally pushed him in an effort to continue beating Dave. Chris held his gaze for a second before returning them back to Hunter's. He didn't expect Randy to come to his aid and he understood why he couldn't. He'd take whatever Hunter dished out like a man.

"Shoulda left it in the ring, blondie," Hunter sneered.

"Fuck you, Hunter! This has nothing to do with you! That bastard deserves to get his ass kicked and you can't stop that! Do whatever the hell you wanna do, but I swear to God I'm going to get him one way or the other!"

"Anyone else would be begging by now, or at least they'd shut their fucking mouth and try not to make it worse. But no, not you," the lager blonde mocked. "You always were the classic blonde. All looks and no brains. Well you're about to lose the looks too," Hunter said raising his right hand.

"No!"

Time seemed to freeze as everyone looked up a split second before Randy's body collided with Hunter's in a spear that made Adam's look pathetic. The two of them rolled a few times before landing on their backs. Randy immediately crawled over to Chris who was now in a sitting position while Hunter sat up shaking his head a little.

"Chris! Baby are you okay?"

"I'm fine," the older man said taking the hands that were frantically moving over his face and steadying them in his own. He smiled sweetly at his boyfriend. "How are you doing? Is your head okay?"

"It's fine," Randy said dismissively.

"Are you sure? What did you take?"

Randy rolled his eyes in a slightly annoyed gesture. "I'm doped up on some extra strength Tylenol. I have a crazy headache, but I'm okay. And what about you," he cried suddenly angry. "Why the hell didn't you tag out when I told you to? And what are you doing here? You practically passed out in the fucking ring and you're not at the trainer's office? And what the hell were you thinking coming here jumping on Dave? Do you not realize what could've happened to you if I hadn't jumped in when I did? God, Chris," he sighed in fear driven frustration.

Chris smiled crookedly. "I guess you did rescue me huh? Pretty ballsy there Orton."

"Fuck you," Randy laughed with a small smile.

"Hate to break up this Kodak moment but, Randy, could you please tell me what the fuck is going on," Hunter asked rather loudly.

The two looked up surprised to realize that they'd actually forgotten just where they were and the other people present.

"Uh, yeah, me and Chris are…well we've been…"

"It's been over seven months," Chris threw in when Randy ran out of words. "Since Survivor Series."

"Seven months," Ric asked in amazement.

"You were on the same team and you told us that you and Chris were going out to celebrate the win that night," Dave said when it dawned on him. "What did the fucker do, drug you and take you back to his hotel room or something?"

"Shut the fuck up, Dave, now is not the time," Randy said and then touched Chris' shoulder when he felt his lover stiffen at Dave's words. "Baby," he whispered, "don't."

Chris wasn't hearing it. "I swear to you, I'm going to rip you apart. Maybe not right now, but come Vengeance it's all over with. I don't know what your fucking problem is with me all of a sudden and why you're trying to take me out and I really don't care. You wanna go for real we can go for real I don't run and I don't back down. We can take it to that level, but it stays between us. When you hurt him, when he becomes a part of it, it becomes something else completely. It goes beyond fucking personal."

"It was an accident, Chris," Dave offered in a neutral voice, "it was meant for you. If I could do it over again I would've timed it different."

"Accident or not, he didn't move for five fucking minutes. He was out cold and shit like that doesn't sit well with me. I almost cracked Adam's pretty little head open for throwing him over the ropes wrong."

"You beat the shit out of Adam after the match over what he did to me? Concussion and all," Randy asked with a mix of what sounded like pride, anger, worry, and love in his voice.

"Yeah," Chris said softly, compassionately. "Get up, we're leaving. You're eyes look a little cloudy. You need some sleep."

"You too. God you haven't even taken anything have you," Randy asked as they climbed to their feet slowly and a bit unsteadily.

"No."

Randy sighed in annoyance. "You gotta take better care of yourself, babe."

"I know, but I was trying to get to you first and make sure you were okay. I know what that shot feels like," he said in a low angry voice as he turned to Dave.

Randy bit his lower lip as he watched Chris and Dave exchange an icy glare. The two held the stare for a moment before Randy pulled on his lover's hand.

"Chris, please," the younger man pleaded softly. "Let's just get back to the hotel and get some rest."

"Okay," Chris conceded quietly breaking the look and following him out of the locker room door.

Ric whistled low. "Man oh man."

"I know, shit," Hunter said with a small laugh. "Who knew the kid could keep a secret that big? And damn, did you see the look in Chris' eyes? I'd be careful come Vengeance, Dave. I've known Chris a long time and when he's like this, he'll stop at nothing."

"I'm counting on that. It's gonna be one hell of a match."

"What's your problem with him anyway," Ric asked. "He's nice enough, never caused us any problems. If anything he put himself in our good graces by helping us with that little problem we'd been having with Michaels."

"He has too much. He has the fans, the respect, more than half the fucking roster eating out of the palm of his hand, and now he has Randy. I've always hated guys like that."

"You hate me then?"

"Hunter it's different with you and you know it. You had to fight for every ounce of respect you ever got with your blood sweat and tears. You go through all kinds of hell just to get booed every night. He does a lot less and gets a lot more. Even when he's supposed to be a heel the fans eat the shit up."

"That sounds a lot like jealousy," Ric threw in quietly.

"Maybe it is," Dave said before walking out of the locker room taking long angry strides.

Hunter and Ric exchanged looks before shrugging.

End