A/N: Here it is! The sequel to "Rose's Inn"! I own no character's from WWE, only my OC's Lily, Mark, Angel and Rose!
"Your total will be $524, Mr. Orton."
Randy looked at the store cashier and nodded. He pulled out his credit card and tapped his hand impatiently while awaiting his receipt. He felt a tug on his hand and looked down at his daughter.
"What is it, Al?"
Alanna smiled happily at her father and reached out her arms. Randy smiled back and felt all his annoyance melt away as he picked up his daughter. He hugged her tightly and kissed her forehead.
"Thanks for my toys, daddy."
Randy smiled and sighed. "No problem, baby. There's nothing daddy likes to do more than shop for toys on a Saturday with tons of other kids constantly bumping him."
Alanna laughed and slid off Randy's arms. Together, with a load of toys, they walked out of the crowded St. Louis Mills Mall and towards the mall parking lot. The area was abuzz with the excitement customary to any Saturday morning. Parents walked into the mall with their children en route to a day of shopping while couples strolled hand in hand. As much as Randy hated shopping, he loved making his daughter smile. For her he would endure the crowds and autograph fiends that followed him whenever he went out. Thankfully, the hustle and bustle of the crowded mall today meant Randy went unrecognized.
"Hey, Al, why don't we go visit Angel?"
Alanna's eyes lit up instantly. As soon as Alanna had met the precocious 8 year old boy a few months ago they had become like surrogate siblings.
"Yeah! Let's go, daddy."
Randy smiled and buckled Alanna into her car seat. Along the ride Randy thought of how far he and all those affected had come in the last four months since their time at The Rose Inn. The group of friends had spent the last few months getting over the shock of it all and returning to their normal lives. There was no way to hide what had happened to them with a storyline of an injury, as would have been the norm. The true story had been all over the news.
Vince McMahon had issued a statement confirming the ordeal the four friends underwent and that they would be taking a leave of absence for as long as they needed. Their number one focus had been to set up a stable home for Mark, Lily and Angel. The family had decided to settle in St. Louis, since Angel had already formed an attachment with Randy. The friends got them settled into a comfortable home in a quiet St. Louis suburb and maintained constant contact with them. A tight friendship had formed between the friends and the family. A huge part of that was Angel. Everyone who came into contact with the child fell in love with him. He radiated pure light and joy and the men loved him. Randy had been thrilled to have them so close to his own home in High Ridge. He was thrilled Angel and his daughter had formed a friendship.
As soon as the story broke of four of WWE's top superstars held hostage in a crazy inn in the middle of nowhere where they solved an even bigger mystery and rescued three people, the media went crazy. News and Internet reports were everywhere and the group was hounded by reporters day and night. Unfortunately, due to their connection to the incident, Lily, Mark and Angel were also thrown in the spotlight. Reporters fought for the first interview and crazed people terrorized the household with prank calls. It broke the men's hearts, but no one could stop it. The attention would be on them until a bigger story came to light.
"OK, we're here!" Randy took Alanna out of her car seat and carried her up the pathway towards Mark and Lily's house.
"Angel! It's me! Open the door!" yelled Alanna from Randy's arms. He set her down on the floor.
"Al, will you just knock. There's no need for screaming, baby," said Randy with a smile.
The door swung open and Angel ran out to meet them. "Randy! Alanna! I knew you were coming today!"
Randy smiled and hugged the boy tightly before letting him go. Angel grabbed his and Alanna's hand and pulled them in.
"Sweetheart, what are you doing?" Lily walked into the hall and smiled when she saw Randy standing there. She quickly ran to the door and gave him a hug and kiss.
"Randy, I'm so glad to see you. Mark is working all day and I was getting so bored. It's funny but Angel told me he had a feeling you were coming."
"I think we have a little psychic on our hands." Randy said with a smile.
"Wouldn't surprise me," She replied with a laugh.
Lily looked down at Alanna and opened her eyes in fake shock. "Well, who is this gorgeous child you bought with you, Randy?"
Alanna giggled. "It's me, Lily. Alanna,"
"No way! You are too beautiful to be Alanna." Lily smiled and picked up Alanna and gave her a huge hug. "You get more adorable every day, sweetie. You look just like your beautiful daddy."
Randy smiled and looked at the kids. "OK, guys. You go play awhile and let me and Lily talk."
Both kids nodded and ran off to Angel's room hand in hand.
Randy and Lily walked into the living room and sat down. Lily poured Randy a glass of water from the pitcher on the side table. As she set the glass down, Randy noticed a small tremble in her hand.
"So, Lil, how's it going?"
Lily sat down and folded her hands in her lap. She shook her head and looked towards Angel's room to make sure the kids were out of hearing range.
"Oh, Ran, the calls haven't stopped. They've lessened, but there's still at least one a day. The kids tease Angel at school and I don't know what to do. He's so good about it, but I know it must be doing something to him. He's going to be tortured by all this some day, I just know it."
Randy frowned and shook his head. "Lily, I'm so sorry this is happening to you. I feel so responsible."
"Why? You didn't do any of it. My crazy mother was the one who kept us trapped in that attic and told our son we were in 'heaven'. You saved us. You and the boys gave us a new chance at life."
Randy shook his head. "If it wasn't for all those reports on the news and Internet, no one would know. If we weren't so well known, this would've never happened." He sighed loudly and ran his hands over his head.
"Maybe we could hire some more security. Or we could consider pulling Angel out of school for awhile and get him a tutor," said Randy with a shrug.
Lily smiled and shook her head. "No, honey. You guys have done enough. It'll all blow over. Soon, I hope."
Randy nodded and patted her hand.
Lily raised an eyebrow and looked at him closely. "Let's talk about happier things; things like you and John."
Randy smiled as an image of his boyfriend popped in his head. After the revelations of the night of 'rose', the two men had taken their time with their relationship. They were very aware of all that could go wrong if it was handled wrong. They had the future of their career, friendships, and family riding on how they handled their relationship.
"We're good; still going strong, happily in love, but in our own homes." replied Randy with a laugh. "Our own homes, two dysfunctional blocks away."
Once the couple realized their feelings for each other, and that they lived more than 1,000 miles away, they had each bought a small home in the others' hometown. They took turns visiting each others city because they realized they could not be apart from each other when on break from WWE.
"Not ready to move in? Take the next step?" asked Lily
Randy shook his head. "No, too soon. I've got to concentrate on building a solid foundation first. Alanna is number one and she's still shaky after the divorce."
Lily smiled thoughtfully.
"You are a great dad, Randy. You remind me of Mark." She laughed loudly as she caught sight of a picture on the mantel. "I haven't spoken to the boys in a few days. How are they?"
Randy shook his head as he followed her gaze to a picture of Cody and Ted. "As insane as ever! They're very happy, though. I think they've spoken about marriage a bit, but they're still so young, neither is in a hurry."
She nodded. "I agree. How is Sam doing in Cabo?"
"She's good. A honeymoon is always good. I'm glad she's happy. Al gets along well with David, so I'm happy."
Randy smiled as he thought of his ex-wife. She had been so scared when informed of what Randy had went through but was the first to remind him of the good that came out of that night. She had been thrilled when she heard of his feelings for John. Randy hadn't expected that reaction, but he realized she had known all along. Her only wish was for a continued friendship with him for the sake of their daughter and he had wholeheartedly agreed. She had married her boyfriend, a lawyer named David, a month after the incident with Rose and was currently having the time of her life on her honeymoon.
It was amazing but after everything that happened, all seemed well now in all their lives.
A couple of hours later, Randy and Alanna walked into their own home.
"Al, take your stuff upstairs. I'm gonna order dinner."
Alanna nodded and smiled happily. Randy looked at her walking upstairs and smiled. The time off was giving him a nice chunk of time to spend with his daughter and Randy was enjoying every minute of it. He turned and walked to the kitchen and picked up the phone.
"Hello, China Star Restaurant."
He ordered food for him and Alanna, and then ordered another order for John. He looked out the backyard doors towards John's house and walked back to the phone.
"Super Cena residence! How may I help you?"
Randy laughed. "Cody, what are you doing?"
"Randy, you're home! I'm so happy! I was waiting for you with Teddy and Johnny here, but God is this house boring!"
Randy smiled as he heard John scream in indignation in the background and Ted gasp. "Cody, that's not nice, baby"
"Enough, guys. Put my man on the phone. We're having dinner over here." Replied Randy
"Hey, how come only he gets dinner? We want dinner, too." Said Cody sounding annoyed
"Fine, just come over with John. The food will be here in 20 minutes."
Randy turned and walked out to the foyer to leave the door open for John, Cody and Ted. As he walked back into the kitchen for plates and cups, he noticed the silence in the house; a silence that was never present when Alanna was in the house. He frowned and walked up the stairs quickly and down the hall to Alanna's room.
"Al?" he called as he swung open the door.
The room's floor was covered with toys, but Alanna was nowhere to be found. He quickly looked around the room, in the closet and even under the bed but his daughter was in neither place.
"Alanna! This is not funny! Come out wherever you are!"
Silence was his only answer. Randy felt his heart start to race and his breath quicken. He ran out of Alanna's room and into his own. It was empty, as well.
"Oh my God."
Quickly turning to run and check the downstairs, he crashed right into his daughter.
"Ouch, Daddy!" Alanna looked at Randy with her blue eyes wide open.
"Where the hell were you, Alanna? I was calling you and looking for you. Why were you hiding from me?" Randy asked in one breath. He bent down and picked up his daughter and hugged her tight.
"I was in the potty, Daddy. Not hiding."
Randy sighed. "I didn't even think of that. I thought you were..." He trailed off and shook his head.
"Dinner's coming soon and so are your uncles. I'll come get you when they're here. Just go play for now."
Alanna nodded her head but looked at Randy with the same look of concern he often had on his face. It amazed Randy how much she looked like him and was even beginning to mimic his mannerisms, as even Sam begrudgingly acknowledged.
Randy watched her for a few minutes and then remembered the open front door. He walked back down the stairs and noticed it was still partly open. He frowned and wondered what was taking the guys so long. Just as he was about to call them again, the door flew open and Cody ran in.
"Food! I need food now!"
Randy gasped and shook his head, annoyed. "Damn it, must you come in like that? I've almost had two heart attacks in the last 5 minutes."
Cody pouted his lips and gave Randy a quick hug. "Sorry, buddy. I'm just really hungry. Why are you so jumpy today?"
Randy just shrugged and shook his head at the same time. He smiled at Ted, who walked in behind Cody, and gave him a quick hug.
"Food's not here yet. Go rummage around in the kitchen."
Cody gave him a thumbs up and walked off with Ted on his heels. Randy smiled at the odd couple but looked back towards his door when he heard a throat clear. He felt his smile grow when he looked at the face of the man he loved.
"Hey, gorgeous."
Randy walked towards John and enveloped him in a tight hug. "I missed you today", he whispered in John's ear.
He felt John hug him tighter. "I missed you more."
Randy laughed and turned to kiss his neck and the curve of his jaw before landing on his lips. John returned his kiss eagerly and felt his mind spin. He loved how his relationship with Randy was succeeding and hated every moment they were apart. He wished Randy would agree to let them move in together, but he understood his hesitation. He had to concentrate on making Alanna completely comfortable with the idea and make sure she understood.
The sound of the doorbell made them break apart.
"That's the food. Will you get Al for me and bring her to dinner?" asked Randy.
John nodded and walked up to Alanna's room. He could hear the little girl's giggles and felt himself start to smile as well. The entire group of friends had loved Alanna from the moment they first laid eyes on her in the hospital room. He could never forget the moment Randy introduced her to him as "Uncle John". Now, he was secretly hoping for so much more. It would make his heart complete to have this little he loved so much see him as a father, as well.
John knocked on her door and called, "Al? Can I come in?"
He heard little footsteps run to the door and smiled when she opened it wide. "Uncle Johnny!"
John picked her up and hugged her tightly. "Hey kiddo! Wow, look at all this loot." John looked at the bedroom floor and saw it covered with toys.
"Your dad went crazy buying toys, kid!"
Alanna giggled and nodded. "Yeah, then we went to see Angel."
John raised his eyebrows. "Cool. Come on. Let's go eat and you could tell me more about your day, OK."
Alanna nodded. On the way down to the kitchen she told John all about her trip to the mall and what they had done. They walked hand in hand into the dining room where Randy and Ted had set up five plates and the food. Cody had already begun eating, but he stopped when Alanna ran into his arms.
"Hey, it's my favorite girl, Alanna!"
"Hi, Uncle Cody."
Randy placed Alanna's food on her plate and sat her next to Cody and Ted, who kissed Alanna's forehead.
"So, Al told me you went to see Angel today. How are things going for them?" asked John quietly while serving himself some food. He sat next to Randy on the other end of the table.
Randy looked over at Alanna who was eating calmly while telling Cody and Ted about her day.
"The same I guess. The calls haven't stopped. I offered more security for them, but Lily wants things to get back to normal on their own. I don't know how she does it. I still get them here every once in awhile and they freak me out each and every time."
John nodded. "I know. Me too. All of us, really. Hell, I gotta admit, some of these people who crank call us are really good, though. How do they know exact details of that night?"
Randy looked at Alanna again. He shook his head and whispered angrily. "I don' know what to think. It's been four months! When can we finally have peace?"
John shrugged as he looked at Randy's eyes flashing dangerously. He reached over and grasped his hand. "Soon, baby. Look, they're just crank calls. You and all of us know it can't be crazy Rose. No one could have survived that fire, Ran."
Randy raised his eyebrow. "Let's hope so. The evil tend to live through anything. Just like in those damn movies. They never die."
A/N: Review and give me your opinions!