CONTENT WARNING: Random sillies

***Hunter's POV***
I idly played with Chris's hair as he slept, his head against my chest.  It’s
probably the most peaceful he's been for weeks, but I can't appreciate the
calm because I feel like I'm about to boil over.  I'm still in shock over
what happened to Chris...and I'm mad at myself for not noticing...and
Benoit....

Benoit.  My feelings for him go beyond anger, beyond fury.  There's just this
pure hatred inside of me, and now I think I understand how murders
happen…because I could very easily see myself killing him....

Tiredly, I leaned over to grab the phone.  When we first became friends,
Joanie made me promise her that if things ever got too much for me to handle,
that I should call her.  I'd say this qualifies.

Eddie answers the phone, sounding half-dead.  "Hola?"

I take a deep breath.  It's too late at night to deal with him.  "Can I talk
to Joanie?"

I hear Eddie shift.  "Helmsley??"

I knew this would turn into one of THOSE types of conversations.  "No, it's
Mideon, who do you THINK?"

Eddie laughs sarcastically.  "Ha ha!  Funny...what do you want?"

I took a deep breath and let it out.  "I just need to talk to Jo."

Eddie paused.  "Um she's asleep now....as I was before you rudely interrupted
my beauty sleep."

I felt like hitting something.  "Well I'm sorry...you really need some beauty
sleep.  But really, I have to talk to Joanie."

Apparently, Eddie wants to be difficult.  "About what?" he asks.

In the background, I heard someone say "Eddie who are you talking to?"

The muffled sounds told me Eddie was covering the mouthpiece of the phone.
"It's Hunter, Mami.  He won't stop talking."

"Tell him to call back tomorrow and come back here to bed..." I hear Joanie
say.

Eddie comes back on the phone.  "Ah Helmsley I got to go...call back
tomorrow..."

Why did I think this would help me to calm down?  "Eddie.  Put Joanie on the
phone.  Right NOW."

For about the millionth time, Eddie asked "Why?"

I fought the urge to tear my hair out.  "Cuz I want to have a party over in
your room.....that's why...happy?"

Eddie didn't appear to catch the sarcasm.  "Oh...see if you told me sooner..."

I sighed.  "Just put Jo on, willya?"

I hear Joanie.  "Eddie, what does he want?"

Eddie's voice sounded confused.  "He wants to know if he can have a party
here..."

"What?  Is he crazy...look say no and hang up on him!" Joanie yelled angrily.

"EDDIE!!!!!!" I yelled, but it made Chris stir so I lowered my voice.  "I
don't REALLY want to have a party, I just really need to talk to Joanie.  Can
you please have a little bit of compassion and put her on the phone?"

He sighed.  "I suppose...here's Mami."

Joanie's voice was exhausted and frustrated.  "What do you want Hunter?"

I almost cried with relief.  "Joanie...I'm so sorry for calling you this
late.." my voice switched to a near-pleading tone, "...but you told me if I
needed you, you were there..."

I could hear her sit up straighter.  "Hunter?  Is everything ok?  Do you want
to come down here to talk?"

I looked down at Chris, still peacefully sleeping.  "I have someone over here
who kinda needs me right now. Can you maybe just think of a way for me to
restrain my homicidal urges over the phone?"

"I'm coming over."  Joanie's voice left no room for argument.

"You don't have to- " I tried to protest, but she hung up before I could
finish my sentence.  Smiling sheepishly, I eased out from underneath Chris,
kissing the top of his head as I adjusted the blankets so they covered him
better.  Not five minutes later, there was a soft knock on the door.

Joanie walked into my room as soon as I opened the door.  "You got him here?"
she asked, looking as Chris asleep on the bed.  I nodded proudly.  "Did he
talk to you?" was her next question.

The anger came rushing back as I remembered, yeah he did talk to me, and what
an awful story he told. "Jo..." I trailed off.  "Did you...did you know?  Did
you know what Benoit...what he almost...."

Joanie rested her hand on my shoulder, bringing me back to earth.  "Hunter,
calm down for me, ok?"  I nodded, trying to keep thinking at least
semi-rationally.  "Yes, I knew what Benoit almost did to Chris.  If me and
Eddie hadn't of walked in when we did, Benoit probably would have succeeded."

I closed my eyes with the pain of that thought.  "I just don't understand," I
whispered.  "Why him?  Why, of all people, did he have to hurt Chris?"

Joanie moved her hand up from my shoulder so she could brush away a tear I
wasn't aware had fallen.  "I don't understand it either...."  She glanced
over to where Chris slept, oblivious to our conversation.  "You want to take
this into the hall so we don't wake him up?" she asked.

I nodded and we went outside into the hall of the hotel, where I slumped down
to sit on the floor.  "Joanie..." my voice caught, and I took a deep,
hitching breath before going on.  "He was so scared...I've never seen him
like that before, usually he's so strong, but when he told me..."

Joanie sat down next to me and slipped her arm around my shoulders, pulling
my head down to rest on her shoulder.  "Musta been really hard for you."  She
paused.  "How are you doing?  Besides the homicidal urges you mentioned
before?"

I laughed slightly.  "I really don't know.  I've got this feeling like...."
The awful feelings of inadequacy rushed in again, and I felt Joanie's arm
tighten around me as the tears started to fall.  "I should've been there! If
I wasn't so stubborn, we never would've had that fight, and I woulda been
there and Benoit never would have had a chance to touch him."

Joanie stroked my hair.  "Hunter, it isn't your fault.  You couldn't of
known..."

She was interrupted by the door to the room opening.  "What's going on..." he
paused when he saw us. "Hunter? Why are you crying?"

I struggled to my feet, trying to smile as I brushed my tears away.  "No
reason. I'm ok now."  I embraced him, but he pulled away.

"Nuh-uh, you're not gonna pull that with me, no sir."  He grinned at me, and
my smile became more genuine. "Seriously, what's wrong?"

I pulled Chris into my arms again, and this time he stayed there.  "You're
amazing, you know that?  I should be the one making sure you're ok."

Chris snuggled against me.  "Me?  Right now, I'm fine.  That doesn't answer
my question."

I sighed.  "I'm just getting mad at myself that I didn't protect you.  Allow
me my moment of stupid macho-ness, ok?"

He looked up at me, his blue eyes serious.  "I made you cry?"

I kissed him lightly.  "I love you.  I don't like it when people hurt you.
If that means you made me cry, then yeah, you did."

Chris relaxed against me, and for a moment we just stood there, but the
peaceful moment was interrupted by an overly-cheerful "Hi you guys!"

I sighed dramatically.  "Eddie, what are you doing here?"

Eddie grinned.  "Well, I got lonely and sick of waiting in my room, and I
figured, since I’m one of the family, I could come down here too!"

Oh God, why does he have to show up?  Why?  Why is he always here?  "Family
my ass…."

"And a very nice ass it is…" Chris remarked from where he was leaning against
the wall after pulling out of my arms.

"It must be, cuz you sure didn’t pick him for his sense of humor." Eddie
said.  Walking over next to Jericho, he smirked.  "So, how’s your
relationship with Mr. I –Look-Good-But-Have-No-Sense-Of-Humor?"

"I can’t even believe this…" I moaned.  I swear, I’m gonna kill him..

Chris just busted out laughing.  "Excuse me?"

"You know…is he good in bed?" Eddie lay a hand on Chris’s shoulder.  "You
can tell me.  I bet he’ has problems…."

"How did this conversation get started?" I yelled in outrage.  Joanie and
Chris just laughed…some help they were.

Eddie smiled angelically at me.  "Oh come on, you know you love me…"

"To quote that bald freak, oh hell no. I’m going back inside my room."

I went to open the door, but Eddie grabbed my arm.  "No…Don’t leave us,
you’re so ungrateful!  I slave over a hot oven…clean…take care of the
kids…and all you do is yell!" he pointed at Chris and Joanne. "And in front
of the children too!  I thought you loved me, don’t leave us…how will we
survive without you…"

"What the hell is going on?!" I yelled.  I’m telling you, the man is a psycho!

Chris is apparently enjoying this too.  "Please don’t leave us daddy!!!" he
yelled out.

Joanie has been sitting on the floor, and she moved to wrap her arms around
my leg.  "Don’t go…"

Eddie grinned.  "See, even the kids are begging…"

I shook my head.  "What the hell is wrong with all you people?"

Eddie, Joanie, and Chris’s laugh-fest was interrupted by Perry Saturn busting
out of the room two doors down.  HE glared at us.  "Dammit!  Jericho, do you
have to wake me up EVERY time our hotel rooms are REMOTELY near each other?"

Chris just smiled at him.  "I’m sorry….hey, it’s Eddie’s fault, blame your
fellow Radical over here!"

Hey…Radicals…"Hey Perry!" I yell.

Saturn turns to glare at me. "What do you want, Hunter?"

I walked up to him so I could ask quietly, "Do you know what room Benoit is
in?"

He stared at me in confusion. "207.  Why?"

"Just curious."  I walked back to the group and Joanie glanced over me.  In
that moment, an unspoken message passed between us. "Chris?  I’ll be right
back, ok?  I have to take care of something….you have fun with Jo and Eddie,
ok?"

Chris tilted his head.  "Okay…..uhm…have fun….I think…"

I’d love to let him in on the secret, but I need to take care of this.  As
Chris, Eddie, and Joanie go back into the hotel room, I run down a floor and
stand in front of the door marked 207.  Revenge is gonna be a bitch, let me
tell you.

***
I pull you from your tower
I take away your pain
and show you all the beauty you possess
if you'd only let yourself believe
-Sarah McLachland, "Adia"