*** Jericho's POV ***

It's beautiful day in the neighborhood...ok, actually it's really cloudy...and windy...and cold...but it FEELS beautiful.  Of course, that might be because I'm curled up in the backseat of Joanie's car, practically in Hunter's lap, and it feels really nice and cozy, but it still feels beautiful.

We're heading back to the hotel after Raw, and that has to be one of the funniest things I've ever seen.  Vince was running around like a chicken with his head cut off, trying to figure out what to do with the severely busted-up Benoit and the very heavily bruised Stephanie.  And then Shane calling Joanie and Hunter into his office....trying to look stern as he reprimanded them while fighting his delight that his sister and Benoit got what was coming to them.

The doctor says I should be able to get back to wrestling in about a week, which is, to quote Adam and Jay, SO TOTALLY cool.  In related news, I'm seeing another kind of doctor...and so is Hunter.  I went to my first therapy session last week, and while Hunter was nervously pacing in the waiting room, this guy approached him and told him about this support group for significant others (notice the lack of gender specification) of rape victims.  He reluctantly went in, and he says it really helped him a lot.  I just like the mental image of him sitting in a circle..."Hi, my name is Hunter..."  "Hi Hunter!!"

I don't really know what's been going on with me lately.  I've been having these crazy mood swings, one minute I'll be incredibly goofy and off-the-wall, and the next minute I'll lose my ability to do anything but cling to Hunter like there's no tomorrow.  He's been great though....I didn't know there was a patient bone is his body, but apparently so.

We sat in peaceful silence until we got to the hotel.  There seemed to be something interesting going on in the hotel restaurant, so the four of us decided to go check it out.  It was actually pretty nifty, they had music playing and all the table were sort of off to the side so that there was an open dance floor, where couples spun around and generally had a good time.

Me, Hunter, Eddie, and Joanie squished ourselves into a table.  Hunter started talking.  "Hey guys, I was talking to Billy, and he was telling me how Jesse said...."  It always amazes me how things get talked about in the DX circle.  It's like a big long game of telephone.  But the word "vacation" breaks my concentration on the humorous possibilities of the wrong message going through DX and I started listening to Hunter again.  "...because what Sean and Kane need is to get away, you see...but we don't trust them by yourselves..so do you guys wanna go?"

Joanie and Eddie nodded enthusiastically, and I turned to Hunter.  "Uhm, pardon, where exactly are we going?  I think I missed something."

Hunter raised his eyebrows at me, but didn't comment on my inattention.  "We're talking a trip.  I'm not sure where yet, but I'm sure it'll be fun...a nice break from everything going on here."

I smiled at him, and all of a sudden, I remembered what my last thoughts were the night before I started having the nightmare.....the last thoughts I had before my life got as royally screwed up as it has over the last few weeks.  "Hunter..."

He looked away from the conversation he was having with Joanie and grinned at me.  "Yeah honey bun?"

I laughed, but there was still a tiny bit of nervousness.  If this experience has taught me one thing, it's that me and Hunter belong together.  Now it's time to find out if he will share my vision of "together."  I bit my lower lip.  "When we come home from this little vacation we're gonna take...do you think we could come home to the same place?"

Hunter seems momentarily confused.  "Well, we'll probably have to go right to a taping, so we will be going to the same place..."

I shook my head.  "No, no no...when we go HOME......"  I rested my forehead on my hand.  "Forget the subtlety, you're being dense today. Hunter, do you want to move in together?"

Hunter can't seem to get past the insult to what I said afterward for a second, but then it clicked.  "Move in?"  He appeared to be considering the possibilities.  "Let's see here...I could stay in my heath-risk apartment...and be lonely...and have only myself to not cook for....or I could move in with my sweet, cute, completely lovable boyfriend. "  he grinned, and I swear the room lit up.  "I would love to move in together.  Just as long as you weren't planning for us to stay in my apartment."

I pretended to wipe sweat off my brow in relief.  "I was hoping you'd say that."  In one of those stupid mood swings, I felt myself getting all emotional.  Luckily, Hunter picked up on in and stood, extending his hand to me.  "Would you care to dance?"

I took his hand and stood, and we walked to the dance floor.  As he wrapped his arms around me, he said softly "It was three months ago today we did this for the first time."

I leaned my head against him.  "Wow...that feels like it was just yesterday...or ages ago, I can't figure out which."

Hunter laughed quietly as the next song started, and I dimly realized it was the same song I heard in the car earlier.

When I'm lost in the rain
In your eyes I know
I'll find the light to light my way
When I'm scared, losing ground
When my world is going crazy
You can turn it all around
And when I'm down you’re there
Pushing me to the top
You’re always there giving me all you've got

The words spoke to me.  I never imagined I would find someone who I could trust as much as I do Hunter.  I never dreamed I would find someone like him…but I did.
 
When I lose the will to win
I can reach for you
And reach the sky again
I can do anything
Coz' your love is so amazing
Coz' your love inspires me
And when I need a friend
You’re always on my side
Giving me faith, taking me through the night

Oh God…I buried my face in Hunter’s chest, trying to keep for crying again.  He’s helped me so much…I don’t know if I could have survived what Benoit did to me combined with he memories from high school without him.  He calls me angel sometimes, but he’s the real angel…a very large, degenerate angel, but one nonetheless.

For the arm to be my shelter
Through all the rain
For truth that will never ever change
For someone to lean on
For a heart I can rely onto anything
For the one who I can run to

Hunter’s arms tightened around me as we swayed.  “I love you, baby,” he whispered in my ear.  “I love you so much…”

For a friend
For a love to keep me save and warm
I turn to you
For the strength to be strong
For the will to carry on
For everything you do
For everything that's true
I turn to you

 As the song ended, Hunter put two fingers under my chin and tilted my head up.  Tears ran down both our faces.  Hunter leaned down and captured my lips in a kiss.  It was the first real passion we had shared in weeks, but it just seemed right for it to happen now, at this moment, on this day, after this song…..

I think we lost track of time because the next thing I knew, Eddie was tugging on my sleeve.  “Man, everyone is staring at you guys!” he yelled.  “Go get a room or something!!!”

I couldn’t help but laugh.  It made Hunter laugh, which in some strange way made Eddie laugh, which made Joanie back at the table laugh…and as all of us giggled loudly, life felt good again.  And I think it’s gonna stay feeling that way.