Randy Orton smiled as he stood at the end of the long arena hallway and laid eyes on Alaina Vasquez for the first time in two months. He watched on as she talked and laughed with a few of the backstage crew that she had befriended while she was on the road. It had never mattered that she was shorter than everyone around her. Somehow Alaina commanded the attention of the people that she was around in a wonderfully graceful type of way. People were automatically drawn to her when she finally opened up and let her personality shine through; and they were more than happy to oblige in handing the attention over to her as she rarely ever truly realized that she had the type of personality that automatically pulled in people's attention. Those who thought that she was stuck up or unwilling to talk to people were the ones that didn't understand just how shy Alaina was, or how she opened up with ease once given a small amount of time to get comfortable. Randy's smile seemed plastered on his face as he looked on with satisfaction. Alaina had not been out on the town with any friends in far too long. He had all but physically forced the now near full time recluse Alaina out of her house and backstage to the Unforgiven pay per view.

Normally he wasn't one to force a subject when someone adamantly refused, but RAW wasn't taking him anywhere near Alaina, and the way that she had avoided talking to him about her marriage or anything major was beginning to make Randy fill with worry for his dear friend. The only thing to do was to get her out of the house and in his sight so that he could gauge for himself how she was. No amount of phone calls or short reassurances that she was indeed fine could satisfy Randy anymore. She was avoiding talking about her separation from her husband. Something about her seemed off. Only seeing and hearing with his very own eyes and ears would satisfy his worry.

"Ally," he called to Alaina as he closed the space between them.

"Randall," Alaina smiled and hugged Randy tightly. She had always questioned why Randy had shown up at her office and apologized for getting things off on the wrong foot. He had never seemed like the type that would go out of their way to admit that they were wrong. But it was something in the way that he looked at her with the utmost concern, the way that he tried to stop by her job once every couple of weeks, and how he rarely let a day go by without talking to her that made Alaina stop questioning. He was the perfect amount of strength and gentle caring that she needed to get through the separation from Joe and adjusting to life without John. She had come to the conclusion that Randy was part of her life and he always would be, no matter what others thought or said.

"I hate that name," Randy replied in a serious tone despite the large smile on his face.

"And I hate Ally, so we're even. How are you?"

Randy sighed and backed up enough to take a long hard look at Alaina. She still looked the same on the outside. Her eyes were shining as she smiled up at him, and her face lit up, her cheekbones nearly touching her eyes as she hugged Randy. But there was something that wasn't right about her. Even though she smiled and laughed, she looked saddened and slightly dead inside

He shook his head clear of his thoughts and looked down into her eyes. "I would be a lot better if you would tell me what's going on with you. You've barely spoken to me in the last month. The woman that I can barely get to shut up has officially taken to avoiding conversations with me."

Alaina laughed and slap his arm lightly. "I am not hard to get to shut up. All you have to say is 'shut up Ally' and I will. But you never do so it's your fault Randal. And I've been busy; you know I would never avoid talking to you."

"How much weight have you lost?" The question escaped Randy's mouth before he realized exactly what the question implied. Randy was always very tactful and careful to avoid the questions that would offend women but looking at Alaina's thin frame he was overly concerned. At least concerned enough to bring up the one topic he knew never to broach with a woman, unless he wanted a fight.

"I don't know a few pounds. I need something to do now that I'm totally on my own. I hit the gym after work, it helps relieve tension and keep me busy."

"Ally, you've lost more than a few pounds," Randy corrected as he looked over Alaina's body

"Randy, do not start with me. I don't need to hear one more person talk to me about my weight. I do not need to worry about losing too much or not losing enough. I have had too many lectures lately, I don't want another one. Besides I look better than I have in years. I'm happy with how I look. Isn't that all that's supposed to matter?"

Randy nodded and smiled. "Yes that is all that matters, and you do look very good." Randy didn't want to say it, but it was true. Alaina was not skinny to the point of looking sick; she was just tight and toned everywhere. More than she was the last time that Randy had seen her. "I just want to make sure that you're taking care of yourself."

Alaina smiled and grabbed his hand as she started walking down the hallway. "Well my knight in shining armor, you will be happy to know that I have been taking care of myself and it's because my entire family is like you that I don't have a spare moment to myself. I have too many people worrying and wondering if I'm alright. I need someone to make me laugh and show me a good time."

Randy chuckled and squeezed her hand. "Well honey I am more than up for the challenge, but you need to come out of your house more often."

Alaina laughed. "I would if you had decided to come by more often Randall." Alaina looked at Randy long enough to see him smiling and shaking his head. She let herself fall into a comfortable silence as Randy led her through the back halls of the arena.

Her words to Randy were more than true. She had been smothered by her mother and siblings when she had broken the news that her marriage was officially going to be ending. Five weeks of non-stop family dinners and visits that she didn't want. Phone calls whenever she thought that she would have a spare minute to herself. She had finally agreed to visit Randy not because she needed to get out of the house, or to be "looked after" by one more person. She agreed to come for the visit because she needed time to breathe. She needed a friend to look at her and hold her, comfort her, and without saying a single word, make her feel like it was all going to be alright. In short what she honestly needed was John.

Randy felt Alaina stop short as they turned the corner. He looked down curiously and followed Alaina's line of sight to where John and Maria stood talking, laughing, holding each other. He sighed and stayed silent for a moment watching Alaina and the myriad of emotions that began to pass over her face.

"Harder than you thought it would be?" Randy finally asked as he watched her finally settle on a strange type of sadness he hadn't seen in her before.

Alaina only nodded and looked away before walking back to where she had come from. It wasn't the surprise that had gotten to her, or even the realization that it had been six months since they had been in the same area for more than five minutes together. She knew that John would be there, backstage, doing his job. She was certain that at one point she would run into him. She was, in fact, counting on it. There was so much that Alaina had worked out in her own mind over the last two months that she needed to tell John. Seeing John she could have handled, had he been on his own. Knowing that he was still together with Maria would have been easy enough to handle, had she not seen it for herself.

What had really thrown Alaina for a loop was the sad jealousy that had settled in the pit of her stomach. The weird way that her mind had seemed to demand that she lay Maria out flat and cry all at the same time. What had Alaina unable to look at John, was to see him so happy with her own eyes. She wanted him happy, she truly did. The thought of John being happy was what kept her sane during the day. Knowing that at least one of them was getting on with life, finding what they truly wanted. But finally seeing him without seeing that familiar spark of love and happiness that came to his eyes when they saw each other; to see that look being given to another woman; it was a truth that Alaina was not ready to handle. At least not in person.

"He's been waiting all week to see you," Randy spoke softly leaning against the wall where Alaina had stopped. "When he found out you were finally coming out I—I haven't seen him that happy since you were on the road with us."

Alaina sighed and wiped the few stray tears from her eyes. "Thanks Randall, I just don't think that I can do it."

"Ally if he knew that you and Joe split I'm sure that he'd-"

Alaina cut him off and shook her head. "Don't say it Randy. I don't want that to happen. I don't want a poor woman's heart to get broken because John thought that he saw something better on the other side. He went back to her for a reason and he has to see it through. We just aren't supposed to be together that's how it is."

Randy shook his head and grunted. "I don't know Ally, I think you should tell him."

"No Randy, he's happy with Maria and I can't ruin that. Joe was happy before he came back to me."

"You were happy before Joe went back to you. You were happy with John remember? You gave up the best thing you experienced in a long time to go back to a dead beat that left you alone, by yourself, to deal with grief, and heartache all on your own!"

"Don't do that Randall," Alaina spoke softly, her pain and love for Joe obvious and prominent in her tone. "Joe is a great man who made a mistake. I love him dearly and I always will. The only reason I'm not with him today is only because we're different now. We changed while we were apart and there was no fixing it. I couldn't take the blame for him leaving, and he couldn't take the blame for me not being there for him. I still talk to him every day. And he's been there holding my hand while I get over my marriage failing and losing the man that I fell in love with on the road."

"I'm sorry," Randy apologized and hugged Alaina. "I just don't like hearing you talk like you did before. You didn't make Joe unhappy and you don't deserve to feel that way. But you should talk to John. It'll be good for both of you."

Alaina hugged Randy a little tighter and sighed into his chest. He could make her feel so safe and warm in a heartbeat. Sure he was rough around the edges and said things before he could process what he was saying or their meaning. But Alaina loved to know that a man as caring and loyal as Randy was with her, trying to look out for her without over stepping the unspoken boundaries that Alaina had set.

"Not tonight Randall, I just want to have a bit of fun with you."

Randy pulled Alaina back to look at her and wiped a few tears from her eyes. He had learned very quickly that Alaina was the type that you fell in love with or loved fiercely as a friend for life. Her gentle way of making any problem seem surmountable, or the way that she constantly put other people's needs before her own; Randy loved this small woman standing in front of him. It hadn't taken long for him to see what had made John Cena fall madly in love with her. Every time that Alaina smiled and laughed Randy knew exactly what it was that had John hooked.

"Ok here's what I'm going to do just for you. Just to make you feel a little better about today. I'll take you down to the guys locker room and introduce you to Jeff Hardy." He watched as the smile on Alaina's face grew and her eyes widened in disbelief. He laughed and hugged Alaina close to him. "Try not to look so obvious when we go in there. You're supposed to work with these people and know that they aren't idols. You aren't supposed to get psycho fan happy and shocked."

"Are you kidding me? Randy he debuted before I started working for the company, and I have loved and followed his career for years. What am I supposed to do besides the hero worship thing?"

"Get to know him, like a real person, a friend even. You will be with me on the road for a week you'll be seeing quite a bit of him."

Alaina stepped in front of Randy as they walked towards the locker room nearly causing Randy to stumble. She leaned up on her tip toes and threw her arms around his neck and plant a long kiss on his lips.

"Thank you so much," she finally spoke after pulling away from Randy.

"For what?" Randy asked confused. He didn't put much weight into the kiss; it was far too friendly to mean anything else besides thank you. The action in itself did confuse him though. Alaina was never the type to impulsively display her feelings like that.

"Being great enough to just be a friend." She smiled and continued down the hall as if what she had just done were totally natural.

Randy smirked and shook his head. Alaina was most certainly going to keep him on his toes.

"Don't you think you should wait for me before you get lost? I don't think you'll be able to find Hardy, or meet him without me," Randy called after her taking a few long strides to catch up with her.

John leaned against the wall and sighed. He had been looking forward to seeing Alaina all week long. Their last meeting had been painful and hard. But John thought that they could get past that point. He missed having her to talk to. No one could read him as easily as Alaina could, it always seemed like she had a telepathic ability and could read his thoughts and emotions before he could begin to even think about voicing them. The comfort that she brought to him was unrivaled and greatly missed.

What he hadn't counted on was how close Alaina and Randy had gotten. He shook his head. She looked so good and so happy wrapped up in Randy's arms. And it began to cut John deeper than he had ever believed that it could. He was no longer the man that Alaina came searching for when she was feeling down and out. John was no longer the man that made her laugh and helped her through her hard times.

He cursed softly under his breath and swallowed back a few tears. He had been so caught up in making things with Maria work that he had completely cut Alaina out. The last time they had talked was when they were in her office. He had promised her that if they got their chance that it would be forever lasting. And he meant every word that he had told her in that office. His heart had been broken all over again simply walking away from her that day without taking her with him. But John had not taken the time out of one single day in two months to try and call her. He had not tried to find out where he stood in her heart or where he fit into her life. The assumption that he would constantly be the first person that she wanted to run to had been blown up in his face.

"Baby, what are you thinking about?" Maria leaned her head on John's broad back and slid her arms around his waist.

John forced a smile and laid his hands on top of her arms. "I was just watching Randy and Alaina."

"Alaina? The assistant that you had for that month?"

John nodded and his smile became genuine. "Yupp that's her. She helped me get a lot of things straightened out. Helped bring me back to you."

Maria kissed John's shoulder and smiled. "I'll have to meet her and thank her then. So when are you going to talk to her? You should go and say hi."

John sighed and shook his head. "I don't want to interrupt the two of them. Randy looked pretty happy with her. You know how he gets when people interrupt him with the ladies."

Maria laughed and slapped John's shoulder. "I thought Randy had a fiancé?"

John chuckled and stood up straight letting go of Maria's arms and walking out of her grasp. "When has that ever stopped Randy?" He said, the edge in his voice unmistakable as he walked away leaving Maria confused.

The truth was, he could fake his happiness with Maria, and he could tell himself that he loved Maria more than anything else; until he saw the familiar deep brown eyes and piercing gaze of Alaina. The smile on her face was directed at someone else and it made John slightly nauseous. And the very thought that Alaina had moved on and started a relationship with Randy made every ounce of his blood boil. No matter how unrealistic the possibilities were.

John shook his head and kept his fists clenched tightly by his side. Alaina would never take up with a man nearly married. She would not even entertain the idea of her and John until she was certain that her marriage was fully over. As far as John knew the marriage was going well, so there was little to no chance that Randy and Alaina did indeed have a relationship going on.

Still the small chance that he did play out in his mind made John go just a bit crazy. He hadn't seen Alaina in months and every time he did see her there seemed to be some change in her, something that made her seem all the more beautiful to John. He wasn't operating under that whole "if I can't have her then no one can", but the idea that Randy had moved in where he was once so happy made John sick and go stir crazy.

John ran through the backstage area looking for Randy. He would be the only with answers on Alaina and all the unanswered questions that were plaguing John.

"Orton," John called down the hall to the retreating figure of Randy. "Orton, man, wait up a second."

Randy turned around and watched John rush over to him. "Man, you could have just caught me in the locker room, or the gorilla position we're in the same match. Why are you running around here like some hyper twelve year old?"

"What's going on with you and Alaina?" John blurted out quickly watching Randy's face for a sign of guilt or acknowledgement of their relationship to pass over him.

"What do you mean?" Randy asked confused with John at the moment.

"I saw you talking to her before, in the hallway."

"So what is it that you want to know?"

John ran his hand through his hair trying to slow down the beating of his heart and the rage that was quickly building up inside of him. "Don't play me Orton, what is going on with you and her?"

"Nothing at all," Randy answered with a simply shrug. "Why?"

"I saw the two of you kissing man. Just tell me what is going on with you and her."

Randy sighed and shook his head. "I already told you nothing was going on and I meant that. I wouldn't play around on Sam. And I certainly wouldn't bring Alaina into the middle of it if I were going to."

"Randy," John spoke seriously and quietly. "I saw how the two of you look at each other what is going on with you two?"

"Cena, you're protective and you miss her, I get that but don't come looking to me for what you want to know. Alaina is a friend nothing more, nothing less. We've gotten real tight these last few months. She needs to have someone there for her with everything going down around her."

John looked at Randy with a questioning glance. "Like what?"

Randy shook his head and put his hands up. "No, I'm not doing this anymore. You want to know about Alaina you need to ask her. If there's one thing I know about her it's that she'll rip me to shreds if she found out I was talking about her business."

"Orton this is me you're talking to."

Randy nodded and smirked. "I know who I'm talking to man. And you used to be that guy that knew it all about her and that could pin point her problem within the second. What you have to get used to, is that you aren't that guy John. You walked away from her and even after you saw her in the office you haven't called her. How many times has she tried to call you?"

John hung his head and stared at the floor. "It was just so hard to do. I would stare at the phone and just wonder what she would say to me, if we would get even closer than we were before. I would spend so much time obsessing and worrying over how things would be, how they might end up that I never picked up the phone. I couldn't do it Randy," John whispered so quietly.

Randy looked at John and shifted around uncomfortably. If this were a woman he would have her in his arms holding her, comforting her and trying his best to turn it around it a nice night of bed time activities. But this was not a woman, this was John, a man, his best friend. Comforting John came awkwardly.

"Perk up man, she's happy that you're with Maria. She wants you to be happy. Don't be so down, you're in love with Maria and you have a great relationship with her."

John nodded and kept his eyes on the floor. "Yeah, I know. Where is she? Is she around?" John asked finally lifting his head up to meet Randy's eyes.

Randy shook his head and gave a deep sigh at the look of disappointment on John's face. "She was having a great time backstage then she tells me that she needs to go sit down, so she went to find her seat."

John shuffled his feet as he ran a hand over his short brown hair. Nothing was going the way that he wanted it to go. The first sight of Alaina in months and it was seeing her attached to Randy at the lips. Whether or not it was platonic or meant to be anything more than that was irrelevant. John was supposed to see Alaina and have her run into his open arms. He was supposed to leave Maria behind after telling her that he couldn't possibly go on with the way his life was for much longer. He wanted Alaina back in his life, and tonight was supposed to be the night that he was going to tell her.

"I just don't get it. I don't get any of this. She shows up backstage after months of not being around and she doesn't want to come see me?"

Randy shrugged, he knew that John was beginning to get angry and he felt for his friend. However there was nothing that he could do or say without breaking Alaina's trust. The more hands that got involved in the relationship between the two would only cause it to end in further disaster.

"Look man," Randy began in a firm tone. "She's been through hell and back whatever her reasons are you need to respect that."

John looked up sharply at Randy's tone of voice, shocked that his friend, once so against John having anything to do with Alaina was jumping to defend her.

"I know what she's been through Orton. I was the one that helped her through most of it. I was there when all of this got to be too much for her," John stated waving his large arms around. "I spent too many nights with her while she cried or talked to me until there was nothing left to say." Pointing a finger in Randy's face John stepped a bit closer until their bodies were almost touching. "You do not need to tell me what she's been through. I was there in the beginning."

Randy drew in a long deep breath trying to control every muscular impulse to shove John away from him. His best friend was a hot head, and sometimes too immature to see anything else but what was right in front of him at that very moment in time. He would be too blinded by anger to grasp hold of anything else. They were two peas in a pod. They were meant to be wonderful friends, and fight often. And the last thing that Randy wanted was a fight.

"And I was there for the end. I saw her heartbroken over you," Randy said quietly backing up until the heat from John's body began to dissipate. "I know that it's rough for you but you have to pull it together. I'm not here to fight with you Cena. Go back to your girl and give her a nice long kiss and calm yourself down."

"I'm sorry man, I shouldn't have—you didn't do anything for me to—"

Randy held his hand up and smirked at John. "It's nothing, don't worry about it. We all go a little crazy."

John nodded and fell silent. There was so much that he wanted to say out loud. He needed to admit that his want for Alaina had been growing stronger over time instead of diminishing. He needed to tell someone the truth. Maria didn't' make him feel that spark that he used to feel. Sure she was a wonderful, beautiful, talented, intelligent woman; but she was that entire woman that John just didn't want. He wanted to be able to tell Alaina that the fear of being alone at night; the thought of the haunting silence that would envelope his hotel room when the lights went out consistently brought tears to his eyes. It was only that fear that was keeping John tied to Maria. He and Maria had begun to make the perfect couple, and it was making him sick.

"Why doesn't she want to see me?" John finally asked. He had known that was why Alaina had ran off to her seat, even if Randy was trying to spare his feelings by not telling him that little fact. They may not have spoken in months but John still knew Alaina all too well to be fooled by anything.

"It's hard for her John. It's a lot to face. She has to see you with Maria, hear about you and Maria. Any person would have a hard time being cool under that kind of stress."

John let out a small scream as his foot connected with the nearest wall. He needed a punching bag, or a set of weights in his hands at the moment. He needed something to keep his large muscular body from going on a rampage. Looking around John realized that giving anything within the vicinity an undeserving punch would only end in a few broken knuckles he clenched his fists repeatedly as he raked his hands repeatedly through his hair.

"I gotta go get ready," Randy said finally as he watched John pace the width of the narrow arena hallway. "I know that this is hard, but you need to go cool off somewhere. I'm telling you, find your girl, take a look in her eyes and give her a long hard kiss." Randy clapped a hand on John's shoulder and gave a few pats. "Hey don't give up, she'll be around for a week, she can't avoid you the entire time."

John gave a short nod and mumbled affirmation as he watched Randy disappear around the corner of the hallway. Randy was right, Alaina wouldn't be able to avoid John for very long. Especially not since he was determined to find her and have a long talk with her. And John Cena was a man that always got what he wanted when he set his mind to it.

With a small smirk John went to his dressing room. Alaina would be around after the show and he would be sure to catch her then.

OK so here it is the first installment in the sequel to the Alaina and John story lol...

Now just for notes this is going to be a little darker than Lean On Me so just be prepared for that.

Anyway hope that you enjoyed and let me know what you thought...yupp that's right just look down a bit further and hit that review button :)

Thanks and hope to hear from you soon and trust me you'll be hearing from me soon too