I stepped from the shadows falling into step with Edge a bit
surprised when he didn't so much as glance in my direction. "Did you talk
to him?" he asked after a moment.
"Yes," I replied, "Christian wants to speak to you."
Edge finally looked in my direction and I could see the surprise on his face, "He actually agreed to it? What did you do, put a gun to his head?"
I laughed softly, "No, Edge. Now, I'll admit it wasn't easy to get through his defenses but an unexpected attack by the Dudleys helped knock down his damned walls for a bit."
"The Dudleys?" Edge stopped walking and turned to me sharply.
"Christian is fine," I reassured him, "He's got a nice shiner but other than that not a scratch on your baby brother."
Edge nodded and resumed walking, "Good," he said looking over at me as I once again fell into step beside him, "I would have had to kick your ass if you let anything happen to him."
I chuckled, "Some habits die hard don't they, my boy?"
"Tell me about it," the blonde returned wryly, "When and where does he want to meet?" he asked getting back down to business.
"I've booked a hotel room so that you two can meet in neutral territory and have some privacy," I told him, "Edge," I began cautiously, "Just because you two are meeting after a year don't think this is going to be easy. Christian has a lot of problems and insecurities that are going to get in the way. You're going to have to control your temper if you want this to get anywhere. You two have to stop letting pride get in the way."
"He's the one that hit me with a chair," Edge growled, "Christian is the one that destroyed EnC"
"If you're going to go into it with that attitude," I rebuked, "Then you might as well forget the whole thing."
Edge sighed, "No," he ran a hand through his hair, "I miss my brother. Tell me what I have to do and I'll do it." We had reached Edge's car and he climbed inside unlocking the passenger side door so I could climb in.
As Edge began to pull out of the arena I collected my thoughts and took the time to choose my words, "Edge," I began, "I have a theory and I want you to hear me out."
"Okay," Edge said never taking his eyes off the road, "It can't be any weirder than having a vampire in my car so go ahead, shoot."
"I think Christian's problems started when he was singled out by the Undertaker during the Ministry of Darkness," I looked over at Edge, "Think about it. Christian had always been the quiet one; he just wanted to prove himself. The Undertaker exploited this weakness. Undertaker singled him out because he was the smallest and Christian must have felt like he was letting us down."
Edge pulled into the parking lot at the hotel and sighed, "Christian always looked up to me, and he always wanted my approval. And for a long time I just stood by and let the Undertaker abuse my little brother."
"So did I, Edge," I returned softly, "Do not place the blame entirely upon yourself."
"What do I do, Grel?" my young friend asked as we climbed out of the car, "How can I help make this right?"
"By being patient," I told him, "Let him know that you still love him and that you're proud of him," I raised a finger, "But don't let him push you around either"
Edge nodded, "When?"
"Tomorrow night at eight," I replied handing him a piece of paper with the name and address of the hotel, "Good luck, Edge. You'll need it." I turned and walked away. It was up to Edge and Christian now.
Now, you'll forgive me if up until now I have neglected to mention that I happen to own the hotel that Edge and Christian would be meeting in and there are cameras in all the hallways. I even went to the trouble of having a camera installed in the room where the two stubborn blondes would be meeting. Intrusive perhaps, but I went through all this trouble I at least wanted to watch.
When the appointed meeting time came I made myself comfortable in the room adjoining theirs. I had had my people place several monitors in there so I could watch the show comfortably. I do love being the boss sometimes. To my surprise Christian arrived first entering the room hesitantly. I could see the apprehension that marred his young face. After several more minutes the door opened again and Edge stepped into the room.
The two blondes stared at each other neither exactly sure where to begin. Edge broke the silence, "It's been a while since we met without beating the shit out of each other being our main concern," He said with a small smile.
Christian smiled back weakly and shrugged, "It's still early."
The two lapsed into an uncomfortable silence, "I don't know where to begin," Christian admitted sinking down onto the bed.
"How about you start with why you did it," Edge suggested leveling his cool green gaze on his brother.
Christian shrugged, "I couldn't stand being in your shadow anymore. I did the work and you got the credit."
"You did the work?" Edge repeated incredulously, "We were a team, Chris, we both worked damn hard to get to where we did!"
"And you were the one in the spotlight!" Christian retorted angrily, "You got all the credit. I was just your damned kid brother."
"Was it worth it, Christian?" Edge demanded beginning to pace, "Are you happier now? You split up our team because of a damned trophy!" Edge turned to face his brother, "God, Chris, you need to grow the hell up."
"How the hell could I?" Christian yelled loosing control of his temper, "I never could do anything right in your eyes. You always had to come to the rescue! I was a liability to you. All you cared about was yourself, you self righteous bastard!" Christian lunged at his brother, his fist connected with Edge's face. The two tumbled to the floor and I had to restrain myself from rushing into the next room to break up the fight. I knew I had to let them work it out between themselves and if this was how they had to do it so be it.
Edge threw his brother off him and let Christian climbed to his feet only to spear him back to the ground. Edge punched Christian in the mouth and rammed his head into the floor, "All I cared about was you!" Edge screamed, "I joined Gangrel for you, because I wanted to be with you and you to be happy. You were never a liability to me, dammit," Edge sat up a bit the fight going out of him, "I love you, Christian. You're my brother. You're more important than any titles or any trophy," He whispered softly, "When you turned on me," Edge paused climbing off of Christian who remained on the floor watching his brother in astonishment. "I never knew anything could hurt that much. I kept hoping we'd be able to work it out . . . and when it didn't something in me died."
Edge walked over to the window and stood looking out into the darkness and Christian climbed slowly to his feet, "I always felt like the weak one," Christian said speaking for the first time since the start of Edge's tirade, "After the Ministry of Darkness . . . I don't know something in me snapped," Christian closed his eyes, "I still have the nightmares, I still see his face. He almost sacrificed me, I almost lost my soul."
Edge turned around to face his brother tears streaming down his face taking Christian aback. "I almost did too," Edge told him softly, "You are my soul. You're the one that brought me back from the darkness. When you came back into my life you brought the light with you."
Christian choked on a sob, his own eyes filling with tears, "I'm such a mess, Edge. I don't know how to fix things."
Edge walked slowly over to Christian wrapping his arms around his younger brother, "Let me help you, Chrissy," Edge whispered, "Let me help you as your partner, as your equal."
"God, I've missed you, Edge" Christian whispered sobbing brokenly into his brother's shoulder, "Help me," he pleaded softly.
"Sssh," Edge whispered, "It'll be okay, I promise."
Christian shook his head, "No, it won't," he denied through his tears, "I've alienated all my friends. I hate myself," Christian told him.
Edge held Christian even tighter; "I won't let you talk that way about my brother," Edge pulled away gently so that he could look Christian in the eyes, "Now, I'm not saying that it'll be easy but I know you can do it. You can get your life back in order. You can do anything you set your mind to."
Christian was silent a moment before he pulled Edge to him again, "I'm sorry, Edge," he whispered, "I'm so sorry please forgive me."
"Ssshh," Edge hushed him, "There's nothing to forgive."
Edge moved them towards the bed and sat down still holding his brother in his arms. As Christian began to quiet Edge looked around and spoke, "I know you're watching from somewhere, Grel. You might as well come out."
Well darn. I guess it couldn't last forever. I opened the door and stepped into the other room. "I could resist," I told them with a smile.
Christian lifted his head from his brother's shoulder, "You really need to get a life, and you do know that right, Grel?" Christian asked with a small smirk upon his lips.
I sighed and nodded, it was my turn to come clean. "I lost my life when I lost you two."
The two froze and stared at me with open mouths. "Don't look so surprised," I scolded them lightly, "I wasn't an overbearing tyrant all the time," I paused and shrugged, "Just most of the time."
Christian sat up having regained his composure and studied me for a long moment his azure blue eyes searching my ice blue ones. "Did you help me and Edge just to get back into our good graces?" he asked softly.
I shook my head, "No," I told him softly, "I did this because I couldn't stand by and watch you two tear each other apart any longer."
Edge sat quietly for a moment and sighed, "All of us have made mistakes, none of us were innocent in this." Edge looked down at his brother, "If I'd have taken your needs more seriously you wouldn't have felt the way you did."
Christian shook his head, "That still doesn't excuse what I did," Christian paused and looked around, "Where do we go from here?"
Several days later the world got the answer to that question. Christian was in a match with Brock Lesnar and Edge did a run in. The crowd was shocked when instead of attacking his brother, Edge helped Christian score the pin. Moments after Christian's hand was raised in victory the crowd went wild giving the two young men standing a standing ovation.
I watched curiously as Edge motioned for a microphone and addressed the crowd, "I'm happy to announce that EnC is back in business. Christian and I have begun to work things out and we'd like to thank the person responsible for that."
Christian took the mike and smiled, "If it wasn't for this person we'd still be fighting like a couple of little kids. He's put us back together. Gangrel, we know you're here watching. Will you please come to the ring."
Well drat, I should have known they wouldn't let me remain anonymous. The crowd gasped as I stepped from behind the curtain and walked down the ramp. I stepped into the ring and stood before my young friends.
"You've given me back my brother," Christian told me, "You've helped me turn my life around. Edge and I will always be grateful for that."
Christian handed Edge the microphone and the Enigma's green eyes locked with my blue ones. "Grel," Edge began, "I know how things ended with us but I'd like the change that. What do you say? Think the Brood still has a chance?"
Edge held his hand out to me and I took it. We smiled as the crowd went wild. Don't get me wrong, Edge and Christian still had spats but worked through them. While they did team on occasion they each focused on their singles performance. I was happy to merely be a mentor though I do step into the ring when occasion calls for it. The Brood is back and better than ever.
"Yes," I replied, "Christian wants to speak to you."
Edge finally looked in my direction and I could see the surprise on his face, "He actually agreed to it? What did you do, put a gun to his head?"
I laughed softly, "No, Edge. Now, I'll admit it wasn't easy to get through his defenses but an unexpected attack by the Dudleys helped knock down his damned walls for a bit."
"The Dudleys?" Edge stopped walking and turned to me sharply.
"Christian is fine," I reassured him, "He's got a nice shiner but other than that not a scratch on your baby brother."
Edge nodded and resumed walking, "Good," he said looking over at me as I once again fell into step beside him, "I would have had to kick your ass if you let anything happen to him."
I chuckled, "Some habits die hard don't they, my boy?"
"Tell me about it," the blonde returned wryly, "When and where does he want to meet?" he asked getting back down to business.
"I've booked a hotel room so that you two can meet in neutral territory and have some privacy," I told him, "Edge," I began cautiously, "Just because you two are meeting after a year don't think this is going to be easy. Christian has a lot of problems and insecurities that are going to get in the way. You're going to have to control your temper if you want this to get anywhere. You two have to stop letting pride get in the way."
"He's the one that hit me with a chair," Edge growled, "Christian is the one that destroyed EnC"
"If you're going to go into it with that attitude," I rebuked, "Then you might as well forget the whole thing."
Edge sighed, "No," he ran a hand through his hair, "I miss my brother. Tell me what I have to do and I'll do it." We had reached Edge's car and he climbed inside unlocking the passenger side door so I could climb in.
As Edge began to pull out of the arena I collected my thoughts and took the time to choose my words, "Edge," I began, "I have a theory and I want you to hear me out."
"Okay," Edge said never taking his eyes off the road, "It can't be any weirder than having a vampire in my car so go ahead, shoot."
"I think Christian's problems started when he was singled out by the Undertaker during the Ministry of Darkness," I looked over at Edge, "Think about it. Christian had always been the quiet one; he just wanted to prove himself. The Undertaker exploited this weakness. Undertaker singled him out because he was the smallest and Christian must have felt like he was letting us down."
Edge pulled into the parking lot at the hotel and sighed, "Christian always looked up to me, and he always wanted my approval. And for a long time I just stood by and let the Undertaker abuse my little brother."
"So did I, Edge," I returned softly, "Do not place the blame entirely upon yourself."
"What do I do, Grel?" my young friend asked as we climbed out of the car, "How can I help make this right?"
"By being patient," I told him, "Let him know that you still love him and that you're proud of him," I raised a finger, "But don't let him push you around either"
Edge nodded, "When?"
"Tomorrow night at eight," I replied handing him a piece of paper with the name and address of the hotel, "Good luck, Edge. You'll need it." I turned and walked away. It was up to Edge and Christian now.
Now, you'll forgive me if up until now I have neglected to mention that I happen to own the hotel that Edge and Christian would be meeting in and there are cameras in all the hallways. I even went to the trouble of having a camera installed in the room where the two stubborn blondes would be meeting. Intrusive perhaps, but I went through all this trouble I at least wanted to watch.
When the appointed meeting time came I made myself comfortable in the room adjoining theirs. I had had my people place several monitors in there so I could watch the show comfortably. I do love being the boss sometimes. To my surprise Christian arrived first entering the room hesitantly. I could see the apprehension that marred his young face. After several more minutes the door opened again and Edge stepped into the room.
The two blondes stared at each other neither exactly sure where to begin. Edge broke the silence, "It's been a while since we met without beating the shit out of each other being our main concern," He said with a small smile.
Christian smiled back weakly and shrugged, "It's still early."
The two lapsed into an uncomfortable silence, "I don't know where to begin," Christian admitted sinking down onto the bed.
"How about you start with why you did it," Edge suggested leveling his cool green gaze on his brother.
Christian shrugged, "I couldn't stand being in your shadow anymore. I did the work and you got the credit."
"You did the work?" Edge repeated incredulously, "We were a team, Chris, we both worked damn hard to get to where we did!"
"And you were the one in the spotlight!" Christian retorted angrily, "You got all the credit. I was just your damned kid brother."
"Was it worth it, Christian?" Edge demanded beginning to pace, "Are you happier now? You split up our team because of a damned trophy!" Edge turned to face his brother, "God, Chris, you need to grow the hell up."
"How the hell could I?" Christian yelled loosing control of his temper, "I never could do anything right in your eyes. You always had to come to the rescue! I was a liability to you. All you cared about was yourself, you self righteous bastard!" Christian lunged at his brother, his fist connected with Edge's face. The two tumbled to the floor and I had to restrain myself from rushing into the next room to break up the fight. I knew I had to let them work it out between themselves and if this was how they had to do it so be it.
Edge threw his brother off him and let Christian climbed to his feet only to spear him back to the ground. Edge punched Christian in the mouth and rammed his head into the floor, "All I cared about was you!" Edge screamed, "I joined Gangrel for you, because I wanted to be with you and you to be happy. You were never a liability to me, dammit," Edge sat up a bit the fight going out of him, "I love you, Christian. You're my brother. You're more important than any titles or any trophy," He whispered softly, "When you turned on me," Edge paused climbing off of Christian who remained on the floor watching his brother in astonishment. "I never knew anything could hurt that much. I kept hoping we'd be able to work it out . . . and when it didn't something in me died."
Edge walked over to the window and stood looking out into the darkness and Christian climbed slowly to his feet, "I always felt like the weak one," Christian said speaking for the first time since the start of Edge's tirade, "After the Ministry of Darkness . . . I don't know something in me snapped," Christian closed his eyes, "I still have the nightmares, I still see his face. He almost sacrificed me, I almost lost my soul."
Edge turned around to face his brother tears streaming down his face taking Christian aback. "I almost did too," Edge told him softly, "You are my soul. You're the one that brought me back from the darkness. When you came back into my life you brought the light with you."
Christian choked on a sob, his own eyes filling with tears, "I'm such a mess, Edge. I don't know how to fix things."
Edge walked slowly over to Christian wrapping his arms around his younger brother, "Let me help you, Chrissy," Edge whispered, "Let me help you as your partner, as your equal."
"God, I've missed you, Edge" Christian whispered sobbing brokenly into his brother's shoulder, "Help me," he pleaded softly.
"Sssh," Edge whispered, "It'll be okay, I promise."
Christian shook his head, "No, it won't," he denied through his tears, "I've alienated all my friends. I hate myself," Christian told him.
Edge held Christian even tighter; "I won't let you talk that way about my brother," Edge pulled away gently so that he could look Christian in the eyes, "Now, I'm not saying that it'll be easy but I know you can do it. You can get your life back in order. You can do anything you set your mind to."
Christian was silent a moment before he pulled Edge to him again, "I'm sorry, Edge," he whispered, "I'm so sorry please forgive me."
"Ssshh," Edge hushed him, "There's nothing to forgive."
Edge moved them towards the bed and sat down still holding his brother in his arms. As Christian began to quiet Edge looked around and spoke, "I know you're watching from somewhere, Grel. You might as well come out."
Well darn. I guess it couldn't last forever. I opened the door and stepped into the other room. "I could resist," I told them with a smile.
Christian lifted his head from his brother's shoulder, "You really need to get a life, and you do know that right, Grel?" Christian asked with a small smirk upon his lips.
I sighed and nodded, it was my turn to come clean. "I lost my life when I lost you two."
The two froze and stared at me with open mouths. "Don't look so surprised," I scolded them lightly, "I wasn't an overbearing tyrant all the time," I paused and shrugged, "Just most of the time."
Christian sat up having regained his composure and studied me for a long moment his azure blue eyes searching my ice blue ones. "Did you help me and Edge just to get back into our good graces?" he asked softly.
I shook my head, "No," I told him softly, "I did this because I couldn't stand by and watch you two tear each other apart any longer."
Edge sat quietly for a moment and sighed, "All of us have made mistakes, none of us were innocent in this." Edge looked down at his brother, "If I'd have taken your needs more seriously you wouldn't have felt the way you did."
Christian shook his head, "That still doesn't excuse what I did," Christian paused and looked around, "Where do we go from here?"
Several days later the world got the answer to that question. Christian was in a match with Brock Lesnar and Edge did a run in. The crowd was shocked when instead of attacking his brother, Edge helped Christian score the pin. Moments after Christian's hand was raised in victory the crowd went wild giving the two young men standing a standing ovation.
I watched curiously as Edge motioned for a microphone and addressed the crowd, "I'm happy to announce that EnC is back in business. Christian and I have begun to work things out and we'd like to thank the person responsible for that."
Christian took the mike and smiled, "If it wasn't for this person we'd still be fighting like a couple of little kids. He's put us back together. Gangrel, we know you're here watching. Will you please come to the ring."
Well drat, I should have known they wouldn't let me remain anonymous. The crowd gasped as I stepped from behind the curtain and walked down the ramp. I stepped into the ring and stood before my young friends.
"You've given me back my brother," Christian told me, "You've helped me turn my life around. Edge and I will always be grateful for that."
Christian handed Edge the microphone and the Enigma's green eyes locked with my blue ones. "Grel," Edge began, "I know how things ended with us but I'd like the change that. What do you say? Think the Brood still has a chance?"
Edge held his hand out to me and I took it. We smiled as the crowd went wild. Don't get me wrong, Edge and Christian still had spats but worked through them. While they did team on occasion they each focused on their singles performance. I was happy to merely be a mentor though I do step into the ring when occasion calls for it. The Brood is back and better than ever.
