Title: Shots Fired

Author: Dana

Rating: PG-13

Warnings; Violence, cursing

Summary: A little over two years ago their group was torn apart by a betrayal. A calculated assault brings them back together.

Author's note: This fic starts out at Backlash but is completely AU.

Disclaimer: I own no one you recognize in this fic.

Dean Ambrose taped up his fists backstage as he prepared for his match with AJ Styles. He was alone in the locker-room and was glad. It gave him time to himself. He had been thinking of his match with AJ all day. He had fought AJ before but this was different. He was defending the title against him.

His last title match was against Dolph Ziggler and he knew him pretty well, and knew exactly what buttons to push to get into his head. AJ Styles was a mystery to him. they hadn't really competed in the same independent companies except the time he had a tryout with TNA.

Last week at Smackdown he had humiliated AJ by knocking his leg so that he straddled the top rope. AJ hadn't said much about the incident. He had seen the glint in his eyes when they stood nose to nose in the ring at the end of that week's Smackdown. It didn't worry Dean so much because AJ seemed to be boastful ever since he had beaten John Cena at Summerslam.

"Hey Dean," Dolph said sticking his head in the locker room. His fellow Ohioan had a title match of his own against The Miz. Dean didn't have any friends on the Smackdown roster. He didn't have many friends in the company. The only friends he had were his best friend Roman Reigns, Cesaro, and Sami Zayn but they were all on RAW and he only saw them when he was brought in for a dark match on RAW or one of them appeared on Smackdown. Or at Summerslam when they were all there.

"Hey Dolph," Dean said as he put the tape back in his bag. "You ready for tonight?"

"Yeah," Dolph said as he started to get ready. "You ready for AJ? I saw him and he had the biggest smile on his face. He's up to something."

"Nah," Dean said, "he's just cocky. He's been that way since he beat John Cena. I'm not worried."

"Yeah, I guess if you can beat me, you are ready for anything." Dolph said with a smirk on his face. He turned away and got ready in silence.

Dean got up and left the locker room. He wanted to see if he could talk to his girlfriend Renee Young before the show started.

He found her getting ready for the pre-show panel. She was talking to Jerry Lawler and. Booker T.

Dean tried not to show his disdain for Jerry Lawler as he walked up to Renee. Lawler had said backstage after he won the title that he never thought he'd see it happen. he'd gotten lucky because he had hit a guy who had just wrestled for 30 minutes from behind with a briefcase.

"Hey Dean," Renee said her face lighting up when she saw him. "You ready for tonight?"

"Yep," he took her away from the two hall of famers. He led her to a quiet spot and kissed her. They kissed for a few moments before Renee was pulled away for the pre-show panel.

Dean headed back to his locker room. He had at least 3 hours before his match. Now was the time to psych himself up. Tonight was going to be his night.

DDD

The match went back and forth with AJ having the upper hand for most of it. Towards the end of the match, AJ missed his Phenomenal Forearm and hit the referee.

Dean waited until AJ was standing back up before he hit Dirty Deeds. He went for the pin fall when he was hit from behind.

He went down hard. Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson started to kick him as the referee remained unmoving on the mat.

Daniel Bryan, who had been sitting at ringside for the match, ordered the time keeper to ring the bell saying AJ was disqualified. Security came running down to ringside as well and Gallows just shoved them out of the ring.

AJ grabbed Dean's leg, which he had been working over the whole match and slapped on the calf crusher. Dean cried out in pain as AJ pulled back. He struggled to get to any kind of rope even though he knew that wouldn't break the move. Karl and Luke mocked him.

Only when Dean passed out from the pain did AJ let go of the hold. The three members of the Club exited the ring. AJ grabbed the title out of JoJo's hand and dropped it on Dean. They stood over the fallen WWE Champion making the Too Sweet gesture.

The show went off the air with the Club laughing.

DDD

Notes: Even in my story, I can't imagine AJ winning the title. Let me know what you think.