a/n: this is all, as usual, ramenreignss aka typhoidcandy on tumblr's fault. her au graphic of paige and emma standing with their men, roman and dean in the ring after seth's betrayal is why this exists. thank you so much, doll, for being a wonderful inspiration and helping me get my muse going again.
~*~don't you dare look out your window, darling, everything's on fire~*~
(the war outside our door keeps raging on)
we believe that cowardice is to blame for the world's injustices. we believe, not just in bold words but in bold deeds to match them. we believe that pain and death are better than cowardice and inaction because we believe in action. we do not believe in empty, heads, empty mouths or empty hands. we do not believe that we should be allowed to stand idly by. we do not believe that any virtue is more important than bravery.
the dauntless manifesto, from the divergent series – by veronica roth
"Are you going to tell me why we're not changing in the locker room with everyone else?" Emma questioned as she rushed down the hallway of the arena, trying to keep up with a determined Paige.
"All those nosey biddies who love to gossip will start asking a million questions when they notice we're not changing into our normal ring gear." Paige answered, dark eyes darting in every direction before she shoved the blonde Aussie into a supply closet, satisfied that no one was around to catch them.
"What are you talking about? Why wouldn't we be wearing our normal ring gear?"
"Because," The unzipping of a zipper could be heard before Paige reached into the duffle bag, Emma just now realized she had with her all this time, and produced a leather jacket [her signature] and a black hoodie along with black leggings. "Roman and Dean aren't shooting their promo alone. We're going out there with them. Or, well, not exactly with them, as in at the same time. But we're going to be in the ring with them."
Emma blinked as she bit down on her lip, worrying the flesh between her teeth. "They won't like us just showing up. They want us to stay out of this, and you know it. Dean's already told me he thinks Triple H and Randy, maybe even Seth himself, will use us to try and get to him and Roman. I'm sure Roman's told you the same."
Paige rolled her eyes, as she slipped her leather jacket over her ring gear, which instead of its normal purple, was black. She already had this very discussion – or argument, as it were – with Roman. It got so heated, she was sure the people in the hotel room next to theirs, were going to call security. In the end, they both calmed down, as she half-heartedly agreed, with a pout, that she was going to stay out of this.
Or, at least, that's what she told him.
"If Naomi and Cameron hadn't stopped me from going after Rollins the night all of this went down…" Paige stopped mid-sentence, shaking her head. "No, even if I had gotten my hands on that traitor that night, I'd still be doing this. Roman might want me to stay out of this and Ambrose might want you to do the same, but screw that. The Authority and most importantly, Rollins, need to know that what's left of The Shield isn't going down without a fight that Roman Reigns and Dean Ambrose are still going to be standing tall, even after being stabbed in the back."
Pushing her raven hair out of her eyes, the Brit zipped up her jacket and adjusted the gleaming silver butterfly belt, around her waist before staring Emma right in the eyes. "Now, you can do this with me or I can do this alone. Either way, I'm going out there." Her tone was determined and her dark eyes were fierce.
"A hoodie, huh?" Emma couldn't stop the smile that curled at her strawberry lips.
"You gotta rep your man, sister, and the hoodie is Ambrose's signature. I'd have gotten a vest, but Roman, ugh, told Sandra that I would most likely come around asking her for one," Paige pouted, crossing her arms over her chest. "And he told her not to give me one if I did. But at least my gear's all black instead of purple. So… Are you coming with me or not?"
Emma took the hoodie from Paige's outstretched hand and slipped her slender arms through each of the sleeves before zipping it up. Then she stepped into the black leggings, leaving behind the colorful and bright gear she was known for in both developmental and on the main roster.
Both women held out their fists, touching knuckles, as they mimicked the 'symbol of excellence' before they walked out of the closet, heading for the viewing area before they would make their move to join their men inside the ring.
Paige and Emma could hear the whispers from the other Divas and Superstars who saw them as they walked through the hallways to get to the viewing area. Once they arrived, they weren't surprised to see Stephanie McMahon, the billion dollar princess herself, dressed impeccably in her signature business suit, ready to confront them.
Paige, ever the protector [not unlike Roman], stepped in front of Emma, shielding her from the brunette with the icy stare. If Stephanie wanted a fight, she'd give her one hell of a fight, but she wasn't going to get her claws into Emma. No, she was – for once – going to pick on someone her own size. It wasn't as if Emma couldn't handle their boss, but Stephanie was known for being especially vicious to those she thought she could dominate, and Paige wasn't going to let Emma become a target of her wrath.
Not when she could take some of the heat, at first. After all, this – what they were about to do, going to join Roman and Dean in the ring – was her idea.
"I have to say," Stephanie's voice was cool enough to freeze the bones of the younger women. "If you two plan on doing what I think you're going to do, I'm going to be very disappointed. After AJ left to embark on her happily ever after," She used quotations to emphasize the phrase. "With CM Punk," The former champion's name was spoken with a bitterness both women felt to their cores, as the billionaire princess' icy stare narrowed. "I didn't think the Divas Division would be able to sustain the momentum it had built. Naomi hasn't stepped up to the plate like we all predicted she would. Cameron is a second banana at best. Natalya couldn't win the NXT championship. Brie Bella quit, despite having so much potential. And Nikki…" Stephanie chuckled darkly, shaking her head. "Nikki doesn't have a prayer of surviving without her sister. What good is one Bella Twin? AS good as gone, that's what. Then there's the two of you; your match got the very first 'this is awesome' chant that I ever heard a Divas match receive."
Turning to face the blonde Aussie head on, a sickly sweet smile was planted on Stephanie's glossy lips. "People are so drawn to you, Emma," She praised, tone far too upbeat and warm. "They like your little dance, your happy go lucky attitude and your impressive skill in the ring. Your future is very bright, and why you would want to damage that for someone like Dean Ambrose, well, I just don't understand. He's never going to give you what you long for; a pretty ring on your finger, the promise of forever, a white picket fence, two kids and a dog. He's a lunatic who can barely hold himself together, on a good day, and deep down, I think you know that."
Emma could feel her blood boiling inside her veins. She knew when she was being placated, treated as though she was just some mindless wind-up toy who could be told when to dance and when to wrestle. She knew she was being disrespected by Stephanie. Her hands turned into fists by her sides, nails digging into her skin, and she struggled with the urge to rear back and slap the billionaire princess, not unlike Brie Bella had.
Somehow, she held back. There was no slap, but she wasn't going to stand by and let Stephanie intimidate her. No, she was going out into that ring and she was going to stand by Dean's side, no matter what.
"He's not a lunatic." Her voice was strangely calm but there was an underlying ferocity there, the ferocity that only came through when someone was defending someone they loved with their whole heart. "He's a good man who has given everything to this company, who goes all out each and every night, whether it's a live event, a house show, a paper view, RAW or Smackdown. He leaves his heart and soul in that ring every single night, and you think you know him, but you don't. You think Seth's betrayal is going to fracture him, that he'll become paranoid and think everyone's out to get him, that he won't trust anyone anymore, not even Roman, but you're wrong. He's going to be better than ever." Emma jutted out her chin and set her jaw, going nose to nose with Stephanie. "He'll show you and Triple H what he's all about. He'll make sure you believe in Dean Ambrose, and I'll be right there as he runs rough shot over every Superstar in this company, but especially, your new favorite toy, Seth Rollins."
Paige let out a low whistle, as she ticked her tongue mockingly at Stephanie, "Well, I guess Emma told you, didn't she, Stephanie?"
Stephanie wasn't one to back down, and if this brash, young Brit thought she would, she had another thing coming. Stepping right in front of her, she let a manicured finger trace the wings of the butterfly belt that sat around the ravenette's waist, a slow grin coming to her face.
"Ah, Paige, the Anti-Diva and current Diva's Champion, you of all people should know fast this," She tapped the belt. "Can be taken away. You took it away from AJ during your first appearance on RAW, remember? And I can take it away from you, so fast it'll make your head spin, and we both know you don't want that. This belt means everything to you. It's what you've worked your whole life for. Ever since you were that little girl, the second generation grappler in Norwich, nipping at the heels of your parents as they promoted every wrestler in London. Are you going to throw your lifelong dream that has been realized, away from a man?"
"This belt doesn't mean a thing compared to what Roman means to me. You can threaten me all you want, Stephanie, but I'm not backing down and neither is he. We're standing tall, together, no matter what. So go ahead, take the championship from me, but who are you going to give it to? Alicia Fox? She's insane and that's not," Paige smirked as the catchphrase of The Authority rolled off her tongue. "What's best for business. Naomi? You said it yourself that she hasn't stepped up, Cameron's a second banana, remember? And Natalya couldn't beat Charlotte, who isn't ready to come from NXT yet, and you know it. So then who's going to get the butterfly? Tamina? She can't cut a decent enough promo. I guess… your only option would be," The ravenette slung her arm around Emma's shoulder, bringing the slightly shorter woman into the right side of her slender frame and smiling brightly. "Emma, wouldn't it?"
Stephanie was seething, but she wasn't going to let it show. "Maybe – though, I highly doubt it, my husband, isn't called The Game, The King of Kings for nothing – Hunter underestimated your little boy toys, but don't think I'm underestimating the two of you. Go out there, stand by those losers whose days are numbered, but remember, so are yours."
"Everybody in this building knows someone like you, Seth. The kind of guy that would stab his brother in the back, suck-up, sell-out to The Authority. Now, when I get the opportunity to re-arrange your face, which I will, your nose isn't going to be here anymore; it's gonna be over here, by your ear. I say ear because you're only gonna have one left. I'm going to rip your dirty stinkin' hair out by the roots and shove it in your mouth…"
As intense and hyped, so much so that he actually had to take deep breaths and hit himself in the face several times to calm down, as Dean was, Emma seemed to be more so. She was bouncing on the balls of her feet, not unlike he would do outside the ring, just waiting to get his hands on whichever opponent he was matched up against.
She watched the promo, her heart swelling with pride. Everything she told Stephanie was going to happen. Dean was going to make The Authority rue the day they turned Seth against him. They thought they could predict his actions, that he would self-destruct, but her man was anything but predictable. He would show them he wasn't going to stay down, that no chair shot or curb stomp, was going to keep him from standing tall.
His future was as bright as ever.
"He thinks he's the face of the company. When I get my hands on you, Randy, you're gonna be the ass of this company. And when I'm done with you, I'm coming for you, Triple H. 'The King of Kings.' We're gonna have our own 'Game of Thrones.' Believe that!"
Paige knew rushing out wasn't the right move, that this was supposed to be calculated and planned, not sloppy and spur of the moment. But listening to Roman's part of the promo, made her want to run into the ring, throw her head back and roar.
The raven haired Brit was as intensely proud of Roman as Emma was of Dean. Trust meant everything to him and the trust he shared with Seth was shattered now, but the Samoan wasn't going to stand idly by and just let it go. He was going to step up and show The Authority who they messed with.
They were pushing Randy when they should be pushing him. He was the one who deserved to be the face of the company now that Daniel Bryan was out of commission and CM Punk had retired. Randy was the past and he, Roman Reigns, was the future.
"Well," Michael Cole said from ring side. "Those were certainly some strong words from an obviously ticked off Dean Ambrose and Roman Reigns regarding their former brother Seth Rollins' stunning betrayal at the end of RAW last Monday night. Ambrose made it perfectly clear that he wants nothing more than to get his hands on Rollins, saying that he will re-arrange his former teammate's face and he'll only have one ear left. Reigns was not silent of the subject of Rollins' cohorts, WWE COO Triple H and longtime friend and fellow member of Evolution, Randy Orton. The powerhouse said he and 'The King of Kings' would have their own 'Game of Thrones' after he made The Viper the ass of this company. Things are certainly heating up…."
"Wait a second, Cole, wait a second…" Jerry Lawler spoke up as music – Paige and Emma's themes respectively – blared through the arena's speakers.
"Is that the Diva's Champion Paige and Emma strutting down the ramp, mics in hand?" JBL sputtered in disbelief.
"It sure is!" King squawked as he let out his familiar chortle. "And I guess we can now confirm that all those rumors swirling around the WWE universe are, in fact, true! It looks like the girls are joining their guys in the ring, ready to stand with them against The Authority!"
"This is not a smart move by either of them. Paige might not be Diva's Champion much longer after this stunt, and Emma, she could wind up back in NXT." JBL shook his head, his tone grave.
"I thought we talked about this." Roman hissed, his long strides bringing him to the apron of the ring, just before Paige could slip through the ropes. "You said you'd stay out of this." He sighed, fingers sifting through his long hair.
"Yeah, I said I would stay out of this, not that I was going to. There's a difference, you know." Paige spoke in a breezy tone. "I'm not letting you go through this alone. What's the worst that's going to happen? Stephanie strips me of the title like she did to Daniel Bryan? They send me back to NXT to teach me a lesson? So what." Her tone was determined now. "None of that matters. All that matters is standing here with you, and showing those corporate stooges that not everyone in this company is a puppet with strings to be pulled. You," She looked at him through hooded lashes, feeling stupid for revealing so much. "Mean more to me than this belt ever will."
"Yeah?" His lips curled at the edges.
"Yeah." She confirmed, punching him in the shoulder, which made him laugh.
Easily he pulled her through the ropes and though neither was much for PDA, he couldn't stop himself from cupping her smooth cheeks in his large palms and kissing her. At first she was stunned, not expecting the kiss, but one fast pace beat of her heart later, she was kissing him back with everything she had, her fingers sinking into the thickness of his black hair.
They broke apart amongst the delirious cheers of the raucous crowd and threw their heads back and let out their signature deafening roars.
"Stephanie McMahon told me backstage," Paige had the mic in her hand and was strutting around the ring. "That she could take the Diva's Championship away from me so fast it would make my head spin, and to that, I have to say, you're welcome to try, Stephanie. You are more than welcome to try. But I can tell you, you won't succeed. I'm keeping the Divas Division afloat, and if you really are all about what's best for business," She smirked. "You can't take it away from me! Just like your husband, Triple H and his little cronies Orton and Rollins can't stop the remaining members of The Shield! You think Seth Rollins is the future face of this company, but you're wrong, and Roman Reigns," She grabbed for his hand, raising it in the air. "Is going to prove you wrong! Believe that!"
Dean's first instinct was to push Emma out of the ring and tell her to get the hell out, but he would never – no matter the circumstance – put his hands on her. He pushed his fingers through his messy hair, pacing as he struggled to calm himself. He didn't know what the fuck to do about her showing up in the ring.
Though, seeing her in the hoodie that mirrored his own, made him want to pin her to the mat and take her right then and there, not giving a fuck that they were in an arena full of thousands of people.
"What the fuck do you think you're doing, Blondie?" He grit out through clenched teeth.
"Showing you that it's not just Roman who has your back." She was staring him head on, not blinking and her tone booking no argument.
"This doesn't have…."
"It involves you, which means I'm involved. Besides," She looked at him underneath the fans of her long lashes, looking all too innocent, which had his stomach churning. "I already gave Stephanie a piece of my mind backstage. I can't very well back off now, can I?"
"What the fuck happened to me?" He grumbled, shaking his head. "You bat those damn lashes and I'm one of those guys, a total grade-A pussy who just gives you what you want. Well, go ahead, Blondie," He handed her the mic. "Do your thing."
Emma beamed and though she wanted nothing more than to launch herself at him, and kiss him with all that she had, she knew he wouldn't like that. So instead, she gave him a loud smacking kiss on the cheek, and as she expected, he frowned and muttered to himself, swiping at his cheek to rid the mark of her lips her gloss had left behind.
Most women would have been offended, but she wasn't most. She knew later on when they were alone, he'd want the mark of her lips everywhere, but most importantly in the places where only the two of them would know and see.
"I had some things to stay to Stephanie backstage, myself, and I'm going to repeat them for all of you. And I hope Triple H and Randy Orton are listening, but I especially hope Seth Rollins is. You think you know what Dean's going to do, that you've fractured him and he's going to lash out at everyone and dig himself into a hole he can't get out of, but you're wrong. As well as you think you know him, Seth, I know him that much better, and I know he will not back down. He'll be standing tall in this ring, giving everything he's got like he's been doing since day one. So go ahead and think you've won, believe that you've destroyed what's left of The Shield, but you'll be wrong. Dean Ambrose and Roman Reigns might be down, but they don't stay down!"
Then the four people standing in the ring, each held out their fist, while Triple H, Randy Orton, Stephanie McMahon and Seth Rollins all looked on from the monitor inside the viewing area.
"It looks like Roman Reigns, Dean Ambrose, Paige and Emma have taken a stand against The Authority," Michael Cole announced. "What happens now is anyone's guess, but the ball is now firmly in the court of Triple H, Stephanie McMahon, Randy Orton and Seth Rollins."
"If I were The Authority, I wouldn't be feeling so smug right about now." King mused, shaking his head. "In that ring, standing tall, are four of the WWE universe's most promising young superstars and divas. If they are truly about what's best for business, they're going to have to think long and hard about their next move."
"This is what I'm talkin' about!" JBL screeched. "This is what we love to see here in the WWE! Superstars and Divas not backing down, calling out The Authority! Now let's see if Reigns, Ambrose, Paige and Emma can put their money where their mouths are or if they just wrote a check their butts can't cash! Because we all know The Authority is not going to take this lightly!"
note: i didn't use the entire dauntless manifesto because it's waaaaaaaaay too long, so it's paraphrased, but still doesn't belong to me. 'blondie' dean's nickname for emma is ramenreignss' thing, and i had to use it cause it's adorbs. thanks to all of you who have reviewed and favorited my previous wrestling fics and to anyone who reviews and favorites this one. i appreciate it so much.