ONE NIGHT AFTER TLC

by Rebel8954

'There you are. Come to Daddy.' One successfully applied sleeper hold later, and Seth stared down at the unconscious man. "It's so hard to get good help," he muttered.

ONE NIGHT AFTER TLC

(Sunday – 6 hours before TLC PPV)

Six years. It had been six years since The Shield had made their WWE debut at the TLC pay-per-view. In their inaugural match, no less.

Seth Rollins leaned against the barricade staring at the empty ring. Then he slowly turned his head and looked up to where the members of the Shield would have made their entrance.

Six years. So much had happened since that night. So much time had passed. Yet Seth felt it had just occurred.

They'd been quiet. Anxious. Determined. Success or failure rested totally on their shoulders. Their match that night had been a six-man tag match against Ryback, Daniel Bryan, and Kane. The Shield members had looked at each other just before walking into view of the audience. Then they had walked out cocky and confident. They had a plan, and they successfully executed it.

Well, almost successfully.

Seth slowly walked up the ramp, stopping to watch some of the crew set up ladders. Six years ago, he'd taken a bad fall off a ladder towards the end of their match and fallen awkwardly through two tables. Dean and Roman had been in the ring at the time and unaware of what had happened.

Seth never knew why it went wrong. Maybe the tables weren't positioned correctly. Maybe he fell at the wrong angle. Maybe Ryback pushed him before he was in position. However it happened, he remembered nothing from the time he flew off the ladder until his brothers were pulling him from the wreckage of the tables.

He remembered Dean's anxious face above him demanding to know if he was okay. Roman was helping him to his feet. He remembered asking them if they'd won, and Dean had maniacally grinned and replied 'Hell, yes!'. He and Roman had supported Seth who couldn't seem to get his legs to work as they backed away from the wreckage. Even as Roman guided them backstage, Dean was yelling smack at the three men in the ring.

After that, TLC had always been a special event for The Shield. Last year, it would've been their reunion match, having recently reformed the faction. But then Roman had gotten sick, and Kurt Angle had replaced him. The three of them had agreed that Kurt would wear Shield gear. They all respected Kurt. Dean especially had been in favor of not only providing Kurt with the correct ring gear but also in having Kurt join them in their traditional Shield entrance.

Seth slowly turned away, realizing he was going to be in the way of the crew setting up for the pay-per-view event. This TLC would also be a special event but not in the way they'd planned.

Roman was fighting for his life and forced to the sidelines to watch as Dean had turned on Seth and now would fight him at TLC for Seth's InterContinental title. For the past couple of months, Seth had struggled with a nagging sense of guilt that Dean had never really forgiven his betrayal back in 2014. Or that he'd said or done something that had alienated Dean beyond words. When Dean had returned from his own injury and brush with death, they'd formed a plan to reunite and take over the business…their old original idea. Yet somewhere along the way, Dean had developed his own agenda.

Kane had been right. Dean had taken the opportunity presented by Roman's departure to turn on Seth. But he was going to do it at some point. Which was not to say that Seth didn't still have questions.

How much of this was Dean Ambrose and how much was Jon Moxley? Was treachery planned before Dean even returned? And if Dean was so uncomfortable being back in The Shield why didn't he just open his damned mouth and say something about it? Since when did Dean Ambrose become so mealy-mouthed?

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'Takin' a nice little stroll down memory lane, Sethie?' Dean Ambrose stood in the shadows in the upper stands where The Shield used to make their entrances. 'Thinkin' about that first match? Feelin' all warm and fuzzy about those days of brotherhood?'

Dean winced as a sharp pain shot behind his left eye. He rubbed his left temple and rolled his shoulders. The pain slowly disappeared, and he opened his eyes. His blue eyes narrowed as he saw Seth disappear off the stage, heading into the back.

With a soft grunt, he walked out of the shadows and sat in one of the seats. He leaned back and watched as the crew began setting the stage for TLC. Rollins lost in thought about the 'good old days' was exactly where he wanted him to be.

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Seth shook his head as he walked backstage, expertly dodging people who darted back and forth, working to set up for a major event. Maybe one day he'd have answers, but that wasn't going to be today. He suddenly grunted as someone ran into him. He automatically reached out to steady the person who'd stumbled against him.

"Charly? Are you okay?"

Charly Caruso nervously glanced over her shoulder then nodded. "I'm sorry, Seth. Just wasn't watching where I was going."

Seth looked over her shoulder with a frown. He didn't see Dean but… "Did Ambrose say something to you?" he quietly asked.

"No!" Charly took a deep breath. "I haven't even seen him today. I just wasn't watching where I was going."

Seth patted her shoulder. "Well, if you do see him, just don't call him you-know-what, and it'll be fine. He's gonna be focused on me anyway."

Charly smiled and nodded.

Seth walked away with a smirk on his face. 'Besides, I may do that when we're in the ring.'

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(Sunday – 1 hour before TLC PPV)

'I know how crazy TLC is and how crazy it's going to get tonight. Just watch out for each other.'

Seth smiled, reading the text from Roman Reigns who had texted it to both his brothers. "I'm pretty sure Ambrose is going to be watching out," he chuckled under his breath. He hummed under his breath as he texted a reply.

'Thanks, Rome. Don't worry. Love to all.'

He clicked send, making sure Dean was included in the reply.

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Dean snorted as he read the text from Roman and the reply from Seth. "Yeah, keep those warm and fuzzy thoughts goin', Rollins." He texted a 'thumbs up' emoji and made sure it only went to Roman.

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(Sunday – 30 minutes after TLC PPV)

"Congratulations."

Startled, Dean looked up to see Kurt Angle standing in the doorway of his locker room.

Kurt stepped inside, letting the door softly close behind him. "I knocked, but I guess you didn't hear."

"Thanks." Dean slowly stood, laying the InterContinental belt on the bench next to him. "You guys did a number on Corbin."

Kurt shrugged although a slight smile danced across his lips. "I wasn't the only one who had a score to settle with him," he pointed out.

Dean rubbed his jaw. "So…you're gonna be the GM again?"

"I'm sure Vince will make an announcement on RAW tomorrow night about who's going to get that job." Kurt suddenly laughed. "Although it'll be amusing to watch Corbin try to get Vince to agree to let him remain on the job."

Dean grunted as he nodded.

"Well, I just stopped by to congratulate you." Kurt turned towards the door. "I hope you're prepared."

"For what?"

Kurt grinned over his shoulder as he opened the door. "Did you ever know Rollins to make the same mistake twice?"

Dean stood lost in thought long after the door closed behind Kurt.

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(Sunday – 1 hour after TLC PPV)

"Seth."

"Go away, Bayley."

Bayley bit her lower lip.

"Please."

"Okay," Bayley softly answered and closed the door to Seth's locker room. She turned to see the others waiting on her.

"That bad?" Sasha grimaced.

Bayley nodded. "He's just sitting on that bench looking so…" She struggled to find the words.

"There's a story," Finn Balor recalled. "A story about a man who wanted to know the truth about himself...the kind of man he was. He was told by the village elders that only when he'd lost everything and everyone would he know the truth about the kind of man he was. Seth found that out when fighting the Authority after he was injured." He nodded almost to himself. "He'll remember it."

"But he has us…his friends," Bayley quietly protested.

"And he'll realize that. Tomorrow. Or later," Kurt Angle promised. "But tonight…now, he feels like he's lost everything again." He glanced around. "Did he drive himself to the arena?"

"I drove us," Finn replied.

"Go ahead and take off," Kurt suggested. "I'll wait for him. If they start shutting down the building, I'll go in and get him. And make sure he gets back to the hotel."

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'Then get it into your head that this Ambrose isn't your brother.'

'…this Ambrose will play on your heartstrings.'

'You're gonna slip up. You're gonna lose it.'

Seth stood and furiously kicked his suitcase against the wall. Then he upended the bench and threw it against the opposite wall. His suitcase was then thrown towards the bench, landing on the floor and skidding towards the corner.

Seth kicked the overturned bench. Ambrose had played on his heartstrings. Just not the sentimental ones. He'd deliberately picked the ones to cause pain and anger. He felt red hot fury racing through his veins and pulled at his hair.

'I want my brothers back.'

He wanted to turn back the clock and tell Hunter to shove his offer and that he'd never betray his brothers.

'I want my brothers back.'

Healthy.

Not sick.

Not broken.

Never fighting for their lives.

'I want my brothers back!'

Standing shoulder to shoulder with them, holding out their fists together in both defiance and solidarity.

And Ambrose mocked him for that...used that knowledge against him. Ambrose or Moxley…he didn't care anymore which of them was responsible for what happened because he wasn't sure anymore if there was a difference between them.

Seth felt a knot of pressure building in his throat that threatened to choke him like some evil demon digging claws into his body and soul. He gasped for air and fell to his knees.

'I want my brothers back!'

Seth threw back his head and screamed.

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'I saw Dean earlier. He seemed okay. I'm waiting on Seth now. He needed some time alone. I'll take care of him tonight.'

Kurt sent the text and hoped it would relieve Roman's worry. When he couldn't get an answer from either of his brothers after their match, Roman had finally texted Kurt to see if he knew what was going on.

Kurt felt his phone buzzing and glanced down to see two messages. The first was from Roman.

'Thanks, Kurt. I'll try to touch base with them tomorrow.'

The second message was from Kane. Surprised, Kurt opened the message then snickered.

'Do you know where Rollins is? The brat was supposed to call me after his match. He's not answering his phone.'

"Brat, huh?" Kurt murmured. He quickly texted a reply.

'I'm waiting on him now to take him to the hotel. He needed some time alone. I'm sure he'll contact you tomorrow.'

He snickered when Kane immediately replied.

'He'd better.'

Kurt didn't mention the sound of things being thrown coming from the dressing room or Seth's screaming to either Roman or Kane. Roman would just worry, and it wasn't any of Kane's business. If Seth wanted to tell them, he would.

He looked up from his phone when the locker room door opened. He slid the phone into his pocket and watched as Seth slowly exited the room, pulling his suitcase behind him. He saw Seth's confused expression and smiled. "I told the others to leave, and I'd give you a ride to the hotel."

"Thank you," Seth quietly answered. He knew Kurt saw his reddened eyes and was grateful the older man didn't mention them. It wasn't until they were in Kurt's car that the silence was broken.

"What are you going to do?" Kurt quietly asked.

"I'm gonna burn it down," Seth answered just as quietly. "And Ambrose along with it."

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(Monday – RAW in Sacramento – 1 hour after airtime)

'There you are. Come to Daddy.'

One successfully applied sleeper hold later, and Seth stared down at the unconscious man. "It's so hard to get good help," he muttered.

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Seth watched as Dean strutted around the ring, the IC title over his shoulder, trash talking a mile a minute. Under different circumstances, he would have enjoyed watching and listening to him. When Dean repeatedly called him out, he inwardly chuckled. 'You had me dancing to your tune last night. But tonight, we're listening to my playlist.'

He watched Tyler Breeze accept Dean's open challenge for 'anybody not named Seth Rollins'. He knew Dean was going to overlook Breeze and planned to enjoy watching Dean get schooled. 'This is going to be fun while it lasts.'

As soon as Dean pinned Breeze, he grabbed a mic and began trash talking again. When Seth's music hit, Dean's head whipped around, eyes scanning the audience as his SWAT team ran to face the ramp leading from the stage to the ring.

All but one of them.

Seth ripped off the gas mask and rolled into the ring as the crowd began to roar. Laser-focused, each of Seth's punches were aimed for maximum force and impact. He knew he only had a few seconds before the SWAT team jumped him. But he made the most of it.

It only took seconds to throw the three members of Dean's SWAT team over the top rope. Then he was standing alone in the ring coldly glaring up at the stage where Dean's expression of confusion warmed his heart.

'Who's in control now?'

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Kurt Angle nearly doubled over laughing when he saw Seth lay out Baron Corbin with one punch. "You'd think even Corbin would've realized this isn't the night to push Rollins' buttons."

Shane McMahon shrugged. "Well, we are talking about Corbin," he pointed out.

Kurt chuckled then pulled his buzzing phone from his pocket. He nodded to Shane who walked away. He looked at the message and snorted.

'Not sure what you said to get the brat back on track. But good job. He told me things were going to be different tonight.'

"Wish I could take the credit," Kurt muttered. He texted, 'Don't put this one on me. He came up with this all on his own.' He then pocketed the phone and walked away.

He never saw a pair of cold blue eyes watching him.

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'Good job, little brother. Proud of you. Just promise me you won't lose yourself in this war.'

Roman Reigns didn't expect an immediate answer. It was late, and Seth would answer him tomorrow. He'd texted congratulations to Dean earlier for winning the IC title but had received no response.

Both his brothers had basically declared war on each other during RAW. He just hoped there would be something left that he could put back together when it was over. His eyes fell on a message he'd receive earlier from an unexpected source and opened the text to read it again. It was just as amusing and true as the first time he'd read it.

'Little brothers can be such pains in the ass.'

Yeah, the Undertaker still had a way with words.