This turned out a lot different than I was originally planning. It might warrant a sequel, if the readers believe as I do. So stick around till the end - it may surprise you. ;)

Everyone was watching.

Everyone.

Just an hour later the clip was still on repeat worldwide. Several viewers had uploaded recorded footage of the replay and posted it to Youtube. One of the videos had nearly fifty-thousand views.

The Miz was hysterical with elation. He'd been right. Best show of all time.

He didn't care about the aftermath.

Those views were climbing and that was good enough for him.

Seth Rollins was exasperated.

All the times I played out that moment in my head. Never thought it would go down like that.

Armed with his title belt, he stalked towards his locker room. He didn't need to be out there any longer. He didn't want to see or hear from anybody. He'd left a baffled Dean behind on the mat to contemplate what had just happened, again.

Only this time, he'd hurt Dean a little less.

And Seth didn't regret a thing.

Dean was a hell of a kisser.

But this wasn't going to go over well with others. Especially not-

"ROLLINS! Are you crazy?"

Channeling Vickie Guerrero, nailing that shrill pitch, Stephanie McMahon charged at him like a bull after a red flag. She waved her arms frantically. "You mind telling me what in the hell that was!?"

"I don't know, Stephanie," Seth said, licking his lips. Dean's taste remained on them. He refrained from licking them again, to preserve it. "What did you think it was? Because whatever you saw, that's probably it."

Stephanie's face was rose red beyond her professional makeup. Her teeth were clenched so tight that Seth felt they might crack and fall right out of her mouth any second. "Hunter is livid. I am livid."

"I can see that."

"We're humiliated for you. You hear me?" She forced her face up into his. A long fingernail poked into his shirt, accusing. "Absolutely repulsed by your actions!"

"Guy-on-guy action doesn't turn you on?"

Her nostrils dilated wide as her pupils. "We don't give a damn about that. But of everyone you're going to get it on with in the ring in front of millions of people, why in the hell did it have to be Dean Ambrose?"

"Well, I called up Randy Orton for the part, but he said he's busy with Cena backstage."

"Don't be a smart-ass with me, Rollins. You're the face of the company, and by pulling a stunt like that, you're shaming us."

"It wasn't a stunt, Stephanie." Seth glowered. "I couldn't help it. It was a rush of emotions…a heated thing…"

"You couldn't help it? You could have tried not kissing him. It's kind of easy to not kiss someone. You could have just beaten the hell out of him and left it at that. Or are you seriously trying to tell me after all this time, after all the two of you have been through, you truly still have feelings for him?"

Seth didn't mean to lick his lips again, but he did. He could taste Dean again, almost feel him pressed against him…then, like the moment, it was gone.

"It's complicated."

"My ass. Where are your loyalties, Seth? Hmm? They still with Ambrose, or are they with us?"

"I've been the face of this company for almost a year now. I'm the future, remember? If I wanted to go back to Ambrose, I would have gone back to him a long time ago."

"No. You wouldn't have. You would have stayed here, for that." She thrust the accusing finger at his title now. Seth pressed his hand over the belt as though its feelings would have been hurt if it witnessed her allegation. "You know you can't get anywhere in this company without us. You know that championship is only yours because of us."

Seth scoffed. "Are you kidding? I've been getting better and better at my job every single day. I'm the champion of the world because I'm the best there is. That's why you picked me out of everyone to represent the company. Because I'm the man, and you believed in what I could do. And I haven't let you down thus far. You need me to look good."

Stephanie was smiling with a wide-open mouth now. "Is that so? You really think you can carry on without the Authority backing you?"

No, something inside Seth screamed. Of course you need them, idiot. Take it back. "I'm the man," Seth said more to himself than to her. "You and Hunter see it. I believe it."

"If that's the way you feel, Seth, then I guess we won't be needing your services anymore."

Seth's heart picked up its pace. "You're dropping me?"

"Well, if you don't need us, then we'll just have to find someone else to fill your place. Someone who isn't a total Judas. Maybe even someone like Dean Ambrose."

Seth's throat rumbled with a growl. You stay away from him. "He'd never go for that."

"Oh, and neither would Hunter. That's a fact."

"You're really cutting me out like this, Stephanie?" Take it back. Take it back. You're screwed against Brock Lesnar at Battleground if you don't have some backup. And who's gonna help you out there? Roman? Dean?

But he couldn't back down now. His pride pressed on. "Not gonna discuss it with the big bossman? You think he'd want to just let go of the face of the company?"

"He and I agreed what's best for business is to have someone who is loyal to the Authority. Through everything. Even a moment of weakness, a setback or two."

"What are you saying then?"

"I'm offering a proposition." Her voice sank to low-toned business attire. "I cancelled a match between the Ascension and the Lucha Dragons to make a little more time in the program. You get in that ring and you tell everyone it was a mistake, that you did it to confuse Ambrose, to taunt him, to humiliate him, whatever excuse you come up with, I don't care. And you tell them where your heart truly lies."

Seth's eyes sank to the floor. Her voice coaxed him on, soft in his ear.

"Hunter said if you do that, if you're honest with the world, we've got your back at Battleground. Mistakes happen. You can have redemption here. Please don't make us regret giving you the chance. After all, you can lie to yourself all you want, but without us…" She rapped her long painted nails on his belt plate. "You never would have gotten this. And you know it."

Seth didn't give her an answer.

"I'll let you think about it. I have faith you'll make the right call."

And she left him alone.

Dean Ambrose was on cloud nine.

No, really. His body ached from his and Seth's brief scuffle, but he could hardly feel any physical tolls from his segment on Miz TV. His heart was spinning in frantic circles inside his chest, slapping against his ribcage. His feet felt nonexistent, like gentle summer winds were transporting him to the locker room instead of movement on his own.

Because he'd been right.

Seth still loved him.

He loved himself. He'd said it aloud. He loved his title. He even loved the Authority. Dean might have not held first prize in Seth's life, first place in a list of priorities…

But he'd made the list.

Seth Rollins still loved him.

Dean's bliss carried him all the way to the locker room. It evaporated when he pushed inside and saw Roman Reigns there, planted on a bench, hands wrapped around the edge of the plank, eyes watching a spot on the floor like it was an interesting television show.

Not more interesting than what had happened on the Miz's show, though.

"Hey."

"Hey." Roman didn't look up, but flinched as if he was about to do so, then remembered he didn't want to look at Dean after all.

"So."

"So."

Dean rolled his eyes. Enough with the echoes. "You saw the show."

Roman bobbed his head. "I did."

"You…mad, or—?"

Finally, Roman's head tipped up, and his line of sight went from the floor to the ceiling just above Dean's head. "Not mad. Just…" He racked his brain for a word and couldn't find one that matched perfectly.

Dean ventured a guess. "Confused? Annoyed? Jealous?"

"Suspicious."

He hadn't expected that one. "Suspicious?"

"Why would he kiss you, Dean?" Roman pushed himself off the bench. At long last, eye contact with his best friend. "He hates us. Hates you. He stabbed both of us in the back, left us to join the Authority, and now all of a sudden he's pinning you to the mat and making out with you? Why?"

"Well…I mean, most people kiss other people to show how they feel about them."

"Nuh-uh." Roman wagged a finger. "Don't buy into it, Dean. It didn't mean anything you think it means, and probably want it to mean."

"Want it to mean—?"

"Dean, I know about your feelings. I was the one you'd stay up all night with crying over how much you missed him, how much he hurt you, remember? After all this time, he's still capable of hurting you, and that's not fair. Just seeing you in this much pain hurts me, too. He's abusing your feelings. Taking advantage of them."

"Roman—"

Roman set his hands on Dean's shoulders. "He's made you a target again, Dean. All year. Ever since he left. Back and forth, this table tennis-like destruction. This is part of that. And I'm not going to sit back and let him walk all over you again."

"It was real," Dean insisted. "I—I know it was. You weren't there, so you couldn't have possibly—"

"I watched it, Dean. I watched the entire thing like I was there." Pain flashed in his eyes, then disappeared in a blink. "And I know the guy. He's a coward and a traitor. He did things we never thought family could do."

Dean drew a breath through his nose. "I just…"

"I know, Dean, and I'm so sorry. He's still got a hold on you. He knows how to get to you, how to get inside your head. Especially after tonight. But this isn't the past, Dean. You have to let it go. Let him go. Trust me. We're better off without him."

Maybe…just maybe…Roman had a point…the longer Dean listened to it, the more he was starting to buy into the fact that maybe this was all part of a master manipulation ploy. Seth would have to be a real bastard to get a kick out of screwing with Dean's heart.

But he'd seen it in Seth's eyes. Felt it in that kiss. It was hard to dispute…

"Just…watch your back, okay? And I'll protect you like I always do. Like I always have. Like I always will. But please, I'm begging you, Dean. Don't buy into it. Please."

His eyes were sincere, desperate, longing. Dean couldn't resist his best friend.

"Okay. We'll just…see how things play out then. I guess."

Dean turned to leave Roman be.

"Oh, and Dean?"

"Yeah?" Dean called over his shoulder.

"You were right about one thing. I was jealous."

This prompted Dean to turn back around, incredulous. "You—you were?"

"Of course I was." Roman folded his arms over his chest like he was mad, but he was smiling weakly. "He'd be nuts not to be crazy about you. If he really was."

Dean blushed. "Crazy about me, huh, Roman?"

"Yeah. Have been for a while."

"Why didn't you ever say anything?"

"You ever try confessing feelings to someone who was always pining after another? Gets to be a moot point eventually. That would be like Kane suddenly telling Stephanie McMahon he's in love with her. Dumb. Futile. Bye."

Guilt pricked at Dean's insides alongside flattery. "Wow, Roman. That's…wow."

"But you don't have to let me down. I know you don't feel the same way. Not like what you feel for Rollins. I just hope you get over that soon. Not for my sake, but your own. I love you, Dean Ambrose, and I need you to be okay."

"I'll be okay, Roman." Dean's heart thumped wildly again behind his chest. All this time…Roman…my best friend…good love story waiting to happen, if it wasn't for—

"Go on, get some rest. You deserve it after that spiel on Miz TV."

"I sure do. Might need some aspirin for this headache, too. God, Miz's voice annoys me."

Roman chuckled. It sounded sad.

Dean opened up his arms for a hug. It didn't feel quite like hugs in the past. Somehow he felt like he was holding onto someone else in those couple of seconds. Roman's hand lingered on his back, and Dean pulled away before it turned into a moment of their own. Off the air. "I'll…see you in a bit, Roman."

"Okay. Bye, Dean."

"And hey. Thanks for not hating me. Blaming me. Whatever."

"Never."

For the main event, Seth was supposed to have a match against Brock Lesnar. Not for his title, heavens no. The Authority wouldn't take that risk with Battleground drawing so near. Not that he was concerned with that match. Not by much. Okay, maybe a little, but he couldn't focus on that right now. He had to listen to Stephanie. Get this crap out of the way so he could focus on it.

What was most important.

The company. The Authority. His only friends left. The title match. The belt.

Dean.

"No," he mumbled to himself. He'd been prepping himself for this rigmarole backstage so he wouldn't flub a coerced line. It was the heat of the moment, Seth thought over and over again. I'm only human. I'm prone to mistakes. I'm prone to weakness. But let it be known that I'm learning how to overcome that weakness. Dean Ambrose might be so pitiful that he just can't cope with his feelings for me, but guess what? I don't care. Because I joined the Authority, and I am here to stay. On top.

He could convince the audience. Convince the Universe. Convince the Authority, his main goal.

Now he just needed to convince himself.

Even if I'm lying, who cares? They don't have to know that…they don't have to know I'm still in love with—

He cut the thought off with an aggressive shout aloud. "No!"

His music cued outside.

Time to move.

Seth was surprised. Usually at this point he was met with a surge of boos he'd have to swim through to get to the ring before he drowned. But these people, if they were not quiet, they were…cheering. Like he'd done something good. Something right. Something wonderful.

He felt himself smiling and forced it down into a scowl.

Stomped to the ring with aggression that looked like an act to anyone paying close enough attention.

They were swept up in a chant before he even made it to the center of the ring. It was hard to tell exactly what they were chanting in-between five loud claps. Either "We want Ambrose!" or "You want Ambrose!" or "You love Ambrose!"

The "Ambrose" line was very clear.

Seth smirked at them. He couldn't remember the last time a crowd actually cheered for him. It felt nice. "What's that?" he asked them. "You guys are saying you want to see Dean Ambrose out here?"

The audience erupted in screams.

"You want him out here instead of me…" This got little reaction. "…or…you want him out here…with me?"

This was the activation. The fans exploded with approval, shaking the entire arena.

Seth glanced towards the TitanTron. The Authority had lined up beneath the colossal screen. Triple H's hands were folded in front of him. Stephanie's were crossed. J&J looked ready to burst into laughter at him. Kane…was Kane. He always looked irritated at something.

Seth laughed out loud in his typical fashion, then molded his face into another scowl for their sake. "Earlier tonight, we all got the surprise of our lives." His throat felt dry suddenly. He swallowed a couple of times to counter the thirst. "On Miz TV, Dean Ambrose and I…" He closed his eyes, and the memory played over in his head. He cut it to black before he smiled like a goof again. "Kissed."

"You love Ambrose!" Clap, clap, clap clap clap. He was certain that's what they were saying. "You love Ambrose!"

Seth ran a hand over his mouth. "Listen, guys, hey…shut up and listen!" he barked, but it came across more as a puppy's yelp. "What I did earlier was…weak. I was very…weak." His words were out of mind. Like he was incapable of lying now. Time to improvise. "It got very emotional. You all saw it. And I just had to work hard to fight that…that weakness. It didn't work out too well for me."

"You love Ambrose!" Clap, clap, clap clap clap. "You love Ambrose!" Clap, clap, clap clap clap.

"I do not—!" he tried, but the lie was stuck in his throat. "Listen, guys, I love where I am right now. In case you all forgot, I am the face of this company. I am a proud member of the Authority. I am your WWE World Heavyweight Champion!" He raised the belt high above his head. Finally, some boos, some disapproval…he never realized how miserable that was until just now. He didn't like being hated much…

"And I came out here right now to lay the rumors to rest, okay? I—I came out here to tell you guys, once and for all, that—"

Hunter looked bored. Spit it out already, his face read.

Stephanie was just grinning like she wasn't expecting him to go through with it. Faith in me, my ass, Seth thought.

The belt felt very heavy in his hand after holding it up for so long. He brought his back down to his side, his eyes following it. He'd worked so hard for this title. He'd sacrificed a lot for it.

Broke hearts. Broke bodies. Tore and scratched and clawed his way to victory…

But it cost him. It cost the two people he loved most in the world.

Damage he could never fully repair.

Actions he could never take back.

But he'd done it. He couldn't take it back.

Now he was the victor. The champion.

And what would change if he stood up here and lied to the world? What good would spewing bullshit do if he knew what was really true?

The Authority couldn't demote him as champion. Not fairly. What were they going to do, strip him of his title belt for having feelings? If they did, he could fight back.

He could retain against Brock Lesnar. He'd fought that Goliath before and he'd do it again.

Seth Rollins was a man in love. He could do anything.

All he could lose by standing in this ring and professing an untruth was Dean Ambrose.

And he didn't want to lose Dean again. It was damaging enough the first time.

He repeated himself, powering his last words with confidence and finishing the sentence out strong. "I came out here to tell you guys, once and for all, that I am in love with Dean Ambrose!"

The foundation of the building felt cracked. These people were near ready to quake the entire place to the ground.

The Authority, obviously, was cross about his revelation.

"It's true. I'm crazy about the Lunatic Fringe. I love him. And you know what? I'm the WWE World Heavyweight Champion, and I'm in love with Dean Ambrose! I am the happiest man in the world! I am on top!" He lifted his belt, and the microphone, boasting to the world. The Universe approved highly.

Seth craned his head towards his bosses—his former bosses, anyway, as he came to the conclusion they'd surely drop him after this. "The Authority told me to come up here and tell you all it was a mistake. That I could get redemption by owning up to my error and claim none of it mattered. But it does matter! Dean means the world to me. The only redemption I need in life lies with him. As I look into this camera, cheeks burning red and this dumbass smile on my face, and say…" Seth pressed his look into the recording device before him. "Dean Ambrose, I'm sorry. And Roman? I'm sorry. I did back then what I thought I had to do. Just like I'm doing now. It might cost me, it might hurt in some areas…but I have to own up to who I really am. I can be selfish. I can be scared sometimes. I can cower behind someone, like the Authority. But you know what? I've grown up since then. I want to like myself again. And being honest is a good start. And I will retain my championship against Brock Lesnar on Sunday, by myself. I don't need the Authority. I don't need anybody…" Seth licked his lips. "Except him. Without him, I'm…" He shook his head, glance falling to his feet now. "Incomplete."

The praise he received was sweet, touching. No wailing fangirls and fanboys, no chants and jeers and hoots and hollers. Classy applause, commending Seth's humility and dignity.

Seth turned around, glancing up towards the audience, not putting his gaze anywhere near the front of the arena where the Authority was probably still standing, frowning, judging him.

He didn't realize they were gone.

"Dean, if you're out there, if you're listening…we'd love to see you," he spoke. "I'd love to see you."

The spectators concurred with their standard howling and whooping. The chants were blended now with Ambrose's name, and Seth's own. "Ambrose! Ambrose! Rollins! Rollins!"

When the cheers strengthened to full-on screaming. Someone had arrived. Seth turned his head and saw Dean Ambrose emerging from backstage. The Authority was nowhere to be found. Dean slowly strolled to the center of the walkway, then stayed there. His smile went far past his lips. His eyes were smiling. His teeth were glistening white. He stood up straight and tall, chin lifting to the ring, to Seth.

Seth smiled with pressed lips at him. He nodded his head, reaffirming he'd truly done the right thing this time. For once. "Not much else to say," he sighed into the microphone, chuckling, slightly coy, playful. "I love you, Dean."

Dean moved his head from side to side, absorbing the energy of the crowd, the mood of this atmosphere. Seth had lightened it to maximum heights that broke through the ceiling. Then he returned his gaze to Seth.

"What do you think, guys?" Seth asked, walking himself in a circle around the ring. "Think we make a good pair?"

A seismograph within a five-mile radius of this place would have wonked out at the sudden eruption of the crowd. Dean actually had to cover his ears to preserve his hearing, but he was laughing.

Seth couldn't have been happier…unless Dean was actually in the ring with him. Kissing him again. He waved his hand, beckoning Ambrose to join him. "Come on," he said.

Dean sauntered in his direction.

Suddenly a force so fast it was almost blurry rushed up behind Dean and knocked him to the ground with a full-bodied tackle. Dean cried out. Seth gasped.

The mighty blur sharpened into Brock Lesnar, who lifted a stupefied Dean into his arms and executed an F5. Dean's body slapped the hard floor. Paul Hayman was swaggering up behind him, at a much calmer pace than his client, the Beast Incarnate.

"DEAN!" Seth cried out, enraged. He leaped over the ropes, hitting the ground with both feet, and charged towards the attacker.

Before he made it all the way, Brock Lesnar captured Dean Ambrose again and fastened him into a Kimura Lock.

"Stop right there!" Paul Hayman bellowed into a microphone of his own.

Seth jerked to a halt, both hands up in front of him. He knew what would happen if he disobeyed. He hadn't even realized his belt had fallen off his shoulder, left behind alone in the ring.

"You know, Seth, I just want to thank you on behalf of my client, Brock Lesnar," Paul Hayman spoke. "He didn't feel he needed anything against you to defeat you at Battleground on Sunday. He figured he would just raise hell and send your ass to Suplex City. Simple, sweet, gets the job done. But neither of us had any idea that you would be stupid enough to get up there, into that ring, and profess in front of all these people, your precious devotion to Dean Ambrose."

Seth drew in angered breaths and pushed them out with that same furious fright. His hands lingered in the air, now trembling. Brock Lesnar could have broken Dean's arm in half a second. He had to be careful.

Hunter appeared in the distance behind Paul Hayman. He was watching with folded hands again, curious about the results. Seth wouldn't have been surprised if Triple H told him to do this specifically. Hunter knew the pain of watching your best friend helplessly trapped in the terrible submission hold, a broken arm pending…

"And now, Brock Lesnar knows as well as I do just how to push your buttons. I guess it should have been obvious, but hey, we thought maybe there was a chance you'd stick to one side for once. Silly me." He shrugged dramatically. "It couldn't have worked out better, Seth…now he knows exactly how to break you…by breaking Dean."

Lesnar took it as a cue.

He bent Dean Ambrose's arm until it snapped. Dean screamed. The audience panted from the tension. Lesnar released Dean to flail on the floor in agony.

"NO!" Seth roared, charging forward with nothing to lose now.

Lesnar was ready for it. He caught Seth in a hold, hosted him over his shoulders, and conducted another gruesome F5. Seth's figure clouted the hard floor. Pain blossomed through his body.

Paul Hayman laughed into his microphone. Seth struggled to assimilate in the suffering.

But suddenly the crowd was cheering again.

Roman Reigns had arrived.

He started by Spearing Paul Hayman right to the floor. Lesnar tried to grab him, but Roman already had a Superman punch loaded in his arm. He sprung into the air and smashed his fist into Lesnar's face.

Seth rolled onto his side and watched the action from the ground. Dean was still floored a little ways ahead of him. Seth strived to crawl in his direction.

Roman stood protectively in front of the fallen Seth and Dean, shaking his arms, still unleashing a prolonged holler after the Superman punch. He glared at Hunter, who made no effort to defend his new righthand man (apparently.)

Lesnar staggered to his feet, aided by a pained Paul Hayman. He looked ready to bulldoze over the former Shield members, but instead he shot daggers at Roman and said, "He's still all mine on Sunday."

Triple H, Lesnar, and Paul Hayman made off on their own. Roman didn't move from his spot until they were gone. Then he twisted around and fell to his knees beside Dean. Dean gripped his tricep tight in his good hand, wheezy breathing, sweat-beaded face.

Seth made it over to him, pulling himself to a sitting position. "God, Dean, are you okay? I'm so sorry—he came out of nowhere—I wanted to get you out of it, but—"

"It's done, Seth," Roman said, sounding irritated. What had Seth done wrong? He hadn't planned this out. He didn't want Lesnar to break Dean's arm.

"I'll get him back for this," Seth promised in a growl. He put a hand on Dean's forehead. Though pain still contorted his face, in a way he looked a bit comforted. He fell against Seth's touch and stopped shaking so badly.

Roman stared Seth down. But something in his eyes told a different story than the righteous anger protruding off him.

"You better."

It was all he had to say.

What do you think? Should I wrap this up in a third story about revenge and redemption? Let me know!