Disclaimer: I don't own them, don't sue me, they belong to WWE.
DSRDSRDSRDSRDSRDSR
"Why am I not surprised to find you here alone?"
Seth looked up from the crappy talk show he was watching, because the hospital's cable selection was horrible, to find Dean leaning against the doorframe to his room.
"Come here to gloat? God know you've got the 'I told you so'." Seth said, not wanting to have his ass kicking at the hands of Randy Orton rubbed in his face.
"As fun as that sounds, the fact that you're in this hospital bed, and The Authority hasn't bothered to make sure that you're okay after that beating Orton dished out, is all the 'I told you so' I need," Dean said, taking a seat next the bed. "Now before you give me some delusional ramblings about how The Authority's been here, but couldn't stay because they have a huge company to run, believe me, they haven't. I was here all night until a few hours ago, when I went to get some sleep and some breakfast, and not one of them has shown their face or called to see how you were doing, I even checked with the nurse's station. And before you ask, they knew I was with you. They stood there and watched me climb into the ambulance."
Deep down, Seth knew that, but having it confirmed by Dean just made the realization that much more painful.
"Before you start wallowing in your self-pity pool, I have to say that you did deserve at least some of that ass kicking."
Seth frowned, "So was this your master plan? Use Orton to get back at me since you know The Authority won't let you get another shot at me?"
Dean rolled his eyes, "I can fight my own battles, thanks, and I've beaten your ass several times, if you'll remember. Besides, if this was my master plan, I wouldn't have bothered trying to warn you. Which I did, twice. You were set up; Hunter and Stephanie had already decided to throw Orton out of The Authority as far back as August and maybe earlier, they just used you as the patsy. Hunter's not the Cerebral Assassin for nothing, but age and injuries are catching up to him. He barely beat Orton at Wrestlemania Twenty-Five, he wouldn't stand a chance against Randy now. So you were sacrificed in order to placate Randy and save Hunter's career."
Seth looked at Dean for a long moment, he'd almost forgotten just how good of a mind Dean had for the business and people. The blond had always been the brain behind The Shield's mindgames and promos while Seth had masterminded the in ring strategy and Roman had handled the logistics of corralling their opponents. "You think this was the plan all along?"
Dean sighed, "I have to admit that I'm not entirely sure, but I doubt it. I think they were ultimately hoping to have the title in Authority hands before Randy got back so they could use that as leverage for his good behavior and possibly yours. Your performance at the Royal Rumble changed things. You came within a blink of being the new champion, but you did it without much help from Mercury and Noble. I think that's when they really realized that they couldn't let you get your hands on that title, so they decided to throw you to Orton, hoping that he take his rage out on you, and he fell for it."
Seth sighed, "So, what happens now?"
"It's up to you. Since you're awake and coherent, you don't need me to make your medical decisions for you. I can leave and you can go back to The Authority and hope that letting Orton hospitalize you was enough. Or, we can meet up with Roman and plan how to take those bastards down from the inside."
Seth smiled, there was no question what he wanted to do, "Let's take 'em down."
There were no words to describe the smile that spread across Dean's face. "I was so hoping you'd say that."
Dean had spent months carefully sowing the seeds to redeem Seth and destroy The Authority. He'd tended to them, watching for signs of water in The Authority's actions, and had been rewarded. His little seeds were shooting up, and if he was careful, kept the weeds away, they would bear the sweetest fruit: the return of his brother and The Authority's ultimate and permanent destruction.
The End.