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It felt like the whole world had come crashing down on top of him. His hand was raised. Something heavy, something golden was pressed against him and he found his arms holding it to very tight, as if someone might snatch it from him. Seth's eyes saw that title. He looked up found three faces glowing down at him. The lights danced behind their heads, he was sure he could hear the screaming of the crowd – cheering for him. Not for Lesnar. Not for Cena. For Seth Rollins. The man they'd booed, the man who'd received death threats; he'd carried the most heat. People had hated him. But now, in one swift move, everything had changed. Like throwing a brick at a window, he'd shattered their concept of him, had left it laying on the ground. Now all there was, was the reflection. His true self.
Roman and Dean heaved him up from on top of the prone body; they hoisted him onto their shoulders. Unsteady, but unable to stop the smile that broke his face, screwed so tight he thought it would never leave, he raised that title high above his head. He roared and they joined him. Some great elation that transcended boundaries, which went through TV screens, floated through the atmosphere. This was a night that would be remembered forever. The Wells Fargo Centre lit up with his victory.
There to celebrate it with him, were his brothers, and as he cast a short look down, his girl. A blow off years in the making, hints and whispers had slipped through on camera from their first days in NXT. They'd been quiet, careful, but no longer. His victory wasn't just the title. It was the joining of his family. He gripped a hold of Dean's hair to try and stay steady, eased himself down from their grasp, he landed, strap over one shoulder, his golden medal of honour. Nothing could hold him back, his deep breaths, his sweat, the heart beat so loud it pounded in his ears. His hand was on her face, slinked into her hair and she melted into his touch, the other arm around her waist as he pulled her in, their lips touched and mouths on fire. A kiss he'd been waiting for since this had all began. He could almost hear Roman and Dean's eyes rolling but didn't give a shit.
She tasted better than victory.
But even this feeling couldn't last. Because as that kiss ended as they looked into each other's eyes, pride, love, collapsed.
His own theme died. In its place, a heavy guitar strum, the whiskey gravel voice of Lemmy. His arm was still around Paige, Roman and Dean moved in closer. He knew this would happen. He'd planned everything until this moment. Every act, every word had been tailored. An architect could be a prophet if he knew every structure and every weakness. But now he'd run out of visions. King of Kings seemed louder than ever before.
'And this is where the shit rains.' He muttered. Paige squeezed his arm.
'You got this far.' Her strong accent, even then, made his stomach tightened. She could talk all day and he'd never tire. 'We'll carry you the rest of the way, right?'
A slow nod from Roman, who even then, kept his words to a minimum, Dean on the other hand was pacing back and forth, riling himself up, hitting the side of his face. Roman caught him by the neck of his t-shirt and held him in place so he didn't injure himself.
'Cool it.' he muttered.
Dean smirked at him. 'But the fun starts now. I've missed the fun.'
Seth shook his head, a small smirk curled his lips, but it soon disappeared.
Slowly strolling out from under the Titanitron, came trouble in an expensive suit. He'd walked along side this man. Called him his mentor, lied to his face for nearly a year, done what he'd asked, went to extremes to make sure he remained in power, so they'd never doubt him. The Game, Triple H stood next to his wife. To say they didn't look pleased was an understatement. Even from the distance from stage to ring, Seth could feel the glare burn holes in him. Triple H was shaking. But he had none to stand with him. Batista had fucked off to make movies, and in a bold move, Seth himself had taken out Randy Orton – had convinced Triple H he was a liability, manipulated the situation so that Orton, the only one who'd been onto him, was out of the picture. J&J security were nowhere to be seen – maybe if he had the chance, he'd apologize to them later. They'd been loyal to him, not to the Game.
The music faded. The crowd jeered, booed. But for almost a full minute, they were at a standoff. Triple H was still, silent, Stephanie too. They shook, it was clear, and even the crowd understood the tension and near muted themselves.
After what felt like an eternity, the microphone raised to the Game's mouth.
'Seth Rollins.'
A small cheer rippled, erupted throughout the arena, and Seth looked around them, pleased. Being booed constantly had been draining.
'You...I invested everything in you. I gave you opportunities. I rose you up from the dirt. I made you what you are! And this, this is how you thank me. This is what you do in return. With them, you're nothing. That title – you should be thanking me for that. I should be raising your hand. You were the face of the Authority. You were everything. Now...' the rage, it shook his voice. He was trying to stay calm, you could see it. But the anger...Stephanie had a hand on her husband's arm, she leaned in, a whisper into that ear – snake like mutterings, tempting. 'No one. No one crosses the Game.' He pointed straight at Seth, a bullet finger that made him flinch. 'You will pay for this. All of you will pay. And you'll suffer for your choice Seth as each,' he moved the finger to Roman, pretended to shoot, 'one,' this time to Dean, 'of your friends' to Paige. Seth moved protectively in front of her, but defiant, she refused to be hidden, and stood by his side. 'is destroyed. And you'll watch Seth. I'll make you watch. Because you can't stop what I'm going to do; you can try, but you'll fail every time. This little reunion, your precious Shield will burn. All of you!'
The microphone hit the floor.
The feedback screamed through Seth's ears. The music didn't play. The Authority stood. The Shield didn't back down. Time ticked and Seth felt Paige's hold on him tighten. He had nothing to say to the Game. None of them did. Finally, those hulking shoulders near throbbing with his anger, the Game turned, Stephanie following suit – silent for the first time in her life. King of Kings played them out, but Seth didn't hear it. He glanced to each of his brothers, to Paige, looked into each face and each set of eyes. They knew what would happen, that they would be punished too. They'd accepted it, even when Seth had tried to talk them...talk her out of it. But they couldn't be apart any longer. He was nothing without the Shield but a conductor without an orchestra. Dean and Roman had both become lost, found themselves in meaningless feuds for something to get out of bed for, their true fight had been keeping the truth concealed.
But now, Seth knew it would be a battle to stay ahead. They'd fought wars before. They were dog soldiers, hounds trained to kill.
'Are you ready for this?' he asked. It wasn't to any one of them. It was even to himself. Was he ready for the consequences of his actions?
'Yes.'
'Fuck yeah.'
'Can't wait.'
Seth, a little unsteady, still unsure, stretched out his arm in front of him, hand in a fist. Roman followed, Dean, head bobbing, still frenzied, managed to join. A last look from all three of them to Paige; but she wore that smile that reached those dark eyes, cocky, sexy as hell, determined as ever. She was the strongest woman he'd ever met. She wasn't his; he most certainly was hers. Paige was a part of this. She was the Shield as much as any of them. With a nod, she raised her fist to the sky, let the audience, let the world know something which would rock the foundations of the WWE forever.
'I'm in.'
Four fists connected. Shared looks, shared beliefs, shared fight. Together they would be gods. Immortality achieved; if they could survive the onslaught to come. But for those few peaceful minutes, Seth felt at peace. Here, then, he was home.
