Two days passed before Dolph returned to the ring, but Pandora didn't return alongside with him. It took every last drop of willpower within Seth to hold back from beating the shit out of Dolph in the ring. He knew that if he did, he would never find out where she was.
A week went by like that. Only Dolph was at the arenas. Each hotel they checked in to, they saw Dolph walking in and out, but his or Pandora's name were never in any of the hotels' databases. Whatever fake name he used to check in, no one knew.
For the entire week her phone was shut off. Seth called at least once every hour, left voicemail after voicemail, texted her numerous times, always leaving his room number for her on each hotel they went to, begging for her to reach out and contact him or anybody at all. He just needed to know that she was okay.
Lana and Rusev were walking through the arena. They were on their way out of the place to go back to the hotel when Lana's phone rang. Her eyes widened when she saw the caller ID. She grabbed Rusev's arm, and stopped before answering.
"Pandora?" Lana asked.
Rusev's eyes widened too when he heard his girlfriend ask that name.
"Lana?" Pandora's voice sounded on the other end.
"It's me, baby girl. Where are you?" Lana asked.
"Oh Lana, it's horrible. I can't take it anymore," Pandora cried.
"Hang on just two seconds, baby girl. Don't hang up on me. Just hang on," Lana said.
She put her hand over the phone, so Pandora couldn't hear her. Then she turned to Rusev.
"Go find Seth, and bring him here," she said.
"They're in the ring right now," Rusev said.
"Then go and wait for them to be done. Don't let them get away. Bring them here fast," Lana shooed him away.
"Are you still there, baby girl?" Lana asked into the phone.
"Yeah," Pandora answered.
"Where are you?" Lana asked.
Rusev waited in the hallway right outside the top of the stairs as The Shield made their way out of the ring and out of the arena that way.
"Rusev?" Dean spotted him first.
"You need to come with me fast. Lana's got her on the phone," Rusev said.
Seth's eyes immediately turned from angry to concerned.
"Where is she?" He shouted.
"Come with me," Rusev said.
He took off with all three Shield members right behind him.
"Where is she?" Seth screamed the moment he saw Lana.
"Hey hey, calm down," Roman placed a hand on Seth's arm to hold him back.
"Seth, listen to me. Dolph has had his dad reserve rooms in each hotel under his name. That's why you haven't been able to find them. He took her phone from her, but she managed to sneak it out of his bag today before he went here," Lana quickly explained.
"I don't care about that. Just tell me where she is," Seth begged.
"Here is Dolph Ziggler!"
All eyes turned to the monitor in the room next to him, and they watched Dolph walk down to the ring. Lana cracked a little smile.
"Perfect timing. Go get her now. Room 709," Lana said.
Seth sprinted out of the arena with Roman and Dean hot on his trail. He ran into the hotel. He couldn't wait for the slow elevator to arrive, so he flew up the stairs instead. He didn't stop until he was in front of the door to room 709. He tried the handle but of course it was locked. He started pounding his fists into the door, calling her name, begging for her to open. Roman and Dean joined in on the banging. All three men pounded away, screaming for her to open, but there was no response from the other side.
"Stand back!" Seth shouted.
Dean and Roman had hardly moved out of the way before Seth started kicking the door in.
With the fourth kick the door finally opened, and Seth pushed his way through the broken wood. He scanned the room quickly, but the room was empty. He went to the bathroom only to find that door locked too. Without thinking he kicked that open as well. It gave way easier than the other door, and he found himself inside the bathroom within seconds.
"No, no, no!" He yelled as he ran to her.
She was passed out on the floor. She looked horrible from the blows Dolph had been delivering to her through out the week, but Seth couldn't focuse on that right now. Next to her was her phone and an empty bottle of pills, and it was the last item that concerned him the most right now.
"Come on, baby, you don't get to give up now. We've come too far to end this way," he yanked her body towards the shower.
He held her around her waist with one arm as he stuck two fingers down her throat. Both Dean and Roman sighed in relief behind them when she started vomiting a few seconds later.
"That's it, baby, get it all out of your system," Seth said.
Dean's phone started ringing, and he took it out of his pocket.
"Hello?" He asked.
"He's coming. Dolph's on his way back. I hope you got her out of there already," Lana's voice sounded from the other end.
"We're working on it. Thanks Lana," Dean hung up.
"Lana?" Roman looked at Dean.
"Yeah, I figured it was a good idea to give her my number. Turns out I was right," Dean answered before touching Seth's shoulder. "Alright, we need to go. Dolph's on his way back here.
"Let's go, baby," Seth lifted up her unconscious body, and carried her out of the room.
Dean ran ahead, and pushed the button to the elevator. He held the door open, and waited for them to get there.
"Give me your key cards," Roman held out his hand.
Dean and Seth gave them to him.
"Get her to the car. I'll grab our stuff quickly, and then we'll get the hell out of here before Dolph realizes we got her," Roman said, and then he ran towards the stairs.
"Is she alright?" Dean asked as the elevator closed.
"She's breathing. That's all that matters right now," Seth answered.
He laid her down on the back seat of the car, and sat next to her, gently pulling her head up on his lap. He ran his hand over her face while trying to hold back his tears.
"Look what he did to my baby," he said in a low tone as he traced the bruises on her face.
"Don't worry, he'll pay for this," Dean said.
Roman came running towards the car with three bags in his hands. He threw them in the trunk, and got in the car. Three seconds later they were leaving the parking lot.
"Get Lana on the phone. Put it on speaker," Seth said.
Dean took out his phone and called.
"Hello?" Lana asked.
"We got her, Lana, we got her," Dean said.
"Thank god," Lana said.
"Lana, which name have you reserved your hotel room under?" Seth asked.
"Rusev's. Why?" Lana asked back.
"Can I get you to reserve a suite in your name? I'll pay of course. I just need to be able to keep her safe somehow, and you know damn well Dolph will check to see if she or any of us have checked in," Seth said.
"Of course. I'll do it right away," Lana hung up before any of them could thank her.
Three minutes later a text from Lana arrived.
"All taken care of. Reserved in my name, and they know a handsome man will come for the key soon. Up to you to decide which one of you is handsome."
"Odd time to joke," Roman said, but couldn't help but smile.
"We need it right about now," Dean smiled too.
