Summary: Post Wrestlemania. Ties into Obsession, Disturbing, Road Trip and Fear.

Roman wanted to celebrate despite the fact that he'd have to be up early for an appearance on Good Morning America. Due to the length of the show and the late hour, he knew that it wouldn't be with his family. His wife and daughter were proud but exhausted and looking forward to going back to the hotel to rest. His parents had left right after his match ended because they had an early morning flight. The same went for his brother, sisters and their children.

Even Jimmy and Jey had begged off, citing how exhausted they were after a very long Wrestlemania week. But they promised that they'd do something after Smackdown finished taping. He understood the logic because it had been a week filled with media appearances, photo shoots, events, signings and the like. It definitely zapped your energy and made you crave your bed. But he was riding high on adrenaline and too keyed up to rest.

He looked around the arena, trying to find Dean. But his usual partner in crime was nowhere to be found. Which was odd. Normally he'd be backstage bouncing off the walls with more energy than someone who had been in a match should possess and ready to party at a moments notice. The younger man never refused grabbing a few cold ones after a show, it was a time honored decompression session for wrestlers since the start of the business.

When he entered the locker room, he saw the empty stall that the dirty blonde had used and sighed. He should have been expecting that. Dean's match with Brock hadn't been what his brother wanted. He'd wanted an epic, bloody war and gotten the beast's typical suplex/F-5 barrage that in no way resembled a No Holds Barred Street Fight. Because of that, his Wrestlemania moment had once again been denied and he had failed at proving that he could take down the beast.

But he had been hoping that he'd stick around. Now that Mania was over, they could get their brotherhood back on track. Put the tension and uneasiness that sprung up between them in the past. Get back to the easy, fun camaraderie that they had enjoyed for years. Forget everything else and just tear it up like they had been doing since they started teaming together.

He dropped down on the bench and rubbed his hands over his face. Obviously, that was wishful thinking. Another example of him not wanting to deal with the issues below the surface. Ignoring that they even existed and just keep moving. Onward, upward and all that optimistic bullshit that he clung to.

Lost in his thoughts, he didn't realize that he was no longer alone. That someone had entered the locker room and taken a seat on the bench across from him. Their eyes locked on his trouble form and a slight frown curving their mouth. He would have remained oblivious to the presence if they hadn't spoken.

"Hey Rome."

His head shot up, eyes widening in disbelief as they stared at the person.

Seth gave him a small smile, "Glad to have you keeping it warm for me again until I get back."

Roman blinked, wondering if he was imagining things. Other than the desperate call that he made when he was tired and worried, they hadn't spoken in a long time. Hadn't really talked behind the scenes since the chair shot heard around the world.

"How you feeling?" The former architect of the shield inquired, studying him seriously.

"What are you doing here?"

"You knew I was here."

A small growl of frustration slipped from him, "I mean why are you here, in my locker room, acting like this is normal?"

The younger man adjusted his position, stretching his injured leg out in front of him and his gaze turned piercing. "Where's Dean?"

"I dunno," He forced a shrug and hoped it looked casual. "Around, somewhere."

"No, he's not." Seth rolled his eyes. "I saw him after his match. Thought about approaching him but the glare he sent me told me it wouldn't be one of my better ideas. That if I did, he had no problem punching me in the face. So I stood by and watched as he muttered, cursed and then tore out of here in a symphony of slamming doors with his bags in tow."

He opened his mouth to speak but what denial could he say?

"I've been watching since I got here and I don't just mean tonight." There was a weight in youngest man's words that hit him hard. "Ever since I got here Thursday, I've been waiting to see you two together. To see if anything changed since you made that call to me."

"Oh."

"You know what I saw instead?"

"What?"

"That you're right to be worried."

Roman felt a million different emotions flood through him at that confirmation. He wanted to be wrong. To think that this was just another rough patch and that they'd get through it, brotherhood intact. That this would pass like the constant butting of heads phase did. But now that hope had been extinguished by the man who seemed to perpetually be the one to exploit the cracks in the foundation.

"But Roman," Seth said firmly. "If it happens, the blame isn't all on Dean. Not by a long shot. You're going to shoulder some of it too. Because you are aware what's happening and he's not. Even though it made you desperate enough to call me and vent about it, you haven't done anything to try to change it."

"I know that." He admitted tiredly, needing to get this off his chest. "But I don't know if I can do it. If I can venture into his dark side and get him out of it without it making me see him differently."

There was a look of disappointment that flashed across the architect's face, "Did you know that Dean suspected that something was going on? That he pulled me aside that fateful morning and told me that if I needed to talk that he'd listen?"

"No," Roman blinked, blindsided by that revelation. "Dean never told me…"

"He didn't know what I was planning or what was going to happen. Thought I was just frustrated with things in the company or that life on the road was getting to me. But he could see that something wasn't right and was trying to help." Seth grew quite for a minute before continuing in a vulnerable tone. "I almost wanted to tell him because of that. To spare him the pain because I knew what it would do to him. But I didn't because I knew that he'd still have you when everything was said and done."

"Did sparing me cross your mind?"

"No."

He nodded bitterly, "Why not?"

Seth let out a shaky breath, looking weary. "Because I knew that you'd be ok. That whatever you felt about it, you wouldn't take it as personally as he did and that you'd use it to your advantage. Channel that rage into momentum."

That was exactly what he had done. Accepted the things that his former little brother said and never tried to get deeper. Turned his anger and hurt into a way to get to the top. Just went on with life as he knew it. Ignored everything else because he didn't want deal with anything that could get ugly.

"This is different Rome. Dean's not being lured away from you with promises of gold, money and the future he's always dreamed of." The younger man chewed thoughtfully on his lip. "He's being pulled away by his deepest, darkest fears. That he's not really good enough or talented enough to ever be anything more than a blood-smeared madman sideshow attraction that gets fed the scraps when injuries to the top guys occur. He'll never admit it but he's been beaten down since the end of the shield, not only physically but emotionally. He's standing on the ledge, arms spread and ready to jump back into the role."

"How do I keep him from going over the edge?"

"Just be there for him. Offer to listen to whatever is on his mind without judgment, no matter how ugly, twisted or unpleasant it is. If he tries to blow it off, keep pressing him because he'll crack eventually."

Roman watched as Seth adjusted his knee brace and slowly got to his feet. He realized that the younger man had dodged his initial question. A question that he now needed the answer to. "Why did you come here?"

There was a long, heavy silence then the architect spoke. "Because it never really was personal and right now, I don't have to pretend that there's not still a part of me that cares about the two of you."