((HEY THERE! So here is the newest entry for Seth's story. It's quite a bit longer than the last one. I do feel a little bit bad for what happened in this update, but then...ANYWAY! I hope that you all like this chapter, and as always please let me know what you think!))

It was the longest he'd been away from the WWE, and he was oddly loving it. He'd not had free time, proper free time, in years. Any spare second normally found him moulding his body with Crossfit or trying to actually love his girl. Paige, of all of them, was the only one who went to Raw and Smackdown; couldn't quite stay away, liked to be in the middle of it all. But she wasn't stupid, kept herself surrounded by the rest of the women's locker room, kept people with her, even when she wasn't on screen. Seth watched her on that screen with weary eyes. They'd been gone two weeks now.

The fireworks exploded on screen, welcoming people to the show. He could remember the excitement he'd felt during their original run as the Shield – the flash and the bang signalled that they were going out to show the world just how awesome they were. He could imagine that they held the same thrill for Paige. He knew her – she always appeared unsurprised and in control, but even she still felt butterflies when the light show began.

'Ladies and gentlemen welcome to Raw!'

'That Cole?'

Roman had been snoozing, but apparently the noise had brought him back to the land of the living. Seth had managed to patch into Raw through Paige's laptop, and sat with it on his lap, staring at the screen. He looked over to the hospital bed and gave a short nod.

'Wanna watch?'

He quickly put the laptop down on his seat and moved to help Roman sit up. His return to strength was incredible, but every now and again, he seemed to forget how to operate parts of his body. Two days before he been practicing walking when he'd had to stop five steps in because he couldn't remember how to breathe and move at the same time. It was work in progress. The Doctor – a Mr B. D Goddard – had told them that it may be something that Roman would have to deal with for the rest of his life. Roman had dismissed it, but they all knew it was a very real possibility. And if that was all they had to worry about after his close call, Seth was thankful. They'd always be there to help him.

'It's Fastlane on Sunday,' Roman said, and moved his legs a little so that the laptop could be placed on his lap. 'We should be there Seth, making them stew.'

'Paige will be,' Seth moved his chair so that it was next to the bed and they could both see. 'She's somehow managed to con herself a title match against Nikki Bella.' He sat down, elbow on the bed, his head leaned on his hand. 'I hope she wins, obviously, but I think she's too distracted right now...and we want Nikki in our good books to help keep her safe.'

'You think she'd lose on purpose, just to keep the peace?'

'You have met Paige right?'

'True. So if she wins, you're worried the women's locker won't be as friendly?'

'Natalya runs the women's camp...I think she'd stay on Paige's side of things if she does win, and would try and force Nikki to play nicely. We'll have to see.'

'Where are they?'

'Orlando,' Seth muttered. No doubt the show would begin with the Authority coming out and gloating. It seemed to be what normally happened. He'd not realized until watching it as an audience member just how much of a formula the show now had. They began with someone coming out, there was a match, there was a promo, there was a multi-man tag match, there was a promo, there was a match...there was no unpredictability, there was no bizarre fun to it all like there had been when he watched as a kid. Whilst he had nostalgic views of the Attitude era, in many ways he was thankful that he didn't wrestle in it – why? Because now was safer, and he felt there was a chance to actually put on a great wrestling match. People bayed for blood once, and now they cheered for great matches. He'd had his share of tables and ladders and chairs, he'd played with barbed wire and death matches. But those were the old days. These were the new.

Though oddly...it seemed that Shield were bringing blood and controversy back to the WWE.

Of course, out came the Authority. They looked typically smug and Seth had to restrain walloping the laptop.

'This is an excellent day,' the Game said. He an arm around the waist of Stephanie who somehow always had the general ability to look like someone had smeared shit under her nose. 'Today, the Authority, the people who work night and day to give you, the WWE universe what you want, has had a small victory. We've finally had something go our way. Now I know you've all heard the news,'

'What news?'

Seth shrugged.

'That's right, the main event for Fastlane will now feature – the Game! Triple H! The King of Kings!' Stephanie near shouted into her microphone, pointed at her husband the whole time, just in case people didn't actually know who he was. Seth felt his insides crunch. 'Daniel Bryan has qualified for a match against my husband. A match to see who will go on to main event Wrestlemania! Well done Bryan, well done. But the fact is, you've faced him before, you know what can and will be done to you. But we'd like to congratulate you personally. So why don't you come on out Bryan? Come on out and stand with us, talk to us, show your beloved Yes Movement what you've got to show them?'

They actually stood and applauded.

'Something is wrong,' Roman muttered, 'they hate Bryan, especially after Wrestlemania last year...what's going on Seth? What are they doing?'

Seth didn't have an answer, but he felt something inside the back of his head, cogs turning. Wrestlemania...it was only a month away, there he would have to return. He'd have to face whoever won this match for the title...but why on earth would the Authority give someone else the opportunity to snatch that away from the Game? It didn't make sense.

That was, until the limp body of Daniel Bryan was dragged onto the stage. Kane hulked over him, one thick hand wrapped around the red and black boot of the people's favourite. Bryan didn't look like he was moving, eyes shut, one lid looked like it had been torn, a trickle of blood ran from the corner of the eye down the side of his face.

'Oh dear...what could have happened?' Stephanie asked in mock surprise.

In his gut, Seth felt something set alight. There was little love lost between them and Bryan, but this was a sick message. He knew who to.

'What a shame. It looks like Mr Bryan won't be able to compete tonight. Poor, poor Bryan.'

He'd always said he wouldn't hit a woman. Paige had told him that some women deserved to be hit for being lil' bitches. He'd never completely agreed with her until that exact moment. The sneer of Stephanie, the way she bent over the body of Bryan like it was something she was so very proud of, the way she stroked his face as Kane pulled his head up by his hair...every particle of her being made Seth angry. Roman just looked at the screen vacantly.

'You know what's going to happen, don't you?'

Almost as soon as the words had left his mouth, there she was. No entrance music, nothing. Brie was at her husband's side, tried to push Kane away, tried to shield the man she loved with her entire body. She held his face, tears rolled down hers. She looked up, blinded by the lights and by Stephanie and the Game. She didn't wait, and launched herself at the suited woman. The crowd went ballistic. Within seconds Nikki appeared too, just in time to prevent Kane from yanking her sister away from Stephanie. She put her arms around her twin in a protective cage, stood between the Authority, her sister and brother-in-law.

'Defiant bitch,' Stephanie hissed, her hair in tangles and a vicious hand mark imprinted on her face. 'And you Nikki! I expected more than you getting involved. You think you can just do what you want? You have no idea! Tonight, you Nikki will defend your title – against me!'

Silence.

'Seth?'

'We have a problem Roman.'

They saw it coming from a mile away, but the one, two, three made them wince. Nikki was an absolute mess, clutching broken fingers where Stephanie had stomped on her hand, but forced the referee to turn a blind eye by threatening his job. It made him sick to his stomach, to see her standing there, the centre of that ring, the pink and silver Diva's title slung over her shoulder. This was all part of a plan. It couldn't be ignored, couldn't be denied. At Fastlane, Paige would be facing Stephanie McMahon for the title. They'd systematically dismantled the WWE in one fell swoop, just to get a kick at the Shield.

Paige wasn't about to let them have a swift victory though. They must have expected her to come out, but not what she actually did.

Stephanie had that blasted microphone in her hand. Why couldn't someone on sound just do the world a favour and mute it? No one wanted to hear that witch's voice.

'Paige!' the people cheered the name, they knew who to love, who represented them, who hated the Authority as much as they did. You had to hand it to the Game and his wife, they were fantastic villains. But they weren't characters like in a pantomime...it was their genuine personalities, and that made them sick, sick human beings – if they even qualified for that. 'I have it Paige. That precious title you've fought so hard to try and get back, it's all mine, and at Fastlane, you're be licking my boots as I pedigree you into the dust!'

Quite suddenly, the lights went out.

Seth bit his lower lip, a bemused smile threatened to break free but he didn't quite let it. There was a curious sound, then a scream. It was bloodcurdling. Just about illuminated was the face of Stephanie and the Game. They looked confused, worried. But then, they were gone. The lights came back up, and there, alone in the ring with a black clad beauty, Stephanie looked around for her missing husband. Paige's eyes were wide, tongue licked her teeth as the woman turned to see her. A kick to the gut brought her to her knees. And then, out of the corner of the ring, swift, fast, she ran, jumped, foot to the back of Stephanie' neck, and brought her face crashing to the canvas. The curbstomp, his move. His girl had used his move. Stephanie was still, a trickle of blood on the matt...a broken nose?

Paige bent down, picked up the microphone and brought it to black painted lips.

'So you want to play Stephanie? Well you should know, there are no rules in my house. So there will be no rules between us...this Sunday, I'll have you until one of us is the last woman standing!'

She dropped the microphone, it hit the canvas and rolled with feedback as she raised a defiant fist into the air.

Roman scratched the side of his face.

'Hell of a girl you got yourself Seth.'

He wasn't sure how to answer. Paige had just called for a Last Man Standing match...he had no doubt she could win, but no disqualification could mean anything could happen, and the Authority wouldn't let her have an advantage. They'd do everything they could to tear her down. There was the rest of Raw to go, let alone the rest of the week. The screams of the crowd showed they would be behind Paige...but what about everyone else? The women's locker weren't afraid of the Authority anymore...they'd help if Paige needed it...but...

'You're going to be there right?' Roman nudged his arm. 'We all have to be, for her. She might not want us there, but she'll need us.'

'What's this 'us'? Last time I checked you were still stuck in a hospital bed and I have no intention of wheeling you all the way to Memphis.' Seth raised his eyebrows pointedly at Roman and took off his glasses to clean them. 'I'll be there, don't you doubt it, but I can't risk taking you or Dean along. Neither of you are in good enough shape to even jog five metres, let alone try and outrun the Authority. If Paige loses, they'll destroy her, if she wins, they'll try to. I'll be there, to get that fine ass the hell out of dodge when the time comes. If need be, hell I'll be in that match with her.'

For a moment Roman didn't respond, and then, a frown crept onto his face.

'Seth? Where is Dean?'

No one had seen him. It had been hours since he'd gone off to have his physiotherapy. A whole day. They'd not even noticed that he hadn't come back. Maybe he thought he'd started playing with some of the kids in the children's unit, after all, he'd made some good friends in there. It seemed to be his goal that whatever hospital he was in, he'd have an army of minions to overthrow the man. But no, no one had seen him. He'd not even turned up for the therapy. Lucia had taken him in that wheelchair to get him there. But where was she?

'Miss Salvador went home sick this morning,' a replacement nurse with a lazy eye told him. 'She was struck down with a fever and requested the rest of the day off to recover.' She seemed almost bored as she told him this and simultaneously changed Roman's bed sheets. Roman lingered nearby having refused to sit down, and perched himself up on a borrowed pair of Dean's crutches. 'I'm sure she'll be back tomorrow.'

'But she had a friend of ours with her. No one has seen him either.'

'I'm sure he'll turn up,' the nurse said with a shrug. 'Maybe he went outside for a walk.'

'He's just had his knee operated on.'

'Maybe he went for a smoke then.'

'For seven hours?'

'Some people are determined to rot their lungs sir.'

Realizing he was getting nowhere, Seth tried to fish his phone out of his pocket, but just as he was about to dial Dean, something caught his attention on the laptop. Paige stood, about to be interviewed by Renee Young. He stopped, and quickly turned the computer screen round so that he could see, pulled it onto his lap from the bed. Roman made his way over, stood behind the chair Seth slumped into, eyes on the screen.

'Paige, that was quite a display of dominance you showed tonight. I think the question on all our minds is...just what happened? How on earth did you pull off that stunt, and what happened to the Game?' Renee always looked lovely, but next to Paige, she almost looked dull to Seth's eyes.

Paige herself had a smile on her face, cocky, her eyes on fire. 'I have no idea what you're talking about Renee. Maybe the Game went for a walk. I'm sure he'll turn up somewhere.'

Renee seemed happy enough to accept that answer, though she looked sceptical, 'Well now that Stephanie McMahon holds the Diva's title you will be facing her at Fastlane. You have declared this a Last Woman Standing match, one we haven't seen in the WWE for a very long time. Whilst Stephanie hasn't confirmed or denied the stipulation will happen yet, what made you challenge her in such an extreme format?'

'Stephanie McMahon has been running her mouth off long enough. It's time someone shut her up, permanently. Tonight, I broke her nose, Sunday, I'll break her neck.'

Roman whistled.

Seth closed his eyes and rubbed his forehead. So much for slow and steady.

Renee stared at Paige and almost seemed a little speechless before she managed to regain her composure. Paige herself didn't seem fazed at all, hands clasped in front of her, rocking a little on her heels. Happy as fucking Larry.

'Speaking of Stephanie...she's with EMTs now...something I don't think anyone could ignore was the fact that instead of using your own finisher, the Paige Turner, you used that of Seth Rollins. You seem to have radically aligned yourself with the reformed Shield. Do you know anything of their whereabouts? It's been weeks since they were last seen. Any news on Roman's condition, or the Shield's plans for the title?'

Before Paige could answer, she was knocked sideways. She collided with Renee and both women hit the floor. A hand reached down and pulled her up by her wrist, only to hurl her into the wall. Again, and again, before her head smacked it so hard her eyes dazed. Seth was on his feet, he shook, anger, fear welled inside of him. Paige tried to fight back, but some great weight pushed her hard, and her arm was twisted up behind her. The camera drew back as the Game pressed his face against hers. His eyes were pitted black and bruised. Whatever had happened to him, he'd felt it.

'You think...you can just hurt my wife, and get away with it? You think you can just waltz in on her parade, and take it all away? You, you are the shit on my shoe. You and your precious Shield. I'll destroy you, all of you, piece,' he picked at a strand of her hair, let it fall strand by strand, 'by piece. And I'll make your loverboy watch. I'll make Rollins watch every single second as you scream.'

'Seth -,'

He was about to hurl the laptop across the room, when the Game went the same direction. Something fast, quick as a demon was on him, fists flying, foam from teeth, eyes wild, leg caught in a trap, two thin sticks on the floor. He pulsed in pain, in anger. Blind from rage.

'You don't touch her! You never touch her!'

It felt like hours passed before the hits stopped, before he tried to get to his feet, stumbled and fell until she helped him. She slipped those crutches under his arms, veered him up onto his feet. The audience were ballistic. Paige touched his face, helped him stand, looked him all over. She didn't know what to say, and then, because she couldn't find the words, she kissed him straight on the mouth. Dean's eyes widened.

Seth's heart stopped.

The room felt cold. The kiss went on, before she released it. Dean had frozen against her for the first second or two, but then...

Seth didn't see anymore.

The laptop smacked off the floor, crunched in on one corner, the screen shattered. He slammed his foot down, over and over.

'Seth! Seth stop!'

He didn't hear it until he felt two strong arms around him, wrenching him into place. 'Seth calm down!'

'Calm down? Calm down?' he heaved himself free, pointed down at the tangled mess of wire and plastic on the floor. 'You saw what happened! You saw Roman!'

'I saw. I saw a woman show the man who'd helped her appreciation.'

'She kissed him Rome!'

'So? She's done it before.'

'He tried to kiss her back!'

'He's Dean. He doesn't understand Seth,' Roman had to sit down, he felt for the arm of the chair and fell back into it with a grunt. 'He doesn't know the boundaries, all he knows is desire and a punch in the face. You know he's always been fond of her, and you broke the damn laptop before you saw her push him away.'

'You don't know that happened!'

'Yeah, I do. Paige loves you Seth – you, though Lord only fucking knows why sometimes. She'd never do anything to hurt you. She loves Dean too, and me. But you're the one she kisses, you're the one she fucks, now get off your fucking high horse and realize that when you get the shit kicked out of you, sometimes the only way to thank someone is to kiss them.'

'Who are you Cosmopolitan?'

'I read that only once.'

Seth glared at him.

'Remember that time when we were out in Sioux Falls, in the airport bar?'

Yeah, he remembered. The girl who was so drunk that Seth had physically carried her to the medical bay. She'd grabbed his face and near eaten it, and all the while, Paige had laughed at him. But that was different. She'd been a complete stranger. Dean was his brother. Dean had never made any secret of the fact he lusted after Paige. It had all been a joke, funny until now.

'That's different!'

'Only because you want to argue with me.'

'You sound like my step-dad,' Seth growled.

Roman was the eldest of the three of them and sometimes you couldn't forget it.

'Just be thankful he was there to stop the Game before something worse happened Seth.'

'What was he doing there to begin with?'

Seth's pocket vibrated. Irritated, he dug for the phone. Dean. He answered, even though he was tempted to just throw it straight out of the window.

'Brother, we have a problem.'

'Oh you realized that did you?'

There was a confused pause.

'It's about Paige...and me.'

Seth gritted his back teeth. 'Oh?'

'Your whore of a girlfriend broke my wife's nose Rollins. I'm not going to forgive that. Nor am I going to let Mr Ambrose get away with assaulting me.'

He closed his eyes. The Game's voice was not what he needed right now. What he needed was a punch bag and unbreakable knuckles.

'This is getting boring Hunter.'

'Well then, perhaps you shouldn't have turned against me Rollins. Then perhaps none of this or what's to come would have happened. What you see next, Seth, remember, this was your fault.'

The phone cut out.

Seth looked to Roman, he'd heard it all. He'd broken their only means of seeing what was happening on Raw. They had no other means. They had to find one.

'You!' the poor nurse was still there, and had tried to edge toward the door through the whole thing, no doubt to try and call security. 'Is there a TV around here?'

'The – the staff room.'

'Well, take us!' Seth snapped as he helped Roman into a wheelchair. She didn't wait for them, but dashed through that door. They were after her in a split second. He didn't care about going slowly, rushed through the corridors, took the corners sharp and near knocked down screaming patients. Rome clung on for dear life. Turned out it was the other side of the hospital, and when they got there, Seth's heart was about to give out. Roman snatched the remote off some poor orderly and switched through channels until the familiar face of the Game took up the entire screen.

'—and I think it's time certain people respected what we do for this company. It's us who keeps this entire place running, not the talent who think that just because they have a contract, they can do whatever they want. They think that they can humiliate us, assault us, steal from us, they think that just because they're over with the audience, that somehow gives them some sort of power! No! They don't have anything, nor do you, none of you have any right, any cause at all! You all need to learn, need to realize, that this sort of thing doesn't go unpunished, that there are rules, and I will be the one who enforces them!'

'Likes to hear himself talk, doesn't he?' the orderly mused.

Seth ignored him, his and Roman's eyes glued firmly to the television fixed up on the wall. The camera drew back a little. The Game wasn't in the ring; instead, he was stood in a parking lot. His sleeves were rolled up, shirt unbuttoned. He took off his jacket. He dropped it to the floor, and turned toward one of the cars. They were parked oddly, in a circle instead of in their spaces. There, stood next to one, Paige. She looked unharmed, but as the Game walked toward her, she tried to jolt away, but was tugged back in place by her hands. As the camera closed in, it was clear to see she'd been shackled to the wing mirror. The car looked expensive – the Game's own perhaps. She looked irritated more than anything. But she was alright. Hunter grabbed one of her hands, bent his head to kiss and moved back before she could try and kick him. A sick smirk was on his mouth.

'Now now Paige. That's no way to treat your boss now, is it? You know you should take a page out of Ambrose's book. He's been perfectly well behaved, haven't you Dean?'

The impending sense of dread made nausea creep into his skull.

The camera panned over. There he was. Dean was up on his crutches, hands taped to the two sticks which held him up so he couldn't let go of them. Layers of the same tape smudged his mouth shut. His eyes were bulging, breath so heavy his whole body moved. If not for the tape he looked as if he were about to rip a chunk out of the Game's throat. He was against one of the cars. Joey and Jamie either side of him, their bodies pressing the crutches against the trunk of the car, stopping him from moving.

'You know, I genuinely thought about having you committed Dean. Want to go back there? I wonder if they have a bed for an old friend.'

Dean had never been to an asylum. But he'd come close. So close – it had either been that or the WWE. A contract to beat the shit out of people, or locked away in a nice white box. The WWE had been to free him, not close in on him. The Game didn't know Dean's history, nor did he care. He just wanted to make him suffer, and from Connecticut, there was nothing Seth could do. Dean knew Joey and Jamie were on their side...but they couldn't show their allegiance in front of the Game or their covers were blown.

'Dean...'

'He'll be alright Rome.'

'You're looking at the same screen I am right?'

'Now I could do this personally. Or I could get everyone in the Locker to come out and do this for me. But I like the idea of getting back in the fold. It'll prepare me for the match I have on Sunday, won't it Dean?' His face was like stone. Out of nowhere, waltzed Stephanie. She had a massive plaster across her nose to fix it in place and looked ridiculous. Both Dean and Paige snorted at the sight of her.

'We have a message. For Seth Rollins. I face your girlfriend on Sunday, it's true. But I can either face her in good health, or she can have broken legs. It's really quite simple. And what we want from you Seth, is just a little promise. A promise that you'll be here on Sunday...to face my husband for the title. If you agree,' Stephanie stroked Paige's hair. 'Then she can keep her pretty little face, and your boy Dean won't have to worry about any more surgeries.'

'Roman,' Seth tugged his brother's long hair, 'Roman what do I do?'

Roman, for once, didn't seem to have some smart answer for him. The title, at this point, meant little to Seth. He'd already figured that out. What mattered was that his friends were safe and that they could work to bring down the Authority as a team. Being divided like this made him want to punch Dean himself. He'd been so fucking stupid going after Paige. He was in no condition to fight, and look at him now...He could just had it over. Give it to them. The greatest stage of them all, Wrestlemania was a month away. He could prepare for that, but Sunday?

On the screen, the Game had his sledgehammer.

'Time's ticking Rollins...' he said and swung. It smashed straight into Dean's stomach. The air knocked straight from him, he started to slump, but was caught by Jamie and Joey. Pain flashed through his face, made him white, but he stared down the Game. 'The longer you take, the more they get hurt.'

Seth pulled out his phone.

'You sure about this?'

'What choice do I have?'

He dialled, and held it to his ear. The Game looked down, and pulled his own phone out and put it to his ear.

'Ah, Mr Rollins, so good of you to callI.'

'I won't fight you at Fastlane Hunter. I won't. I'll give you the title on Sunday, if you just leave them alone.'

The Game's face flashed in surprise. But then, he smirked, it was cruel like a sickle.

'Well, well. That's a turn up for the books. How do I know you won't try and trick me Seth?'

'Who's gonna help me? Seriously Hunter. I'm on my own here. Rome can barely stand, you have Dean...you have Paige.' He swallowed. 'Let them go, and you'll have it.'

He looked like he liked the sound of that offer.

'Seth -,'

He'd nearly always listened to Roman, but for now, no. If this was what it took to keep his friends safe, then he was willing to do it.

'We have a deal Rollins.' The Game nodded. He clicked his fingers at Joey and Jamie. One went toward Paige and the other came off Dean, one hand on his back to lead him forward. 'But just to make sure we have an understanding,' Hunter turned toward Paige. 'She's staying with us until Sunday.'

'No!'

'Well unless you'd like to take her place Rollins, I see no alternative. And you can't, because you're not here. So Miss Paige will stay with us. Don't worry, we'll look after her, treat her well. All the things you haven't done for her recently. Come Sunday, she'll be free to fight for her title...and I'll have mine. Gentlemen, if you'd like to escort Mr Ambrose away.'

Apparently escort meant 'shove in the trunk of the car and drive off'.

'See you Sunday, Seth.'

He hung up.

Seth stared down at the phone in his hand. Rage tangled through his body, the world was red and black, his fingers squeezed, crushed.

'Seth,' a hand on his wrist to calm him down. Seth blinked.

The phone was destroyed by his bloody fingertips.

'We need to do something Roman. We need to do something now.'