A/N – Hey readers! Just wanted to take a quick minute to thank those of your who have offered reviews or comments about the last couple chapters. Its means a lot and as a writer, there is nothing better than someone commenting on your work. Indifference is worse than criticism. Believe that. ;)

"Look, I didn't want to say anything because I know you can fight your own battles," Roman began carefully.

Dean didn't look too happy though. "You're damn right I can," he replied.

"Right," Roman continued. "But your back was always going to be up against the wall with Seth having the Authority in his pocket and after that stuff and what he shared the other night, I decided to have a word with him."

Dean was stunned, almost more so than when he found out Brock had never cashed in.

"Let me get this straight," he said. "You talked to Seth on my behalf without talking to me first? What the hell Roman?"

"Look, you said you didn't want to talk about Seth but I don't know, I kind of thought it was a good time to see if he was sincere and maybe even sorry for all the crap he's pulled," Roman responded as he took a deep breath.

So much for those drugs keeping Dean calm.

"I thought we were in this together," Dean said sharply. "I thought you had my back. But it all makes sense now. You're in this with Seth. Of course you are. You two were always closer being tag team partners and all. Old Deano wasn't worth your time. Guess it's good to know some things never change."

"Dean, it's not like that I swear," Roman tried a new approach. "I'll admit yes, I wanted to talk to Seth and see if there was some way maybe that the three of us could at least try to be cordial to one another and I don't know maybe work back up to being friends, or even,"

"Don't say that word," Dean replied defiantly. Although it he was being honest, it was more hurt than anger that had been driving his reaction.

"Right of course," Roman continued. "I wanted to talk to him but you were right, you were so right. All of it was bull shit. I heard him on the phone with Triple H arranging the attack on Randy."

Dean paused. "Orton? Nah, he's his best friend. That makes no sense."

"Weren't we his best friends once too?" Roman said, a sad sense of nostalgia filling the room.

Dean couldn't disagree. Seth had betrayed friends once, was it really out of the realm of possibility to believe he'd do it again?

"Go on," Dean said, realizing no, it wasn't. In fact, more than possible, it was probable.

"Seth told Hunter that Randy had a busted wrist and of course, what happens in the ladder match?" Roman continued. "You've got Goldust and Brock, who inexplicably is even in the match despite being suspended, going right for Orton's wrist like it had a damn target on it."

"Well not to play devil's advocate here but he did have a target coming out there in that cast and all," Dean asserted. "Isn't it possible Lesnar and Goldy just noticed it and took advantage?"

"Of course it's possible but I know what I heard and I even confronted Seth about it," Roman clarified.

"What did the rat say?" Dean asked.

"He didn't deny it, didn't even try to once I said I heard everything," Roman answered. "Dean, he was literally afraid of me, afraid I would tell Randy everything."

Dean hadn't even thought about that but it did pose an interesting question. "Why didn't you? Why didn't you tell Randy?"

"Because I didn't care," Roman answered.

Dean shook his head. "I think it's because you do care and you didn't want Orton to mess him up."

Roman should have instantly denied it. He should have vehemently argued against the very thought. But it was in that moment that he realized he couldn't and realized why he couldn't. It would be a lie. He had tried to put this care for Seth that was omnipresent it seemed, into the far reaches of his mind. But even that day, despite how angry Roman was, he couldn't make it go away. He was worried about the trouble Seth had gotten himself into and to be honest, he still was.

Dean and his health of course were the priority but Roman was always going to be the big brother to both of them. That's why they say you don't get to pick your family. He didn't pick Dean or Seth. The three of them picked each other and there would always be this bond, this tie that kept him coming back. It was why Roman was so worried that Seth's latest arrangements with Triple H were digging him deeper and deeper down a rabbit hole he would never be able to get out of.

Roman hated Seth, that hadn't changed, but that wasn't what he wanted for his ex-brother.

"You can't deny it because you don't want to lie to me," Dean said, again taking Roman from his thoughts. "You want to kill him but at the same time you still care about that selfish, cheating, lying rat. Why?"

Roman took a deep breath. "Dean, you know why."

Dean nodded, unable to look his only remaining brother in the eye. "Yeah, but I just need to hear you say it. I need to hear the words come out of your mouth, that despite everything you still consider him family. Hell, you already said it, so it won't be that tough to say it again."

"Dean, I was so done with him," Roman avoided answering the question. "All I wanted was for him to promise he'd give you a fair match but he couldn't. He'd already sold out for the interference so why would he turn back? I don't want to still care about him but that's never going to go away. And I know it sucks to hear it, but that's why we don't talk about this. You never want to talk about this because I think you've always known where I stand with him and it's not something you want to hear. I get it, I do. And right now, I don't want to hear myself say those words either. I'm furious as hell, man. I left him in that locker room and was just so, so done."

"You left him in the locker room?" Dean questioned, his eyes wide. "His locker room?"

"No, ours," Roman answered much to Dean's chagrin.

"Are you serious?" he questioned. "Why, why would you do that?"

Roman was confused as to why Dean was getting so upset. It was just their locker room, nothing else.

"It's not a big deal, he didn't take any of our stuff if that's what you were worried about," Roman said.

Dean sighed. "It's not a matter of what he took or didn't take, it's a matter of what he saw or didn't see."

"I, I don't follow," Roman responded. "Are you talking about the dartboard? Because I really don't think that's any sort of surprise to him seeing that."

"No," Dean replied, taking a deep breath. How was he going to explain this? After all of those times telling Roman he was foolish for still caring about Seth, after refusing at other times to even mention the man's name, how was he going to justify the carvings?

Honestly, there were times where it didn't even make sense to him himself. So how, how, was he going to explain to Roman when he couldn't even explain to himself. How in the world would he be able to tell his brother why he did it, when frankly, he just didn't have those answers.

Dean took a deep breath. "I still do it."

"Do what?" Roman asked, still confused.

So Dean tried again. "I still do it. On the wall."

"You still do," Roman paused. "Oh. Oh I, I didn't know that."

Dean shrugged. "Well now you do and now he probably does too. Great, just great."

"You never stopped doing it, did you?" Roman asked softly, already knowing that this conversation was walking the thin line between topics that were on and off limits. Dean's carving, certain to be in the latter category.

Dean just nodded. He knew exactly where this was going.

"Why?" It was Roman's turn to ask that daunting question and Dean's turn to give the exact same answer.

He rolled his eyes. "You know why."

After that the two fell into an awkward but not tense silence. The topic had run its course, at least as far as both would take it.

Roman tried to keep in mind the reason why they were there, at the hospital, in the first place. Seth may not have been directly responsible for most of the physical damage, although he did play a role, but he was involved nonetheless. He was the reason Brock of all people provided Seth's daily interference to win the match. He was the reason Brock even had the opportunity to hit Dean with the F5 and everything else.

He had played such a good part, acting the concerned friend, right before Roman clocked him. It was part of the reason Roman had wanted to kill him. He was just so disgusted, so furious. He hated himself that he was still able to care about a man who would do the things Seth did without so much as a true modicum of remorse.

Roman remained quiet until Dean, never one for reflective silences, broke the tension.

"I know you would never backstab me the way he did," he said. "I know you were just looking out for me by trying to talk to him. It's nice to know someone does. But I still don't appreciate going behind my back. I mean, when were you going to tell me?"

"I left you two voicemails," Roman explained. "I was trying to warn you to look out for something suspicious. I was letting you know I was going to be at ringside."

"But you weren't?" Dean questioned.

"Yeah, I made the mistake of telling Seth I would be and of course, right as your match is starting, Carrano calls me in for some bull shit meeting," Roman explained. "All part of the rat's plan. And the feed cutting out in the back, which I'm guessing he had something to do with to. I saw Brock come out and then nothing. So I rushed to the ring and by that time it was too late. So I did the only thing I could and punched Seth as hard as I could. If it makes you feel any better, he went down hard, like really hard."

Dean forced a small smile. "A little, a little better."

Roman returned the gesture. "I've always got your back brother. Believe that."

This started out as a Legacy story and its quickly devolving into a Shield one. Sorry about that. I just love writing Roman, Dean and Seth. But I maintain my promise, just like winter in Game of Thrones, Cody IS coming and so is a shift toward more Legacy oriented story telling. So hopefully you're willing to be along for the ride just a little longer!

Now, in my best BNB voice, "I'm afraid I've got some bad news."

Some new obligations and responsibilities have been added to my plate lately and unfortunately this means my time to write and work on this story and Flair for the Dramatics, if you happen to be reading that one as well, has taken a serious hit. I mulled over the possibility of putting this story on official hiatus but after really thinking about it, I decided I'm not going to do that.

I'm going to write when I have time so that might mean you get an update tomorrow (probably not) or three months from now (I hope not). I don't want to stop the story but I also can't commit to weekly or bi-weekly updates like I had been doing from the beginning.

I want you all to know I am still enjoying this story immensely and all of the kind words and support along the way has meant more to me than you'll know. This is truly a great community of readers and writers and I am so happy to have been a part of it.

So, as I oft like to end my chapters, until next time! I hope it will be soon, but don't kill me if it isn't ;)