First, Matt will reflect on his short career as a WWE superstar and his little more than a year of knowing his brother. How will his near-death experience change his attitude? Can Randy reinforce the confidence of his only brother? And with only six days until Bad Blood, Bischoff decides to mix things up when he pulls out the RAW Roulette.

Hope you like it!


Camilla was sitting in the dining room on Wednesday night, finalizing the guest list for the wedding. With the event only six weeks away, she was truly rushing to get the invitations mailed out. The wedding cake had been taken care of, she had already been fitted for her wedding dress, the décor for the ceremony was ready. Almost everything was prepared … only she wished that her fiancée would be by her side helping her.

In the game room, John, Eric, and Shawn had been playing on a newly bought and assembled ping-pong table. Cena decided to take on both DX members at once … but was failing miserably. John had lost the last four games in a row, all by very large margins. But as John started the fifth game of the night, he wondered why he didn't have a partner at his side.

Randy was in the backyard, talking to Lilian on the phone. For most of the afternoon, they had talked about favorite foods, old crushes in high school, and even how Randy would goof off with his brother. Taking a pause in the conversation, Randy looked up to Matt's bedroom window, where a single lamp light illuminated the figure of the younger Orton sitting at his desk.

Matt was staring at the picture Randy had first shown him that night in San Antonio. One-year-old Matthew Orton being held by his five-year-old brother, Randy Orton.

"Randy said he carried this picture with him ever since it happened. Ever since I was taken from the family. The last thing I would want for him is to experience another sixteen years without me. We've known each other for what … sixteen months now? Now I feel like I've known him since the beginning. But Monday night … I never realized how quickly that can come to an end."

Orton closed his eyes and reared back in his desk chair, remembering what he had seen that night. Matt wasn't one to believe in out-of-body experiences, but he distinctly remembered what happened to him when he was supposedly unconscious. Shawn was praying, Cena had his hands on his head in shock, Camilla was crying in Eric's arms, and Randy was giving him CPR. Matt could even see his own lifeless body, the bruises and red marks all over his neck, and the … the eerie look on his face.

"Why was I given that viewpoint? There's gotta be some reason." Matt looked out of the window up into the stars. "Why? Why did you do that?"

There was a knock at the door. Matt didn't know why the person just didn't come in; the door was rarely, if ever, locked. Not saying a word, Matt just kept looking at the picture in his shaking hands.

"Why do I feel so defenseless? Why do I feel so helpless? I mean, I felt perfectly fine after we took Batista down last night. Otherwise, I wouldn't have decided to have the match with Randy. It's not like I don't have people watching my back. John's there … Eric and Shawn are there … and of course Randy and Camilla are there." Matt suddenly slammed his fist down onto the desk in frustration. "But why do I feel so damn alone?"

"You're not alone."

Matt looked up towards the door. It was still closed, but Matt now knew that Randy was standing behind it. Again, Matt wasn't superstitious, but lately it seemed as if he and his brother could communicate without speaking. This freaked the younger Orton out a bit, but he had been more and more accepting of this gift. Perhaps it was just a by-product of the creation of the strong bond between them. Not able to hide anymore, Matt opened his bedroom door.

"You okay?", a concerned brother asked. "You haven't really spoken much at all today."

"You try almost dying and get back to me on how you feel", Matt replied bitterly, turning his back to Randy and sitting down on the bed.

"I didn't mean to …"

"… I know you didn't. I'm just a tad bit frustrated right now. I don't know whether I should be scared or angry right now."

"I wouldn't blame you for being both. Don't worry; we'll give Batista back what he deserves. He already got part of it last night."

"That I'm not worried about. Its just … that period of time from when I woke up to when we saved Lilian was the worst of my life. My whole body was in shock, mentally and physically. I couldn't think; I couldn't breathe; I couldn't move … I … I just felt so empty inside."

"But look at what revitalized you! Who knows what might have happened to Lilian if you didn't help me. You aren't empty inside, Matt. All of us are here for you! Like I said earlier, you're not alone."

Matt somberly looked down at the floor, contemplating what he could say next.

"What would have happened to you if I had died?"

Randy looked at his little brother in shock. "Why … why the hell would you ask me that kind of a question?"

"Just answer me this once. What would you have done if I had died?"

Randy hesitated at first, but then retreated deep into thought. "I … I don't really know. I don't ever think about it. I don't ever want to think about something like that. But … I … I guess … I guess I would go with you."

"Go with me? What are you saying?"

"If you had died, Matt, I would take myself with you."

"You mean … you would kill yourself?!" Matt sat there wide-eyed at his brother, who promptly explained his words.

"Do you remember when I told you how happy I was when you were born? It was because I had a little brother. Someone to look up to me. Someone I could protect from bullies. Someone that I could feel responsible for."

"Does that mean you felt responsible when … when I was taken away?"

"I took on all the responsibility. I was the one who suggested that Dad and I sleep in a separate tent."

Matt sighed heavily, finally learning of the reason why Randy was emotional on the subject.

"I felt like I had been the reason. I never told Mom or Pop. For sixteen years, I carried the heaviest guilt with me. That's part of the reason I became a bully myself. I had become something that I vowed to protect you from. I don't know … call it some sort of reaction to you disappearing. For the longest time, I had held out hope. I always considered that you were out there somewhere. But when I turned eighteen, I started to realize that you may have been dead the day you disappeared." Randy hesitated before continuing. "It was then when I thought of suicide. The very next day after I turned eighteen, I almost decided to jump in front of a moving car."

Matt felt like he had been punched in the stomach. "You … you what?! All because of me?!"

"You didn't have anything to do with it directly, don't get me wrong. It was just … the lack of you being there. It was devastating. Then I talked to the high school counselors and they kept saying that there was very little chance of you being alive. But they reassured me that, even though there was very little chance, there still was a chance. A chance that I could see you again one day."

Matt's jaw was on the ground, him not knowing how to react.

"Is that what made you change your mind?"

"Ultimately … yes. That day standing on the street I promised myself that I wouldn't ever give up hope." Randy put an arm around Matt's shoulder. "And look what that got me."

It was as if the slate was wiped clean. The brothers felt like new people. Both of them were no longer angry, sad, or depressed; rather, Randy and Matt were now confident, happy, and calm.

"Whatever happens in the future happens. Nothing lasts forever", Randy commented. "But as long as I've got my little brother, I'm going to live just as if we had known each other since the beginning. No more of this worrying. No more of this crying bullcrap. I'm twenty two. You're eighteen. We can get through this without become babies again."

Today was the day. Today was the day that Randy finally erased that notion from his mind, and Matt couldn't be any happier.

"You know what would really make this day better?", asked Randy.

"What?"

"You and me should be World Tag Team Champions."

Matt's face lit up like the family Christmas tree in December. "You … you really think so? You're ready to take on something like that? What about the Intercontinental title?"

Randy thought about the belt sitting on the dresser in his room and sighed. "I don't want it anymore. I feel like those tag belts are what we need to define us as brothers. We've had a few tag matches before, and we've done fairly well, but once we grab those titles, we'll be a force to reckon with."

The younger Orton chuckled. "I can't help but see the parallels between us and the Hardys."

"The difference between us and those pieces of crap is that we're actually good as singles wrestlers."

"So … how are we going to have this switch between you and Cena?"

"Well, I figure we continue kicking ass like we are now … then once you two lose the belts, we'll tag up and go after them."

"What about John? He'll be a little confused."

"I think you'll have to have a talk with him. I think if you just tell him that I'm ready to move to the tag division, I think he'll step up and go after the Intercontinental strap. Cena's not that bad of a singles wrestler himself."

Matt thought that was a bit of an understatement. "If Cena had stayed on Smackdown, he would have been the United States Champion, if not the WWE Champion by now."

"Why do you think he likes tagging with you so much?"

"I don't know", Matt lied, not wanting to go through all the details. "I think its just that I gained his respect in that match on Smackdown. Listen, let's go downstairs. I need to catch up on some things."

Randy was a little surprised at the sudden change in subject, but shrugged it off as he followed his brother down to the first floor. Randy joined Cena on his team at the ping-pong table and Matt finished arranging the guest list with Camilla.

"Are you okay now?", asked a concerned fiancée. "You hadn't come out of your room since we got back."

"I'm fine now. Randy and I had a little talk and now all our problems are solved."

"What'd you talk to him about?"

"He told me how much he needs me in this world."

Camilla laughed and shook her head. "More brotherly bonding crap that I probably couldn't understand?"

"Well … I wouldn't call it crap, but yeah … something like that." Eager to change the subject, Matt asked a question. "Everything's ready now. Are you excited about the wedding?"

Orton got promptly smacked on the back of the head.

"What a stupid question! Of course I am! I oughta make you tap out again."

Sighing, Matt was a little fed up with Camilla bringing that moment up. "Oh please! That was just a one time thing. Do you really think you can do it again? Huh?"

Bad choice of words. Camilla shoved Matt out of his chair and quickly applied Matt's own submission finisher, the Texas Cloverleaf, on him. The pain on Orton's back was unbearable, but he refused to tap out. Instead, he grabbed the legs of a nearby chair and used the leverage gained to wriggle out of the hold. Immediately and without thought, Camilla wrapped her arm around Matt's neck and squeezed tightly.

"Aghhhh!!!! Camilla! My neck!"

But she didn't let go. Matt quickly learned that pissing off his fiancée wasn't an advisable thing to do and reluctantly tapped out. Grabbing his neck in pain, Matt got up and was immediately … embraced by Camilla. She reached up, grabbed his face, and brought him down in an unexpected, passionate kiss. After what seemed like an hour, the two separated, faces red and sweating a little bit.

"You know … once I get you in bed on our honeymoon", Camilla said seductively, "I'm going to make you tap out all night long."

Matt's cheeks turned a deeper shade of red, but quickly pushed his naïveté aside as he pulled Camilla in for his own kiss. She was a little surprised, but welcomed Matt's new boldness.

"… do we really have to wait six more weeks?", Camilla asked coyly.

"Yes", Matt replied, much to Camilla's chagrin. "Consider it a test of our love. Besides, I guarantee you, the wait will be worth it."

The future Mrs. Orton had the biggest smile on her face. "Who are you and what have you done with Matthew?" Matt gave Camilla one last kiss before leaving the room to get something to drink from the kitchen. However, Orton jumped just as he closed the fridge, seeing his brother's face unexpectedly.

"That came naturally, didn't it?"

"What came naturally?"

"What you said in there to Camilla."

"You were listening?", Matt asked, surprised.

"And watching."

The younger Orton punched his brother in the shoulder. "Pervert."

"But that came naturally, right?"

Despite still being angered, Matt realized that his brother was correct. "Yeah … yeah, it did. It really did!"

Randy put an arm around Matt's shoulder and walked him out the room. "If I had been with you growing up, you would have been one hell of a ladies' man."


DX and Evolution were signing autographs outside the arena in Dallas, Texas, just one week away from Bad Blood. Once again, Matt ran into his three friends, Michael, Adrian, and Travis, and reluctantly signed a new hybrid DX/Evolution shirt.

"That's like … the sixteenth autograph I've given you guys."

"You okay?", asked Adrian. "Your neck still looks pretty beat up."

"I'm fine. They're just bruises. Nothing serious. See you guys after RAW."

Michael, Adrian, and Travis weren't exactly done talking, but Matt wanted to quickly get out of there. They could quickly eat up time and possibly make the whole group late for the night's events. While Randy and John started to unpack everything, Matt started to change into his ring gear. Camilla sat down next to him.

"Think you're ready for tonight?", she asked after reexamining his neck.

"Yeah. Why wouldn't I be? If I wrestled a match last week, I'm definitely in shape for this week. They could throw anyone at me."

The pyrotechnics could be heard exploding in the arena, along with the intense cheers of the crowd. Bischoff was already in the ring with two buckets of ping-pong balls and something round covered up in a blanket. No one knew what he was up to.

"Next week, we will have our first brand-exclusive pay-per-view, Bad Blood, not too far from here in Houston, Texas. And for a little preview of the matches on Sunday, I'd figure I'd mix up the opponents for singles matches right here on RAW! In one of these buckets, I have the names of the members of D-Generation X and Evolution. In the other, the names of their opponents this Sunday. I'll pull one from each bucket and then spin this…"

Bischoff took the large cloth off the round shaped object, revealing the RAW Roulette.

"On this wheel is a bevy of match types, and our competitors tonight could compete in any sort of match … from battling in a Steel Cage … to even being in a Bra and Panties match!"

Everyone backstage looked at each other simultaneously and shook their heads … seeing grown men out there in that kinda outfit wasn't something they wanted to experience.

"Now, let's get this show on the road. First off, we have …", Bischoff dug around in the first bucket and pulled out a name. "… ah … our new Intercontinental Champion, Randy Orton!"

Randy was a little shocked. He didn't think he had a match this Sunday at all. Looking around, all he saw was shrugs from the other people in the room.

"And he will face … Tommy Dreamer! And now for the Roulette …"

Bischoff gave the wheel a big spin, and Orton looked on patiently as the wheel came to a stop on …

"… a Hardcore match!"

Orton slowly nodded his head and his brother slapped him on the back.

Bischoff continued. "Next we have the Heartbreak Kid, Shawn Michaels! Going up against … whoa … the Undertaker! … in a … Lumberjack match!"

Eric gave out a loud cheer and the two DX members exchanged high fives, both eager to see the Deadman go down.

"Moving on … we'll have one half of our World Tag Team Champions, John Cena against … Jeff Hardy! … in a Submission match!"

Randy smiled, realizing who his opponent at Bad Blood would be. John was happy too, knowing that he had the advantage in this sort of match. Hardy didn't have a submission in his arsenal that compared to the STFU.

"Next, the junior member of D-Generation X, Eric Barringer will go up against … Rob Van Dam … in a Tables match!"

Eric looked pumped as ever. But Matt noticed that Randy looked like he had seen a ghost.

"What's up with you?"

"Don't you realize who are the last two names left in those buckets?"

Matt started to think for a little bit, then turned the same shade of pale as his brother.

"And finally … we'll have the other half of the World Tag Team Champions, Matthew Orton against …"

Even Bischoff paused as he realized what this match would turn out to be.

"Um … Matthew Orton will go up against … gulp … Batista!"

Matt took a deep breath, and pumped himself up. No matter what type of match this would be, he had to be focused. He wouldn't let Dave intimidate him. Orton defeated Batista once before, in the gym when Triple H first introduced him to Evolution … there's nothing that could prevent him from doing it again. Meanwhile, Bischoff had spun the Roulette. The whole arena was silent, looking at the wheel as it slowly came to a stop. Jim Ross and Jerry Lawler were stunned; they couldn't believe that the wheel landed on what it did.

Bischoff took another anxious gulp before saying …

"… in a Last Man Standing match!"

Matt shot up off the bench and started to snarl. It would take no less than bringing out the animal in himself to get through this.


Oh boy. Randy and Matt thought they had put this all behind them, but then this comes up. Can Matt pull off an upset and take down the man who nearly killed him?

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