This fic is not dead! Single handily keeping the dream of Ambrollins alive.

Thanks to all my followers, you guys are keeping me going x x

The warm New York air felt inviting against his clammy skin. It was crazy to think he was currently slap bang in the middle of one of the busiest cities on the planet, and yet compared to the craziness that was raging inside the building behind him, out here felt beyond peaceful. Flicking open the box he pulled out another of the small sticks by the filter. Thankfully they had managed to survive his vice-like grip. He felt considerably calmer now as he raised the third cigarette to his lips, completely losing track of time as he observed the production crew wandering about the arenas loading bay. Only he could find peace amongst the madness.

"There you are. What you doin' out here?"

Deans head whipped towards the fire door as Roman stepped out into the loading bay. Already dressed in his ring attire. How long had he been gone? "Rollins is worried you took off." Dean couldn't help but huff a smile. He knew his friend would undoubtedly be pacing their locker room for the entire time Dean had been gone. Returning his gaze out into the loading bay Roman settled by his side, leaning against the cold concrete exterior and crossing his arms. "I take it the talk didn't go so well."

Taking another deep drag of his cigarette, feeling the heat getting closer and closer to his knuckles. "She knows I'm smoking again." He scoffed, exhaling a cloud of smoke high above his head, and watching the vapours disappear under the heavy looking industrial lights. "And she's pissed."

Roman's body shifted beside him, could almost hear the sarcastic "I warned you" rattling around his head. But Roman was a good friend. The best even. And chose not to take that high road. "How'd she find out?"

Dean shrugged dismissively, "She went snoopin'. Found them in my bag." Flicking the end of the filter he watched the gathering ash float on the air before descending to the ground. "and yet somehow, I'm still the bad guy."

Roman huffed a laugh and shook his head. "What happened?"

Inhaling a lung full of warm city air Dean rattled off his side of events. How Renee went searching, how the Glam Girls ratted him out, how he lost his cool. How he blew his cover by going to bed last night stinking of the things.

Roman sighed shaking his head, "I thought you'd be more careful than that. Rookie mistake bro."

"I am, normally."

"Normally?" Roman pressed, sensing there was more to that statement than he was letting on. But Dean just shrugged dismissively, taking another deep inhale of his cigarette. Truth was, he was grateful he didn't have to hide his habit anymore, now the heat of the moment had passed. What bothered him the most was how it came about. He knew last night would catch up to him eventually, but who could have seen this coming? If he was this careless about something he had protected for so long, what else could he slip up on?

"It's nothin'."

"You sure?" Roman pressed again.

'No' was the immediate answer that arrived into Dean's subconscious. But to delve deeper into that problem would be more trouble than its worth. "Yeah," he managed to say, not meeting Romans eye. He scuffed his boot across the concrete floor rubbing the side of his nose with his thumb. The tip of the cigarette almost burning the small curl that fell across his line of vision.

Roman let go of a deep, knowing sigh. The kind of sigh that told the world a Roman Reigns lecture was incoming. Dean gritted his teeth and closed his eyes waiting for the telling off. But it never came. "I know something's wrong." He muttered quietly, no hint of annoyance or anger to his tone, but he spoke softly, almost concerned.

"You seem off today. You're not your usual hungover self. This… this is different. You're quiet, which usually means something bad." Dean refused to look up, letting his words sink in. Roman could read him like a book, but this was one page he didn't want his friend to recite. After the longest silence, the large weight beside him shifted, Roman pushing himself off the wall to stand in front of him. The tips of his black matt ring boots invading Deans line of sight. "What's happened?"

Glancing up at him through blond lashes, he saw the look of concern across his friend's face. The worry lines creasing his forehead, the thin tight line of his lips. A lump grew in his throat as if it was about to pop, and all his problems came pouring out from one confusing bubble. He licked his lips while trying to mentally keep his emotions in check. He replied with nothing more than a simple shake of the head.

"You wanted to talk this morning. I can't help you if yo-"

"You wouldn't be able to help me anyway." He muttered as his attention drew to a moving forklift truck, zipping across the vast space and shook his head again. "I've fucked up, big time." He whispered loudly, rubbing the back of his hand against his forehead. Trying not to burn himself with the lit end of his cigarette.

"What did you do?"

Dean took another deep drag, for courage more than anything. Bracing himself for impact.

"I kissed Seth."

He waited for the barrage of angry questions, but again, nothing came. Instead, the only sound that could be heard came from not-so-distant city life. Slowly returning his attention to his friend, he noticed that Roman hadn't moved. His brow still scrunched, yet somehow, he seemed to be frowning even harder. Those lines across his forehead shrouded in shadow, looking deeper than before. His jaw opens slightly, as if wanting to speak, but his computer systems crashed halfway through. "I know it was stupid" Dean rushed in, taking this brief opportunity to get in first with his reasoning.

"You kissed Seth?" he repeated slowly, like trying the words on his tongue to see how they felt.

"We were drunk, and…"

"HAVE YOU LOST YOUR DAMN MIND?!" Roman yelled, startling Dean and causing two nearby arena workers to stop their conversation and look across at them.

"I know!" He muttered so quietly; he wasn't even sure Roman heard. Pressing the heel of his palm to his forehead, cursing himself for saying anything. "Please, don't say anything. I promised I wouldn't."

"After everything you two have been through?!" He continued not even registering Dean's request, that Samoan temper flaring at the edges as he continued. "And What about Renee? Now you're dragging her into this?" Roman closed his eyes, inhaling deeply trying to collect himself. He turned on the spot walking away a short distance before returning with a deadpanned chuckle. "You know what the worst part is. I'm not even fucking surprised. The way you two have been dancing around each other for y-"

The sound of the fire exit door rattling open startled Dean and cut Roman off mid-sentence. 'Speak of the devil.'

…::::::…::::::…::::::…::::::…::::::…::::::…

Seth's knee bounced nervously as he sat in their empty locker room. Two hours later and there was still no sign of Dean. His belongings still sat in the same spot where he had left them, untouched and unopened. The show was set to go live in 20 minutes and his tag partner had seemingly vanished off the face of the earth. Seth thought about calling him again, but the first 3 attempts were just met with voice mail. The fight with Renee must have been bad, and Seth couldn't help feeling responsible. The possibility of Renee finding out had crossed his mind more than once since Dean left catering. They weren't exactly careful. They were both way too drunk, she had to know that.

Fed up of waiting around for word from Roman, he pushed himself off the sofa and marched to the door, pulling it open with force. A startled Renee stood the other side of the entry. Her fist raised, poised to knock. "… Hi" she squeaked, slowly lowering her fist, "is -erm- Dean in there?" She asked looking beyond him into the empty space. Unable to even look at her, his attention darting around the vicinity like a pinball stuck inside a machine. A nervous hand running up and down the back of his neck. Trying to ignore that heavy full feeling in his stomach.

"Actually, no... I was just going to look for him."

This was not the answer she wanted to hear. Her shoulders slumped and soft features fell into a disappointing scowl. "Oh." She murmured. "I wanted to give him back his phone." Reaching around to her back pocket she pulled out the familiar-looking cell.

"That would explain why he wasn't picking up my calls." Seth acknowledged with some relief. 'At least he's not ignoring me'

She stepped aside letting Seth exit the room. The large door shutting behind him with a metallic click. "Yeah, sorry. He's already pretty mad at me. I figured answering his phone would just cause another fight. I can take you to where I last saw him. Maybe we can retrace his steps"

The pair walked in tandem down the hall, Seth casting a side-eye over her smaller frame. She looked so sad, her usually happy cheery smile was non-existent. Hands firmly tucked into her jean pockets as she kept up with him stride for stride. "Everything ok?" He felt wrong for asking. But what made him feel like a total jerk; that unexpected spark of happiness he got from the idea of dissension between them.

Renee shrugged. "He's pissed at me, and I don't blame him. I would be to. But I just needed to know, not like he was going to tell me." An uneasy shiver trailed up Seth's spine, his mouth growing dryer by the second. "Then I found the box in his jacket, and… I kinda lost it."

"Box? What box?" Seth asked, his confusion genuine, almost unable to hear anything over his raging heartbeat.

She huffed a small sad chuckle "its ok Honey, I know he's smoking again. You don't have to cover for him." Seth sighed in relief. However, his speeding heart still raged on inside his chest, not fully relaxed just yet. He let Renee vent her frustration while scanning the area for his missing tag partner.

"- I just don't get why he hid it from me. I mean, did he really think he could come to bed last night stinking of them and I wouldn't notice?"

Seth smiled to himself. 'That sure did sound like Dean.' But his amusement was short-lived, as the mere reminder of last night sent an uneasy wave of panic crashing through him. This was his fault. "Have you talked to Roman?" he asked quickly, in the hopes of a change of subject. "I sent him looking about an hour ago."

"Couldn't find him either. I figured wherever they are, their together."

Seth sighed with a small shake of his head. "Like two peas in a pod, that pair."

"Don't get jealous," Renee said lightly, bumping her elbow into his ribs. "You're back in their little pea pod now Mister, and trust me, Dean would fight tooth and nail to keep you in there."

The warmth of her words enveloped him like a hug as a small coy smile broke out across his face. "Really?"

Renee nodded, a small smile edging across her face. "One day maybe he'll love me as much as he loves you pair." There was no hint of animosity in her voice, more siding on the edge of amusement as she smiled up at him. Seth's smile grew even larger at her words. Dean loves him. Maybe the content of her statement wasn't the way Seth had imagined, but to hear those words still made him grin like a goofy idiot.

It wasn't long before the pair arrived at the scene of the crime. The now-empty hallway sounding hollow, their footsteps bouncing off the walls in an eery echo. "Through there," Renee said pointing towards a fire exit. The large neon sign indicated above the grey door. "That was where I saw him last. I'll go check catering, again."

Seth tightened his bun and marched to the exit, pushing on the bar, with a metallic rattle the door swung open with ease. The warm evening air hitting him like a wall of heat, a stark contrast to the cool air-conditioned arena.

He saw Dean first. Cigarette in hand, still dressed in his sweats he left the hotel in. Roman, however, was ready for the show. His typical tactile vest, cargo pants combo, hair tied back into a low ponytail. "Hey, what you guys doin' out here?"

Taking stock of the situation, an anxious chill rose through him. Both men looked alarmed by his arrival like he had interrupted something private between them. Roman's unforgiving stern stare looking harsh as always, was a broad contrast to the wide hound dog expression from Dean. He was the first to look away, scratching the back of his neck with his free hand. "What's going on?" Seth asked with a nervous chuckle, approaching them cautiously.

"Dean's in the doghouse," Roman announced after a while. His heavy arms coming to fold across his chest with purpose. "Numbnuts over here got caught smoking by the Misses." His gaze fixed on his friend like a strict parent about to ground his unruly son.

As if to prove a point Dean took a drag, Seth watching on with keen insight. The lit end glowing orange as the filter paper shrank, his attention briefly landing on Roman, before looking away again.

"Yeah… She mentioned that."

"You spoke to her?" Dean looked up finally, exhaling a cloud of smoke away from the crowd. As if by some nicotine fuelled magic, Dean looked like himself again, his cool calm exterior returning. Soul of his biker boot pressed flat against the wall where he lent, looking every little bit of that bad boy reincarnation that Seth adored.

He nodded sheepishly as he shuffled on the spot. "She came looking for you. She's in catering."

Dean gave a small upward nod of understanding. "I'll go talk to her." He muttered taking one final drag of his cigarette and flicking the butt to the ground. Stubbing it out with the toe of his boot. "Lead the way," he said with a wave of his arm, encouraging Seth to move.

Holding open the door letting Dean walk through first. He waited until the pair were out of Roman's earshot before whispering. "Dean, I'm sorry if Renee catching you was my fault-"

"No." he whispered abruptly spinning on the spot to face him. A warm comforting hand came to rest on Seth's forearm as he spoke, halting their process. A small gentle caress that travelled up and down Seth's skin, sending his nerve endings into overdrive. "I already told you, none of this is on you. I was tired, drunk and not thinking. Ok?" His bright blues while still filled with something unspoken glinted under the strip lights overhead, that small Dean Ambrose half-smile making that one dimple pop. A kind, simple gesture that Seth returned in kindness.

Deans hand fell swiftly away as his attention drew to something over Seth's shoulder. Following his gaze, he noticed Renee lingering awkwardly behind them a few feet away. Tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear she sheepishly considered the pair. "Hey" she muttered.

"Hey" Dean echoed. Seth feeling more than uncomfortable sandwiched in between the two. But the tension in the air seems to shift slightly with Deans movement. "I'll see you in the locker room," Dean announced. Patting Seth on the bicep with a playful slap as he stepped around his tag partner. Seth nodded his understanding, not that Dean saw. His eyes were firmly locked onto his girlfriend as he moved forward.

"I swear. That man will be the death of me." Romans voice lingered somewhere between a murmur and a whisper, but still loud enough to startle Seth. His large figure slid up beside, large arms folded across his chest joining Seth in watching the conversation between Renee and Dean unfold. Seth's hand absentmindedly trailing up his arm where Deans touch still lingered. "How you feelin'?"

"Fine." Was all Seth could muster. To busy watching Renee's hand sneak up Dean's bare arm, his hand on her hip as he smiled coyly down at her. An uneasy knot tightened within Seth's stomach, knowing he should turn his attention elsewhere, letting the pair have such a tender moment together. But much like a car wreckage on the freeway, he just couldn't look away.

"You sure?" Roman continued. His large hand coming to rest on Seth's shoulder and he took precedent in front of Seth. Half blocking his view of the couple. Renee was only now visible. "You don't look it."

His heart clenched as Dean stepped further into view. His large muscular arms wrapping around her small figure. Leaning inwards in what seemed like ultraslow motion and planted a kiss on her lips. A kiss that Seth had seen the pair share more than a dozen times. And yet, somehow, today it felt like the final nail in the coffin. Like a wrecking ball swung through his heart, shattering it. The rubble tumbling through his body and landing deep within his stomach, making that horrid heavy feeling even more unbearable.

"I'm fine."