It's while The Shield is beating them down again that Heath, down face first on the mat, staring into nothing, tries to remember what led to this point... why they always end up here. But it doesn't matter, all he can remember is the looks on Drew and JInder's faces backstage, before they'd come out here for one last hurrah together. Before... Well...
Before Drew and Jinder sat before him, pale and barely able to catch his eye. "So, Heath, I dunno how to tell ya this, but it's been a great run," Drew starts, looking strangely misty eyed.
Heath looks confused but before he can say anything, Jinder speaks up. "Thank you for making me part of all of this, Heath. I've quite enjoyed being The Fun One. Maybe someday in the future we can all rock together again."
He looks from Jinder's sad eyes to Drew's grim expression, it immediately hitting him. "No," he chokes out. "Nah, no- guys-" They immediately lean forward and hug him, Heath's arms circling them both as he gapes, flabberghasted. "Ya got released?" Drew and Jinder nod against him and he grits his teeth against the tears filling his eyes. "Son of a bitch..."
It's not a great farewell, in fact it's the worst he could offer them. Flat on his face, unable to do anything as they're railroaded once more. Fresh tears fill his eyes and he's worthless, not finding the strength to even stand for a few moments after that, stumbling back up the ramp once trainers start pushing and prodding him to move to make space for the next match. He sits in the trainer's office, his head bowed, as Drew and JInder get looked at too. Wade is around somewhere, he saw him, he just can't be bothered to look up, acknowledge what's going to happen next.
They all get cleared simultaneously by the trainer and his assistants, and then Heath doesn't really have a choice as Drew and Jinder walk up to him, ready to change out of their gear one last time and leave the arena. "I can't," he chokes out, shaking his head as Drew rests a hand on his left shoulder and Jinder his right. "I'm sorry. I failed ya both."
"No you didn't," Jinder says quietly. "You made this entire thing a lot more fun than it should've been. I wouldn't change a thing."
"I agree," Drew says. "If it had to end like this, I'm glad I was able to work with you, brother."
"It was really great workin' with ya both too," Heath murmurs, breathing raggedly as they hug him once more, like earlier. He spots Wade out of the corner of his eye but he keeps to himself, allows them this moment, despite their problems with Drew over the months. Once Drew and Jinder let him go, Heath slides off of the cot and walks with them down the hall, watching silently as they pack and prepare to leave.
Heath swallows as they hoist their bags over their shoulders and turn one last time to smile. "G'bye, Heath, see ya in Florida, yeah?" Drew says, cuffing him on the shoulder before turning. "Take care of 'im." This is to Wade, whose jaw ticks, before he nods tersely.
"You know I will, McIntyre."
Jinder rocks forward, struggling to smile as well. "Thank you again for everything, Heath. I wish you every happiness and success. Goodbye."
"Goodbye," he whispers, watching as they leave, Drew waving backwards as they walk down the hall to the door with the damningly bright red EXIT sign over it.
Wade senses what's coming, standing close until the door slams shut behind them and Heath immediately starts to slump, his long arms moving quickly to wrap around Heath, support him as finally his duty as leader, to attempt to make things better for Drew and Jinder in even the hardest of circumstances fail him, and he starts to cry. "It's ok," he mumbles into Heath's orange hair. "You're going to be ok." Heath's nails are biting into his forearm, but he doesn't move or shake free of him, just holding onto him tighter, waiting out his crying jag.
"I don't wanna go back to bein' a one man band," he chokes out. "I don't. I liked havin' 'em around... it made the losses easier, y'know?" He looks desperately sad when Wade turns him around so they're face to face, his dark eyes welling with fresh tears.
"You'll find something," he mumbles. "You always do. It'll be alright." He runs his fingers through Heath's hair before pulling him back and brushing his fingers along Heath's cheeks, drying his eyes. "Want to go back to the hotel now?"
Heath nods. "Yeah. I guess. Thanks, Brit." He leans into him for a minute, sighing when Wade kisses him quickly. "Let's get outta here." He changes into his clothes, he grabs his bag and walks slowly towards the same door that Drew and Jinder had left out of five minutes earlier. His shoulders slump a little more with each step but Wade's warmth behind him gives him some strength and he squares them before pushing the door open and stepping outside, determined to see what the next chapter in his career will bring him.
Come hell or high water, Wade vows to be right by his side, no matter what.