Monday Night Raw. The longest running weekly program. Everything was leading up to the moment and today there was going to be a fair few surprises heading the way of the WWE Universe and for the roster, the creative team had done a lot of planning for this today. The only thing left to do now was convince those involved, a task that was easy said then done, especially when it come to the ones that were as popular as the ones they had in mind. Seth Rollins, Dean Ambrose, Roman Reigns, Paige, AJ Lee and CM Punk not to mention there would be a lot more of the Superstars involved with other major changes, but the one they were involved in were the biggest and likely to be the most surprising.
At this moment in time Paige and the trio known as The Shield were just leaving the office of one Vince McMahon the chairman of the company in which they worked for. The four of them seemed surprise at what was planned for them, they didn't think that they would do that at least not so soon, they also knew that the WWE Universe were likely to be upset or even angry at what was going to happen. The times were changing the four of them and the WWE Universe had to accept that if they were going to move forward. AJ and Punk were waiting outside of the office when the four walked out, both of them seeing how shock and surprised the four of them appeared to be. AJ knew then that they were the ones that were part of the biggest change that was coming on the nights Raw.
"I'm going to go to the locker room, see if I can clean my head, try and come to terms with what is going to happen tonight" suddenly said Paige, turning and walking in the opposite direction to where they three boys were going. Seth turned and went after her knowing that right now all she wanted was a hug and someone to tell her that everything was going to be okay. He knew she wanted reassurance, after all she was going to lose her title tonight and she was going to be out at ringside during the main event. He was unsure about the night's events and he was absolutely sure that Dean was going to hate it more and more as the time drew closer for it happen. Once Paige was back in the locker room she shared with the other women, she sat on her own in the corner, for this one time only Bayley and Becky were there getting a taster of what it was like backstage of a show. Becky and Bayley looked at each other the latter was going to go over to her when Emma quickly told them otherwise.
"Leave her be, Paige has a tendency to lash out at people around when she confused or unsure about something. Whatever the creative team have planned for her has made her uneasy and most likely confused about what they want her to do" suddenly said Emma, hearing the knocks on the door, when she had seen Paige enter the way she had, she sent a message to Dean knowing he was the one who could calm her the best, she smiled at him before stepping aside letting him in and pointing the corner that Paige had isolated herself to. "Thanks for this Dean" added Emma watching as he went towards her, how he sat besides her. Emma had realised a long time ago that Dean was the only one Paige wouldn't lash out at when she was like this, she had yet to figure it out why.
"Come on Paige, tell Deano what's wrong" whispered Dean seeing her look up with tears in her eyes, he knew then it wasn't her losing her title that was bothering her, it was what is to come during the main event. "I know that the plans for the main event is what's bothering you. It's bothering me to, but I knew it would eventually come we all did, it's time for a new era now, time to try something new, although my on screen relationship with you isn't anything new, we have been there and done that" added Dean nudging Paige a little, seeing a small smile appear on her lips although he could see that her eyes were still pretty glassy. "Whatever happens out there you know me, Seth and Roman will always be there for you, plus you heard what Steph said, you will be responsible for the later changes that will change the face of this company. She is intending you to be the queen of women's division as well as to affect the rest of WWE as well. You are set to play the biggest role in the company, to be involved in the biggest story lines" continued Dean seeing the way she was looking at him.
"But in order for that to happen, I have to sacrifice not only my title but the one thing I promised I would never give up. It just raises the question. Is it worth the sacrifice that I have to make?" replied Paige, she knew what Dean was saying was true. But that didn't mean she had to like what was going to happen. She knew the outcome for the future, she knew she would be the most loved and the most hated at some point, that was the fun of being a WWE Superstar you would either be a loved baby-face, an admired anti-hero or a hated heel. Dean smiled at her, he knew what her future could one day hold, the same thing that many people had said was already in the future of Punk, Roman, Seth and himself. He would be amazed if Paige could one day be there too.
"Look to the future Paige, all of this will secure you in the Hall of Fame, every superstars dream is to be there. Out of everyone here Stephanie hand picked you for this, you have proven time and time again that you are ready for this, you have taken every moment to shine, every chance to prove those who underestimated you wrong. Nikki and Brie aren't the future of the Women's division, neither is Natalya, you are the future, just like Seth Roman and myself are the chosen ones to be the future of the men's division" replied Dean he knew his talk with her had worked when she smiled up and him. When he stood up he offered her his hand, smiling when she took it, he pulled her to her feet and hugged her. "This is your chance, you're once in a lifetime opportunity you have been talking about, don't waste it. you're already amongst the greatest, now it's time to become a legend" added Dean before letting her go and kissing her on the cheek before leaving, he knew that his little prep talk with her had helped.
Post Payback Raw.
The show had started, the WWE Universe were going crazy, they had seen one hell of a pay per view the night before, especially with Shield destroying Evolution for the second time in a row when it come to the events. They were expecting the Raw show to be the end of several feuds and the start of some new ones. At this moment in time Nikki Bella was in a two on one handicap match against Alicia Fox and Askana, her twin had quit the night before in order for her husband Daniel Bryan to keep his title, in the progress Brie had unwittingly abounded Nikki to a fate that worse than any that Daniel Bryan would have suffered, Nikki was not set to be put in unfair matches, where there was no way she could win, to make it even worse she knew no one was going to come to her aid.
The match had ended with Alicia doing the scissor kick, and a beat down on Nikki after. All the while Stephanie watching making sure Brie knew this was all on her for choosing her husband over her twin. By the time the beat down had finished Nikki could barely stand and was thankful for the appearance of Paige to help her to the back, she knew the other woman had broken character and that their was likely to be consequences but she was none the less thankful for someone caring enough to come and help her. Paige was soon joined by AJ both woman together helped her to the medical office so she could be checked out for any serious injuries. She once again thanked both woman for helping her.
It was the final match of the night, Roman Reigns vs. Randy Orton. Roman had come down to the ring through the live audience with Dean and Seth, Paige with them in her black ring gear, they had changed her title match at the last moment, since Natalya informed Stephanie the effects of everything that was going to happen that night had one Paige. Roman picked Paige up, placing her on the barricade just like every other time she came down to the ring with the group, while Dean carefully placing her on her feet near the steel stairs. Once the four of them were in the ring, Evolutions music began, Randy came out first, then Triple H with a sledge hammer, and finally Batista with Stephanie appeared on the stage, each looking at the ones in the ring and slowly making their way towards the ring. Seth had gone out of the ring, to get two steel chairs, taking Paige with him, he made sure she was the furthest side of the ring.
"In case you haven't figured it out yet, what we do better than anybody is adapt. Last night was plan A. Tonight is plan B. There's always a plan B" said Triple H, he gave a sinister smile to the four in the ring as did Randy, Batista and Stephanie. Roman, Dean and Seth looked to one and other and then behind them towards Paige. She nodded at them like she was giving them her approval to attack. Seth smiled at her, as Roman and Dean stepped forward. As they did Seth slowly turned around looked towards Paige, the Evolution before using the steal chair he had to smack Roman in the back with it. Watching as the bigger man feel to the bottom rope. Dean stood their in shock as did Paige neither knowing what was happening. Dean's instinct now was to protect Paige, he began to make his way over to her. Only to attack by Seth who literally broke a chair over his back while also assaulting Roman with it also.
Paige slowly dropped down to her knee's holding her hands over her lips like she was trying not to cry at what was happening before her. After Seth had curb stomped Dean on to the other steal chair he had, he climb out of the ring to the chants of you sold out, giving the chair to Randy. Who was more than happy to inflict more damage on Roman even as going as far as to RKO a helpless Roman on the steal chair he had just been beating the man with. Paige was leaning against the ropes the entire time, watching as the assault happened, not being able to do anything to stop it due to her body freezing, paralysing her to the spot she was in. Randy smiled sinisterly at her as did Triple H and Stephanie when they entered the ring, Seth however looked at her in guilt that he had hurt her. He watched as Dean attempt to get to her when he noticed she was still in the ring. He feared they would do something to her too. That was only proven right when Stephanie pulled her to her feet, then slapped her around the face before kicking her in the midsection and delivering a pedigree to her, leaving Paige lying besides Dean and Roman.
"Ladies and Gentle, you have just bared witness to the end of the Shield" said Stephanie kneeling next to Paige, placing the diva's title of her motionless form. She noticed how Dean had dragged his hurting form over to Paige and grabbed hold of her hand, signalling that they were still united. After than the show went of air. Evolution and Seth left the ring, Seth looking back one last time at the people he was leaving behind, the people he had just sacrificed. He knew there were going to be questions from the WWE Universe, but he didn't care all he cared for were the people he had betrayed, for Paige who he felt guilt for, he knew she was aware that the Shield was going to implode however she was unaware that he was the one to turn on his brothers, so her surprise was genuine, she found out when everyone else did.
After the Authority as they know called themselves left the ring returning backstage, the medical team came down to the ring to check on the three in the ring. Dean by now was in a kneeling position as was Roman both of them attempting Paige to sit up. When Stephanie hit Paige with the pedigree she had caught Paige's head of the steal chair. The three of them with the help of the medical team struggled backstage. Seth joining them and helping Paige since Dean was struggling to keep himself up as well as Paige. He knew the WWE Universe had brought it, the Shield was over, Seth had now severed his ties to Dean and Roman, and on SmackDown he was going to do one thing to cause the duo more harm. He kissed Paige on the forehead when she leant against him, Stephanie, Randy and Triple H came to check on the three, Stephanie had noticed too late the chair was then when she did the pedigree, she had worried for Paige but had to stay in character, they all did.
Bayley, Emma, Sami, Adrian, Sheamus, Becky, Finn, Adam, Dolph, AJ and Punk along stood backstage staring at the monitor in catering area, wondering if what they had seen actually happened or if this was some sort of joke. The end of the Shield a group that had formed back in their high school days. It was gone and Seth, their Seth was the one who destroyed it. It was surprising and shocking to say the least. It occurred to Bayley and Emma then, was this what had gotten to Paige earlier on in the night when she isolated herself to the corner in the women's locker room. Was this one of the major changes that they had all been told was coming. Eva had soon joined them, of course she hadn't taken any notice of what happened, so when Paige appeared after she had gotten changed, Eva went up to her with a huge smile on her face. There was one thing that hadn't changed from school, Paige and Eva still hated each other. Paige stood for everything that Eva hated and was against where as Paige just couldn't stand Eva, there was something about her that wound the raven haired woman up.
"Paige, there is the major change coming up in the division, i.e. you are dropping your title to me" said Eva when she reacted Paige, the red head seemed happy that she would be getting the title. Paige looked up at her since she was staring at the floor before. Paige shook her head before grabbing Eva by her hair and throwing her over one of the near by tables, she let out a primal scream after that, walking over to Eva and launching her at one of the walls, all the others could do was stand by and watch. The three that once made up the Shield appeared, Seth and Dean holding Paige back, where as Roman made sure that Eva was okay, although he knew that she would likely to be hurt considering Paige has just let her pent up anger out on her. Dean looked over at the ones who stood by and watched silently asking the question of what happened. Where as Seth tried to calm Paige down.
"Eva being her normal self, thought now was a great time to tell Paige that she was going to be dropping her title to her. As normal Eva didn't watch the show when it doesn't have anything to do with her so she didn't see the end of the Shield. Paige just grabbed a handful of hair and threw her over the table then into the wall a few times, she just snapped" replied Emma, she knew Paige was likely to be hurt and confused and she knew she would lash out but never had she seen Paige react like this before. It was clear that Paige was changing as well, she was going back to the Anti-Diva the one she was when she was in NXT, the one who never backed down even when everyone told her she couldn't do it.
"I don't care that I have to drop my title. But I wont drop it to someone who is about as dangerous as wet cardboard and can't fight her way out of a paper bag" suddenly said Paige. It was at that point Dean just chuckled to himself. He thought it was what happened in the ring that had caused her to lash out, like they all did, but it was just an over reaction to finding out that she was going to lose a title match to Eva. It was no secret that the two didn't get on. "I would rather lose the title to Summer, at least she can fight instead of messing every move up" added Paige, Roman knew then, it was going to be a hard time calming her down, he remembers the last time she was like this was when she had to forfeit her NXT women's title, although she wasn't as bad.
"Seth, Dean take Paige home. Emma, Sami, Sheamus make sure Finn, Becky and Bayley get home since they have school in the morning. Dolph going and spend the rest of the night with Kaitlyn and Celeste, if she asks about what happened just tell her Paige snapped. Adrian go with Sami, and AJ and Punk you get the rest of the night to do whatever you want, I will inform Layla and Justin of what happened so they have the heads up of Paige being hostile tomorrow" said Roman, he knew Paige could be dangerous but even he had never expected her to suddenly attack Eva the way she had, he understood she was angry about having to lose the title to her and about everything that had happened during the Raw show, but even so that was an over reaction even by Paige's standards.
Thursday Night SmackDown came around quickly, due to what had happened after Monday Night Raw. Stephanie had changed the plans that were put in place for Paige to retain her title, instead she had taken Paige's recommendation of Emma, Summer, Natalya, AJ, Naomi, Tamina or Beth be the one she drops the title to. Stephanie had reviewed Eva's work and ultimately decided to send her back down to NXT until she improves her in ring skills. She had informed Paige of that and also told her she had no match for SmackDown and that she would keep the title until just before Money In The Bank, then she will lose it to a surprise opponent something that Paige had agreed to. Stephanie had made sure these changes stuck due to Paige playing a big part in the current storyline with the Shield members, after all she was in the ring when the implosion of the Shield happened on the Raw before.
In the ring at the moment Seth being interviewed Michael Cole over his actions on the Raw before, he was sat listening to what Michael was saying and also what the WWE universe were chanting, some of them where chanting the same as they did on Monday night "You sold out" and others were chanting "Why? Seth why?". Oddly he wasn't really bothered what they were chanting the only thing that was running through his mind was Paige's reaction how she paralysed with shock at what had happened before her and that she couldn't do anything to stop it without getting herself hurt as well. "So Seth, everyone here is wondering why did you turn on your Shield brothers, why did you turn your back on Paige?" asked Michael, that's what hit him the most, in order to change everything he had to sever his connection with Dean and Roman and also turn his back on Paige. Seth stood up from his chair, microphone in hand.
"You want to know why I did what I did? The only person who has the right to know is me" replied Seth revealing he wasn't going to tell anyone why he betrayed his brothers, why he left Paige the way he did. "Roman and Dean weren't my brothers, they were business partners and I severed a business connection, that's it. The only thing I regret is Paige was there and got hurt because she was an ally of the Shield" added Seth revealing that Paige getting hurt was what he regretted out of all of it. Backstage Roman and Dean were watching what he was saying, they both looked at each other, at least he was still showing signs of the Seth they had partnered with he still showed that he cared for Paige but that was likely to be more of the real Seth showing through rather than the character.
Later on in the night it was Roman and Dean in the ring with Paige. The three were set to do a segment, Dean had made sure Paige was okay the whole time. He was aware that the WWE Universe either what Saige to happen or Ambraige, they were about to get one of them, but that was just to give them something they wanted as they had destroyed their favourite stable the Monday before hand. Paige had the microphone, she was waiting for the WWE Universe to calm down a little before she spoke. Dean was pacing behind her where as Roman was stood just wanting to know the truth of why he was betrayed, why Seth had joined the Authority when they fought so hard to bring them down once and for all.
"We all have battle scars from Payback. We all have battle scars from Monday, but eventually the will heal and fade away, but that doesn't explain why Seth Rollins betrayed us, why he attacked Dean and Roman here with a steal chair. Why he turned his back on us. I will find out the truth Seth, even if I have to tear my division apart, even if I have to show everyone here the real reason why I am Miss Hell In Boots. I don't care what I have to do to get those answers, even if that means I have to go after you sweet little Authority princess in Summer Rae" suddenly said Paige hearing the WWE Universe cheer for what she said, for those who had seen her in NXT, then they knew what she could be like, all hell was going to break loose and no one was going to be safe from the wrath of Paige.
"The Shield was untouchable, and we will go down as one of the greatest groups in sports entertainment groups history ever" said Dean once Paige gave him the microphone, he smiled at her while taking the microphone from her, placing one of his hands on her shoulder waiting until she nodded to his silent question, before continuing with what he was saying. "We dominated WWE, we beat everybody, even evolution. But we weren't healthy, we had a cancer inside of us, little did we know that's cancer's name … cancer's name was Seth Rollins" added Dean trying to control his anger when he said Seth's name, it was clear Roman wasn't too pleased either as he started to pace at the name of the former member. "History is full of people like you Seth, everybody in this building knows someone like you Seth, the kind of guy who will stab his brother in the back, a suck up, a sell out to the Authority" Dean paused looking right at the camera again trying to take control of his anger before he takes it out on someone and doing something he regrets. "Now when I get the opportunity, to rearrange you face which I will. Your nose isn't going to be here anymore, it's going to be over here, by your ear. I say ear because you're only going to have one left. I'm going to rip your dirty stinking hair out by the roots, I'm going to stuff it in your mouth, there will be plenty of room where your teeth used to be. Seth Rollins, my brother. You are scum, when you stand in this ring again tonight, we are going to listen to what you have to say, we are going to listen to you lie through your teeth, we are going to listen to Triple H's words coming out of your mouth, then we are going to beat the hell out of you" said Dean finishing what he had to say and throwing the microphone to the ground walking away before spotting Roman wanted to say something to which he put his hands up and the leant down to pick up the microphone and give it to Roman.
"Seth you have committed the most unforgivable sin" said Roman to pause for a few minutes quietly growling down the microphone and watching Dean go over to Paige "You're the scum of the earth, there's things you don't do in life. You don't tug on Superman's cape, you don't piss in the wind and you don't ever stab your brothers in the back. But you're only part of the problem the other parts of Evolution and Stephanie. Randy Orton, he runs around here and he thinks everyone owes him something, he thinks he's the face of the company. When I get my hands on you Randy, you are going to be the ass of this company. And when I'm done with you I'm coming for you Triple H, the King of Kings, we're going to have our own game of thrones. Believe that" added Roman before throwing the microphone behind him. Listening to the crowd cheering for them, they were aware that Seth was backstage or that he was around the building somewhere. It wasn't long before he made himself known, he stood at the top of the ramp. Noticing Paige was the only one outside of the ring.
"Paige" suddenly said Seth not moving from his place on top of the ramp, he watched as did Roman and Dean as she walked around the ring so she was in between the ramp and the ring. "All this right now, we can walk and go our separate way. Guess what we will be fine but what if fine isn't good enough" added Seth, completely ignoring that Dean and Roman were in the ring, instead he spoke directly to the raven haired woman stood between him and his former brothers. Paige looked at him, to the WWE Universe and then to Roman and Dean who stood in the ring, still like they were planning the best way to get revenge on the one who had betrayed them. On the one who had hurt them. Dean handed Paige the microphone that they had all used earlier on. She smiled in thanks to him before looking right back at him.
"How stupid do you think I am. I will not make the same mistake that you did" replied Paige, getting in the ring standing between Dean and Roman. "I will not betray them Roman and Dean. I will not turn my back on them as you did" added Paige making her point clear, she was going to stand her ground no matter what the Authority put in her way. She was sticking with the two who had stayed with her.
