Anxious Days and Sleepless Nights
"So we're all on the same page, right, guys?" Seth said for what must have been the fifth time, "Dean, you're okay with this?"
"I already promised to be on my best behavior," Dean said innocently.
Or rather, he made a valiant effort to look innocent, which only served to make him look more mischievous than ever. Seth rolled his eyes, while Roman and Carly laughed.
"Seriously, Seth," said Dean, "I'm good now. I got all the shenanigans out of my system. Well, for the next week, at least. So stop worrying, alright?"
That wasn't going to happen. Still, Dean's reassurance seemed to put Seth more at ease. He couldn't afford to be distracted tonight. Not with what he was up against.
"You sure you wanna take on Batista again?" said Roman, "It really didn't go so well for you the first time."
"That's why I have to, Roman," said Seth.
"Alright, alright. If that's what you gotta do," said Roman, "Then we got your back."
"Believe that, brother," said Dean, clapping Seth on the back.
"I know. Thanks, guys," Seth smiled, "I think I'm gonna go take a walk. Clear my head a little."
Dean and Roman had come to accept Seth's disappearing act, and went about their pre-show preparations as usual. Carly sat by and waited.
She couldn't deny that she'd been feeling a little useless lately. Back before Extreme Rules, she'd always been running interference or gathering information for the Shield. But now, Dean and Roman were treating everything as routine, Seth was always off brooding somewhere like he was Batman or something, and Carly had absolutely nothing to do.
Alright, so maybe that wasn't entirely true. She'd just switched from espionage to support class, that's all. She was still helping the Shield. It was just her responsibilities now consisted mostly of looking after the boys when they got hurt. Up until recently, that had been a shared responsibility. But with the Dark Knight lost in thought half the time and lost in general the other half, much of that responsibility had fallen to Carly. She didn't mind it. She liked being able to help the boys. She just felt like she could and should be doing something more, and that thought needled at her. Oh well. As one of her nerdier gamer friends had once told her: sometimes you tank, and sometimes you heal.
"Hey, is it that late already?" Dean's voice broke across her thoughts, "Seth should've gotten back by now."
His brow furrowed concernedly, and Roman glanced up at the clock. There was only half an hour left before the broadcast, meaning Seth had been gone for a good forty-five minutes.
"You're right," said Roman, "I'm gonna go look for him. You two wait here in case he comes back while I'm gone."
"Got it," said Dean.
Oh joy. More waiting. She shouldn't complain. At least they didn't have to worry about more of the crazy stunts Evolution had pulled the month before, even if it did mean things were a little boring at present.
Suddenly, a commotion in the hallway caught Carly and Dean's attention. They looked at each other in confusion. It sounded like a fight, and one of the voices sounded like Roman's.
Carly and Dean ran out into the hall and followed the sounds just in time to see Randy Orton slam Roman's head into a pipe. Roman collapsed, facedown. With a roar of rage, Dean charged at Orton, tearing into him like a wild animal. Roman was still sprawled out on the ground. Carly let Dean worry about Randy Orton, and knelt down next to Roman.
"Roman, are you alright?" she asked, "What happened? Did… oh my God."
When Roman finally looked up, Carly was horrified to see blood streaming down his face. He must've hit that pipe hard enough to open a fairly large gash just above his right eye. Acting more or less on instinct, Carly pulled off her sweatshirt and used the sleeve to try to staunch the flow of blood from the wound.
"That bad, huh?" Roman asked dazedly.
He tried to push himself to his feet, but Carly put a hand on his shoulder. Thankfully, he understood that meant she wanted him to stop, because there was no way she could've held Roman Reigns down. She didn't want to risk letting him stand without somebody else there to help.
"Just a bit, yeah," said Carly, "Don't get up just yet, alright? Dean?"
By that time, officials had stepped in to break up the fight and chase Randy Orton off. Dean, no worse for the wear himself, stopped trying to get past the officials to give chase and turned back to Carly.
"Yeah, what's – whoa," Dean broke off when he saw Roman, "Damn. He busted you open good, Roman."
"The bastard jumped me," Roman grumbled, "I didn't even see him coming."
Dean knelt down next to Carly and put a hand on Roman's chest, looking him over.
"You hurt otherwise?" he asked.
"No," said Roman, "You chased him off before he got the chance. Thanks, by the way."
Thank goodness. This whole business was pretty odd. What was Randy Orton doing prowling around here? Was he waiting for one of the Shield to show up? That wouldn't make much sense, since they didn't usually go off alone. Unless someone had noticed how Seth had been doing so lately. Then perhaps this was on Triple H's orders, and Roman just had the misfortune to wander into a trap laid for Seth. Then again, Carly wouldn't put it past Orton to commit a crime of opportunity.
"If you're okay to walk, we should probably go find the medics," said Carly, "I don't like how much that's bleeding right now."
"She's right, uce," said Dean, "Come on, we better get you patched up."
Dean helped him to stand, and the three of them just set off towards the trainers' room when Seth suddenly appeared beside them.
"Guys, what the hell happened?" he asked frantically.
"We got worried, so Roman went looking for you," said Dean, "He ran into a snake instead."
Seth looked more distressed than Carly had ever seen him. She wondered if it was because Roman was hurt, or because he'd gotten hurt while he was out looking for Seth.
"Roman, I'm sorry," Seth said, "Really, I didn't mean for you guys to worry. I promise I won't go off like that again. Look, once we get you taken care of, you can sit this one it, alright?"
"Like hell I will," Roman said adamantly, "It could've been you that got jumped, or Dean. Hell, that psycho probably would've done the same to Carly. I'm not letting you three out of my sight."
"That's the spirit," said Dean, "We're not gonna let Evolution think they've got us scared."
Roman, more annoyed than hurt, was quickly tended to by the medics. After cleaning and examining the wound, they told him that he'd need stitches, to which he responded by asking them to please hurry up with that. Dean hovered nearby as the medics worked. Seth stayed back a bit, leaning against the wall.
Carly, realizing that she was still carrying her now bloodstained sweatshirt, quickly deposited it in the garbage. She wanted to go over and make sure that Roman was alright, but while the sight of blood didn't bother her, stitches and needles made her shamefully squeamish. Instead, she went to stand next to Seth, who still looked perturbed by the situation.
"You okay?" she asked quietly.
"Yeah. No," Seth sighed, "I'm responsible for this."
"No you're not," said Carly, "This wasn't your fault. Randy Orton is a pile of crazy. You had nothing to do with it. Although… if there's one thing you guys have taught me, it's that if you're doing something that's making your friends worry, you probably shouldn't be doing that thing."
"You're right," said Seth, hanging his head a little, "Carly, I'm sorry."
"Don't be sorry," said Carly, "Just know that if you need us, we're here to help. I'm here to help. Alright?"
That faint, tired smile was on Seth's face again.
"I don't think I quite deserve a friend like you," he said.
"I know, right? I wouldn't wish me on anyone," Carly said mock-earnestly.
At least self-deprecating humor could still get a laugh out of Seth. Poor guy. He had enough on his plate without blaming himself for things that weren't his fault. Still, she was glad he'd promised not to wander off anymore. They couldn't afford to let anybody get hurt. Carly linked her arm through his, and they waited for the medics to finish stitching Roman up.
Suddenly, there was an intern standing in the doorway. He glanced around and, spotting Carly, made his way over to her.
"Excuse me, Miss Caden?" he said, "I have a message for you and the Shield."
He handed her a piece of paper and vanished as quickly as he had appeared. Carly's expression darkened as she unfolded the paper. Messages for her were rarely good news, especially when they arrived just before a broadcast like this.
"What's it say?" Dean asked, walking over to join Carly and Seth.
"It's from Triple H," said Carly, "It's just been announced that the match between Evolution and the Shield at Payback will be a no holds barred elimination match."
With a low whistle of disbelief, Dean took the paper from Carly to read it for himself. Seth looked grim, but unsurprised. So this was how Evolution planned to "take the Shield apart, one by one." With no rules to stop them, Evolution would be free to torture the Shield to their black hearts' content. And being an elimination match would make it even worse. If Evolution managed to pin just one of the boys, they'd have the upper hand in an instant. Carly felt sick.
"Nothing we can't handle," said Roman, as he eased himself upright, "We're brothers, and we fight together. Evolution is just three men. Once they finally realize that they can't adapt to take us down, it'll all be over for them."
"Now that's what I like to hear," Dean laughed eagerly.
Seth just smiled stiffly and said, "Come on, we gotta get ready to make the challenge."
Carly followed the Shield out. She knew they could take down Evolution. They'd done it before, and they could do it again. If an elimination match favored any faction, it favored the Shield. Still, she knew they were going to get hurt, and badly. It was unavoidable. And with opponents as sadistic as Evolution, it was not going to be pretty.
xXx
A resoundingly confident challenge had gone out, and it had been accepted. The Authority had answered with great haste. And when the Authority made an announcement, there was one thing that the recipient must pay close attention to.
"Exact words," said Carly.
"Right," said Seth, "'Only official personnel will be allowed ringside.'"
"Meaning?" asked Dean.
"Meaning Triple H and Randy Orton are going to find a way to make themselves official," said Seth.
"Meaning we gotta find a way to make me and Dean official, too," said Roman.
Carly was surprised at Triple H. This was a remarkably transparent ploy. Surely he didn't think they were that stupid. Carly almost instantly saw the solution. The only problem would be getting it authorized by the proper high muckety-mucks.
"I've got an idea," said Seth.
"Is it something that'll make your fans at home very happy?" Carly guessed.
"Great minds think alike," Seth grinned at her.
"Roman, they're doing it again," Dean complained.
"Come on, already," said Roman, laughing, "Don't keep us in suspense. What's the plan?"
"Dean, Roman, congratulations," said Seth as he clapped them both on the back, "You're going to be tonight's special guest commentators. Carly, I think you know what to do?"
"Oh, thank God," Carly blurted out, "I haven't been able to do something useful in ages. I mean… uh, sorry."
She backpedaled sheepishly. Carly had made certain that the Shield knew nothing of her moping about feeling useless. Thankfully, they seemed to read her outburst as merely enthusiasm.
"Somebody's chomping at the bit," Roman grinned.
"Yeah, well," Carly laughed awkwardly, "I'm gonna go reason with a flying monkey. See you guys in a bit."
"Hang on," said Roman, "I'm coming with you."
"I can handle this," said Carly.
"I know you can," said Roman, "But that doesn't mean I'm gonna let you go off on your own. It's too dangerous right now."
"But you already got hurt tonight and-" said Carly.
"Don't argue with him, princess," Dean interrupted. "Roman Reigns can't be stopped by nine measly stitches. I'll stay here and protect Seth, and Roman'll go with you and do the same. That way nobody gets left vulnerable. Alright?"
They were right, of course. And this arrangement had worked well the last time they'd employed it. Carly didn't want to leave Seth any more defenseless than necessary, and she didn't want to risk Roman getting hurt worse, but she couldn't deny that she would be putting herself at an unnecessary risk if she went off alone.
"Alright," said Carly, "Come on, Roman."
"It's not 'cause I think you can't take care of yourself, because I know you can," Roman started as they walked towards the offices.
"I know that," said Carly, smiling up at him, "I also know that you're right. None of us can afford to take stupid risks, not now. And I do feel better knowing that you've got my back."
"We make a pretty good team, princess," said Roman.
"We do," said Carly.
He put an arm around her shoulders, and she leaned against him a little. Sometimes Carly thought that Roman Reigns was the one constant in the entire universe, and she was more grateful for that than she could ever say.
When they got to the general manager's office, Roman stepped back and let Carly go first, rearranging his posture. Roman at his most intimidating was a sight to behold. He lowered his chin, a stern, fierce light in his wolf's eyes, and grabbed hold of the front of his vest, increasing the visibility of his broad shoulders and strong, formidable arms. Carly herself was a little overawed by him, until she remembered that she was under his protection.
"Oh, no you don't," said Brad Maddox, hurriedly getting to his feet as they entered the office, "Out. Both of you need to leave at once."
"Mr. Maddox," said Carly, well aware that Brad's gaze was darting between her face and Roman standing over her shoulder, "I have a very simple request. I respectfully ask that you officially declare Dean Ambrose and Roman Reigns guest commentators from the match between Batista and Seth Rollins, and that you provide authorized documentation of this."
"I'll do no such thing," said Brad, "That would be in direct contradiction of the Authority's wishes."
"Please, Mr. Maddox," said Carly, "I'm sure we could come to some sort of agreement."
"I don't make bargains with subversives and thugs," he said, drawing himself up dignifiedly.
Carly heard a low rumble of laughter from behind her. Apparently Roman found being called a thug as amusing as she found being called a subversive. From the look in Brad's eyes, he didn't find Roman's amusement amusing at all. Clearly, he remembered their last encounter, but to his credit, Brad Maddox held his ground.
"There's no need to get offended," Carly said placatingly, "Let's all be reasonable about this."
"I don't think so," said Brad, "Now if you would kindly remove yourself from my office."
As he spoke, Brad grabbed hold of Carly's arm to force her towards the door. He froze in terror as Roman's hand clamped down on his shoulder. Brad turned his fearful eyes up to Roman's face.
"Little man, you just made a big mistake," Roman growled, "Carly, would you give us a moment?"
"O-okay," Carly said haltingly.
Carly stepped into the hallway and closed the office door. She felt a little bad about letting Roman take his anger out on Brad Maddox, but only a little. They didn't have time to mess around. If Brad wasn't willing to reach come to an agreement diplomatically, they'd have to do things that hard way. Still, Carly tried to ignore the sounds of the aggressive negotiations going on behind the door.
When Roman emerged, he looked a good deal more cheerful than he had so far that night. He pulled the door shut behind him and handed Carly a slightly crumpled memo.
"I think you can take it from here," he said.
"Right," said Carly, looking over the paper to see that everything was in order, "I didn't think he'd be that hard to persuade."
"He was a lot more reasonable when I got through with him," Roman grinned, "And besides, I'm not letting any corporate weasel push our princess around."
"Thanks, Roman," said Carly.
"No problem," he said.
Carly was quick to locate a trustworthy senior employee (there were surprisingly more of those than one would assume).
"Would you please make sure these orders are put through the proper channels?" Carly asked, "And then possibly send a medic to the general manager's office. Mr. Maddox might need some… assistance."
"Of course," the employee replied with the unfazed air of a person who had seen it all already and was not even going to ask anymore.
"All set?" Seth asked, when Carly and Roman returned.
"All set," said Carly, "Mostly thanks to my chief negotiator."
Roman laughed and smiled modestly.
"Took care of business, huh, Roman?" asked Dean.
"Decisively," said Roman, cracking his knuckles.
"Triple H won't be able to do a thing about it," Carly said triumphantly, "Of course, he won't even know about it until it's too late. I just wish I could be there to see the look on his face. I know, Seth. It isn't safe for me to be ringside."
"Is it safe for you to be anywhere?" Dean asked wryly, "I'm trying to think of one place in any given arena where you haven't gotten beat up."
"Hilarious," said Carly, "I know of one room in particular that's sure to be vacant and relatively safe."
"Oh yeah?" said Dean, "Where's that?"
"The general manager's office," Carly smirked.
After wishing Seth luck and giving him a hug for good measure, Carly locked herself in the now empty general manager's office and settled down onto the couch to enjoy the show.
The moodiness was gone from Seth's face as he made his way to the ring. He was all business, but there was more life and energy in his movements than there had been the last couple weeks. Perhaps he felt more at ease knowing that he wouldn't be going into this alone.
Seth made a good show of looking confused when, instead of Batista, Triple H appeared on the stage as the special guest ring announcer and introduced Randy Orton as the special guest timekeeper. All in the name of ensuring that the audience would see the best match possible, of course.
The commentators were slow to put the pieces together, but at least they were smart enough to see something fishy about a guest ring announcer having his fists taped up. Carly couldn't quite agree on the suspiciousness of the guest timekeeper wearing trunks, though, considering it was Randy Orton. That man had an altogether unsettling aversion to wearing pants.
Seth waited until Batista had made his entrance to retrieve the microphone that had been placed on the steel steps.
"You know, I've got some special guests of my own to make this match as big as possible," Seth announced, "So let me introduce to you the special guest commentators: Dean Ambrose and Roman Reigns!"
Triple H could only look on in livid disbelief as Dean and Roman came down to the ring. He may have been upset, but the audience surely wasn't, and Carly was willing to bet that everyone watching at home was quite pleased. Dean sauntered over to the announcers' table with Roman following behind, both entirely unconcerned by the furious staredown Evolution was giving them.
Dean was completely in his element as the match got started, lobbing insults in Randy Orton's direction and singing the praises of Seth Rollins. The match itself started pretty evenly. Seth was recovered from the injuries he'd sustained at Extreme Rules and in the weeks following, so he was more than able to counter Batista's strength with his own intelligence and agility.
Roman seemed content to let Dean do most of the talking, except for answering the question of why Brad Maddox was in the trainers' room with "Because I put him there." Roman's general silence was probably because keeping an eye on Seth was his primary concern, and also because Dean was a riot on commentary, particularly when he couldn't contain himself and burst out cheering for Seth.
Things started to get a little worrisome as Seth got thrown around outside the ring by Batista, and got his head slammed into the steel steps. But the audience shared Dean's confidence and continued to chant for Seth.
For a moment, Carly thought things were about to break down. Seth had been tossed outside the ring. Triple H and Randy Orton began to close in on him as he scrambled to get away. Thankfully, they were warned off by the referee and by Dean, so the match could continue. For now, anyway.
Things still weren't going so well for Seth. Batista was doing his level best to wear him down, and it seemed to be working. But Dean's voice still rang out, confidently boasting of the Shield's superiority, and implying that Roman's mother hits harder than Randy Orton. Carly had never met the woman, but she actually wouldn't doubt it. Seth was finally able to create some separation and build momentum, only to be hit with a stunningly brutal clothesline.
Seth's resilience kept him in the match. Carly was starting to get concerned, though. Maybe he wasn't recovered as much as he'd let on. They shouldn't have set this match up. They should've let Dean take a crack at Batista instead. Seth was just going to get murdered again.
"He's still in it," said Roman, as if in response to Carly's doubts.
Batista flung Seth across the ring into the turnbuckle, and Seth landed sprawled out on his back. Now, this was strange. Triple H leaned his elbows on the apron near Seth and seemed to be saying something to him. Carly couldn't make it out over the sounds of Dean talking trash.
Batista put Seth on the top rope, presumably setting up for a suplex, but Seth fended him off, and caught Batista with a high-flying neck-breaker. Once again, it was a short-lived rally. Seth took a boot to the face and went down again. But none of that daunted Dean's absolute faith in Seth. Carly couldn't help smiling at that. She knew it meant a lot to Seth and Roman, that Dean put his faith and trust in them. And once Dean Ambrose put his confidence in someone, that confidence was unshakeable.
As if drawing strength from that, Seth rallied again, catching Batista with that amazingly impressive move that Carly still didn't know the name of. Finally, Seth was picking up steam.
"Like a cat!" Dean crowed.
Seth had slipped out of Batista's grasp and landed on his feet. Then he sent Batista flying outside the ring with a powerful dropkick.
"Seth Rollins is about to go high-risk," said Dean, "And when Seth Rollins goes high-risk, it is high-risk!"
A suicide dive took out Batista. It didn't exactly do Seth any favors either, though. He'd been worn down by the fight thus far, but there was somehow always more fight left in Seth Rollins.
"Like a missile, lays out Batista on the floor," Dean narrated, clearly enjoying himself.
"Stay on him," Roman urged more quietly.
Seth was back on his feet now. Batista was still down, but the rest of Evolution was closing in.
"They ain't gonna touch you," called Dean, "They ain't gonna touch you, Seth!"
Evolution seemed to take that as a challenge. Seth threw Batista back in the ring and was just about to hop over the ropes when Randy Orton grabbed his leg. Carly sat up straighter, leaning towards the monitor. Things were about to get interesting.
Orton backed off as Dean and Roman ditched the headsets and advanced on him, now prowling at ringside as well. In the ring, Seth leapt off the top rope at Batista, who ducked, but Seth was able to hit the ground with a forward roll and charge at him only to be hit with a spinebuster. Batista waited as Seth dragged himself upright. Batista charged, but was caught with a kick to the face. Seth leapt over the ropes, and immediately hopped up to the top rope and sprang forward to hit Batista with a knee to the head.
Batista dropped like a rock. Seth went for the cover, but Batista kicked out. The four men outside the ring were getting anxious. The thousands in the stands were firmly behind Seth. Drawing on his indomitable stamina, Seth caught his second (or third, or fourth) wind and climbed to the top rope.
Out of nowhere, Triple H shoved him off, sending him sprawling in the ring. Bad idea. Dean leapt on Triple H and proceeded to beat the hell out of him. Orton sent Dean over the announcers' table, but was driven back by Roman. Orton, that scumbag, blindsided Roman with a chair, knocking him to the floor. As Orton went into the timekeeper's area to collect more chairs, Dean came flying across the announcers' tables and took him out. Triple H caught Dean and slammed his head into the steel post, then kicked him while he was down.
Seth finally struggled to his feet and tried to come to Dean's rescue, only to be punched in the face by Triple H. The bell rang, signaling a D.Q. In all honesty, Carly had kind of forgotten that the match was even still going on at that point. Batista speared Seth, and it looked like that was only the start. Back outside the ring, Triple H set Dean up for a Pedigree, but Dean countered, sending Triple H over the announcers' table. Dean ran to Seth's aid and was knocked off the apron by Batista. But that momentary distraction was all Roman needed to get into the ring and hit Batista with a spear of his own.
Roman helped Seth to his feet as Dean slid into the ring. Roman threw back his head and roared. Dean was hauling Batista to his knees when he noticed Triple H on the apron, and sent him to the floor with a mighty dropkick. Capitalizing on their distraction, Orton pulled Batista from the ring.
Which was just as well, because Seth had just collapsed in exhaustion. Once again, Evolution was in retreat after being beaten at their own game by the Hounds of Justice. And when Dean and Roman brought Seth backstage, sore and tired to death, he somehow looked better than she'd seen him look in quite some time. That didn't stop Carly from fussing over him, carrying his bags, ordering his favorite pizza, and sending him to bed early in spite of his protests, though. After all, that's what she was there for.
xXx
Apparently this was the week of rematches for Batista. And after Evolution's defeat at the hands of the Shield, Batista once again looked to take his anger out on poor Dolph Ziggler. Worse yet, he was going to do so in a no-disqualifications match.
Carly watched from backstage as the carnage unfolded. After a brutal start, Dolph was eventually able to get in a low blow as retribution for last week, but that was where his luck ended. He hurt his leg when Batista dodged, and from there he was easily picked off and put away with a spear. But never let it be said that there was grace in Batista's victory. He couldn't walk away without punishing Dolph with one final Batista Bomb.
And the misfortunes for the night didn't end there. Triple H's face appeared on the TitanTron to make an unscheduled announcement.
"Aww, come on," Dean groaned, "What does he want now?"
"Can't be anything good for us," said Roman.
"It's come to my attention," said Triple H, "That in the Authority's organization of single's matches for the Shield, somebody was left out. Since Carly Caden still hasn't learned her lesson about sticking her nose in other people's business, she's going to have a match of her own tonight against the Diva's Champion, Paige."
Of course. A month ago she'd gotten Stephanie off her back. Leave it to Triple H to pick up the slack.
"If you want, we can go all Tonya Harding on this and take out her kneecaps," said Dean.
The sad part was, Carly could tell he was only half joking. But the absurd offer made her smile anyway.
"Thanks, but no thanks," she said, "I'll have to bite the bullet on this one. Ugh, of course, it would be Paige. Conniving little backstabber."
"And she doesn't mess around in the ring," said Roman, "This is gonna be a rough one, princess."
"I know," Carly grimaced.
Carly broke into another vacant dressing room to change into her gear. She didn't exactly want to risk using the locker rooms, considering what had happened last time she went in there. The boys were waiting for her in the green room when she got back. Carly riffled through her duffle bag. She knew she'd put her t-shirt in there somewhere.
"Huh," said Dean.
"What's up?" Carly asked without looking up. Maybe it was in one of the side pockets.
"You can still see where you hit that trailer hitch," he said, tracing the mark with one finger.
Carly wasn't surprised. Scars, even from minor cuts like that, tended to take forever to fade from her skin, for some reason. Not that she'd need this one as a reminder. She wasn't likely to forget Paige's tricks and cruelty anytime soon. Carly shied away as Dean's fingertip continued to trail along the scar.
"Knock it off, Dean. That tickles," said Carly, wrinkling her nose. Finally, she located the shirt and turned back to Dean.
"Sorry," Dean grinned unapologetically, "Scars make you look tough. Well, kinda tough, seeing as it's you, y'know."
"At least tough enough to beat Paige?" Carly asked wryly. She elected to ignore how he'd cast aspersions on her ability to look intimidating.
"I'd say it gives you a fighting chance," said Dean, shrugging.
As long as she lasted long enough to punch the taste out of Paige's mouth, that'd have to be enough.
"Hey, Dean?" said Carly, "How does one go about taping their fists?"
"How does… what?" Dean's eyebrows arched in surprise, "You wanna go into this with taped fists? That sounds serious."
"Well," said Carly, "I do owe her a punch in the mouth. Or seven."
Dean tilted his head and stared at her, an almost incredulous grin pulling at the corners of his mouth. For a moment, Carly was worried that he was going to laugh at her, or tell her that it was a bad idea. But Dean turned to rummage through his bag, and returned with athletic tape and gauze.
"Give me your hand," he ordered, "And make sure you keep your wrist as straight as possible, alright?"
Dean set to work expertly wrapping and taping her hand, humming softly to himself as he did so. Carly was surprised at the amount of finesse a man as twitchy as Dean Ambrose was capable of. Then again, this was something he had a lot of practice with.
"Not too tight, is it?" said Dean, "Make sure you can still move alright."
"Yeah, feels alright to me," said Carly, clenching and unclenching her fingers a few times.
"Good," said Dean, "Other hand now."
It probably was a bad idea. Odds were she wouldn't be able to land a single hit on Paige. Still, if the opportunity presented itself, Carly wanted to be ready.
"One week I'm breaking you out of handcuffs, next I'm taping up your fists for a fight," said Dean as he finished up, "But man, you've really got small hands and skinny wrists. Roman would need more tape for just one hand."
"I wouldn't doubt it," Roman said, grinning. He'd been standing nearby, watching, and now he took Carly's hands in his to check Dean's handiwork, "Well, Carly, you did say you wanted something to do. Guess you're not bored now, huh?"
"This is one of those stupid object lessons about being careful what you wish for, isn't it," Carly said flatly.
Further conversation was cut short by an intern who stopped by to let Carly know it was time to report to the wings. Carly took a deep breath, her stomach lurching as nerves finally caught up with her. This wasn't the first time she'd faced a firing squad, but it never seemed to get any easier. Seth patted her on the back reassuringly.
"Looks to me like you're as ready as you'll ever be, princess," said Roman, "You get on out there and show them what you're made of."
With wishes of luck from the boys, Carly pulled on the t-shirt and set off for the wings to stretch and warm up. She knew there was no getting around this one. If the Shield did anything to help, they'd be putting themselves at risk. And they definitely couldn't afford that. Not with Triple H looking for any excuse to make them hurt. Carly was going to have to see the match through. No getting counted out, no forcing a disqualification. The Authority would only throw something worse at her, and this was bad enough.
Paige was masterful. She was intelligent, incredibly skilled, and brutal. There was no way in hell Carly was walking away from this with a win. There was only a slim chance she'd be able to walk away from it at all.
Seth had followed her, and had been talking the whole time she'd been warming up. He was probably giving her pointers or something. Carly wouldn't know. She hadn't been listening up until this point.
"-and you know I don't want to send you into a fight like this," he was saying, "but-"
"I know," Carly interrupted, "It's alright, Seth."
"I just… I'm sorry," he said. He glanced away for a moment before continuing, "Anyway, like I was saying-"
"I appreciate what you're doing," Carly cut him off once again, "But no amount of strategizing is gonna help. Paige is infinitely better than I'll ever be, and she's gonna tear me apart. Unless… unless I tear her apart first."
That was it. That was the answer. Forget strategy. Forget everything. Paige had lied to her, beaten and humiliated her, and enough was enough. Carly noticed Seth looking at her concernedly.
"What I mean to say is, don't worry. I've got this covered," said Carly.
Seth wished her luck again and passed her a hair-tie, since she'd forgotten to pull her hair back. She slipped it onto her wrist as she walked away to get in position. She didn't quite know why, but she didn't have any desire for safety or practicality tonight. She could see why Seth and Roman left their hair down for matches. Hanging around her face like it did, it felt like a lion's mane.
Carly could feel the pulse pounding through her veins. The Authority, Stephanie, Triple H, Evolution – it was all the same. Time after time they'd hurt the Shield. They'd hurt everyone in this company. As far as Carly was concerned, Paige was their emissary tonight. And for that, Paige had to pay.
Man, that music was exhilarating. Carly just wished she had pyro to go along with it. A few explosions wouldn't seem out of place now. A grin lit up her face as she stepped onto the stage, where she paused a moment before striding down to the ring, catching high-fives as she went.
Her heart was racing. She'd never felt like this before a match. She'd never felt like this in general. Carly climbed into the ring and pulled off the t-shirt, pitching it into the audience like many of the superstars did. She'd never done that before, herself. It wasn't her style of showmanship, but tonight? Tonight was different. Carly leaned against the ropes on the far side of the ring and waited.
xXx
"Now this match has been set up by order of the Authority, in order to teach Carly Caden a lesson about 'sticking her nose into other people's business', as Triple H said earlier."
"And who better to teach that lesson than the Diva's Champion herself?"
"Who indeed. But it looks like Carly is all business tonight. John, when was the last time you saw one of the Divas come out here with her fists taped up like that?"
xXx
Paige. How strangely successful she'd been ever since aligning herself with the Authority. Not that she needed the help. Paige was fantastically talented, there was no denying it. She could've stood on her own just fine. But that belt she carried over her shoulder. That was more important to her than anything else, so she made a deal. The Authority gets the Diva's Champion in their back pocket, and Paige gets their protection of her championship reign. Pathetic.
Paige stepped into the ring and her music faded out. Oh no, she was motioning for someone to hand her a microphone. Now Carly would have to listen to her talk. This had better be quick.
"Carly," she said with a disarming smile, "We were friends, so I feel like I owe you an explanation. Like I said, I have nothing against you personally. But you know how this business works. It never hurts to know which side your bread is buttered on. I have my career to think of. I'm the youngest Divas Champion in history, and I intend to hold this title for a good long time. I just want you to know that there are no hard feelings, alright?"
Carly stared at Paige, unable to keep an incredulous smile from her face. Paige wanted her to know there were no hard feelings? She had to be joking. Carly took a step forward and gestured for Paige to pass her the microphone. Paige did so, at arm's length of course.
"Paige, I understand you completely," Carly said, feigning sincerity, "You have to do what's best for you, I get that. And if what's best for you involves having me tortured and beaten half to death, then that's how it's gotta be. I just have one thing to say to you: turnabout's fair play."
Carly whipped the microphone at Paige's face. Caught completely off-guard, Paige had no time to dodge it and the mic clocked the bridge of her nose. Paige's hands flew to her face, and Carly charged, tackling her. She heard the bell ring as she and Paige crashed to the mat.
Carly grabbed the sides of Paige's head and slammed it repeatedly into the mat. She had no plan, no strategy, and no reservations. This was retribution for everything she'd suffered at Paige's hands. This was justice.
Somehow, Paige managed to break Carly's hold and squirm out from under her. As she tried to get away, Carly caught her by the shoulders and dug her fingers in sharply, forcing her to her sit down. Carly drove her knee into Paige's spine. Show her how it felt to be stabbed in the back.
xXx
"We are seeing a completely different side of Carly Caden tonight."
"That's the understatement of the century. That girl has flipped! She's gone completely insane!"
"Well, needless to say, the Divas Champion was not expecting this level of aggression from her opponent. Paige finally frees herself from Carly and rolls out of the ring to regroup."
xXx
Carly stood in the center of the ring and waited. Oh, she was going to kill Paige, make no mistake about that. But she wasn't about to go chasing her outside the ring. That was dangerous and stupid and usually only got the pursuer in trouble, especially if your opponent was smart enough to play possum. And Paige was definitely that smart. Carly watched her, knowing that Paige was sizing her up and rethinking her gameplan. But Carly couldn't afford to give her too much time. Paige would outlast her if she didn't finish this quickly.
"What's the matter, champ?" Carly called, "Dollar waiting on a dime up here."
Paige glowered at the slighting remark, and jumped back in the ring.
xXx
"Paige isn't wasting any time getting back in this, and she drops Carly with a clothesline! And now trying to slam Carly's head against the mat, but hold on… Carly's grabbed onto Paige, taking away all of her leverage. Now Paige is getting to her feet and she's pulling Carly with her."
xXx
She would go for the Ram-Paige next, if she could loosen Carly's hold on her. Carly had to think of a way out of this. Paige slammed her forehead into Carly's and-
xXx
"Is… is Carly laughing right now? Paige is completely thrown off by this, she doesn't know what to do."
"Of course she doesn't! She just realized she's in the ring with a madwoman. I'm telling you, Michael, Carly Caden has officially snapped."
xXx
Did it ever pay to have a thick skull. Carly locked her arms around the back of Paige's head and drove her forehead into Paige's three times. Paige staggered back dazedly. This was her chance.
Carly drew back her arm and punched Paige full force in the mouth. Man, that felt good. Surprised, and still off balance, Paige caught herself on the ropes to keep from falling.
"Not as much fun when I can hit back, is it?" Carly taunted.
The instant she had another opening, Carly punched her a second time, and a third time. When Paige pulled her hands away from her mouth after that third punch, Carly could see blood on her lips. That was… a lot less satisfying that than Carly had expected it to be.
But she didn't have time to philosophize about it now. Carly seized Paige's hair and jerked backwards, slamming her to the ground.
xXx
"But Paige is quick to bounce back, catching Carly with a kick to the ribs! Carly stumbles back into the turnbuckle."
xXx
Paige's boot came stomping down on Carly's chest, the blows thudding through her body, driving her to the ground before the referee got Paige to back off. Carly's whole ribcage ached. But she had to get up, had to get away from the ropes. That was dangerous territory around Paige.
Carly hauled herself to her feet and stumbled forward. Paige was ready. She caught Carly by the hair and sent her flying, crashing onto her back. Winded and disoriented, Carly struggled to recover.
xXx
"Looks like Paige finally has the upper hand, and it looks like she's setting Carly up for a PTO!"
xXx
Not tonight she wasn't. Carly kicked upwards, catching Paige right on the chin. Paige staggered back. Carly scrambled to her feet, grabbing Paige's head and forcing it down as she brought her knee up.
Carly's kneecap slammed into Paige's forehead. Paige dropped to her knees. Carly stepped back and hit her with a roundhouse kick to the side of the head. Paige slumped to the ground, insensible, and lay motionless where she fell. Carly dove for the cover.
xXx
"And she's got it! In an astonishing upset, the Rebel Princess, Carly Caden, just defeated the Diva's Champion!"
"I don't believe it! First Carly throws a microphone at Paige, which was completely unfair, and then that crazy hellcat gets hit in the head and laughs? What kind of a person does that? I tell you, Michael, Carly Caden is starting to act just like that lunatic, Dean Ambrose."
"There's nothing crazy about fighting smart and winning. So what if Carly borrowed tactics from Dean Ambrose? He was the United States Champion, after all."
"Yeah, but he's nuts!"
"Regardless, the Authority's attempts to stop Carly Caden have backfired, as she once again proved that she does not intend to go quietly."
xXx
"You stay down, champ," Carly growled in Paige's ear.
Carly got to her feet and pushed her hair back from her face. It was only at this point that she realized that the audience was cheering. Quite loudly, in fact. As the referee raised her hand, that strange, wild laughter escaped Carly's lips again. She couldn't quite stop it. Adrenaline, that's all it was. After all, she'd gone a little laughing mad when she beat Stephanie, hadn't she?
The moment she stepped backstage, Carly found herself being hug-mobbed by Naomi, Natalya, and Emma.
"Congratulations, Carly!" Emma exclaimed.
"Pretty impressive work out there," Natalya added with a grin.
"Thanks," said Carly, unable to smother another half-nervous laugh, "But it was a fluke. I caught her off-guard, that's all."
"Still," said Naomi, "You got the chance to teach her a lesson, and did you ever. Good for you, girl."
The Shield had been standing back to let the women get their congratulations in. But after they dispersed, the boys pulled Carly off to the side. Paige would be coming through soon and they didn't want to be in the way of that. Seth was staring at Carly with an expression that was somewhere between incredulity and concern.
"You had it covered alright," he said, "Carly, that was… that was something."
But Seth managed to smile, and Carly managed to smile back. She had to breathe, calm down, and stop bursting out laughing already. Dean took her by the shoulders and looked her over.
"Two victories in a row. That's officially a winning streak, princess," said Dean, grinning, "You're alright? You're not hurt at all?"
"I think she left footprints on my sternum," said Carly, not quite managing to stifle a giggle, "But aside from that, I'm fine."
"It'd take more than that to break our girl," Roman smiled proudly, "You're made of pretty tough stuff."
"Yeah, well," she said.
Suddenly, the adrenaline rush Carly had been riding fell away. The smile faded from her face. She didn't feel like laughing anymore. She didn't even feel like she'd won. Carly pressed her shaking hands over her mouth.
"Hey, what's wrong?" Dean asked worriedly, "Carly, are you crying?"
"No," Carly said even as she blinked back tears. What was the matter with her?
"C'mere," said Roman, laughing gently as he pulled Carly into his arms.
"I'm sorry, guys. I don't-" Carly managed before her voice broke. Roman held her a little tighter.
"It's alright," he said, "Don't worry about it."
"I don't get it," Dean said quietly, "She wins, and then she cries about it."
"Shut up, Dean. You're not helping," said Seth, smacking him on the arm, "Coming down from an adrenaline rush can do weird things to your emotions. You'll be fine in a minute, Carly."
Seth smoothed her hair back comfortingly as he spoke, giving her a reassuring smile. Carly hoped he was right. Seth was usually right. But she felt lousy all of a sudden, and she wasn't so sure adrenaline had anything to do with it.
"You did good, princess," Dean added, "We're all proud of you."
First Dean and then Seth added themselves to the hug, not caring that they were blocking the entire hallway, and stayed there until Carly regained her composure. There was probably some cheap poetic symbolism in the Shield surrounding her like that, but Carly was just grateful to be surrounded by the warmth and strength of her friends.
xXx
It had been what Carly would call a "greenhouse day", and the night didn't improve the weather much. Even after the sun went down, the air was thick with a humid, hazy fog that obscured the golden light that streamed from the windows and blurred the surroundings, softening them into silence. The chirping of crickets sounded lethargic in the heat. Not so much as an inkling of wind stirred the leaves. The humidity had undone any comfort Carly had received from that shower, but still she stayed sitting out in the hotel parking lot.
Her mind was already uneasy, so the mugginess settling on her skin was secondary. What had happened at the show bothered her. Maybe it shouldn't, but it did. The boys didn't seem to see anything wrong with what she'd done. Well, Seth had looked a little surprised. But they hadn't been wary of her like they were the night she'd lost her temper at them. For some reason, Carly felt like they should have been wary tonight.
A strident alert noise from her phone startled Carly out of her thoughts. It was a text from Roman: Hey, went to check on you but you didn't answer your door. You alright?
Yeah, sorry, Carly replied, I'm fine. I just decided to sit outside for a bit.
When Roman didn't respond, Carly assumed he had gone to bed. But a few minutes later, she saw him walking across the parking lot towards her. He sat down on the grass next to her, smiled, and tilted his head back to look at the sky without saying a word. A downy bank of clouds obscured any starlight from view. Carly pursed her lips, trying to recollect her thoughts. Roman's silence gently demanded an explanation from her, and Carly knew she'd have to come up with answers because –
"You know that if I sit here long enough, you're gonna tell me what's bothering you," Roman said finally.
Carly smiled ruefully. Roman had a way of drawing the truth out of a person, whether they liked it or not. That was one of the things that made him such a good friend for Dean. Roman was the only one who wouldn't be thrown off by any evasiveness.
"Did you hear what JBL called me?" Carly asked.
"What, 'crazy hellcat'?" said Roman, "You can't pay any attention to what JBL says. His entire vocabulary is made up of insults and ass-kissing."
Carly couldn't quite smother a snort of laughter. Roman certainly didn't beat around the bush.
"But he's not wrong," said Carly, "The way I fought tonight… honestly, it scared me a little."
"Why would that scare you?" said Roman, "Take a look at your own highlight reel: you once hit Triple H with a folding chair, bit Randy Orton on the arm, beat up about half the roster with a kendo stick, and tried to claw your way through about a dozen guys before getting kicked out of the arena for assaulting security."
Yeesh. Listing them out like that made Carly sound like far more of a badass than the hapless, reckless moron she actually was.
"But those were things I did because I was trying to help you guys," Carly protested, "I only ever lost it like that when I thought you were in trouble. But tonight, I just wanted to hurt Paige. She tricked me, betrayed me, humiliated me, and beat me half to death, and all I wanted to do was make her pay for it, make her suffer. I hate her for what she did to me. It's the most selfishly angry I've ever been."
"Hmm," Roman paused a moment, "So the other night, when I told Evolution that I'm gonna teach them to believe in me, specifically, was that selfish?"
"Of course not!" said Carly indignantly, "After everything they've done to you?"
She looked over at Roman, who watching her, eyebrows raised expectantly.
"So how is what you did tonight any different?" he asked.
"Oh," said Carly. She hadn't thought about it like that, "But still, look at me. I always say I'm all about keeping things fair and honorable, and what did I do tonight? I cheated. Threw a microphone at her face. That's not something I'd do, that's… that's something Stephanie would do."
The mere act of comparing herself to Stephanie made Carly uncomfortable. She hugged her knees to her chest, feeling lousy all over again.
"And that's what scares you?" said Roman, "You think you're turning into her?"
"Maybe," said Carly, "I guess I don't like knowing that I have the capacity to be as cruel and underhanded as her or Paige. That maybe I'm not that different from them. Maybe I am a McMahon after all."
"Hey," said Roman, laying a hand on her shoulder, "I'm not gonna let you think that kinda thing about yourself."
The stern, half-serious way he said it made Carly laugh again.
"You wouldn't be worrying about this if you were like them," Roman went on, "That alone proves that you still got a heart and a conscience, and that's more than I can say for Paige or Stephanie."
"It's just," said Carly, "All these things people call me, and I still don't really know what I am."
"McMahon, princess, hellcat," Roman shrugged dismissively, then smiled at her, "Carly. As long as you're that, you don't have anything to worry about, alright?"
"Alright," Carly said softly.
Roman wrapped his arm around her shoulders and pulled her close.
"That's my girl," he said, "From one superhero to another, though, I gotta say - hitting Paige with the microphone was really funny."
"Yeah, it kinda was," Carly admitted, "Thank you, Roman."
"Anytime," he said.
It was alright now. As long as the Shield still believed in her, Carly knew she couldn't be that far gone.
xXx
"Contract signing, huh?" said Roman, "That's gonna get interesting."
"How could signing a contract possibly be interesting?" Carly asked.
Her confusion was met with incredulous stares from the Shield. Carly wasn't quite sure what she was missing, and she was still baffled by the idea that sitting around and signing a piece of paper was considered exciting enough to be the final event of the broadcast.
"Uh, you saw the recaps of what happened when there was a contract signing between Brock Lesnar and the Undertaker, right?" said Dean.
Of course she'd seen that. Seeing the Undertaker stab Lesnar with a pen and then chokeslam him through the table was pretty unforgettable.
"Yeah. I assumed that was an unusual thing. Like, the exception to the rule. Oh," said Carly, realizing, "That wasn't the exception, was it?"
The boys shook their heads. Oh dear.
"All contract signings around here are formalities," said Seth, "They don't mean anything. It's just an excuse for a fight."
"And we aren't stupid enough to go out there thinking otherwise," said Dean, "We aren't gonna play at standing on ceremony. If it's a brawl they want, then that's what they're gonna get."
Roman nodded, grinning eagerly. Seth's face was slightly serious, but in a way that was more businesslike than worried. Carly agreed with that outlook. In their last confrontation, the Shield had been more than a match for Evolution. There was no reason the same shouldn't hold true tonight. Still, Evolution was a wily, underhanded bunch, and Carly knew they'd be willing to do pretty much anything to "send a message" to the Shield.
"My only question is, what do we do with the princess?" said Roman, "I mean, I highly doubt Paige would come after her if she stayed backstage, but do we really wanna risk that?"
"Well, she can't come down to the ring with us," said Seth, "Not if we want to keep this a straightforward fight."
Valid points both. Carly didn't want to put herself in the position of becoming a liability, but she also didn't want to be unable to help if help was needed.
"I have an idea," said Carly, "Safest place in the arena: the audience."
"You're gonna use the entire WWE Universe as a shield?" Dean laughed, "Carly, I like the way you think."
"That's actually not a bad idea," said Seth, "Just… promise you'll try to stay out of trouble, unless it's absolutely necessary, alright?"
"I promise," said Carly, "Let the fight go on until they start cheating. Same plan as always."
As luck would have it, Carly was able to find a seat on the floor, near-ish to the announcers' table. The people sitting nearby kept shooting her funny looks, like they weren't quite sure if this was actually Carly Caden or just somebody who looked like her. Carly just smiled at them. They'd have a good story to tell, especially if she had to run in and get involved. She was hoping she wouldn't have to. It would be much more enjoyable to watch the Shield stomp Evolution into the ground than have to forcibly level the playing field.
The Shield didn't even give Michael Cole enough time to introduce the contract signing before they began their entrance. It made them look overeager. Triple H was sure to pick up on that. Carly wished they would've waited.
The Shield set to work as soon as they stepped into the ring. Dean took the microphone from Mr. Cole, and Roman ushered him out of the ring. Mr. Cole, probably aware of what was about to go down, didn't seem all that reluctant to leave. Seth picked up the contract.
"Tonight is historic," said Dean, "Tonight is the last time you will see the Shield and Evolution in the same ring on Raw."
As Dean spoke, Roman picked up one of the chairs, carried it over to the ramp side of the ring, and tossed it onto the floor. He continued to methodically, unhurriedly clear the ring while letting the other two do the talking.
"Because, believe me," Dean went on, "At Payback, one team isn't just going to be eliminated from a match. One team, and that team will be Evolution, believe me, that team is gonna be eliminated out of this business, off the face of the earth, forever."
Dean's voice had risen to a fever pitch. His enthusiasm was contagious to the crowd. But Roman was still moving furniture, and Seth was still completely unflappable.
"Besides, who are we really kidding with this nonsense out here?" said Seth, absently kicking one of the chairs, "This thing with Evolution has gone way past the six of us sitting across a table from each other, signing some silly piece of paper. Let's rearrange this place, get rid of this stuff, and let's get down to business."
Dean, no longer able to contain himself with just pacing, seized the last chair, ran to the edge of the ring, and threw it full force into the pile Roman had made. Roman picked up the table and tossed it onto the heap as well. As Seth flipped through the contract, Evolution finally decided to make their entrance.
"I want everybody to be aware of what they're witnessing right here," Triple H said calmly, "I want you guys to be aware of what you're about to sign. You sign that, and what all of you are witnessing is the last time you will see the Shield, ever, on Monday Night Raw."
In the ring, Seth was smiling smugly, Dean was unable to hold still, and Roman just stared evenly with the intense calm that always came over him before a battle. Carly shifted in her seat uneasily. She really did not like all this "last time ever" talk. It was all just bluster from Triple H, right? There was nothing he could actually do to the Shield. And Carly was certain the Shield would be victorious once again at Payback. There was nothing to worry about, really. And yet, there was a sinking feeling in the pit of Carly's stomach that she couldn't quite reason away.
"It's a shame," said Triple H, "I gotta tell you, it's a shame. You guys coulda had it all. I'm a pretty fair judge of talent. You don't have to look any further than the two guys standing next to me to know that. And I remember, I remember looking at you guys, I remember watching the ink dry on the contract that allowed you to come here and live your dream. And I remember thinking to myself, these guys are gonna change it all. These guys are the future of the WWE. And you threw it all away. And, ironically, now I'm gonna stand here and I'm gonna watch the ink dry on the contract that, Sunday at Payback, sends you right back into obscurity. So I am gonna ask you one more time, you sure you wanna sign that? You sure you wanna put your names on that paper and ensure that Sunday is the last we ever see of the Shield?"
The tension between the three men standing inside the ring and the three standing on the floor was electric. There was a moment of silence, before a "Hounds of Justice" chant began. Seth, completely unfazed by Triple H's monologue, flipped to the last page of the contract and signed. He passed the pen and paper to Dean, who, in his twitchy eagerness, dropped the pen twice before he could steady his hand enough to sign.
After Roman signed, he slowly walked to the edge of the ring and tossed the contract to the floor, forcing the Game himself to stoop to pick it up. One by one, Evolution added their names to the page. Triple H raised the microphone.
"You're gonna be nothing but a statistic-"
"Just shut up," Roman interrupted, "Get in the ring, and fight."
The crowd screamed. Triple H tossed the mic aside, and Evolution climbed onto the apron, stared at the Shield. Carly leaned forward anxiously. This was it.
Or, no. Maybe it wasn't. For a second, it looked like Evolution was going to walk away, but Carly didn't even have enough time to breathe a sigh of relief before they leapt into the ring and the fight began. Orton and Seth and Triple H and Dean brawled in the ring, while the fight between Batista and Roman spilled onto the floor.
Triple H went for a Pedigree, only for Dean to counter and flip him over the ropes. Seth and Dean combined forces to send Orton flying after him. Seth took a rebound for momentum and flipped over the top rope to come crashing down on both of them.
Carly was on her feet the second she saw Triple H reach for the ring skirt. She knew exactly what he was going for. She cursed herself for not being smart enough to think of getting that stupid sledgehammer removed beforehand. She ran towards the ring, determined to stop Triple H if she had to wrestle that hammer out of his hands herself.
Carly dashed through the timekeeper's area, but shrieked as somebody grabbed a handful of her hair, pulling her up short. She struggled wildly against Randy Orton as he dragged her towards the barricade. He locked his arms around her head and hauled her over the barrier so she was suspended by her shins on the wall and his grip on her neck. This was bad. Carly knew exactly what was coming next if she couldn't get free. She scratched at Orton's side and arms vainly as she felt him fall backwards.
xXx
Her head hurt. Blurry figures leaned over her. Carly furrowed her brows. She was pretty sure somebody had just asked her a question.
"Can you hear me?" the medic repeated.
"What? Yeah, I can hear you," said Carly, before realization finally seeped into her foggy brain, "Roman? Seth? Dean? Where are they? Are they okay?"
Hands were on her arms and shoulders, holding her down. Carly struggled against them.
"Please, miss. You need to stay calm," said the medic.
"Carly?" one of the other blurry shapes said. It took Carly a second to recognize the voice as John Cone's, "Listen to me. They're okay. They're all being taken care of now."
"They're alright?' Carly repeated.
"Yes," he said, "I promise. You just cooperate with the medics, alright?"
Relaxing a little, but only a little, Carly nodded and stopped fighting to get up. The medic started asking her questions, prodding at her neck, asking if he was hurting her at all. No, he wasn't. Only her head hurt, not her neck.
This sucked. Not even a week away from Payback, and Evolution had to go and pull a dirty trick again. Was déjà vu always this painful? Carly only just now realized that Evolution's stupid song was still playing in the arena. Fantastic.
The medics were discussing something about bring the Shield back to the trainer's room, and something about calling for a stretcher.
"I can walk," Carly interrupted.
"Are you sure?" asked the medic, "You don't have to."
"I can walk," Carly repeated firmly.
She sat up, relying heavily on the assistance of the officials and medics, and slowly got to her feet. Her head was pounding, the entire arena was spinning. She felt herself breaking into a cold sweat as her stomach dropped. Carly willed herself not to be sick. Stupid concussions. Stupid Randy Orton. Stupid everything right now.
As soon as she'd gathered enough strength to, Carly looked around. The announcers' table was a wreck, and so was Roman. She guessed he'd gone through it. He looked every bit as dazed as she felt. Seth's face was blank and drawn, but there was that pained, tired look in his eyes again. Dean just looked mad, insisting on staggering on without any help, clutching at his ribs and practically doubled over in pain.
Nobody was inclined to talk as they were taken back to the trainer's room. Carly sat off to the side, waiting while the medics checked the boys over. Fortunately, the overall diagnosis was "hurt but not injured." The Shield would be fine going into Payback. Well, fine physically. Once again, any pain they received at the hands of Evolution only added fuel to the fire.
"They're gonna get theirs," Dean was muttering, "And I'm gonna enjoy giving it to them."
The anger in his voice was focusing into a fierce eagerness. Dean Ambrose could be hurt, but never stopped. Nothing kept him down for long. Carly sometimes suspected he had Wolverine's mutant regeneration powers. For his morale, at least, if not as far as his body was concerned.
"I'm going to enjoy watching that," said Carly, "Guys, I'm sorry I wasn't fast enough to stop Triple H. I should've seen that coming."
Apparently Triple H had gotten them all with the sledgehammer. Forget hiding in the audience. Carly should've hid under the ring to make sure none of that nonsense happened. Seth gave her a reassuring smile.
"Don't worry about it," said Seth, "We all came out of it alright, right? More or less."
"And come Sunday," said Roman, "We're gonna repay Evolution tenfold for everything they've done."
Roman's expression was grim and proud. He looked for all the world like a knight out of an old story swearing an oath of vengeance.
"Right," said Seth, "We'll prove, once and for all, that the Shield was and always will be better than Evolution. Evolution will be destroyed by the Shield, not the other way around."
Seth had taken on the tone of a captain about to lead his men into battle. Dean stood and placed his hand on Seth's back. Seth flinched ever so slightly, then looked back up at him.
"We're gonna go down in history, boys," Dean grinned, "Nobody's ever gonna forget this."
"Not ever," said Roman.
And Carly believed that was true.
xXx
Friday had been strangely uneventful. Evolution was nowhere to be seen at the broadcast, and the Shield wasn't scheduled for any matches. Carly figured that Evolution wanted the Shield to be relatively undamaged for their match on Sunday. For purely selfish reasons, of course. If they lost to a Shield that wasn't at 100%, they would prove to the world what old has-beens they really were. And it'd be a hollow victory, even for Evolution, to win a final showdown with opponents who were not at full strength.
The Shield had only shown up to make grim promises about what Evolution would face come Sunday. Carly had not been afraid of the Shield, not since the first day she fought under their colors. But tonight, she was afraid, and she could not truthfully say if she was afraid for them, or of them. The cold anger in their voices, and the violent determination in their eyes was enough to make even Carly shrink back. If Evolution did not take them seriously, even now, then they were fools.
The whole next day, Carly had the feeling she was holding her breath. The Shield was ready, eager, almost bursting with anticipation. She almost couldn't stand to listen to them strategizing anymore. Those ominous words in Triple H's voice kept echoing in her mind: "the last we ever see of the Shield." But that couldn't be true. It wasn't. And yet, they couldn't go on like this forever. After everything that had happened over the past few months, something had to give. Carly tried to focus on just breathing, until she realized that she felt sick with every exhale. The day wore on.
xXx
It was past midnight when Carly finally gave up on trying to sleep, stuck her room key and some loose change in the pocket of her bathrobe, and set out to look for the nearest vending machine. If she couldn't sleep, at least she could have a Kit-Kat bar or something. Carly was surprised to see a familiar face already there. Standing in contemplation in front of the vending machine was Seth, barefoot, his hair pulled back, wearing an old t-shirt and lounge pants. Strangely enough, he didn't seem to notice her. Seth was usually very aware of his surroundings. Carly folded her arms and leaned against the wall.
"Shouldn't you be in bed already?" Carly admonished.
Seth looked up in surprise, but smiled when he saw that it was Carly.
"I could ask you the same thing," he said.
"But I don't have a match tomorrow," said Carly, "Are you alright?"
"I… yeah, I'm fine. Just couldn't sleep."
Seth glanced away and rubbed the back of his neck, laughing a little awkwardly. Now Carly was certain that something was wrong. Of the three members of the Shield, Seth Rollins had the best poker face. If she was able to tell that he was lying, then something definitely wasn't right.
"Then would you care to join me for some terrible hotel coffee? Decaf, of course," said Carly.
"How could I pass up an offer like that?" Seth grinned.
He was still oddly withdrawn and silent as Carly brought him back to her hotel room and made the coffee. Seth sat cross-legged on the end of one of the beds. He couldn't seem to keep his hands still. The way he looked at that moment put Carly in mind of a little boy who was troubled by nightmares. Carly loved all her hounds equally, but it was true that she had a soft spot for the Architect. That was something she and Dean shared.
Carly poured two cups of coffee: one that was creamed and sugared within an inch of its life for herself, and one black for Seth. Having spent this long with the Shield, she didn't even have to ask how they took their coffee. Carly practically had to hold the cup right under Seth's nose before he noticed that she was offering it to him.
"Thanks," he said.
Carly sat down on the other bed. She wasn't sure how to break the silence. Seth sipped his coffee absently, apparently unconcerned by how scaldingly hot it was.
"Why can't you sleep?" he asked suddenly.
"I'm worried about tomorrow," Carly admitted, "How are you and Dean and Roman holding up?"
"Roman isn't worried. He's a rock. I don't know how he does it," said Seth, smiling faintly, "And Dean, well, he sleeps like a rock no matter what's going on."
"And what about you?" Carly pushed when he didn't continue.
Seth set the empty cup down on the floor and rubbed his eyes, sighing.
"There are so many variables," he said, "My mind keeps trying to run through all of them to make sure I have contingency plans for every possible situation. But I keep running into scenarios where everything just goes horribly awry."
"You've beaten Evolution once," said Carly, "You can do it again."
"Highly probable, but still…" Seth shrugged, "Everybody keeps saying that this is all going to end at Payback, but I'm not so sure. Even if we do win, I don't think Triple H is going to let it go that easily."
Carly wanted to deny that, but she knew Seth was right. They had had more than their fair share of altercations with the Authority. They were a relentless enemy, and nothing short of a game-changing curve ball could stop them. Carly had never seen Seth this subdued. Somehow, all words failed her save for one reassuring cliché.
"I believe in the Shield," she said.
Seth couldn't help but grin.
"I remember when we first met you," he said, "You were so afraid of us."
"Well, you guys don't exactly seem all warm and cuddly at first glance," said Carly, "I have to tell you, I've never been more happy to be proven wrong."
Seth shifted abruptly so that he was turned to face Carly directly. His eyes were lit with a sort of desperate earnestness.
"But you know us now," he said fervently, "You know me. Tell me you'll always believe in me the way I am right now, no matter what happens. Please, Carly, I need to hear somebody say it."
Carly stared at him in surprise for a moment. She couldn't imagine what had brought this on, but it was clear that whatever was on Seth's mind had him well and truly distressed. Carly moved to sit beside him on the other bed, taking his hands in hers.
"Seth Rollins, I will always believe in you," Carly said sincerely, "No matter what."
Seth leaned forward and embraced her tightly. He took a shuddering breath as he rested his head against her shoulder, seemingly unwilling to let go. Carly rubbed his back comfortingly.
"It's alright, Seth," she said, though she wasn't sure exactly what she was reassuring him about, "It's gonna be alright."
"Thanks, Carly," he said softly.
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