The Enemy of My Enemy
"This is a very exciting time in the WWE," Triple H was saying, "It is not very often that I can guarantee you when magic will happen. It is not very often that I can guarantee you when history will be made, but I can do just that, right now. Because at the Money in the Bank pay-per-view, history will be made. A moment that you will never forget will happen. And I can guarantee you that a new WWE World Heavyweight Champion will be crowned."
While Dean and Roman were off getting suited up, Carly was standing backstage, listening disinterestedly as Triple H repeated himself. Qualifying matches for a shot at the title, these guys have already qualified, so on and so forth. If Triple H had a point, Carly hoped he would get to it soon. More than that, she hoped it'd be some useful information. She didn't want to admit it to Dean and Roman, but she really didn't have any idea how she was going to get one of them into that match.
"Now, that being said," Triple H went on, "I have a surprise. In addition to that ladder match, at the Money in the Bank pay-per-view, there will be a second ladder match. That's right. And this one will be a traditional Money in the Bank contract ladder match, where above this very ring will hang a briefcase containing a contract for a shot at the WWE World Heavyweight Championship."
Carly rolled her eyes. A match for the Money in the Bank contract at the Money in the Bank pay-per-view? What a novel idea. That wasn't a surprise announcement. That was a given. Unless…
"And even better news than that?" said Triple H, "Guess who the first entrant is."
Of course. It had to be.
"Please help me welcome him right now. The future of the WWE - Seth Rollins!"
That music started up, and a Seth who looked nothing at all like Seth stepped onto the stage. The sight of him in a grey suit with his hair cut short still made Carly do a double-take.
But what did that matter now? She finally had the answer. This is what Seth had been promised in exchange for betraying the Shield. The Authority had wanted to cover all their bases. Randy Orton was their chosen champion to take the title. And Seth? He was going to be their insurance policy, their plan B. They had promised him that he would become Mr. Money in the Bank. Carly's heart and thoughts were now racing. This was exactly what she'd been waiting for. Now she had a plan. She was going to stop Seth from getting that contract if it was the last thing she did.
"Now," Triple H said over the resoundingly negative response to Seth's presence, "You'll all find out more about the Money in the Bank contract ladder match in the coming weeks. But right now, there are other things to talk about. Seth, I already know, they already know 'cause you've already said it. We know why you did it. What I really wanna know is, how did it feel?"
Triple H smiled as only a sadistic megalomaniac can smile, and handed the microphone to Seth. There was a pause while Seth seemed to consider his answer. Chants of "you sold out!" swelled through the arena. When Seth finally spoke, his voice still carried the even, dispassionate tone that matched the expression on his face.
"You know, that's an interesting question, actually. When I stood in this ring, right… right here, actually, I had the chair in my hands and I took a step back, and right before I swung as hard as I could at Roman Reigns, there was this moment. This stillness came over me, this clarity. And then I stepped forward and I struck my brother right in the back, and I looked over at Dean Ambrose, and I saw him trying to grasp what was happening. And before he knew what hit him, I dropped him, too."
Seth's voice grew louder now, more intense. A ghastly, empty smile formed on his face as he relived that night. When he went on, it was with a sort of wonderstruck eagerness, and Carly got the feeling that she was watching any shred of humanity Seth had left slipping away.
"And the feeling I had was a power that I can't even describe. It was… it was incredible. It was like nothing I've ever felt in my entire life. It was like nothing Dean Ambrose or Roman Reigns is ever gonna feel. They'll never know that power, because everything they ever were, they owe to me."
To the crowd's credit, they weren't buying this at all. Good thing, too, because now Seth started to get petty.
"And they're nothing without me. They'll never know that power, just like each and every one of you will never understand that power. Because, just like you, Roman Reigns and Dean Ambrose are destined for mediocrity. Their entire lives, and your entire lives, you'll sit in the exact same place, and you'll do the exact same thing, and you'll never reach any of your dreams or accomplish any of your goals. Because you don't have the guts. That's right, you don't have the guts to do what I did last Monday. You know who does understand that power?"
Oh, boy. Here it comes. Only the certain knowledge that it would be completely futile kept Carly from marching out there and slapping some sense into that two-toned Anakin Skywalker.
"Triple H understands. He understands more than anybody what it takes to get to the top. You can't sit around idly and wait for opportunities to come your way. No, you gotta strike while the iron is hot. You gotta create your own opportunities. And even more than that, you've gotta seize those opportunities. My goal in this business is to be the greatest that ever stepped foot in this ring. And don't think for two seconds that I wouldn't skewer my friends, and walk over their bodies to do what I gotta do to be the best!"
Geez… That got dark awful quickly.
"I adapted, and I evolved. What you're looking at is the evolution of Seth Rollins. Roman Reigns and Dean Ambrose were nothing but dead weight, and I did what I had to do. I cut them loose. Now I said a second ago that you gotta create your own opportunities, and you do. But I'd like to take this time to thank a man who helped me create this specific opportunity. Triple H, thank you for helping me create this opportunity."
Carly might've thrown up in her mouth a little, watching those two smug monsters in suits shaking hands. But at least it looked like they were done running their mouths now, and –
What on earth…? Dolph Ziggler's music had just started playing. Carly was dumbfounded. She couldn't imagine what Dolph was doing, getting himself involved with this. He walked out onto the stage, microphone in hand. There was no posturing this time, no showmanship. Dolph's face was entirely serious. Whatever he was doing, he meant business.
"Congratulations, Seth. Let me be the first to congratulate you," said Dolph, "On being a self-centered, scumbag traitor."
The crowd screamed their approval and agreement. Triple H and Seth just seemed amused by the insults.
"You see, Seth, you can giggle all you want," said Dolph, "I know people like you. Everyone here knows someone like you, that's either stabbed them in the back, found the loophole to get around things, taken every possible shortcut there is to get ahead. But not me, Seth. See, every time I step foot in that ring, I've a chip on my shoulder that says I am here to show the world just how damn good I am at this. Seth, I'm gonna wipe that smug look off your face, and I am gonna cram that arrogance down your tiny giraffe neck. 'Cause tonight? Tonight I'm gonna show the world what it means to be a WWE superstar. And I'm gonna do it without an egomaniacal boss holding my hand every step of the way. So sharpen up that knife, Seth. 'Cause tonight you're gonna need it."
As Dolph's music poured through the speakers, he locked eyes with Seth. The expression on Dolph's face was a steelier, more determined one than Carly had ever seen him wear before. She didn't know what to make of it. But she was worried for him. Even if Dolph was taking this seriously, he had just picked a very dangerous fight.
And Carly had other things pressing on her mind. They had to stop Seth from getting that briefcase. The best way to do that would be to get both Dean and Roman into the contract ladder match. But that would leave Randy Orton in position to take the WWE World Heavyweight Championship title, and she knew Roman had a bone to pick with Orton. So should they risk trying to divide and conquer by covering all the bases? Carly didn't exactly like the idea of putting Dean and Roman on separate paths, though…
The sound of heavy, rapidly approaching footsteps caught Carly's attention. She looked up to see Dean and Roman marching down the hallway towards her.
"Alright," Dean demanded, "What does your friend the cabana boy think he's doing?"
Dean looked distinctly miffed, and Roman didn't look much happier. By rights, they had first dibs on teaching Seth a lesson. Anybody else who wanted a piece of him had better get in line, or risk the consequences.
"I don't know," said Carly, "I mean, he had a match scheduled against Seth tonight, but I don't know why he felt the need to fan the flames like that."
"This isn't his fight," Roman shook his head.
"Exactly," said Carly, "I'm gonna go try to figure out what's going on."
"And tell him to mind his own business!" Dean called after her.
Carly hurried off to find Dolph. The last thing Dean needed was another person he wanted to punch in the face, and the last thing Dolph needed was another person who wanted to punch him in the face. Finding the door open, Carly walked into Dolph's locker room.
"Dolph…" she said slowly.
"Oh, hey Carly," said Dolph, looking up to smile at her.
"Do you have any idea what you're getting yourself into here?" said Carly.
"I know exactly what I'm doing," he said, "And since when do you have so little faith in me?"
Of course, Dolph seemed completely unconcerned about the potential repercussions of his challenge, and continued getting his gear together. Carly followed him around the room in frustration.
"That isn't it what I mean at all," said Carly, "I don't want to see you get hurt, Dolph. You can't just go around picking fights with the Authority's newest pet. You know what happens to people who mess with them."
"Doesn't seem to stop you from doing it," he said.
"That's different-"
"How is it different?" said Dolph, finally stopping and turning to face Carly, "Me and you, we're trying to do the same thing here. We're both trying to take a stand. We're both trying to do what's right. And we're in the perfect position to do that, because whatever they do to hurt us, they can't stop us. We have nothing to be afraid of. I mean, you can't lose your job, and me? Well, I've got nothing to lose. What Rollins did is all of our problem. Not just yours, and not just the Shield's. Now, the Authority has the people in that locker room running scared. But not me. So while I appreciate your concern, Carly, I'm gonna do what I have to."
Carly was surprised at the intensity in Dolph's voice as he spoke. She hadn't realized that other people had taken Seth's betrayal so personally. But then again, Seth was one of their own. He'd been one of the most effective champions against the Authority. Dolph was right, about everything.
Dolph's expression softened and he looked away.
"Besides," he said, "You didn't see the look on your face when it happened. Like somebody snuffed you out like a candle. A guy like Rollins deserves the worst we all can give him."
Carly threw her arms around his neck and hugged him. Startled, it took Dolph a second to return the embrace. Dolph Ziggler may be something of a cocky little punk at times, but Carly would fight anyone who said he wasn't a good man. Carly stepped back and smiled at him.
"Thank you, Dolph," she said, "You go out there and you kick his face in, alright?"
"You don't need to tell me twice," said Dolph, smiling, "Let the Shield know that I'm not trying to get in the way of their crusade or anything. I'm just trying to make a point tonight. And, if you can swing it, can you do me a favor? After I went and said I could beat him without somebody holding my hand, it'd kinda defeat the purpose if your boys got involved."
"Alright," Carly nodded, "And if worse comes to worse and it doesn't go your way, I promise I will personally make sure that Seth doesn't get to enjoy it for a second."
"How're you gonna manage that?" Dolph asked curiously.
"I'd say 'you'll see,'" said Carly, "But I'm really hoping you won't. Good luck."
xXx
"Not buying it," said Dean, "Considering the amount of bleach that has to have leaked into his brain at this point, I'm not obligated to listen to anything he says."
Carly sighed in exasperation. Dean was already being petulant about this. It wasn't going to be easy convincing him to stay his hand when he'd already been cheated out of revenge once this week.
"You don't have to like it," she said, "But I'm telling you, this might actually be a good thing."
"A good thing?" said Dean, his eyebrows arching incredulously, "That peacock strutting in where he's not wanted is a good thing? Please, explain this to me."
"This is going to send a message that the Authority doesn't want people to hear," said Carly, "Think about that match on Monday. Triple H wanted to isolate the Shield. No offense, but you guys apparently did a pretty good job of alienating people when you started out here. He was banking on the fact that you made so many enemies that nobody was going to care enough to help you out. But he was wrong. A lot of the people in that locker room care about you."
Roman snorted and Dean made a face, unconvinced. They were inches away from tuning her out, but this was something that they needed to understand. Carly had to try harder.
"Hey! Look at me," she ordered, "Go ahead and scoff, but it's true. When Seth turned on you, that made them sympathetic towards you. I don't mean they pity you or anything like that. But up until that point, they were willing to let the Shield fight the Authority on their own. They may not have liked you, but you were their champions. Then Seth sold out and stabbed his brothers in the back. For one of their heroes to do something like that was unforgivable. You've heard how personally the fans took that betrayal, and I'm willing to bet more of the roster than you think feels the same way. This is exactly what Triple H doesn't want. And that's exactly why you have to let it happen."
Carly watched their faces as she spoke. Roman was disbelieving at first, but slow acceptance dawned on his face as she went on. Dean, on the other hand, held a stubborn reluctance first to notion that anyone would want to take the Shield's part in this war, and second to the idea that he was going to have to let them.
"I guess you're right," said Roman, smiling at her, "See? This is why we need you around, princess. Somebody's gotta think like a strategist."
"Fine," Dean grumbled, "We'll let Ziggler have his fight. At least we'll get to go out there and pound on that two-timing snake afterwards."
"Actually…" Carly said hesitantly.
"Oh, come on!" Dean groaned, throwing his head back, "Why not?"
"Well, Dolph did say he could do this without somebody holding his hand," said Carly, "So it'd be a little counter-productive for you to get involved."
"Another victim of Carly's philosophy of honor above all else," Roman teased.
"You are a bad influence on this entire company," Dean said flatly.
"And that's why you like me," Carly said, tilting her head and smiling at him.
Dean made a face at her to cover the fact that he was trying not to smile, and Carly knew she had won him over. Thank goodness. Dean and Roman could both stand to be a little more patient about this revenge business. If for no other reason than giving her more time to come up with a plan.
"But what if Ziggler loses?" asked Roman, "Are we just gonna let Seth walk away with a win?"
"Do you trust me?" Carly said after a pause.
"More often than not," said Dean, "Why?"
"Then let me take care of everything, if it comes to that," she said.
Carly had a plan. Seth knew exactly how badly she could annoy Triple H when she put her mind to it. It was about time he got a taste of it himself.
"Well, we did get a crack at him on Monday, and she didn't," said Roman, glancing at Dean.
"It's only fair, I guess," said Dean, "Alright, princess. Tonight is your turn."
Dean stopped and narrowed his eyes at her suspiciously.
"We still get to go out there and talk, at least, right?" he said.
"Of course," Carly laughed.
"Like anything could stop you from talking in the first place," Roman muttered, smothering a grin.
"Real cute," said Dean.
"On that note, don't worry if the crowd's a little dead. They're Midwesterners, after all," Carly said apologetically, "And try to ignore them if some morons start chanting 'go, Pack, go!' or something."
"How do you know they'll do that?" asked Roman.
"Because these are my people," Carly sighed.
xXx
"I don't need to tell you what you already know," said Dean, the excited crowd hanging on his every word, "So I don't need to tell you what the Authority is trying to do. It's clear as day. Triple H, you think you hold all the cards? You think you've stacked the deck against us. Well, listen up, kiddo. We're not gonna wait for you to deal. We're gonna flip that table right over, and we're coming for your throne. So you're the king of kings, are you? I hate to break it to you, but aces are high in this game, and our ace? Well, she's more than capable of turning your whole little empire and all your little schemes upside down."
Carly was surprised to hear those words of praise coming from Dean. She hadn't expected him to include her in this. He never really had before, after all. She was their manager. She talked up the Shield, not the other way around. But, true to his word, Dean remembered her. He'd realized that she shared in the pain of their loss, and now he recognized that she had a claim in their revenge, too. And hearing Dean talk as proudly of her as he would of Roman was making Carly blush a little.
"As for puppet suit Seth Rollins, my, uh… Well, I guess he's not my brother," Dean continued, glancing over at Roman, "My former business partner. I'm shutting down the Seth Rollins business for good."
The spectators cheered in approval. Dean paused, and turned back to look at Roman.
"And I know that look," he said, "I feel like you may have a message for another spineless corporate stooge. So why don't you give it to him?"
Roman took the microphone from Dean and glared severely into the camera.
"I hope you're enjoying your night off, Randy," he said, "Because when I get my hands on you, you're gonna want a permanent vacation. And like I said Monday night on Raw, you think you're the face of the WWE, but you're not the face, you're the ass. And you're also just a spoiled little kid who gets whatever he wants from his daddy, Triple H. You didn't even qualify for the championship ladder match. You were just given the opportunity like everything else. Well, guess what? Everybody wants to be WWE Champion, but who knows? Maybe Dean or I will just beat you to it."
As the crowd cheered once again, a rather unwelcome voice interrupted. Dean and Roman turned to look up at the TitanTron, where Triple H's face had appeared.
"Wow," he said, "Wow, guys, I gotta hand it to you. That really sounds good. But unfortunately, there are only so many slots available to qualify for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship ladder match. I only really have one qualifying slot available, and there are two of you. It seems really unfair. So there's only one fair way to decide who gets that shot. You're brothers. I wouldn't wanna do this any other way, so here we go."
Carly raised an eyebrow as Triple H held up a quarter. Really? He was going to toss a coin? Triple H flipped the coin into the air, caught it, and placed it on the back of his hand.
"Dean Ambrose!" he announced.
That was strange for one of two possible reasons. The first reason would be that Triple H didn't know how coin tosses worked, because he hadn't even called which person was heads or tails. A more plausible reason was that this was completely arbitrary, and Triple H was just putting Dean in a match to shut him up or hurt him, or both.
" Congratulations, Dean Ambrose," Triple H said with a smile, "You get the opportunity to qualify tonight. I say congratulations kinda loosely because you're gonna go up against Bray Wyatt. Oh, and Roman? I know how you guys like to do things together, so I'm gonna ban you from ringside, and I'm gonna ban the rest of the Wyatt family from ringside as well. And Dean, you might wanna just pick up your little things and leave the ring right now because you're banned from ringside for Roman Reigns' match, which is next. 'Cause Roman, I'm afraid I've got some bad news for you."
Carly sighed in exasperation. Door number two it was. Triple H was just putting Dean and Roman in matches to keep them busy. And of course, Barrett would be involved. Roman stared at the stage, deadpan, as that cape-wearing bully made his entrance.
But at least there'd been some good news, more or less. Dean had a shot at getting into that ladder match. Carly still had her suspicions, though. Triple H had handed him this match far too easily. Something was rotten in the state of Wisconsin.
A disgruntled Dean marched backstage to join Carly as the match got underway. He folded his arms and leaned back against the wall to watch with her.
"Congratulations?" she said hesitantly.
"Don't like it," he declared, shaking his head, "Too easy. But, hey, we take what we can get, huh?"
Dean was sulking a little, but his mood was still much less dark than it had been. He was resilient, after all. She shouldn't be so worried. Carly smiled and turned her attention back to the monitor. It was an evenly matched fight, to start with. Roman was holding his own quite well. But as the match went on, Barrett started to take control.
Carly winced as Barrett got a near-fall. This was aggravating. A loss for Roman would be unfortunate and annoying, but it wouldn't be the end of the world. This wasn't a qualifying match. Carly would have to find some other way to get him into one of those.
Suddenly, Roman hit Barrett with a Samoan drop, giving him a little breathing room in which to rally. Thank goodness. Now Roman was in control. A few powerful clotheslines and blows to the face drove Barrett to the ground, and got him an apron dropkick to boot. Add a Superman punch on top of that, and it looked like it was all over for Barrett. Roman stood in the corner, waiting for an opening to deliver a spear and then –
"Oh, come on!" Carly shouted.
3MB, the mini goon squad, was headed down to the ring, and Carly was willing to bet anything that they weren't there to harass Barrett. She turned to Dean.
"You gonna go help him?" she asked.
"If I have to," said Dean, "But Roman said he wanted to handle this on his own. And y'know how Roman is. He doesn't like being saved when he doesn't need saving."
Dean grinned at Carly. She shrugged. If that's the way they wanted it, she guessed she'd deal with it. Doesn't mean she approved, of course.
Roman watched in unimpressed irritation as 3MB surrounded the ring. Barrett rolled out of the ring, and 3MB pounced. The three-on-one assault quickly brought down the already worn-out Roman.
"Dean…" Carly said uneasily.
"Hang on," he said, "Give him a minute."
But Dean had pushed himself away from the wall and was poised to run to the rescue at a second's notice. 3MB was dragging Roman back to his feet when they were suddenly flung aside like so many ragdolls. Roman threw back his head and roared.
All three members of 3MB had been tossed from the ring. With a confident swagger in his step, Roman jumped to the floor and prowled after them. Mahal was thrown over the announcers' table. McIntyre was on the receiving end of one hell of a spear. A now thoroughly keyed-up Roman turned to find Slater vaulting over the steps at him. Reacting with a speed that caught Carly (and Slater, for that matter) by surprise, Roman speared Slater right out of the air.
"Attaboy, Roman!" Dean crowed, punching the air.
Laughing, Dean threw an arm around Carly's shoulders.
"See? What did I tell you?" he said, "My boy Roman had it covered, no sweat."
"Alright, so I stand corrected," said Carly, "I shouldn't have doubted either of you. But you can't blame me for worrying, you know."
"S'pose not," Dean admitted, "That's your job, after all. So you'll forgive me for ignoring your advice this time, but I didn't wanna get lectured by a big Samoan guy with wounded pride."
"Fair enough," said Carly, laughing, "I was kinda scared for a second there when Trips was talking about how there was only one qualifying slot and two of you. I really thought he was going to make you and Roman fight each other."
"I didn't even think of that," he said, looking at her in bemusement, "That would've been a good evil plan, though. I'm glad you're on our side."
"Hilarious," Carly said drily, "But speaking of evil plans, I have to go set one up now, just in case."
"So…" said Dean, casting a sidelong hopeful glance at her, "You gonna tell me what it is?"
"Nope," said Carly.
That Carly was throwing one of his more memorable quotes back at him was not lost on Dean. She couldn't help laughing again when he folded his arms and sulked.
"Aww, you're no fun," he said.
"Lies and slander," said Carly, "See you in a bit."
xXx
The only thing stranger than seeing the now short-haired Seth in a suit had been seeing him in his new ring gear. The fact that he had new gear at all made Carly wonder exactly how long they'd been plotting his shift in loyalties. He wore the standard trunks/kneepads/boots combination that the members of Evolution had, making his gear as forgettable as his music. But instead of the basic black look Trips and Orton favored, Seth's new gear was red and gold and white. In essence, it was conspicuously not the Shield's colors.
Worse ended up coming to worse, as far as the match went. It was an intense fight on both sides. Seth made a point to target Dolph's face and throat, as though he was trying to shut Dolph up. Carly got her hopes up when Seth came off the top rope into a dropkick from Dolph that looked like it nearly went right through him. But sadly, it all ended with Dolph Ziggler beaten half to death and Seth Rollins victorious. Well, he would only enjoy that triumph for about two seconds.
Seth's celebrations were cut abruptly short. A dumbfounded, perplexed expression was stamped on his face when, instead of his new theme, the voice of Elvis came through the speakers:
"You look like an angel, walk like an angel, talk like an angel, but I got wise. You're the devil in disguise. Oh, yes, you are the devil in disguise."
It had been almost disappointingly easy to convince the techs to accidentally swap out Seth's music for "Devil in Disguise", but the reaction was priceless. Carly, in true trickster fashion, couldn't quite resist taking credit for the joke. She sauntered nonchalantly out onto the stage to watch the fun. Seth was outraged, practically screaming at the baffled crew. Dolph was being helped backstage by two officials. In spite of the beating he'd taken, Dolph was laughing hysterically at the fit Seth was throwing.
Finally, Seth looked towards the stage and noticed Carly. He stared at her, his mouth hanging open in disbelief. A little slow on the uptake tonight, wasn't he? Carly waved cheerily at him, then gestured questioningly towards the speakers, as if to ask him what was happening. Seth's face turned a brilliant shade of rage-red.
"You did this!" he howled, pointing at her, "You did this! I know it was you!"
What an immature little brat he was. Carly pressed a hand to her heart, looking thoroughly offended by this accusation, but she couldn't suppress an amused grin. Seth was still shouting at her. Whatever he was saying was lost beneath the laughing and chanting of the crowd. He was positively steamed, breathlessly irate. Frankly, it was hilarious. To add insult to injury (and to get out of there before the Authority sent someone to make her pay for the joke) Carly blew Seth a kiss and sauntered back around the curtain and out of sight.
It was only at that point that Carly realized what had just happened. This was the first time she'd faced Seth since that night, and the ramifications of that hadn't even crossed her mind. She hadn't been worried about keeping her composure in his presence. In her mind, this was just like any other time she'd pulled a trick on the Authority. Just strike at their vanity, right? That's their weak point. Not Seth's weak point, but the Authority's. And it had worked.
Carly was starting to feel somewhat uneasy. She hadn't even given it a second thought. Shouldn't she have? This was Seth, after all. This was her former friend, her mentor, even. This was the guy who betrayed and brutally attacked his own brothers, her friends, not two weeks ago. And she'd treated him no differently than if he was Randy Orton or Triple H. It was unsettling how quickly her mind had accepted seeing him as the enemy. Carly wasn't sure if she'd given up on him too easily, or if he was just that much of a monster that she couldn't really do anything else.
"One order of steamed traitor, served hot under the collar," Carly announced as she found Dean and Roman.
"I don't know what I was expecting," Dean shook his head admiringly, "But that wasn't it. Not that it wasn't pretty hilarious, though."
"You got him riled pretty good," Roman said with an approving grin.
"Like you said, I know the Authority," Carly shrugged, "I know him. Raining on their parade is child's play."
"You do, of course, realize that they'll be gunning for you now, right?" said Dean.
"Because they weren't before?" said Carly.
"Yeah, but you just officially announced a continuation of hostilities," he said, "And embarrassed Triple H's brand new lapdog in the process. They don't like it when you make them look stupid, is all I'm saying."
"Oh, what are they gonna do?" Carly said dismissively, "Lock me up again? It's obnoxious, but it's not torture."
"For you, maybe," Dean muttered.
"What do you mean, for me, maybe?" said Carly.
Carly knew the answer as soon as the words left her mouth. She knew that being treated like a madman bothered Dean, and understandably so. But torture was a strong word. Would being locked up really get to him that much? Dean's shoulder twitched uncomfortably. He was slouching a bit now, and his expression had darkened. Fear wasn't something often seen in Dean's eyes, but Carly was sure she saw it there now. She felt like a jerk for talking that flippantly about something that was clearly a source of anxiety for him. When Dean noticed the concerned sidelong glance she was giving him, he straightened up and shrugged it off.
"Never been a fan of locked doors," he said nonchalantly, "Anyway, what are we standing around talking for? I got a match coming up."
Evasively changing the subject. Carly knew better than to push the matter. Fear was a foreign concept to Dean Ambrose. She couldn't imagine that he handled it well, and she was certain that he didn't want to talk about it.
"Speak of the devil, Wyatt's saying something right now," said Roman, nodding towards the monitor.
"Oh," said Dean, "About me?"
"It's kinda hard to tell with him," Roman wrinkled his nose.
"Ugh, Bray Wyatt creeps me out," Carly shuddered, "Like this company needs more self-righteous, manipulative psychopaths."
"Or more demons," said Roman, "Depending on what you believe."
"Shh!" Dean said with mock urgency, "Gotta watch what you say, Roman. Remember who her dad is."
Dean appeared to be doing alright, all things considered. Getting revenge on Seth was still a priority, but he was acting like himself. And he honestly seemed excited about the qualifying match. Still, Carly couldn't be too careful.
"Hey, Dean?" she said gingerly, "In case something goes pear-shaped during the match-"
"I know, I know," he said, "Stay focused. I'll give it my best, princess. Promise."
xXx
Carly and Roman stood together backstage near the locker rooms, watching Dean walk down to the ring. He paused, one foot up on the barricade, to point to the belts hanging above. Good. He was focused on the task at hand. At least, Carly hoped he was. She wrung her hands restlessly, an absent gesture that did not escape Roman's notice.
"You worried about something?" asked Roman.
"This match," said Carly, "There's no way it isn't a trap. I mean, your match was. I just… I don't know if Dean cares enough to stay on task about qualifying if something, y'know, happens."
"Don't sell him short," said Roman, "Dean'll surprise you."
"I know that," Carly said reluctantly, "I'm still worried, though."
"If anything goes wrong, I'm ready to bail him out," he said, "So don't lose hope yet, alright, princess?"
"Alright," said Carly.
The amount of back-and-forth at the beginning of this match made Carly feel like she was watching tennis. Dean took control, then Wyatt hit him with a clothesline. Dean got to his feet, only for Wyatt to rake his eye against the ropes. Dean got free. He punched and headbutted Wyatt, who whipped Dean towards the ropes. Dean rebounded and knocked Wyatt off his feet with a crossbody, and proceeded to tear into this so-called god.
Dean had cornered Wyatt, and the referee unfortunately did his job and forced Dean away. When the ref turned back to Wyatt, he had twisted himself into that weird, upside-down horror movie pose of his. The ref jumped back in terror. Dean, however, looked far less impressed. He stared down at Wyatt in bored incredulity, marched over, and kicked him in the head. Shocked cheers erupted from the audience, and Carly couldn't help but laugh. Apparently, nobody had thought to do that before. But then again, it would take more than Bray Wyatt to unnerve Dean Ambrose.
Dean was gaining momentum now. He delivered a powerful dropkick to Wyatt's chest, sending him to the floor. Dean leapt over the ropes, only to be caught by Wyatt and slammed spine-first into the apron. Carly winced. Dean was sprawled out on the floor, clutching at his shoulder. That couldn't be good.
And it wasn't. That small reprieve was all Wyatt needed to turn the tide back against Dean. He took advantage of the situation, focusing on the injured shoulder. Carly and Roman watched in dismay as Dean was worn down by his opponent. Carly was beginning to think that Roman was wrong, and her worries were well-founded. Dean was better than this. Only a lack of focus on his part would've allowed Bray Wyatt of all people to gain the upper hand in the first place.
Dean rallied suddenly, planting Wyatt with a DDT. Dean took advantage of the separation to breathe, to pull himself back together and drag himself to his feet. Wyatt hauled himself upright in the turnbuckle. Dean charged, but Wyatt was too quick for him, catching Dean with a boot to the chin that nearly knocked his head off. Damn.
Wyatt was back in control. Carly couldn't give up hope, not yet. There was still a chance that Dean could pull this off. Then they'd be one step closer to thwarting the Authority's plans. If only Dean could come back and win this match. But his shoulder was clearly hurting him, and Carly thought she could see blood on his chin.
Wyatt sent Dean into the ropes, which was all Dean needed to catch him with a pendulum lariat. Dean went for the cover and Wyatt kicked out at two. Both men were down, out of breath, struggling to get back to their feet. Wyatt stood first, seizing the kneeling Dean by the hair. Dean, in true Dean Ambrose fashion, had to start talking trash and goading Wyatt to hit him in the face, because of course he had to. Wyatt was only too happy to oblige, and the two men began trading blows.
The back-and-forth began again. Carly drummed her fingers anxiously against the wall. Come on, Dean. Come on. He could do this. He had to. Wyatt was laid out in the ring. Dean climbed up the turnbuckle and floored him with a missile dropkick. Come on, come on. He was so close. Get up, Dean. Get up!
Near-fall for Dean. Near-fall for Wyatt. This was maddening. Suddenly, Dean was able to catch Bray Wyatt around the neck and hit him with Dirty Deeds. This was it. Dean had it. All he had to do was –
Oh, no. Oh, no.
"Where the hell did he come from?" Carly yelled.
Seth, out of nowhere, had appeared on top of the announcers' table. He threw his arms out, daring Dean to come after him.
"I don't know!" said Roman, "Don't fall for it, Dean. Come on, don't – oh, God damn it!"
Dean dragged himself out of the ring, all thoughts of the match forgotten. He was focused on one thing and one thing alone – making Seth pay. Carly raked her hands through her hair. This was it. They were done for.
As Dean came at him, Seth jumped down from the table. Dean ran after Seth, following him into the ring and right into the arms of Bray Wyatt. Sister Abigail, one-two-three, and it was all over. Seth stood at the base of the ramp and looked on, laughing, as Bray Wyatt stood victorious over the crumpled remains of Dean Ambrose.
Roman swore vehemently, rubbing his hand across his mouth. Carly turned away from the monitor and pounded her fist against the wall. So close. They were so close. But of course it was a trap. It always had been. She'd known all along that the Authority wouldn't let the Shield get anywhere near that title shot. She didn't know why she'd gotten her hopes up in the first place.
Carly turned back, slouching against the wall and glowering at the monitor. She was debating the logistics of whether or not she could get near enough to Seth to punch him in his smug mouth, and how many times she would be able to do so before getting kicked out. Dean still lay in the ring, his chest heaving. Bray Wyatt, on the other hand, was gesturing furiously for a microphone. Carly groaned. Fantastic. On top of everything else, now she'd have to listen to this rambling moron talk again.
"I know you, Seth Rollins," said Wyatt, tilting his head and smiling curiously at him, "I've faced you before, and I've beaten you before, and I do not need your help to fight my battles."
As Wyatt spoke, Seth walked slowly back to the ring, hopping up on the apron and leaning over the ropes to listen.
"But if you're willing, boy," Wyatt continued, "Why don't you step into this ring and we can take care of our problems, right now?"
Wyatt threw the microphone aside. Seth stared at him thoughtfully for a moment. Then Seth removed his suit jacket, tossed it aside, and stepped through the ropes. Seth and Wyatt sized each other up, and then proceeded to begin kicking the daylights out of Dean. Somehow, Carly felt like she should've seen that coming.
"Son of a bitch," Roman growled.
He bolted off towards the ring. Carly didn't follow, since she was still under orders from the boys not to get in fights this week. Also, she had promised herself she would step back and let Dean and Roman get the first crack at Seth. Roman would be able to handle this, and then they could get out of here and start to think up a new strategy.
Carly's relief was short-lived, however, as Erick Rowan and Luke Harper suddenly barreled past, heading for the ring.
"No, no, no!" Carly shouted, watching them in helpless disbelief.
"Hey, what's the matter?" a voice asked.
Carly turned to see the Usos and Sheamus hurrying down the hall towards her.
"Seth and the whole Wyatt family are gonna beat the hell out of Roman and Dean," she said hurriedly.
"Wyatts, huh?" said Jey, grinning at Jimmy.
"Don't you worry, love. We'll handle this," said Sheamus, "Come on, boys!"
And with that, off they ran, too. Carly turned back to the monitor. Roman and Dean were getting the worst of a four-on-two mugging. Then she heard the crowd roar, and Sheamus and the Usos leapt into the fray. Sheamus went after Wyatt while the Usos took care of Harper and Rowan. Seth, suddenly realizing that the odds were against him, tried to flee. But Roman caught him, forcing him into the corner as Dean rolled out of the ring.
One by one, the Wyatt family was dumped to the floor. Dean slid back into the ring and held a chair aloft, redoubling the cheers of the audience. Roman backed off. Seth stumbled out of the corner. Dean brought the chair slamming down on his back. Seth's back arched, and he staggered forward right into a spear from Roman.
Before they could do more, a few officials pulled Seth from the ring while the crowd chanted for the Hounds of Justice. Dean started to follow, but Roman put a hand on his shoulder. Dean grimaced and shrugged, apparently deciding that vengeance could wait. (Now why couldn't he have decided that about five minutes ago?) Roman smiled. He took Dean's face in his hands and rested his forehead against Dean's for a moment before pulling him into a hug.
Roman and (to Carly's surprise) Dean as well went to shake hands gratefully with Sheamus and the Usos, and then hopped down from the ring to greet the spectators as the Shield's music blared over the speakers. Carly ran a hand through her hair. She was finally able to breathe again. That was bad, but it could've been worse. It would've been worse, if the boys hadn't've had help. The Usos and Sheamus walked backstage, heading for the locker room.
"Thank you, guys," Carly said earnestly, shaking hands with them, "Really, thank you."
"No problem," Jimmy said, grinning.
"Anytime we can get our hands on those Wyatts, we're more than happy to help," said Jey.
"Oh, of course," Carly laughed, "I was wondering why you three were so eager to join the fight. I didn't think you liked the Shield."
"Well, we didn't. But that was before," said Sheamus. He lowered his voice a little before continuing, "There's no sense in holding grudges too long in this business, especially when there's a common enemy. And let's face it, most of us aren't too fond of the kind of fella who'd stab his own brothers in the back."
"So if, uh… if you ever need any help of this nature again," said Jimmy, more quietly than Carly thought the Usos were capable of speaking, "Just call on us, alright?"
"Later, Carly," said Jey.
He winked conspiratorially at her, and the three of them went off to change. Carly was surprised. First Dolph, and now these three. It seemed that her suspicions had been correct. Whether they knew or not, whether they liked it or not, the Shield had friends now. Trouble was brewing for the Authority. Carly wasn't sure how much they were aware of it, but she got the feeling that something had been set into motion, and they weren't going to like the outcome.
Dean and Roman rounded the corner. Dean, tired and hurt though he was, looked to be in pretty good spirits, which was surprising. Roman must've said something to him. Carly didn't know how he did it, but Roman was almost always able to get through to Dean, somehow.
"The rat got away tonight," he said, "But I think it's better if we make him sweat a little, huh, Roman?"
"Right," said Roman, grinning at him, "We've got all the time in the world. If we gotta take revenge, we might as well enjoy it. Besides, if we finished him off tonight, that'd leave Carly out of the fun."
"Thanks for remembering me," Carly said wryly.
"Carly, look. Does that look nasty to you?" asked Dean, raising his chin to show Carly how it'd been busted open.
What a child he was. He seemed almost proud of his war wound. Carly would've preferred if he didn't stick his busted chin near her face, though.
"Very nice, Dean," she said, wrinkling her nose.
"That's enough," Roman said as he ruffled Dean's hair, "Come on, let's get that stitched up."
"Alright, mom," Dean muttered.
But he didn't put up a fight when Roman threw an arm around him and pulled him towards the trainers' room. An examination of Dean's injured shoulder resulted in the diagnosis that it was a pulled muscle, and thankfully not something more serious. Dean was uncharacteristically still and compliant while the medics stitched him up. This surprised Carly at first, until she heard the medics good-naturedly joking about how this was only the four-thousandth time they'd had to patch his chin up.
"That's what he gets for sticking it out too far all the time," said Roman.
Dean opened his eyes only long enough to make a face at him. Roman just laughed. Carly was standing back a bit so she wouldn't have to watch. Needles still made her uncomfortable. But aside from that, she was in pretty good spirits, and so were Dean and Roman.
"What did I tell you two?" she said, "The roster is on your side now. And after what Sheamus and the Usos did, the whole WWE Universe knows that now, too."
"Actually…" one of the medics began, glancing over at her.
"Actually what?" Carly said slowly. She had a bad feeling about this.
"I don't want to have to give you bad news," she said apologetically, "But the broadcast went off the air almost as soon as the match ended, even before Roman ran out there."
"You mean nobody saw?" Carly spluttered, "Are you-?"
Carly was speechless for a moment, torn between bafflement and rage. Of course. The Authority knew that Roman would come to the rescue if Dean was in trouble. Everybody knew that. But if they didn't see it happen, they'd begin to have doubts. They'd question the strength of the Shield. They'd start to forget the bond between the brothers, or worse yet, they'd think that Dean and Roman were forgetting it.
"No," said Carly, "That's not happening anymore. The Authority can't just sweep this under the rug. We're gonna make them see."
"How?" asked Roman.
"I don't know yet, but I'll think of something," Carly said darkly.
xXx
"Alright," Carly said, when they got back to the boys' hotel room, "To business."
"I take it that means you have a plan?" said Roman.
"I do," Carly nodded.
Dean and Roman sat down on the beds and looked up at her expectantly. For a second, Carly faltered. They were prepared to give her the same eager attention that they'd given Seth. It wasn't that she was trying to take his place, and she knew that Dean and Roman neither expected nor wanted her to. It was just that she was taking on the role of strategist alone now. Carly wasn't quite certain she was equal to the task.
"W-well," she said, trying to steady her voice, "Here's what I was thinking. It's clear that the Authority promised Seth that Money in the Bank briefcase in exchange for betraying you, so we have to stop him from getting it at all costs."
"But what about the WWE World Heavyweight Champion title?" said Roman, "No way in hell I'm letting Randy Orton get his hands on that. Not after he beat me half to death when I was already down."
"Exactly," said Carly, "Which is why the best way to get revenge on Seth, and Randy Orton, and the Authority in general is to get Roman into the title match, and Dean into the contract match."
"Wait a minute," said Dean, turning to Roman, "You mean you're just gonna ignore Seth and go after Randy instead?"
Dean was suddenly anxious, almost like he was concerned that Roman was going to abandon him, too. Roman reached over to lay a hand on his shoulder.
"That's not it at all," he said, "This is just something I have to do in addition to that. We're still gonna make Seth pay, you and me, brother."
Dean nodded, a relieved smile spreading across his face. Carly was glad Roman was able to keep him reassured. The last thing Dean needed was to start getting suspicious of the people who legitimately cared about him.
"And that's important, too," said Carly, "If I know the Authority, and unfortunately I do, they're going to do everything they can to keep the two of you separated. No tag-teaming, only singles matches with the other one banned from ringside. That sort of thing. Triple H is hoping that it'll make the Shield look weak, and that it'll cause a rift between you. Which is why it is vitally important that whatever you do to sabotage Seth, you do it together. We have to make everyone see that the Shield is still here, and still strong. Alright?"
"Alright," said Roman, "One thing, though. You keep saying 'you're going to sabotage Seth.' You mean 'we,' right? We're going to do this together."
"Yeah," said Dean, "I mean, it'd be a shame if you pushed yourself into the background after I said all those nice things about you in front of the whole WWE Universe."
Carly looked away, hoping that the dim hotel room lighting would disguise the fact that she was blushing again.
"O-of course," she stammered, "I definitely want to be a part of this. But, I mean, this is kind of your territory, and I don't want to impose or anything-"
"Oh, no you don't," Roman interrupted, "Don't you start getting all self-doubting and insecure on us now. Not when we need you."
Carly turned back to look at Roman, ashamed that she was surprised to hear him say that. Need her? Maybe they did. She needed them. And Roman's reassurance was not something to be doubted.
"I may be a little… overeager as far as the revenge business goes," said Dean, "But don't think for a second that that means you aren't wanted. C'mere."
Dean held his hand out to Carly. She hesitated a second before putting her hand in his. Dean pulled her closer, reaching out his other hand for Roman to take. He looked at both of them earnestly.
"We're not gonna let them break us apart," said Dean, "You said it yourself, princess. We're still here, and we're still strong. All three of us. Right?"
"Right," said Carly, smiling down at him.
"Good," said Dean.
He gave her hand a final squeeze before letting go.
"One question, Carly," said Roman, "How exactly do you plan on getting me and Dean into those matches?"
"I'm still working on that part," said Carly, grimacing, "But don't worry. I'll make it happen if it's the last thing I do."
"So in the meantime, sabotage?" said Dean.
He grinned at her, rubbing his hands together eagerly. A smile spread across Roman's face as well at the mention of enacting a little retribution on their former business partner.
"Precisely," said Carly, "Like Roman said, if we're gonna take revenge, we might as well have fun with it."
"I like where this is going," said Roman.
"And I like it when she gets devious," said Dean, "Keep talking, Carly.
"Well, I am the daughter of the devil himself," said Carly, "And I'm going to give the Authority hell on earth. So here's what we'll do-"
(Note: Thank you to the lovely people who left reviews! Due to the fact that I'm currently drowning under 20 credits' worth of homework, I have to officially cut back to posting a new chapter every other week (maybe more frequently, if I'm able). I don't like having to do that, but it makes my life a whole lot easier, since I want to finish this story and not hit burnout or something stupid like that. Thank you so much for bearing with me!)