Brother Mine
By the time Carly and Roman got there, Dean had, in fact, been kicked out of the arena for that little stunt with the bucket of ice water. They headed out to the parking lot, assuming he'd gone to the car, but Dean was nowhere to be found. Roman gave up on calling him after the third try with no answer. Dean had up and vanished, and it was pretty clear that he didn't want to be found.
After they got back inside, a grimfaced Roman told Carly to hang around the locker rooms and see if anybody knew anything while he took a look around. Carly could tell that Roman was very worried, even if he didn't say as much. It wasn't like Dean to disappear. It was even less like him to keep Roman in the dark.
This was bad. This was potentially very, very bad. Dean had been acting strangely. He was distracted and evasive. That is, when they could get him to string more than two sentences together at a time. Carly didn't know if it had something to do with him getting locked up last week or what, but she was concerned about him.
"Hey, kid."
Carly jumped at the sound of Dolph's voice. She hadn't noticed him walking over. That just went to show how out of it she was, because Dolph was followed by Kofi, Sheamus, and the Usos, and Carly hadn't noticed them either.
"I didn't get a chance to tell you last week," said Dolph, "Nice use of a sleeper hold."
"I learned from the best," she said.
Dolph grinned, pleased by the compliment.
"But you guys shouldn't be seen talking to me," Carly went on, "You know it isn't safe."
"Carly," said Kofi, shaking his head, "We're way past that point. We're already at open rebellion, remember?"
Remember? Carly wouldn't soon forget the courage these guys had shown in choosing to stand with her and the Shield against the Authority, not to mention the more subtle defiance of her friends in the women's division.
"I want to thank you all for what you did," said Carly, "And also, I wanted to ask you all to watch each other's backs from here on out. I know there's an every-man-for-himself mentality around here, which makes sense given the nature of the competition. But you gotta make sure that gets left in the ring, okay? If we don't stick together, the Authority's going to put us down, hard."
"No worries, Carly," said Jimmy.
"Yeah," Jey nodded, "We're not backing down any time soon."
"Thank you," Carly said fervently, "Really, I mean it. Thank you. And Sheamus, good luck in your match tonight."
"Thanks," said Sheamus, "When I'm through with that rat, I'll be sure to leave just a little bit of life in him so your boys can have the pleasure of finishing him off some other day."
"Very gracious of you," Carly laughed.
Carly had been worried about the transition from subterfuge to open revolution. And while she was still worried about it, or rather about the well-being of her allies, she found herself feeling somewhat relieved. This wasn't something that happened around here, this banding-together-against-a-common-enemy business. She was well aware that it was a significant development. True, she was continuing to fail at her goal of getting Dean and Roman into that pay-per-view, but at least something was going right. The revolution was picking up steam and, wherever it was headed, something had to give sooner or later.
Roman returned soon after their allies had dispersed. Disconcertingly, he was alone.
"No sign of him?" she asked.
"None," said Roman, "You hear anything?"
"Nothing," said Carly, shaking her head, "But I have a feeling we both know exactly what he's up to."
"Seth's match with Sheamus," he said.
Roman sighed and raked a hand through his hair. A bit of anger started to tinge Carly's worry. What was Dean thinking? It wasn't fair of him to do this to Roman, not at all. They were supposed to be doing this together. That's what they'd agreed on.
"Roman, I'm sorry," said Carly, "There's no way we're getting ringside for that match. We have to wait."
Roman nodded. His expression was just a little too calm, bordering on stony. From the tension in his jaw, it was plain to see that he wasn't happy with the situation. But he knew there was nothing else they could do. Carly had the sudden urge to ask him if he was alright, but she got the feeling that this wasn't the right time. If Roman Reigns didn't want to talk, no power on earth could compel him to.
It was a good match, an interesting and hard-fought battle showcasing the contrasting skills of a brawler and a high-flyer. Sheamus would have had it won, too, if not for some underhanded assistance from Kane on Seth's behalf. Carly had no idea why that oversized buzzkill was allowed at ringside. Blame it on the Authority, probably.
Sure enough, Dean appeared from God-knows-where and jumped Seth as he was making his exit. The ensuing brawl didn't even last long enough for Roman to get involved. A bunch of officials ran in and broke it up, tossing Dean out once again. When Carly and Roman went out to the parking-lot this time, Dean was perched on the trunk of Roman's car. He grinned at them as they walked over. Or rather, he sorta grinned past them. He never seemed to quite look directly at them.
"Have fun tonight?" asked Roman.
"Yep," said Dean, "How'd it look? Pretty good, I bet."
"Why didn't you answer your phone?" said Roman, ignoring Dean's question.
"Didn't have it on me," said Dean.
That was probably true. Roman didn't seem satisfied by that answer, though.
"We went looking for you, Dean," he said, "You could've at least taken five minutes let us know what you were planning."
"I had bigger fish to fry," Dean shrugged as he hopped down from the trunk, "Let's get out of here, huh? I'm starving."
Roman said nothing, but his knuckles whitened as he gripped his backpack more tightly.
xXx
Friday brought more of the same. Just as Carly had suspected, the hammer came down on anybody who even thought about siding with her. The results of those (mostly unfair) matches were a mix of wins and losses. But any attempts by the Authority at backstage shenanigans failed miserably. True to their word, the Shield's allies stuck together.
Led by Dolph Ziggler, Kofi Kingston, Sheamus, the Usos, Natalya, Naomi, and Emma formed the core of what they took to calling the Rebel Alliance. Carly found it sort of heartwarming to see them together. They made certain that nobody was ever left alone and vulnerable, forming a band that traveled between catering, the locker rooms, the backstage area, and anywhere else anyone needed to go. It was a weight off all of their minds to know that somebody had their backs in case of an attack. This was the most confident, the most relaxed, the happiest Carly had seen any of them in a long time.
A few others were surprisingly unafraid of being seen with the rebels. Some were veterans like Rob Van Dam and Chris Jericho, and some were unallied parties like Adam Rose and the Rosebuds. The Authority was not pleased with this. But there was absolutely nothing they could really do about it.
It had taken some convincing for the Rebel Alliance to agree to letting her go around unprotected, but Carly was able to make them understand that it just wasn't practical for them to worry about that. As an alternative, Natalya presented her with something she'd found in the props crates: a kendo stick and a sort of sheath for it that Carly could sling across her back. Natalya ordered her never to go anywhere without it. Carly was more than happy to agree to this arrangement. Also, she felt kind of badass running around with what was essentially a sword.
If only the situation with Dean had been going half so well. Despite Roman and Carly's best efforts to keep tabs on him, Dean was harder to pin down than a patch of sunlight. He evaded them constantly with only one goal in mind. Dean hounded Seth wherever he went, launching a flurry of attacks and then escaping just as security arrived to break up the fight. Roman was at the end of his rope. He had a match of his own against Curtis Axel, so he couldn't afford the distraction of wondering where Dean was, and if he was in trouble. It fell to Carly to chase their prodigal friend over hill and dale. Of course, she never got anywhere near him.
Worry had grown inside Carly until it was a near-constant ache in her chest. Roman was being so quiet these days, and in a way that was very unlike himself. There was absolutely nothing Carly could do to get through the impenetrable wall of silence he'd surrounded himself with. It was obvious that Dean's behavior was the source of Roman's current state of misery.
If only there was some way she could get Dean to snap out of it. But that was impossible, too. Dean had resumed talking as much as ever, but his words were as much of a wall as Roman's silence. And in the rare moments that Carly could actually get his attention, he always seemed to be looking right through her.
Carly hated this. She hated feeling completely alone even when she was with the two people she cared most about, and she hated knowing that they felt the same way. She hated that there was nothing she could do about it. Most of all, she hated the growing suspicion that it was all her fault.
The broadcast came and went. Dean kept up his series of sting attacks against Seth, always managing to avoid capture. Roman won his match. On the drive back to the hotel, Roman said nothing. Dean hummed, like he always did, but the sound was grating for some reason. Carly curled up in the backseat and fought the urge to scream.
xXx
The Authority had a rare moment of competence on Monday night. For the first time since Payback, Dean and Roman were put in a tag-team match. It was against Rybaxle, of course, because who else would the Authority throw at their enemies to keep them busy?
And for the first time ever, Carly was grateful to the Authority. They probably thought they were just keeping Dean Ambrose occupied so he couldn't go after Seth. But maybe forcing Dean and Roman to fight side-by-side was exactly what they needed right now. Carly would've been grateful for anything that could bring them back to normal, at this point.
As luck would have it, Carly had been right about the tag-team match. It started off a little rough for the Shield. Eventually, though, Dean and Roman hit their stride. They were working together as effectively as ever, making frequent tags and ending with a decisive victory. Carly could breathe just a little easier after that, but only just. She was still under a bit of a cloud, but she managed to summon up a smile as she met up with Roman afterwards.
"Nice work, Roman," said Carly.
"Thanks," Roman smiled, "Where's Dean?"
"He's not with you?" said Carly.
"No, he told me he was going to go find you," said Roman.
They stared at each other for a moment before realization sunk in. Seth had a match tonight.
"Damnit!" Roman growled, and took off sprinting towards the locker rooms.
They were either a step ahead of the Authority, or the Authority was a step ahead of them. There was no middle ground. And tonight it seemed that the Authority had the upper hand. They'd caught on to Dean's all-too-transparent strategy of attacking Seth at any opportunity.
Carly and Roman paused in front of one of the backstage monitors to assess the situation, but they were too late. Dean must've jumped Seth as he was walking down the ramp, and in doing so he'd walked right into a trap. Half a dozen members of the goon squad were making short work of him, beating him mercilessly and dragging him to the ring where Seth waited. Carly's heart nearly stopped when she noticed Kane lifting the top section of a set of steel steps and heaving them into the ring. Roman swore loudly.
"That idiot," he said, "They're gonna kill him."
"Need some help?" Dolph called.
Oh, thank goodness. Carly looked up to see the men of the Rebel Alliance standing at the ready. Roman's shoulders relaxed in relief for a split second before he strode up to them like a general.
"We need a diversion," said Roman, "You boys up for a fight?"
"Always," Sheamus grinned, "Come on, lads!"
With Sheamus leading the charge, the five of them tore off down the ramp, Roman and Carly following close behind. The crowd roared at the sight of them, and the goon squad's attention was completely absorbed in fending off the sudden attack. But they'd already succeeded in throwing Dean into the ring. Seth and Kane were laying into him something fierce while he was unable to defend himself. Carly had a terrible feeling that she knew exactly what those steel steps were for.
"Follow me," said Roman, grabbing Carly's shoulder, "We're gonna save his stupid ass."
Flanking had always been one of the best weapons in Roman's arsenal. Carly ran after him as he took the long route around the floor sections of seating and through the timekeeper's area just in time to see Seth deliver a devastating curb-stomp, driving Dean's head into the steel steps.
Roman didn't even break his stride. With a roar, he charged into the ring and hit Kane with a Superman punch. Carly scrambled in after him. Their allies had the fight on the floor well in hand. She was going to make sure to even the odds in the ring. Drawing her kendo stick, Carly unloaded on Kane before he had a chance to get to his feet. Stupid, interfering corporate stooge. He deserved every bit of it. Still dazed from Roman's punch, Kane was driven back by the rain of blows and rolled out of the ring.
Carly turned and ran to Dean's side. He was still out of it, collapsed against the steps. Carly knelt down next to him, putting one hand on his shoulder and gently laying the other on the back of his head. She didn't know what good that would do. Probably none at all. She just didn't want Dean to think he was alone or something. Dean groaned and stirred a little. Carly was horrified to see blood streaming from a gash on his forehead, doubtless a result of the curb-stomp. Dean struggled to push himself upright.
"Don't get up," said Carly, "You just need to take it easy, okay, Dean? Take it easy."
Dean must have been too disoriented to do anything but comply. He leaned his head back down against the steps, and Carly rubbed his back reassuringly. She didn't know what had happened in the scuffle between Seth and Roman, but when she looked up Roman had seized Seth's head in his hands. Though he struggled vainly to get away, Roman forced Seth to look him in the eyes.
"Stop it, Seth," Roman said sternly, "That's enough."
Disgusted with Seth's frantic sniveling, Roman pitched him through the ropes, sending him crashing to the floor. He turned his back on Seth, leaving him and Kane to stagger away with their tails between their legs. Roman leaned over Carly and Dean.
"Is he alright?" he asked.
"I don't know," said Carly, "That curb-stomp busted him open a little."
Roman pressed a hand to his mouth, too distressed and angry to say anything else. He motioned for Carly to step back and get out of the medics' way.
She and Roman watched silently as they tended to Dean. The whole time, Roman held onto Carly's shoulder, and she got the feeling it was more for his own benefit than anything else. It was like he was anchoring himself to her, borrowing strength rather than lending it. That was his best friend laying there bleeding, his brother. He may not have said it, but Carly knew what he was thinking. Enough was enough. They couldn't let Dean go on like this.
Through some miracle of luck or sheer thick-headedness, Dean had avoided getting a concussion. Five stitches later, he was allowed to leave the trainers' room with Carly and Roman. Carly wasn't sure if Dean noticed the tension in Roman's face, but she did. Roman led the way back to the dressing room. When they were all inside, he pulled the door shut. Carly stepped out of the way. Unless she missed her guess, Roman was about to have words with Dean, and that was not something she wanted to be in the middle of.
"Well, that coulda gone better," was Dean's nonchalant observation, "I mean, I guess I should've seen that ambush coming, but what can you do? At least I got a few good hits in before-"
"Dean, stop it, alright?" Roman ordered, "You keep doing this, and you're gonna get hurt. We gotta talk about this."
That was the most Roman had said in a week. He wasn't angry. Carly could see it in his eyes now. Roman was afraid. The idea of Dean outnumbered, injured, and alone was tearing him up inside. That line of stitches on Dean's forehead was nothing compared to what might've happened to him, what might still happen to him if they couldn't stop him.
"What's there to talk about?" said Dean, shrugging defiantly, "I saw another opportunity to enact a little vengeance on our former 'business partner', so I took it."
"No, what you did was run in there all half-cocked and then got your ass handed to you," said Roman.
"You know, Roman," Dean narrowed his eyes, "I'm starting to wonder why you weren't in there with me."
"You never asked me!" Roman shouted.
"Because I knew you wouldn't help me," Dean fired back.
"Because you're acting like an idiot," said Roman, "For some reason, you think you gotta take on this crusade all by yourself. He was my friend too, you know."
"Then why aren't you doing anything about it?" Dean exploded, shoving Roman hard in the chest, "Why aren't you angry, huh? How come you're taking this lying down? You said you were my friend. You said you were my brother. But what does that even mean to you, Roman? You're just like him, aren't you. You never cared about him, or about me either. Am I just a business partner to you, too?"
Roman stood quietly, letting Dean's angry, hurtful words break over him like waves. When he had finished, Dean took a step back, covering his face with his hands, and Carly understood what Roman was doing. He knew Dean. He could see that Dean was still in pain, and Roman knew he had to push Dean far enough that he would open up and let all that pain out. And if it meant Dean getting in his face and trying to hurt him back, it didn't matter. All that mattered was helping his brother.
And it must have worked, because when Dean looked up, he seemed surprised, and thoroughly ashamed of himself.
"Roman, I'm sorry," he said, "I didn't mean it. I'm sorry."
Dean wrapped his arms around Roman and rested his forehead on Roman's shoulder, breathing shakily. A faint, almost relieved smile pulled at Roman's mouth. He patted Dean's back, caressing the back of his head as he spoke.
"I know he hurt you, Dean," he said gently, "I know he hurt you worse than just with that chair. He broke your trust. But you know he broke my trust, too. You're my brother, and you always will be, and we're gonna take care of this together. Alright?"
Dean and Roman pulled apart, smiling at each other. The storm had passed, for the moment. But there was still a problem that needed to be dealt with, and Carly was going to do whatever she could for her boys. She'd be damned if she let them down again.
"Wait here," Carly said.
"Where are you going?" asked Roman.
"I'm getting you guys those qualifying matches if it's the last thing I do," she said, her mouth set determinedly.
Carly turned on her heel, flung the door open, and marched off in the direction of the COO's office.
"How?" Dean called after her.
"I'll burn that bridge when I come to it," she muttered.
Truth be told, she had no idea how she could pull this off. There was a trick up her sleeve that she could employ if need be. She hadn't wanted to do it, because she knew it would only work once. But Carly hoped it wouldn't come to that. She was going to have to bluff. There was nothing else for it. And the key to a successful bluff was confidence, Carly thought to herself as she burst into the office without knocking.
The flicker of surprise on Triple H's face quickly faded into exasperation. Seth was there, of course, and his expression of smug arrogance never once faltered. He stepped forward to address Carly.
"You know, most civilized people knock before entering their boss's office," he said snidely.
Carly brushed past him without even acknowledging his presence. She told herself that it was to maintain the illusion of confidence, but in actuality she still had a hard time looking Seth in the eyes and keeping her composure. Especially after what that bastard had just done to Dean.
"I'm not here to talk to your flying monkey, sir," Carly said briskly, "I have a request. A match between Dean Ambrose and Seth Rollins, to take place this week on Smackdown. Also, if Ambrose wins, he qualifies for the Money in the Bank contract ladder match."
Triple H took a moment to register exactly what she'd said. Good. The abrupt, matter-of-fact delivery had caught him off-guard, but only for a second. He folded his arms and looked down at her, nonplussed.
"That's quite a demand," said Triple H, "And why would I give you anything?"
"Because, Mr. Helmsley, you don't want to have to deal with the consequences of refusing," said Carly, narrowing her eyes and smirking up at him, "And you have no idea of the hell I'm capable of unleashing on this company."
"You wouldn't," Seth interrupted suddenly.
Carly shot him a glance, careful to keep up her enigmatically threatening air. Seth had sounded worried, like he knew what she was planning. Which was impossible since Carly didn't have a plan at all. No matter. Might as well just play along.
"Wouldn't I?" she asked lightly, "Well, Mr. Helmsley?"
Now Triple H looked worried, too. Now that Carly had not only the protection of Mr. McMahon but the support of nearly half the roster as well, even the Game himself couldn't deny that she was becoming a legitimate threat to the Authority. They could claim that she had no power 'til they were blue in the face. It wouldn't make it true. Triple H gave Seth a questioning look.
"I can handle Dean Ambrose," said Seth, "If anything, putting him down once and for all will keep him from sabotaging any more of my matches."
Behold the arrogance of one Seth Rollins. A sardonic smile pulled at Carly's mouth. Somebody was going to be put down once and for all, but it wasn't going to be Dean Ambrose.
"You make a good point," Triple H nodded, "Alright, Carly, go scamper off and tell Dean Ambrose he's got his match."
"Thank you for your cooperation, sir," said Carly.
With a little mocking bow, she turned and strutted from the room, slamming the door on her way out. She was still a little ruffled that Triple H had ordered her to "scamper". And what on earth had Seth been insinuating?
She'd been willing to make what Michael Cole would call a desperation move. If all else had failed, she was going to invoke the highest authority in the business – Mr. McMahon. Like most capricious deities, Mr. McMahon let his half-divine daughter fend for herself for the most part, and Carly had never asked him for any favors. She was certain her request would be granted, especially if it meant causing trouble for Triple H and Stephanie. However, she knew she could only successfully go over their heads once. She wanted to make it count.
The last-ditch strategy had been in the back of her mind for months. And Carly was almost certain that she'd never made mention of that to anyone. But Seth had seemed to think she could make good on that vague threat. It made no sense. He was up to something, and Carly didn't like not knowing what.
Carly's pace slowed. She'd forgotten something. She'd been so thrown off by Seth's strange behavior, she hadn't demanded a qualifying match for Roman as well. Damn it all. How could she be that stupid? She couldn't very well go back to Triple H now. Well, she still had the option of taking it to Mr. McMahon. She didn't want to call in the big guns if there was any other way.
Lost in thought, Carly only just stopped short of walking right through a backstage interview. Renee Young was asking Barrett about his upcoming participation in the WWE World Heavyweight Championship ladder match. A smile spread across Carly's face. Superhuman luck was on her side today, and she had an idea.
Carly sidled closer, making sure to catch Barrett's eye. He trailed off in the middle of a sentence, glaring at her in exasperation. Good. Annoyance was a key factor in the success of many of Carly's plans.
"Can I help you with something?" he asked.
Carly stepped over to the other side of Renee, talking across her while she observed the exchange with deadpan tolerance. Backstage reporters in the employ of the WWE soon grew a little immune to interruptions and chaos, opting to get themselves to safety and let the titans battle it out unhindered.
"I just want to say, Mr. Barrett, congratulations on qualifying for that ladder match," Carly said with a pointedly insincere smile, "I only thought it was a little interesting that you qualified, but Roman Reigns hasn't gotten the chance. I mean, you couldn't even beat him by yourself. You had to have 3MB run in and help-"
"Stop right there," said Barrett.
He leaned down and glared at Carly. She kept right on smiling. Renee wisely took a step back.
"Are you trying to goad me into a rematch with Roman Reigns?" Barrett sneered.
Carly heard the distant sound of the audience roaring their approval of the idea. No sense beating around the bush, then.
"That is precisely what I'm trying to do," she said coolly.
Barrett straightened up. He almost seemed amused at her casual admission. He nodded slowly.
"Alright, then," he said, "Next week on Monday Night Raw, it'll be my pleasure to beat Roman Reigns senseless, without any help."
"You're very confident about that," said Carly, "Confident enough to wager your place in the WWE World Heavyweight Championship ladder match on the outcome?"
Come on, come on, take the bait. Carly watched Barrett's eyes and tried her hardest not to let her eager desperation show. In the arena, the crowd cheered wildly in anticipation.
"Carly," said Barrett, "You can tell Roman that I'm afraid I've got some bad news, because you've just made sure it'll be that much more disappointing for him when he loses next week. You've got yourself a deal."
Carly held out her hand, and Barrett shook it brusquely once before turning on his heel and stalking off. Mission accomplished. Thank goodness for the overconfidence of the enemy. Carly gave Renee a polite nod, and then set off in the opposite direction.
Finally. She didn't know whether she was happy enough to dance around like a fool or so relieved that she could almost faint. But mostly, Carly just wanted to bang her head against a wall for a solid twenty minutes. After all that, this is what had worked. Not trying to do things the right way, not going through official channels. It'd been her time-honored tactic of charging headlong into the problem and making things up as she went. This was a terrible moral lesson for anybody's life story, especially her own. Still…
Roman pulled her into a spine-crackingly enthusiastic hug the second she walked into their dressing room.
"You did it, princess!" he exclaimed, forcing most of the air out of her lungs as he somehow managed to squeeze her even more tightly, "Oh, sorry…"
Roman laughed sheepishly and reached out to steady Carly. She'd nearly fallen over, gasping for air, the second he released her. She didn't mind that much. Roman was like a Great Dane puppy sometimes – very affectionate, but sometimes forgetting his own strength. Dean moved closer with an impatient quickness.
"Well?" he asked expectantly, "What about me?"
"I didn't forget about you," said Carly, trying to keep her tone light, "I got you a match, too-"
"Great!" Dean interrupted, clapping his hands and rubbing them together, "Who do I get to punch the daylights out of? Come on, princess. Don't keep me in suspense. Who's it gonna be?"
Carly's smile faltered. Dean looked so eager, so happy right now. Maybe her arrangement hadn't been such a good idea.
"Seth," she said.
Dean blinked in surprise. Speechless for a moment, he glanced between Roman and Carly. Roman gave an incredulous laugh and Carly bit her lip. It had been a bad idea, hadn't it? This revenge business wasn't good for Dean, and she knew it. It'd all just happened so quickly. She hadn't even thought… but it was too late to change things now. Dean slouched a little to bring himself closer to Carly's eye-level and took her by the shoulders.
"You just said 'Seth,' right?" said Dean, "I'm not hearing things, am I?"
"Yeah, that's right," said Carly, "This Friday night."
Dean's mouth turned up in a disbelieving grin. For the first time in a week, he was looking at her, not through her.
"Now, don't take this the wrong way. I don't wanna sound ungrateful," said Dean, "But how in the hell did you manage that? 'Cause that doesn't sound like something Trips would go for."
For some reason, Carly didn't want to explain what had gone down in detail. Seth's assistance in setting this up still felt a little off to her. She knew something fishy was going on, but she didn't want to tell Dean and Roman. At least, not yet. Carly shrugged.
"I bluffed," she said frankly, "And they fell for it."
"If anybody could manage that, it's our princess," said Roman.
Carly started gathering up her things, leaving Dean to crow excitedly about finally being able to get his hands on Seth in a match while Roman, with fewer words but equal confidence, considered that spot in the ladder match as good as his. Peace among the hounds again. Carly was going to enjoy it while it lasted, because they weren't out of the woods yet.
"Hey, princess," said Dean, "I almost forgot something."
"What's that?" asked Carly.
She turned back to Dean only to have him throw his arms around her so forcefully that he nearly knocked her off her feet. It took Carly a second to switch from clinging onto him for dear life to actually hugging him back.
"Uh, Dean?" she said, "Not that I don't appreciate this, but… what's it for?"
"Thank you," said Dean, "Thank you for getting me this match, and also, y'know, for putting up with me while I was acting like an idiot. And I'm sorry about that, Carly. You were working hard to help me and Roman and I was being… unhelpful. I really am sorry."
His voice had softened a little by the end of that, and Carly knew he meant it. He also showed no signs of wanted to let go anytime soon. Well, Carly didn't mind. After what he'd put her and Roman through the past week, he definitely owed her a long hug.
"S'alright," she said.
"No, it really isn't," Dean laughed ruefully, "But I'm just gonna take that as an acceptance of my apology."
"We're gonna do you proud, Carly," said Roman, as he joined in on the hug, "We promise."
She hoped so. She hoped they'd finally be able to get into that pay-per-view. And then the Shield would walk away with the belts and the briefcase, and the Authority wouldn't be able to do a thing to stop them anymore.
xXx
Dean and Roman had insisted that, after all the nonsense they'd just worked through, it'd be stupid for them to go their separate ways for the remainder of the week. Even if Carly had wanted to protest (she didn't) there would've been no turning them down. And thus they ended up all staying at Roman's place.
Things were looking up for the Shield. Carly was glad to see Roman smiling more readily again instead of keeping up last week's uncharacteristic silence. Dean, meanwhile, had been practically buzzing with anticipation ever since finding out about his qualifying match. He also seemed to be trying to make up for his behavior by being as nice to Carly and Roman as possible. In typical Dean Ambrose fashion, he went overboard to the point that he was once again nearly killing them with kindness. Not that either of them were complaining, of course. Roman took full advantage of the situation.
"What? It's making him feel better," Roman said in response to Carly's teasingly reproachful looks, "And it's not like he doesn't owe me."
She couldn't argue with that. She was just happy that both boys were acting more like themselves. Now, if only she could manage to sort herself out. Carly had no idea why, but she couldn't bring herself to feel as happy as she knew she should be. It was strange. They were so close to getting exactly what she wanted, and she still felt this heavy weight on her chest almost all the time. Maybe it was because there was still room for things to go wrong? Eh, who knew. She didn't have time to worry about that now.
And then Seth had to go and sour the mood by spouting his typical poisonous rhetoric in Michael Cole's weekly interview on the website. It was the usual rubbish: insults towards Dean and his sanity and arrogant declarations of being the future of the WWE. Dean shrugged it off, but Carly had the feeling that some of the barbs hit home. Her suspicions were confirmed when she walked into the kitchen to find Roman keeping a wary eye on Dean, who was aggressively scrambling a pan full of eggs for a late-night snack.
"You alright there, Dean?" Carly asked hesitantly.
"Nope," he said, "But I will be after Friday."
At least he was straightforward about it. Dean always seemed to do better at handling emotions when he didn't try to shut them up inside.
"In the meantime," said Roman, "You show those eggs, Dean. Teach 'em who's boss."
"Damn right I will," Dean muttered.
Carly giggled, and even Dean couldn't quite smother a smile. Roman's teasing encouragement combined with the fact that Dean was cooking his feelings made for an entertaining situation. Dean paused suddenly and tilted his head.
"Roman, did I salt these already?" he asked.
"Twice," said Roman, grinning.
"Eh, guess I could use the extra iodine," said Dean.
He shrugged and went back to stirring the eggs. While Dean's back was turned, Roman looked at Carly and very seriously mouthed the words Don't eat any of that before pressing a finger to his lips and shaking his head. Carly bit her lip to keep from laughing.
"And so what if he keeps calling me crazy? It doesn't matter," Dean went on, "Not like I can prove him wrong or anything."
He switched of the burner he'd been cooking on and slammed the pan onto an empty one, earning a wince from Roman. He then slapped a plate down onto the countertop. Carly watched as Dean violently dished up a plate of scrambled eggs for himself. He looked back questioningly at Roman, who politely declined the proffered food.
Maybe Dean couldn't prove Seth wrong, exactly, but there might be a way for him to shut Seth up. In her researching of why in the actual hell the WWE kept all these crazy props on hand, Carly had learned about some interesting obscure gimmick matches. One of them in particular came to mind now, and it might be just what Dean needed.
"Hey, Dean?" said Carly.
"What's up?" he answered around a mouthful of eggs.
"I have a thought," she said, "It's either a good idea or a terrible one, and I can't tell which, so I want you and Roman to give me your opinions. Alright?"
xXx
By the time Friday came, Dean had calmed down some. Or perhaps that wasn't the right way to put it. All that frenetic excitement had been focused into the thought of one thing and one thing only – the match. Dean was surrounded by an aura of such electric intensity that Carly was certain she'd get shocked if she tried to touch him.
Roman and Carly kept a close eye on him throughout the broadcast. Not because they were worried about him running off, but because the Authority had made certain to keep as many members of the Rebel Alliance as possible busy that night. Carly and Roman were determined that Dean would make it to the match unharmed.
He was pacing around the dressing room like a caged animal. Every now and then he would stop to jump up and down a few times, or stretch, or drop to the ground and do a few push-ups. Sometimes he would rake a hand through his hair and give his shoulder a twitch, muttering something under his breath. Carly and Roman let him be for the most part. They knew how important, how vitally important this match was to him.
Carly knew he could do it. She knew he was more than good enough to beat Seth. But Seth had developed an allergy to fighting fair lately, and that made Carly nervous to the point of distraction. She'd done everything she could to keep things legitimate. She had all parties (herself and Roman included) banned from ringside in such exact terms that it left no loopholes to be exploited. She'd even gotten it in writing that any interference of any sort would result in a victory for Dean via disqualification. And she'd only been able to swing that because it appeared Triple H was still afraid of her vague threats earlier in the week. Carly wondered what on earth Seth had told him to make him so compliant.
Dean stopped suddenly as his gaze fell on the clock. Without a word, he retrieved a roll of athletic tape from his bag and started wrapping up his hands. Roman seemed to take this as a signal that it was safe to approach.
"You know you got this, Dean," said Roman.
"I know it," Dean said without looking up.
"Then you go out there and prove it," said Roman, "But you keep your head on straight, you hear me? You know Seth every bit as well as he knows you, so don't let him get under your skin. Dean, you take that filthy, lying, backstabbing traitor and you shut him up but good."
"Oh, I will," Dean said fiercely, "For you and me both, uce, I will. Believe that."
He tossed the tape aside and looked up at Roman, that eager, manic grin lighting up his face. If ever anyone was ready for something like this, Dean Ambrose was now. Roman clapped him on the shoulder.
"And when you win," he said, "I say when, not if. When you win, we all know the Authority's gonna try to make you pay for it. But I'm gonna be on hand to bail you out, alright?"
"Like you always do," said Dean.
"Yeah, well, maybe if you weren't such a damn fool all the time, I wouldn't always have to," said Roman.
But he smiled as he said it, and ruffled Dean's hair. Dean scoffed, ducking away from his hand. He leaned past Roman to look over at Carly.
"Everything all set, princess?" he asked.
"All systems go," she said, "And I asked the Usos to walk you both into position and then walk Roman back here. Just to be safe."
"Carly, is that necessary?" said Roman, sounding a little miffed, "I can take care of myself, and Dean, too."
Carly sighed. Roman would never begrudge a person who came to his aid if he needed help. But the quickest way to raise his ire was to preempt that. Treat Roman like he needed rescuing when he didn't and you'd have, as Dean said, "a big Samoan guy with wounded pride" on your hands. But now was not the time to let Roman get away with thinking he was invincible.
"I'll feel better if you let them go with you," Carly said, smiling disarmingly.
"Yeah, turn that one back on me, too," Roman muttered, "Aright, alright. But they're dismissed as soon as the match starts, got it?"
"Thank you, Roman," said Carly.
"Well," Dean said, glancing back at the clock, "Looks like it's about that time. Wish me luck, princess."
Carly smiled and shook her head.
"You don't need it," she said.
"True," said Dean.
He was confident. Good. He was going to need that to get through the upcoming match. But Carly could see that it was taking a lot of effort for Dean to look as cavalier as he did. Sudden apprehension clawed at Carly's stomach. Dean had to win this one. He needed to. After everything Seth had put him through… Carly didn't like to think about what would happen if anything took this victory away from him. She threw her arms around Dean's neck, hugging him tightly. Dean let out a quiet laugh and returned the embrace.
"See you out there, Carly," said Dean.
He'd be alright. This was Dean Ambrose they were talking about, after all. He'd always be alright. Carly stepped back and watched them walk off, Roman with his arm around Dean's shoulders. But she only lingered for a moment. She had work to do.
xXx
"Ladies and gentlemen, our main event here tonight on Smackdown is the most highly anticipated match of the week, between two men who used to call themselves brothers. Dean Ambrose will meet Seth Rollins in a qualifying match for the Money in the Bank contract ladder match at the Money in the Bank pay-per-view, coming up not two weeks away. John, are you hearing the reception Ambrose is getting right now?"
"I don't know what it is, but people love this unhinged maniac for some reason. And what is she doing prowling around out here?"
"That's actually a good question. The Shield's manager and outspoken opponent of the Authority, Carly Caden, known as the Rebel Princess, is currently at ringside. We've been told that there will be a strictly enforced decree of nobody at ringside during the match, so I have no idea what Carly could be up to."
xXx
The spectators, already nearly beside themselves in anticipation, screamed all the louder when they saw the microphone in Dean's hands. Carly hovered at the base of the steel steps, waiting for the right moment to make her move.
"Now, I've been waiting for this moment for a long time," said Dean, his voice sounding harsh and strained, "Because tonight I get to see my old friend, my one-time brother, my ex-business partner, Seth Rollins, right here in this ring. No more playing around. No more running away. No more numbers games in either of our favor. Just you and me, Seth. So why don't you get out here and we'll settle this."
Dean cast the microphone aside. The crowd barely had time to cheer before Seth's music started up. That smug, smiling creature appeared on the stage and, of course, he carried a microphone as well. As his music faded out, he held up his hands for silence, paying no heed to the chants of "You sold out!" except to smile even more broadly.
"Ladies and gentlemen, I want you to pay close attention," said Seth, "Because tonight, I face Dean Ambrose in the center of that ring. And tonight, you all get to witness your beloved Lunatic Fringe suffer what will probably be one of the most humiliating defeats of his career. Every single one of you should feel honored. You have the privilege of watching me muzzle that half-crazed hellhound who was never my friend, who was never my brother, and who I never gave a damn about in the first place."
Carly's heart had been thudding anxiously throughout the exchange. Now she felt her face flushing in anger at Seth's words. But he'd given her the perfect set-up. Carly dashed up the steps and slipped into the ring. Stepping up to Dean's side, she held her own microphone to her lips.
"You know, Seth, you keep using those words," said Carly, "Crazy. Lunatic. And it got me thinking. How would you like to make this match a little more interesting?"
"Interesting how?" Seth asked warily.
"You say he's crazy," said Carly, "I say you couldn't have done what you did without being some kind of monster. Why don't we settle the question once and for all? Why don't we make this a straightjacket match?"
A rumble of interest passed through the spectators. Seth looked surprised for a moment. Then he slowly nodded, a sly smile spreading across his face, and he began to laugh.
"Oh, Carly. Are you sure you understand what you're suggesting?" he said, "I would've been content to just deny Dean Ambrose the opportunity of the Money in the Bank contract ladder match, but this? This is going to be personally vindicating for me. I'm going to enjoy this. Because when I defeat Dean Ambrose tonight, I'm going to beat him so badly that he won't even be able to stand. Then that raving madman won't be able to fight back when I force him into that straightjacket, and restrain him so he's no longer a danger to himself and others. And then he'll be just one step closer to the place he truly belongs: an insane asylum."
Dean's breathing was quick and shallow. He was trembling, barely able to hold himself back from rushing up the ramp and tearing Seth apart. Carly wanted to reach out to him, to touch him, to pull him back from whatever dark places his mind was going. But now wasn't the time for that.
"A simple yes or no would suffice," Carly said flatly.
"Then, yes," said Seth, staring evenly at her and Dean, "I accept the stipulations."
The crowd roared. Carly turned to nod at the referee, who she'd informed ahead of time about a possible change in the type of match. He waved back affirmatively and reached under the ring to retrieve the straightjacket.
This was it. Carly turned back to Dean. He was motionless, his eyes riveted on Seth as he made his way to the ring. Carly hesitated. She shouldn't distract him. She shouldn't do anything that could disrupt his focus. And yet… she couldn't just leave without a word. She gently laid a hand on his arm.
"Dean?" she said.
Dean's head snapped down to look at her with a quick, violent twitch. Carly knew the glare in his eyes was meant for Seth, but she couldn't help flinching. Dean was like a raw nerve, exposed and dangerous. Carly faltered a moment before speaking.
"Give 'im hell," she said finally.
Dean jerked his chin once, nodding, before returning his gaze to Seth. Carly slipped back out of the ring. She strode past Seth without acknowledging him, hoping like hell that she didn't look as petrified as she felt, because she was shaking like a leaf. But she'd be alright as soon as she got backstage. Roman was just as anxious as she was. More so, probably. It would be easier when they could be worried together.
So the instant she was out of sight of the audience, Carly took off and ran. Roman, thank goodness, was safe and unharmed in the dressing room. He wordlessly put his arm around her shoulders for a moment as she stumbled to a halt at his side. The bell rang.
To Carly's surprise, neither Dean nor Seth moved at first. Both men stood perfectly still. It looked like Dean was saying something, but not loudly enough to be picked up by the microphones. Even the raucous crowd seemed to be holding their breath. Dean and Seth began to circle each other, slowly, sizing each other up. Then Dean suddenly lunged forward to tear Seth apart, and the fight was on.
Carly had never seen a match like this. Not only in ferocity but in awareness. Here were two men who knew each other so thoroughly, it was almost unreal. She and Roman watched, barely remembering to breathe, as move after move was anticipated, countered, evaded entirely. Dean and Seth fell back a moment to regroup. There was a strange, knowing smile on the faces of both men, but it was not the same smile. There was cruel arrogance in Seth's expression, and in Dean's, bitter fury.
They launched themselves at each other once again, and suddenly Dean had the upper hand. Any time Seth tried to gain any sort of momentum, he ran into a clothesline. Disoriented, he found himself cornered by Dean, who rained down blows on his head, his ribs. Now Dean tossed him around the ring, wearing him down, stomping on his chest, seizing him by the hair and slamming his head into the mat. Come on, come on. Just keep this up.
But Seth countered abruptly, catching Dean with a kick to the stomach and shoving him out of the ring. Damn. And when Dean made it back into the ring on the offensive, Seth was ready for him. He caught Dean by the shoulders and slammed him facefirst into the turnbuckle. Seth dashed over to rebound on the ropes, landing a dropkick straight to Dean's chest.
It was all Seth for minute until Dean scrambled to his feet. They traded punches, Seth eventually whipping Dean into the corner. But as Seth came charging to hit Dean with a forearm, Dean swung his legs up to catch him with a boot to the face. Seth was reeling, trying to regain his balance. Dean climbed up to the top rope. As soon as Seth was in position, Dean came crashing down on him with a missile dropkick that laid both men out in the center of the ring.
They lay there, panting, for what felt like ages. Carly's heart sank when, somehow, Seth recovered first and took control of the match. He knew every chink in Dean's armor, and he took full advantage. Dean was barely able to get to his knees before Seth launched a new attack.
"Come on, you maniac!" Seth shouted, "Get up! This is what you wanted."
Dean struggled upright dazedly only to be knocked back down again. Seth backed off to get some momentum off the ropes. That was all the space Dean needed. He lunged to his feet and unleashed a fury of punches on Seth, driving him into the corner.
"You were my brother, Seth!" he roared.
Struggling frantically, Seth managed to fight past Dean. As Seth tried to recover, Dean climbed onto the second rope. Seth turned to face Dean again and walked right into a tornado DDT. Dean hauled the disoriented Seth to his feet and threw him back into the corner.
When Dean got back onto the second rope to begin raining down punches on Seth's head, Seth countered with a punch to Dean's midsection. Seth lifted Dean onto his shoulders and ran forward, tossing him into the opposite corner in a turnbuckle powerbomb. Dean stumbled straight into a follow-up enziugiri.
Dean was down. For all Carly knew, he might be unconscious. A Cheshire-cat smile spread across Seth's face as he sensed victory so close he could almost taste it. Seth grabbed the straightjacket. He put a boot to Dean's shoulder to roll him onto his back. Seth knelt over him, forcing his arms into the sleeves.
No. No, no, no. This couldn't be happening. Come on, Dean, get up. Get up!
There was no back-up plan if this one failed. There was nothing they could do if Dean didn't –
Dean kicked upwards, catching Seth in the back of the head. Seth staggered dizzily, fell down a little ways from Dean. Dean tore himself free of the restraints and pulled himself to his feet, casting the straightjacket away as the crowd roared, chanting his name.
"Oh, thank God," Carly breathed, pressing a hand to her heart.
When she glanced over at Roman, she saw that his face was deathly pale, but it least it looked like he'd started breathing again. The match was almost dead even now. Carly gave up keeping track of what moves were used as the back-and-forth went on. There'd been too many close calls already. She was so worried for Dean. What if he was injured? What if the Authority went back on their word and interfered? What if – her blood ran cold just thinking of it – what if he lost? Carly was starting to get lightheaded.
Dean and Seth rebounded against the opposite sides of the ring, dashing past each other and dodging once, twice. The third time, they both leapt into the air in an attempt to hit each other with a crossbody. They collided midair, their ribs smashing together, and both men went crashing to the ground.
Carly would have been surprised if one of them hadn't ended up with broken ribs from that impact. While Seth still lay there, stunned, Dean slowly got to his knees. For a moment, he just stared down at Seth. Seth, trying to drag himself upright, grabbed onto Dean's shirt. And for an instant, it looked like Dean was trying to help him up. And it looked – God, it made Carly's chest ache – just like old times. How many times had the Shield, battered bruised and exhausted though they were, been there to help each other to their feet. And for an instant, Seth looked up and met Dean's gaze.
Then he brought his hand up to push Dean's face away from him. Dean shoved Seth back down and stood. He paused a moment. Dean no longer looked eager, bitter, half-mad, or even angry. He looked sad. Roman reached over suddenly and caught Carly's hand in a fervent, vice-like grip. A shadow of resolution passed over Dean's face. He grabbed Seth by the hair and forced Seth to look at him. Dean leaned down, bringing his face close to Seth's and, just barely loud enough to be heard, said:
"I loved you, alright? I loved you."
Dean pressed a kiss to Seth's forehead. Then he ran back, rebounded off the ropes, and curb-stomped Seth out of consciousness. The audience screamed in ecstatic disbelief and seeing Seth Rollins' own finishing move turned against him. But there was heartbreak in Dean's eyes again, every bit as keen as it had been that terrible Monday night.
Dean suddenly seemed to remember that he had a match to finish. He seized the straightjacket and forced the unconscious Seth's arms into the sleeves. Dean swiftly rolled Seth onto his stomach and fastened the straps before he had a chance to recover. At the referee's signal, the bell rang once again.
"He did it," Carly gasped, "He did it!"
"That's my boy!" Roman shouted.
He seized Carly around the waist, lifting her off the ground and spinning around with her still clasped in a tight embrace. Both of them laughed giddily, incredulously. Carly couldn't remember feeling this happy in a very long time.
It was short-lived, of course. A resoundingly angry uproar from the audience brought their attention back to the monitor. Kane and Randy Orton were barreling down the ramp to put the hurt on the already exhausted Dean.
"And there it is," said Roman, setting Carly down, "Come on!"
Their charge to the rescue was brought to an abrupt halt at the hallway leading to the ramp. A full-on brawl between the goon squad and the rebels was blocking the hall. Carly guessed the goons were supposed to be out there helping to teach Dean a lesson, and their allies had stepped in to make sure that didn't happen. But now there was no way through.
"Move, move, move!" Roman roared at the top of his lungs.
"Clear a path!" Dolph yelled.
The rebels were quick to obey, forcing the goons up against the walls to make a narrow pathway for Roman and Carly to dart through. As they raced down the ramp, Carly saw an irate Seth still in the ring, scrambling to get out of the straightjacket and shouting abuse at the officials who were trying to help him. Orton and Kane had dragged Dean to the floor at ringside. Dean was powerless to fight out of a chokeslam from Kane as Orton cleared off the announcers' table.
With a roar, Roman launched himself at Kane. Carly was just about to run around the other side of the ring to take care of Orton when she suddenly saw Seth on the top rope, poised to leap and bring his knee crashing into Roman's skull.
"Oh, no you don't," Carly growled.
Seth jumped. Carly swung her kendo stick upwards, catching Seth in the midsection and swatting him out of the air like a fly. Seth yelped in pain and staggered back against the barrier.
Roman had just finished Kane off by bouncing his head off the announcers' table. He whirled around, fiery wolf's eyes fixed on Seth. Before Seth had a chance to react, Roman charged forward and speared him right through the barricade and into the timekeeper's area. Both men were down for the count.
Carly turned back to face Randy Orton. He was just leaning down to grab Dean, doubtless intending to deliver an RKO through the table. Dean was collapsed on the floor, barely moving but breathing heavily. When Orton saw Carly advancing on him, he took a wary step back. He retreated further the closer Carly got, until Carly was standing over Dean's motionless form, kendo stick at the ready.
"You so much as lay a hand on him," Carly snarled, "And I swear to God I'll make you suffer."
"And when she's through with you," Carly heard Roman's voice behind her, "Then it's my turn."
Orton's eyes narrowed, his gaze darting between Roman and Carly. For a moment, nobody moved. Then, apparently deciding not to die defending this hill, Orton backed away slowly, and simply turned and left.
Carly and Roman knelt down beside Dean, who was just beginning to stir. His eyes fluttered open, and Roman laid a hand on his chest.
"Dean?" said Roman, "Hey, you with me?"
Dean blinked, wincing a little, as he tried to get his vision to focus. When he realized who was kneeling over him, he cracked a smile.
"I did good in there, huh?" he said.
"Yeah," said Roman, "Yeah, you did good. Come on."
Roman hooked one of his arms under Dean's and used the other to support Dean's head, easing him to his feet and helping Dean roll himself into the ring. Roman and Carly followed. As the Shield's music thundered through the speakers, Roman helped Dean up. Carly and Roman stood on either side of him, each raising one of his arms in victory. Carly watched the proud, relieved look in Roman's eyes and smiled.
Dean, pulling from some last reserves of strength and sheer grit, staggered forward. He forced his battered body to climb up onto the ropes so he could hold his arms out to the crowd. With one deafening voice, they chanted his name. Dean stumbled back down again. He returned to Carly and Roman, throwing his arms around them and dragging them into a group hug. Or rather, he practically collapsed against them – aching, exhausted, but laughing.
xXx
"How are you feeling?" Roman asked for what must've been the twentieth time.
"Like I got run over by a train," said Dean, "But at the same time, pretty damn good."
A smile lit up his exhausted face as he limped over to the hotel bed, leaning heavily on Roman's arm. He wasn't injured, thank God, but he'd been beaten up something terrible. Dean was so deliriously happy about the outcome of his match (although, getting hit in the head as much as he had might've had something to do with it, too) that he let Carly and Roman fuss over him without a single complaint. In fact, he seemed to be enjoying their attention quite a bit. And after what he'd just been through, Carly thought he'd earned it.
Roman eased Dean back onto the pillows as gently as possible, then pulled the blankets over him. Dean struggled to keep his eyes open, but anybody could see that he was fading fast.
"Dunno if I ever thanked you guys for running in to save me like that," he said.
"I just wish we could've gotten there quicker," said Roman, "That chokeslam onto the floor didn't do you any favors."
Dean wrinkled his nose, scoffing.
"Like one washed-up demon could take me out," he said, "'Sides, I knew you had my back. You always do. Big damn heroes, both of you."
"With you to the end of the line, brother," said Roman.
Exhaustion once again loosened Dean's tongue, making him more honest and forthcoming than he'd be comfortable with at any other time. He reached up, and Roman took his hand, clasping it heartily. It warmed Carly's heart, just how much these two brothers loved each other. And seeing Dean finally gaining retribution and validation, and – in a way – seeing him finally say goodbye to Seth, her heart went out to him especially.
Carly leaned down to kiss Dean on the cheek. Surprised, he blinked up at her sleepily.
"A kiss from the princess?" he said, "I must've done good."
"You did," said Carly, "I'm proud of you, Dean."
"'M proud of me, too," he mumbled.
Roman chuckled softly, and hearing him laugh made Dean smile.
"I'm gonna pass out here pretty quick," said Dean, "Stay with me 'til then?"
"You got it," said Roman.
Carly stroked Dean's hair back from his forehead. With an appreciative hum, he finally let his eyes close.
"I'm gonna walk away with that briefcase," he said, "Gonna put him down, out of sight, out of mind, for the last time. S'all that matters now."
Dean's voice trailed away into a sigh, and he was asleep. Smiling gently, Roman laid Dean's hand down across his chest. He and Carly got up as quietly as possible and moved to the other bed. Carly noticed Roman shifting his right shoulder restlessly, as though it pained him.
"Roman, are you hurt?" she asked.
"No," he said wryly, "Just stiff. Those barricades are sturdier than they look."
"Here, let me," said Carly.
She shifted over to sit behind Roman and started massaging his shoulder.
"You don't have to do that," he said.
"Will it help if I do?" said Carly.
"Well, yeah," Roman admitted, "But-"
"Then shut up and let me help," she ordered.
It took both of Carly's hands to work out the knots in Roman's broad shoulder. When she finished with the one that had been hurting him, she moved on to his other shoulder. She knew how annoyingly uncomfortable it was for somebody to only give half a backrub. Roman, giving up on polite protestations, thanked her earnestly.
They'd been sitting a comfortable silence. It was familiar, and very much preferable to the wall of reticence Roman had put up the past week. A question had been needling at the back of Carly's mind, and she figured now might be the best time for it.
"Hey, Roman," she said, "I've been meaning to ask you something, and I'm sorry I didn't say this sooner. I've been kinda worried about you lately, especially with the way you were acting last week. I know that just because somebody doesn't show what they're feeling, it doesn't mean that they aren't feeling it. So, are you alright? With everything that's happened, I mean. How are you doing, Roman?"
Roman said nothing for a minute, and Carly started to get concerned that she had crossed a line or something. Maybe she shouldn't have said anything at all. It wasn't really her place to pry.
"I'm alright," Roman said at length, "No, I mean it. I miss him a little. Me and Seth never really fought. It was always Dean that- well, Dean sorta tends to make volatile friendships."
"Does he?" Carly said drily, "I hadn't noticed."
Roman laughed.
"Yeah," he said, "But it wasn't like that with me and Seth. He was so easy to be around. Y'know we always shared a bed in hotels, because Dean tosses around so much in his sleep. It's still weird, waking up in the middle of the night sometimes and Seth not being there. And all these things remind me of him. It's hard trying to untie all those strings. It still hurts, what Seth did. Maybe it won't ever really stop hurting. But I'm alright. I'm working through it quicker than Dean has. Matter of fact, it's always bothered me less that Seth betrayed me, and more than he could do that to Dean."
Roman paused, and even without being able to see his face, Carly could tell that he was watching Dean. Carly also got the feeling that Roman had more to say, so she stayed quiet. She kept working on his back and waited for him to continue.
"I don't want to lose him, Carly," said Roman, "That scares me more than anything else. He's my best friend. But he's been slipping lately, and every time something hurts him worse, it pulls him further away from me. The idea that something could happen, and he could go back to being that empty, angry, self-destructive person that he was… I can't let that happen. I don't even want to think about it."
Roman slouched forward, staring down at his hands. Carly was at a loss for what to say. This was the most Roman had ever said on the subject, especially all at one time. Seeing him that vulnerable broke Carly's heart a little. She slipped her arms around Roman's neck and hugged him, leaning forward to rest her head against his.
"There's no danger of losing Dean," said Carly, "None at all. Not as long as he has you for a brother."
Roman reached up and held onto her arms, tilting his head back and resting it on her shoulder. They sat like that for a moment, neither seeming inclined to break the comforting embrace.
"Thanks, Carly," he said, "And thanks for listening to all that. Usually…"
He didn't have to finish that sentence. Carly knew what he was going to say. Usually Seth would've been the one he talked to.
"You ever need me," said Carly, "You ever need somebody to listen, or anything else, I'm always here."
"I'll remember that," said Roman, "Right now… you help me keep him safe, alright?"
Their gazes fell on Dean, sleeping peacefully in the other bed.
"I promise," said Carly.
(Note: In the immortal words of Dean Ambrose - I'm not dead! I'm really sorry for delaying this chapter for a week, but it couldn't be helped. Thank you so much for being patient, and thanks so much to the lovely people who left reviews!)