Eek, so here we have it, the final chapter. One day early because...what the hell?! I honestly love this story so much. I wasn't sure when I first started writing it and I must have re-written the first chapter a million times, but then I hit the groove and here we have it. Thank you so much to everyone who has reviewed. It means a lot, especially because this one was a review slow-burner, so I'm glad it caught people who love it so much!

Info on the sequel at the bottom of the chapter, so don't miss that!

AngelOfDeathOfWrestling, Re-reading it already? I don't think I've ever had that before. Thank you for all your support on this one. See you at the next one!

Squeegee Beckinhime, Back together again as they should be (maybe in real life as well now? I think maybe I encouraged creative?) I feel like I should be listening to Thin Lizzy while writing this, 'The Boys Are Back In Town'!

Ohana1337, Who doesn't love Smart Ass Dean? I think it must be physically impossible. Super glad it got you in The Shield feels (which is a scientifically proven part of the body...or should be!) See you at the sequel?!

Mandy, Firstly, I order you to smile more always! But secondly thank you for your lovely reviews. I'm really happy that it connected with you. Makes me feel like I've done it right. I am working/toying with a couple of one-shots in this universe, so maybe a Steph/Dean special just for you!

Ninjoy, I decided to let you have a break on the panic-front, plus the boys have been through enough. Couldn't not say hi to Vince and Steph again. Plus I needed to get in the whole Steph Vader line! Thank you for your reviews, I hope I see you for the sequel.

Irishfan62, Hi, glad you're looking forward to the sequel. In answer to your questions, the victims weren't anyone specific (although they could've been I guess) and with regards to Dean's dearly departed, I personally don't feel comfortable writing about real life WAGS so she was no one specific. She's whoever you want her to be/see her as being. Hope that helps.

Skovko, Ha! The joke's on you because I don't like coffee (but still, please not my cookies!) I did promise a sequel and I'm a woman of my word. I might also be writing the crocodile farm one-shot for you as requested. Maybe, but only if you're very good!

Here we go then, one last time...

Don't Ever Change

Dean could count on the fingers of one hand the number of times he had been to visit her. Not that he had forgotten or didn't care enough – not at all, it would never be that – more that the whole thing wasn't really his scene. He'd never been the graveside mourning type. Besides, how could a headstone ever be her? How could it ever explain who she was?

Today however, well, today was different.

Today was the anniversary.

A whole fucking year.

A year to the day that her colleague had phoned him – already crying – saying she'd been rushed in. A car accident. He hadn't understood that. She hadn't even driven that day. As it turned out however, you didn't have to be driving you could still get caught in a crash just the same.

It wasn't the guy's fault. Brian his name was. Those five letters indelibly seared on Dean's brain. Evidently he'd had a stroke at the wheel and veered up onto the sidewalk after he'd blacked out.

Just one of those things.

That's what everyone had said to him. Like the whole Murphy's Law thing would help ease his loss.

Yeah, it hadn't, not even close to it. Besides, a car accident?

Dean shook his head,

Fuck.

It was just so – just so god damn menial. She had been too bright, too vivid to go out that way. Or at least, he'd thought she was. Clearly the universe or karma or whatever had other ideas, or just flat out disagreed.

So there he was, one long ass year later, holding some wilted flowers and staring down at her grave.

"Uh, hey baby," he grumbled after what seemed like forever, feeling kind of stupid about it all. Wherever she was, she wasn't here. It was too cold and sterile for everything she used to be. He'd wanted to throw her ashes off a mountain and let her sail away on the breeze but he'd been roundly overruled by her parents and siblings and since they weren't married, what more could he do? "Sorry I haven't been around much lately, I just – I'm not a big fan of this place, y'know?"

That was an understatement. Dean fucking hated it. He hadn't even wanted to come today and yet how could he not? He had to mark it somehow.

Glancing up and scratching his stubble awkwardly, Dean's eyes fell on two figures beside the car, leant up casually against the gleaming chassis and talking in low voices.

Roman and Seth.

He hadn't spoken to them about the anniversary, but evidently both of them had already known and as he had opened his front door that morning, it had been to the two of them silhouetted in the hall.

No way were they going to let him be alone for it.

In fact they'd hardly let up since the whole kidney case deal. From the moment he had signed his hospital dispatch papers, the two of them had instantly, indelibly been there. Fussing around him, fetching him take-out, turning up unannounced to see how he was. He'd barely had a minute of peace since and although he'd never say it, their concern had been – well – nice.

It was also a good place to start their conversation and his eyes traced her name in the highly polished stone.

"The guys are here," he gestured vaguely, "Seth and Roman and – yeah – I know, right? Kinda weird considerin' how we left things but, I don't know, it sort of feels like old times again now. I mean, honestly? A ton of stuff has happened since I was last here but – well – I guess you already know that. You always knew what was goin' on. Probably know about the kidney as well, huh? Kinda thought I might be – like – joinin' you there baby, although you'd have been pretty fuckin' furious at me."

That was a low-key way of putting it and if that had been what had happened then she'd have killed him again.

"They got me out though," he offered quickly, like he could feel her judgement, "They really came through. So what d'ya think? Should I trust 'em again? I mean, it's sort of too late since I kinda said yes and maybe I'm a fuckin' idiot or whatever but – it's just kinda lonely down here, y'know?"

A cool gust of wind blew leaves across his boot tips and he snorted wryly,

"Yeah, I thought you'd say that. You always were the forgive and forget type. You were always better than me as well, at fuckin' everythin' – by rights it should be me in the ground and you should be standin' here tellin' me I was stupid for whatever crazy ass thing got me killed. Don't seem right this way around. It's not ever gonna either. I'm sorry babe. I fuckin' miss you – ,"

He stopped as the words got stuck in his throat, the sentence tearing out with a force that made him hurt. His chest felt tight and his body felt heavy and he could feel his eyes brimming with months of unshed tears.

"I'm tryin' though baby, you know that right? Fuck. 'Course you do – man I'm bad at this."

Letting out a humourless chuckle, Dean stooped to put the flowers on the grave, liking the way the colours stood out. It was a mixed bouquet threaded through with wild daisies, which Seth had informed him represented loyal love. How exactly Seth had known that was a mystery, but it made Dean feel better that he did. He hadn't wanted to put down any old offering. He liked that the flowers would mean something to her.

Letting out a sigh, he swiped his hands across his eyelids, smudging the tears that threatened to fall. It left his upper cheeks cold and damp feeling but it was better than standing and bawling like a girl. The two eyes watching him from the car saw the movement and took it as a silent cue to move in. Before he even realized they were standing on either side of him and with one of Roman's big solid hands on his arm,

"Hey, you alright?"

It was a pretty pointless question. How on earth could he ever be alright? But that wasn't the way that Roman had intended it and knowing it, Dean offered back a shaky nod.

"I guess," he shrugged, before turning to the grave again and waving a hand as he addressed her, "Told you, right? I said Seth and Roman were here. Say hi."

He'd intended it to come out as a face-saving gesture, a sort of half-joke, only it fell pretty flat. He was miserable, heart-broken and failing at spending time with her. He was officially the worst bereaved fiancé there ever was.

Sensing it however – and the swirling clouds of torment – Seth stepped in closer and laid a hand across the stone,

"Hey you," he smiled, eyes scanning the letters fondly and it was like the younger man could actually see her there, "Been a while, huh? I know. That was my fault. I think we all know I've been a horrible friend. Not just to Dean but – uh – to you as well and I'm sorry about that. I hope you know I am."

Dean blinked slowly and sniffed just a little, but he fought his way through it to offer up a tiny nod,

"She knows."

Seth grinned,

"I'm glad about that. She's the last person I needed to make my peace with. The person I was scared of making peace with as well. She could be real fiery when she wanted."

Dean chuckled lightly,

"Fuck yeah she could. Thanks by the way," he gestured towards the headstone, trying to put into words what it meant and failing miserably, "Uh – you know – thanks for that."

Seth stepped away from the graveside gently and nodded back,

"Sure man. Roman? Your turn."

Without even a blink, the big man moved in closer and Dean bit his bottom lip down hard. Honestly? It meant the fucking world to him. Words couldn't even describe how it felt. After a whole year of dealing with the loss of her solo and talking to himself and generally feeling like a mess, suddenly his grieving was being supported and not only that, but unquestioningly as well.

Fuck he was ridiculously glad they were with him. Maybe he would even owe Steph a thanks for that? Would Stephanie McMahon even accept a heartfelt thank you or was gratitude an emotion that her people had weeded out?

He snapped back to attention as Roman cleared his throat,

"Baby girl? It's the Big Dog. How you doing up there? Bet you're lighting the whole place up, huh? I'm sorry I wasn't there for you – for either of you a year ago. But I'm back now, alright? And I want you to know that I'm gonna take care of him. Both of us are. You don't need to worry about him anymore, you hear me? Let us do that. We've got his back."

The sentiments were accompanied by him reaching a hand out and using it to massage the back of Dean's neck, rubbing in his fingers as their teammate scrubbed his eyeballs and furiously tried to keep his feelings in check.

They waited a moment for everything to settle and then Seth drew a breath in,

"You want to head back?"

"Yeah," Dean nodded and Seth smiled mildly and jerked his head towards the car,

"Come on man, I'll race you there."

The three of them set off side by side together, ambling companionably over the grass. They didn't talk but then again they didn't need to and that in itself was a pretty nice thing, the fact that they were now okay enough to not need to fill the silences in.

They were almost back at the car before Dean spoke again and the fact that it was accompanied by a flicker of a smile – lopsided though it was – made Roman heave a sigh.

"Hey," Dean chirped, glancing at Seth curiously, "How'd you know which flowers mean what?"

"Didn't you hear man?" the younger man responded, grinning back at his teammate in kind, "I took a class when I was in prison. I have an MA in floristry now."

"Funny," Dean rolled his eyes, "Anyone ever told you that you're an asshole?"

"You have. A lot of times."

"That's a good point."

During Dean's two day stint in the hospital, the three of them had spoken all about Seth's time in jail. The penitentiary he had been placed in had been mainly white collar crime, so not the worst situation he could have been in. But prison was still prison and Seth was an ex-officer so suffice to say that he'd found it pretty tough.

Dean had physically flinched at some of it, his big brother instincts kicking in hard. He hadn't felt protective of Seth in over three years and yet suddenly there it was again, fierce and strong.

Seth had not been arranging flowers. He'd been busy trying to preserve his ribs.

A ping on his cell phone interrupted Dean's musings and as they reached Roman's car, he fumbled it loose. A name flashed up on the screen and just the lettering looked inherently angry.

Dean grinned,

"Who's that from?" Roman asked frowning, as he crossed around to the driver's side door,

"Who do you think? It's our smokin' hot aunt."

The bigger man grimaced,

"Please don't call her that."

Seth however wasn't so repulsed by it, but only because he was concerned by other things.

"Steph? What does she want?"

"She's got a job for us."

"For us?"

"Well," Dean shrugged, "She says The Shield, so it sounds like she means us, don't ya' think?"

"What I meant," Seth sighed heavily, "Is do we want to take it on? You know if we do they'll just keep on throwing stuff. If any of us want out, it'll have to be now."

"Well," Roman shrugged, "I'm up for a challenge, but only if the two of you are."

Seth nodded,

"I'm in man."

Roman snorted at his enthusiasm,

"You don't say? Well that makes two of us, what about you babe?"

Taking in a long breath, Dean looked pensive, drawing out the agony like only he could. In reality the answer was never really in doubt, but he could certainly make it look like it was.

"Well," he sighed, rocking his head side to side as if he was weighing both the pros and the cons, "I figure it's the only thing I'm any good at. Plus, it would pretty much fall apart without me, so – ,"

Roman rose a taunting brow,

"Oh really?"

"Please, we all know it. Let's not pretend."

As the pair of them teased one another back and forth, Seth rolled his eyes,

"What did Steph say? What's the case?"

Dean swiped his finger across to scan the text briefly. As he was doing it he snorted back smugly and glanced towards his brothers with a grin,

"Well whatever it is the three of us can handle it. We're the fuckin' Shield y'know?"

Roman smiled back and nodded his head emphatically as a buoyant mood settled in,

"Hell yeah I do."

It took all of about three seconds to cave in again, as Dean's face fell on instinct,

"Oh shit."

Seth frowned at him,

"What?"

"Lesnar's back in town."

Seth concurred immediately, groaning back in similar tones of apprehension,

"Oh shit."

Despite the responses however, they were smiling. All of them. Kind of inanely as well. The thrill of the chase was calling them towards it and each man could hear it like they were physically tuned in. They shared a look and it silently spoke volumes.

Let's go do this.

They were in business again.

Catching Seth with a slap across the back, Dean swung the door open and slid himself in. The others followed, hot on his heels and Roman fired their chariot into life. Glancing into the rear view, he drank in their collective faces and grinned at them broadly,

"Gonna be a bumpy ride."

Seth snorted back at him,

"Just like old times then?"

Dean nodded contentedly,

"Yep. Just like old times."

Annnnnd scene. That's it folks, that's a wrap! Once again thank you to everyone who's reviewed this and made me feel like it's an okay little tale!

The sequel is all written (more Dean hurt, I'll be honest, at this point I can't stop myself) so I'll post the first chapter later this week and then go with an every three days approach. Hope to see some of you (well, all of you) there and thank you again.

Onwards, to the sequel…(The Shield Undivided)