Beauty and the Beast - The Betrayal |Dean Ambrose/The Shield|

|1| - I loved you, brother.

Ashley's POV

Everything had slowed down. It was as if someone had pressed pause on us. The whole world slowed down and then it was like everything surrounding me had froze. I couldn't even begin to fathom what was going on in my head. Numb. That was how I felt physically. The pain of Payback had settled in and now I had fresh wounds. I had more burning pain seeping through my body. I couldn't breathe without being in searing pain. Then the world came off pause and I could hear the buzz of the crowd.  I lifted my head up which felt heavy and hazy. My eyes focused and I saw Dean inches away from me. I managed to pick my body up and crawl over to Dean. He was staring ahead at the ramp, which I knew that they were standing on looking down at the destruction they had made. My hand found Dean's and I tugged it, making him look at me. Although, I wish I hadn't. The clear shock, confusion and hurt was masked over his face and it caused my heart to break even more. 

'We need to leave' I croaked out, trying to push aside all the sick feelings I had swirling around in my head and stomach. I pulled myself up onto my knee's and winced at the pain that was whipping itself around my body. My eyes fell over Dean as I saw Roman sprawled out as well. I turned around and beckoned for the ringside doctors to come over and help. The doctors fled to help Dean and Roman. I sat there away from them, leaning against the ropes. I dismissed the medic's and let them tend to Dean and Roman. I stared ahead, my focus being blurred as I finally let it sink in. I finally let myself block out the pain and accept the fact that it was all over. The Shield was done. Finished. No longer. Seth had turned on his brothers. I'd seen his face. No remorse. He knew exactly what he had done and he was okay with it. I closed my eyes tightly as I rested my head on my arms. Hunter had obviously gotten  to Seth. Convinced him to turn on Dean and Roman. To end us. To end The Shield. That was hard, no that undeniably difficult to get my head around. Then there was the case of Phil. That was not so hard. Him coming back was my fault. I should haven taken him seriously. He told me I wouldn't see it coming and I didn't. I didn't see the fact that he had waited and waited for his opportune moment and he got it. This was definitely karma. I had to tell Dean. He'd want to know why Punk came back and decided  to attack them. Why he chose to help the Authority dissolved The Shield. It was my fault. If I just had told Dean what Punk had said all those months ago, this wouldn't have happened. He wouldn't have returned and it would have been one less problem for me  to deal with. I didn't even want to think of the third problem. I couldn't even think of her name. I didn't want to deal with the idea that the one person I trusted my life with had turned and stabbed me in the back. I shook my head and lifted it up to see Dean and Roman were being escorted out of the ring. I rolled off the ring apron, sucking in a breath at the hot pain in my body and wobbled over to Dean and Roman. The ramp was clear of all poison. Dean grabbed my hand and I took his as the three of us were helped backstage. 

--

Erica's POV 

The mix of emotions I was feeling were indescribable. My heart was hammering away so hard in my chest that I thought at any minute it was about to burst out of my chest and land on the floor. I could still feel the raw substance of the chair in my hands. I felt sick. I was wracked with guilt and treachery. It felt wrong. A big part of me felt extremely wrong for doing this. I had just gone out into the ring, with everyone in that crowd thinking I was going out there to help my best friend. But I hadn't. I had done the unthinkable. I raised that steel chair and hit over and over and over again. Every chair shot vibrating around the arena. Every yelp of pain she let out echoed in my mind. Ashley hadn't even fought me off. She'd stood there, accepted it and let me do it. Even in that moment. She was still the saint. She took it. But then a part of me felt impressed. I had managed to do that. I had managed to take down the women's champion. The most toughest diva on the roster. My best friend. It had taken a lot of guts to do that and I had done it. I was conflicted on how I felt. I felt guilty but I felt happy at the same time. It was wrong but it was right. Seth had told me  this had needed to happen for us both to get ahead in our career. It was merely a business decision. I still loved Ash. But, she was bringing me down. I needed to cut the leash I had to her, and get on in my own way and not be associated with her in my career world. I felt two hands on my shoulders and Seth pressed his lips to my ears.