Phenomenal One Chapter 29 - Epilogue

It took a long time for Seth and AJ to make their way down the mountain. More than once they ended up clutching each other for balance as their boots caught on the jagged granite ridge. The pale mare followed them, but AJ wasn't mentally up for riding her and Seth flat out couldn't. But the Saint was with them, guiding AJ's steps in the deepening darkness. They were stumbling with exhaustion by the time they made it back to the place where Matt and Nick died.

Where Dean, Roman, and Randy who was holding a torch, were waiting.

"Seth!" Dean shouted. He rushed over to embrace Seth with one arm. Roman was on his heels.

"Christ can't you two stay healthy? Every time I turn my back, you're injured," Seth grumbled as he healed Dean. Dean sighed in relief and pressed his forehead to Seth's in gratitude. Then Seth healed Roman, who swept Seth up in his strong embrace. "I missed you, brother," he whispered.

Off to the side, Randy greeted the silent AJ with a brief, one-armed hug and helped him into the saddle of Kenny's bright chestnut horse. It was the same one that Kenny had stolen from AJ after the Idaho job when Bullet Club betrayed him. AJ was too exhausted to speak, both emotionally and physically. He just nodded his thanks. After the others mounted up, Randy guided them down the rest of the way to a small clearing where they called it good. Without a word to the others, AJ was asleep nearly before his head hit the bedroll. Seth and the others soon followed suit.

Even though he too was tired, Randy stayed awake, keeping watch while they slept. The night was alive with the sound of insects and animals, and the ever-present hissing of distant, alpine waterfalls. The stars wheeled overhead as the brilliant Milkyway lit the sky. Gradually the eastern sky lightened, and the Saint reappeared. Randy actually greeted him with a nod, but neither of them broke the pre-dawn quiet. Together, they watched the sun rise over paradise.

"Mark asked how you're doing," the Saint of Killers asked his son, finally breaking the comfortable silence between them.

"Tell him," Randy hesitated and looked over at his companions, at AJ who came after him and saved him from a horrific fate, at Dean, Roman and Seth, who dropped everything to help. Off to the side, the pale mare shook her head and he thought of Mark, who stayed with him, counselled him and comforted him when the nightmares became too much.

And it truly hit him that he wasn't alone. AJ, Roman, and Dean coming for him made him realize that there were people who cared for him, and in turn he cared for them. His brothers. His family.

"Tell him, I think I'll be okay."

It was well after sunrise when they set out for Helena. AJ was leading the pale mare who looked like an ordinary horse once again. They didn't hurry, keeping the horses to a steady jog. AJ remained quiet, opting to ride ahead and be alone with his thoughts. Seth had told the others what happened at the top of Heaven's Peak and at first they left him alone. But after stopping for a late afternoon meal of biscuits, cheese and river trout caught in a clear-running stream, Dean decided AJ had moped enough and started pestering him about Bullet Club.

Finding it impossible to ignore Dean, AJ tolerantly answered his questions, only getting annoyed when they got too personal. That brought AJ out of his depression and soon he and Randy were talking about their experiences in the War Between the States while Dean, Seth and Roman all discussed what they would eat when they got back to Helena.

Despite the pace, they made it to Helena in good time. It was late afternoon the next day when they rode into town. They dropped Seth off at the boarding house where Mark was, joining them after they took care of their horses at the livery. Freshly healed, Mark met them on the front porch with Seth, the same porch where Seth and John had watched Wade Barrett and his men arrest Dean, a lifetime ago.

"I'm starving. Where's the food?" Dean asked, rubbing his hands together in anticipation of finally getting a home-cooked meal.

"It's coming," Seth said with a grin. He had asked the cook to get dinner started early. She had readily agreed, nearly swooning over Seth.

Mark greeted Randy with a hug. "You look better," he said as he pulled back, studying the younger man with a critical eye.

"I feel better," Randy admitted. He still had nightmares, but they were easing up.

Mark smiled and clapped him on the shoulder.

Trailing the group, AJ made his way up the stairs. Mark looked down at him with a raised eyebrow. "She behave?" he asked. He didn't have to specify who she was.

"She was fine. Thanks for loaning her to me," AJ said. "Without her I wouldn't have gotten there in time to kill Kenny…and save Seth" he said as an afterthought.

"That reminds me, how could you stand to ride her?" Roman asked with a small shiver.

"Wasn't too bad," AJ lied. They all saw through it but didn't call him out on it. "That reminds me, she said she has been yours since the beginning. Just how old are you?" he asked Mark. They found seats on the porch. AJ opted to hop up and sit on the railing, legs dangling.

"Dunno," Mark said. "Been around a while I suppose."

"Wait, she said it"?" Roman asked incredulously.

"Yeah," AJ said as if it were the most natural think in the world. He brushed his hair out of his face. He needed a hair tie, he decided.

Roman and Dean exchanged looks. "Mark, AJ's telling stories again," Dean tattled.

"Are you sure about that?" Mark said, smiling mysteriously.

Dean and Roman exchanged looks again. AJ's grin was a baring his teeth.

"No way," Dean denied.

Mark shrugged, "Believe what you want. At any rate, you're all back in one piece. Have you learned to work together?"

"More or less," Randy said. The smell of roasting meat wafted through the open windows was making their mouths water.

Dean leaned back in his chair and propped his feet up on the railing next to AJ. "Alright, I admit it, you're as good as you think you are," he praised, but AJ snorted.

"I'm better than good. I am Phenomenal."

Randy, who had watched the exchange with a smile, suddenly looked up and stiffened. John was heading their way.

"What is it?" Seth asked.

"Cena," Randy said, standing up and stepping closer to AJ, who immediately glanced around, planning possible escape routes. Both Dean and Roman moved to stand between Cena and AJ.

"Hold on, before you high-tail it out of here, he's not wearing a badge," Seth said.

"The election was held yesterday," Mark told them just as Cena reached the steps. He didn't bother to stand up.

"Who won?" Randy asked.

"Kurt Angle," Cena said, bounding up the stairs. Kurt had been a popular sheriff in Billings a while back, opting to go south for a while for reasons of his own. Apparently, he'd returned recently.

Randy nodded with approval. "Good choice," he said.

"Didn't know he was back in the area," Roman said.

AJ didn't look quite so pleased. When asked why, he just said he'd run into Kurt before and left it at that. The cook called them into the dining room and they filed in. After they ate their fill, they lingered at the table, swapping stories late into the night before finding their way to their rooms for some much-needed rest.

The next morning, the trio joined Mark in the common room for breakfast. Randy and AJ had eaten earlier Mark told them as they lingered over coffee. "AJ's heading out."

"Already?" Roman asked, running a hand through his hair. "If he's in trouble…"

"He's not. But he's leaving," Mark said, getting up from the table and walking out the door. The three followed him through the streets to the livery. The sun was shining in the clear blue sky and the freshening breeze coming down off the mountains smelled of pines.

"Where do you think you are going?" Dean wanted to know, seeing AJ leading his horse out of the barn. AJ's hair was tied back, and he obtained a hat from somewhere. His saddlebags were full.

"Angle's the new sheriff. Best for all parties if I'm not in his county," AJ said with his famous side-sliding grin.

"Who says we'll just let you go?" Reigns loomed over AJ who looked decidedly unimpressed. Mark just watched, amused. Seth leaned against the fence and wondered if he knew something that they didn't. Well, more than usual.

"I don't answer to you," AJ was saying calmly. "I go where I want, when I want."

"Should I tell him, or do you want to?" Roman asked Dean who was getting up into AJ's personal space.

"Oh please, let me," Ambrose practically snarled.

"Tell me what?" AJ sneered back.

"Like it or not, you're our brother now, Phenomenal One," Dean smirked and slung an arm over AJ's shoulders. "So it's in your best interest not to disappear on us."

Surprised, AJ didn't react immediately. Then his brain caught up and he stiffened. He grasped Dean's arm, moving gingerly out from under it. "Don't I get a say in that?" he asked.

"Nope!" Dean said cheerfully.

Looking back and forth between Roman and Dean, he didn't know what to do. Bullet Club had been his family for years but his role in Bullet Club was done. He'd promised Wendy he try to redeem himself, so continuing his outlaw ways was out of the question. Now here was a new family made of outlaws adopting him. He was touched but would never let Dean know that. "Well, brother, I'm saying good-bye. Stay out of trouble, or if you can't, stay away from me," AJ advised.

"Where're you headed?" Seth asked.

"I've still got to pay Corbin what I owe him, then I'm heading to Bannack." AJ said, tightening the girth of the saddle and making sure his saddlebags were secured. The chestnut shook its head and stamped a foot.

"Why Bannack?" Roman asked.

"I got a job offer," AJ said as he mounted up and settled into the saddle. He adjusted his hat so the sun was out of his eyes.

"Someone offered you a job?" Roman asked.

"Yeah, Mayor Bryan asked me to be the temporary sheriff of Bannack." AJ grinned at their gobsmacked expressions.

"Wait, you're going to be a sheriff?" Dean asked highly skeptical.

"Temporary, and yes. Funny isn't it? You guys started as lawmen and became outlaws. I started as an outlaw and now am going to be a lawman," AJ said, sounding unbearably smug. "You ready Randy?" he called out.

Randy appeared out of the barn, leading his roan and Mark's mare.

"You're going with?" Seth asked as Randy came up to them.

"Yep," Mark said. He took the pale mare's reins from Randy. "Someone has to keep on eyes on these guys."

"I hear Bannack needs a doctor," AJ told him. He was glad Randy and Mark decided to join him. "And the livery there needs a caretaker, if anyone is interested." With Enzo and Cass dead, there was an opening for employment.

"You're all getting regular jobs?" Roman asked, partially incredulous and partially curious. "What about the demons?"

"We'll take care of them, but according to the Saint, there are only a couple left. And in the meantime it'll be nice to lead a regular life. At least for a while," Randy admitted. Mark raised his eyebrows at Randy's self-inclusion but didn't call attention to it.

"I can't fucking believe this," Dean shook his head.

"Believe it," AJ said. He touched the brim of his hat to them, turned his horse and touched his spurs to the gelding's sides, setting out at a steady jog.

Grinning, Randy mounted up and followed. "Later!" he called out.

"Are you three going to stay here?" Mark asked as he settled into this saddle.

"We haven't made any plans yet," Seth said, but he got the feeling it was no longer true.

"Well, whatever you decide, watch your backs," Mark said, "and keep in touch." He turned the pale mare to follow Randy and AJ.

The three stood shoulder to shoulder and watched them go until they were out of sight. "Anyone else want to go with, just to piss off Styles?" Dean asked.

"Yes," Roman said.

"Definitely," Seth added.

"Well then, let's ride." Dean said and headed into the barn to get the horses. There were demons still out there, but if AJ was right about becoming a sheriff, Bannack just might be a haven for them. And with all of them together, their family and their world would be safe.

The End.

Dear reader,
Recently I realized that I have been working on WWE Demon Hunters series since 2014, which looking back, is just crazy. Over 200,000 words and countless hours have gone into it. I love the cowboy western/supernatural genre and will continue to play around with it. But now I have to admit that my interests have moved on. This is pretty much my last WWE/Wrestling fic. There are a few last things I would like to acknowledge before I close this chapter.

First, and most important, a huge thank you and hug to my beta reader Kiss316. She has been with me for years, and the series would not have been nearly as polished without her input.

The places described in Legend Killer and Phenomenal One are all real places. Heaven's Peak exists, as does Hellgate. Bannack is now a ghost town, but there are festivals there a couple of times a year, celebrating its blood-soaked past. Montana is a young state but there are ghosts and violence in its history. Gold will often cause that.

And lastly, thank you to everyone who has taken the time to read Law Dogs, Legend Killer and Phenomenal One. It truly was because of you who that I finished them.
Hugs!
Belle_Elegant