Authors Note: I'm back!... And better than eva! (Eric Bischoff anyone?) So sorry this has taken me SO LONG to post. A lot of personal situations and work got in the way not to mention a lot of time and effort went into making sure this was as close to perfect as I could get it. So much is going on here you guys, I hope you like long chapters. Big thanks to everyone who has read, reviewed, favorited this story. Sticking by a semi-exact time line is close to impossible, let me just say... Also, again, a super shout out and much love to my favorite new friend JxTina! If you are a fan of any member of the Shield you need to read her amazing stories. I can only strive to be half the phenomenal writer that she is. She is the driving force behind this story and giving me great ideas! But, enough promoing-here we go! (PLEASE REVIEW!) Flashback & lyrics in italics.

Let It Reign - Chapter 8 - Eight Days Part 1
(Lyric Credit: "Broken" - Seether)

Tuesday, February 10th, 2015
SmackDown Taping
Nutter Center – Dayton, OH
Day 1

"No sense in looking for her. She's not here..." Roman stopped, his hair falling forward into his face as he turned around on his heel. Paige sat atop a production crate, one knee pulled up toward her chest as she laced up her black combat-style wrestling boot. Her head tilted up to study the man in front of her.

"What?" He snapped, his hoarse voice barely audible to the English beauty. Paige tucked her long black hair behind her ear on one side as she locked eyes with the obviously distraught Samoan man. She could see the pain and distraction written all over his face. Roman was already so pitifully lost without Raelynn and it had only been 24 hours.

"She phoned one of the road agents earlier this afternoon. She gave them some story about how she is battling some sort of freak sickness and wouldn't be able to make it to the show tonight..." Paige's voice trailed, she knew that they both knew what was really going on.

Roman's current predicament with Raelynn had made the rounds through their small inner circle. Raelynn's two best friends, Paige and Renee knew as well as Roman's best friends in Seth and Dean. And at the moment it seemed as though Roman was less than concerned with hiding his feelings. He was absolutely a man on a mission.

Paige watched him as the much larger man started to pace back and forth in front of her like a lion in his den. He sighed heavily, raking a shaky hand quickly through his damp, stringy hair. The two of them embraced the silence for a moment before Paige had, had enough. He was starting to make her dizzy.

"Rome, dude you've got to stop that. You're going to drive yourself insane. Why don't you just call her?" Roman stopped dead in his tracks, his head slowly turning to face her again. A shiver crawled across her skin as his now hollow eyes seemed to pierce her.

"You don't think I haven't tried?" He snapped after a moment. "You don't think I haven't tried calling her a million times since last night? She's either screening her calls or the damn thing isn't on because she hasn't answered me once. I haven't seen her or talked to her since she ran out on me!" Paige's eyes softened at the utter defeat in his bloodshot eyes. She could understand his attitude and harsh tone. She'd never seen him like this before.

"Then get another one." Paige quipped, raising an eyebrow toward him, finally jumping down from her perch. Roman eyed her, his jaw line hardening and his light grey eyes molded into tiny slits.

"What?" He continued to follow her with his eyes as she started to do some stretches in preparation for her match later that night against Summer Rae.

"Get another phone." Paige explained. "Call Raelynn from a phone you know she will answer. Try Renee's. I'm sure she will be dying to know if there has been any backlash due to her absence tonight. To which I'm also sure she will want Renee to tell her everything she knows..." Roman just stood there. He almost felt stupid for not thinking of a solution so simple.

"Trust me," Paige smiled up at him reassuringly. "She will answer."

"Roman, what the hell are you doing?" Renee stepped back as Roman barged into the locker room she shared with Dean, who was currently down the hall filming a promo.

"I need your phone." He answered, his voice monotone and low. He did not even bother to look at her as he made his demand. Renee grabbed her purse from the couch, digging through it to find her cell phone. She didn't need to ask to know exactly what his motivate was.

He tapped a few buttons on the screen before holding it up to his ear. Roman's eyes finally locked on Renee's as the petit blonde took the hint, grabbing a few things off the table.

"I'll give you a minute..." She whispered, exiting out of the locker room as she pulled the door closed behind her. Roman stared at the floor and his feet started to pace around the room. He continued to listen to the ring for a few beats before throwing himself onto the couch.

Raelynn laid on the bed in her hotel room, her body exhausted and sore from crying so long and so hard. Her mind was buzzing, going in a million different directions as she stared up at the ceiling. The small brunette had only been out of bed once the entire day, long enough to take a shower and change into a different set of pajamas.

Her seemingly perfect life was suddenly in shambles all over again and she had no idea how to fix it-if it could be fixed at all. The most important person in her life had been taken away from her so abruptly; the pain in her chest still hadn't gone away, even if it had been close to 24 hours now, she realized.

Suddenly she jumped, hearing a familiar ringtone blast from her cell phone. She had finally turned it back on only a few minutes ago. Raelynn had personalized ringtones set for almost all of her closest friends and family so she already knew exactly who it was. Fumbling around with the covers on the bed she grabbed the phone and slid her finger across the screen.

"Nae... God. I'm sorry I didn't call you back last night. I just... I just needed to be alone." Raelynn's voice cracked, barely above a whisper as she answered the phone trying to hold back more emotion. Raelynn figured that Renee had finally found out that she had called into work for the night and wanted to know why.

"...Is that why you couldn't talk to me? Because you needed to be alone?" Raelynn sat straight up in the bed; more hot tears instantly sprang to her eyes, his deep voice shaking her to the core. A trembling hand covered over her mouth as she squeezed her eyes closed, feeling the tears start to roll down her cheeks.

"Baby girl, please don't hang up on me... Please." Roman started, hearing nothing but silence after what he assumed was a muffled whimper or sob. "Listen to what I have to say, that's all I want you to do..." Roman waited, hoping he heard anything but a dial tone. He would rather argue with her about not talking to each other than go on not talking at all. Just hearing her voice sent goose bumps down his arms. He needed this.

"You know we can't talk Ro…." She whispered on the edge of another complete break down. The sound of Roman's voice doing the same to her, she needed him just as badly. She closed her eyes, gripping them together tightly at the sound of her boyfriends heavy sigh.

"Tell me you don't miss me, Raelynn, tell me you don't miss me as much as I'm missing you right now." His voice turning somewhat stern as her sobs echoed through the phone.

"You know I miss you, Roman... More than anything." Raelynn whimpered in response. Roman's eyes fluttered closed, trying to picture what it would be like snuggled close to her right now instead of miles apart. He had been her shoulder to cry on for the last two years, he couldn't stand to not be there with her now.

"Good. I was starting to think you had become okay with all this." He somewhat mumbled, the words heavy on his lips. Raelynn's eyes grew wider as she absentmindedly picked at a loose thread on the comforter that surrounded her.

"I'll never be okay with this, Ro. Never. Quit worrying about me for now, you've got Tag Team Turmoil tonight with Daniel, don't you?" She asked, sniffling a little. Roman cracked a little smile, even if every piece of his heart was breaking without her there with him. She was his calm before the storm of every match.

"Oh yeah, that's still happening tonight. I'll be fine though..." Roman paused, listening to the sound of her breathing, trying desperately to control her emotions if only for Roman's sake.

"When can I see you, Rae?" He blurted out, unable to hide his dyer need for her any longer. "Even if it's only for a few minutes baby girl, I just need to see you. Pick any day this week and I'll make it happen, no questions asked. No one has to know, as long as you just agree to see me. I know you want to see me too..." Roman continued to plead with her. He desperately needed his girlfriend in his arms. All he wanted to do was take every ounce of her pain away.

"This week?" Raelynn asked, her voice changing somewhat. "Aren't you supposed to be on tour this week?" She asked, slowly getting up from her bed. She wondered into the bathroom for more Kleenex as the other end of the phone remained silent.

"I'm not going." Roman answered quickly after a long minute, his body tensing when he realized she hadn't heard the news yet.

"What do you mean, you're not going? Last time I checked the roster list, you were one of the main attractions." Raelynn's words hung on the silence from Roman that followed yet again. He couldn't bring himself to tell her about the argument he had earlier that morning with management after mysteriously being pulled from the overseas tour.

"I have an appearance this week, some media gig they signed me up for..." He paused, swallowing hard as he absentmindedly picked at a thread on his cargo pants. They were two peas in a pod, one and the same without even trying. "They double-booked me so..."

"If you think for one second I actually believe that, you're out of your mind, Roman..." Rae cut him off, the realization hitting her that they had pulled their biggest star from the tour because of what had happened with her. It was obviously a backlash reaction from their encounter with Hunter. She sucked in a ragged breath, trying to hold back more tears. "This is all my fault..." She whispered.

"No Rae, don't blame yourself. None of this is your fault, or even mine. This just comes down to the fact that Hunter can't see past the end of his big-ass nose! Please let me come see you, baby... Tell me where you are!" Roman shifted to the edge of the couch, getting antsy.

"Ro…. I can't, okay? I just can't." Her words started to crack as she crawled back into bed. Tears streamed down her face again hearing Roman's aggravated sigh.

"I will protect you Raelynn, no one will know-"

"But what if they find out, Roman? What if Hunter finds out we have continued to see each other? You won't be able to protect me when I'm the one without a job!" Her sobs were uncontrollable now as she let out her own painful frustration. "If Hunter even thought about firing you, your father would be on the phone with Vince ripping him a new one in a matter of minutes. No one can take the fall for this but me, Ro! If I lose this job I have nothing. I'll have no where to go but back to-" She stopped, rethinking what she was about to say and then quickly changing her words. "I have no home to go back to, you know that. As much as I want to be with you right now, I just can't..." She broke down, Roman holding on the line just listening to her. The change she had made did not go unnoticed by him but he knew now wasn't the time to question her about it.

"Please don't cry baby girl, it's killing me..." Roman begged, his voice nothing but a strangled whisper. He rested his elbows on his thighs, holding his head in his hands as he tried to keep his own emotions in check—for her sake. "Listen to me, okay? None of that matters, we will get through this. I don't care how long it takes. This will all blow over and we will be together again soon, I promise you. Okay? I've never made a promise to you that I haven't kept." He paused; the sounds of her sobbing continued to filter through the phone as he rubbed his hand over his beard. He too was emotionally drained to the point of exhaustion.

"Okay..." Raelynn whimpered, wiping her nose with yet another Kleenex as she held the phone to her ear. She settled down under the blankets, head against the pillows as she tried to calm her nerves.

"That's my girl. Don't worry Rae; this isn't over, not by a long shot. You ain't getting rid of me that easily. We will figure this out together... Now, try to get some sleep Rae, alright? I don't want you making yourself sick for real. I'll talk to you soon, baby.

"Goodnight, Ro." Raelynn answered tearfully, burying her nose down into Roman's t-shirt that she had worn to bed. He scent still embedded into the loose material that hung almost to her knees. Quickly she hit the end button and flung the iPhone to the bedside table as she began to cry herself to sleep for the second night in a row.

Roman closed his eyes as he heard the line go dead and the call ended. Rubbing both hands over his tired face, he sighed heavily in defeat. This was the most mentally, physically and emotionally exhausted he had ever felt in his life but deep down he knew Raelynn was absolutely worth every heartbreaking second. He would go to the ends of the earth for her and if that's what he needed to do now to save their relationship, he was more determined than ever.

Wednesday, February 11th, 2015
Marriott Hotel – Dayton, Ohio
Day 2
1:51AM

Roman grunted, pushing the heavy weight up above his head as he lifted the barbell. He laid back against the bench press, silently counting his reps to himself. He had been pushing himself on and off all day. His first day off in almost a week and all he wanted to do was numb the pain that he constantly felt in his chest.

He had his iPod turned up full blast as he noted the time on the clock on the wall, it was almost two in the morning. Roman had made several trips to the hotel gym, his latest due to the fact that he just couldn't seem to sleep. He was tired of sleeping alone. He was tired of waking up alone. Roman missed his girlfriend so much.

Raelynn hadn't talked to him much since their phone call the day before. A few brief text messages had been exchanged but that had been all. It ate at Roman, mentally torn up that his best friend, confidant and now lover wasn't there by his side any longer and he was alone; yet Hunter somehow thought this was best for business.

During his self-reflection and soul-searching workout sessions he had decided he would fly out to Florida in the morning, head straight for Pensacola, back to his old stomping grounds and most importantly, his mother. Roman needed someone to talk to about what he felt and he knew his mother would be the only person he would allow such a personal conversation.

Roman stared at his reflection in the mirror wall in front of him. He was about to lift the Dumbbells he held down at his sides when the current song slowly through his ear buds made him stop dead. He stood stoic as the lyrics made his knees suddenly feel like they would give out if he stood any longer.

"I wanted you to know I love the way you laugh
I wanna hold you high and steal your pain away
I keep your photograph, I know it serves me well
I wanna hold you high and steal your pain"

He slumped down on the seat of the closest machine. The dumb bells banging loudly on either side of him as he dropped them without care against the floor. He brought his hands to his face, his elbows against his thighs as memories of Raelynn filled his thoughts even more. His fingertips slid back through his hair as he closed his eyes, his inner turmoil overpowering him which frustrated him even more.

Those last blissful moments shared before their world came to a crashing halt played through his mind. As happy as he was in the moment, the thought of it now made a sickening feeling wash over him. Self-doubt and worry still plagued the back of his mind. He hated the helpless feeling but it paled in comparison to the feeling of dread he had when it came knowing how this was all going to play out.

The fear of losing her completely consumed him.

"Cause I'm broken when I'm open
And I don't feel like I am strong enough
Cause I'm broken when I'm lonesome
And I don't feel right when you're gone away"

Raelynn had just finished up a prep meeting with Cesaro and Tyson Kidd about their respective rolls on RAW that night with their match against The Usos. She had been sitting cross-legged in a pair of skinny jeans and a form-fitting top on a production crate while the tag-team worked out pre-match next to her.

When she had gone through her list of bullet points and address concerns the two men thanked her, forgoing the hugs and handshakes this time due to the mixture of sweat and oils that now covered their bodies. Raelynn politely excused herself as she made her way back down the hallway. Her next destination was to find The Bella Twins in catering.

Rounding the corner, her nose stuck in a handful of scripts and paperwork she didn't feel the muscular arm snake around her waist or the large hand that covered over her mouth to muffle her squeal of surprise until it was too late. Without warning Rae was drug into an empty locker room, the door slamming and locking behind her just as quickly.

Her papers ended up in a heap on the cement floor as she felt her back pressed up against the cool steel of the back of the door. Raelynn's dark eyes came into focus on a set of light grey eyes that she knew all too well as a grinning Samoan stood in front of her triumphantly.

"Roman, you scared the shit out of me!" She scolded, slapping against his biceps as his body pressed up against hers. "You have to stop that!" Roman's soft, eager lips landed on hers instantly, swallowing any further protest.

"Can you blame me, sweet pea?" Roman asked, his voice low and sexy as he whispered in her ear. A shiver tingled down her spine as her lips found his again. And again. And again. "I just can't keep my hands off you..."

As hands roamed both bare skin and over clothes the couple continued to make out. Raelynn had forgotten what it felt like to be this head over heels for someone. A man who had made the shift from being her best friend to a lover that made her weak in the knees every single day. She had finally found a good, kind-hearted amazing man who was always gentle, always caring and who she found herself falling more and more for every day as well.

Again three small words pulled at the back of her mind. A million times they had been on the tip of her tongue but she refused to say them out loud, especially to Roman. She just wasn't sure how he would react and the very last thing she wanted to do was scare him away. Still Raelynn longed to tell him how she really felt but continued to convince herself that it was too soon.

"How did I get so lucky?" Rae asked instead, looking up at Roman with big, brown doe eyes-the ones that drove him absolutely crazy.

"No way, baby girl. I'm the one who got lucky you finally gave me the time of day!" He chuckled, tucking a piece of her hair behind her ear as she giggled. "I can't believe it took me so long, what was I thinking?"

"Guilty as charged," Raelynn admitted. "It wasn't all you, babe. What the hell was I thinking denying you for just as long?"

"You know, you're right. How did you manage to stay away?" Roman smirked at the look that washed over his girlfriends' features. "What? Don't even try to say you don't find me completely irresistible." He laughed before capturing her lips again.

"Oh geez, Ro…" Raelynn giggled again, rolling her eyes playfully. "I may need to borrow your wrestling boots. It's getting pretty deep in here!"

"The worst is over now and we can breathe again
I wanna hold you high, you steal my pain away
There's so much left to learn, and no one left to fight
I wanna hold you high and steal your pain"

That now felt like an eternity ago, the days without her seeming to drag by as though it was adding years to his age. Roman threw his towel across the room, growling as he finally stood and headed back toward the elevators that would take him back to his room. Something had to give and it had to give soon before it drove him insane.

Thursday, February 12th, 2015
Pensacola, Florida
Day 3
11:09AM

The sun sat high in the bright blue sky, not a cloud in sight. It was already humid but a slight breeze blew through as Roman Reigns stepped out of the airport terminal. Looking around he pulled his aviator sunglasses down over his eyes as the bright sun light blurred his vision. It was the kind of day Roman used to love but now didn't seem to faze him at all.

He searched the parking lot as he walked past a long line of yellow cabs, rental cars and throngs of people. Catching sight of his destination as he hit the end of the curb, he shifted the weight of his bags that were slung over his shoulder while pulling a roll away suitcase behind him.

Roman stalked to the jet black SUV, opening the passenger side door to the backseat as he threw all of his baggage into the vehicle. He slammed the door before he climbed lazily in the front seat. Roman was met with a smiling face he hadn't seen in a number of months and a giddy squeal.

"Hey ma," he half-smiled, putting on his best front for his mother as she sat behind the wheel of her vehicle. A gift Roman had purchased for her with his first real paycheck from the WWE. She had proudly driven it ever since.

"Joe, my baby, it's so good to see you!" Patricia beamed, calling him by part of his birth given name. She eyed her youngest son from top to bottom. Her eyes peered over the top of her own sunglasses and could tell by her sons' rigid body language that there was definitely something wrong-just as she had expected.

"Good to see you too, ma." He leaned over the console of the vehicle, hugging her as he kissed her on the cheek.

"Leati, what's wrong?" She sighed, reaching over to pat his jean-covered thigh. "I know there's something, I can see it just as plain as I could hear it on the phone when you called to ask me to come pick you up." Roman released his own heavy sigh, shifting uneasily in his seat as he checked his cell phone again for any contact from Raelynn-there was none.

"Can we just go to the house?" He answered, barely raising his head toward her. "I can wait until later to go to my apartment. I need to talk to you-I need some advice." Patricia nodded as she restarted the ignition, she could sense he didn't want to discuss it here like this.

"Sure honey, we can do that. Your father is out with Matt at his place on the coast today putting on the new roofing. That last storm they had really did a number on theirs. I'll fix you something to eat for lunch and we'll talk in private." Roman just nodded silently as his mother began to back out of the airport parking space.

Twenty minutes and one quiet car ride later, Patricia was pulling into the driveway of the home she shared with Roman's father and Legendary Wild Samoan, Sika. When she pulled into the garage Roman left everything but his cell phone in the car not caring to bother with any of it.

Walking into the home he grew up in as a child, Roman was greeted with a little furry ball of lightening-his parents Chihuahua, Kota. Roman leaned down, picking up the small animal as the dog licked his face uncontrollably, whimpering his approval of Roman finally returning home to visit him.

"Looks like someone is happy to see you," Patricia laughed, watching the family pets' excited exactions to seeing her son. She sat her purse and car keys down on the kitchen counter as she went to work, preparing their lunch.

As soon as lunch was over and the kitchen clean again Roman and his mother walked into the spacious living room, taking a seat on the wrap-around couch. Patricia silenced the soft mumble of the flat screen television that hung on the wall above the fireplace. Silently she noted to herself to get onto her husband for leaving it on earlier in the day.

"So, tell me what has your attention, Leati." She started, getting comfortable next to the ridged outer shell that was her baby boy. Roman sighed, rubbing a hand over his face.

"I don't even know where to start, ma. Everything is such a mess." Roman conceded honestly, leaning his head back on the couch as he looked to the ceiling.

Patricia could see there was definitely something serious troubling her child. He looked disheveled, dark circles had made a home under his beautiful eyes and for a boy would had once eaten her out of house and home, he had barely touched the lunch she had prepared for him.

"The very beginning is always a good place..." His mother responded, watching him closely. After a few silent moments Roman finally started to open up to her.

"I met this girl..." He confessed, knowing that if his mother was to give him the advice he desired, she would have to know the whole story; start to finish, indeed from the very beginning.

"A girl?" She questioned, blinking at him. Somehow she knew deep down that would be the source of his grief. Work never made Roman this uncomfortable, no matter how annoyed he sometimes got with the WWE.

"Yeah... Her name is Raelynn Taylor. She works for the office. I've known her a couple years now, I guess. I introduced you and Pop at the Hall of Fame last year, remember?" He asked, tugging at the knot of hair he had tied at the base of his neck absentmindedly.

"Oh yes, I remember now. That sweet girl in the beautiful pink dress. I thought you two looked awfully close back then even though you never said anything about it. But, she's the reason you look so depressed now, honey?" Patricia asked, concern etched on her face.

"No, ma. She's not the reason-well, it's not her fault anyway." Roman admitted, being quite vague as his eyes danced around the room, looking anywhere but at his mother.

"Leati, you're beating around the bush. You've been doing it since you stepped foot off that plane. I can't give you my advice on the situation if you don't tell me exactly what's going on." Roman's grey eyes slowly drifted up from their spot on the floor to look into the soft, patient and waiting eyes of his mother. The only person in the world he truly felt comfortable with enough to talk about things this personal. He sighed as memories of the last month or so came flooding back to him.

"We have been seeing each other since the Royal Rumble last month. Since I'm headed into this big push from the office going into Mania we decided to keep our relationship behind closed doors until all the excitement blew over. We thought that would be best." He reasoned aloud before pausing, his hands now nervously tapping his knees.

"That sounds like a very mature thing to do." Patricia agreed, nodding. She slowed when she noticed the change in her son's face, watching his jaw line harden. She could tell his mind was running at a rapid speed.

"Then our boss found out." Roman's voice now laced with venom as images of the night Raelynn ran out of Hunter's office started to make his Samoan blood boil.

"Oh. I see now. Why does it matter to them what you do?" She asked, genuinely perplexed at the situation he was in.

"He forbid us to see each other and if we continue our relationship he claims he will fire us both." Roman hissed through gritted teeth. He balled his hands up into fists as he clenched and unclenched them against his thighs, covered by a pair of kaki shorts to try and stay calm in front of his mother.

"Aw baby, I'm sorry! That's not fair. I don't understand why it matters who you're seeing?" She reached over to rub a hand against his forearm trying to calm him. He had his fathers temper, no doubt.

"I'm not quite sure either, Ma.." He muttered. Roman afraid that if he elaborated any further on Hunter and his reasons he might say something inappropriate to say in front of his mother.

Patricia watched him, wishing she could make the situation better for her youngest child. She had never seen him this upset over a girl before. It almost intrigued her really. He had never shown this much attachment to one before. Maybe this was finally the one that would stick.

"So tell me about Raelynn." Patricia asked, trying to lighten both the mood and the conversation. "You've been dating what seems to be a lovely girl for almost a month now and haven't told your own mother?" Patricia eyed him with a smirk, visibly noticing the slight change in his demeanor.

"Aw ma.. Come on.." He sighed, running a hand over his hair to toy with the low bun tied into a knot at the nape of his neck.

"I will do no such thing. You aren't eating like you should, you look like you haven't slept in days-obviously she means a lot to you, Leati. Tell me about this girl. I've never seen you act this way over anyone. She's special, I can tell."

"She's definitely that," Roman confirmed, nodding his head. "I don't know what it is about her, but since the first day I met her she had me and didn't even know it. There were so many times I wanted to ask her out, ya know, to dinner or something but I didn't."

"Why not?" His mother wondered aloud.

"For the first two years she refused to date co-workers." Roman answered flatly.

"Oh?" Patricia could tell he had started to think of a better time when the couple had been happier. "And you changed her mind for her?"

"I guess you could say that." Roman almost chuckled to himself even though that's the last thing he felt like doing. But I respected her and her wishes enough to wait, or I at least tried to let it be. But the more time that passed, the closer we got and the more I couldn't deny what I felt for her." Roman sighed again.

"So it's serious then?" Patricia asked, noticing the dreamy look that now clouded his grey eyes. Girls had always been a dime a dozen with her son and Patricia knew that. With his good looks and a heart to match there had always been a number of girls fighting for his attention-yet this was somehow different this time.

"I hope so. I want it to be. I've taken it very seriously since the beginning but we haven't really had a chance to talk in depth about us at all. It's still really early on and now we are having to deal with all this..." Roman rubbed a hand across his forehead as he shook his head. "I don't know what's going to happen, Ma.."

"Are you in love with her, Joe?" Patricia asked point blank after a few moments of silence. She turned her body more toward her son, sitting up a little straighter.

Roman stared back at his mother for a beat before his eyes landed on his hands unable to hold her gaze any longer. He shifted in his seat, remaining quiet as the question continued to echo in his head. Was he? Could he admit it? Too soon? A million questions started to run through his mind when his mothers voice broke his train of thought.

"Your eyes light up when you talk about her, Leati. You have never reacted in such a way over a girl before. I am so happy you have found someone that makes you this happy. Even if your situation is less than ideal right now, keep your chin up baby boy. It doesn't matter how long you have known someone, been together or what has yet to come, Joe; love can hit you like a ton of bricks at any time-just like it did for me when I met your father."

"Ma... I..." Roman stuttered, becoming almost nervous, unable to form even the simplest sentences.

"You don't have to say anything, son. Just think about what I said. Maybe you are in love with her, maybe you're not. But either way, it's quite obvious the two of you need to talk about this and maybe with time the current situation will all blow over. Just don't give up on her. If she is this important to you and makes you this happy, she's worth fighting for, isn't she?"

"I couldn't imagine my life without her. It's only been three days and I feel so lost. It's killing me..." Patricia smiled as she leaned over the length of the couch, patting Roman's thigh reassuringly.

"Everything will be fine, Joe. It'll work out exactly how it's supposed to. This is just the first of many road bumps for the two of you, I just know it. It sounds as though you've found the one, baby boy. Don't let her go..."

Friday, February 13th, 2015
Grand Bohemian Hotel
Day 4
8:34pm

Roman walked to the door, pulling it open with a growl. He was met with the soft brown eyes of one of his best friends and someone he considered family. But with the way Roman was feeling right now, he really didn't feel like seeing anyone, even Seth Rollins.

"Woah man, look at you." Seth exclaimed, following Roman back into his hotel room as the aggravated Samoan turned around leaving the door wide open with the younger man leaning against the frame.

"When did you get back?" Roman asked, ignoring Seth's previous statement as he trudged away in a pair of basketball shorts and a blank tank top.

"Earlier today. It was the shittiest plane ride in the history of the world," Seth sighed. He took in upon himself to follow behind his friend, inviting himself in. Roman threw himself down on the sofa as Seth found a spot on the love seat.

"At least you weren't sitting on the bench back at home the whole fucking time..." Roman growled, grabbing the remote and flipping through the channels.

"Yeah, I heard about that..." Seth eyed him but Roman's scowl remained focused on the flat screen television. "Steph leaves him alone for a couple weeks and suddenly he's lost his damn mind."

"No kidding," Roman snapped, pausing his channel surfing as he caught sight of the Sports Center replay. "You shouldn't talk that way about dear ole' dad though..." He snarled with sarcasm.

"Dude, cut the bullshit. I know you're angry, I know you're hurting. What he did was wrong, period. No one could say otherwise, even Hunter himself. Vince is pushing him so hard for WrestleMania to be absolutely perfect he's losing sight of everything else. He'll come around..." Seth tried to reason with his best friend as he crossed his arms over his chest.

"That doesn't do shit for me right now though Seth," Roman almost mumbled, letting his head slide back against the couch cushion. "We all have a rare Friday night off and look where I am. Sitting on this damn couch when I should be taking my girlfriend out to some fancy restaurant, because that's what she deserves."

"I can't argue with you there man, you're right. You two should be together right now." Seth sighed, becoming more frustrated by the minute that he couldn't do more to help his brother.

"Tomorrow is Valentine's Day bro, I got her a gift and everything... I just can't see her to give it to her-or spend the day with her. Fuck!" Roman growled, rubbing his hands over his face.

"Calm down, Rome... I think I have an idea!" Seth grinned.

Raelynn opened the door slowly, her strength levels down to nothing. Her eyes grew a little wider at the sight of the man standing before her. He could tell she had been crying recently, her eyes puffy, red and still with that watery shine. Raelynn tensed a little.

"Don't worry, he's not with me... Although from the looks of you it might be better if he was." She sighed, knowing deep down that he was right regardless of what any authority figure had to say about it. Her eyes cast down to her feet as she hugged the edge of the door protectively.

"Why are you here, Seth?" She asked. The two-toned haired man reached to her, his fingertips sliding down her forearm. Just the strain in her voice was enough to rip his heart out.

"I just came to see how you were doing. I just got in from the tour and decided to check in on my brother and his dream girl." His words made a small smile appear on her face, if only for a moment. "Can I hang out for a minute? You look like you could use some company..."

"Sure." Rae sighed after a brief moment of thought. It had been awhile since she had been around anyone else. Maybe it would be good for her. She turned around, her bare feet gently padding across the carpet toward the bed.

Seth followed behind her, closing the door to her room as he went. His dark eyes watched her as she fell across the length of bed, burying her face in the covers. "The pain will go away eventually, right?" She asked, her voice a sad muffle.

Seth chuckled, sitting down on the edge of the bed next to her before he leaned back, resting on his elbow as he continued to study her. "No princess, it won't. The way I see it the two of you were meant to be together-and in time, the office will realize that too."

Raelynn slowly raised her head up, looking at him through a window of her fallen hair. Seth leaned over, using his thumb to wipe away a single tear that had began to slide down her cheek. "You mean that?" She asked, sniffling some. Seth smiled, nodding his head.

"Absolutely, there is no doubt in my mind. I just left his room actually... And I must say, he looks about as good as you do-which isn't very, no offense..." Raelynn almost giggled, pushing a hand against Seth's arm before laying her head back down. Their eyes met and Seth smiled.

"How is he?" She whispered, her gaze never leaving Seth. The older man ran a hand through his hair, rolling his tongue over his lips before answering her with complete honesty.

"He looks like shit. He's wearing his temper on his sleeve and completely miserable without you. Kinda like you obviously are without him..." He murmured.

"What am I supposed to do, Seth? I cannot lose this job... But I am miserable without him and it's only been a few days. I feel like I'm stuck. No matter how much shit I've been through in the past, this feels worse than any of it. I don't want to choose between the WWE and Roman!" Her voice started to crack and Seth reached to her again, softly running his fingers through her hair. The two had become rather close over her time in helping to develop The Shield. Seth and Dean both looked after her like the little sister they never had.

"Don't." Seth replied flatly. "You should have never been put in this position and if Hunter thinks for one minute taking you out of Rome's life is helping him focus on WrestleMania, he's lost his damn mind. In time, he will see that. Especially if Roman keeps acting the way he is." Seth paused to wipe away more tears that had fallen from her eyes as she listened to him.

"Don't give up on my brother, Princess. I want to see you both happy-together. This will all fade out soon, trust me, okay? Roman adores you and the ground you walk on. Nothing will keep him from you." Raelynn smiled genuinely, for the first time in a long time. She sat up a little, throwing her arms around Seth's neck as he fell backwards on the bed laughing.

"Thank you, Seth. I needed that." Rae replied, hugging him tightly.

Saturday, February 14th, 2015
Grand Bohemian Hotel – Orlando, Florida
Day 5
9:08am

Raelynn yawned, rolling over to look at the clock. She didn't get much sleep, but she hadn't really slept soundly in almost a week now. Rolling over onto her back she rubbed her hands over her face in an effort to keep from crying-again.

Waking up without Roman lying next to her, holding her, was not getting any easier for her to handle. It also didn't help that Rae knew what today was and her heart hurt, it hurt even more than it had the day before. Today should have been special for them.

She hadn't seen Roman in five full days and it had started to physically take its toll on her. But knowing that today was also Valentine's Day made it that much more of a weight to bare. Knowing that she couldn't see him today-or any other day, any time soon for that matter, made her feel like she'd forgotten how to breathe. The uncertainties of their future drug her down into darkness that much further.

It took every once of strength she had left not to break down again. She didn't know how much longer this could go on. Raelynn wasn't eating, she was sleeping like she should and her body had become very weak. She didn't go out, didn't see anyone and had become very distant even to the job she was sacrificing so much to keep.

The brunette slowly got up and started to get ready for her day. She may have followed the WWE to Florida on schedule but she was far from ready to make the venture back to work to face her new reality. Her plan was to attend the meeting tonight at the house show then leave as soon as possible in the smallest effort to make things seem normal again even though she knew it was going to be impossible.

Taking a quick shower, Raelynn pulled on an outfit just going through the motions of her every day. Her mind never once stopped thinking about the Samoan that was now completely MIA from her life for the first time in two full years. She didn't have her boyfriend, her best friend, and her protector and never had she felt so alone, so empty—even in the past she tried so hard to run from.

She was convinced this is what true depression felt like.

Raelynn stared back at her reflection in the mirror in the bathroom as she brushed out her long, damp hair. Her eyes were bloodshot, puffy and had dark circles underneath them. She looked like hell and even that made the sick feeling in her stomach that much worse. Her entire body begged for Roman; his warmth, his touch and the way he made her feel. But Raelynn knew she would never defy Hunter's orders or jeopardize her position with the company she'd spent 10 years trying to get into. She would have no where to go home to if she did...

Rae stopped suddenly, putting her hairbrush down on the counter by the sink when she heard a knock on the door of her hotel room. Walking out of the bathroom she wondered over to it and looked out the peephole. Her brow twisted in confusion when she didn't see anyone. Raelynn shook her head in spite of herself; maybe she was going crazy after all.

She opened the door and looked both ways down the hallway. It was empty and she was alone. But just as she was about to close the door her heart stopped, her eyes instantly watered up-she could sense he had been there. Raelynn closed her eyes and took in a deep breath. His cologne was still in the air around her, sending a chill down her spin as tears began to slip down her cheeks as she hung her head to cry.

When she opened her eyes she was staring at the ground. That's when she noticed the flowers, a card and a small black box laying at her feet. Wiping her eyes she quickly picked up the items and carried them into her room.

Raelynn quickly sat down on the edge of the bed as she laid the items next to her. First she picked up the small bouquet of flowers tied together by a thin pink ribbon. She instantly recognized the varieties as flowers they had seen while on their date at the flower garden in Ohio. Rae buried her nose in them, inhaling their sweet smell as a few more tears slipped down her cheeks. Knowing that Ro had remembered such a tiny detail about their time together made her heart crave him that much more.

Laying the flowers on the bedside table she then went to the small black box. Her fingertips lightly traced another pink bow before pulling it off. She lifted the lid, the hinges on the back squeaking slightly.

The moment the lid flipped open completely and Raelynn's eyes caught sight of the gorgeous piece of jewelry that lay in front of her, her jaw dropped. Inside was the most beautiful diamond bracelet from Tiffany's. Each stone that encircled the band was perfectly placed. At the clasp there was a diamond heart pendant that dangled as she carefully picked it up with shaking fingertips.

Her dark brown eyes caught sight of something as she tried to put it on herself, which was sort of tricky. Halting her motions she flipped the heart pendant over and for the first time noticed the small inscription on the back written in the smallest, most precise cursive she had ever seen. Her heart was ready to explode as she traced over the tiny words.

"Forever Yours, Joe"

Raelynn sat there her jaw to the floor, completely stunned. Not only was he hinting at forever with her but this was the first time he'd really ever made mention of his birth given name with her. Maybe Roman felt a lot more than she realized. He was taking this relationship quite seriously and even though they were going through a hard time right now, her heart longed to find out exactly what forever would be like with-

"Joe..." She whispered to herself, it felt good on her lips.

When she had finally be able to maneuver getting the bracelet onto her wrist without the help of someone else she caught sight of Roman's card out of the corner of her eye. He had written her name on the front, a little heart next to the R. It brought a smile to her face. The little things Roman managed to do to be romantic amazed her. There was a super sweet teddy bear under that badass persona that only she was able to see.

Carefully she opened the envelope and removed the card. Rae smiled upon seeing a bright pink heart on the front, surrounded by the text Lo'u alofa. She took for granted it was Samoan text. She flipped the card open as her dark brown eyes followed across his words, hand written inside of the otherwise blank card. The more black ink she read, the more her eyes welled up again with tears. Roman continued to prove to her, even in this difficult time apart that she had made the right decision in choosing to be with him.

"Raelynn,

Happy Valentine's Day, baby girl. I just wanted you to know that there isn't a minute of my day that goes by that I'm not thinking about you. It kills me to be away from you, knowing that we should be together. I promise you it won't always be this way. I don't know how much longer I can stand to be away from you. You're a part of me now. You are mine as I am yours, always—no matter what.

Forever, Roman

Ps: Lo'u alofa means "my love" in Samoa."

Raelynn quickly reached for her cell phone, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand. She pressed Roman's contact and began to type her message. She was just about to push send when her phone buzzed in her hand as Roman's words popped up on the screen first as if on cue.

Happy Valentine's Day again, baby girl. I hope you found your gifts that I left.

I did Ro, the bracelet is beautiful. I love it. Thank you. I'm already wearing it.

Good. I'm glad you like it. Did you see the inscription on the back?

I did. I'm speechless. You are truly one of a kind. I miss you so much!

I miss you too, sweet pea. It'll be different soon, I promise.

I hope so...

Authors Note: So, I tried NUMEROUS times to get to allow me to post the last section I had written for this chapter but I got tired of trying. I will add it as the beginning of the next chapter. My apologies that this is already so long anyway, lol. Also, I hope no on is confused on the fact that we will be using both Roman and Joe from this point forward. It'll make more sense soon but if you've ever been around professional wrestlers, that's how it is. Roman at the show, Joe at home. Get it? I hope to get Part 2 finished up and posted as soon as I can-more drama on the horizon! ;) But let me know what you think and if I should even bother to continue...