They found a hotel near the courthouse. Tomorrow was their meeting and it made Roman and Diana even more nervous.
"Can we go see the beach tomorrow?", Noah asked, as Diana helped him into bed.
"I think we have a few hours to spare before the hearing", Roman said.
Diana smiled. They had gone walking around L.A. and taking in the sights. Noah nodded. They each said goodnight to him before going towards the living room area.
Diana picked at the food Noah had left. Roman smiled.
"Don't say anything, I'm allowed to eat leftovers", she said.
"I didn't say anything, and I know. You would always finish mine when I said I was full when you were pregnant with Noah", he said.
She smiled, remembering when he would take her out to eat. He would always only finish half.
"Seeing as we are together now, I can finally admit that I would always leave leftovers on purpose", he admitted.
"Why?", she asked.
He shrugged.
"You were pregnant and I would rather you eat till your hearts content", he said.
She went over to him and kissed him.
"Ready for tomorrow?", she asked.
"No. Nervous, hurt, and I really want to rip apart Seth", he replied.
"Me too", she nodded.
He kissed her gently.
"We should get to bed, we have an early start tomorrow if we are taking Noah to the beach", Roman said.
The next day, Diana and Roman dressed in their swimsuits. Roman watched as she searched her suitcase for a wrap.
He set his hand on her stomach.
"My little nugget", he said.
She giggled.
"I'm ready", Noah said, coming in.
"We are too. I say we stop somewhere and get some breakfast", Roman said.
"I could use food", she nodded.
"Pancakes", Noah said excited.
Seth finished puking in his bathroom. Dolph walked in and grimaced. The smell was so bad in Seth's room. He walked over to the windows and opened them.
"What the fuck? Don't you air out your damn room", Dolph said.
Drew joined him after opening the windows in the living room. Seth stumbled out of the bathroom before collapsing in bed.
"Call a damn cleaning crew, get this place spotless and smelling fresh. If the judge approves you keeping Noah till the next hearing, they will have child services clear your house before letting him stay", Dolph said.
He grumbled, the blonde he had come home with, dressed and left.
"Did you at least remember to make her sign a damn gag order?", Dolph asked.
"No", Seth replied.
Dolph looked at Drew and Drew nodded. He went after the woman. Dolph kicked the side of Seth's bed.
"Get up and showered, we have that court hearing in two hours.", Dolph said.
Seth sighed before sitting up. He brushed his hand through his knotted hair.
Noah had a lot of fun at the beach. Roman had bought him a boogie board and would help him at the edge of the waves. Diana sat back and took pictures. She hoped they weren't the last as a family.
Right now they were back at the hotel getting ready for the hearing. Diana watched as Noah tried to remember how Roman tied his tie.
"Need some help?", she asked her son.
"Can dad do it? He always helps me", Noah said.
Diana nodded and went to find Roman. He had finished fixing his own tie.
"Your son needs you", she said softly.
He exhaled softly and she kissed his cheek.
"We can't let him see how nervous we are.", she whispered.
He nodded. He walked out of their room and towards Noah's. His son was sitting at the edge of the bed, fumbling with the tie.
"Alright little man, stand", he said.
Noah did and Roman showed him. Noah smiled and nodded.
"You look handsome", Roman said.
Noah quickly wrapped his arms around his dad and squeezed him tight. Roman did the same and rubbed his back.
"Remember what I told you Noah. I will always fight for you, even if we lose today, I won't stop fighting", Roman whispered.
Noah nodded against his shoulder. Diana watched from the door. Feeling a bit of cramping, she took a deep breath and exhaled when it passed.
She quickly went to the bathroom.
"Please. No", she whispered.
"D, you ready?", Roman asked, tapping on the door.
No blood, she sighed and relaxed. She was worried now about the baby.
"Diana?", Roman called again.
"I'm coming", she called.
She washed her hands and walked out. Roman sent a look her way, asking if she was okay.
"Just needed a second", she replied.
He nodded and took her hand as they walked out. Getting to the courthouse, they met up with Paul.
He smiled at Noah.
"I've heard a lot about you, son", he said.
Noah smiled. It disappeared when Seth came into view with his entourage. His lawyers looked young.
"Cocky sons of bitches if you asked me.", Paul said.
Roman chuckled.
"Noah", Seth called, smiling.
Noah held Roman's hand and hid behind him. Seth didn't like that very much, the glare he sent in Roman's direction said so.
"Lets go. You'll have plenty of time to speak to him.", Dolph whispered to Seth.
Seth let them pull him in. Paul walked them towards the room and walked in, letting Roman and Diana sit. Noah sat on Roman's lap. Diana got that cramping feeling again and squeezed the arm of the chair.
"Baby?", she looked at Roman.
"I'm fine", she said quickly.
He didn't believe her. She took a deep breath as the judge walked in. He sent a nod to everyone before looking at Noah and smiling.
"Hi, you must be Noah. Its nice to meet you son. I'm judge Andrew Henry.", he said, taking Noah's hand and shaking it.
The judge looked at Diana with the same warm smile.
"He won't be here for the first part. Miss Young will be taking him to a room. He'll be fine with her. She has movies and videos games", the judge said.
Diana nodded and Noah looked at her before following Miss Young to the back.
"So, we are meeting today to discuss a custody agreement?", the judge asked.
"Yes your honor", Paul answered.
"It says here, Mr. Rollins, you are asking for full custody. Mother gets a weekend a month and for a Mr. Roman Reigns to not be allowed near your son", the judge said.
Seth nodded.
"Also for a name change", the judge said.
"Yes your honor", Rezar answered.
The judge nodded, setting those papers down and grabbing Roman and Diana's agreement. Akam sat up and pointed to the paperwork.
"We weren't aware that they had filed for custody. They never sent us the forms", Akam said.
"We did actually. I did. I even had one of my assistants hand them to Mr. Rezar. Photo proof as well", Paul said, handing the envelope with photo proof.
Judge Henry nodded.
"Approved. Mr. Reigns is asking for full custody, only approved visitation in which Mr. Rollins must call and ask both mother and father before seeing Noah. He also has to pass a drug test before every visit. Proof of a rehab stay as well.", the judge said.
Seth huffed and shifted in his chair. He shook his head. The judge noticed it.
"I would like to hear the mother's side of this first, if that is alright with you gentlemen", the judge said.
"Because she's a woman?", Drew mumbled.
The judge raised a brow.
"Actually yes. Ladies first, but you probably weren't taught that", the judge replied.
He looked at Diana.
"Now, Ms. Mendoza is it?", the judge asked.
Diana smiled and nodded. She told the judge the whole story, he nodded silently. He would take glances at Roman and then Seth. Taking notice of their expressions through the whole story.
"Well, it sounds to me like Mr. Reigns became what not only a young teenage girl needed, but also what an unborn baby needed", the judge said.
"And I would do it all again if asked", Roman added.
The judge nodded.
"Your honor, we get what Mr. Reigns did for the child was in the child's best interest. What our client did, wasn't in his, but see it from his point of view. He was seventeen, nothing to offer. He got scared and left, he knows he was wrong in that and regrets it every day", Akam said.
"Mr. Reigns was also seventeen and nothing to offer, he still took care of his son", the judge reminded.
"So he rather uproot a young boy from everything he knows? From the only family he knows? The only father?", Paul asked.
"They left him no choice", Rezar shot back.
"All they asked for, was for Mr. Rollins to go to rehab before coming back around their son. They are protecting the child, not trying to keep Mr. Rollins away for good", Paul said.
"But he's not Mr. Reigns son", Akam tried to correct.
"Not by blood, but in every other sense, yes, he is.", Paul said.
The judge looked at Seth.
"If I asked you to take a drug test, right now, would you pass?", the judge asked.
Seth swallowed.
"No sir", he hung his head.
"But he has been getting clean. He's only a few days sober, the drugs in his system would make him fail", Akam said, glaring at Seth.
"It says in the paperwork that Ms. Mendoza did try to reach out to Mr. Rollins a few times", the judge said.
"By text and phone call", Diana answered.
"Before he changed his number?", the judge asked.
Diana nodded. He looked at Seth. Seth opened his mouth to reply, but nothing came out.
"You should stay silent, Mr. Rollins. You had plenty of chances to have custody of your son, but you denied each one. To me it seems like you're just trying to one up Mr. Reigns.", the judge said.
"No…", Rezar stopped him.
"Look, all we want is for Seth to get clean. He was my best friend growing up, like a brother to me. I just lost one of my other best friends, Diana's brother, in an accident. I don't want to lose another, but if I had to choose between protecting my friend or my son, its going to be my son, every single time", Roman said.
The judge nodded. Roman looked at Seth.
"We didn't say you could never see Noah again. We just want you sober and healthy for him, for this family. Like it or not, we are family", Roman said.
Seth kept his head down. Roman sighed and looked at the judge again.
"I don't want to lose my son. I have loved that kid since before he was born. I watched him take his first steps, say his first word. I stayed up all night when he was sick, slept on the floor beside his bed till I knew his fever was gone.", Roman said, holding in his tears.
Diana squeezed his hand.
"Living my life without him in it, I can't accept that. I promised that I would fight for him and I will, even if in the end I get denied every time. I will continue to fight", Roman said.
The judge nodded and smiled.
"I wish I could just give you the custody right here and now, but I need to speak to Noah first. He's old enough to speak his peace and let me know what he wants.", the judge said.
Everyone nodded.
"Please wait outside as I speak to him, I will let you know when we are done", the judge said.