Hey, told you I was back. Two updates in two days. What is the world coming too. I just want to express my appreciation for those loyal people who have stuck by me and waited me out. Phenoix you rock. And the story is finished. There are you more chapters after this which will be uploaded this week. Happy reading.

"Well Mr. Cena, it has been a pleasure to have represented you." Donald Jameson said, shaking the other man's hand,

"Likewise. I appreciate the job you did." John said sincerely. Leaving the lawyer to face the media circus he had created John threaded his way through various hallways, reaching the side door he wanted. He glanced around in surprise as he noticed his father parked in front of the door.

"Wow, I figured I would have to walk around the building to find you. What made you park here?" He asked.

"John, whether you like it or not I do know some of your habits." Tony Cena answered sarcastically, pulling his son in for a hug.

"Yea, yea. So did you call Journey and ask her to stay at home or is she around here too?" John asked, looking around eagerly.

"Actually, she called me and asked if I could come. Said she had some things to work out." The older man repeated what he had been told.

John frowned. "Really? That doesn't sound like her." He said, trying not to be worried.

"Do you want to go see her?" His father asked as they climbed into the car.

"Nah. I need to see Ari. I'll catch up with her later I guess." John said, sighing in disappointment.

"You really like her don't you?" The older man asked as they stopped for a red light.

"Yea I really do." He answered softly. Smiling he turned to look at his father. "I think I'm going to ask her to marry me."

"Well now son I want you to make sure you are dong it because it makes you happy, not because Ari needs a mother."

"I'm not. In fact I am probably going to wait a while and let them get used to each other. But she is going to make a great mother." John stated confidently.

"Well I haven't had the pleasure of meeting her yet, but I should warn you that your mother did talk to her yesterday…alone." Tony warned his son.

"What did she say to her?" John asked alarmed.

"Well that I don't know, but Nikki isn't talking to your mother at the moment."

"Great, just great." He said, closing his eyes in anger.

"So what are you planning on doing next?" Tony Cena asked after a couple minutes of silence.

"A lot of that depends on Ari I guess." John said, lost in thought. "I do have to head to Texas for a few days after the custody hearing. I messed things up pretty badly there."

"I took Monday and Tuesday off from work. The hearing is Tuesday but I was thinking maybe we could take your daughter to the zoo Monday." The older man suggested.

John turned to his father. "Does Ari even like animals? I hardly know anything about her." He said frowning.

"So we'll ask her. If she doesn't we'll find something else to do." He said shrugging. "And John, don't worry. You'll have the rest of your life to find out more information than you could possibly want to hear." He added as he pulled up in the driveway of his house.

"Now see, you already have the hard part out of the way. She already likes you." Tony Cena said, pointing to the small figure sitting on the porch steps.

"Yea." John muttered, his eyes shining as his heart filled with love. Climbing out of the car he opened his arms then pulled them tight around the little girl as she jumped into them.

Wrinkling her nose Ari leaned back in his arms. "You smell."

Laughing John set her back on her feet. "Well, if I smell that bad I can go back." He teased.

"NO NO NO" She shouted, playfully grabbing onto his leg.

"Or maybe I could just go and take a shower." John said making a big show of not being able to lift his leg.

"Probably a good idea, and a word of advice. I would try to get upstairs without your mother noticing you. You know how she can be." The elder Cena instructed as he came up behind them.

"I could always climb up the tree and into the window."

"There is no need for breaking your neck. She's not here. She had a very important appointment and she will see you at dinner. Be sure to dress appropriately." Nikki intoned in a false high voice. Grinning she added. "Good to see you without bars bro."

"Ha, ha. Your aunt thinks she's so funny." He said to Arianna. "Now I am going to shower. Your job soldier is to convince Miss smarty pants up there to cook me something really good to eat."

"Yes sir." The little girl saluted before running up the steps and dragging the older girl towards the kitchen.

One half hour later John stepped out of the steaming bathroom into his old bedroom. Dragging on a pair of jeans he dialed the number he wanted into the phone. Putting the receiver to his ear he listened to the rings until a voice on the other line answered.

"Laney? Whatcha doing there?" He asked in surprise.

"I came up to help out with Steph. Plus my dad was being just impossible. Are you out of jail?" She asked.

"Yea, what's up with you and your old man?"

"He was being totally hard headed. He wouldn't help you at all and he wouldn't even talk about you." She whined.

John winced. "Actually that's my fault. Your dad and I got into a big fight and I kind of told him I didn't want anything ever to do with him again and that I wanted him out of my life." He explained.

"Why did you do that?" She asked shocked.

"Because he was getting into my business." John snapped. Taking a deep breath he continued. "I am not a child that he needs to watch over every second."

"Did you really mean it?" Laney asked subdued.

"No, course not. And I plan on telling him so. But Laney you have to know how much that hurt him. Kind of explains the way he's acting." John reasoned.

"That makes a little more sense. But I can't believe he would just abandon you like that." Laney responded angrily.

"You didn't hear everything I said to him. Just call him tonight and talk to him okay?" He requested.

"Sure whatever." She said. "Hey is there anything else I need to know about? Paul's acting like there is but he says you need to tell me. So give." She demanded.

"I would prefer to tell you in person. But don't worry its nothing bad." John assured her.

"No I am not waiting any longer. Tell me now."

"You are spoiled aren't you?" John asked laughing.

"Johnnnnn." She whined.

"Fine, I have a daughter and she's going to be living with me from now on." He answered.

The silence stretched on for a few minutes before John spoke up. "Laney?" He asked.

"How old is she?" She finally asked, her voice strained.

"She's seven and her name is Arianna." John replied.

"That's nice." She answered stiffly. "Do you want to talk to Paul?" She asked before throwing the phone to the startled man.

"Hello?" The big man asked speaking into the phone.

"I don't think she took the news too good." John said groaning.

"Did you really expect her to?" Paul asked. "We have all spoiled her and now she sees your daughter as competition. There is going to be a period of adjustment."

"Yea, well the reason I called in the first place was to let you know that I'm out and everything is going good."

"The hearing is Tuesday?" Paul asked.

"Yea but I am not expecting any complications." John answered crossing his fingers.

"You find out different don't hesitate to call me." Paul instructed.

"Yes sir."

"Smart ass."

After exchanging a few more comments the two men said good bye. Punching in the next set of numbers John looked up and spotted his daughter's big eyes peaking around the door. Seeing that he had spotted her she popped through the doorway announcing that brunch would be ready soon.

"Brunch?" John asked quirking an eyebrow at her.

The little girl shrugged. "Nikki said it was too early for lunch but too late for breakfast. So we're having brunch."

"We're eating fancy." John said causing her to laugh.

Putting a hand over her mouth he hit the dial button on his phone.

"Randy I think you brought me the wrong kid. This one's not mine." He said into the phone as she struggled to hold her laughter in.

"John, what'd you do, break out of jail?" Randy asked surprised.

"Do you never watch the news?" John asked rolling his eyes.

"Dude its 1030. Just be glad I was awake."

"Yea, well long story short they caught the real bad guy and released me, even though they didn't want too."

"Cool man. So every thing's back to normal?" Randy asked

"As normal as it can be with a wiggling monkey in my arms." John replied lifting his daughter over his head.

"Hey I heard Journey's coming to the show tonight. You two have a fight?" Randy asked turning serious.

"No, I haven't even seen her today." John replied quietly.

"I'm guessing I surprised you with that bit of news." Randy said.

John was quiet for a couple minutes. "Randy corner her and find out what's going on for me."