By the time Joe got off the plane at the Orlando International Airport, he was exhausted. Mentally, physically, emotionally exhausted.

He had found out about the change of plans necessitating the flight about an hour after Monday's Raw went off the air. In the middle of his phone call with Colby, Vince had called him into the office. Instead of driving to Indianapolis with Jon like he had planned, for the Smackdown tapings later that day, Joe would be on a plane back home to get surgery for a deviated septum.

Joe tried to argue that the surgery could wait until after Wrestlemania, given it had waited months already, but Vince was adamant. Of course, Joe knew the real reason. He could see it plain as day on Paul's face, who sat in on the meeting as well.

This was to keep him off TV. This was in response to getting booed after getting the crap kicked out of him. Sure he needed the surgery. That part was real, but it was all too convenient to have him appear backstage, blood coming out of his nose. Which of course, reported as having been broken in the fight.

Vince chose not to confirm or deny as either response would serve as an indictment, one requiring him to admit that maybe just maybe he had booked the wrong Wrestlemania main event. Instead, he just handed Joe the ticket and told him his flight left at noon.

Knowing this was a losing battle, Joe didn't bother arguing. He was already drained enough that even if he wanted to, he didn't think he had it in him to complain or question the boss anyway. So instead, he left Jon a note, packed up his things, and headed to the airport.

Of course, it wouldn't be Detroit if the flight wasn't delayed, which it was, for a whopping five hours, giving Joe all the time in the world to get caught up in his thoughts. Ordinarily, this wasn't a bad thing, but given how his brain was trying to process everything, trying to make these decisions about the future, spare time was the last thing he needed.

And on top of his own mental anguish and building frustration, it was about three hours into the delay that Joe opened an email sent to him from one of the superstars, an email with a video attachment that clearly showed Bryan (Byron Saxton) handing him the blood packet that was used to create the visuals from Monday's brawl.

He'd probably get heat from this as both him and Paul knew from the beginning that Vince was against using blood and threatened that if it wasn't done perfectly, he wouldn't be happy. But more than that, it was just one more thing the fans had, one more thing that made the supposed injury he sustained in the match seem every bit as fake as it actually was.

At least before, they could pass off him missing TV for the operation but now, now that went out the window and it was obvious that the fans were going to see right through Vince's so-called "bulletproof" plan. They would know the real reason he was missing TV for the next two to four weeks depending on Vince's mood.

Boston, Philadelphia, Brooklyn, Chicago.

That's why Joe was going to miss upcoming Raw and Smackdown tapings. It was because the Road to Wrestlemania were big shows that ran through big cities. They were shows that, understandably, Vince didn't want booed.

Joe wanted to bang his head against the wall but instead, it was his cell phone that took the punishment as he whipped it against one of the bathroom doors in just pure frustration. Obviously not a smart idea given the attention it drew, not to mention it took away his main method of communication, something he needed to call for his ride home from the airport.

Vince in his generosity and attempt to keep Joe out of the public eye for as long as possible, offered to have a driver ready for him when the plane arrived in Orlando to take him home to Pensacola where he would be having the operation. The only problem with that was, Joe had no intentions of going home, at least not that first night.

As much as he wanted to kiss his wife and wrap his arms around his baby girl, there was too much on his mind, too much he could barely deal with himself, for him to do that. So, he had a Plan B, one that offered that temporary respite from going back to Pensacola, quite frankly in his mind, as a failure.

Joe walked up to the front desk, smiling occasionally at the fan girls who dreamily eyed him as they passed by.

"Hi Linda," he said, reading the woman's name tag. "Unfortunately, I seem to have broken my phone. Would I be able to use yours or one at a service desk?"

The woman looked up at him and seemed almost star struck. "You're Roman Reigns."

Joe nodded. "I am. It's nice to meet you," he said extending his hand.

The woman kindly shook back. "I don't know much about pro wrestling but my son just adores you. He never stops talking about you."

Joe smiled back, perhaps the first real one he had managed in over a day.

"That's very kind of you to say," he responded. "Would you like me to sign something for him?"

"Oh, no I couldn't ask that," Linda said.

"You're not asking," Joe replied as he tried to find something in his bag that would suffice for an autograph. Finally, he pulled out his flight itinerary. It wasn't much but it was printed on WWE stationary at least.

"What's his name?" Joe asked as Linda handed him a pen.

"Joey," the woman replied happily. "He's six."

"I like that name," Joe chuckled as he began to write on the piece of paper. "To my biggest fan Joey, thanks for supporting the Roman Empire. Because of you, we can, we did and we will again in Dallas. Believe that."

Joe signed his name, or rather, his character's and handed the paper back to the boy's mom.

"He's going to love this Mr. Reigns, thank you!" she beamed.

"I'm always happy to do something for a fan," Joe replied sincerely.

As hollow as it sounded given the way the fans had turned on him, there was truth in every word.

"So, you need to make a phone call?" Linda said, remembering the reason he had come over to talk to her in the first place.

"If you wouldn't mind," Joe replied.

Linda smiled. "Even if I did mind, which I most certainly don't, after what you did for my son, I'd even let you make two phone calls."

Joe smiled back as she handed him one of the desk phones. "It's 83 to dial out."

A/N – Sorry for the short chapter here, but it came to my attention that I hadn't updated this in a while and that I'm still a long way away from its natural conclusion at Wrestlemania. So, here is a little bonus in between that first Raw and the upcoming Smackdown. Thanks for being patient! As always, keep those reviews coming and I will try, promise I'll try, to upload a little quicker.

Oh and PS, ya'll were right about the phone call, which yes I know, I didn't do a chapter on. Doesn't mean we're not about to hear from Colby real soon though ;)