Slow Me Down

(Part Three to Roman Reigns One Shot Saga)

August 18, 2013

“Why are you being such a bitch about all of this?” Roman asked with a growl.

“Because you’re not listening to what I’m trying to tell you Roman. My family is Christian and even though I don’t practice it anymore that doesn’t mean they are going to accept my wedding on the beach. I love the idea but my mother hates sand and there is no way in hell that she’s going to just ‘kick off her shoes and enjoy the free pedicure’ as you so eloquently put it.” Antonia snapped.

“Oh my God Toni, it’s OUR wedding not THEIR wedding. It should be our fucking decision where we have it.” Roman stated as he threw his hands up in the air when Antonia crossed her arms over her chest and shook her head negatively at him.

“Can you just for one second see it from their point of view? I’m the only girl left in the family to get married. My older sister Camille eloped in Vegas and my other older sister Alyssa eloped in Reno. I’m their last chance to have a nice big wedding in a church. As much as I love the beach idea I can’t go along with it.” Antonia stated before she pulled her fingers through her honey blonde as she stared at her fiancée.

“Antonia, maybe I should call and speak with your mother.” Patricia stated as she stood from the table where she had been watching her baby boy and his fiancée arguing. Things were starting to get heated quickly.

Antonia looked down and the older woman as she shook her head. “No thank you Patty. We are going to have to come to some kind of agreement. Everyone attending the wedding has to be happy.”

Patty looked at her youngest child. “Roman you’re going to have to accept the fact that Toni’s parents are stricter than our family. It’s not like the roof of the church is going to cave in if the entire Reigns’ family steps foot inside for a joyous occasion - like a say - a wedding.”

Roman’s hands were planted on his jean covered hips as he rolled his eyes. “Great. Thanks Antonia you turned my own mother against me now. Any more family members of mine you want to get on your side to get your own way?” Roman asked in a snarky tone. “Hell Matt and the twins already adore you; why don’t you just go ahead and get with one of them.”

“Really Roman?” She asked as her eyes narrowed at him.

“Yes; really Antonia.” He snapped.

“So what do you want me to say?” Toni asked softly.

“Nothing. I want you to stand there and say nothing.” He growled at her.

Antonia stood there as she watched his eyebrows drop to the bridge of his nose as he shook his head. “Fuck this shit. Just tell me where to fuckin show up and maybe I’ll be there and maybe I won’t.” Roman brushed past Antonia and out the front of the house; slamming the front door as he went.

Patty walked over and touched Toni’s shoulder before she looked up at her sons fiancée. “He’s just under a lot of stress right now; since the writers split up the Shield and he’s been on his own.”

“Yea sure stress…” Antonia sniffled as she pulled her three stone diamond ring off her left finger and set it on the dining room table before she turned and left the Reigns family home.

__________________________________________________________________

Antonia was snapped out of her private thoughts as she was sitting in the writers meeting regarding the Wyatt Family. Antonia had not spoken to Roman in 3 weeks and she missed him so much. He hadn’t tried to call her or attempt to talk to her while on the road.

The writers had decided it was time for the Shield to implode on June 2^nd during Monday Night Raw. It forced the guys into singles competition and since then Roman, Dean and Seth’s singles careers had literally blown up. They had made Seth the bad boy heel and had him turn on Roman and Dean. It had been painfully hard to watch. Their last match as the Shield had been the night before on Sunday June 1^st at the companies PPV Payback. They had gotten their second win over Evolution and Antonia loved rubbing it in Paul’s face. He would just chuckle at her feistiness and say he knew he hired her as a writer for a reason.

Antonia knew Roman was stressed out because his schedule had suddenly tripled; he had ten times the interviews and signings, plus more media and appearances. He had just taken on Randy Orton at the August PPV SummerSlam the night before and won his first major singles PPV match. She was so proud of him, but they weren’t speaking and she couldn’t even congratulate him.

“What do you think Toni; female angel of darkness for the Wyatt’s or not?” Bryan asked curiously.

“Why are you guys forever trying to add some weird gothic girl to my group? Do they really look like they need a harbinger of death when the have Bray fuckin Wyatt at the wheel of that crazy train?” Antonia asked honestly. “Stop trying to add to the damn group; less is more people.”

“So no angel of darkness…” Bryan tried once more.

“NO!”

That was the resounding answer that everyone in the room shouted before the meeting was declared officially over as everyone filed out of the room and went their own ways before Raw started.

__________________________________________________________________

Roman walked through the hallway of the arena. He knew he needed to get ready for his match tonight but he honestly didn’t feel like suiting up in his new riot gear; actually he didn’t feel like doing a whole hell of a lot. He had met up with Dean and they were on their way to catering to grab some water and a couple of small sandwiches that way they didn’t go to the ring with empty belly’s but yet not so full they would puke at ring side.

Tonight was Dean’s last night for the next 32 days. He had signed up to do a WWE movie called Lockdown. Roman was excited and proud of his ex-stable brother. He was going to miss the hell out of him; still 32 days wasn’t that bad and he could handle it.

Roman snapped up from the floor as he stopped when he nearly mowed over someone and his eyes found the familiar blues of Antonia as she stood there; before he could say anything she turned and scooted ass down the hallway in the opposite direction.

“Man, when the fuck are you going to talk to her?” Dean asked from behind Roman.

Roman shook his head as he watched his…Antonia high tail it down the hallway as he sighed heavily. “I was such a dick to her I don’t even know if I can say I’m sorry enough to her. I can’t believe I was such an asshole.”

Dean clapped Roman on the back. “Bro, you can’t help it. She understands the kind of stress you’ve been under since the end of the Shield.”

“Bro I just walked away from her. The whole time we’ve been together she’s been nothing but supportive of me and my career and even more so when the split happened. All she wanted to do was make her family happy and just get married. Hell if I thought I could get away with it we would’ve gone to Vegas the day after I proposed and gotten married.” Roman stated truthfully. All they both really wanted was to get married and spend the rest of their lives together. The big wedding they were doing for their families not for them.

Dean shook his head. “Bro, that is not going to happen not with Patricia Reigns as your mother; your mother would never let you get away with eloping. I don’t know Toni’s family but I highly doubt they’d let her do it either.”

Roman shook his head. “No, that was the whole point of the wedding. Both of her older sisters eloped and she wants to give her dad a chance to walk her down the aisle; he’s getting older and he’s got Arthritis in every damn joint. He and her mother had her later in life than expected, kind of like my parents only they are older than my folks, and to be honest they look like they could be her grandparents.”

“Yikes. That is a potential problem.” Dean mumbled.

“Yea…and I didn’t help matters by just walking away from the entire situation. I let my Samoan temper get the best of me and got pissed when my mom was trying to reason with me and I mouthed off to Toni and I know I hurt her feelings for what I said.” Roman admitted.

“Yea I heard about that.” Dean chuckled at the sour look on Roman’s face. “What? Hello she and Rachel are best friends. Of course your girl is gonna go to mine and talk. I heard every sorted detail, even down to her leaving the engagement ring at your mothers, which I know for a fact, is in your damn pocket. You need to go find her apologize and put that ring where it’s supposed to be.” Dean pointed out.

Roman sighed heavily.

Dean was right…Fuck Dean was always right.

__________________________________________________________________

“Well I was going to ask if you and Roman had spoken yet but the way you just hauled ass like your booty was on fire; I’ll say no you haven’t.” Rachel observed as she caught up to her friend who could’ve gotten a medal at the Olympics for speed walking just now.

Antonia’s breathe was labored and she was close to hyperventilating. She hadn’t been face to face with Roman in 3 weeks, not since their fight. She’d actually done a hell of a job avoiding him until tonight. Why did he have to be in the hallway when she was? Why did he have to look so fuckin good in his new ‘Roman Reigns’ black t-shirt, black jogging pants and black sneakers. His long beautiful raven hair was dry and down.

Rachel watched as Antonia walked over to the wall and leaned her rear against it as she bent over at the waist and had her hands on the tops of her knees sucking in oxygen. She walked over and rubbed her best friends back. “Hey calm down before you pass out and I have to lug your body to the trainer’s office. I can barely lift myself for chin ups at the gym with Dean; which he finds fascinating and funny all at once.”

Antonia pushed away from the wall as she pulled her fingers through her honey blonde hair. “I didn’t expect to see him. I’ve been avoiding the shit out of him.” Antonia looked over at her best friend. “I’m in trouble Rachel. I’m in big trouble.” Tears suddenly cascaded down Toni’s cheeks. “I’m in so much trouble and I don’t know what to do.”

Rachel frowned. “Oh honey it can’t be that bad.” She immediately pulled her friend into her arms and rubbed up and down her back to try soothing her. “Toni what happened? What’s wrong?” Rachel asked. She could feel her best friends body shaking as she sobbed against her shoulder.

Antonia pulled away from Rachel as she walked into the ladies rest room with Rachel behind her. She walked along the bathroom stalls before she locked the door; satisfied they were completely alone without wondering ears. Antonia turned to Rachel’s curious jade eyes. “I’m pregnant; about two months.”

“What? Are you shitting me?” Rachel asked so loudly her voice echoed in the empty bathroom.

“A little louder Rachel the dead in England couldn’t hear you.” Antonia scolded. “And no I’m not shitting you. You’ve been dating Dean far too long. He asks me that all the time.” Antonia could feel her stomach getting queasy. “I skipped my period and just thought it was stress. And then with all this mess between Roman and I not speaking…I haven’t exactly been sleeping properly so I finally went to the doctor on Friday. Surprise was on me, it wasn’t stress or sleepless nights. I’m pregnant with Roman’s baby and we’re not even on speaking terms. We haven’t said a word to each other in 3 weeks Rachel. What am I going to do?” Antonia asked as she felt the tears leaking from her eyes once again.

Rachel walked over as she gathered Antonia in her arms again. “You’re going to calm down, because getting upset isn’t going to be good for the baby. Second you’re going to have to tell me if you’re keeping the baby or are you going to get rid of it. And then you need to decide if you’re going to tell Roman or just ignore the fact that you two belong together and nothing proves it more than carrying his child.”

“I don’t even know how to tell him Rach. I can’t just walk up to him and be like…so we haven’t spoken in 3 weeks, but I’d like you to know I’m pregnant and clearly the baby is yours.” Antonia sniffled. “Of course I’m keeping the baby. It didn’t ask to be born into an already broke home.” Her blackberry beeped as she looked down at the text from Paul. “Shit. I have to get going the Wyatt’s are up next and I have to watch it with Paul.”

“Hey Antonia, don’t worry ok? Things will fall into place. For some reason things always have a way of working themselves out.” Rachel stated as she watched her friend unlock the bathroom door before she hauled ass out and down the hallway.

Rachel couldn’t and wouldn’t tell Roman about the baby, but there had to be something else she could do.

She just had to figure out what it was now.

__________________________________________________________________

Paul’s hazel eyes watched Antonia as she sat on the equipment trunk with him. It was fairly obvious she’d been crying and he knew it was because of Roman. Word going around the back was they couldn’t decide on the venue for the wedding and had split. Paul could tell by the defeated look on Toni’s face that whatever had transpired between she and Roman was really starting to take its toll on her. But she refused to discuss her personal life with anyone at work.

Sometimes she was so stubborn.

“Antonia, where’s your head girl; because it sure isn’t here tonight?” Paul asked.

Antonia looked up from her laptop that was perched on her indian style folded legs next to Paul on the Equipment trunk. “What do you mean?” She asked; playing dumb was never her strong suit.

Paul shook his head and gave her a knowing look. “C’mon Toni, this is me you’re talking to; the same guy who seems to be linked to your brain when it comes to fuckin great story lines for the Wyatt’s. You’ve been quiet the last three weeks and I haven’t asked you about it up until this point because I knew it wasn’t any of my business. But I can see the dark circles under your eyes from no sleep and…and you look thinner so something tells me you haven’t been eating properly either. So out with it; is what everyone seems to be gossiping about you and Roman splitting true?” He asked flat out.

Antonia smiled weakly. This was what she loved about Paul – they could be completely honest with one another and still maintain a friendship/co-worker relationship. To her Stephanie was the luckiest woman on Earth. All you had to do was look at then when they were together and know they were blissfully and hopelessly in love with each other and it just grew when they had their three daughters. “Depends on what you heard I guess.”

Paul scowled at her avoidance. “Don’t play with me Toni.” He could see the sadness in her eyes and he wasn’t about to make her cry. “Word going around the back is that you guys got into a fight about the wedding and split.” That was all he was going to say; she would have to speak up if she wanted him to know the whole story.

Antonia sighed heavily as she nodded. “Yea, when we first got engaged we knew with how big both of our families were we couldn’t avoid a small wedding and clearly eloping was out of the question. But with my parents being strict Christians, Roman’s idea of a beach wedding wouldn’t work. I tried to explain to him that I already tried talking to my parents; they said if we don’t have a traditional church wedding – they won’t be going to the wedding and to them I won’t be married in their eyes and then they will not recognize Roman as my husband.”

Paul cringed. “Family is everything in this life. You’re being put through the ringer by not just your parents but now also by Roman. He wants the beach wedding for his heritage because that’s how his parents and sisters and brother were all married and now it gets to him and suddenly your parents are pressuring for an entirely different wedding. What does Roman’s family say about a church wedding?” Paul asked curiously.

Antonia frowned. “His mom tried to convince him it wasn’t necessarily a bad thing and he was quick to accuse me of turning his mom against him and then he got snarky and smarted off about his brother and the twins liking me and I can always go and be with one of them instead.”

“Ouch…” Paul stated softly as he took her laptop and closed it as he put it on the other side of him before he wrapped his arm around Antonia. “Listen to me…whatever he said when he was mad was said in the heat of the moment and he did NOT mean it. Roman is a level headed guy but when he is poked and prodded that Samoan temper rears it’s ugly head and he spouts off before he thinks about it. Don’t get me wrong I’m not taking his side. I just know what he’s like because I was the same way. Vince had Steph and I break up – you know this we’ve talked about it before. I was pissed to the point of just leaving the company; I was willing to sacrifice my career to be with her anyway I could. But Vince finally came around to the idea of us being together and look at us now. 3 kids – though I wouldn’t mind a couple more.” Paul smiled cheekily. “Just go talk to him.”

“I can’t. I’ve been avoiding him so well the last three weeks and I finally ran into him tonight as in face to face and I hyperventilated almost to the point of passing out.” Toni shook her head as she attempted to keep her tears at bay. “I just miss him so much and if getting married is going to ruin what we had then fuck it; we can just be engaged until we both die. I don’t need to be married to him to spend the rest of my life with him. I’ll change my last name to his and we’ll live happily ever after.” She could feel the tears pricking her eyes once more. “Excuse me.” She reached around Paul and grabbed her laptop as she jogged off down the hall to her office.

She needed some re-grouping.

Paul watched her take off and shook his head. Clearly their time apart was having a negative effect on her and he could already tell the big man was struggling with her as well; though his performance in the ring didn’t show it – he was professional if nothing else.

__________________________________________________________________

“I don’t know about this Toni…I don’t think this is the right way to go with the group.” Roman stated as he looked at the script that Paul had the writing team put together before the PPV Payback. His eyebrows were knitted together as his grey eyes stared at the script. It wasn’t meant to happen until Monday Night Raw after the Payback PPV.

Antonia was sitting on the couch next to Roman at their house in Pensacola Florida. She watched him as he was leaning forward with his elbows resting on his jean covered thighs. Her hand was sliding up and down his right tattooed arm as she was trying to comfort him. “Baby Paul said they were going to start pushing you. If they don’t split you guys up you won’t be able to start your singles careers; Dean and Seth included. I know it sucks with the way they are going to do it but it has to be done.”

Roman shook his head as he tossed the script on the coffee table and sat back against the couch. “I don’t like the way they are doing it. If they were going to break us up why not do it during the fuckin Shield Summit back in March why have us ‘make up’ only to keep us together for 3 more months and then go surprise Seth is going to be an asshole and break you guys up.”

Antonia frowned as she suddenly moved and straddled Roman’s lap as she softly rubbed his t-shirt covered chest. “Babe, is it a terrible way to end your two years together with these guys you’ve wrestled, sweated and bleed with; hell yes! Is it sucky to end one of the best factions in WWE this way; fuck yes! But you want to be the WWE Champion one day right?” She asked as Roman nodded while watching and listening to his fiancée. “Well this is what is going to take you there.”

“I know – believe me I know. But I also know I’m nowhere near ready for the title baby. I still need to work on my mic skills and my singles wrestling; I’m so used to wrestling with 2 other partners out there I get breaks in between but wrestling on my own I’m going to get worn out faster. I’m going to look like I can’t hack it. I know I got the skills. Whatever dad and uncle Afa taught me was enough but FCW/NXT pushed me into the position of being called to the main roster for a reason. I don’t know I just don’t think this is the right direction.” Roman stated very frustrated as he pulled his fingers through his raven mane.

“Roman, believe me there are going to be a million and one people who say you’re not ready for it, but what they don’t understand is – you’re not winning the title tomorrow – you’re winning it in the future and no one knows when. It could be next month or next year. Paul was placed as the COO of the company for a reason. He will watch you hone your skills as a singles competitor and when you’re ready he will come to you and tell you to be ready to win the belt at some major PPV. Until then just go with the flow. Keep working out, keep working on your mic skills and keep going in the ring like you’ve always done.”

“How are you this fucking confident in me?” Roman asked.

“Because I love you and I see the hard work you put into being the best and how you and Dean and Seth support each other so much in the ring, out of the ring and in the gym and just in your day to day lives. I want to hear your name announced as being the WWE champion and I want to see that strap around your waist. You looked good with the Tag Team titles and I know it was awesome as those being your first since your dad and uncle held the same titles, but your next step is the WWE Championship. You don’t know when or where but it’s going to happen.” Antonia wrapped her arms around his shoulders as she kissed his lips softly. “Besides I can’t wait for you to have your own t-shirt so I can be sitting at home with nothing but my Roman Reigns t-shirt on and a smile and send you cute selfies.”

Roman chuckled hard. “You do that now with my Shield shirts. What’s the difference?”

“The name on it...” She smiled softly.

__________________________________________________________________

Roman shook his head. Antonia was the one who was fully supportive of his singles career starting. She had been HIS voice of reason when he wasn’t sure about it. Even up until they got to the arena for Monday Night Raw on June 2^nd she was still talking to him. Hell she even spoke with Dean and Seth. She pointed it all out and laid it all on the line. Antonia had the knack for not sugar coating anything and it was exactly what all three of them needed to hear.

“Man you look like shit.”

“Double shitty actually.”

Roman was pulled from his thoughts as the familiar voices rang through the locker room. He looked up and saw Jimmy and Jey his twin cousins standing in his and Dean’s locker room. “What’s up guys?” He stood up as they bumped fists as the twins sat in a couple of fold up chairs.

Jey shook his head. “Word around the back was that you and Antonia split and I can tell by just the look on your face and those shitty dark circles under your eyes it’s true. What the fuck happened man?”

Roman shook his head as he sat back down and watched as Jey sat in a metal fold up chair across from him. “We were having an argument about where the venue of the wedding should be and I let my damn Samoan temper loose and the rest was history along with our relationship.”

Jimmy cringed. “Bro you need to get your shit together and get her back. Look how long it took me to even ask Cara on a date.”

“I’ve been saying that for the last 3 weeks.” Dean added as he walked out of the bathroom and bumped his fist against Jey’s and took another chair. “Let me tell you something big man. There are a lot of couples out there who really shouldn’t be together; they shouldn’t put themselves through the torture of getting hitched and popping out puppies, but you and Antonia – you two are about as perfect as a couple can get. You two belong together and if you can’t see that since she’s been out of your life for the last three weeks that you’ve been missing half of your soul, then you never will and you’re going to lose her to someone else.”

Jey chuckled softly. “That’s saying something coming from Dean, uce.”

Dean chuckled. “I need to go find Rachel. I’ll catch you later big man.”

Roman watched as Dean was up and out the door as he continued getting ready for his match. Roman shook his head. “I don’t know what to do anymore.”

Jey shook his head negatively. “Uce, you know exactly what to do. You’ve known all along. I’ve never seen you happier than when you’re with Antonia. Toni is it for you. She’s a strong intelligent woman and she loves you and she keeps you on your toes at all times; just like you do to her. You love that woman there is no denying it. You want to make her happy you do what you have to do to keep her that way and to keep her in your life.” Jey stood from his chair and patted his cousin on the shoulder.

Roman watched as his twin cousins left the room He just needed to get through tonight and tomorrow and then he would go find Antonia; he knew she was probably stay with Jimmy’s girlfriend Cara; since Rachel lived with Dean in Vegas and Toni hated the busy city there was no way she would be there.

Dean and his cousins were right.

Damn it why did they always have to be right?

__________________________________________________________________

Antonia was walking around the back with Paul’s phone. She shook her head. He handed it to her for her to answer when one of his daughters phoned. She loved his girls and when they came on the road with them normally they were entertained by Antonia and the rest of the Divas. Once she’d gotten off the phone she didn’t realize it but Paul had disappeared down the hallway.

She stepped down the hallway where the trainer’s room was but still didn’t see him. As she turned back and headed towards the gorilla position she stopped in her tracks as Summer Rae stepped up to Roman and their lips connected. An audible gasp tore from her lips as Paul’s phone slipped out of her fingers and crashed to the floor.

It was like a bad car crash – driving by in slow motion.

You couldn’t help but stare…