All is Fair in Love and War

28

Taylor nervously clicked the pen in her hand as she sat at the table in the meeting room waiting. Wes entered the room and saw Taylor waiting at the table. "Ian hasn't arrived?" He asked. Taylor shook her head as she stared at the pen in her hands. Wes stared at her for a moment. "So you're going through with it?" He asked.

Taylor set the pen down and sighed. "I don't know." She replied. "I'm going to use the bathroom." She walked past him and left the room. She saw Marcos and Danny approaching down the hall with Gabriella. She froze and stared. Gabriella looked ahead and glared as her sights fell on Taylor. Danny and Marcos stayed civil and gave Taylor and nod. "Is Ian here?" Danny asked.

Taylor shook her head. Danny sighed. "We'll just be waiting inside then." he said as he and Marcos entered the room. "Gabriella." Taylor softly spoke just as Gabriella was about to enter. Danny and Marcos looked back at her and waited for her response. "Can we talk please?" Taylor asked. Gabriella slightly nudged her head signaling them to go ahead. The two nodded and walked off as she shut the door and turned back to look at Taylor.

"What do you want?" Gabriella asked. Taylor frowned, "I don't want you to feel pressured. We don't have to do this." Taylor replied. "Pressure? Pressure?!" Gabriella glared. "That's exactly what the hell you and your team have been doing from the fucking start." She argued. "Maybe it was but not now. I don't want to make you do anything you don't want to." Taylor said.

"I don't exactly have a fucking choice." Gabriella glared. "You realize if you go through with this I'm going to have no choice but to fight you like I do every opponent." Taylor said. "I'm not letting you..." Gabriella said poking at Taylor's chest as she stared her down, "Or anyone else take advantage of me again. A fucking fight is what you all wanted. Then that's what you're going to get."

"I don't want to hurt you." Taylor replied. "Too late. You already did." Gabriella glared and entered the room before Taylor could say another word. Ian approached and touched Taylor's shoulder, "Hey champ. Come on." He said opening the door for her to enter. She brushed his hand off and entered the room in silence.

They approached the meeting table and sat across from each other. "Everything was discussed between both your teams, all we need is a signature." Ian said as he slid off the two contracts. Taylor stared down at the contract in front of her and held the pen in her hand. She glanced over at Gabriella who stared down at the paper in front of her looking almost as hesitant as Taylor was. "So this makes it final?" Gabriella asked. Ian nodded.

Taylor stared at Gabriella. Gabriella glanced up at Taylor, glared as she picked up the pen, and signed her name on the contract. "There. Now if you don't mind I have somewhere I really need to be." Gabriella said standing up and walking off. Taylor stared at the signed contract Gabriella left behind and stared down at hers in disbelief. "We'll see you during press conferences." Marcos said as he and Danny walked off.

Ian looked down at Taylor who still hadn't signed her contract. Wes stared at Taylor waiting to see if she would sign. "Well?" Ian said waiting for Taylor to sign. Taylor glanced over at Wes who stood waiting for her. Taylor glanced back at her contract and signed. "We're set." Ian smirked and took the contracts and left the room. Taylor looked back to Wes and saw the disappointment in his eyes. He shook his head and walked off.

--
Gabriella made her way down to the courthouse with Danny and Marcos to meet her lawyer for the custody hearing after her meeting. Her lawyer waited outside of the courtroom checking the time as she saw Gabriella approach. "It's about time you're 4 minutes late." Her lawyer, Olivia, scolded. "I tried to get here as soon as I could. It's just 4 minutes." Gabriella said.

"Impressions are everything. If Damien is more punctual than you for something like this that reflects on you too." She said. Gabriella sighed and nodded. "Now come on." Olivia said as they entered the courtroom. "You're late Ms. Marquez." The judge said as they entered. Damien and his lawyer turned around in their chairs and stared as they approached.

"Our apologies Judge Williams, my client had an important work meeting that ran a little late. It won't happen again." Olivia apologized. The judge looked unimpressed and sighed. "So you're both here today to discuss custody over your son?" He asked. Damien's lawyer stood up. "Yes your honor, my client would like to gain full custody of his son." He said. "What has led to this custody dispute?" The judge asked.

The lawyer looked over at Damien. Damien stood up. "Your honor I'm sorry I can't look more presentable today." He said gesturing to his bruised face. "But I fear for my son's safety. I've tried to be a civil father and share custody of him with his mother but she puts him in a hostile environment." Damien lied and put on a pitiful display.

"Bullshit-"Gabriella murmured. Olivia gently squeezed her arm and shook her head. Gabriella crossed her arms and slumped in her chair. "I see." The judge said, "And what exactly happened to your face, Mr. Brooks?" He asked. Damien glanced over at Gabriella and over to the judge with a frown, "Gabriella has been romantically seeing a very violent person who viciously attacked me." He said. "What?!" Gabriella glared. "Ms. Marquez." The judge said as he tapped his gavel. Gabriella got quiet and shook her head in disbelief.

"Ms. Marquez is this true?" He asked. Gabriella stood up and glared over at Damien before looking to the judge. "Not necessarily." She replied. "It's a yes or no question." The judge replied. "I was seeing someone, but she wasn't violent in the way Damien is saying." Gabriella argued. "Then what do you call that bruising?" The judge asked and pointed toward Damien. Gabriella glanced at Damien who smirked.

Gabriella looked back to the judges. "Damien has hurt me multiple times in the duration that we were together and even when we separated he's continued to make my life difficult and harass me." Gabriella argued. "Did your partner hurt Mr. Brooks or not Ms. Marquez?" The judge asked. "Yes." Gabriella sighed.

"Your honor, Ms. Marquez simply isn't suited to parent young Mateo." Damien's lawyer said. Gabriella glared over at him. "And why is that?" The judge asked. "Ms. Marquez's occupation is professional mixed martial arts fighting. She puts herself at risk and isn't a reliable guardian." The lawyer said. The judge silently thought about it for a moment. "Your honor, my client's profession has nothing to do with her capabilities as a mother. She has done everything to provide for her son and keep him safe. This has no relevance." Olivia argued.

"She couldn't keep him safe from physical abuse." Damien's lawyer said. "What?" Gabriella questioned. "Yes your honor, not only did her partner harm my client but she also harmed young Mateo." The lawyer said. "That's not true!" Gabriella shouted. The judge tapped his gavel. "Settle down!" He shouted. "Ms. Marquez you have the floor." The judge said.

"Your honor I'm no longer seeing the person these two are making these accusations against but I can assure you that she would never lay a hand on Mateo. He trusted her and she only ever took care of him. He would have told me if anything happened. Damien was the one who hurt him and threatened him!" Gabriella argued. "Of course save your girlfriend's ass instead of defending your son." Damien replied. "Fuck you." Gabriella glared.

The judge tapped his gavel. "Enough!" He shouted as everyone got quiet. "I'll be ordering further investigation into the matter and we will meet back again for another hearing in 2 weeks." The judge said. "Your honor, if it's allowed we would like to request weekend visitation rights for the time being." Olivia said. "Supervised visits and after further investigation we'll decide more from there. Court dismissed." The judge said tapping his gavel and leaving the court room.

Damien smirked at Gabriella, "Enjoy the visits while you can. You're going to have to learn to say goodbye soon." He said in passing and walked out of the courtroom. Gabriella clenched her fist and looked off. Olivia gently touched her arm, "I know it's not what you wanted but it's a start. At least you'll get to see him until the next hearing." Olivia said. "Yeah while I'm watched by someone like I'm some monster who would be capable of hurting my own child." Gabriella glared. "It's a start. I promise I'll find a way to get him back. Just take this as a small win okay? I'll keep in touch." Olivia said and walked off.