Puerto Rico goes much easier this time around. Ricardo meets Alberto's new hire, Hernandez on the island, impressed by the man's size and how friendly he seems. They lounge by a pool and discuss what Alberto wants from them that evening, Ricardo laughing as he runs his hand through the cool blue water, tilting his head to take in the sun. It's nice, being here, meeting new people, experiencing new things. "I'll see you at the show," Ricardo says once it's time to go and get ready for the evening. They shake hands and Hernandez nods agreeably, going to the left while Ricardo goes to the right. His hotel room is yet again overwhelmingly breathtaking and Ricardo sighs, kicking at his bag as he drops onto the bed and stretches out, staring up at the ceiling as shadows drift against the walls.

He'd missed this, traveling and competing and everything else, but he does miss Paige, Alberto... Alex and Miz, while he's on the road. Rolling onto his side, he yawns and rustles through his clothes, selecting what he wants to wear while introducing Hernandez to one Ray Gonzalez. "This should be fun, indeed," he murmurs, ducking into the bathroom with a smug look on his face. Though the last time hadn't gone so well, he has backup this time, and the confidence to go with it.

He's not sure if it's just Hernandez's intimidating aura or his own determination to see all of this through, but everything goes just as Alberto had requested, as Ricardo had hoped, and so they decide to find somewhere to eat to celebrate. The only place open that they can find is Denny's, and the two of them laugh and talk late into the night over omelets and pancake dogs, the establishment emptying out to only a few patrons as the wait staff wander around and clean up where needed.

Come sunrise, it's time to return back to Florida and Ricardo gives Hernandez a quick, one-armed hug, grinning at him. "Good to meet you, amigo. I'll see you again soon, si?"

"Si, vato, safe travels," he tells him, inclining his head as Ricardo shoulders his bag. "Next time, I get you to eat those pancake dogs."

"Ay," Ricardo laughs. "We'll see. Adios."

"Adios." Hernandez's hulking shadow remains in that spot, watching, until Ricardo turns out of sight, looking at the plane that will take him home. He smiles.

-x

Ricardo has a match against Nick Nero at WXW the upcoming weekend and Alberto is scheduled for an event in London, so they're both busy in various ways. After sleeping off Puerto Rico and then telling Alberto how everything went with Ray Gonzalez, Ricardo returns to his dojo to train and prepare, and Alberto sits in, watching him when he has some free time on Monday. "Lo siento, I wish I could be there to see your match against this Nero perro," Alberto offers when they're leaving afterwards, his arm loosely wrapped around Ricardo's shoulders. "But I'm sure you'll be fine without me."

Ricardo nods. "I'll do my best, El Patron." He hesitates and swallows, glancing back at the dojo before turning towards Alberto. "You know what this weekend is, si?" he asks after a moment, rocking forward on his heels.

Alberto also turns until they're eye to eye, thinking. "I believe so, si."

"The Mexican tour," he whispers. "Paige is leaving for it..." He runs his fingers through his hair and smiles morosely. "Do you recall I tweeted something about us working together again for it? Do you believe... there's any possible chance of that having happened, if things had occurred... differently and we were still there?"

Alberto's dark eyes search what he can see of Ricardo's face in the darkness, his shoulders lifting in a half-shrug. "I'm not sure, mi amigo, I prefer not to think of what ifs... All I know for sure is that we're essentially working together now, and that is the important thing. WWE restrictions were partially what kept us from working together again, so it's just as well it shook out this way. We're still affiliated but this way you get to be more than a ring announcer. That's good, si?" he asks, tapping Ricardo's jaw.

"Si, it is," the younger man says with a small smile. "Very good. Freedom is... definitely nice."

Alberto nods, wrapping his arm once more around Ricardo and directing him towards the car. "That it is, amigo. Now let's go home, Sofia will worry if we're out much later."

-x

Paige returns the next afternoon and Ricardo curls an arm around her, lightly kissing her forehead as she tells him about what happened on Raw, Mike putting his foot down about Alicia not being allowed to stay in AJ's locker room anymore. "Not surprising," Paige sighs. "In fact, it's better this way. Alicia doesn't need to be part of... that clique... We're better off doing whatever we want in the main divas locker room. Besides, I'll have my locker room back soon and Alicia will be welcome... and Alex too whenever he wants, and the others will just have to deal with remaining in the public locker rooms." She giggles softly as Ricardo hears her out, his fingers drifting against her bare shoulders as he leads her outside to the pond. "I like this spot," she hums, settling in next to the water. "I had one of my very best birthdays here not that long ago."

He flushes slightly and grins, still a little of that shy uncertainty showing itself now and again when he thinks about how their relationship had begun. "I'm glad you like it here," he tells her. "And now that I live here again, we can spend as much time as we like anywhere on these grounds that you want."

She nods and leans against his shoulders, sighing as his arms wrap snugly around her midsection. "This is nice." He nods and kisses her, smiling. "I hate having to go to Mexico without you. It won't feel right without you there to show me around, like we were planning..." His smile slips and he holds her tighter, staring at her. "I'm sorry, I'm not trying to make you feel bad, I know it couldn't be helped. You deserve to be happy, and I'm glad that you are. I'm just going to miss you." She strokes his arm, gasping faintly as he cups her face and tilts her enough that he can kiss her more thoroughly, Paige's sigh slipping past his lips and making him smile as he strokes the part of her midriff that her swimsuit doesn't cover.

"Someday, I'll take you there, and maybe we'll bring Alberto and Sofia, and we'll just explore everything that we've ever wanted to see," he promises, shifting to cup some cool water and drift his wet fingers up her skin, causing her to shiver. "I want you to have a great time in Mexico, even if I'm not there. It's a beautiful place, and you shouldn't keep yourself from enjoying it just because I'm unable to be there with you."

"Ok," she whispers, staring up at him with a dark, heady gaze. "I'll do my best... but you have to call me every night so I can tell you all about what I do experience."

"Deal," he promises, grinning as his wet fingers drift again and she trembles. "You're beautiful." She's just opened her mouth to say something when his phone rings and he groans, resting his forehead against her shoulder. "Lo siento," he breathes, answering the phone. "Hola?" He listens, idly tracing shapes against Paige's soft flesh, leaving drips of water in his wake, and she groans softly, his conversation barely registering with her as she digs her toes in the sand and releases trembling breaths, waiting for him to return all of his attention to her. Finally he hangs up, freeing his other hand to do just that, shaking his head fondly. "Silly Mike," he breathes against her cheek before finding her lips again, all thoughts of Miz wanting Sandow to dress up as Sheamus but requesting his permission first quickly becoming irrelevant.

-x

Ricardo and Sofia see Alberto off early Friday, watching his plane taxi down the runway from one of the windows. "So I suppose with Paige going to Mexico tomorrow, and your match being only a car trip away, it's just you and I going to your event, hmm?" Sofia asks, leaning into him as he hugs her.

"Si, I believe so. Alex is competing with NXT this weekend, so yes, just the two of us." He smiles fondly down at her. "You up for a roadtrip, Sofia?"

"With you, always, Ricardo," she tells him, eyes gleaming as she nods. "I know you'll be incredible tomorrow, as always."

"I hope so." He's barely finished saying the words when she grips his chin, staring up at him. Despite her being nearly a foot shorter than he is, she still looks intimidating as her brows furrow. "Sofia?" he asks doubtfully, wondering why she's staring at him like that.

"You still fail to realize how proud we are of you, aren't you?" she wonders, examining his face. "Senor Del Rio, Paige, Alex, Mike... myself... win or lose, Ricardo, we know you give it your all, every time, and that's all we need from you." She rests her hand on his arm and manages another smile, though it looks a little sad this time. "I hope with time, it will be all you need from yourself as well."

He swallows harshly and ducks his head, nodding. "I'm trying, Sofia. I am... it's just... been a hard few years. I'm... happier than I have been in a long time though, so that... that counts for something, si?" He glances back up at her and smiles, looking little better than Sofia's own. "I'm getting there."

She releases a breath and hugs him tightly, her eyes soft with tears. "Si, you are, mi hijo. You definitely are." After a few moments, they recollect themselves and head for the exit, hand in hand.