Ricardo tries to keep to a normal schedule. Training, spending time with Alicia, keeping in contact with Alberto despite their own busy schedules, even honoring his indy events. Which works until Friday night, when he wrestles at GCWA's War Games, a brutal elimination match with seven other guys. Everything fails all at once not long after his elimination, his adrenaline disappearing in a rush and leaving him spasming in pain, his back suddenly on fire as it locks up on him, making it impossible to walk or do much of anything. He gasps and leans against the wall, gritting his teeth as a few people around turn to look, a couple trying to talk to him. He ignores them, remaining there, until he thinks enough to grab for his phone.

Alicia is already gone for the weekend WWE events she's scheduled for, and so Ricardo has only one other option. He closes his eyes and slides down the wall, trying just to breathe as his back protests even this movement. When the phone clicks, he doesn't even wait. "El Patron?" he asks breathlessly. "I... I need help," he forces himself to admit. "Por favor..." He feels tears of frustration fill his eyes. It's a long drive and if he had any other option, he wouldn't put Alberto out like this, but... he can't move, and part of him will be forever grateful to the GCWA staff who remain with him, trying to get his pain under control between pain medicine, and alternating ice and heat.

It's a long drive and by the time Alberto arrives, Ricardo is off of the floor, sitting miserably on a bench, shivering through another cycle of ice packs. Sofia is with him and Alberto cups Ricardo's face, searching his eyes. "How bad it is?"

"Better," Ricardo says honestly, the pain medicine helping to clear his mind enough for him to keep control of his emotions as Alberto and Sofia step away to whisper amongst themselves, neither looking thrilled with the situation. Finally they rejoin him and help him up, walk him carefully to the car. "My-"

"Senor will take you home in that," Sofia interrupts to tell him. "I will be driving his vehicle back to San Antonio." It sucks, but it's the only solution. He nods, murmuring his gratitude to her in Spanish, before Alberto guides him to his car and gets him settled in the backseat, tucking him in and taking his place behind the wheel.

It's a quiet, tense drive, and Ricardo's almost thankful when he falls asleep about fifteen minutes into it. He's so groggy and out of it that he barely remembers walking from the car to the house, or Sofia tenderly helping him into bed after easing him out of his wrestling gear and into sweats and a wifebeater. He does remember Alberto's knuckles kneading his forehead as he leans over him, the room dark and quiet. "Shhh, mi hermano," Alberto whispers, seeing he's awake. "Go back to sleep. We will be here in the morning."

And they are, when Ricardo wakes up, miserable and so stiff that he can't get out of bed on his own, each step burning agony as he's helped to the bathroom to handle his business before getting helped back to lay down. He has more matches scheduled for tonight and tomorrow but Alberto had called and canceled for him before day had fully broke and shame overwhelms Ricardo, but he knows it's the right decision even as he tries to calculate how much money he'll be missing out on because of this, and if he and Alicia will be able to afford rent and everything else now.

Alberto seems to sense this, asking Sofia to go make them all some tea to help Ricardo relax. As soon as she's gone, he shuts the bedroom door and kneels down next to Ricardo. "I will assist you in getting bookings once you're healthy again," he says quietly. "If you need to borrow money-"

"No, no-" Ricardo tries to deny, not wanting Alberto to get the thought in his head, but-

"Mi hermano!" Alberto snaps, Ricardo immediately falling silent, looking away as shame colors his face. "This is no time for pride. You can barely walk, you called me on the brink of tears last night be- because you were in so much pain." He reaches out, surprisingly gentle despite the tone of his voice as he takes Ricardo's hand, rubs his knuckles. "It reminded me of when your ankle was broken by that perro Swagger, when I failed you so drastically. I promised myself then I would never fail you again, and I am aware that I have broken that promise again and again, but I will not let you suffer when I can so easily help you." He stares at him. "I owe you more than I can ever repay you just for you forgiving me for the most heinous, hateful things a man could do to his best friend. To his little brother. So por favor, allow me... allow me to help you. It is not a gift, nor charity. You will repay me, I have no doubt." He smiles sadly at Ricardo. "Please. Let me to do this for you, Ricardo."

Ricardo shudders. Closes his eyes and sniffs as fresh tears fill them, from a different kind of pain than the night before. "Fine," he whispers, voice cracking. He licks his lips. "We will repay you. In full." Alberto hugs him then, pressing Ricardo's face into his shoulder gently, and Ricardo struggles not to cry but eventually breaks, soon soaking Alberto's shirt with all of the pent up humiliation of getting injured so quickly after moving to Texas, requiring help, and yet again being a burden on Alberto and Sofia, first physically and now financially. "Lo siento," he chokes out, trying to move away, but Alberto continues to cradle him, whispering in soft, soothing Spanish, until his tears ease slowly.

Once he's quiet, only sniffing a few times more, Alberto pulls away and brushes the tears off of his cheeks, staring into his eyes. "Better?"

"Si, a little." Ricardo scrubs at his face. "Lo-"

"If you apologize again, I swear," Alberto says with a chuckle, the threat going nowhere as Ricardo stares up at him. "I just want you healthy and happy again, mi hermano. Especially with the double wedding on the way." He leans forward and squeezes Ricardo's shoulder. "Get some rest. I'll look in on you later."

Ricardo nods, only just reaching out in time to grab him before he can disappear from the room, remembering something. "Alberto. Seriously. Muchas gracias, mi hermano. I know things have been rough between us over the years, but... I always knew if I needed you, you'd be there." He smiles, still wan and a little teary-eyed. "Whether I wanted it or not, si?"

Alberto barks out a laugh at this and leans in, kissing Ricardo's forehead. "Si. Always have been and always will be. Until we're old and grey, and probably long past that, Ricardo."

It's mostly a nice thought, Ricardo decides as he watches Alberto leave the room, quietly clicking the door shut behind him.