Packing. Cleaning. One last session of drawing with his niece as his nephew lays behind him. Ricardo smiles up at his sister and mother as they talk quietly across the room with Alicia, the three women getting along quite well since he'd introduced them. He's still sitting there when she comes up and throws her arms around him, kissing him loudly on the back of his neck. "It's about time to leave," she informs him softly, winking at the kids as they giggle and continue to draw, oblivious to their uncle's looming departure.

Goodbyes are difficult, and Ricardo hugs his mother for a long, somber minute. "I'll call when we arrive, madre," he promises, smiling down at her as she brushes his hair out of his eyes.

"You do that, mi hijo. And if this Alberto fails at taking care of you this time..."

"I'll kick his butt myself, don't worry about it," Alicia interjects, slinging a bag up on one shoulder before leaning to kiss Ricardo's mom goodbye. "He's gonna be ok," she whispers into the woman's ear. "I promise."

Ricardo hugs his sister, then squeezes the kids, before heading for the door, unlocking the car and tossing the last of their bags inside while Alicia drops into the passenger seat and waves at them. They had considered alternating between Texas and California, just in case things went south with Alberto again, but in the end, it wasn't financially feasible so Alicia had packed up her trampoline and had convinced Ricardo their going together was in their best interests. "Heath and Maryse will be moving here soon," he says. "Once they have their daughter."

Alicia beams and stares at him. "Yeah, that'll be nice, huh? Have some friends nearby." He smiles too and they exchange glances before slipping into their seats, leaning in for quick kisses before Ricardo starts the car up and eases it out of his sister's driveway. "Here we go," she says softly, resting her hand over his and interlacing their fingers. "Onward to Texas we go!"

He laughs a little before hitting the gas and taking off for the freeway to find the path that will take them to their new home in San Antonio. The drive is boring, it takes a few days. They stay in Tucson, Alicia needing to get out of the car and stretch her legs, have a decent night's sleep before they continue on for the final leg of the journey. "We're almost there," he informs her with a small smile, staring up at the pitted ceiling of the hotel room they've booked for the night.

Getting out of their California rental agreement had been easy enough, thanks to the month to month contract they'd wisely signed when neither of them were sure where they would end up, and now Alberto had found them a place not too far from his, a bit bigger than the rental back in California, with more room for Alicia's trampoline. "I can't wait," she says quietly. "You should let me drive though," she pouts, rolling over and straddling him. "I can drive, I'm not completely helpless-"

His warm hands ease over her shoulders, along her back, causing her to falter mid-sentence. "I know you can," he says. "But I like driving this route. And besides I'm the one who's made you move twice in as many months. It seems only fair I do the bulk of the actual traveling. Besides, it's nice to be able to look over and see your beautiful face as stop lights."

She closes her eyes. "You charmer," she says thickly as he rubs circles against her spine, leaving her a melted mess against him, most of her stress leaving at his touch. "Mmm," she sighs, pressing a kiss to his chest. "I love you."

"I love you too," he murmurs, leaning in to kiss her once more. They cuddle and kiss and massage each other until Alicia dozes off and Ricardo smiles at her, his insomnia having so chance as she warms him from the inside out, reminding him why all of this is so important- the move to California to reclaim his old self, the travel back to Texas to reclaim his financial success alongside Alberto. All for her, the life they want to build together.

-x

San Antonio is about as Alberto had described. Alicia settles in well to their new apartment, cooing over the furniture filling the rooms. Her trampoline fits easily in the backyard, and his few things are unpacked quickly while she divides things up- what can wait here until she can stay home long enough to unpack, and what she needs in New Orleans for Wrestlemania week.

He begins at the Hybrid school of wrestling, a place Alberto had helped him get his foot in the door at when they'd begun talking about his moving over, barely taking a minute to breathe before going there to begin to teach. He works with the students as late as he can, feeling the burn of exhaustion, smiling a little whenever something he suggests clicks and peoples' eyes light up, their wrestling game getting a little more snug, submissions and lucha and everything else beginning to slowly make sense to them.

He smiles happily, loving teaching as much as he ever has, eager to return the next night and do even more. Getting back to his apartment is difficult, still easily confused by the Texas roads, especially their strange on-ramp system on the freeway, but he makes it and Alicia is happy to see him, warm and sleepy against him as she kisses him hello. "Roads here are so confusing," he chuckles against her lips as she drapes her arms over his shoulders. "Be careful when you drive, alright? I still come really close to missing my turn a million times."

She clicks her tongue at him before nodding. "I'll be careful." She grips his hand. "Come on, let's get some sleep. I'm exhausted and our bed is too big without you." He follows her, relieved to kick his shoes off and settle in next to her, hugging her close and kissing her. "Good night," she hums.

"Good night," he whispers back. It storms that night, so loud that it wakes him up, but she sleeps through it and he settles in with his phone, tweeting while he listens to her breathing and thinking about lucky he really is.

The next couple of days pass in similar fashion, Ricardo publicizes his next career move- being hired as general manager to this female wrestling federation in Austin between training session at Hybrid. That weekend breaks the monotony terribly, however. Alicia is still sorting things back at the apartment while Ricardo tries to drive to Houston to make his flight to New Orleans for an appearance at Elev8 Pro. Everything goes wrong, he's still confused by the on-ramps, and then a car swerves into his lane when he expects them to continue going straight, Ricardo not responding fast enough to stop and slamming right into them.

He stops quickly and closes his eyes, pinching his nose and hoping that this won't stop him from making his flight as he gets out to check on the other driver. It just so happens that a nearby police officer had seen the accident and is already heading towards them. He slows traffic so they can get onto the shoulder but things get even worse once he runs their names and plates. He calls for backup and approaches Ricardo, who knows immediately, a sinking feeling in his stomach as he holds his hands up in supplication as the handcuffs are locked into place.

He knows before he's even transported to the police station- they've confused him for another man with the exact same name, and so... He closes his eyes and exhales, answering what they ask him and trying to keep his temper, seeming calm until finally they grant him a phone call. He hesitates over calling Elev8 Pro, but eventually settles for calling Alicia, who hears him out and agrees to be there as soon as she informs Elev8 herself. He thanks her before hanging up the phone and getting led back to the interrogation room where another cop is waiting, asking more inane questions, taking all forms of ID off of him and trying to confirm which Rodriguez he is in the area.

It's easy when things shift, an almost panicked look on the detective's face when he returns, quickly uncuffing Ricardo and handing him some paperwork to fill out. He's released within the hour and isn't that surprised when he goes out into the main area to find Alicia, Alberto, and one of Alberto's many lawyers standing around, looking intimidating and worried. Until Alicia looks up and sees him, rushing forward to hug him. "I'm ok," he tells her with a small smile, kissing her, before gently pulling away and turning to Alberto, eyebrow raised. "Mucha gracias," he says, smiling a little when Alberto grips his arm and squeezes gently.

"As if I would let my poor hermano be held in prison."

He scoffs slightly and knocks his knuckles lightly against Ricardo's jaw, standing nearby as he turns to the lawyer, shaking his hand. "Thank you as well," he says.

The man nods briskly. "Just doing my job, sir," he says, tucking some papers back into his case. "If anything else happens, call any time." He presses a card into Ricardo's hand and then disappears.

Alberto shrugs, grinning toothily. "Let's get out of here. See if we can find something to watch."

Ultimately the three of them settle on Boone the Bounty Hunter on Netflix and, even though Alberto grumbles through some of the silliness, his clear eyes and the small grin on his face gives him away every time.

Ricardo looks at his fiancee and best friend and sighs, relieved to be here. Except for earlier, so far, the first week's gone perfectly and he can't wait to see what happens next.