Ricardo tries to keep himself focused this coming week. Wrestling, soccer, he spends some time with Alberto, watching soccer and discussing their various projects. He even books a couple of dates back in California, even a few under the mask. All in all, it helps ground him, keep him calm and relaxed. Then, after Raw, he gets the phone call.

Tuesday dawns early and he looks helplessly down at the puppies as they shrink away from the new entrant into their as of yet quiet and careful existence, Harley not quite as little and scared, barking loudly.

Alicia clucks down at the puppy and shakes her head. "What's wrong with all of you? I have a new friend!" she cries out, throwing her arm around Nikki, who is currently baring her teeth and growling at Harley. "Isn't it great?!"

Ricardo swallows. "Si, of course, Alicia, it's... I'm happy for you, but the puppies are still acclimating to the house, and..."

She waves her hand at him. "It's fine, they'll be fine! Just need to adjust to her presence, isn't that right, babies?" she asks, kneeling down to rub both puppies' heads. "So cute," she squeals, leaping up and running off, the puppies pressing close together as Ricardo buries his hands in his face.

Nikki barks out that rough, grating laugh of hers as she slinks forward and throws an arm around Ricardo's shoulders. "I think we're gonna be great friends," she informs him, dissolving once more into startling chortles.

He exhales in a deep shudder and eyes her. "Of course we are," he mumbles. He's not sure why she's here, or for how long, or what Alicia's thinking, honestly, but the longer she stands there, clinging to him, Alicia dragging in their luggage, the more he thinks he's not going to like any of those answers.

-x

"It's ridiculous," Ricardo groans softly the next morning, puppies tumbling around on Alberto's patio, Sofia petting and cooing over them while Ricardo sits next to Alberto on a glider and lazily rubs his thumbs over Harley's forehead. He'd woke up early that morning, crated the dogs, and snuck them out to the car without waking up either Alicia or Nikki, claiming it a win as he drove away to spend some time at the dog park. Visiting Alberto was his next big idea, and he's glad he'd come.

"Sounds like it," Alberto says, adjusting his sunglasses to peer at his best friend. "She didn't even ask?"

"No," Ricardo says miserably. "I normally get wild people in wrestling. Hell, I'm married to one of them, but I'm used to Alicia's eccentricies. Throw Nikki in, when I'm trying to house train these puppies, and it's just a mess."

"I suppose you should tell her, mi hermano," Alberto says, not unkindly. "Best to, si? Explain to her how you're feeling. Perhaps it will help. Perhaps not, but should try, si?"

"Si," Ricardo says quietly. "I just needed some time to get my head together before I did."

Alberto nods, rubbing his shoulder. "Well, as I have said many times, you are welcome here whenever you need, mi hermano."

Ricardo smiles at him. "Gracias. I suppose I may as well do it sooner rather than later." He stands and smiles at Sofia as she frowns, disappointed at losing more play time with the adorable, chubby puppies. "No worries, Sofia, we will come back soon."

"You had better, mi hijo," she says softly, standing up and dusting her clothes off before hugging him tightly. "And bring the puppies."

"Si! Of course," he laughs, beaming at her before moving to recrate the puppies. They're sleepy and content as he snuggles them before settling them in and closing the doors to get them to the car and back home. "I will call soon, we will schedule a new visit so Sofia can play with the puppies for longer," he promises them, first hugging Sofia, then Alberto. "Muchas gracias again," he says into his shoulder and Alberto nods, cupping the back of his skull.

"De nada, mi hermano," he says simply, squeezing Ricardo before letting him go. He peeks into Harley's crate and smiles upon finding her wide awake, unlike the puppies. "Take good care of him, puppy," he tells her before stepping back to let Ricardo carry her to the car as well. They stand by the door and wave at the retreating car until it disappears around the corner of the long driveway and disappears.

Sharing a wistful smile, the two go back to their daily chores, Alberto getting a work out in while Sofia begins preparing a late breakfast.

-x

Sitting outside of the house, Ricardo taps his fingers against the steering wheel before deciding to leave the dogs here while he goes to confront Alicia, and kindly but firmly let her know what he really thinks about her inviting friends over without advanced warning. But the instant he steps inside, he's given pause. It's quiet, calm inside. He smells coffee and follows it slowly inside, finding Alicia sitting at the table, a small smile on her face as she pours and pushes a mug towards him. "There you are," she says quietly. "I woke up and you were gone. Decided to give the puppies a break, huh?"

He sits for a moment, considering this. "Alicia..."

"I know," she says with a painful kind of casualty. "I know what you're going to say. Nikki... she just needed a place to stay last night, she was up shortly after you left, packed up and went. I'm sorry that I sprung that on you, I wasn't expecting it either," she says, sounding a little breathless. "We lost, and Nikki was going on about needing a place to stay, and it surprised me that she sounded like she wanted to continue working together. Mickie dropped me as soon as Alexa was cleared to wrestle, after all, and I would really like a chance at getting my hands on those women tag titles at some point, so I thought if I could get on Nikki's good side, maybe we'd eventually start to gel as a team and my chances would grow."

He stares at her with warm, compassionate eyes and she exhales. "I just didn't expect her to be so... extra, even off of TV. I know she scared you, and definitely scared the puppies, and I'm so sorry about that. Next time- if there's a next time- I promise to give you advance warning so you can prepare the puppies somehow." She stares down at her hands. "I woke up this morning to Nikki snarling at the TV and you were gone, the puppies were gone, and I... I hated it," she laughs weakly. "Life without you, without the dogs. Just a woman who I've only known a couple of weeks in my house, growling at the animal documentaries on my TV."

Ricardo makes a soft noise deep in his throat and scoots over, wrapping her up in his arms. "You don't ever have to worry about that," he promises her. "I will always be here, the puppies will always be here. We all just needed a minute, ok? She's... definitely a unique presence."

Alicia laughs and cradlies his jaw, kissing him warmly. "I love you so much," she informs him. "I'm not sure what I did to deserve you, but it must've been really great."

He just smiles, kissing her back, trailing his hands up and down her sides as she gasps into his mouth. "I love you too," he mouths into her skin and feels her arch up, eager for his touch, his kisses, his arousing whispers. "Always have, always will."