Alicia beams, leaning into Ricardo's side. "Hey."
"Hey," he says softly, wrapping an arm around her. Things are quiet, for now. Heath and Maryse have come by a time or two with Monroe, the girl's eyes wide as the three dogs sniff around her, intrigued and gentle with the child. Neither of them are sure how to help, if they actually can. This is something Mike will ultimately have to handle, as his feud with Shane shakes out.
"I've been called to Raw again," Alicia giggles, trailing slow, soft kisses down his jaw. He squeezes her side in response, and she hums. "Dunno if I'll wrestle, but it's nice to be wanted." His hands sprawl out over her lower back and she eases her kisses up, to his lips, Ricardo sighing softly as she tastes him, scraping her teeth against his flesh, nibbling gently.
"I know what you mean," he says and she chuckles, a deep, vibrating sound that trembles through his body as he holds her close. "Maybe you'll get to see Heath too. And you can talk to Mike."
"Yeah," she says softly. "I didn't really get much of a chance to last week, everything moved so quickly. I'll try harder this week." She rubs his side and presses her forehead to his, searching his eyes. "You know you're the best part of my life, right? I know things haven't been easy the last few months... but you were always there for me, and never pushed me. I love you. I love you so much." She kisses him again, and he groans softly, so warm and happy, heart racing as she continues to shower him with affections, that he thinks she can feel it as she grips his jaw, deepens the kiss and presses flush into him.
His hands are moving slightly along her back as she shifts against him, and she finally eases back, giving him the opportunity to speak, staring deep into her soft eyes. "I love you too, more than you will probably ever know," he tells her quietly and she smiles tenderly down at him, trailing her nails down his cheek before claiming him in another, all-devouring kiss that he can feel all the way down to his toes.
-x
Alicia feels more at home at Raw than she could've expected that week, considering everything. People are still leery of her, watching her closely, but she stays on her best behavior, smiles and nods at everything said to her, all of the glances levied at her.
She's calm as Tamina walks up to her. "We're competing tonight," she says simply, and Alicia nods. It's a tag match taped for Main Event, which they ultimately lose, but it's nice to be in the ring, especially with a friend of AJ's. Tamina is a calming presence and Alicia wonders if, with Nia recovering from double knee surgeries, possibly Tamina would be willing to keep this alliance going at times. But she keeps the thought to herself for tonight, because there are other things brewing.
Heath had also been on Main Event, wrestling to a loss against Mojo Rawley, and he looks grim as he walks backstage, sans Rhyno for the first time in months. When Alicia asks, his face falls even further and he picks at the towel hanging lopsided around his neck. "He's done," he says softly. "WWE ain't usin' him so he's just gonna ride out the rest of his contract, 'n'... we prolly won't ever partner up together again." He looks really devastated by this and Alicia steps up, ignoring how sweaty he still is, and hugs him tightly. Heath hesitates for a split second before hugging her back, shoulders shaking. "Why's everythin' gotta hit all at once, huh?" he mumbles into her hair. "I... I should be happiest guy around, gonna be a daddy for the second time, but..."
"I don't know, sweety," she tells him softly. "Life's just unfair that way sometimes." She eases back and trails her fingers down his face, trying to dry his tears. "But hang on, yeah? It'll get better, and you'll have another sweet little baby to love and spoil in a few months and all of this nonsense will fade away entirely, you'll see."
He stares at her desperately. "I wish I could do somethin' to help Mike against Shane..."
Alicia tilts her head up at him and eases her hand down, gripping his. "Come with me. I think I know how to make you feel better." She leads him through the halls, feeling like she does sometimes when walking the dogs with Ricardo, and he follows her obediently, the two of them hesitating outside of Mike's locker room before Alicia knocks.
"Yeah?" he calls gruffly and she calls out to him, barely telling him who's there when the door is pulled open and he stares at them. "Wow," he mumbles. "Come in, guys. Come in." Ushering them in, he hugs Alicia. "Welcome back. Everything going better for you now?"
She nods against him. "Thanks to Ricardo, and everyone else supporting and wanting nothing but the best for me, yeah."
He turns to Heath and grips his shoulder, kneading it. "How about you? Everything good?"
Heath nods, then shakes his head, some of the misery returning as Mike sits him down, waiting for him to speak. "You 'n' Shane," he says quietly. "I... it's killin' me, man. He knows our secret! What are we gonna do?"
Mike continues to rub his shoulder. "Leave that to me," he says evenly. "I know it's hard, being patient, especially with how things have been going lately, but Shane hasn't revealed our secrets yet. I don't know why, exactly, but I appreciate it. I'm going to beat him at Money in the Bank, I promise you," he says. "I will not fail you, our wives and our children again. After I'm done with him, he'll probably barely remember his own name, much less anything to do with any of us."
Heath sniffs and wipes at his eyes. "Does it make me an awful person if I tell ya I sincerely hope so?"
"Not in this situation," Mike says with a small smile. He continues leaning over Heath, massaging his shoulder, until he calms down for the most part and nods. Only then does Mike sit up, looking from Alicia to Heath. "Well, well, the gang is all back together again." He laughs softly and wraps an arm around Alicia, still rubbing Heath's back. "I'm glad. It was..." He sighs. "It was exceedingly lonely on Smackdown."
"We missed you too," Alicia tells him with a small smile and he grins up at her.