The night before Ricardo leaves for the UK, Alicia and he watch movies on the couch, the pets content to settle around them, as if they know as well. He chuckles and plays with Zero when Alicia goes to get a drink, the movie paused behind him... when Zeus starts barking, eyes narrowed towards the door. Ricardo frowns when Zero joins him, pawing and yipping at the wood. "Hey, hey," he says, pushing both dogs away from the door and peeking out of the window just to jump when there's a loud knocking sound next to his head.

Gasping, Ricardo reaches out and grabs the doorknob, gritting his teeth as he pulls the door open. "What do you want, Alberto?" he asks, trying to ignore how his heart is racing, his voice is strained.

Alberto stares down at him, a blank look on his face. "May I come in?"

Ricardo closes his eyes and slowly steps aside, still unable to resist giving Alberto whatever he wants despite everything they've been through.

"I'm not here to discuss me and Paige," Alberto tells him. "I've heard you're leaving for England tomorrow and I just wanted to see you one last time. You can kick me out if you wish, but just allow me two minutes to say what I want to say?"

Ricardo nods after a tense moment, dark eyes locked on Alberto. Alicia hovers in the doorway before exhaling and backing into the kitchen to give them time to themselves. "Fine."

Alberto exhales and sits down, staring up at him. "I apologize for whatever pain I've caused you. I never meant for things to work out this way. It is no excuse but I have been alone a very long time, and I am beyond displeased with how things have panned out for me in WWE this time. It doesn't make up for what I've done to you, I know. But I hope between your time in England, and this new found relationship with Alicia, maybe I can one day be part of your life again."

Ricardo's jaw works as he stares down at Alberto. "I don't know," he says slowly. "I can't trust you, Alberto. Every time I do, something happens and I lose another piece of myself. I miss you, I miss Paige, I miss Sofia, but this is the way things have to be for now." He swallows. "I hear Paige's injury is possibly very serious. Please, no matter what you do, just... take care of her. Don't abandon her like you have done so many others. Please."

Alberto nods slowly, standing up once more. "I will. I promise." He steps towards Ricardo and waits it out for a moment before wrapping his arms around the younger man. "Take care of yourself, and safe travels, mi hermano." He pulls back and kisses Ricardo on top of the head before tugging lightly at his ponytail. "The longer hair suits you," he says with a faint smile.

Ricardo stands tensely, staring away as Alberto pats his arm a couple of times before leaving. When Alicia enters hesitantly, he turns towards her and sinks into her arms. "Are you ok?" she asks softly.

"Si," he murmurs into her shoulder. They stand there for a few moments, Ricardo trying to shake off every bad feeling that Alberto's visit had brought him before she leads him back to the couch and waits for him to sprawl out, stroking her fingers through his hair before unpausing the movie in an attempt to distract him.

The next morning, she follows him through the airport as far as she can, leaning in and softly kissing him goodbye. "I'll be here when you return," she promises, smiling sweetly at him. "Don't worry about anything over here, just enjoy your time over there. Bring me a couple of souvenirs maybe..." She taps his chin and winks at him when he nods. "I'll miss you."

"I'll miss you too," he says quietly, holding his arms out to her. She hugs him tightly and he sighs against her hair before pulling back, smiling sadly at her. "Take good care of yourself."

"I will." She steps back and watches as he walks away from her, pausing at the final turn and waving at her before disappearing from sight.

The flight goes as well as any flight can, and he finds himself greeted by Saraya Knight and Ricky Knight Jr., Ricardo exhaling in relief when neither mention Paige to him. Still, it's weird, and even as he prepares the first training session, he expects Paige to be mentioned at any moment. Thankfully, Saraya seems to have talked to her sons and husband about not mentioning it so things carry on normally... until he's preparing to wrestle Ricky Jr., help him figure out a move that'd be evading him, when the young man pulls his mask up and looks at Ricardo. "You know my sister loves you," he says briskly. "I know mum doesn't want us talking about this right now, but she's my sister. No one gets to hurt her."

It digs into Ricardo like knives into his chest- I hurt her?- and for this reason, when they wrestle later that night, he takes no mercy on the kid, pulling out every measure possible to defeat him. He almost doesn't feel bad about it when his arm is lifted in victory, the kid groaning and struggling to figure out what happened. Leaning over him, Ricardo gets as close to his ear as he can, speaking just loudly enough to be heard over the crowd. "Never mention Paige to me, at least not without knowing the whole story."

He leaves the ring then, relieved to be out of there, to have one win under his belt already. Closing his eyes, he wipes away sweat and whatever else liquid might be drying on his cheeks and heads out to change, wanting to skip whatever Saraya might have to say about the show he's put on here tonight.