Ricardo stretches. Rubs at his calves. Half-watches Raw as Alicia and Sasha face off. He half-smiles at the excuse that Alicia's nose itched and that's why she lost the week prior. It doesn't stop her from losing again, no, but she gets her revenge by attacking Sasha back stage. Pushes a referee and gets fined for it, but she also gets a preshow match for TLC. Well, that could've worked out worse, he thinks, going outside to kick a soccer ball around a bit while he lets off some steam. His insomnia is eating at him again, keeping him from sleeping.

He spends his time when Alicia isn't home watching horror movies on Netflix and trying to figure out more bookings in the future, struggling to sleep and failing day after day. Things are a little easier when she is home because at least he has someone other than himself to focus on, but he still can't sleep. He knows she's worried about him, but he knows that it'll shift. He'll eventually crash and sleep a good day away, and then the cycle will continue all over again. He just has to knuckle through it.

He's sitting on the couch, face pressed against his hand as he stares blankly at the TV, when she comes home the next day. She smiles softly, spotting how he's wearing her shirt, and settles in close to him, kissing the side of his face. "Have you gotten any sleep?" she asks softly, rubbing her nose against his jaw.

"No," he says honestly. She tsks gently at him and kisses him softly. "But I'll be ok." He drags out his phone and shows her an email from Mike discussing the gender reveal/Halloween party he and AJ are holding for Maryse and Heath, a wistful smile on his face. "Wish we could go, it's been much too long since I last saw Heath."

She nods. Rests against him. "Well, the holidays are coming up. I'm sure we'll see everyone then." He nods and she nuzzles closer, her eyes slipping closed. "I'm so happy for them. And Sara will have a playmate. I'm sure Mike and AJ are thrilled."

"Probably," he says. "God, she looks like she's getting so big. I need to get back to LA soon. See my family as well."

Alicia nods. "I'd like that." They lay for awhile, Ricardo half-dozing, though not fully relaxed enough to sleep hard. "You look good in my shirt," she tells him when his eyes flutter open and he squeezes her.

"It's comfortable," he says with a sleepy kind of smile, kissing her shoulder. "I like it a lot." He eases forward and presses his lips to hers, sighing softly. When she shifts to get closer, his hands rest gently on her hips and she exhales shakily, their bodies melding together perfectly.

"Let's see if we can get you to relax enough to sleep," she says, brushing his hair out of his eyes and slowly rolling her hips as his eyes darken, his teeth worrying his lower lip. "Damn," she groans. "I know this is bad timing," she whispers. "We're still... still working to be in a good place with our relationship... and we're still both hurt thanks to Paige and Alex, but... I see AJ and now Maryse with their pregnancies and babies and... I just... I want it so bad." She closes her eyes, swirling her tongue against his as she scrapes her fingers up his scalp. "Maybe someday."

He gapes at her. "You would want kids with me? Really?" He feels a little uncomfortable at the thought, no matter how tempting it is to imagine their children with intent brown eyes, golden brown skin and his hope mixed with her uniqueness. Not long after he'd begun seriously thinking about a future with Paige, she'd left him for his best friend, so he shakes his head, refusing to allow himself to slip too far into that daydream. "Alicia..."

She rests a finger on his lips, smiling sadly at him. "I know. We both have been burnt badly and you're probably not ready to even think about something like this." She arches into him and sighs, scraping her nails into his jaw line. "I just wanted you to know."

He sinks into her warmth, feeling the twist of exhaustion that's always present when he's been going this long without sleep, but forces himself to stay awake as she stares into his eyes, kisses his mouth and curls slowly, protectively around him, kissing the side of his lips. "As soon as you're ready, I will be right here waiting for you."

-x

Alberto is quiet when Ricardo meets him at the soccer field, tapping a ball around. "Hola," he says, feeling even lighter on his feet since his and Alicia's talk. He still has a lot to sort through, but it does help, somehow.

Alberto's smile, however, is wan. "Hola, hermano." He sits quietly, watching Ricardo kick the abll around while he waits for others to come. "It is, eh, over between Paige and I. She left me."

The words come out of nowhere, Ricardo has no idea what to say or do, just stands staring into the net with a cringe. He drops the ball and walks over to the man, sitting next to him. "What happened?"

Alberto shrugs. "I suppose with her return to WWE oerhaps on the horizon, she chose to focus on her career instead of us."

Ricardo still has Alicia's voice in his head. It makes hearing about Paige and Alberto easier. "Lo siento," he says sincerely. A beat passes and he swallows, "I think Alicia wants to have children soon."

Alberto stares at him, looking as confused as he'd felt a few moments earlier. "..My hermano," he says, shifting forward and clapping Ricardo on the shoulder. "No matter what you decide, I know you'll do the best you can for any child you may have."

Ricardo smiles at his, eyes softening. "Thank you, El Patron." His confidence in Ricardo's plans... It means a lot, it really does.