It's late. AJ's eyes are burning, hurting with a desperate need for sleep, but she can't stop moving, she can't look away from her phone, hoping for news. For some sort of confirmation that Mike's alright, the comfort of his voice in her ear again. "Please," she whispers, pacing in the living room. She'd left Alicia's room a couple of hours ago, not wanting to disturb her rest, and now she's here. Sofia had peeked in awhile ago and left her a glass of tea, to try to comfort her, but it remains on the table, forgotten and tepid.

When her phone rings, she almost throws it, startled, but her fingers tense around it at the last moment, and she answers without looking. "Hello?"

"We found him," Tamina says.

"Oh my god," AJ chokes out, her knees buckling. "Where was he?"

"Tommaso found him, he'd been left tied up outside of the hotel we're staying at. AJ, he won't talk to us. I think... well, I hope if he hears your voice, it'll help."

"Ok," she says softly, tears dripping down her face. "Let me... let me talk to him." There's silence, except for the soft cadence of Mike's breathing, and AJ sniffs, wiping at her eyes. "Mike, hey, can you hear my voice? It's- it's me, AJ. I'm so glad Tommaso found you," she continues, trying to fill the silence between them. Encourage him to speak. "Do you remember, I'm in Pennsylvania right now? Alicia was having some complications with her pregnancy and I came to help? I was- we were watching the TV when... when you were taken. Can you- can you tell me what happened? Lumis took you through the crowd, and you- you-"

Her voice dies away when a loud, panicked whine cuts her off. "I don't want to talk about it!" he says, voice trembling, laced with horror and fear. "I don't- please- you can't make me." He sounds wrecked, his tone of voice weak, unlike anything she's ever heard from him before, even after the Wyatt situation. "AJ- please-"

"No, no," she says softly. "I won't make you, I just- I want to make sure you're ok," she tells him. "Are you... are you ok?"

He sobs suddenly and her heart skips a beat, dread welling up within her. "I want... I want to see you," he chokes out. "Please, AJ- please-"

"You come here," she says steadily, digging her fingers into her thigh to keep herself stable. For him. Because he needs her to be the strong one now. "You come to Ricardo and Alicia's house. Everything will be ok, Mike." She pauses. "May I speak to Tamina?"

There's a tense silence, then Tamina greets her. "I'm back, AJ."

AJ breathes heavily. "Tamina, this is a lot to ask, I know, but would you... could you..."

"I'll fly with him to Pennsylvania," she says, AJ's shoulders slumping at how well Tamina still knows her and how her mind works, even after all of these years. "I'll make sure he gets to Ricardo's house in one piece."

"Thank you," she breathes, tears starting to streak unchecked down her jaw once more. "Thank you so much, Tamina. For everything. Is Tommaso around? Can I-"

"Once we got Mike settled, he excused himself to check in with his wife and daughter," Tamina tells her. "I'll tell him you said thank you, though, and I'm sure he'll call to check in tomorrow, you can tell him directly then."

AJ swallows hard. "Alright. I'll- I'll see you both in the morning," she whispers. "Thank you again, Tamina. I... I don't know what I'd do without you."

"Any time, AJ," Tamina tells her before hanging up.

AJ closes her eyes, knuckling her forehead, before quietly padding by Alicia and Ricardo's bedroom to slip inside of her own, unsure what she needs more of right now- to cry out the muddle of emotions she's drowning in right now, or a few hours of sleep before going to the airport to pick Mike and Tamina up.

Before she can decide, there's a quiet knock at her door. "Come in," she calls out faintly.

Ricardo peaks in. "Hey, heard you come in here. Is... is everything ok? Mike-"

"Tamina and Ciampa found him," she says, fiddling with her fingers. "Um, he seems- there's something wrong, I think he's traumatized by something but he won't talk about it." She looks up. "Ricardo, I'm sorry- I invited before I thought about it, but is it... is it ok if he comes and spends a couple of days here? Tamina's flying with him."

Ricardo stares at her. "Of course it's ok, AJ. I mean, you dropped everything to come help the second you heard Alicia was on bed rest, it would be our honor to let Mike stay here, as long as he needs. Anything we can do to help, alright?"

Fresh tears pour down her face. "Thank you," she whispers. "God, I'm grateful to so many people right now, I don't even know what to do with it all." Her laugh sounds wet and shaky and Ricardo steps closer, hugging her tightly.

"Everything's going to be ok," he tells her. "You and Mike, you're far from alone, alright? We're all here for you." Pulling back, he taps her jaw. "Try to get some sleep, alright? I'll see you in the morning."

She smiles weakly at him. "Alright, I'll try. Good night, Ricardo."

He leaves with a small smile back at her before closing the door behind him, and she sinks onto the bed, collapsing to the side, all strength leaving her as she clutches at the pillow and cries, stress and relief and everything else slowly pouring out of her, leaving her drained and staring ahead into the shadows until she falls into a half-doze.