Eva- Thank you! Yeah, he'll need them!

Sonar- Thanks!

Mike gets the week off of commentary again for Main Event. His shoulder still throbs and the trainer is on about tears and various other injuries that aren't too severe but definitely causes him a fair amount of pain. It's only due to tense commands from Morrison from a Skype screen and Alex's beseeching gaze that he gives in at all and stays at the hotel they'd booked, counting the moments until he can go to Smackdown and get some sort of payback for what's been happening to him the past few weeks.

It's not even about the US title anymore. Yeah, that'd be nice, and he wouldn't mind having gold to carry around again, but in the end, he's just mad. Incensed about what Cesaro's been doing lately, the constant cheap shots and anti-American babbling. Rescuing the US title from that would only be an added bonus. When he watches Main Event that week, and sees Dolph and AJ interrupting the Highlight Reel, he's excessively relieved that he wasn't there and couldn't uphold his role as Jericho's guest.

After a few days spent recovering and attempting to return his focus to his career aspirations instead of always dwelling on AJ's words and actions, he's relieved to find that he doesn't have a MizTV segment on Smackdown or anything equally as pointless- no, thankfully, he has been granted a rematch against Cody Rhodes and his chance at retribution for everything is right in front of his nose. His eyes gleam as a smirk grows on his face. His shoulder is wrapped tightly, the trainer securing it around his midsection so movement is awkward, puts a bulls eye on his body, but he can't help it. It's the only way he'll be allowed to compete and he goes through with it.

Despite Rhodes' every attempt, Miz's anger and determination fuels him and he beats him with the Figure Four. As he leans against the top rope and cools off, staring up the ramp, he hopes that Cesaro and all of his detractors are watching. No matter what, no matter who, he's not going anywhere. He'd not been in this business for so long to be taken out by such nonsense. He makes his way to the back, looking over as Alex starts to follow him.

"Mike-"

"Yeah," he grumbles. "I'm going to the trainer's. Just relax, Alex." The young man does relax and Mike sighs, feeling somewhat guilty as he realizes again just what he's been putting Alex through. The last thing his friend needs after the abuse he'd taken from Big Show days earlier, but he hadn't complained once. "Thanks, by the way. For keeping an eye on me," he says, half-smiling as Alex looks over at him. "It's old news I'm far from being easy when I'm hurt or whatever, but you're always right there, no matter what."

"I always will be, Mike."

"I know. And even if I don't show it sometimes, I do appreciate it."

"I know." Their smiles grow as they continue walking side by side to the trainer's office, Alex carefully wrapping an arm around his friend's shoulders.

He thinks he has it on Sunday, it's just within his grasp but... Antonio kicks out and Mike lands wrong while trying to set up the Figure Four, landing hard and... dammit! Cesaro convinces the referee that he'd been lowblowed, causing Miz the match, the US title and his vengeance by DQ. He's steaming so hot that it's all he can do to not blow up right there, in the middle of the ring, and he lowblows Antonio on purpose right then and there, feeling somewhat justified as the Swede wheezes and collapses onto his side, writhing in pain.

When he gingerly makes his way out of the ring, holding his shoulder protectively, Alex is once more waiting for him by gorilla, looking wary as Mike stares at him. "This is far from over," he vows, glowering at nothing in particular as his former rookie nods.

"Of course it isn't, Mike. That was the stupidest ending I'd ever seen."

Mike bites his lip and looks around, relieved to find that the area is fairly empty, only a few guys scattered around waiting for the next match. He's not even sure he'd really done anything DQ worthy in the ring, but he'd been so caught up in the moment... "How did that even happen..."

"The referee didn't even see it," Alex comments, reinforcing Miz's displeasure with the decision. "Cesaro had to convince him. It sucks, I'm sorry, man."

It's little consolation, but it's still something. He hadn't cost himself the belt, it had just been one of those stupid things, and he'd figure out some way to work his way into another opportunity as soon as possible. Releasing a deep breath, Mike nods. "Thanks, Alex." They're about to return once more to the trainer's office to get his arm looked at when he spots Big E. standing off to the side, which means that AJ or Dolph or both has to be nearby. He purposely ignores the much larger man and walks off quickly, in no hurry to see either of those two.

Alex follows him closely, lips pursed unhappily as his friend's emotional turmoil pours off of him in waves. "Are you alright, Mike?"

"Yeah." Since confessing to Alex what AJ's decision had been, he'd gone back to not wanting to talk about it. Not hear her name on his lips. None of it. He'd rather forget that any of it had ever happened, try to ignore that 2013 was already proving to be so damn insufferable, but he knows as long as they're in the same company and she's with Ziggler, that won't change. So the best thing he can do is just ignore them, move on. Focus on his matches, his true friendships, and things that he can work on, make better. He'd ruined the thing with AJ a long time ago and he knows dwelling on it won't get him anywhere.

Considering how unfulfilled Sunday had left him, Monday Mike thinks maybe he's starting to get back on the right track. Especially when, despite taking a fair amount of damage to his arm, he eakes out a victory against Cesaro in a non-title no-DQ match. It had been a brutal contest, his body trembling in weariness as he makes his way back up the ramp, and he's relieved to see Alex waiting for him again, and A-Ri says little as he quietly lifts his good arm and wraps it around his shoulder, leading him to the trainer's. "Congrats on the win, man. You deserved it," he tells him with a proud smile.

"Thanks," Mike answers, smiling also through the pain. They're almost to the office when Alex stops suddenly, Mike grunting as he's jostled. "What-?" He looks up, his voice dying away as abruptly as Alex's movements, his eyes clouding over. "AJ." The girl is standing in front of them, Big E. once more lurking nearby. Dolph is nowhere to be seen. "What do you want?"

Her eyes jitter from left to right until finally she takes a breath and squares her shoulders, staring at him. "I wanted to make sure you're ok, is all," she explains with a pained look on her face. "That match looked pretty..."

He shakes his head, still not understanding why she's here, now. Looking at him like that... "I'm fine." They stare awkwardly at each other, Mike almost certain she'll grab Big E. and just leave now, but she's never done what he's expected in the past, so why start now. She remains standing in front of him, their eyes locked, and finally he can't take it anymore. "AJ, you chose him. What else do you want from me?"

Her lips part, eyes growing misty, and he winces. "I- I said I wanted to try to be friends, Mike. I don't want to cut you completely out of my life."

He pulls away from Alex and walks closer to her, tensing when Big E. takes a step closer, only her outstretched arm keeping him at bay. "It's a nice dream, AJ, but this all happened too fast. I'm not ready to be friends." When her face falls, tears dripping her face, he feels horrible yet again, relaxes his stance against her. "Look. I'm not saying it'll never happen, just... not right now. Ok? I need time and... I doubt Ziggler would appreciate it much either, after everything. You should go, he has a match soon, right?"

She sniffs and nods, not looking at him once as she motions at Big E., brushing past him. Pausing for a moment, she wipes at her eyes. "I'm sorry for everything I've put you through, Mike. I hope you can forgive me some day."

He's frozen as she walks off, staring at the trainer's office door, honestly floored that, after everything, she would apologize to him. "Just when I think things can't get anymore messed up," he groans, barely saying another word as Alex supports him the rest of the way to the trainer's office.

They're still in there, his arm covered in ice packs, when Dolph wrestles Del Rio and tries to cash in the briefcase, just for Ricardo Rodriguez to think quickly and grab the case, rushing up the ramp like wolves are after him- which is nearly enough true, Big E. surprising everyone with the utter speed he takes off after the younger man with. Miz would ordinarily be laughing uproariously at the ring announcer's quick thinking, and Ziggler failing, but he just can't quite feel it, thoughts far away as AJ's attempt at assisting Dolph cashing in falls through as well, Alberto kicking Dolph to unconsciousness before he can succeed at his second attempt.

I'm not the one who needs to forgive, he thinks, picking at the cold wraps against his skin. But when you find out... when... I tell you... I doubt that anyone could forgive that. Maybe it'll make it easier for us both to move on. Maybe not, but I can't keep this to myself any longer... He closes his eyes, unable to completely guess what the result of his coming clean about the whole Morrison mess to AJ will be, but knowing it needs to be done. If anything will make her give up on me, it'll be this.