"So Paige finished filming?" AJ asks, peeking up from her novel as Mike joins her, his hand resting on her leg.
"Yeah, she's back in the States. I have a couple weeks left, and then..." He hesitates, peeking over at her. "What do you think? Wanna take a second honeymoon?"
She stares over the laptop, a startled look on her face. "Uh... I mean, I thought you'd want to return to WWE as quickly as possible."
"Well," he hedges. "I do plan on returning before too long, but considering how I walked out on a high, defeating that wanna be and retaining my brand, I'm in no hurry." He leans in and kisses her. "Unless you think the few weeks we've spent in Vancouver is more than enough and you want me to go away."
He pouts as she giggles and cups his face, drawing him in for a warm kiss. "Never," she mumbles. "If I could, I'd keep you by my side all the time." As he stares in anticipation at her, she finally gives in with a giggle. "Fine, fine. Where are we going?"
He looks smug before lifting her into his arms, grabbing the laptop and settling it on the table before it breaks. She has no time to lecture him before he kisses her to speechlessness, her eyes fluttering when he deepens the kiss, the pleasure thrumming through her veins. "That's for me to know and you to find out," he tells her, eyes gleaming as she nods blankly, digging her nails into his collar and drawing him back into her eagerly.
Mike's schedule has him filming till the 25th, all goes well, so he opens his eyes to another new week and softly kisses AJ to start his day. He's working through a quick breakfast of eggs, sausages and toast while reading the scenes for the day when his phone rings. He grunts and fumbles around until he finds the device. "'Lo?" he mumbles, downing some orange juice.
"Mike?" It's Ricardo, and he sounds shaky, upset.
Mike curses himself for not checking the screen before answering, and for not bothering to check in after Paige left. "What is it? Is Paige ok?"
"Si, yes," he says. "She's fine... It, it's Alberto. And John. Mike, he threw El Patron face first through glass!"
Mike freezes. That does not sound like John at all and he wonders what the gritty, dark world of the temple they compete in weekly has done to his best friend since he'd left to film this movie. He checks his watch before sloppily stacking the script back up one handed, relieved that filming will conclude soon so he can return to reality. Figure out what's going on with John and talk things through with a recuperating Alex.
Sighing and pinching his nose, Mike urges, "Tell me everything, Ricardo."
Later, after living out of his own head for a few hours, determined to give this movie his all so there's no scheduling delays, he trudges back to the hotel and up to the room, laying down and resting his head on AJ's stomach.
She strokes her fingers through his hair gently, clearly concerned. "Mike? Is everything ok?"
"No," he mumbles into the soft fabric of her shirt. "John's losing his mind and attacking Del Rio enough to send him to the ER... Ricardo's frantic, and Alex is ridiculous." He releases a breath and sits up, cupping her face. "I'm so sorry, but this might not be the best time for a second honeymoon. Can we postpone it a little? I'll try-"
Her finger on his lips quiets him, the kiss that follows taking some of the annoyance out of his eyes. "You forget, husband... Our first honeymoon was a lot like this, except that I was a lot more unstable and aching at the time." She smiles. "To me, the past few weeks have felt like our second honeymoon. Yes, we've both been busy, but that's just us." She resumes stroking his head as Mike looks up at her adoringly. "I wouldn't change a thing."
He finds her hand and squeezes it before lifting it up to kiss it. "I love you."
She beams at him and curls her fingers around his jaw, guiding him back towards her. "I love you too."
They turn Raw on at some point but neither pay much attention until Paige runs out to attack Naomi, getting some revenge for what had sidelined her and made her ill during filming. AJ watches curiously as her former enforcer saves Naomi, wondering if the two women will start fighting now. "Oh no," she whines.
"What is it, sweetheart?"
"Now MY friends are doing it!" She buries her face in the nearest pillows and Mike laughs, wrapping an arm around her and drawing her into him.
"You'll be alright," he tells her, stroking her hair.
"Hmph," she grunts, tangling her fingers in his shirt. "You know what, my friends are fighting, yours are fighting... Why don't we just stay here forever? No drama," she offers with a coy smile, wrapping her arms around his neck and leaning back, unsurprised when he supports her.
"Sounds good to me," he mumbles, pulling her forward and kissing her shoulder. "Except that I think everyone would kill each other if we did."
She sighs. "I guess you're right. But we'll still come here sometimes, right?"
"As often as we can," he promises her, kissing the top of her head.