Helping Alicia with her wedding brings back many fond memories of AJ's own wedding a year and a half ago almost. She hadn't been in the best place at the time but it was still the best decision she'd ever made, and she sincerely hopes that Alicia feels the same way. Once Alicia is in her dress, hair and makeup is ready, AJ leaves her to decompress for a few moments as she goes to check on the food and guests. Finding everything to be satisfactory, she allows herself a minute with Mike outside while he watches Alex slowly lose it and Ricardo attempts to calm him.
"Isn't that supposed to be one of your jobs?" AJ asks with a laugh as he holds her close and sways to the faint music being played while they wait.
He shrugs with an ornery smirk and twirls her around, watching as the sleek purple fabric of her dress moves with her perfectly. "Have I mentioned you look gorgeous today?"
"We haven't really seen much of each other this morning, so no you haven't." She grins up at him as he rests his hands on her hips, a not very subtle way of touching her stomach. She leans into his touch and sighs softly when he kisses her slowly and deeply. "Is that your way of saying that I do?"
"Yes, yes it is." He trails his hands up her sides and wishes, not for the first time that they were alone instead of surrounded by all of their friends and waiting for this wedding to begin.
AJ smiles, reading the expression on his face and feeling the exact same way. Stepping back, she pats his chest lovingly and turns. "I should go make sure that Alicia is good to go because if we wait much longer, I don't think Ricardo can keep Alex from pacing a sinkhole into Alberto's yard." She winks at Mike before returning to the house, where Alicia is pacing about as anxiously as Alex is, which considering how intense her dress is, AJ can't help but be impressed. "It's time," she says when Alicia looks up.
"Oh God," the bride mumbles, picking at the skirt of her dress anxiously.
AJ laughs softly and walks over, hugging her warmly. "You're going to be fine, Foxy. Just breathe. Soon as you look into his eyes, you'll forget all of this."
Alicia grimaces and squeezes her. "I'll believe you," she murmurs. "Well, let's go do this then." AJ nods and hands her the bouquet of red and purple flowers she'd selected, carnations and lilies combining to make a unique but beautiful presentation, a bit of color against the pure white front of Alicia's dress that matches with the rich purple fabric across her back and along the hem of the skirt.
AJ leaves first and Alicia takes a breath, slowly following. Standing across from Mike and Ricardo, Christina quiet behind her, AJ is in awe of how beautiful Alicia looks, how intently Alex is staring at her. She starts crying a minute in, her hormones working against her once more, and Mike smiles sympathetically at her, unable to break up the ceremony just to go comfort her. Thankfully, she regains control of herself before Alicia or Alex could notice something wrong- though Ricardo is looking at her in confusion- and they listen as the two recite their vows, their hands interlaced.
When Alex places the beautiful white gold ring with purple stones across it on Alicia's finger and she presses the simply stunning matching band onto his, the officiant looks from her to him. AJ once more remembers a year and a half ago, looking into Mike's eyes as he was told to kiss his bride, not that he needed the reminder. She smiles and claps with the rest as Alicia and Alex kiss, his hands curling around her face to hold her in place, never wanting to let her or this moment go.
Finally though, he pulls away and rests his forehead against hers before they face the crowd. "I introduce to you Mr. and Mrs. Alex Riley," the officiant declares.
Alicia giggles and sways into Alex as he kisses her again. "Ok, everyone," she says slightly breathlessly. "There's food and music and everything else inside, so please... help yourselves."
AJ hugs her once more before slipping into Mike's arms and letting him lead her inside, relieved to sit down after so many hours on her feet. The dress, thankfully, is loose enough that no one had noticed her weight growth, but still. She sighs and rests her head back against the wall while people mill around, Mike bringing her a glass of water. "How are you feeling?" he asks, trailing his hand down her face and leaning in to kiss her.
She smiles up at him and sips leisurely. "Great, actually. I just watched one of my closest friends get married to the guy she loves, and now I get to sit here and let you massage my feet." He laughs as she kicks her purple flats off and rests them in his lap, closing her eyes as he begins to stroke up and down the arch of her foot. "Oh God," she moans, wiggling her toes. "Don't you dare stop."
He laughs and kisses the top of her foot. "If you keep making noises like that, people are going to think we're doing something else in here. Sofia would be scandalized at the thought of her precious kitchen getting treated in such a fashion."
AJ pouts, then releases a breathy sigh as his massage moves up her ankle. "Damn, you're so good with your hands." His smirk grows as she presses her toes into his midsection. "Filthy mind though, it's a shame really."
"You like my filthy mind," he counters, teasing up her leg with mere brushes of his fingers and feeling her shiver.
She bites her lip before sitting up, pulling her legs from his grip. "We're going to miss all of the reception at this rate. Come on." Holding her hand out, she wiggles her fingers until he takes it and gets to his feet, following her inside. Alex and Alicia are in the process of cutting the wedding cake, the group of their friends and family giggling as she smashes it all over his face, gently kissing the crumbs and frosting away a moment later.
The dancing is next and AJ takes Mike's hand once Alicia and Alex has been on the floor for a few minutes, grinning when he spins her around and dips her, bringing her back in close. "Hmph," she sighs. "I feel strangely coordinated whenever we dance. We should do it more often." His eyes gleam as he leans in and kisses her, his arms snug around her waist. If they do more kissing than actual dancing, no one protests, but a couple of songs in, AJ spots Star sitting not far away, looking glum. They'd invited her and John together weeks before Lucha Underground and it's clear things are tense after Melina getting involved in Ultima Lucha. "Hey, husband, I'll be back in a minute," she tells him, pressing her hands against his shoulders and pulling free.
Star peers up at her as she approaches and smiles. "Hola, mami." Ever since learning about the pregnancy, she'd taken to calling her that whenever they were alone and AJ glows with happiness at the title. "How are you?"
"I'm fine. But I saw you over here and thought I'd come check in on you. You looked kind of lonely," she says, reaching over and taking Star's hand. "Things are still rough with you and John?" She peeks over at the man who's standing with Ricardo and Alberto, discussing things and not-so-subtly peeking over at them as Mike joins their cluster.
"Si." She stares down at their interlaced hands, AJ's tanned and warm against her pale, cool one. "This is the first time we've been in the same place since... since..." She releases a breath and shakes her head. "I don't understand."
"Men are strange," AJ murmurs, resting her head against Star's shoulder. "But considering you're sitting at the reception to a wedding that almost didn't happen, trust me. Things can turn around when you least expect it." Making sure that no one's looking, she guides Star's hand over to her stomach and rests it loosely there. "Mike and I have had a lot of problems ourselves, but look at us now."
Star smiles, lips parting as she feels the slow changes to AJ's body under her fingers, nodding. "Si, right. Thank you, AJ." She takes a minute before getting to her feet and walking quietly over to John, tapping him on the shoulder. When he turns towards her, she peers over at AJ before squaring her shoulders. "May I have this dance?" It's awkward, his guiding her along the dance floor, and it's clear that they have a lot to work through yet, but it's a start.
Mike joins AJ a moment later and kisses her cheek. "My matchmaker." They're still sitting there, watching everyone else, when Alicia guides Alex over to the chairs, his face tense with barely hidden pain. "What's wrong?" Mike demands, taking his other side and helping him sit down before he falls.
He's pale and flushed all at once and Alicia winces, grabbing a towel from the table and dipping it in water. "He didn't want anyone to know," she mumbles. "I told you to take it easy with the dancing, I was fine with doing just the main dance and then sitting..."
"It's your wedding, I wanted it to be special," he sighs, closing his eyes as she dabs his forehead.
"Idiot," she says fondly, running her fingers through his hair. Catching Mike and AJ's confused looks, she sighs. "He needed another surgery a couple days ago. It was minor, or as minor as surgery can be, but yeah. He was back to training yesterday and now the wedding... I guess it was just a bit too much for him..." She kisses him lightly and rests her forehead against his shoulder.
"Jackass," Mike says, voice highpitched in his anger. AJ squeezes his hand and he takes a breath. "Don't do that shit, Alex. You had surgery and didn't tell me? I'm your best man, idiot. What the hell-?"
"He almost didn't tell me," Alicia says, peeking at Mike from behind her curtain of hair. "Considering the surgery was the same day I was gone for Raw, he almost got away with it too... but I guess his conscience got the best of him considering he almost canceled the wedding to begin with."
Mike's jaw drops even further and he shakes his head, eyes so wide that his irises are the only visible thing. AJ cups his face, making him look at her, and he points speechlessly at the newlyweds. "What is going on?! What have I missed?"
She takes pity on him and kisses him on the mouth after pushing his jaw up so she doesn't feel like she's making out with a cavern. "It's ok, husband. Everything's ok."
"No it's not!" he chokes out, but when he registers the look on her, Alex and Alicia's faces, he struggles to relax. "You're really recovering alright?" he shoots back at his former rookie.
"Yes, Mike. I promise. I just overdid it a little with standing through the whole ceremony and trying to dance the afternoon away with Alicia." He lifts his wife's hand up and kisses it lingeringly. "I owe you an hour of dancing as soon as I'm 100% again."
"Damn straight you do," she murmurs, eyes fluttering when his lips gravitate up to her neck, nuzzling in and sighing against her warm flesh.
Mike and AJ exchange smiles before turning back to the dance floor, watching as Ricardo and Paige slowly dance around the floor, Alberto approaching Sofia for a dance as well. The housekeeper grins and takes his hand, joining the other two pairs on the floor and Ricardo laughs in surprise when he spots them, grinning at the mere sight of Alberto actually relaxing enough to dance in public. After a few songs, he offers a trade and Mike watches, eyebrows raised, as Ricardo spins Sofia around the room and Alberto awkwardly takes Paige's hands, the two of them dancing with as much distance between them as could be possible. "Who the hell taught him to dance?" he laughs, shaking his head in amazement.
Another couple of hours pass with the group of them eating, dancing and enjoying themselves, before Alicia and Alex take their leave. The rest of them are staying at Alberto's so they wave them off and then head off to their bedrooms to get changed, relax for awhile. AJ sighs as she changes into one of Mike's merch shirts and sweatpants, immediately slipping under the cool sheets. Mike joins her a moment later, wearing only shorts and one of her shirts, and she grins, reaching out for him. "So now that we're alone," she murmurs. "About that foot massage..."
He hums and scoops her up, holding her close to him as the sheets drift down atop them. She rests her head on his chest as he settles back against the pillows and finds her feet, lightly kneading them. "Tired, huh, sweetheart?" he asks softly as her eyes flutter. She mumbles something that he can't quite catch and he nods, kissing the top of her head. She nuzzles deeper into him, feeling his heart beating under her cheek, and falls asleep as he continues to massage her. He drifts for awhile, never stopping the repetitive motion, staring up at the ceiling and thinking about everything that'd happened during the wedding.
After a couple of hours of not finding sleep himself, he lifts her up and gently settles her back against the sheets before leaning in to kiss her on the lips. Padding out to the kitchen, he's not that surprised to find the light on and Ricardo sitting out there with a pensive look on his face, staring down at his phone. "Hey, man, what's up?" Mike asks, running a hand through his hair as he walks over to the fridge.
Ricardo jumps and looks up, a slightly shamed look on his face. "Oh. Hola, Mike. Did you sleep?" He's returned to his phone before Mike can even respond so he gives up on the fridge and sits on the table next to Ricardo, nudging him with his bare foot until he looks up. "Huh?"
"What's going on, man? You were quiet a lot today," he says. "Is everything ok?"
A dark, uncertain look crosses Ricardo's face and he grimaces. "I received an offer... it's... it's incredible, and everything about it... is something I'd love, but..." He closes his eyes, his hands curl into fists. "I'd have to live in India for six months. I'd have to leave Paige, and Alberto, and Sofia and all of you for... half of a year..."
Mike feels like he's been suckerpunched, the strength leaving him as he sinks off of the table and into a chair. His first thought is the baby, the baby would be there by the time Ricardo returned, and Ricardo would've missed the entire pregnancy and Mike's freaking out and maybe the first few weeks of the baby's life, and... He shakes his head and rests his face against the cool table for a moment, trying to remind himself. It's not about him, or AJ, or the baby. This is Ricardo, poor Ricardo who's been struggling off and on since Alberto betrayed him. And yes, things have gotten better, Alberto had apologized, resumed their friendship, he had found Paige... but still, that shattered fragility remains with Ricardo and Mike knows that this would be good for him. "Does Alberto know?" he asks upon sitting up.
"He was the first I told," Ricardo nods weakly. "You're the second. I haven't found the words to tell Sofia or Paige or anyone else yet... What do... you think? Is this a fool's errand? Or would it...?"
"You love traveling," Mike says quietly. "You love new places and new people, so I think... you should go for it, man. But dammit, I'm going to miss you."
Ricardo's face crumples before he leans forward and hugs Mike hard. "I'm going to miss you too, but it's such a great opportunity..."
"Then you can't let it go," Mike whispers. "But you promise me, you'll be careful over there, right? You have people who'll help you with stuff, right?"
"Yeah, yeah, the guys who offered me this- they'll be good to me. No doubt."
Mike pats Ricardo's face and nods. "That's all I need to hear then." He finds Ricardo's hands and squeezes them. "One thing though. To give you even more of a reason to come home, man." Ricardo stares at him, his hazel eyes wide. "We're not really telling anyone so you'll have to keep it to yourself... but I'm going to be a dad." He wipes at his face, sighing. "AJ's pregnant." Ricardo's jaw drops and Mike laughs brokenly. "Yeah. I don't know what I'm doing, if I'm coming or going... and I'm annoyed that you're not going to be here to tease me when I start really freaking out, but my baby will need its Uncle Ricardo as soon as possible, so you'd better be here for it."
Ricardo swallows, his eyes shining. "Definitely. I promise, Mike, I won't be gone forever." He stands and hugs Mike for real this time, tight.
Mike sighs and turns back to the fridge once they separate. "I was going to bring my sleepy wife some food, because she's always hungry when she wakes up now, hopefully she'll understand if I'm a little late." He smiles at Ricardo while piling food from the reception on a plate. "I'll see you later, Ricky."
This one time Ricardo lets the nickname go. "Bye, Mike."
He returns to the bedroom to find AJ just beginning to stir, cranky and confused when she wakes up alone. He sits next to her and picks her up once more, holding her close as she wakes up. "I brought you sandwiches," he whispers. "And cake. And sparkling cider." She wakes up slowly in his arms as he feeds her, lost in thought. John and Star struggling to reconcile, Ricardo leaving and Alex freshly off surgery and married... so much is happening... His head spins as he holds the glass, letting AJ sip from it lazily.
As soon as she's had her fill, she digs her knees into his hips and he puts the plate down, brushing the hair out of her eyes. She shifts and leans up, kissing him hard. The bubbles from the cider dance around his mouth when he parts his lips to kiss her back and he sighs, settling her down against the pillows. "You're so beautiful," he mumbles, his hands trailing down between them.
"You said that when I was wearing my dress," she responds, staring at him challengingly as he lifts her shirt up slowly and kisses along her ribs and stomach.
"You're beautiful in anything, and in nothing," he breathes, smirking up at her as she hums, contented with this response. Her fingers running through his hair quickly turning into nails lightly grazing across his scalp feel like slow, blissful torture as his lips move faster and hotter against her. "Damn, AJ," he groans, trailing back up her body until they're eye to eye once more. "Notice how it still feels like we just got married yesterday?"
She nods and sighs out his name as he lifts her up, their bodies flush together, and presses his mouth to hers in a hungry, open mouthed kiss.
A couple of hours later, AJ is laying on her side, listening to the water running while Mike takes a shower. They'll be heading back to California in the morning and he wants to spend every possible moment with their friends, so he's doing what he can now- packing, etc, while she dozes lazily, her hand sprawled over her stomach. She's wondering absently when she'll feel the first flutter of life inside of her when there's a weak knock at the door. She frowns and sits up, not sure if she's hearing things at first, but then it comes louder and she sighs, shrugging into Mike's shirt and making sure she's decent before getting out of bed and stretching deliciously.
Her pleasant feelings all fade away when she opens the door and peeks out just to find Paige waiting for her, tears pouring down her cheeks. "Oh, my little English muffin," she gasps as the taller diva all but collapsing into her arms. "What's wrong?!" She's glad when Paige keeps her feet under herself enough to make her way into the bedroom where she breaks down into broken sobs.
"Ricardo broke up with me and he's leaving to India," she wails, AJ freezing in her attempts at getting Paige onto the bed. "He... I broke him, it..." Her sobbed statements are barely distiguishable, her accent thick and tear-soaked as she collapses into the bed, AJ sitting worriedly next to her and rubbing her back, running her fingers through the thick black and blue hair. "Total Divas fucking ruined everything! We were happy and in love, and then I got it in my head that my success on this stupid, pathetic SCRIPTED SHOW mattered over my feelings for him, and he stayed, he was patient, he loved me more than I've ever been loved in my entire life, but Kevin proposes and there are these scenes in the show where I'm wearing his bloody ugly ring and I can't, I don't blame him for... for not wanting to be involved with me after that, but oh my God, AJ, why do I ruin everything?"
Mike comes out while Paige is sobbing brokenly in AJ's arms and AJ shakes her head at him, his quickly taking the hint and bailing as she rocks the British girl back and forth, trying to sooth her, make her calm down some. Eventually Paige cries herself to sleep in AJ's arms and she sighs, holding her close. "It's ok," she whispers to her. "It's going to be ok. He loves you, he'll get over it, just give him time. Give yourself time." She kisses Paige's forehead and settles her on the pillows, wrapping the sheets around her to keep her snug and warm. Sits and watches her sleep for awhile, pondering as her hands trail down to her stomach yet again. "First Alicia, now Paige," she murmurs to the baby growing inside of her. "Think this is a test to see how mothering I really can be? If I'll be what you'll need for your first heart break? Loving and nuturing but not annoyingly so?" She smiles sadly. "I hope I've passed, then..."
Paige is still red-eyed and broken, Ricardo uncomfortably quiet, when they leave the house for California. Mike hugs Ricardo tight while AJ does the same for Paige a few feet away, cupping his face. "Talk to her, man. I know you still love her." He pats Ricardo on the chest before turning to collect his wife, smiling sadly at Paige. "See you for Raw."
She nods and they head for the rental, AJ peering out of the windshield to find the two of them awkwardly standing side by side. How exactly the conversation went with we're broke up but you can still live here, neither of them can imagine, but they hope that, in the weeks leading up to Ricardo leaving, with the two of them living so close together, they'll be able to work something out and at least part as friends. Mike sighs and finds AJ's hand, squeezing it softly. "Let's go home, sweetheart."
"Yeah, let's." She smiles at him, worry still bleeding from her as she looks one last time at the shattered couple watching them leave.
After a long flight and a lengthy nap, relieved to be in their own bed once more, Mike wakes up to find AJ not next to him and he groans, rolling out of bed and taking half of the bedding with him. He grunts and kicks himself free before stumbling down the hall, looking for her. She's laying on the floor in one of the guest bedrooms and he stops in the doorway, staring down at her. She has an intensely thoughtful look on her face and he can't tell what she's thinking about, so he quietly joins her. They stare at the ceiling for a few moments before it dawns on him. "Is this the nursery?"
She finds his hand and wraps it up in both of hers, kissing his fingers tenderly. "I think so, yeah."
He smiles against her fingers, his soft breaths against her skin making her feel funny, as always. "Our baby will love it." He rolls over and lightly kisses her hip, drifting over to whisper against her stomach. "Isn't that right, little one?" As he continues to talk to the baby, speculating over all of the colors he thinks the baby would like its room to be decorated in, AJ runs her fingers through his hair and smiles through happy tears at just how lucky she is.
Leaving for Raw is difficult. Mike wants to stay at home and consider more nursery colors with AJ, but he has an Intercontinental title opportunity to look forward to this coming weekend, and Tough Enough the next night. Not to mention he's curious to see how Paige is holding up. She's wan and quiet, not even having a match that night, and he thinks it's a good thing as he holds his arms out and hugs her tightly when she walks right up to him without hesitation, burying herself in him. "Happy birthday," he whispers, cringing when she scoffs thickly and pulls away, wiping at her eyes. "Have you seen Ricardo?"
"Last night," she mumbles, not catching his eye. "Nothing really has changed. He's still leaving, we're still broken up. It is what it is." She does look up then and searches his face. "You have a match against Ryback... be careful, alright? I can't take anything else going wrong tonight."
It's cold, and selfish, but he can see through the meaning. She's weak and vulnerable herself right now, and they typically only have each other to rely on, so if something happens to him, she'll have to take care of him, and that wouldn't end well for her right now considering. "I'll be ok, I promise." He hugs her again, hoping that his warmth somehow will comfort her, but she still looks broken when he moves away, heading to the locker room to get ready for his match.
He watches as Becky Lynch defeats Tamina, Paige barely shown on camera during the match, while he pulls his boots on. Once it's over, he's glad that the only other divas match has no direct bearing on Paige so she can sit backstage and mourn her relationship. He tries to focus on Ryback, he really does, but everything going on weighs him down and he gets defeated within minutes, landing hard due to the Shellshock. The loss tastes bitter in his mouth but he shakes it off, moving to sit with Paige as she waits for Sasha vs Nikki to begin. Neither of them say anything until the other members of Team PCB come to get her.
Sasha wins and Paige returns, somehow looking even paler and weaker than before. He touches her arm, dressed now, and motions towards the exit. "Let's go, you look like you need some sleep."
She sniffs and wipes her eyes. "Only a week's worth," she says wearily. The walk to the car, the drive to the hotel, and up to their room is painfully quiet and he gives her plenty of space as she gets ready for bed.
As soon as she's done and snuggled up in bed, he slips into the bathroom, washes his face and changes into a tank top and some shorts before brushing his teeth and swishing with mouthwash, eager to sink into bed himself. When he leaves the bathroom, the room is dark and he stares at Paige's back, relieved that she seems to be asleep... but his assumption is proven wrong as soon as he lays down and crosses his arms over his chest, staring at the ceiling. He's regretting not calling AJ like he usually does before bed when he hears it- a soft sob, then another...
Breath catching in his chest, he looks over and watches as Paige's shoulders shake in hard, body-wrenching cries. "Oh dammit," he breathes, hoping that she'll stop soon but, the longer it goes on, the more he realizes that she's close to hyperventilating. "Crap..." Easing out of bed, he pads over to her side of the room and settles in next to her, staring at her tear-streaked face in hte moonlight until she sobs harder and buries her face in his shoulder. Mike closes his eyes and wraps an arm around her, drawing her closer. "It's ok, just let it out," he tells her softly.
She cries and punches the bedding, sometimes punches him, angry and in so much pain that it takes his breath away every time she sobs. No matter how wet his top gets, or how his chest starts to hurt from her strikes, he holds onto her and continues to murmur soothingly to her, hoping that soon she'll regain control or fall asleep, something, anything to end the turmoil she's putting herself through. Finally her energy just fades away but she doesn't fall asleep, laying there, spent with fresh tears pouring down her face. "I love him so much," she chokes out and he squeezes her harder.
"I know," he breathes, remembering how it felt to love AJ and know she loved him too, but having to live without her. "I know." He kisses the top of Paige's head. "Just hang in there, Paige. It'll work out. I promise you."
She sniffs and nuzzles into him, closing her eyes finally. Her voice is exhausted and thick with tears, but her words are clear and remain with him for the rest of the night. "You'll make a good daddy someday, Mike."