After Raw, Smackdown goes by easily enough, if not at all how Paige or Mike wanted. He loses to Cesaro and she loses, again, to Sasha, the brawl that follows so intense that it takes all members of Team Bad and Team PCB to break them up with some help from referees. He watches backstage until she stumbles back, angry and fighting to get free of her well-meaning team mates. She clearly needs time to herself so once she shrugs off their hands, he steps between them. "Give her a minute, alright? Everything's going to be fine, just... let her have time to cool off."
Becky nor Charlotte seem thrilled with him stepping in but eventually agree, allowing him to guide her to the exit where they walk to the rental car side by side. Upon entering, he starts the engine and drives away from the arena as fast as he can. Once they leave the city limits, he drives down one long, winding country road to the next, both of them lost in thought. After a few minutes, she licks her lips and glances over at him. "Ricardo's supposed to get his visa this upcoming week," she says lowly.
Mike presses on the gas a little more, his hands tight around the steering wheel. "It's happening pretty fast, huh? I mean, I'm happy for him, I know he likes to travel and experience new cultures... but the thought of him not being here for the baby's birth..." He shakes his head with a wan smile. "Not that the little one's going to be lacking for aunts and uncles, that's for sure." He looks over at her. "But I get the feeling that there's more bothering you than just the fact he's leaving."
"It... the timing is just..." She fiddles with her beaded hoodie and sighs. "Next week is the episode that Kevin proposes. And then the week after that is the fallout... if Ricardo leaves with this fresh in his mind..." She sniffs and closes her eyes. "He may decide before he even leaves the States that I'm not worth it, that we really shouldn't be together. I mean, technically we're not a couple now but I still live at the house and I get to sneak these moments with him that I will have to hold onto tightly the next few months while he's gone... This all could change after he watches these episodes."
Mike hums while at a stop sign, waiting for a truck to rumble past. "You know, before, there were all these rumors years back about Maryse and I getting married. I played into them, to figure out the originator." He scratches at his arm anxiously, those days definitely not a nice thing to remember. "AJ... it hurt her so badly, but in the end, she forgave me and look at us now. You just never know how things are going to play out." He turns to look at her."I know that it's hard, but don't lose faith. Ricardo loves you, clearly, and after things settle down once he's home from India, I'm sure you two will be able to work things out."
Paige sniffs and wipes at her eyes, nodding. "Thank you, Mike. I think that was exactly what I needed to hear." She smiles at him, punching him lightly. "Now are we going to continue driving around creepy dark country roads all night, or are we going to get some sleep?"
He laughs and looks for a place to turn around at, also tired and looking forward to sleeping away tonight's awfulness. "Yes ma'am."
-x
After a long weekend of events and media stuff, Mike stands in the Memphis, Tennessee, hotel lobby with a smirk on his face as AJ walks up to him. He shakes his head and holds his arms out to her, wrapping her up in a hug as she buries her face in his chest. "What are you doing here, huh? When I received your message that you were on a flight here..." He makes a soft little pfft noise as she giggles and runs her hands up his back. "Are you planning on sabotaging Nikki's beating your record?"
She shakes her head. "No. Definitely not, I have better things on my mind... it's just... I guess, if it happens, I want to at least be nearby. Does that make sense?" She tilts her head and bites at a fingernail. "I may not have a say in how this evening's match goes, but I do want to be present, I guess. Somehow, someway."
He nods and kisses her nose. "I understand. Just take it easy, alright?" He rests his hand on her stomach and smiles down at her. "How did this one handle the flight?"
AJ laughs and rests her hands over his. "I think it went ok." They're still standing there, enjoying each other's company, when her attention is diverted. "Tamina!" As she was unable to tell her former enforcer about the baby, both Paige and Alicia had been sworn to secrecy, but now, Team BAD is walking by and AJ decides to take her chance. Walking over to the trio of divas, she eyes Naomi and Sasha uncertainly while addressing Tamina, taking in her new hair style. This isn't her world anymore and, although she's sure she could take any of them in any normal circumstance, this isn't normal- she's been retired for months now, and is nearly four months pregnant, and... Shaking all of the thoughts away, she swallows and attempts a smile. "I know you're probably busy, but can I have a minute or two to talk to you?"
Tamina glances from Naomi to Sasha before nodding, reaching out. As AJ takes her hand and the two of them walk away to a more secluded part of the hotel, Sasha and Naomi look at Miz. "Ya got any clue what this is about?"
"Nope, no clue," he says with a small, smug smirk, crossing his arms over his chest to wait for his wife once more.
AJ and Tamina duck into the hotel pool room, which is abandoned in the early afternoon hours. AJ kicks her shoes off and sits by the water, lazily swirling her toes around in it. Tamina joins her after a moment and they sigh, enjoying the warm, humid air. "So what's going on, AJ?"
AJ leans over and nuzzles against Tamina, like she used to when the touring, and the physical toll, and pressure of contantly being on the look out for the next threat to her title reigns wore at her and she needed comfort that she was unable to receive while on separate tours from Mike. Shuffling upwards, she whispers into Tamina's ear. "I'm pregnant."
Neither move for awhile until Tamina peers down at her. Takes in the baggy clothing she's wearing. The soft gleam in her eyes, the flush of her skin. "Holy damn," she breathes.
"I'm about four months along," AJ offers once Tamina's intense stare starts to get to her. "So far, the baby is healthy and strong. We, um, we're just taking it one day at a time. But we're really happy."
The next thing AJ knows, Tamina is on her feet, gently helping AJ up as well and hugging her. "It's about time Mike did something right," she whispers against AJ's hair, listening as her former associate gasps and then half-laughs, half-cries. "So let me guess. I'm the last to find out?" She doesn't seem offended though, merely amused as she sits and strokes AJ's hair.
"Uh, yeah. I wanted to tell you sooner, but everything was moving so fast. And then we just told everyone last week, but you weren't there... and I decided late last night I wanted to be here for the possible end of my being the longest divas champion... and I'm so glad we ran into each other..."
"Me too," Tamina murmurs. She hesitates for a moment, then leans closer to AJ's stomach. "You're going to be so loved. You're very lucky." Glancing up at AJ, Tamina smiles. "And your parents are going to be so proud of and happy with you. I know it already. I can't wait to meet you." She pauses when she spots the look on AJ's face. "What? Is something wrong? Should I get Mike?"
"Maybe," AJ murmurs, eyes focused on a spot in the pool. "But not because something's wrong... I think I felt the baby." She bites her lip and closes her eyes, focusing on it once more, her hand searching out the sensation. "I think she likes your voice, Tamina..."
"I'll be right back," Tamina says softly. When she returns, Mike is in tow and AJ looks up at him with a soft smile as he kneels down next to her, a worried look on his face.
She reaches out and strokes his cheek with a soft hand. "I think I felt the baby kick," she whispers to him and his entire face lights up, moving to sit behind her with his arms wrapped loosely around her. "I don't know if it's strong enough to be felt, but..." She grips his hand and rests it against her stomach, waiting patiently. They're still sitting there a few minutes later when it happens- Mike feels something press against his hand and he gasps in amazement, looking up at AJ. "Yeah, that's it," she says softly, resting her head back against his shoulder. "That's our baby."
He tilts her head up with his free hand and kisses her slowly, deeply, both grinning at the first real proof beyond pictures and the heartbeat that the new life they'd created is growing stronger with each passing day. Tamina slips out at some point to give them some privacy and Mike sighs, kissing and nibbling at AJ's throat and neck. "I love you," he murmurs against her warm flesh.
"I love you too," she responds as his hand traces up and down her stomach soothingly. "So much."
Parting so he can go on to Raw a little later is torturous but she returns to their hotel room and lays in bed on her side, resting her hand on her stomach and searching out anymore flutters and movements from her little baby. She's just turned Raw on when she receives a text.
Don't worry, sweetheart. I'm just giving you advanced notice. I'm hosting MizTV and the Wyatts are going to be on it.
Terrible memories immediately flash before her eyes and she gapes at the words on her phone, tears welling up in her eyes. It hadn't been that long ago that Mike had been kidnapped by the Wyatts, forced backstage, beat down and chained up, LIAR written across his chest. It had taken Tamina to free him from the mess the demented men had put him in, and now... now. She chokes down a sob and picks her phone back up, texting Tamina. Wyatts on MizTV tonight. PLEASE keep an eye out for my husband. If they do anything, help him. Please."
She's laying there, curled up in a ball, bitterly crying, when her phone buzzes. Already on it, mama. I know what to look out for, Mike will be fine. Try not to worry. Sasha and Naomi have already agreed to help if need be.
She doesn't trust Naomi or Sasha like she does Tamina, but if Tamina believes in them, that's good enough for AJ. She wipes her eyes, responds with a quick thank you and turns her attention back to Raw. The wait for MizTV feels awful, AJ nauseous and shaky through the first hour of the show, then finally... finally MizTV starts and she breathes heavily while Mike introduces the Wyatts.
Mike tells them that he's not on Dean and Roman's team this Sunday, but it doesn't seem to matter to Bray as he reiterates that Mike is not safe. Mike tries to keep his distance, especially when asking Braun Stowman questions, but Bray quickly takes over once more. Announces that he wants everyone to suffer. When Roman's theme music hits and he and Dean slowly make their way through the crowd to the ring, AJ finally feels like she can breathe again. It's almost a relief when they toss Mike out of the ring, away from whatever might happen inside.
Melting into the mattress with the relief that her husband will be safe, won't be chained up and abused again, AJ rests her hand on her stomach and strokes where she thinks she felt her baby before. "Daddy's going to be ok," she whispers. "I promise you. He'll be just fine." She gasps and smiles through her tears at the kick that seems to almost respond to her voice. "You know me already, huh? And Tamina and daddy..." She closes her eyes. "You're gonna have such a good life, with so much love. I promise you."
Still exhausted from the flight and everything else, pregnancy still wearing her down, she dozes for awhile, waking up a couple of times during Paige's match, but she misses the outcome and its aftermath. She sleeps soundly for awhile after that, but the commentary squeeching about the divas title wakes her up and she wipes at her eyes, yawning and stretching lazily under the sheets as she watches. After MizTV, and the baby kicking for the first time, and everything, she doesn't really care if Nikki beats her record or not, but she figures she may as well just watch. Charlotte comes close, but in the end, of course, the match ends in a DQ because Brie interferes and Twin Magic works yet again, Stephanie refusing to restart the match but granting Charlotte a rematch at Night of Champions. Which means that AJ is now only the second longest running divas champion.
She shrugs and closes her eyes, nuzzling back into the pillow. "You know, baby," she breathes out sleepily. "That's ok... the only amount of time I care about now is anything to do with you... Soon enough, I'll be rocking you back and forth in my arms and that's more important than any title belt..." She dozes off once more and is still asleep when Mike and Paige return, both shushing the other as they realize she's out for the count. Mike approaches quietly and pries the remote from her hand before turning the TV off and slipping his shoes off.
Paige pads into the bathroom to get ready for bed while he undresses and slips under the sheets with his wife, wrapping an arm around her. She murmurs and nuzzles back into him and he kisses her shoulder, stretching his fingers out along her stomach and waiting. When nothing happens, he smiles a little. "Are you asleep too, little one? That's ok... we have plenty of time for me to feel your acrobatics in there. Especially as you get bigger, right?" He's half asleep when he feels a soft little fluttering against his fingers and squints his eyes open briefly, a smile crossing his face. "Good night to you too, baby."