Mike returns home on Tuesday and AJ beams at him, kissing him softly. He hugs her and nuzzles into her hair before pulling away, resting his hand on her lower back and walking towards the bedroom to look in on their little girl. Sara is awake, making soft little noises and waving her fists around so he leans over and picks her up, sitting on the edge of the bed as he nuzzles against her and kisses the side of her head. "Hi there, baby girl. Did you miss Daddy?"
She stares at him with curious blue eyes and he smiles, smoothing a hand down her clothes as AJ leans against him. "She was a good little girl while you were gone," she says. "Are you ready for her first check up?"
Mike looks up, hearing the nervousness in AJ's voice, and nods. "Of course I am. She's going to ace it with flying colors, aren't you, sweetie?" Sara's fists wave more enthusiastically as Mike kisses her again.
It's standard, the first check up at two weeks, but still. It's hard to watch, AJ's fingers twitching to pick her baby up, keep the doctor from making her cry. Admittedly, the exam is standard, the doctor and nurse and everyone are very careful with Sara, but she's still so small. Glancing over, she finds that Mike's about as twitchy, his eyes locked on their baby, taking note of everything the doctor does.
Sara may have been quiet and content at home but she lets her displeasure of the entire process known here, the cries she utters eating at both AJ and Mike as they try to breathe, not completely lose it at not being able to run to comfort her. The doctor examines everything- Sara's ears, her eyes, her mouth, checks her legs and along her head, under her diaper. When she tells the parents everything is looking normal, AJ releases a soft breath, squeezing Mike's hand as they realize they're actually doing alright.
Once the baby is fed and settled in her car seat for the car ride home, Mike leans against the passenger's seat and kisses AJ slowly. "I have a surprise for you," he murmurs, tapping her jaw. "I wasn't supposed to say anything but I figure I should give you advance warning... we're going to have some guests on Friday." She blinks at him and he smiles. "You'll see, sweetheart. Is that ok? I can tell them no..."
"No," she decides. "It's fine. Bring them along." Eyes sparkling, she giggles softly as he leans in and kisses her again. "Come on, let's get our little girl home."
"Mm hmm," Mike agrees, shutting her door and running around the car to do just that.
Mike flies out for Smackdown the next day, rolling his eyes at having to face Ziggler again. He expects a repeat of Raw but between getting the good news on Sara Louisa, and riding the high of beating Ziggler so quickly Monday, he assumes it's just too much pride. He pays for it, losing to Ziggler in about the same amount of time that he'd beat him. He's gritting his teeth when he walks backstage, finding Paige and Alberto waiting for him, the Mexican aristocrat smirking. "Do not say a word," he warns him, waving a finger under his nose.
Alberto scoffs, then chuckles. "Come, I know someone is quite anxious to meet your Sara Louisa."
"I'm anxious for her to too," Mike says, ducking into the locker room long enough to shower and change. The hotel is quiet, calm, when they arrive and Mike collapses into his mattress, calling AJ to make sure everything's going ok.
"John's here," she tells him, the house peaceful as she sprawls out on the couch. "He has a special way with Sara, I swear... that little girl just loves him..." She smiles a little, remembering the day she was in labor, how John had helped her sleep while she waited for the time to go to the hospital. "She stops fussing as soon as he touches her. He just has a very comforting presence, I guess."
Mike nods. "Yeah, he does. It's one of the reasons we worked together so well as a tag team." He doesn't mention Taya or Star, and neither does AJ. So much is going on, between the baby and Wrestlemania, that neither of them have the energy to worry about John's love life, though Mike would prefer Star to shake off whatever's going on and rejoin the group. AJ had depended on her a lot during the pregnancy... but it is what it is, and they'll just have to deal with it.
Come morning, the three of them go to the airport and fly out to California. They're met by the fourth member of their group at the airport and get into the rental, Mike tapping his fingers impatiently against the seatbelt strap holding him in place. By the time they get through traffic and pull up to the house, Mike barely waits for Alberto to brake before he's out of his seatbelt and pushing the door open, walking towards the house.
AJ greets him, cupping his face and searching his eyes. "Are you alright?"
"Fine," he says, already forgetting about the loss as he nudges against her and holds her close. "Ready for our guests?"
"I guess," she mulls it over, pulling back to look at him. Her gaze skitters over his shoulder as Alberto, Paige, and... "SOFIA!" she cries out, brushing past him and moving to hug the housekeeper. "You're really here!"
"Si," she says. "I couldn't wait to meet your little girl." Playing with AJ's hair, she smiles up at her. "I assume you all would be relieved for the break as well."
AJ sighs, her shoulders slumping as her exhaustion weighs her down all over again. "Yes. Yes. Oh God, yes. Honestly, she's a beautiful little girl, and she's not that fussy but it's hard to close my eyes sometimes. She's so little, what if something...?"
Sofia shakes her head, smiling up at AJ. "No, no, that's not how you're supposed to think, AJ. She's going to be fine, in fact if you sleep well, she'll do even better because she'll have a well-rested mommy to take care of her, help her through her first few weeks in this world. And that's where I come in for the next few days. Paige and I will help you and Mike with her. How does that sound?"
"It sounds amazing, but... aren't you all needed for Raw?" she stammers, uncertain.
Mike shakes his head. "Not booked until Smackdown."
"I have the week off," Alberto says with some mysterious inflection in his voice.
"I have a match on Main Event," Paige says with an idle handwave. "Think this means you're stuck with all of us, mummy."
AJ stutters, then falls quiet, looking at them all. "That sounds great," she laughs tearfully, throwing her arm around Mike and Paige, drawing them down to her level and holding them as tightly as she dares.
"Hormones," Mike says softly, kissing the side of her head. "I'm glad we can stay for a few days too, sweetheart."
She beams before finding Sofia's hand and drawing her into the house, guiding her into the bedroom so she can peer down at Sara Louisa for the first time. Blue eyes meet her so she leans down, at AJ's nod, and scoops the baby up, holding her close. Smelling that sweet baby smell. "Hola, darling," she says to the little girl, sitting down and nustling her in the folds of her skirt so she can get a good look at Sara Louisa. "Why, aren't you beautiful?" Tsking softly, she laughs when Sara starts to whimper. "I know, I know... I'm a stranger, but I promise you're safe. See, mama is right here?"
AJ leans in and kisses Sara on the forehead, the baby soothed by the familiar presence. "This is your auntie Sofia," she explains softly, winking at the housekeeper when she looks surprised, but pleased, by the title. "She's going to take good care of you, spoil you... and make sure you eat so much food when you're older that you're not sure when she gets the time to cook it all." Nosing against her daughter's soft, downy hair for a moment, AJ pulls away and sighs. "Sofia, if you don't mind, I think I'm going to take you up on that nap offer. Just wake me up if she needs fed, or gets too fussy."
"Of course, AJ," Sofia whispers. "We're just fine. Aren't we, Sara Louisa?" The baby stares up at her quietly and Sofia smiles. "Rest well, AJ."
"Thank you," the new mother breathes out, burying her face in her pillow, steady in the knowledge that her baby is safe with Sofi, and falls asleep almost immediately.