A/N: First off, I'd like to thank all of the readers and supporters of this story. It's been a pretty crazy six years, with much more to come, but here we are, BtB is officially over a million words long! That's amazing, thinking back on it, considering the original plans were for it to only last a few months when I began it back in 2010. So again, thank you to everyone who's read it, everyone who's reviewed, everyone who has supported me through late nights and long evenings trying to write it. I owe you all so much. Here's to another million words!

Mike makes faces at his baby girl, teasing his fingers along her soft skin as Sara Louisa fusses and coos, tummy time showing dividends as she starts to hold her head up for longer periods of time. He leans in and gently kisses along her fingers, their eyes meeting as she pushes up against the soft carpet of Tamina's living room carpet once more. "Hello, sweetie," he greets her.

Once the time AJ had told him to let her stay there passes, Mike lifts Sara up and rocks her lightly, watching her fall into a sweet doze, her fingers clenching and unclenching against his shirt. He smiles and carries her back to the bedroom, settling her in the cradle and turning to find AJ watching him. They haven't shared a bed, Mike relegated to the guest room down the hall, but it hasn't been completely clinical between them either. This happens to be one of those times as AJ crooks a finger at him and he walks over, laying down next to her.

Laptop and papers are scattered all over as she works on her book some more, Tamina needing her assistance less and less as time passes following her surgery. AJ hums and curls up against Mike, trailing her arm down his chest. "How'd she do?"

"Great, as always," he murmurs into AJ's hair. She shifts, rolls over and straddles him, staring him in the eye. "Our little girl is perfect."

"Of course she is, she takes after her mommy." But AJ smiles at him to show there's no serious sting behind her words and, before he can respond, she leans in and kisses him. "I think I'm ready to go home." His hands are soft against her hips and she sighs, her lips shifting and then pressing more incessantly against his. "I'm not ready to forgive you completely yet but I think Tamina will be ok without me, so. When you fly back after Raw next week, go to LA."

He breathes against her skin at this, knowing that it's progress. It's not perfect, he suspects it won't be until Maryse it out of the picture once more, but still. Going home with his little girl and his wife... what more could a guy ask for? As he draws her down, shifts their positions until he's the one pressing kisses against her, even the Intercontinental title worries fade from the forefront of his mind as he pays all of his focus on what truly matters to him, here, in this moment.

-x

He survives. Mike makes it through another PPV, title in tact on his shoulder. It had been a struggle, against three other men, but he had made it. He's worn down, he's bruised to hell, he's exhausted but he's here. He's still champion. Maryse is quiet as he stumbles into the bathroom, quiet after he leaves it and starts to get ready for bed, the Intercontinental title on the pillow next to him.

She's so exceedingly quiet that he jumps when she finally speaks. "Are you and AJ... eh, doing any better?"

He pauses over folding his shirt meticulously, looking up at her. "What? Oh. I mean, bit by bit, yeah. She's going home this week, so we'll be back in LA. Having Sara Louisa helps break the ice a little bit. No one can stay mad when that gorgeous little girl is cooing at you." He finds his phone and hands it over to her, letting her scroll through the recent pictures he'd taken of his daughter as he finishes putting his clothes away.

He's just finished and stood up when he realizes that Maryse is crying bitterly over the device and he rushes over, saving his phone from her. Awkwardly sitting in front of her, he wraps an arm around her. "What's wrong, Maryse? Huh?" He rubs her back, tries to think of something, anything that could've happened to lead to this but she merely sobs and buries her face further into his chest, clinging to him. He gives her a few minutes before trying again. "You're scaring me," he whispers. "What's going on? Talk to me."

She finally pulls away and wipes at her eyes, sobbing a couple of more times before getting under control of herself. "I'm just so lonely," she breathes out, accent thick after her crying jag. "I have no one who loves me the way you love AJ, and we're forced into pretending for a stupid TV show because I was so foolish with my money, and now... and now..." She buries her face in her hands. "This could easily cost you your marriage, and I just... I don't even know what I'm doing anymore. I'm so sorry." She gets up, she storms off, and he swallows, watching her go with his lips parted.

He struggles with himself whether to go after her or not, but then his phone rings and it's AJ. Aware that she'll want to congratulate him on holding onto the belt for one more night, he answers and tries to sound as proud and happy as she is, though the conversation with Maryse haunts him. Once he's off of the phone after the standard updates about how good their little girl is doing, he shuts the lights off and settles in for the night, not really asleep. He's too keyed up and worried yet to do so.

He listens until the door beeps open, Maryse quietly padding over to his bed. She watches him for a few moments and leaning in to kiss him on the forehead. "You're a good man, Mike. Thank you for letting me cry all over you earlier." She turns and slips into her own bed, sighing softly before drifting off. Mike rolls over and stares at her across the room before falling asleep as well.

The next day, it's like nothing happens as they get up, get dressed, and head out to do their thing at Raw.