It always sucks to leave Vancouver. But Mike has no choice so he makes the most of his last couple of days filming, even being nice to the staff who walk on eggshells around him a little more after each video he films for the WWE universe, to remind them that their Intercontinental champion will be coming home soon. AJ and he take one last tour around the studio, AJ lifting Sara Louisa up high enough to show her where their lock remains fromt he first time they'd come to Vancouver all of those years ago for Marine 3. He leans in and kisses her on top of the head before tilting AJ's head back and kissing her too. "I love you both," he whispers.
"We love you too," AJ says with a soft smile. Their time in Vancouver had been good for them, gave them time to reset, as it were, re-find themselves. AJ had truly, for real, finished her book just before they'd left, so she had been able to spend the weeks decompressing and focusing on Sara and Mike, enjoying her favorite city that's not Jersey or Los Angeles. And now there's a whirlwind of activity as they pack and prepare Sara for another flight in her young life, Mike beaming down at the baby as she fusses and pulls the red hat off of her head, staring up at him as he leans in to pluck her out of her carrier. "Is she alright?"
"Yeah, she's fine," Mike sighs, rocking his little girl around. "I think she was just feeling left out." He laughs out loud when she tosses her hat and it lands, nearly perfectly, in the middle of his still opened suitcase. "You're going to be a baseball player when you're older, aren't you?" he teases her, kissing her stomach and walking her around a bit more until she starts to doze and he takes the chance to settle her in her carrier. "Are you two going to be ok flying back to California?"
AJ hesitates and looks up at him. "Oh, yeah I would be, if that's where we're going... but no, we're going to Florida with you."
Mike freezes over his suitcase, setting Sara's hat on the bed. "Wait, what?" He looks confused. "Why?"
"Um, where do I begin?" AJ says. "First, I need to have a nice long talk with my little British muffin, second, I know you want to have a nice long chat with Del Rio, and if I'm there, it's less likely to end in bloodshed. Third, Alicia's birthday is on Thursday so there's no way I'm missing that one... and I'm pretty sure we both want to look in on Sofia and Ricardo, make sure they're both doing alright during this mess."
Mike is stuck somewhere between a cough and a laugh when AJ's "to-do list" comes to an end, her head resting on his arm as he nods, unable to fight such solid logic as all of that. "Alright," he says with a small smile. "Guess we're all going to Florida then."
"Yay," she murmurs, standing on her tiptoes to kiss him.
Considering there's Naomi, Heath, Bo, Axel, Miz, Maryse, AJ and Sara all on one flight the next morning, it actually goes somewhat peacefully. The Social Outcasts aren't too loud, Maryse and Naomi keep each other company, Sara sleeps the majority of the flight, and Mike and AJ sit and hold hands, reflecting quietly on the past month. Once they land, they all leave as a group too, AJ and Sara getting dropped off at Alicia's apartment. She waves at her husband as he reluctantly leaves her to go with the others to Raw, AJ adjusting her grip on the diaper bag as she walks up the sidewalk. Her luggage is still with Mike and the others, but that's fine. Everything she needs, she has, and he'll be coming to get her after Raw because Alicia definitely doesn't have the room for her, Miz and Sara, especially with Ricardo living with her now.
Although the reality of the situation being something AJ's well aware of, it's still startling to have Ricardo open the door for her when she knocks, his eyes lighting up when he spots Sara. "Come in," he says softly, taking the diaper bag from her and waiting patiently until she's inside safely with the baby carrier. Leading the way into the living room, he settles the bag down and hesitates. "Do you need to put anything in the fridge? I guess if you're going to be here until Raw is over and Mike can come, any bottles should go in there, right?"
"Yeah," AJ nods, putting the carrier on the floor and moving to organize things in the bag until she finds the baby bottles, handing some to Ricardo and carrying the rest herself. "Where's Alicia?"
"Rehab," he says, putting the bottles in and holding the door for her until they're all up. Once done, they both turn to each other. "Has she said anything to you about what this injury is?" Both pause, then laugh. "No," Ricardo sighs once the moment passes. "I didn't even have a clue until a couple of weeks ago. I even offered to train with her for a little bit at the dojo before I found out, she seemed fine then... so maybe it's just something minor."
"I hope so," AJ breathes out, walking back into the living room and sitting next to the carrier, playing with Sara's feet as she wiggles around inside. "Hey, is it ok if we do tummy time really quick? We've been stuck on the plane for so long, I haven't really had the opportunity to..."
"Sure," Ricardo agrees, looking the rug over. "I vaccuumed a couple days ago, do you think-?"
"No, it should be fine, we'll put this blanket down." Cooing at her daughter after handing the soft blanket over to Ricardo, AJ hums as she lifts the baby up and lays her on said blanket once he's spread it out over the floor, the two of them getting down on the floor to play with her.
"She's getting so big," he says in awe as she squirms and kicks around, reaching for the little rings they guide in front of her.
AJ nods, eyeing him. He looks good, surprisingly. "Long hair suits you," she says simply before patting Sara on the back as she grabs the rings and starts to gum them. AJ's not sure how to feel about her teething already, but she knows it's just part of the process. "Have you... talked with Paige?"
His negative headshake is simple, careful and calm as he stares at Sara. "No. I don't want to. She chose who she prefers, so. I'm doing fine here, with Alicia. I guess... we just kind of needed each other, between her divorcing Alex, and Paige getting with Alberto."
Sara tires out before too long so AJ returns her to the carrier, letting her nap, while she and Ricardo watch Raw quietly. Neither say much, content to have left the company behind them, but AJ's interest picks up when Mike is out there, and Ricardo watches with dim curiosity when Paige, and then Alberto, wrestle in tag matches a couple of hours apart. Nothing of much importance happen in the tag matches, but AJ doesn't look thrilled that Mike's opponent is her almost-kind of-sort of ex, Kane. In fact, she almost looks relieved when Maryse hurts herself, writhing and screaming on the floor until Mike notices and goes to her after a minute or two of beating Kane up further.
She insists she's fine, had been acting the whole time, and AJ shakes her head, looking away when Mike responds enthusiastically to her charade. "I don't know how you put up with it," Ricardo sighs, a distant look in his eye. "I... I definitely couldn't."
"Mike and I are doing better after Vancouver," she says after a moment. "I don't like it, of course, but I understand. I trust in him." Her hand finds Ricardo's and gives it a little squeeze. "Maybe that was the problem. After Total Divas and everything, you just... can't trust Paige anymore. And it's understandable."
He stares at her, a broken kind of look on his face. "Is it?"
"Of course it is!" She reaches over and hugs him. "You have to do what you can for yourself, Ricardo. You've been through enough the last few years. Paige may have her reasons, I don't know, I haven't talked with her yet, but I don't blame you for leaving after seeing that."
"Thank you," he chokes out, squeezing her back. They pause, pulling back to glance at each other. "Never would've imagined we'd start to get along once out of the company, did you?"
She giggles. Shakes her head. "No. But, no matter what problems we may have had, you never tweeted about getting a tattoo when I retired, so we're fine." She pats the side of his face and goes back to watching the last of Raw.
"Even if I think it's dumb that fans voted you the master of the Shining Wizard?" he wonders during commercial, ducking aside when she swats at him jokingly.
"Not even then, because I agree with you," she sighs, shaking her head.
He smiles and relaxes as the commercials drone on, interrupted by Mike and Alicia's arrival a few minutes later. "Oh, hey, there you are," Ricardo tells his roommate as she settles down by the baby immediately, making soft little noises over her as she sleeps on.
"Yeah, I went to the arena for a little testing to see how my rehab is progressing. Everything's good, I should be cleared in July." She makes an OK symbol with her fingers. "Aw, she's precious," she coos, turning her attention back to Sara. "So big compared to the last time I saw her!"
AJ chuckles as Ricardo and Alicia both talk softly about the baby, turning to hug her husband. "So are we staying at Del Rio's?"
"Yeah, we discussed it. Or rather, I told him that's how it's going to be." Mike squeezes his wife before turning towards the others. "Sorry to drag the baby away from you two, but we all need some sleep," he tells Ricardo and Alicia, stepping up to them and waiting until Ricardo's back on his feet again, mid-word in saying something that Mike can barely piece together before he wraps his arms around him in a tight, oxygen ridding hug. "You doing alright, man?"
"Yeah, Mike, I'm fine," Ricardo murmurs against his neck, squeezing him back just as tight. "Good seein' you, how did Marine 5 go?"
"Oh, another cinematic masterpiece in the books." Mike pulls back with a wink and ruffles Ricardo's hair. "Changed your mind on cutting it, huh?"
Ricardo flushes. "I guess. Some people claimed it looked good on me, so I decided to keep it a little while longer, yeah."
"Sorry to cut and run like this, I promise we'll come by when I have a minute to breathe between charity golf stuff and media events, but right now my girls need some sleep," Mike tells Alicia and Ricardo.
AJ is yawning as she collects Sara's things, and Ricardo nods, eyes soft in understanding. "Sure, come by any time."
"What he said," Alicia chirps, sneaking in another glance at the baby before they pick her carrier up.
"Will do, see you soon," Mike says, hoisting up the re-stocked diaper bag with one hand and Sara's carrier with the other. "Come on, mama," he says to AJ, who nods and waves sleepily at Alicia and Ricardo before heading to the car.
"I'm glad we came with you," AJ sighs, mostly asleep as soon as she's settled in the passenger side, Sara in the back. "It's good to see everyone again."
Mike smiles. "Yeah. I'm glad you did too." He lifts her hand and kisses her knuckles before turning the car towards Alberto's mansion.