Mike lays down in the sand and smirks as AJ plops Sara down on his chest, hugging her knees to her chest. "So you liked your first 4th of July, Sara?" he asks, stroking his daughter's cheek as she squirms around and makes faint noises against his shirt.

AJ yawns a little and shrugs. "At least someone did, between the neighbors blowing up illegal fireworks, and this one wanting fed at 5 AM, I pretty much got two hours of sleep."

Mike pats his daughter's back before turning to look at AJ. "Well, I'll watch her. You sleep for awhile out here in the sun and everyone'll be happy. How's that sound?"

AJ considers this before sitting up, leaning over and kissing him. "Alright, I will." As she lays back down, putting her sunglasses over her eyes, Mike sits up and sets Sara on the ground, kissing the top of her head and holding her so she can sit safely. She peers up at him, then looks over at the sea.

"Someday, you'll be able to swim here," he tells her. "But for now, we're just gonna sit in the sand and enjoy the sun, alright?" He smiles as she slaps her little hands into the sand, scattering it here and there. People come and go, enjoying their own days at the beach, and some coo and giggle at the baby, her wide blue eyes staring at them curiously while Mike keeps ahold of her.

AJ sleeps peacefully through it all, not even noticing when a snail crawls up her arm. Mike laughs and lightly plucks the little guy off of her, staring at him. "Only I get to touch my wife like that," he tells it before holding it up to Sara, who reaches out for the creature. "You want a pet, sweetie? Maybe when you're a few years older, you two can grow up together. How about that?" He sets the snail down and leans in, kissing her on top of the head, the two of them watching it creep slowly along the sand.

The baby dozes at some point and Mike puts her back in her carrier, keeping a hand on it while he lays down next to AJ and stares up at the sky, his body- still growing re-accustomed to wrestling after a month on set for Marine 5- aching even as he settles down into the soft, warm sand. Groaning softly, he sighs and looks over at Sara as she sleeps, a small smile on his lips. He's in pain but it's nice to be home, surrounded by his girls as they rest.

AJ stirs at some point and sits up, yawning lazily. Mike is laying next to her, the baby squirming and gripping at her toes in her carrier, soft laughter coming from her lips as she takes in her husband, covered in sand and looking thoroughly annoyed. "Who did that to you?" she wonders before spotting Morrison and Taya sitting a few feet away, smirking at each other. "Oh. I should've known." She runs her fingers through her hair and leans in to look at Sara. "Someone hungry? Hm?" She pulls the baby out and finds the cereal that Heath had bought them, mixing it together and preparing to feed her.

"We were trying to build a sand castle on him, but he sneezed and messed it all up," John says, hands lazily drifting off of his knees as he smirks at his best friend.

"Embarrassing me in front of my daughter," he huffs, sitting up and dusting off the last of the sand on his chest as he makes faces at Sara, taking a spoonful of oatmeal and pursing his lips at her, feeding her. She waves her fists, staring at Taya. "Have you met Taya yet?" he wonders, also eyeing the blonde woman curiously.

"We met last week," Taya speaks up with a small smile. "She's an adorable little girl."

Mike nods, handing the bowl to AJ and turning to look at Taya. "Yeah, she is." He glances at Morrison for a moment before facing forward again. "So we've never really gotten to talk, the two of us... my best friend over here's been through a lot the last few years... so you're going to treat him right, yeah?"

John groans. "Mike, come on-"

Taya's hand on his arm quiets him, however, and Mike waits. "I understand why you're reluctant," she tells Mike. "You're right, he has been through a lot. But I'm in this for the long haul, you don't have to worry. He's too sweet for me to hurt anyway." She hugs John's arm and kisses him on the cheek, Mike watching them as a soft flush covers John's face, his lips twitching up into a smile.

"Alright," Mike sighs. "I'll believe you for now, but if that changes, ..."

"Understood," Taya says with a small smile.

"So, now that that's all squared away, how about we put the baby down for a real nap in her crib, and then us grown ups will go have a picnic in the back yard? I think I've had enough of sand and salt for awhile," AJ says, wiping off smears of cereal from Sara's lips before lifting her up and patting her back.

"Sounds good to me," John agrees, Taya standing up as well. As they walk hand in hand back to the car, Mike wraps his arm around AJ and follows them, tilting her jaw up so he can kiss her softly once they've arrived.

-x

With the draft approaching, people are anxious, tense. Sad. It's a rough time, Mike remembers it well. His career had taken some odd turns because of it, including losing John as a tag partner after John had cost him a match and made him get drafted away. Right now, he barely has anything to be concerned about. The only weird thing that could happen would be his getting drafted away from Maryse, which he doesn't think is possible.

He wanders the locker rooms, more secure in his own future than he has been in almost forever. New Day, Social Outcasts, Lucha Dragons, Enzo and Cass, all of the other tag teams and factions are sitting around, lost in their own thoughts. He doesn't miss it at all, being attached to someone and worried that it all could change without a person wanting it to.

After a bit of surveying all of this, he looks up to find Maryse watching him watch everyone else. His lips twitch into a faint smile as she joins him. "What're you thinking?" she asks, accent thick as she leans against his arm.

"About the draft," he admits. "All of the things it's brought me, and taken away over the years. What it might do for all of them."

She nods, biting her lip as she leans against him. "Oui. Well, you made it through. They will too, one way or another."

"Yeah, I guess." He cares more about the draft and how it'll affect those around him than the fact that Darren Young had won #1 contendership for his title. He chuckles wryly at the thought. "What do you think about the chances of us getting separated?"

She looks up at him, her lips pursed. "I think it would be alright... if it happens. You've done what you needed to do for me, I've ruined your life for long enough. If we end up on different brands... you and AJ will be much happier, I suppose. I'll find my way, don't worry about me."

Mike smiles down at her. "Yeah, I have no doubt you'll be fine, wherever you end up." They lean against the doorframe, continuing to watch everyone as time ticks ever closer to their fates being decided.