A/N: I'm back! I apologize for not updating in so long, but holidays, NaNoWriMo and some family drama was kicking my butt hard. I'm slowly getting back on track now. All of the weeklies will be updated steadily from here on until I'm caught up.
"So what exactly are you doing on Smackdown this week?" AJ asks, stretching out in bed and watching Mike pack. "MizTV?"
"Yeah," he says. "Shouldn't take too long, and I'll be on my way back home." He abandons his suitcase and returns to her side, pressing a soft kiss to her lips. "Weird, random time when both kids are fast asleep, huh?"
She nods, grinning. "Yeah, I was just thinking that." He drops down next to her and she snuggles into his warmth. "I guess no one wants to move today." One of those rare, rainy California days where the sky is heavy and overcast and everything feels lazy and slow because of it.
"I resemble that remark," he says, kissing her as she giggles and rests a hand against his jaw.
"That's me all the time," she confesses. "Our bed is just too comfortable."
"It is," he confirms. "We're quite spoiled, living the way we do." She smiles at him and he brushes his nose against hers before reluctantly pulling away. "Unfortunately I'm going to be late if I don't get moving."
She pouts and watches him for a moment before slipping out of bed and walking up to him, hugging him from behind. "Take care of yourself," she murmurs into his shoulder. "We'll be watching."
He smiles and turns, hugging her tight to him. "Yeah," he whispers, kissing the top of her head. "I will."
It's never easy, leaving his family behind, but Alicia is there, seeing him off with a warm wave and a soft smile and he knows she'll keep an eye on everything, she'll help AJ. It's been a process for her too since officially retiring from WWE, but she's doing so much better than she had been. California is good for her, he thinks. She's surrounded by people who care about her, Ricardo is happier here, and all around, things are working out well for them all living together like this.
MizTV comes and goes in a blink, Mike's responsibilities only lasting so far when the two teams for Crowned Jewel all start brawling, which is his cue to leave the ring and let them go at it. He wonders when exactly his career had become this, nothing more than some random talking segment with no wrestling matches. Far cry from the man who had main evented Wrestlemania all of those years ago. He sighs and shakes his head, shrugging. As much as he's relieved to avoid injury with a reduced wrestling schedule, he has to admit he misses the adrenaline rush, he misses getting the crowd worked up one way or the other. He misses the general ache of it all.
He shakes his head and wonders. Wonders what the catalyst will be to knock him out of his comfort zone once more. When such a thing could possibly arrive, and if it'll be enough to bring a spark of life back to his career.