Mike gets the week off. No Final Testament, no Wyatt Sicks, it's a nice way to say farewell to 2024 and hello to 2025. He, AJ, John, and Taya are sprawled out in different parts of the backyard, watching the kids watch the fireworks light up the night sky, oohing and ahhing over it all as they run around, squealing a little bit whenever shocked by the spectacle.
Mike smiles and wraps an arm around AJ, kissing her soundly on the forehead. "It's been a pretty nice holiday, all in all," he murmurs.
"It really has," she says, reaching up and lacing her fingers with his. "I'm glad you were able to escape the cult for awhile, spend it with the rest of us."
"Me too," Mike says, already dreading Raw on Netflix, when he'll have to return, face it all over again. "I'm glad John and Taya could make some time for us." He speaks loudly, attracting the other couple's attention, and Taya rolls her eyes at him while John huffs.
"Have we become the new Must See Couple?" John asks, kissing Taya enthusiastically before they join Mike and AJ on the patio. "Jealousy isn't a very attractive feature, Mike," he teases.
"And being chased around by two fashion models are?" he asks, incredulous.
"Yes," Taya says simply. "Mason and Mansoor have very good taste, obviously." She trails a fingernail down Morrison's barely there shirt and smirks. "I doubt I have to worry about them betraying my husband twice in a decade, after all." She winks and smirks as Mike bristles.
"Oh come on, we've already long moved on from that," he scoffs. "Right? Haven't we?"
"Yes," John says, squeezing Taya. "Of course we have, or I wouldn't be standing here."
"Yeah, see," he tells Taya, barely stopping short from going so far as to stick his tongue out at her.
"Yeah, see, I'll be keeping my eye on you," Taya mocks him, motioning from her eyes to him with her fingers.
"I wouldn't expect anything else," Mike grumbles. It's frustrating, he and John had worked all of that out ages ago, but he doesn't really blame her. If it'd been Kaitlyn or someone else from AJ's past that she had a contentious relationship with, he would've been just as protective, if not more. So he knows he can't fault Taya for it, but still. Still!
Before things can get further off the rails, AJ leans in and whispers, "Look at the kids."
It takes Mike a minute to find them in the dark, but when he does, he smiles. George has conked out in the grass, and Sara is sitting next to him, her eyes glinting as she peers up towards the stars, watching for more fireworks. "Should we get them to bed?" he asks.
"Nah," AJ says. "It's almost midnight anyway, we can get them to bed after that. The fireworks will probably wake George up anyway."
"Alright," Mike says, standing quietly with John and Taya on one side, AJ on the other, and the kids still dozing in the grass in front of them.
"Ten," AJ says softly, startling the countdown with the others following suit a few seconds later. "Five... four... three... twooo...!" She leans in and kisses Mike, carding her fingers through his hair as he lingers against her lips, happy to yet again be here with her, their kids, and closest friends.
"I love you," he tells her.
"I love you too," she says, resting her forehead against his. They linger for a few minutes, listening to John and Taya whisper and giggle a few feet away. "Ok," AJ says, lightly swatting Mike's chest. "We'd best get the kids to sleep. We'll be back in a few minutes," she tells Mike and Taya, urging George awake and guiding him slowly through the grass to the house.
Sara is easier, the girl already half way to her feet before Mike can even walk over to her, so he winks at John and Taya and smiles at them. "We'll be back in a few minutes," he says, resting a hand on Sara's back and leading her through. "Happy New Year, sweetie," he tells her, tucking her into bed.
"Happy New Year," she murmurs, yawning deeply before wiggling around, holding her arms out for a hug. He quickly obliges, kissing her forehead as she settles back down into the warmth of her bed. "Night, Daddy."
"Night, Sara Lou," he says, smiling down at her as she rolls over and hugs a pillow close to her chest.
Despite everything going on at work, he really does have a pretty damn awesome life, he reflects as he heads down the hall to rejoin his wife and best friends.