"It's so cold," Mike grouses as he and Maryse make their way through the Canadian airport from one live event to the next. "Oh my God, I want to be back in California."

"Poor baby," she says, her accent seeming only thicker due to their surroundings. "You should've been born and raised here." He makes a face at her and she laughs, deep and tinkling all at once, somehow. As he follows her to their gate to fly back to the States, to tape Smackdown in Washington, his phone goes off. He opts to ignore it, hands full with luggage and plane tickets and whatever else.

Shoes, jacket, blahblahblah, everything goes, everything's searched through or scanned before he's allowed to proceed, everyone behind and in front of him receiving the same treatment. He's an old pro at it by now, they all are, honestly, the whole process as natural as breathing. "Hey, by the way," he says once they're waiting in line once more to finish boarding. "We're having a birthday party for Sara next week. Are you available? How about Heath?"

"I will definitely be there," she nods enthuastically. "And Heath, well, I doubt anything could keep him away from snuggling with that cute baby of yours for an afternoon." She grins wistfully. "He's so good with kids."

"Guess it makes sense, since he has so darn many of them," Mike offers in a teasing tone. She swats him and he makes a scandalized noise, causing her to laugh.

He only thinks to check his phone when he's on the plane, immediately frowning at a number he doesn't see too often. "Ricardo?" The plane is loud, Mike doesn't want to risk having a serious conversation here so he forces himself to wait, hold on until they're off of the plane, driven to a hotel and settled in their room for the night, Heath and Maryse talking lowly about Sara's birthday party while Mike dials him back.

It rings and rings and rings, and he suspects that he'll be hitting voicemail soon... but then the phone clicks and Ricardo answers, sounding groggy and almost congested. "'lo?"

" Ricardo?" Mike asks, slightly concerned. "Are you OK? You sound weird."

"Hey, Mike. I'm doing great actually, I'm in a hospital currently and they want to keep me overnight."

Mike stares at the furthest wall, flabbergasted upon hearing that. "But Ricardo, that sounds like the opposite of doing great," he says in disbelief. He sees out of the corner of his eye as Maryse turns to look at him, concerned by the tone of his voice, but his every focus is on Ricardo right now. "What's wrong?"

"Just... a little sick, like... they have me on strong meds, all that really hurts is when I tug on my IV a little too much." He pauses for a few moments. "But hey, oh yeah, so what I wanted to talk to you about! I, uh, I've been thinking for awhile- I still have some stuff to figure out, but I wanna move back home."

Mike hesitates. "Home? Like, Alberto's...?"

Ricardo goes quiet too finally, and then bursts out, "No! No, definitely not. I, I mean, California. Like, home home, you know? Then I can play with my niece and nephew, and spend more time with Sara, and you and AJ, and it'll... it'll be great, right? I just really don't like Florida anymore, man. It's too... quiet, and I'm sick of it."

Mike understands, probably better than Ricardo realizes. He closes his eyes. "Is someone there with you?"

"Alicia is," Ricardo says, a soft fondness taking over the groggy excitability in his voice. "She's sleeping though, shhhhh."

Mike almost smiles despite feeling more than a little frustrated over all of this. "Alright, man, well. I mean, let me know how this California thing goes and keep me up to date on what happens with the hospital stay ok? Hope you feel better."

"Thanks, Mike. I'll talk to you soon."

Phone clicks before Mike can think of anything else to say and he finds himself staring at a confused, worried Maryse and Heath as they exchange glances before turning back to face him once more. "Well, Ricardo's in the hospital for... something bad enough that he needs an overnight stay with an IV, and he's... moving back to California, apparently."

Maryse blinks. "Well, that's... a lot to digest," she offers as Heath purses his lips, brows furrowing.

"Yeah, I know." Mike grunts and drops back against the bed, exhaling roughly. "I wonder what Del Rio thinks of all of this."

It's a lot to take in, a lot to consider, and Mike's relieved for the distraction of the Elimination Chamber looming. He closes his eyes and inhales before taking Maryse's hand that night to interrupt Daniel at the start of Smackdown. Daniel tries to insult him in his typical jealous manner, but Mike can't be swayed or disturbed tonight. He will be world champion come Monday, walking into Wrestlemania to make up for that worthless Wrestlemania match where he was overshadowed by Cena and The Rock, and walk out still World Champion, as it should be.

The fatal four way that follows is painful, annoying. Baron Corbin defeats AJ Styles while Mike's down on the outside, in pain from all of the offense he'd taken from the other three, and Maryse hovers over him, comforting him and whispering to him until he finds the energy to pull himself together, get to his feet. Heath and Rhyno have about as lousy a night, their team losing the 12 man tag match they're tossed into to prepare for the tag title match on Sunday, all four of them sitting around, lost in thought and disgusted with the general states of their careers.

Finally Mike grows sick of it. "Hey, Heath, Sara's first birthday is next week, you're invited," he tells him. "You too, Rhyno."

Rhyno looks surprised while Heath's face lights up for the first time all night. "Hell yeah, man, I'll be there!"

"Great," Mike half-smiles. "Looking forward to having you then." That done, he turns his thoughts back to Elimination Chamber. To Ricardo moving back to California. What all of this could possibly mean.

It's going to be another busy Wrestlemania season, he can tell already. Bring it on, I'm ready for whatever is thrown at me... and I will make it... awesome.