"I like having you home more during the week," AJ tells him, leaning up to kiss him while they watch Sara feel her way around the backyard. She's getting closer to walking every day, her babbling sounding more and more like actual words. "Soon we're going to have a walking, talking little girl on our hands. Wild, isn't it?"
He nods, lifting AJ's hand to his lips and kissing her knuckles softly. "Yeah, it is. I'd be lost without those videos you send me when I'm touring. She's growing up so fast. I'm missing so much." She cups his face and lifts him up until they're eye to eye, kissing him softly. "I'm sorry."
"Nothing to apologize for, husband. We both knew what this was going to be like, and I have no regrets. I love you whether I see you for five days, or five minutes."
He smiles at her and then looks down when he feels something patting his feet, blinking upon finding Sara staring up at him with a frustrated look on her face. "What's wrong, Sara Lou? Hm?" He drops down to kneel next to her and takes her hand, guiding her up onto her little legs. "You wanna walk that bad?"
She babbles, wobbling as he supports her, pouting. He and AJ hold their breathes, her phone at the ready to film, as she toddles forward, eyes blinking a bit. Mike carefully moves his hands away and they watch as she takes a few steps on her own, laughing to themselves. "I think she wanted her daddy here for this," AJ deduces once she falls back onto her butt in the grass and waves her fists in confusion before stuffing one in her mouth. "She'd been coming close the past few days, but couldn't just quite get there."
Mike nods, in awe of her, before getting to his feet to help her take a few more steps, the grin on his face huge and so adorable that AJ continues to film, a warm feeling curling in her stomach as she watches her little family with a soft smile.
-x
That Raw, Mike's attempts to rescusitate MizTV goes poorly. Jericho and Dean insult and belittle him, take his set away for the Ambrose Asylum, and he endures another Dirty Deeds, left laying. Kurt Angle does nothing to help him, proving that all GMs are biased when he places Mike in a tag match against Dean and Jericho, as long as he can find a partner. Mike searches for awhile before remembering that Heath and Axel are doing an interview for Marine 5, which comes out tomorrow, and goes to find them.
His attempts at getting one of them to team with him fall on deaf ears, Heath refusing outright because he already has Rhyno, who appears from the shadowy corner with one of his ridiculous plates of crackers, offering them around to Heath and Maryse, just for Maryse to slap the plate and send crackers all over, a look of anger and horror crossing Rhyno's face before he returns to Heath's side, trying to control his rage. Mike's mind is elsewhere until a note is handed to him and he skims it, a shiver of unease tickling down his spine at the familiar words spread along the paper. Hollywood is full of lies and cheats... but I shall be there tonight. You know what to do. The chicken scratch of the Wyatt logo adorns the bottom of the page and Mike swallows, deciding to go along with it, keep Bray's secret. Tries to act thrilled about the news, urging Maryse out of the room.
"Who is it?" she demands, casting a quick glance back at Heath, feeling a little bad for what she's done now that Mike has things sorted.
"I can't tell you," he says tensely. "But when you're at ringside tonight, stay back and be careful. That's all I can tell you."
He spends the night pacing, aware that he's going to be at a steep advantage, but there's nothing to be done for it. Once the match starts, he fights to hold his own in the main event that night, but Dean and Jericho keep a handle on him and even get him up the ramp when he tries to escape, putting him on the commentary table... just for Bray to finally decide to make his appearance. Mike helps him get Jericho back down to the ring once Dean's been knocked out by the titantron, and Mike insists he has everything handled, but he doesn't- Jericho gets the upperhand again until Bray rolls in and handles him with a Sister Abigail. Mike gets wrapped up in the moment, resting his hand on Bray's shoulder, drawn by the man's energy... and pays for it, cursing himself the entire time as he lays, motionless, on the mat, Bray now posing before him.
Everything goes dark and Bray is gone, Maryse leaning over him with fear in her eyes as she babbles in French. "I'm fine," he grits out once he's able to speak again, the fear easing away slowly. "I'm ok. Here-" He pulls himself up, and looks around, relieved to see the lights are on, the crowd is at a normal volume and the terrifying vibe is now gone. They leave once Mike's caught him breath, ignoring Jericho and Dean as they stumble backstage.
Heath greets them, eyes wide as he hugs Maryse and slaps Mike on the shoulder. "You guys alright? Bray's terrifyin', ain't he?" Rhyno's lurking around behind them, still looking unhappy, and Maryse swallows, pulling away from Heath to approach him. Heath's teeth gleam as Rhyno obliges her, listening for a few moments before some of the anger fades from his face and he nods, her eyes lighting up as she returns to Heath's side, hugging his arm against her side. "What was that about?"
"I'm buying him as many boxes of crackers as he wants from that nearest Walmart," she says. "I do feel bad, I was just annoyed with Ambrose and Jericho wrecking everything earlier. I didn't mean to take it out on him."
"By the way, Heath, bygones, alright? I don't blame you for not wanting to be my tag partner. I deserve it after how I treated you last fall," Mike says, watching as Heath's brow furrow. "You know, when you asked me to be your tag partner?"
"Oh right," he says with a shrug. "Water under the bridge, Miz. Now c'mon, let's get the manbeast those crackers, he's gone without anythin' to eat for far too long. He might get weepy if we take too long."
"What'd you say?" Rhyno says once they join him at the exit, already thrumming to get on the road, get his snacks.
"Nothin'. Maybe Marine 5 will be on sale already! C'mon, guys, race ya!" Heath calls out, running to the car. Maryse laughs, pulls her shoes off and chases after him, blonde hair streaming behind her as Mike and Rhyno stay back a few feet, watching as he turns at the car and scoops her up, spinning her around before settling her back down on the ground and kissing her until Mike unlocks the door and they all pile into the rental to go shopping for crackers and DVDs.