Mike stares from his vantage point backstage as people bustle here and there, excitement in the air. Between NXT moving to TV, and the King of the Ring finals upon them, it's palpable. He's still annoyed that he'd gotten eliminated so early, but it is what it is. Still, he feels the itch to prove himself. Remind everyone that this business is not leaving him by, no matter how many newer, younger competitors come and go. No one will ever be as hungry as he is.
So he grits his teeth and he goes to Shane. Shane has this smug kind of smirk on his face but he doesn't say too much as Mike requests his match, thinks over it for a moment and then nods, waving Mike out of the room. Which is fine by Mike, he's not interested in hanging around longer than necessary anyway, quickly going to get ready for his match.
Andrade puts on a hell of a fight, but Mike is just a little more experienced, a little more hardened by the years he's put in, and eventually he eakes out a win but it'd been close, especially with Zelina Vega lurking around at ringside, doing all she could to assist Andrade in defeating him.
He sighs, making his way backstage, stretching his arms out over his head, when his phone rings. He grabs for it, relieved that it hadn't fallen out of his gear during the match- with AJ so heavily pregnant, he refuses to be too far away from it. "Hello?" he asks, wiping sweat out of his eyes and not even bothering to look before answering.
"Mike," AJ greets him, sounding kind of breathless. "Are you done for the night?"
"Yeah," he says softly. "Just finished. Did you see? I-"
"Mike, I need you to come home. Now."
He doesn't question her, doesn't even stop to alert Shane or anyone else, just grabs his things and leaves, not even bothering to get dressed.
-x
When he arrives in California hours later, after paying a ridiculous amount of money to get one of the last few seats on a flight, he finds AJ laying on her side in bed, pale and looking so vulnerable. Taya greets him and hugs him tightly, her lips pressed tight together. "What is it?" he asks, kneeling down by the bed and holding AJ's hand. "What's going on?"
"She told me she wasn't feeling well," Taya explains quietly, reaching over to smooth some of the hair out of AJ's eyes. "We, uh. We went out for some milkshakes, and she was kind of listless, I thought it was just hormones or something. But she was kind of pale and breathless and I knew it was more than that, so I got her to the car and took her to the hospital."
"Preeclampsia," Mike repeats what she'd told him as soon as she'd met him at the door. "High blood pressure..."
"Uh huh," she says. "They were able to lower it and are suggesting no stress and mainly bed rest for now, have her follow up with her OB GYN ASAP and see if it continues. If it continues, they'll want to see her more often to make sure that it doesn't get more serious."
Mike lowers his head to rest against AJ's hands and exhales slow and long. "Dammit," he whispers. "I've done nothing but cause her stress this pregnancy. The whole Shane thing, how determined I was to see that through, his threatening us with our secret, then Ziggler... and now the move. I've been so stupid." He sits up and tenderly runs his knuckles down her cheek. "I'm so, so damn sorry, sweetheart."
When he leans in to kiss her, she stirs under his soft ministrations and he freezes, guilt growing as she blinks sleepily at him. "Mike, you're home," she whispers.
"Yeah, sweetie, I am," he tells her calmly. "Look, don't worry about anything- I'm gonna have my match Sunday get canceled. I'm gonna stay right here with you and Sara. Everything's going to be fine. You, this little one in here." He rests his hand on her stomach and smiles as she leans back against her pillows and yawns.
"N- no," she manages to say, looking a little more awake, a bit stronger. "I don't want you losing out on that opportunity. I'm gonna be fine. My doctor will confirm that I'm ok, and I'll take it easy for the rest of my pregnancy. Taya will help me, maybe I'll get Tamina and Alicia to come visit me. You don't need to give up your chance to regain the Intercontinental championship because of this."
He stares at her. "You, our kids, are more important to me than any belt. Always. AJ-"
"Mike-" She smiles at him. "I know we are. That's why I'm giving you this chance- because you are more important to me, and I'm ok. I swear I am. I know my body, I know when things are wrong, and things... things feel better already, thanks to Taya. Please, go Sunday. Win your title back."
He shakes his head, tears filling his eyes. "I should've been here," he says quietly and she makes a soft sound deep in her chest, gingerly sitting up and cupping his face.
"Look at me, husband," she says softly and he finally looks up at her. "I knew what I was getting into when I married you. The endless weeks on the road, the early mornings spent doing media, being home alone to deal with the kids and my pregnancies, all of it. You cannot feel guilty for something that I walked into with my eyes wide open, having lived that life myself. Just... do as I ask, and finish what you started this Sunday, ok?" She winks at him. "No fighting me, doctor said no stress."
He laughs brokenly and leans forward, kissing her. "You are ridiculous," he tells her softly. "And I love you so much. Fine. I will bring you home the Intercontinental title." He rests his fingers against her stomach once more, feeling the baby fluttering around inside. "You be gentle with your mom, ok? She's going through a lot right now, keeping you safe."
When he stands up, deciding to go out to the living room and talk to Taya, maybe peek in on Sara Louisa, give AJ some time to rest, he exhales wearily and shakes his head, sure he was hearing things. But he continues to hear whatever it is as he makes his way to the living room, frowning as he turns the corner and stops short. "John?"
Morrison looks up and then grins. "Hey, man. AJ alright?" He lets out a faint oof when Mike lunges forward and hugs him tight, burying his face in his chest. "Hey... it's ok." He pats Mike's back, rubbing between his shoulderblades.
"You're back," he mumbles.
"Yeah, I have been for a day or two," John says with a chuckle. "Everything went well, and I had some bookings to fulfill, so I was back on the road within like a week of the treatment."
Mike shivers and looks up at him. "I know Rey was back early from his, but I didn't realize- I thought it'd take longer..."
"So did I at first," John admits with an easygoing grin. "But apparently not. Science is something else, huh?"
Mike nods. "Yeah, it most definitely is." They sit, the three of them, and Mike searches John for any visible changes. "How do you feel?"
"Good," John says, rotating his arms lazily. "I think it's helped, a little. I haven't done a lot yet to really test my body out, but the first couple of matches I've had since have been good." He smiles at him. "But who really cares about me. You're getting a new house, huh?"
Mike exhales, his gaze dropping. "Yeah. Maybe. I don't think I should've gone ahead with this right now though. AJ..."
"AJ will be fine," John tells him calmly. "We're here, we'll take care of her when you're unable to. She'll be in good hands while you're gone Sunday."
Mike's smile is weak. "Thanks. I really don't know what I'd do without you guys."
"As we have told you many times before, you'll never have to find out," Taya tells him with a smile.
He hopes with everything in him that she's right. "So tell me more about Columbia," he says with a faint smile, trying to shake off the bad feeling that he's had since hearing AJ's voice on the phone earlier, forcing himself to focus on the hear, and the now, with his friends while his wife and daughter rest just down the hall from where he's sitting.