Halloween. Usually a fun time of year, especially for kids. But... this go around, not so much. Limited trick or treating planned later- to John's house, and taking a quick run by Ricardo and Alicia's (from a distance)- but nothing like what Mike would ordinarily have wanted George's first real Halloween to have been like, not to mention Sara's. The little girl breaks his heart, looking forlorn when she sees references to Halloween on TV and tugs at his hands. "Trick or treat?" she asks, with a grin. "Candy?"
Mike exhales and leans down, hoisting her up for a hug. "Not this year, kiddo," he says into her hair. "It's just not safe right now. But you can still get into the costume that you picked out, and we'll go to a couple places. I know it's not the same, but we have to do what we can to keep you and your brother safe, right?" He taps her nose as she frowns at him, not understanding.
"Where will we go?" she asks after a few moments of thought.
"Aunt Taya and Uncle John's house, for one," he says, trying to sound as upbeat and cheerful as possible. "And Aunt Alicia and Uncle Ricardo's. Does that sound fun?"
Her eyes light up and she nods, pressing her fingers into her mouth. "Yes," she says around them and he chuckles, kissing her forehead before gently tugging her hand free. "Daddy...?"
"Yeah, baby," he whispers, and she hums, settling against him.
"George will get to trick or treat too?" she asks, looking over at where AJ is playing with George, rolling a ball to him and giggling whenever the baby shrieks with laughter and claps his hands before rolling it back to her, learning more hand eye coordination.
"Of course he will, sweetie," Mike says, touched at how Sara always thinks about her little brother, super diligent already at being a good big sister. "You're the best, Sara Lou," he tells her, kissing her nose and making her squirm and giggle.
"Daddy, when can we go see Auntie Taya and Unca John?" she wonders, leaning back to look him in the eye.
"Tomorrow," he promises her. "One more sleep, and you can."
"Oh." She frowns at this. "Can we go now and tomorrow?"
He laughs. "No, sweetie, tomorrow's Halloween. So you can trick or treat then." She makes a face but gives in, resting in his arms as they turn their attention back to the TV for a little while longer before AJ sets the ball aside, hoists a sleepy George up and takes him down the hall to the bathroom to prepare him for bed.
Mike gives Sara about five more minutes, until the show ends, then lifts her up as well. "No, no, I'm no tired-" Sara tries to protest, squeaking and giggling when he twists her upside down. "Daddy-"
"You look pretty tired to me," he teases her as she yawns and clings to him, not frightened. She knows he won't drop her.
"Not," she insists, her voice already sounding quiet and heavy with sleepiness. "George is. Not me."
Mike laughs and turns her right side up before kissing her cheek. "Ok, but let's just lay down and read for awhile, then, ok?" He helps her brush her teeth, runs his fingers through her hair to gently detangle it a little so it's not an entire mess come morning, and pulls a freshly clean pair of pajamas on her. She blinks sleepily at him, rubbing her eyes, and he feels a sharp love for the little girl, wanting nothing more than to keep her healthy and safe, happy and loved through every twist and turn life may bring her. "C'mere."
He gets her up on the bed and tucks her in, before finding the book they've been reading. He makes it a page or two before looking up to find her fast asleep, her dark eyelashes shadowing her cheeks and her breaths even and deep. He smiles and gently sets the book aside before leaning in to kiss her forehead. "Good night, sweetie."
The next morning dawns bright and early, Sara dragging them both out of bed as George fusses and waits for breakfast. They fall into their usual routine and Mike "sneaks" a small tootsie roll into Sara's breakfast, AJ pretending not to notice as she feeds George cereal. "Daddy," Sara grins, chewing happily at the chocolate. "When we go trick or treating?"
"Later," he says, catching AJ's eye. "Trust me, you're going to have a busy morning. We're gonna dress you up, and watch all kinds of Halloween specials, and after naptime, then we'll go around."
She pouts, a little. "It feels so far away," she mumbles, crossing her arms over her chest. She looks so much like AJ that it takes Mike's breath away.
"I am in t-r-o-u-b-l-e when this one is older," Mike mumbles and AJ giggles, squeezing his hand.
After a fun morning, spent trying on various costume pieces and getting more and more goofy- Sara's loudpitched giggles echoing throughout the house- AJ lets out a little gasp of happiness and tugs Mike over. "Look," she gasps, brandishing her phone at him. "Alicia had the baby!"
His brows raise up into his hairline. "She did? At the hospital?"
"No," AJ murmurs, skimming the message Ricardo had just sent. "She hid that she was in labor and gave birth at home. Says the baby seems fine, and so does Alicia. They're going to the hospital first thing Monday just to make sure."
"Wow," Mike says, resting his head on AJ's shoulder to look at the picture of the newborn provided as well. "That sounds almost familiar." He presses a slow, slick kiss to the side of AJ's throat and she swats at him, remembering how George's birth had almost gone. "You two, I swear."
"Yeah, but Alicia's situation was a lot different than mine." Her fingers snake into Mike's and he squeezes her tenderly. "She clearly didn't want to go into labor without Ricardo with her. I would probably do the same."
Mike grips her jaw and tilts her face up to his, pressing a lingering, heated kiss to her mouth that leaves her panting for air, toes curling against the wooden floor. "I'm glad everything went well for Alicia," he says once they've eased back, catching their breath and trying to make sense of their thoughts.
"Me too," AJ murmurs. "The baby looks precious." Mike takes a closer look at the picture, smiling at the baby as its fist curls up close to its face, eyes shut still. "Oh, Ricardo didn't say if it's a boy or girl! I'll have to ask."
Laughing under his breath, Mike leaves her to that and returns to Sara's side, poking her gently. "Alicia and Ricardo have a baby now," he informs her and she blinks up at him.
"Like with George?" she wonders, flinging a hand out towards her little brother.
Mike nods, adjusting George to avoid the worst of her overexuberent swings. "Yeah, just like that." He smiles at his children and draws George closer, kissing the top of his head. He keeps the kids busy, making Sara giggle when he starts modeling a tiara around, bopping her with a magic wand, as AJ busily types back and forth on her phone, probably getting all of the news she can from Ricardo.
It's not much later when she joins them and kisses Mike's shoulder. "Ricardo says it's a little boy," she shares with him and he smiles, running his hand over George's gentle blond fuzz that's still growing in as he gets bigger.
"Ricardo must be thrilled right now," he comments and AJ nods.
"He sure seems it," she says softly, leaning down to drag George into her lap. "A little over a year ago, that was how I felt when I first met you, little guy," she tells him.
Mike smiles, wondering if he'll ever reach such a high level of happiness that he'll never ever come down again. Even if his latest run with the Money in the Bank briefcase ends poorly, and McIntyre and Orton keep him from what feels more and more like his destiny, he still has his best friend by his side to goof around with when they're not in the ring, he has an incredible wife, and two gorgeous children.
All in all, life's pretty great.