With Drew still off from WWE TV recuperating, Mike's options on what to do on Raw are somewhat limited. He can't cash in, he can't continue to play mindgames with the guy, he can't really even communicate with the champion at all because the only time he appears is in little video packages he sends in to air. It's frustrating and exhausting and Mike's fingers twitch against the briefcase as he prepares to leave once more, tapping his foot against the floor.

It's like this that AJ finds him, wraps an arm loosely around his shoulder and kisses his cheek. "Husband," she says softly. He hums and she hugs him tighter. "Whatcha doin'?"

"Trying to get ready for Raw," he says reluctantly. "I just don't really see the point in going if McIntyre isn't even going to be there."

AJ taps hs jaw with her fingers and laughs, shaking her head slowly. "Well, you go just to keep yourself fresh in Drew's mind, of course. Come on, that's wrestling 101. Never let your opponent fully forget you. Or the crowd. Both need to remember you're out there, just waiting for the opportunity.

He nods slowly, aware that she's right. "Yeah, I know," he sighs, before grasping her arm and spinning her slightly to make her sit in hs lap. "I guess I'm just more interested in staying home, is all." She giggles as he kisses her throat and neck, slowly working his way around her jaw before kissing her lips. "I miss you so much when I'm gone, and things have been so stressful, I feel like I barely get to see you."

She sighs. "I know, it's... it's awful, but Mike, we both discussed this repeatedly the last few months. You wanna continue working, and I'm not going to stop you from doing what you feel is right." She searches his face. "At least you've stayed safe the last few months. It's all I could ever realy ask for."

He smiles sadly at her, running his fingers down her jaw, grazing her lips. "I don't know what I'd do without you."

She shrugs. "Well, thankfully, you never have to find out. But unfortunately, we do have to finish getting you packed or you will miss your flight, and then what will Morrison do?"

Mike looks over his shoulder and gasps, immediately scrambling for his Florida requirements, stuffing them all into his luggage as quickly as he can dare. One lingering, yearning kiss with AJ later and he's out the door, only stopping briefly to peek in on the babies, who are still fast asleep. He meets up with John at the airport and he nods at him before they mask up and head inside, ready to go for another round of this wild world known as wrestling.

-x

"Wait, so what exactly is it you want me to do?" John asks, looking at him with a frown.

Mike sighs and scrubs at his forehead. "I just need you to go find someone willing to pretend to be McIntyre. Ya know, wear a kilt, sling a toy sword around, fake his accent, stuff like that."

"But I can do all of that," John says with a shrug. "Why do you need someone else-"

Mike exhales. "John, the point is to have someone else do it so people think maybe the real Drew is back, but then it's just this... this poor facsimile. Ok?"

John blinks. "I like that word," he says. "Alright, yeah, I can do this." He claps his hands.

"Great," Mike says. "Here's a list of places with decent actors where you should start to look." He hands over a scrap of paper and John frowns down at it. "Problem?" he asks.

"Cleveland?" he says, casting a glance over at him. "Not Parma?"

"Hush, John," Mike mutters, already reaching for his phone to call the only person he can think of when it comes to a Goldberg imitation. "Go call around already, geez."

Later, once they're actually in the ring for The Dirt Sheet, Mike watches as Gillberg comes out and does his whole schtick while smirking to himself. John's choice for Drew comes out a minute later and it's obvious early it's all going to fall apart, but Mike bites his tongue, let's it play out. It's only when he learns the guy is from New Jersey, which absolutely was not on his list of places for John to look at, that he begins getting a little frustrated. Deciding to fuel it, as he always does, he focuses on the camera closest to him and exhales through his nose as he declares his intentions to cash in at the Royal Rumble. "I'm NEXT!"

It's braggadocios, confident in a way he hasn't really felt in a long time, and he feels strangely giddy, shaky, once he's said it. John, he thinks, notices, because he claps him on the shoulder and pushes him lightly towards the ropes, a not-so-subtle hint for him to leave the ring. Which Mike does, walking slowly up the ramp backstage. He settles down in a chair and scrubs his fingers through his hair, making a face when traces of product within it clings to his skin. "So, what do you think? Did I get my message across convincingly enough?" he asks.

John settles in across from him and nods. "Yeah, I think so. You declaring yourself to be next was kind of incredible." He nudges him. "If a little foolhardy." He chuckles nad shakes his head. "I kinda wish I could've seen Goldberg's face when you announced that."

"Me too," Mike sighs. "So, now what? Wanna go back to the hotel and watch dumb movies til our flight home, or..."

But John doesn't really respond to this, just glances around a little bit, then shifts forward. "Uh, Mike, I do have something really fast to mention to you."

Mike waits, then, growing impatient, shrugs. "What is it, John? I'm sure it's not that awful."

John smiles a little, then lifts a shoulder in a half shrug. "No, it's not awful, just thinking about how to say this." Finally he just looks up and says it. "Taya's contract with Impact is almost up, and she's not renewing. In fact, she may be headed our way." He searches Mike's face, waiting for a response to that. "What would you say if she joined up with us for awhile? Maybe?"

Mike blinks. "I mean, yeah, man, that sounds... it sounds fine." He likes Taya, he doesn't see her that often, but she makes John happy, grounds him in a way past relationships haven't, and she has a quiet, steady kind of dedication to his best friend that makes him adore her even more. "What was the big deal?"

John's still looking wide eyed and painfully earnest, Mike frowning back at him in confusion. "It's just bringing back some memories of, you know, MNM, and stuff. I know our vibe would be entirely different, it's just... hard to shake sometimes."

Mike gets it, he really does, not that he sees it the same way John does. Leaning forward to rest his hand on John's knee, he smiles faintly. "Listen, man. I'm not Joey Mercury and lord knows Taya is not Melina. If we do all end up working together, it'll be fine. I have no doubt about that. I've been wanting to get to know Taya better anyway, try to figure out what she sees in you."

John scoffs and shakes his head. "Trust me, I've been trying to figure that one out for years myself, Mike."

Gentling his touch, Mike rolls his eyes at John. "Now that's just silliness, John, and you know it. She sees the same thing everyone else does when they look at you- someone highly gifted, with a ridiculous sense of humor, and as loyal as the day is long. There's no question the myriad of things she has to see whenever she looks at you, ok?"

John gazes at his hands for a long, tense moment, then looks up, with a shaky sort of smile. "Ok, Mike," he says softly. "I guess you're right." He smirks a little bit and, even though Mike thinks it doesn't fully reach his eyes, he guesses it's a start.

"I'm always right," he scoffs, clapping John on the shoulder before getting up. "Now get a move on, I want out of here ASAP."

John's startled laugh as he walks purposely out of the locker room makes it all worth it even as he ponders everything Taya could bring to the table with their little dynamic.