It comes together easier than Mike had expected. Of course, he has the help of Alicia, Ricardo, Sofia to pull everything together, but still he's nervous until the night before. When things start to settle in his mind and he reminds himself just how long AJ has been by his side, through thick and thin, and everything in between with Maryse, and the reality show, and all of the time spent on WWE TV trying to sell it.
That night when he lays next to AJ, she rolls over and nuzzles into him. "You seem to be in a better mood," she offers. "You've been awfully nervous the last few days. Is it..." she clears her throat, seeming awkward all of a sudden. "Is it Edge? You... you're not worried about Day One, are you?"
"No," he says with a small huff. "I've barely even been thinking about that." It slips out, too close to the truth to be comfortable, and he holds his breath as she examines him, confusion in her eyes.
"Oh," she says. "That's not like you. Are you sure nothing else is going on?"
He shrugs, trying to find an excuse. "Just thinking a lot about the new year, I guess," he says. "Goals, resolutions, what I'd like to accomplish. Things of that nature."
She hums. "Care to share?"
He stares over at her and smiles a little. "Spend more time with the most beautiful woman in the world, and our equally as adorable children."
She grins at him, resting an arm across his chest and peering up at him adoringly. "We'd all like that, yeah," she says softly, leaning up to kiss him. "I'd like it a lot."
He hums. Curls an arm around her and reverses their positions, kissing her softly, intently as he ghosts his fingers down her side, leaving her gasping into his mouth, arching up into his touch with a muffled moan. "I've got another idea for something you'd like," he says, his eyes dark in the shadows of the room.
She breathes deeply and reaches out for him, carding her fingers through his hair. "What's stopping you?" Her breath hitches as he kisses her again, and she hums as his lips and fingers trail lower, her eyes fluttering. "I love you so much," she sighs out, fingers twisting in the bedding as he echoes the sentiment into her skin.
-x
The next day dawns bright and early and Mike turns to look, relieved to find AJ still asleep. He smirks and rolls out of bed, padding out of the room, leaving the door open just enough as he slips through the quiet rooms and makes his way to the guest house. "Hey guys, how's it going?" he asks, relieved to find Ricardo and Morrison already up and at it, waiting on him.
"Doing fine," John says cheerfully. "We've got your suit here, just ready and waiting for you."
"Taya and Alicia were waiting to pounce on AJ as soon as you got out of the bedroom, so I'm assuming they're already busy getting her moving. We have two hours," Ricardo says, checking his watch. "Wanna get going?"
Mike nods, already digging into the breakfast Morrison had set out for him. Eggs, and sausage, and toast, and he's not sure what he did to have these two as his closest friends, but he really lucked out in that department. They're quiet, lost in thought as they eat, but as soon as they finish, they're off. Mike changing his clothes, Morrison double checking with the officiant, who is absolutely not Eric Bischoff, and Ricardo placing a few calls to make sure catering is on schedule. Considering it's short notice, on a Thursday, it's going to be an intimate affair with only a handful of people, but Mike thinks that's fine. AJ never wanted a big spectacle anyway.
He bites his lip as he's standing at the small dais set up, wispy flowers draping over it and tickling his face sometimes when the wind picks up enough. He twists his hands together until Morrison nudges him and he looks up to see Taya and Alicia making their way to join them, bright smiles on their faces.
Maryse and Heath, Mike's parents, Tamina, and Sofia are in the crowd, Sara Louisa watching on in awe, George clearly restless and not understanding anything going on around him. Tamina is doing a good job of keeping him distracted and quiet though, and Mike makes a note to thank her profusely later on.
When Mike finally gets a good look at AJ, she looks somewhere between their two kids, confused but amazed, and when she sees Mike, and it dawns on her why she's wearing the soft blue dress, and why there are flowers and a dais, and everything else, the tears begin and she almost fumbles the small bouquet Alicia had pressed into her hand before pushing her outside. "Mike," she chokes. "What'd you do?"
"Vow renewal service," he tells her with a trembling smile, gripping her hand, hoping that this isn't too much, especially after she'd watched him do just this with Maryse on national TV for that damn reality show. "I... I thought maybe we could do it for real. Because you deserve it, AJ. To be reminded as often as I can manage it just how much you mean to me, and how much I value this wedding, and everything you and our kids give me every day of my life."
She sobs into her fist and shakes her head. "Dammit, Mike, you- you didn't have to do this," she tells him, tears beading in her dark eyes. "You prove this to me every day that you greet me with your ridiculous grin." She hesitates and looks around, exhaling shakily. "But I guess, while we're here..."
He grins at her, takes her hand, squeezing it. "If you'll do me the honor..."
"Of course," she breathes out, her eyes widening in horror a minute later. "It's just, I don't have... I don't have anything to say, or vows, or-"
"It's fine," he murmurs to her, leaning in to brush some of the hair out of her eyes. "Say whatever you want, it's already going to be perfect, I can tell."
She exhales and wraps her arms around him, ignoring the officiant's impatient huff and the soft giggles and murmurs of those watching them, kissing him deeply. "Let's do this then."
They turn together to face the officiant and begins to recite their truth to each other, ending this year on the best possible note they can think of.