Still Waters
AN: I only own Paige. Wish I owned Punk. To the best of my knowledge, no such place exists. If there is, it's by mere coincidence. And Paige is, in no way, based on me. I also play fast and loose with various characters, storylines and events. Also, Punk, at times, may seem a little OOC but it's my story, so there. :P :D
Sunrise, British Columbia
It was a cold Tuesday when Paige Monroe left her apartment. She usually didn't venture out much in the winter when she wasn't working daytime, but she didn't want to stay in today. As she walked, she saw a few people who stared at her. She was used to people staring, but god couldn't they have some tact. She knew people thought she was a freak. She might have a good body in front of her but it was her dark purple-streaked hair that captured their attention. She *would* be stuck living in a conservative, religion-based town.
Paige glanced at her watch. Just a few minutes after one. She decided to go into the local café, taking her usual table in one of the corners. When asked, she ordered a Pepsi and a muffin. She had just gotten her order when the door opened and in walked a professional wrestler known as CM Punk, real name Phil Brooks, but she knew from various Comic Con videos that he didn't like being called by his real name.
She couldn't help but stare at the man. When he looked her way, she turned away but she knew he noticed her looking. He spoke to the café clerk briefly before he turned and began walking her way, the other customers staring at him every step of the way. She didn't know what to think, especially when he stopped in front of her.
"Caught ya," he said softly.
She looked up and smiled. "Yeah, I guess you did."
"May I?" he gestured to the empty seat across from her.
"Sure," she said. After a beat, she looked at him again, then around her, purposely looking the customers in the eye, calling their bluff. She chuckled as they minded their own business.
"What's so funny?" Punk asked, thanking the waitress when she brought him a can of Pepsi.
"These people, staring at you. They probably have no clue who you are, but they *were* staring."
Punk smiled, "Staring. Why?"
Paige smirked. "Isn't it obvious? You're different. You look different, you act different, you're a stranger here."
Punk sipped at his Pepsi, nodding slightly. "Hmm... they were staring at you too."
"True. I'm different too. I'm used to their stares." Punk smiled. Paige introduced herself, and they shook hands. They remained quiet for a moment before Paige broke the silence. "So how the hell did you end up here?"
Punk smirked a little. "And why would it be so surprising that I'd come here to visit?"
Paige cracked a cynical smile. "Well, for one, this place isn't even on a world map. It's got very little to offer. Did you lose a bet or something?"
Punk leaned back, raising his Pepsi to his lips, perusing her. "My my... we *are* cynical aren't we?"
"I guess we are."
"Honestly–" she looked up when he began speaking "–every year, when I get some time off, I pick a place I've never been before and then I go there, spend some time getting to know a different culture, different people... you know? Haven't you ever wanted to do that?" he asked.
She shook her head. "One, I don't have the money; two, there's no place I really want to go; and three, the people in this town would only be too happy to get rid of me."
"Really?" he repeated, raising an eyebrow.
"Oh come one, you must know what I'm talking about. You look different, you act different, you don't give a fuck what anyone thinks of you, and you make your opinion known."
He nodded.
"Hmm..." Paige mused, bringing the Pepsi to her lips, taking a sip.
"What?"
"I was just thinking... I always thought to myself, if anyone would ever understand me, it'd be you."
Punk was taken aback, skeptical. "Really."
Paige nodded.
Punk put down the empty can. "Somehow I find that hard to believe."
"And *I'm* the cynical one," Paige said with a smile, rolling her eyes slightly.
Punk waved off her comment. "I just find it strange. I choose to visit Sunrise, Middle of Nowhere, and I'm supposed to believe that the person I've been looking for all my life is here?"
Paige broke in. "I didn't mean to imply–"
"Never mind. It's not worth talking about."
"Hey you brought it up," Paige pointed out, finishing her muffin.
They remained silent for several moments, each trying to find a way to start talking again. Finally, Punk spoke.
"It's kind of funny. We were arguing like we've known each other for years."
Paige smiled. "Yeah. It's kind of odd. I feel like I've known you forever."
Punk nodded.
"You want to get out of here? I could give you the grand tour of Sunrise."
"Sure. Prettiest tour guide I've ever seen."
Punk was blatantly flirting, and Paige had no idea how to react. Instead, she just dug around in her purse for her wallet. When she looked up, Punk had already taken care of both of their bills. He said nothing and led them both outside. She just continued to look at him while he gestured for her to walk with him.
"What was with that?"
"What?" Punk just looked at her, and then sighed. "Please don't tell me you're one of those women who get upset if a man does something for you."
Paige smiled. "A feminist?" Punk nodded. "Hardly. I'd be the worst feminist in the world."
Punk smiled as they started walking. Paige showed him what little the town had but he didn't seem to be bored with it. She showed him her high school, the lots where her elementary and primary schools used to be before being torn down. The playground, the college, the few department stores, and the one nightclub. The entire tour lasted an hour or so, with scattered questions from Punk as he listened to Paige relate what tales she knew of. They stopped at Punk's motel to check out, then ended up at Paige's apartment after she offered to house him for his visit.
They had just sat down, Paige on the love seat and Punk on the couch across from her, when Punk looked through the window above her head, noticing that it had begun snowing. Paige smiled.
"I guess you're not used to seeing snow."
Punk smiled slightly. "Please, I live in Chicago." He paused, his eyes narrowing slightly. "I am, however, still trying to figure out what you're after."
The smile dropped. "What do you mean, 'after'?"
Punk looked into her eyes. "Well, it seems that the only time that someone not in the wrestling business is nice to me is when they want something."
Paige remained silent, feeling the anger rising in her. She didn't want to take that anger out on Punk, but he deserved it in this case.
She scoffed. "When someone is nice to you," she repeated.
Punk nodded. "Every person I've ever met has been that way."
Paige just looked at him. "I'm not like every person you've ever met. And why would you think that I'd use you like that? I know all too well what it's like to be used; I'd never do that to someone else," she snapped.
Punk was taken aback by how angry she had become. "Is that right?" he replied, a smirk on his lips.
Paige closed her eyes briefly, shaking her head. She knew what he was doing: the same thing she had done many times herself. He was trying to hurt her so she wouldn't get too close to him. She had done the same thing to others in her past. It was just a defense mechanism to avoid being hurt.
Punk looked like he was sure he had her all figured out. The cynicism in his eyes would have broken her heart, if she thought she really had one. She closed her heart off to anyone who got within striking distance of her. She refused to be hurt again. And that's exactly what Punk was doing now. She wasn't lying when she had said that he would probably be the only person who would truly understand her. Everything she had said to him had been the truth. But he thought everything was a line. He was just amusing her. And himself.
Paige smiled, drawing Punk's curiosity. "What's so funny?"
"Nothing," she said sadly. "I just know what you're doing. You're trying to push me away. I know we don't know each other that well, but you're acting the way I do towards everyone. You refuse to be hurt and that's why you're saying what you're saying, I guess in hopes that I'll kick you out of here and that'll be that. I'm not trying to make myself sound more important than I am, but you're saying these things as a way to cut yourself off again. You refuse to let someone get close to you. It's sad because you think that every person you come across is going to hurt you. I know how it feels."
Punk looked at Paige, a bitter smile upon his lips, thinking that she read a little too much into the dirt sheets. "And just what do you think you know that no one else does?"
Paige straightened up, eyes boring into Punk's. "All I know is what I've experienced."
Punk leaned back again, waiting for Paige to elaborate. He watched her carefully, noting with interest the presence of a smile that was just as cynical as his.
"You want someone to understand."
Punk snorted, laughing. "News flash. Rip out the front page."
Paige even allowed herself a small smile. Punk raised an eyebrow, gesturing for her to continue.
"That organ inside your chest, your heart... You feel that one more emotionally devastating event will officially turn it into a cavern. Because it hurts so much to feel anything anymore. It hurts so much to be disappointed, betrayed, and it doesn't seem like it's worth it anymore. All the shit you go through–you, me, anyone-all the crap to manifest a life... it just doesn't seem to mean anything. All you want is some peace, to feel peace. You want to be wanted, need to be needed, you'd love to be loved, but it seems so far away."
She paused a moment, looking wistful, as she continued. "It's like when something remotely good happens, you wonder who's losing out for it to happen. Nothing good is supposed to happen to people like us, because even when something good happens, you feel bad. You feel so bad that you hate yourself, because it seems like everyone else hates you. And for the life of you, you can't figure out why. It's not like you can control what people think or feel or even change their opinion because if you try, it looks like you're trying too hard."
Paige stopped again and was shocked to see the vulnerability in Punk's eyes. She rose and walked over to him, crouching down, placing her hands on his knees.
"All you really want, the only thing you want is to be wanted and loved, for someone to understand, to completely accept you for who you are, and not try to change you, so you won't have to be alone anymore."
Paige waited for Punk to say something, anything. She knelt on the floor, looking up at him, fully expecting him to call her a liar or just grab his stuff and go. But he didn't. He wiped his eyes as if in deep pain.
"How can you do this?" he asked, lacking the volume but not the feeling.
"Do what," she whispered.
"How can you say you understand when you don't."
She leaned back a little. "You think I don't understand? What did I just say? I understand. Believe me, I understand."
Punk remained silent.
Paige shook her head knowingly. "I should understand how you feel right now. I understand how hard it is to trust people. And to hear a virtual stranger tell you how they understand you *is* rather suspicious."
Punk nodded.
"But just ask yourself, Punk, how could I possibly know all this? How could I strike a cord with you–and I know I did–if I was just full of it?"
She has a point, Punk thought. There had been scores of women who claimed to understand him, and they just wanted sex; they'd been gone in the morning, or he had left. He'd be filled with self-loathing for having broken his Straight Edge rules. But this woman, he looked down at her, she did understand him. Hell, she even understood his skepticism.
"Okay, let's say, for the sake of argument, that you *do* understand, and that you *don't* want anything from me. What would be the point of telling me all this?"
Paige faltered. "Well, I want what everyone wants–to be wanted, accepted, loved, and that's something I've never gotten. If anything, I want the same thing you want–to be understood. No one I've ever know has gotten it. They don't understand." She smiled. "It's kind of hard to explain if you think about it. All the times I've looked for some sort of understand, I've gotten burned. Every time I've opened my heart, another knife has been inserted. I don't trust people much, especially women."
Punk gaped at her. "You don't trust women?!"
Paige shifted as Punk sunk to the floor beside her, leaning back against the couch. She pushed her hair out of her eyes, looking at Punk again.
"Well, I've had experiences of friends, so-called friends, who have hurt me, used me. I think a woman would stab someone in the back sooner than a man would." She chuckled, "Told you I'd make a terrible feminist."
Punk looked at her wistfully, knowing that he had found the person he had spent years searching for. She understood. All the pain he had been through, all the lies, being used, everything... She knew. She *knew*. And he had no idea what to do now.
"You don't have to do anything," Paige said, as if reading his mind. "I know it's a hard thing to come to terms with. I've wanted someone, anyone, to get it, but no one ever has. We have something here, a bond, an understanding." She shook her head, chuckling again.
"What?" he asked, rubbing her cheek with the back of one hand.
"I thought if I ever came face to face with someone who would understand anything that I felt or dealt with... I never thought that the other person... would be even more skeptical than I would be."
Punk smiled, nodding slightly. He still didn't know what to do. He glanced at the wall clock. Four pm. He had only known her for three hours and felt like he had known her forever. His hand slid into her hair to caress the back of her head, and she purred like a kitten, her eyes closing at the sensation. She understood... everything. He wasn't alone in the universe. And now that he found her, there was no way in hell he would be letting her go.
Finally, he leaned in, capturing her lips in a kiss, soft and tender at first but then it grew in intensity. Before he knew it, they were in her bedroom, frantically tearing off each other's clothing. Paige pulled off the last bit of her clothing and reached up to close the blind, while Punk took the opportunity to just look at her. When she turned back around, she flashed him a dazzling smile, then made him sit on the edge of the bed as she sunk to her knees in front of him. She took his throbbing penis in her hand, squeezing it experimentally and was rewarded as he groaned and his face flushed hotly. She leaned in, sucking at the head, taking just that much into her mouth, savoring the precum, and the feel of his hand on her head, urging her to take more of him in. Her hand slid up to roll his balls between her fingers, then she sated him somewhat as she relaxed her throat, taking in as much of his cock as she could, sucking so much that her cheeks hollowed out.
"Ah, Paige... that's... uh... so good..."
Spurred on by his words, she began to rise and fall on him, creating a delicious friction. Just the look of her, of the woman he now loved, and he knew he did love her, on her knees for his pleasure nearly pushed him over the edge. But he wanted more. He gently pushed her back, as she eyed him in confusion.
Punk reached down and pulled Paige up into his arms, their lips meeting in a passionate kiss. He pulled back, turning them around, laying her flat on the bed. His lips attacked her lips, her neck, her breasts, before trailing back up to her mouth. A hand trailed down and played with her pussy lips before inching inside, finding her slippery clit. He reached down to wrap her legs around his waist before he plunged his erection into her. He teased her with a series of short thrusts before pulling himself out of her completely. Then he buried himself over and over, her hips thrusting up to meet his, as he kissed her tenderly.
"I love you," he told her softly, making tears appear in her eyes. He slowed his thrusts as he kissed away her tears, swallowing her sobs with tender kisses.
"I love you too," Paige responded, looking deeply into his eyes.
Punk sped up his thrusts again, Paige moving with him, taking everything he had to give before they flipped over, with Paige on top. She began to move back and forth, faster and harder, before slipping her fingers into her pussy, pinching, fondling her clit. Punk was so turned on by the sight that he grabbed her hips and moved her back and forth on his cock, faster and harder until finally, they both exploded, their orgasms coinciding with each other, their cries being softened as Paige leaned down to kiss Punk. They both continued to move, drawing out their pleasure as long as possible, until finally, they were both sated.
Paige collapsed on top of Punk, his cock still inside her. Punk looked at her, then pushed her damp hair off of her face.
"Hey," he said, seeing her eyes closed.
"Hey," she responded, not being asleep. Then she opened her eyes again to see him smile tiredly at her. He pulled them up on the bed, then pulled a comforter up to cover them. They didn't say any more. They knew what had happened. They felt each other let go. They had felt peace for the first time in each of their lives. Happiness filled them as they drifted off to sleep.
**
When Punk awakened in the darkness, for several moments, had no idea where he was. He knew that someone was on top of him, then remembered: Paige. His Paige, he thought, smiling in the darkness. He glanced around, then found a digital clock which screamed 7:51. Night. He felt her stir, her body moving briefly, which caused his penis to become erect inside of her almost instantly.
"Someone's happy to be awake," Punk heard Paige mumble in amusement.
"Of course," he replied softly, kissing her head. "It aches to know you some more."
She chuckled softly. "I'm sure it does." She paused, lifting her head off of his shoulder to look at him. Even though it was dark, he could see her blue eyes shine. "Is this real?"
He smiled. "It better be. No dream could be this good."
Paige lowered her head, planting a soft kiss on his lips. The kiss deepened as Paige moved her legs to straddle Punk, pulling herself up. Punk sat up, his hands going to her breasts, his fingers flicking over the tiny nubs, making them stand out erect. Their kiss broke as Paige tossed the comforter covering them onto the floor. Punk's mouth trailed down over her chin, her neck before capturing one dusky-rose nipple, then the other, his tongue moistening the tips, as his hands slide down over her back to her ass. Paige began to slowly rotate her hips, teasing Punk enough to make him moan. She chuckled softly, then gasped as Punk's fingers teased the delicate flesh of her asshole, the tip pushing in, gently probing. He heard her moan, and he smiled in the dark, before opening his mouth to take in her breast again, his tongue hardening the nubbin.
She leaned back on the bed, pulling him with her. She wrapped her legs around his waist and he started to thrust into her, at first teasing her with a series of slow, sensuous thrusts, but he sensed her urgency and began to pound into her, the force of which pushed her across the bed. Neither of them noticed. He thrust madly, unable to ram himself deep enough, hard enough, fast enough. He growled as he felt her nearing orgasm, the spasms tightening on his cock like a warm fist. She suddenly bucked upward, crying his name as her hips wrenched hard against him. He groaned loudly, his whole body bowing back as he exploded, erupting in painfully intense spasms that left him convulsing on top of her. He spurted deep within her, his throbbing shaft remaining hard for a long time before abating. He collapsed over her, shuddering and moaning. He felt her arms close firmly around him as he turned his head into her neck.
"I love you," Paige said, exhausted.
Punk sighed happily, "I love you."
Paige smiled lazily, sliding his hands over his back, his skin glazed with sweat. She pressed a kiss to his head, sighing. Soon, they both again drifted off to sleep.
THE NEXT DAY...
Punk propped himself up against the wall in bed as Paige emerged from the bathroom, her body still wet from her shower. He watched as the water droplets trailed down, colliding with the fluffy white towel wrapped around her. She smiled at him knowingly as his eyes swept over her body, noting that his boxer briefs were tented by the presence of his erection. He looked a little embarrassed, but she only smiled as she brushed out her newly dried hair.
"So what is it that you do?" he asked.
"I'm a hairstylist."
"Really?"
Paige nodded, laying the brush down and drying herself off. "I work at one of the salons here. There's four or five in town."
"Yeah?" he said, watching her dress. "Do you work today?"
Paige smiled as she pulled on panties and a bra. "This afternoon, but... my heart won't be in it. I want to stay here with you."
Punk looked down then back up at her again. "Well, why don't you?"
"I need to work. I have bills to pay. I–"
"That's not what I mean," he interjected softly.
Paige pulled on a dark purple floor-length skirt to go with the short-sleeved lilac blouse she chose to wear. She pulled her hair into a French twist, then spritzed some hairspray over it, using the product to pull the ends of her bang into place. "What do you mean?" she asked, looking at him in the mirror as she applied a sparse amount of makeup.
Punk remained silent for a moment before smiling. "I mean... uh..." he sighed. "I don't really know how to say it. He pulled himself to sit on the end of the bed. " He paused, searching for the words. "I mean that... Hmm... okay. I'm supposed to be leaving in two days." Paige looked at him, concerned. "I don't want to leave without you," he said, his eyes looking deeply into hers. "I can't lose you. I just found you."
She went to him, her hands rubbing his shoulders a little before her fingers trailed up into his short dark hair. "You're not going to lose me. I promise."
Punk looked into her eyes and suddenly, he spoke, the words coming out in a rush. "I never thought I'd feel this way about anyone. I can't– I mean–I–"
Paige slide her arms around him, trying to calm him down. "Shhh, it's okay, Punk. It's okay. We'll figure something out."
Punk held her tight, his mind, his heart in a turmoil. Suddenly, it came to him. He pulled back, holding her upper arms gently. "Marry me."
Paige was floored at his words. For a moment, she thought she had just imagined it. She needed to hear it again. "What?"
Punk smiled. "Marry me. Move to Chicago with me. You can come on the tour with me... we wouldn't have to leave each other."
Paige just looked at him, still in shock of what he said. "Punk..." she pulled back slightly, pausing, pondering, "Yes. I'll marry you. I'll go with you."
Punk's face lit up. "You will?" She nodded. "Oh god..." He pulled her into an embrace.
"Yes." Paige sighed happily. "Yes."
AN: I know it seems gratuitous to have this whole first part there, having Punk meet someone and fall for her. But I needed to establish Punk's relationship with a woman not in the WWE. And I had to develop it so that the readers would care about her and understand her importance to Punk.