Summer or Winter

April Jeanette sat behind the desk of the courthouse in awe as she listened to the District Attorney embarrass the criminal on the stand before them. She shook her head so she wouldn't look like a high school girl with a crush. The new DA- Bradford Hamilton was just 32 years old, smart, attractive, assertive, well spoken and intelligent. He was everything she wanted a man and sometimes it was hard to believe that he was in fact hers. She kept her eyes on Bradford and the witness but twirled her engagement ring that rested on her left hand.

Bradford was tall, slim, slicked back brown hair and spoke with a slight accent since he was from Kentucky. He wasn't clean shaved he had a slight shadow on his face and that was AJ's favorite. He was truly her dream man. She was the kind of man she wouldn't even dare dream about because she knew he would be out of her league. Not only was smart and handsome but he was romantic as hell. AJ wasn't a big one for romance but she blushed every time he presented her with a gift which was often, he would take her to restaurants that she couldn't even pronounce and he would spoil her with spa days.

"We got him." Bradford whispered as he sat down next to AJ who smirked smugly.

"You did." She whispered back looking down at her notes.

"Nah, team work." he smirked winking at her then they both listened to the judge.

AJ had met Bradford when they were both working for the former District Attorney three years ago. AJ wouldn't call it love at first sight, they only began dating a year ago and he proposed three months ago. She used to think he was a bit of a bully. He didn't really speak to anyone at the office and was always very focused on the job but they ended up working on putting together a case a year ago and they spent a lot of time together and ended up dating and falling in love. At least for AJ she did. Through her eyes he was completely perfect and he lowered his standards to be with her.

"That was fun." AJ smirked as they walked out of the court room.

"We need to get you out more." Bradford laughed as they walked right past the press.

"You should take me out more." She said hopefully.

"You're right." Bradford said to her opening the door of the courthouse for her.

"I usually am." She teased.

"I've been busy with this case and I pulled you on it. I promise a fun date night." Bradford assured her.

"Tonight?" She asked hopefully.

"I can't tonight baby." he frowned. "I have a meeting with the chief of police, remember?"

"Oh yea that's right." She said to him then shrugged. "Tomorrow?"

"Tomorrow." He promised grabbing her hand once they were out of sight and walked towards the parking garage.

"I really want to sit down this weekend and pick a date or at least a season for the wedding." She said looking up at him and he looked straight ahead.

"I'd like that." he said in a chipper voice. "What were you thinking?"

"I like the idea of a warmer wedding. Maybe outside?" she suggested.

"Yea? I always thought more of a winter one. Outside is going to be tough. We have a lot of guests. A church then reception at a hotel or something." He said to her.

"A lot of guests?" She asked. "I thought we were going to do a small wedding?"

"I mean small for us is close to 300 guests. I can't slight anyone AJ, I'm a big name out here." He reminded her.

"I thought just the two of us and your family and my friends." She said to him. "Intimate."

"Intimate isn't ideal." he said to her. "You know I have a lot of people to please here."

"Yea." She forced out smiling. "It's fine. I just won't have many people to contribute."

"Don't worry about that." Bradford said placing his arm around her shoulders and kissing the top of her head. "You have plenty of friends."

"I do, just not a lot of family." She reminded him.

"That's ok, no one is going to take count." He laughed. "This is about us, not anyone else. Inviting all of these politicians and stuff is just work."

"You're right." she agreed.

Later that night AJ walked into the bar still dressed from court and threw her bag on the bar.

"A glass of white wine." she ordered.

"Sure thing AJ." The bartender smirked pouring her a glass.

"Rough day?" a voice teased and she looked over to see one of her oldest friends.

"What would you know about rough days, Phil?" She asked with a laugh sitting in the stool next to him.

"I'm a cop sweetheart, everyday is rough." he said to her.

"How come she can call you Phil?" His partner Cody asked from the other side of Punk.

The bar was a 'cop bar' for sure. It was always filled with the guys and gals of the local station, even people who worked in the court system such as AJ and even Bradford.

"She's known me since before I was Punk." Punk reminded him.

Punk and AJ weren't strangers. He was her closest friend, there was no one in the world she trusted more then Punk. There were things he knew about her that not even Bradford knew. They grew up in the same Chicago apartment building, just one floor apart. AJ was a few years younger and the neighborhood wasn't great so Punk would walk her to school when he could and when she was real young and her mom worked late, she would stay with Punk and his mom.

He went off and became a cop and by the time he was promoted to Detective AJ was passing the bar and trying to get into the DA's office. It was Punk who was a friend of the old DA's who actually put in a good word for her and helped her achieve her goal. They did butt heads once in a while over cases, actually a lot but they always left work at work, at least tried to.

"Yea, I prefer Phil." She smirked getting comfortable.

"Where's Brad?" Punk asked taking a sip of his drink.

"Bradford." She corrected. "He hates when you call him that."

"I know." Punk grinned. "I like pissing him off."

"Why do you insist on pissing off every boyfriend in my life?" she asked him.

"He's a bully." Cody said to her seriously.

"I am." Punk agreed and she rolled her eyes. "Seriously, where is he?"

"He had a dinner meeting." She said to him and he just nodded.

"He puts a ring on your finger and now you see him even less." Punk pointed out.

"Why don't you like him?" She asked with a sigh. "I need my two best guys to get along."

"I do get along with him." Punk replied defensively. "Professionally he's great at his job and for this City."

"Personally?" she asked.

"Personally, I think he needs to spend a little more time with the woman he plans on marrying." he said to her. "You've been here every night. I'm not even here every night. That's sad."

"Yea I noticed you haven't been around often, catching up with Beth?" She asked curiously.

"I don't know what you're talking about." he laughed then took a sip of his drink.

"Yea, I thought I saw you two leaving here the other night before I came in. That a smart idea?" she asked.

"Don't judge me." He mocked. "Worry about your own relationship."

"I'm not judging!" AJ laughed. "It's just, you told me she scared you." She teased.

"I didn't say scare." He laughed nervously as Cody listened intently. "She's intimidating, sure." he shrugged. "But she works at my gym and after a work out I like another."

"Right." AJ scoffed sipping her wine.

"So, how goes the wedding planning?" He asked curiously.

"We're going to start planning soon." She said to him looking at her glass.

"Why does that make you sad?" He asked curiously.

"It doesn't. It just turns out we have two completely different views on what we wanted for the wedding." She confided. "I wanted a summer wedding or at least a warmer one outside, he wants one in the winter and in church."

"You're not religious." Punk pointed out. "Does he know this?"

"Of course he does. But his family and the people of Chicago don't." She told him.

"Who gives a fuck?" Punk scoffed. "It's about what you want. Weddings are always about the woman."

"They are not." She laughed. "It's not just that, the wedding is just a reminder I don't have a family to invite."

"That's not true." Punk argued. "I'm family, I'll be there."

"You know what I mean." she said to him. "Blood family."

"You are inviting Bonnie, right?" He asked slowly, Bonnie was AJ's mom. Bonnie wasn't a bad person but she was a bit of aloof and neglectful of AJ.

"I didn't even tell her I was engaged. I haven't spoken to her weeks. She texted me around the holidays but that was it." She told him.

"Ape." He said disappointed shaking his head.

"She's not your mom. You don't get it." She insisted.

"Does Bradford know about your father?" Punk questioned and AJ turned her attention back to her glass of wine. "Does he know anything about you?"

"Stop." She sighed.

"Hasn't he ever asked about your parents?" Punk asked her.

"Of course. He's very interested in me." She defended. "I was honest about Bonnie and my dad- for the most part. I just told him I never met my father which is the truth."

"But you know where he is." Punk pointed out.

"He didn't ask me that." AJ shrugged.

"If you can't be honest with him-" Punk began.

"I am honest." She insisted. "You know how I am when it comes to my family drama, I don't like to share it."

"You should be with someone who knows everything. Because he's not going to understand how you need endless amounts of donuts when your mom stops in for a visit, or how you much you hate fathers day." he said to her and she gave him a sad smile.

"Why don't you like Bradford?" She asked him.

"I do like him, I just told you this." he laughed. "But liking him in his job and liking him for you is a different story. I just want you to be happy Ape."

"I know. But I am, so worry more about your issues." She said to him.

"I'm issue free." He laughed.

"Must be nice to not have any baggage." she remarked and he just shrugged.

"I just live carefree. Not attachment, not drama." He said to her. "My job is dramatic enough, so is yours."

"We've gotta go Punk." Cody said to him and Punk nodded throwing money down on the bar.

"You wan a ride home?" Punk asked.

"No." She told him. "I'm meeting Maria."

"Sure." Punk said to her. "Don't drink too much." He warned.

As Punk and Cody walked out, AJ's friend Maria walked in. AJ noticed Punk do a double take as Maria passed by him and checked her out before leaving the bar and a brief hello.

"Where are they going?" Maria asked taking the seat Punk was in.

"Work." She said to her. "He was checking you out."

"It was a cover." Maria laughed waving over to the bartender and pointing at AJ's drink, she wanted the same.

"Why do you say that? He's been trying to take you out since you turned 18." AJ reminded her.

Maria and AJ were best friends growing up, not as close as her and Punk but closest girlfriends. They went to school together since kindergarten up until they graduated from High School.

"It's a cover." Maria repeated. "He may be attracted to me but he wants you. I've said since we were kids and the older we get the more I believe it."

"He needs a good woman in his life and you're a good woman." AJ insisted and Maria laughed.

"First of all, he is not my type. Second of all, he wants you and I'm not filling that void." Maria said to her seriously as the bartender bought over her glass.

"I'm getting married." AJ reminded her.

"Yea." Maria laughed. "We'll see how long that lasts."

"Why do you keep saying that?" AJ frowned.

"Bradford is a wonderful man." Maria assured her. "But if you think you're going to make it to the alter with him or Punk is going to let that happen, you're nuts. When have you ever been with a man that Punk liked?"

"He's just protective, like a brother or father." AJ said to her and Maria let out a laugh.

"No honey." Maria shook her head. "You are to naive! The man is in love with you."

"He doesn't fall in love." AJ corrected.

"He does and he has." Maria said to her simply.

"Enough about this. I need you to help me convince Bradford for a summer wedding." AJ said looking at her phone.

"I thought that was the plan? This summer something small?" Maria asked confused.

"It was but now he wants something different, winter." She told her. "And big."

"So instead of a few months you'd have to wait a whole year?" Maria asked skeptically. "And big so he can show you off like a trophy?"

"Bradford already feels like none of my friends like him and I think he's right." AJ said looking at her.

"I like him but I love you." Maria said to her. "And I'm sure he doesn't care what me and Punk think of him."

"He does care, he's more sensitive than you know." AJ said to her and Maria rolled her eyes. "I need you all to get along."

"We did get along." Maria insisted. "I just want you to have everything you want."

"Bradford is everything that I want. He makes me happy." AJ told her.

"Good." Maria said to her with a smile.

Punk and Cody were parked in a motel parking lot sitting on a witness for a potential case. The suspect was spotted coming into the motel and there was no telling which room he went into or when he'd leave so they'd have to wait it out.

"This is going to take forever." Cody groaned.

"You have somewhere else to be?" Punk asked sitting behind the drivers seat holding a cup of coffee.

"Yea, I had a date." Cody said to him. "Not all of us want to be alone."

"I don't want to be alone and I'm not alone." Punk defended.

"Beth is mean." Cody cringed.

"She's really fit and can go all night." Punk retorted.

"AJ seems fit." Cody noted sipping his coffee and Punk glared at him.

"Don't say shit like that, she's getting married- fuck off." Punk warned him.

"Not for me." Cody laughed. "I would never step on your toes like that."

"It's not my toes it's our esteemed district attorney's toes you'd be stepping on." Punk pointed out.

"I just always thought you'd end up with her." Cody shrugged.

"She's like family." Punk said to him. "I don't see her that way."

"I think you do." Cody said to him and Punk laughed.

"You don't know me that well. I can't even picture her in anyway other than platonic." Punk told him. "I've known her since she was a baby."

"She's not a baby anymore." Cody noted subtly and Punk eyed him. "I'm just saying she's very attractive."

"Her and Brad make a great looking couple." Punk said keeping his eyes on the motel as he sipped his coffee again.

"They'll have cute kids." Cody agreed and Punk just nodded without saying a word. "You know, they-"

"Why are you pressing me on this?" Punk asked him.

"Just trying to make conversation." Cody shrugged.

"Right." he muttered. "Maybe this night will go faster if you don't talk so much?"

"Doubt it." Cody said sitting back.

A couple of hours later Punk had actually drifted off into a light sleep while Cody stayed awake, they'd switch on and off throughout the night since it would be a long one.

"Punk." Cody said calmly lightly tapping his arm awake.

"Yea." Punk muttered waking up quickly. "He's out?"

"Not him." Cody said nodding straight ahead and Punk squinted his eyes and saw Bradford Hamilton himself leaving a motel room tucking his shirt into his pants and glancing around before getting into his car.

"Want to stop him?" Cody asked Punk who kept his eyes on the car as it pulled out of the lot.

"No. We have a case." Punk said simply as he glared at the vehicle speeding out of the lot.

"Weird stuff." Cody noted.

"Does it even surprise you?" Punk asked him seriously. "Everyone is fucking corrupt in this City. District Attorney is no different."

"Going to tell AJ?" Cody asked.

Punk ignored the question and shifted in his sit.

"You can get some sleep now." Punk said to him. "I'll stay up."

"Alright." Cody said to him.

AJ was sleeping in bed when she heard the shower go on and lifted her head. She looked at the alarm clock on the nightstand and saw it was it was almost two in the morning. She rolled onto her back and looked up at her ceiling until the shower went off and Bradford strolled into the bedroom.

"I hope I didn't wake you." Bradford frowned getting into the bed.

"No." She lied shaking her head. "You're home really late."

"Lost track of time." Bradford said to her. "I'm sorry honey." he said kissing her cheek.

"It's alright." AJ said and she felt him use his fingers to gently turn her face to look at him.

"What's on your mind pretty?" Bradford asked curiously.

"Just thinking about wedding stuff." She said to him.

"So have I actually." Bradford said to her. "And I've changed my mind. I want what you want."

"Really?" She asked and he nodded.

"Our wedding is supposed to be about us, no one else. And I don't want to wait a year." Bradford admitted. "Fuck politics as usual, let's do what we want."

"Really?" AJ asked in a giddy voice and she rolled on top of him.

"Yes." Bradford said to her. "I just want you to be my wife. I want you to be Mrs. Hamilton already."

"What about the church thing?" She asked.

"We don't need to get married in a church. I'll marry you in this bedroom if that's what you want." He smirked and she leaned down and kissed him.

"I love you Mr. Hamilton." AJ smiled nuzzling her nose against his.

"I love you more soon to be Mrs. Hamilton." Bradford responded then rolled her under his body...

A/N:

Hi! I'm back. I'm giving this a whirl. I didn't do the disclaimer or authors note at the top because I wanted you to have a chance to read it.

And I know what you're thinking, Punk is a cop again? I know, it's been done by me a lot but I'm a fan of crime drama's but this is a bit different giving that him and AJ are on equal footing. This is going to be a little more light and friends with benefits sort of feel.

Anyways, let's see how this goes...

Disclaimer- I own none of the characters except for the weirdo's.

The story is also Rated M for reasons such as language and...well ya know.

Let me know what you think!