Disclaimer : All the characters you recognised belong to the WWE. This story is written purely for entertainment purpose only. This story is mostly AU.

December 2020

"AJ! AJ! Open up!", a female voice spoke from the other side of the door, ruining the 33 years old AJ's moment in the process.

AJ just put her hyperactive five year olds daughter, Amy to sleep after hours of tiring attempts to calm her down and after not even an hour of peaceful and thoughtful time to herself, her best bestfriend, Kaitlyn had come too early.

In the midst of writing her third book, she already hit 2000 words mark from the moment Kaitlyn left earlier. She huffed a bit only not to splatter out the remaining of chocolate chip cookie in her mouth, then moving her laptop from her laps to the sofa she sat on before she stood up, a little bit annoyed.

"I'm coming!", she yelled to her bestfriend outside as she made her way to the door.

She opened it lazily.

"I swear it's freaking freezing out there!", Kaitlyn spoke while gritting her teeth in the coldness outside. She handed AJ a small plastic bag that she had since she walked out the convenience store earlier.

AJ's eyes set upon the toddler sleeping in Kaitlyn's arms. She couldn't resist caressing the boy's sandy blonde hairs.

"Aww, isn't he cute when he's sleeping", she cooed and sighed in relief when she continued, "I'm glad he don't look a bit like his dad, except the hair of course"

"He just fell asleep after we got out from the convenient store. You're the one who insisted make him to come with me", Kaitlyn explained as she walked towards the living room in her best friend's husband's apartment.

"Why don't you put him in the crib?", AJ motioned to it. "Amy just got out of it. She's 5 yet she always climbed in it. Thank God she slept early just now, thanks to her 'friend' in the room"

Kaitlyn nodded and walked to the crib, slowly putting the toddler in it. She then sniffed a couple of times but there was no smell of dinner.

"Wait! Don't you cook dinner? The guys would be here any minute now!", she asked AJ in panic.

AJ waved off and chuckled, "Relax! They got two fully-functioned hands. They can cook for themselves, and for us"

"But they just got back from tapings! Have some heart, AJ!"

Before AJ could spoke against Kaitlyn, the doorbell rang, making the duo to smile in joy.

"Ooh, they're here!", Kaitlyn beamed but AJ was faster that she already ran to the door and opened it.

"SETH!", she shrieked a little bit on purpose, launching herself on one of the men standing at the door.

Seth chuckled at her behaviour but caught her anyway, spinning her round as they embraced.

They stopped and broke away when they heard an irritated huff from Dean, who was just a few centimetres from them.

"Hello, Dean!", AJ arched her eyebrows, greeting him in a mocking tone.

He looked at her from head to toe and snorted afterwards, "Did you gain weight again?"

"Really? Two weeks away and that's the best you could ever think of?"

"I asked about what I saw, not what I thought! So, did you?"

"I was wearing a white sweater, you jerk! White makes you a bit bigger and no, I'm still under 60 kilos!"

"I was talking about your face! Seems like you already developed a double chin there", he pointed at her face, his pointing finger touching the layer of skin just beneath her chin, making AJ to squint her eyes in anger.

"Cut it off, guys! Let's get inside. I'm hungry", Roman stated out of nowhere, getting in the way of them.

"You just ate five double cheese burgers at the airport and you're saying you're hungry?", Dean looked at his friend in disbelief.

"You gotta eat to live", he shrugged before he stepped inside.

"Hey guys!", Kaitlyn spoke when the men walked in the apartment. She hugged each of them and one of the hugs lasted longer and even ended with a longing kiss.

Dean walked over to the crib near the window first while Roman and Seth headed to the dining table, presumably expecting delicious meals awaited them but to their dismay, the table was clean with only colouring books and crayons left on the table.

Seth turned around and pouted at AJ as he patted his empty stomach.

"Haven't you cook?"

Kaitlyn snorted as she put her hand on Seth's shoulder, answering on behalf of her bestfriend, "Haven't? More like won't"

AJ in return gave them questioning look, "What? You guys have hands and all the instant foods are in the kitchen. You name it; ramen, frozen pizza, some Chinese takeout leftover this afternoon, etcetera!"

"Lazy ass!", Dean muttered from the corner of the room, at the same time his focus was on his two years old son sleeping in the crib.

Hearing what he said, AJ pointed her finger at him from far, "I heard you, asshole! You can't eat here tonight!"

"What's to eat anyways? It's better calling up McDonalds for delivery. Much tastier and faster compared to what you have in the kitchen!"

"I'M IN!", all of the adults except for AJ said in unison to Dean, making AJ to scowl at each and every single one of them.

"Ugh! Fine! Call up that stupid McDonalds", she waved her hands up in defeat before she stormed inside her bedroom with the plastic bag Kaitlyn gave her.

March 2004

The 17 years old AJ skipped from her room all the way to the kitchen in her small house, smelling the inviting cookies and cupcakes fragrances through her nose.

"Happy birthday, darling", Mrs. Mendez singsong as she turned from her baking to her only daughter left.

AJ walked towards her and hugged her mother happily. Everytime her birthday came, her mother would always presented her with her favourite dishes for the whole day and that day was no different.

"Thank you, mom! The food smells good!"

"For my one and only baby", her mother grinned at her before she turned back to her cooking. "Why don't you sit on the table while waiting for my famous sweet treats to be done?"

"Okay, mom!", she smiled before walking towards the table, where Mr. Mendez was already sitting, making himself busy with that day's newspaper.

"Daddy!", she squealed in happiness, couldn't wait to know what her father got her for her birthday as she took a seat in across him.

"What is it?", he asked in a dullest expression ever.

AJ held out her hands in a receiving manner as a cheeky grin formed on her lips, "Where's my present?"

He in return slammed the newspaper on the table, putting his hand on his knee angrily, "You failed your school test last week and you had the nerve to ask for a present?". Scoffing at her, he continued, "You won't get anything this year!"

She pouted as a result and foot thumping on the floor could be heard, "But it's my birthday!"

Mr. Mendez just ignored her sign of rebellion and changed the topic. "Now pour me that coffee in the cup", he ordered her.

AJ lowered down her head and stared at him with glaring eyes. If this was how her father going to treat her on her special day, then she could do anything she wanted to piss him off.

"I'm sorry, sir! Do I know you?", she asked, giving him a mocking smile.

"April Jeanette!", he called her by full name in irritation, immediately showing AJ that it seemed to work.

"Oh my, you even know my name", she put her hands on her chest, acting touched. She then turned to her mother behind the kitchen counter, "Mom? What's this old fat man doing in our house?"

Mrs. Mendez only shook her head and smiled at the father daughter antiques. "Honey, it's not that often that she failed her tests. Just buy her something!"

"Not often? What happened to her in the past years! Her academic results constantly dropped nowadays. Let's not forget to mention those extra hours I worked just to buy her ticket to Wrestlemania last week. Just when I thought bringing her to Wrestlemania could motivate her to study harder, she did this to us. Stupid WWE for poisoning my stupid daughter's mind!"

"Dad!"

"So I've become your dad again"

"Don't ever say WWE is stupid!"

"Did I say something wrong? Ever since you know wrestling, you've been facing your computer all night long, reading stuffs about those fools, downloading unreasonably useless posters and their stupid theme songs at the town cafe whole day? What? Are you planning to be one of those wrestlers one day?", he yelled, regretted inside for ever introducing his only daughter to the TV show he had been watching for the past 20 years.

"So what if I am? One day, I'll be in that wrestling ring living my dream... or maybe I could even be their highest paid diva!"

"That's good then! When that day come, pay back those ticket prices at me."

"Whatever, old man! I'm going! Bye, mom!"

When she just left, Dean walked out from his room with his school bag, walking to the couple in the kitchen. Mr. Mendez was sipping on his coffee while his wife was packing some foods.

"Morning!", he greeted before he headed to the kitchen counter.

"Morning, Dean", Mrs. Mendez smiled warmly and once she was done packing, she looked at the young man in front of her.

Her husband and her brought him in when he was 10. Dean was actually her bestfriend's son. She was a single mother so when she left with a new boyfriend and was never seen ever since, Dean had nowhere to go but the Mendez. Feeling sorry for the innocent boy who got left by his own blood, they brought him up as their own until now. In a way, AJ wasn't lonely all the time, being the only child.

She handed one of the two paper bags to him, "This is yours and, " she pushed the other at his direction, "This is AJ's. It's her favourite cookies and cupcakes!"

"Her sweet tooth is going to trouble her, mom!", he shook his head jokingly at the woman whom he considered as his own mother, thus him calling her 'mom'.

"I know! Now, before you go, make sure you drink something"

He nodded and took the paper bags and went to the table, pouring himself some juice and drank the whole cup.

"So I assumed you make her upset again, dad?"

"She asked for it!", Mr. Mendez shrugged proudly.

Dean smirked at him, "AJ being AJ! Bet she already forgot you tried your best to bring her to Wrestlemania last Sunday". He stood for a moment before he told them that he was leaving.

"I'm leaving!", he said, and met with a female farewell voice and a hand gesture from the man on the table.

He walked out of the house and spotted that AJ was squatting down in near the door, cooing at a puppy in the cage. Hiding a smile at her action, he squatted down beside her.

"You like it?", he asked out of nowhere.

"Hell, why shouldn't I? Wonder if the neighbour forgot to bring it inside", she answered but her eyes never gone from the puppy.

"It doesn't belong to the neighbour, it's your birthday present"

"Haha, nice joke!", she faked laugh at him but when she didn't saw him laughing back, she knew he was serious.

"Oh my gosh! Are you for real? How much did he cost?"

"I brought him last night. The lady from the pet store gave it to me"

"Why's that?"

He shrugged, "Because nobody likes the puppy. All of his siblings were sold like hot cakes while he never got the attention"

"Free loader!", she muttered under her breath.

She petted the puppy and it seemed to like her a lot. Soon after, she brought her hands to Dean and cupped his face, cooing as if he was a puppy too. "Thank you, you're so sweet. Can you be my husband? Should we get married when we finished school, huh?"

He gave her an annoyed look and slapped her hands away. "Psh, no one would want to marry you. You're crazy, unpredictable, have lots of mood change and you're too obsessed with WWE!", he said while trying to avoid eye contact with her, embarrassed with her joking suggestion.

AJ looked elsewhere for a moment before she turned back at him and tugged at one of his bag's straps ,"So have you done my homeworks?", she asked, batting her eyelashes as she had a full grin on her face.

Dean in return squinted his eyes at her and stuck out his lower lip in annoyance, "Yes, your majesty! I'll hand it for you in the class, happy?"

"Very", she nodded in glee.

"Let's go to school. We don't want to be late"

"But this puppy is just so cute. Maybe I should miss school today"

"What's it going to be this time?"

"I had a hurtful start of my monthly menstruation? Duh"

"Like our teacher would believe you. You've used that excuse last two weeks", he got up and offered his hand to her, "Come on and you can enjoy this dog after we're back from school"

"No!", she pouted at him like a kid at toys store.

He shrugged with no choice left. He hoisted her up on his shoulder and started to walk the way to school, with AJ's tantrum and screams filling his ears.

At school, the morning passed quickly as everyone was now having their lunch breaks and AJ and the rest of her gang was on their usual table in the cafeteria.

"Happy birthday, bestie!", the 18 years old Kaitlyn greeted her bestfriend with quite a big box tied with rainbow ribbons.

"Thank you, Kait! What's in this box?"

Kaitlyn giddily clapped her hands together, "Surprise, but please don't open it now. Wait till you come home"

"Okay then. Thanks again. You know you're the best best friend anyone can have", AJ put down the box on the table and hugged her bestfriend sitting beside her.

"I got something for you too", another friend of AJ, the boy with shoulder length dark hair, also 18 years old Seth handed her a nice looking plastic bag in which she gladly accepted.

"Oh my gosh, is this the latest copies of X-Men?", she took out the comics and stared at them excitedly.

Seth looked away and nodded proudly with a small smile.

She then proceeded to give him a quick hug too, "Thank you, Seth. You're the best too. No offense to everyone else but I think you're the one who ever get me", she tilted her head in awe, her hands on her heart.

Meanwhile, Dean felt frustrated that AJ treated their two friends like that but when she hugged Seth, he couldn't help but to feel a little bit jealous.

Sitting in front of those three, he waved his hand at AJ's, trying to get her attention, "Hey, I gave you a puppy this morning. Why don't you say I'm the best too?"

"Because you're not! You got it for free anyway, even if it's cute", she in return stuck her tongue out.

"Jerk!"

"Whatever!", AJ rolled her eyes before turning to Seth and grabbed his hand, "Seth, let's go to the office now"

They both got up from their seats and just when about they wanted to walk out of the table, Dean's voice stopped them.

"Where are you guys going?", he suddenly asked in curiosity.

"Miss Emma wanted to see me", she answered nonchalantly.

He nodded and grabbed his bag,"Oh, okay. Let me go with you"

AJ's eyes widen and she instantly held her hands out, making a gesture telling Dean to stop, "No! I'll go with Seth. You stay here with Kaitlyn. It won't take that long anyway", she babbled, making Dean to be confused at her sudden act but he proceeded to sit back.

She sighed out of relief and she smiled back. "Bye bye!", she waved at both of her friends with one hand as her other hand was tightly gripping on Seth's arm. Before they turned to walk out, AJ managed to send a wink to Kaitlyn, totally unnoticed by Dean.

Actually, that morning during their class, Kaitlyn was asking AJ for help, telling her that she had a crush on Dean and decided to ask him out but she didn't know how. As her ultimate bestfriend, AJ gave her an idea for Kaitlyn to ask him during lunch, which is why she dragged Seth to the staff to give her two other friends some space. She knew Dean was single and there was no way he could be attracted to any girl at the moment so she thought Kaitlyn could try her luck. AJ could only hope Dean wouldn't hurt her bestfriend or else she would beat him with the wrestling moves she had imitated from WWE show.

Now that there were only those two at their usual table, Kaitlyn let out a nervous cough, trying to get Dean's attention, who was currently flipping through the comic pages that AJ just got from Seth.

"Dean? What are you doing?", she tried to start a conversation with him.

"Reading comic, as you can see", he sternly spoke as he flashed her the comic book, making her to felt regretful for asking that obvious question.

Kaitlyn chewed on her lower lip nervously, didn't know what to do next. Should she just asked him already or should she wait for a bit more? She shut her eyes in anxiety and convinced herself to do it right away. She took a deep breath before she opened her eyes again and stared at Dean intensely.

"Dean?"

"What?", he asked but he wasn't looking at her, not that he was interested to know what she had to say.

"I like you. Will you go out with me?", Kaitlyn finally let it out and she held her breath, waiting for his answer while biting on her lower lip like she did earlier.

Dean finally looked up at her and put down the book, staring at Kaitlyn in puzzlement, taken aback with her sudden question. He didn't expect to hear something like that, what more from Kaitlyn out of all people.

Okay people, it's not what you think. Upcoming chapters would explain everything. On a side note; Yay, a new story! I shouldn't have post this until I've finished my two other stories but I guess I'll have an exception just for this chapter. So each chapter basically had present and past parts, or only in past, not to make you all confused. Please review. Thank you.