Author's Note: Just a one shot I felt inspired to write after this past Monday Night Raw. Enjoy and kindly review because it just makes me sing with joy.
"Trying to tell me you believe Vince McMahon, like he's not cutthroat enough to hire an actor. That wasn't Paul Heyman, that was Paul Giamatti. That wasn't Paul Heyman, that was CGI."
AJ was backstage, watching the monitor as Punk continued to rant and rave that Vince screwed him over and that he got what he deserved from Brock. It was heartbreaking to see this descent into madness unfolding before her eyes. This was not the Punk she once knew, and loves... loved she means.
The CM Punk she knew would never have believed the tirade spewing out of his mouth right now. The CM Punk she knew would be demanding that Paul come out to the ring and rip into him for costing him his WWE Championship.
Instead the CM Punk standing in the ring was nothing more than a man manipulated and brainwashed by the soul sucking leech that is Paul Heyman. A man made to believe that everyone was out to get him, and anyone who dared so much spoke an ill of his championship reign needed to be dealt with immediately. Just like she was; told one morning by Paul himself that Punk was finished with her.
AJ's attention was immediately drawn back to the monitor. She saw Punk stepping down the steel staircase and making his way towards the Titantron. She decided right then and there that it was finally time to have that long-awaited talk with Punk. With Dolph being all tied up in Vicki's office, irate that he did not have a match tonight, AJ had ample time before he came looking for her.
She made her way through the halls of the arena, quickly finding Punk's locker room and sneaking inside, praying that she did not just make a huge mistake in doing so.
To say Punk was upset would be a fucking understatement. He was incensed, he was...whatever the fuck other word best described his emotions right now. All he knew was that the next person who so much as blinked at him would be at the tail-end of a GTS. Punk just wanted to get to his locker room, blast his music and vent his anger and frustration at this whole situation he was now finding himself in.
He finally made his way to the locker room (which he was at least thankful that the WWE still award him his own private one) and slammed the door, the force almost knocking down the overhead clock. Before he could grab the nearest chair and throw it against the wall, he heard a voice he long thought he would never hear in his presence again.
"You know," Punk looked up to see AJ sitting in a chair next to his duffel bag and gear, flipping through his copy of The Walking Dead. "It's quite interesting how now that Paul's golden son has returned, he's no longer playing the part of your shadow. If I was you Punk, I would find that very disconcerting."
This was the last thing Punk wanted or needed right now. "You have about one minute to get the fuck out of my sight before things get real ugly in here." he practically snarled out at her.
"Threatening me are you now Punk?" AJ shook her head as though a mother scolding her child. "So unbecoming of you but then again having a vile human being in your corner would do that to a person." She leaned back in the chair, all five-foot-three of attitude, and dangled the graphic novel from her fingers purposely taunting Punk.
He made his way towards her and snatched it out of her hand. "I don't have time for your bullshit AJ. What the fuck do you want?"
"Well I did come here to talk to you now that the walrus isn't here to stop me. But I'll rather just sit here and take pleasure in your agony at being defeated by The Rock. How does it feel knowing that no matter what you do, you'll always be second best to Cena and Dwayne?"
Her self-righteous smile at him losing the belt to The Rock infuriated him. He grabbed her wrist, a yelp escaping AJ at the sudden grip, and yanked her from the chair the momentum bringing her body flush against his.
AJ tensed up at feeling Punk's well-defined chest pressed against her own. The last time they had been this close was the night they made love for the last time. Punk felt her unease at being so close to him, and being the CM Punk he was, took that as his cue to lower his head towards her.
"So much tension. What's the matter AJ?" Punk whispered against her lips. "Dolph not fucking you good enough. Cumming," - AJ did not miss the blatant innuendo there- "for some Best in the World to remedy that." He plastered on his trademark sinister smirk, sure he got one over her.
AJ though was no longer the shy quiet girl who would blush at the mere use of such language. Being with Punk (and then later on with Dolph) had done away with that. Punk wanted to play that game then she was more than willing to play along.
"You wish. Dolph satisfies this pussy much better and longer than you." That quickly wiped the smirk off Punk's face, but AJ was not done twisting the proverbial knife deeper. She glanced down at his trunks and then slowly brought her eyes back up to him. "He certainly does it much...bigger than you." Her mocking laughter inflamed him, and he shoved her backwards, needing to get her away from him.
"Get the fuck out."
"Look at you," AJ said as she watched Punk pace back and forth, his eyes staring daggers into her. "You've become so fucking pathetic. A grown man acting like a petulant child, crying week after week about 'Vince screwed me over' this and 'The Rock stole my title' that. Wake up Punk and realize your own damn ego is the reason you're no longer the WWE Champion."
"I am still the fucking WWE Champion. See this...this is exactly why Paul told me to end things with you. You were not a true believer in CM Punk the champion. You were nothing but dead weight. Good thing I finished with you when I did otherwise I would have lost the belt just like Daniel did."
AJ scoffed at that,"Right because that certainly would have been worst than having a man who's like a father figure to you fuck you over by hiring The Shield when he knew doing so would cost you the best."
"That is not Paul in the fucking video. You are exactly like those mindless sheep out there, believing everything you see and hear from Vince." Punk continued his pacing, questioning himself on why he had not yet dragged her out of the locker room.
"I may be a mindless sheep," AJ fired back at him, "but you are nothing but a delusional paranoid man now. You are so blinded by Paul that you can't see that he is nothing but a fucking disease. Infecting you, poisoning you into believing that the only one who gave a fuck about you and that damn belt was him. 'Fuck anyone who dares utter a single negative thought and get rid of them' he told you, even me who stood by your side supporting you even when I was GM and doing so could cost me my job."
"You shut the fuck up right now." He was not going to allow her to stand there and spew this bullshit at him.
"Face it Punk. Now that Brock's back Paul is going to do to you exactly what you did to me. How does it feel knowing that the man you put your faith behind no longer gives a damn about you?" Punk stopped, and like a caged lion let loose from his cage, he launched himself at AJ and trapped her against his locker. AJ looked up into his eyes and what she saw there chilled her to her core.
"Don't you ever, fucking talk about Paul like that again you understand? Paul has been nothing but a loyal, trusted friend who's done everything in his power to get me what I rightfully deserve. All you've done, since I finished with your sorry ass, is turn into the locker room slut, opening your legs to who ever looks your way. First it was John, and now it's Dolph. Who's next after him, hmmmm AJ? Cody or Damien? No, I think it's going to be both of them at the same time."
"Fuck you Punk. Fuck you and go to hell." With all the strength in her body, she pushed him off of her. She was not going to break down in front of him, give Punk a single piece of satisfaction at seeing the effect his words were having on her.
"Hit a nerve did I, AJ," that sinister smirk back on his face. " Let's be honest here. You didn't come here looking for a fight. You came here expecting, now that Paul is busy with Brock, for me to confess that I miss you, that I still love you and that I want you back."
She hated that some small part of her wished that this confrontation with Punk would lead to exactly that, him admitting that AJ was right about Paul being nothing but a bad influence and that the biggest mistake he made was letting her go. She had never let go of the AJ that fallen for Punk all those months ago, who had become her knight and shining armor against Daniel. But standing here, listening to Punk spew such vile and cruel things to her killed the last remaining hope of a fairytale ending with him.
"Sorry sweetie," he said disdainfully, "but that's not going to happen. Accept in that crazy little head of yours that I never give a shit about you, never loved you. You were just a little play thing I used for my amusement. And just like I and the rest of the guys you've been with, Dolph is going to get bored with you and throw you away for something better and prettier." AJ was shaking, his words cutting deeper and deeper into her soul.
"How does it feel," her earlier words to him now being used against her, "knowing that no matter what I'll always be a WWE champion and all you're ever be is nothing."
There stood Punk, looking at her like he did the night he humiliated her when told the WWE universe intimate details of their relationship. A single tear rolled down her cheek, Punk openly enjoying the pain etched on her face. AJ could feel her right hand clenching and unclenching, itching to make contact with his cheek and inflict on him the pain that his words caused her.
She raised her hand, seeing Punk bracing himself for the blow. Instead, she wiped away the tear and straightened her shoulders. Punk had broken her but damn if she was going to let Punk destroy her. AJ brushed past him, heading towards the door. She turned the knob, and before she walked out of that room, she turned around and faced Punk for the last time ever.
"Maybe your right Punk. Maybe everything you've said is true, and all I'll ever be is nothing. But I'll rather be nothing then be a fucking soulless cold-hearted monster like you. " And with that, AJ walked out knowing the CM Punk she once envisioned having a life with was dead and in his place was a man who could no longer be saved.