Part II: You Broke Me
AJ and Corey arrived at Raw together Punk was already there in talking to Vince and Hunter openly in the hallway. 'I guess they've made up' AJ thought to herself as her and Corey casually walked by.
"Corey Graves!" Vince shouted "Can we have a moment of your time?" he asked as Punk turned and saw AJ and Corey
"I'll catch you later" Corey said to AJ who just nodded and walked away but felt Punk's eye's following her as she headed down the hall "Yes Mr. McMahon"
"Hunter, Punk and myself were just talking about Elimination Chamber" Vince told him cheerfully "You're getting your big shot"
"I'm going to be in the chamber?" Corey asked surprised
"No you're going to be facing Punk" Vince told him as Punk grinned
"Seriously?" Corey asked with a smile
"We know you two used to work together back in the day and have good chemistry in the ring" Vince informed him "Let's re-ignite that and after Wrestlemania we'll see where we can with you"
"What's the story?" Corey questioned
"Obviously Punk eliminated you last night and you're going to challenge him for his spot at Wrestlemania" Vince informed him "Sound good?"
"Yea but what about AJ?" Corey asked as all three men seemed calm
"That just adds more to the story" Vince laughed "Punk's former fiancée and current boyfriend battling it out? It's money!"
"I'm not her boyfriend" Corey added quickly glancing over to Punk who just have him an arrogant smile
"We know that" Hunter added "But on script you're together, we're just blurring the lines that's all"
"Who's going to tell her?" Corey questioned
"You can" Hunter said to him "AJ is a professional she won't have any issues. I mean you two are ok right?" he asked Punk who just nodded
"Great" Vince gleamed. He clearly loved having Punk back "Great idea Punk" Vince said to Punk causing Corey to stare at his friend "And again good to have you back" Vince and Hunter then walked away
"This was your idea?" Corey questioned
"It makes sense" Punk offered "You don't want to work with me? You're enjoying your mid-card status?" he challenged
"No I think it will be great" Corey told him "But AJ isn't going to like it"
"You know AJ that well huh?" Punk questioned
"Come on man" Corey sighed, he didn't want to get into this again
"AJ deserves a big story" Punk informed him "She's the best and should get to work with the best"
"I know" Corey agreed
"But don't worry about it. If AJ has a problem with working with me she can come to me about it" Punk told him and Corey just nodded "You just worry about our match" he added then walked away
Corey had just told AJ the news that they would be feuding with Punk for the next four weeks. She was less than thrilled but knew this was a huge opportunity for her. She was sitting in catering when she felt someone take a seat across from her and looked up and was surprised to see Stephanie McMahon smiling at her.
"Hello AJ" Stephanie smiled politely
"Hi Steph" AJ bit out. "Is everything ok?"
"I just wanted to make sure you were ok with this new story my father and husband pitched" Stephanie said to her "They didn't really consider your feelings before they finalized it"
"It's fine I can work with Punk" AJ assured her
"Are you sure?" Stephanie asked
"Yes." AJ said to her "I'm a professional and I can do anything"
"I know that" Stephanie smiled warmly "But you're also human"
"I can do it" AJ confirmed again
"Ok" Stephanie said standing up "I'm looking forward to this story by the way I think you three are going to do great" AJ didn't respond but just smiled and waited for Stephanie to leave.
Punk was in the locker room for the first time since last year and for the most part people were friendly but he didn't really care. He was here for one reason and one reason only he only cared what she thought of him.
"Not even a text to tell me you were coming back?" Kofi laughed giving Punk a hug
"Sorry you know how many leaks are in this place" Punk smirked "How have you been?"
"Good, good. Better than you" Kofi noted
"What's that supposed to mean? I'm in the best shape of my life, I'm getting the main event at Mania, life couldn't get better" Punk grinned
"I have to ask" Kofi sighed and Punk knew where this was going "What the hell happened with AJ?"
"We didn't work out" Punk shrugged simply as he took some items out of his bag
"That's it?" Kofi asked. He had traveled with the two before they started to date and after and he never thought they'd break up "Word around here is that you dumped her the day of your wedding"
"Well the word around here is wrong, like usual" Punk groaned "It was two days before our wedding"
"Well another rumor floating around is that you were dogging her" Kofi noted
"You believe everything you hear now?" Punk questioned
"What else am I supposed to go on?" Kofi questioned
"It just didn't work out" Punk told him "That's all I'm going to say"
"Are you two cool though?" Kofi questioned "I mean you came back knowing she's here and you both live in Chicago-"
"What?" Punk asked confused "She's living in Chicago?"
"You didn't know that?" Kofi asked
"She told you she's still living there?" Punk asked ignoring his question
"Yea man" Kofi laughed "You really didn't know?"
"Does it appear that I knew?" Punk mocked "She never moved back to Tampa?"
"No she said she really loved Chicago" Kofi shrugged. Now Punk's face went from shock to anger "What? She can't live in 'your' City now?"
"No it's not that. I just wish I had known" Punk muttered "I was under the impression she went back to Tampa"
"Who told you that?" Kofi asked
"Someone that works here" Punk said trying to let it go "It's fine though."
"Right" Kofi laughed
"So let me ask you something" Punk started and eyed around the locker room to make sure no one was listening "How has she been? Honestly"
"Upset" Kofi admitted "But she puts on a brave face. The girls still don't really like her and a lot of the upper guys are still pissed at her for backing you. She's kind of been on her own except for Corey of course"
"Of course" Punk smirked "And what's their story?"
"Really man?" Kofi laughed "You think your old buddy would try something with your ex?"
"Wouldn't have asked if I didn't think so" Punk remarked sarcastically
"As far as I could tell it's just friendship" Kofi informed him friend "But I don't really know Corey I just chat with AJ and she doesn't talk about her romantic life with me"
"Oh well thanks" Punk muttered
"If you love her why did you break her heart?" Kofi asked seriously
"I'll always love AJ" Punk informed him "She changed my life and made me very happy"
"That's it?" Kofi questioned with another laugh "Than why did you call off your wedding? Cold feet?"
"No…it's just complicated" Punk said to him "I don't want to get into it right now" as they were talking Corey Graves entered the locker room
"Don't hurt the guy" Kofi whispered to Punk "He's her only friend back here" Punk didn't respond but just eyed the tattooed newbie from where he stood.
"I spoke to AJ" Corey said walking over to Punk "She seems cool with the story"
"Why did you tell me AJ moved back to Tampa?" Punk questioned not caring what Corey had said before. Kofi suddenly looked nervous "I asked you where she was staying and you flat out lied to me. She's been in Chicago this whole time?"
"I never said she was back in Tampa I told you I thought she'd go back there" Corey corrected
"So when she got a place in Chicago why didn't you tell me?" Punk asked "Why did you lie to me?"
"It's not my place to spread her business around" Corey admitted "She didn't want anyone to know she was in Chicago"
"How come Kofi knows?" Punk questioned "Hey did she tell you that she didn't want anyone to know?" he asked Kofi who was now fidgeting
"No..I mean she didn't specifically say-" Kofi stopped speaking when Punk started to again
"Why are you lying to me?" Punk asked Corey point blank "And what else are you lying to me about?"
"Nothing man" Corey told him "You're my boy and always have been but you have to understand that AJ is my friend too. I hate being in the middle of you two"
"Right" Punk grinned not buying a word "See you out there kid" he said to him then walked past him
"What did I do?" Corey asked Kofi who just shook his head
"You just broke his trust" Kofi informed him "And from what I could pick up on he thinks you're sniffing around his girl, you're done man" he said with a laugh "But don't worry AJ won't let him hurt you"
"First of all I'm not sniffing around her and second of all she hasn't been his girl in months" Corey pointed out a few people started to snicker in the background and that's when Corey noticed a few of the guys had been eavesdropping
"You've stepped in it now kid" Roman Reigns laughed
"Two things I've learned about Punk from the short time I've worked with him- don't lie to him and don't mess with AJ" Dean laughed "You did both"
"I'm not messing with her!" Corey shouted
"Come on all those nights you two spend on the road alone?" Dean mocked with a laugh "That's like saying me and Renee are 'just friends'"
"We are just friends" Corey told him
"Look I'm not saying you are but if I was Punk I know what I'd be thinking" Dean informed him
"Yea I'd be thinking of places of where I was going to bury your body" Roman laughed "Look man just keep your hands to yourself and I'm sure you'll be fine"
"Are you all forgetting that he dumped her?" Corey questioned "It's not like they're together"
"I'd keep that down" Kofi suggested
"What? He doesn't own her" Corey said to them "Not that I would ever do anything with her" he said seriously looking at all the men in the locker room
"Take it from someone that really knows both of them" Kofi said to him "Those two aren't over and they'll never be. Just stay out of it" Kofi walked away as Roman and Dean just snickered towards the new guy leaving Corey on his own.
Thankfully for AJ she didn't have to work with Punk tonight. Corey would be interrupting his match later tonight and next week he'd address why he did it and that's when AJ would face to Punk again. Until then she didn't mind being off TV tonight. Her emotions were all over the place. She hated that he was back and just when she thought she was ready to move on he of course had to come back and throw her for a loop. She was in the parking lot waiting for Corey to finish up so they could get a head start into the next City for Smackdown. Waiting outside she thought would decrease her chances of running into him…
"Hey" Punk said standing behind her. She didn't turn around because she knew it was him. "How long are you going to ignore me for?" he asked stepping closer
"I don't want to talk to you" AJ said looking down on her feet as she set on the hood of her rental
"That's not going to work" Punk said in a light voice "We're going to be working together"
"Do you hate me?" AJ asked finally turning her head to look at him and she could see the hurt written all over his face with the question
"Excuse me?" Punk questioned "Why would you ask me that?"
"You told me you'd never come back here" AJ reminded him then smiled "Never mind. You also told me you'd marry me and always make me happy. I guess you're just a pathological liar"
"I meant everything I ever said to you" Punk told her "It's complicated"
"Why did you suggest working with me?" AJ asked "Are you enjoying my misery? Does it make you happy for some sick reason? I don't know what I did to make you hate me so much-"
"Stop saying that!" Punk demanded in a loud voice "I don't hate you. I never could"
"What do you want?" AJ asked with a sigh. She didn't have it in her to argue
"I just wanted to say hi" Punk said casually "See how you've been"
"I've been great. These last few months have been the happiest of my entire life and I finally feel at peace in my personal and professional life" AJ said with a broad smile "See? I can lie too"
"What can I do?" Punk asked her honestly "I don't want you to hate coming to work because I'm here"
"Well you could have not come back to begin with or you could have not insisted on working with Corey" AJ muttered "But it's been difficult for me here since…well you know you first left so I always have a knot in my stomach before I show up here"
"I'm sorry" Punk frowned
"Please don't be nice to me" AJ begged him slightly "It's easier if you're mean to me"
"I never meant to be cruel" Punk insisted
"If the things you said to me that night aren't the definition of cruel than I'd hate to see you when you're trying to be mean" AJ mocked lightly
"I can explain everything to you" Punk told her "Let me explain it to you" he said hoping she'd agree
"What's to explain?" AJ asked "You met another woman that's it" she shrugged
"There was no other woman AJ" Punk sighed annoyed
"Everything out of your mouth has been lies" AJ shot at him darkly "Are you really going to tell me you haven't been with anyone since we broke up?"
"No" Punk said slowly. He knew that would hurt her but he had to be honest "I wasn't with anyone while I was with you though"
"Well that makes it better" AJ laughed "I can't even get past a second date with someone while you're freely happy"
"I never said I was happy" Punk said firmly shaking his head slightly
"Do you expect me to feel bad for you?" AJ questioned narrowing her eyes at him "I have been miserable!" she shouted jumping off the hood of the car "So don't you dare stand there and expect me to sympathize with you when you're the one who created this entire situation!"
"I did what I thought was right for you" Punk said to her
"You thought leaving me alone was right for me?" AJ asked harshly
"It was" Punk said to her "You deserved better than me"
"Oh don't you dare!" She demanded pointing at him "Don't you dare make yourself out to be the good guy who saved me from a life of misery! I wanted you! I don't care if we lived in your two million dollar home or a box on the street as long as we were together I would have been happy! I wanted to share my life with you! I wanted to make a family with you!"
"I wanted all of that too" Punk choked out
"Obviously not as much as I did" AJ said to him "And I'm not going to let you stand here and try to convince me you did the right thing because if you did truly want all of that you never would have broken me"
"I didn't break you" Punk said to her "You're still here"
"Physically" AJ mocked "I am so empty and alone and scared" she immediately dropped her eyes to the ground she didn't want him to her cry
"You've never been alone" Punk said stepping closer to her
"Don't" She said pushing away from him crying "Please just don't touch me, stay away from me"
"AJ-" Punk started
"AJ?" Corey asked walking over to her with his bag over his shoulder "What happened?"
"Can we just go?" she asked Corey as she walked over to the passenger door and got in, slamming the door for good measure.
Before Corey got into the care he looked over to Punk who just shot him a death glare. He clearly wasn't fond on the idea of Corey lying about where AJ was living.
"Punk-" Corey started
"Get lost" Punk said to him "Get her out of here" he said to him and Corey just nodded and jumped in the drivers seat. He looked towards AJ who quickly looked his way and he let out a sad sigh upon seeing her tear filled face he hated to see her like that and more than that? He hated being the cause of it.
As Corey drove away Punk felt someone tap his shoulder and looked over and was relieved it was only Kofi.
"Give it some time man" Kofi said to him. Clearly Punk was miserable, he put on a brave face but Kofi saw right through it.
"I don't know how to make it better" Punk admitted
"You can try being honest" Kofi suggested "It seems that's all she wants from you"
"It's complicated" Punk said running his hand over his face
"So explain it to me" Kofi said to him "I am riding with you again right?" Punk just smiled and nodded "Great so we have all night and I will determine if you're a complete idiot or not"
"Alright" Punk sighed as he led Kofi to his bus.
An hour later Punk had finished his story and Kofi remained silent.
"Well?" Punk demanded
"Well I think you're an idiot" Kofi said seriously causing Punk to roll his eyes "But I would have done the same thing. But are you sure about all of that? You really believed all of that?"
"I had no reason not to" Punk told him "I couldn't watch it all be taken away from her"
"You need to tell her man" Kofi said seriously "She'll be pissed but maybe she'll understand"
"I have to make her understand" Punk said to him
"You know I'm starting to think you're not back for Wrestlemania or all the millions they gave you- you're back for her?" Kofi asked in awe and Punk remained silent "Now that my friend is romantic as hell! Going back to the place you hate to try to get your woman back after you royally screwed up"
"I'm going to succeed" Punk told him confidentaly "But I've got a feeling Corey is going to be an issue"
"He's her friend" Kofi said to him "Men and women can just be friends"
"I was AJ's friend once" Punk said to him "And all I could think about was getting in her pants" he informed Kofi who rolled his eyes
"Not everyone is a horn dog like you" Kofi pointed out
"No they're not but he is" Punk said to him "I know Corey, I've known him for years"
"Give him a break" Kofi insisted
"Oh I'll give him a break" Punk remarked bitterly standing up
"He said nothing is going on between the two of them" Kofi said to him
"Well if he said so than it must be true" Punk mocked
"Talk to her" Kofi said taking his mind off of Corey
"I will" Punk said "It just can't be in a parking lot I need to get her alone" he said glancing over to Kofi
"Oh no" Kofi said reading his mind "No, no, no" he said shaking his head "Do not involved me in this"
"I thought you liked us together" Punk pointed out
"I do-"
"-so help me" Punk demanded
"Crap" Kofi muttered annoyed
"Thanks" Punk smirked
"I call best man at your next wedding to her though if this works out" Kofi said seriously
"You've got it" Punk agreed
