A/N: Hey everyone! Thanks for the reviews you all are awesome! And yes I know Charlotte and Bram don't fit into the timeline but I needed new 'villians' of sort for this story and went with them. There will be a few things out of order so just bare with me :)


Coward


It was finally Hell In A Cell night. Punk and AJ flew in on Saturday and enjoyed a full day of each other. They worked out at the gym, played games, read comics and made love. Punk enjoyed AJ way too much, more then he should. He wanted to whisk her away but he was so fucked up mentally he just knew he'd blow it with her and he wouldn't just blow it with her emotionally but he knew there would be so much backlash at work for her. He had to let her go for her own sanity and he had to let her know immediately. He also knew the big turn on Paul and stealing his win tonight had to be done on his own he didn't want AJ to get into trouble for helping in. AJ would always help him, she would never turn her back on him and he still wasn't sure why. He knew he had to truly hurt her to push her away.

"Hey" AJ smiled slipping into his locker room "Big night" she grinned

"Yea" he forced out "Now isn't a good time" He said to her

"What are you talking about?" she laughed "We have to finalize our plans" she said to him and his heart was already breaking for her.

"Punk what is taking you so long?" the voice of seamstress Kelly rang out as she walked out of the bathroom in only a towel.

Punk had to look away from AJ's stunned and devastated face because it was too painful for him to even look at. But finally AJ stepped into Punk's view so he was forced to look at her.

"Phil" she whispered as her eyes watered up "We had a deal"

"It was a stupid deal" Punk said to her coldly "It's done AJ and as far as tonight goes I'm handling it myself"

"But we-" she started

"There is no more 'we'" Punk said to her harshly "It's about me" he said pointing at himself

"What happened?" She asked astonished "Did I do something wrong?"

"Get out" Punk said walking to the door and opening it. It wasn't that he was mad at her but he couldn't stand to look at her face, listen to her sad voice.

"Why are you doing this?" AJ asked confused "I thought we-"

"Dam it AJ what did I tell you!" Punk yelled startling her. "Go live your life, find a great guy and do what you have to just leave me the hell out of it" he demanded

"You're a lot of things Phil" AJ said in a stronger voice "But I never thought you were a coward" he eyed her carefully as she continued "We had a great weekend together and that scares you because for some unknown reason you just can't let yourself be happy. I don't know why I'm so surprised because its just so typical of you. You really think I could do better than you?"

"I'm going to go" Kelly said as she was now dressed and slipped by "Sorry" she mouthed to AJ and gave her a sympathetic smile.

"Get out before I throw you out" Punk warned AJ

"Make me" she said folding her in arms

"I don't fucking want you here!" he screamed

"Fine" AJ said to him "But I am done"

"That's what I want. Good" Punk said to her

"No I mean really done" AJ said to him "So I'm going to give you until the end of the night before you decide" she warned him

"I don't need a few more hours" Punk said to her

"And when I say I'm done there won't be any more random sex, no more talking, no more friendship" she warned him "I've done everything right by you and you've done nothing right by me"

"Maybe you're just stupid" he shrugged simply and he knew the dig bothered her

"Stupid?" she asked

"Yea it's like what everybody says back here I'm sure you've heard the whispers" Punk said to her "You're mindless, dumb, easy, childish and whorish. I need to be with a woman who can keep up with me intellectually not just physically"

"You're really pulling out all of the stops" AJ said bitterly and forced a smile "I don't care what those people think, I never have. I've only ever cared about you but you're really making it difficult for me but I'm sure that's exactly what you wanted and you are not going to stop me for embarrassing Paul Heyman tonight because I've earned that right"

"Whatever AJ just leave" Punk said still holding the door open

"You care about me" She said walking over to him "And you're going to regret this and when you do it's going to take a lot more than an apology" she informed him "It's going to require dinner" she said and he almost laughed at her "Not just dinner a really expensive one, I'm also going to want a present I won't tell you what because you know me well enough by now to know what I'd like, flowers as well- not a cheap bouquet either"

"That it?" Punk asked amused

"No" she said simply "I'm going to need a public display of affection and last but not least a guarantee from you that it's only me. I won't share you"

"That's a real imaginative list" Punk remarked

"It's not too much and the least you could do" AJ said to him as she walked to the door but stopped short of leaving and turned back at him "By the way I know you didn't sleep with Kelly because after you have sex have this stupid grin on your face for at least ten minutes. Nice try though" she said

"That's a cute little fantasy world you live in" Punk teased

"Oh speaking of fantasy I just got out of a meeting with Vince" AJ said to him "My GM story is ending"

"Don't care" Punk said to her

"You will because he wants me to move into a program with Ziggler" AJ said to him and she knew that bothered him

"What kind of program?" Punk asked curiously

"Oh you know something along the lines of Edge and Lita" AJ said with a shrug

"I can't change your story" Punk said to her "You hoping we make a big splash tonight and I'll take you along for the ride?" he laughed "You just want the spotlight, huh?"

"No I was hoping we'd make a big splash and I'd get to go back to what I love- wrestling" AJ said to him "But now they want me to kiss Dolph Ziggler every week and really play it up off camera. He asked if that would be a problem for me and I told him it would be because I know you wouldn't like it"

"Do what you want" Punk forced out

"You're not afraid I'll jump into bed with him because I'm such a whore?" AJ asked him

"You know what they say about leopards and their spots" Punk shot back

"Fine, we'll see about that" AJ said to him "You should warm up before your match"

"Yea good idea" Punk agreed "If you pass Kelly send her back in so I can do what I was planning on doing before you barged in"

"Maybe I'll warm up too" AJ said tapping her chin "Did you see Ziggler around by any chance?" with that said Punk slammed the door in her face and she couldn't help but chuckle. She wasn't sure if he was more upset that she knew him better then he thought or that she was going to beat him at his own game.


The main-event match had been on and towards the end Brad Maddox opened the cage door while both Punk and Ryback were on their backs to let Paul Heyman in just as Paul thought the script went. He had a steel chair in his arms and raised to hit Ryback but turned and it hit Punk with it instead. AJ watched from backstage stunned and ran out a few moments earlier then she was supposed to.

"You thought you could betray me!" Paul shouted slamming the chair into Punk. "I made you!" he screamed and Brad looked as confused as the audience.

AJ ran to the door and shook it so Brad would let her in which he did. She ran up behind Paul and snatched the chair out of his hands.

"You think I'm stupid?" Paul shouted at her "I knew what you were up to this the hold damn time" he warned her "He won't have that title until he appreciates it!" he screamed at her

"You're getting fired for this!" AJ shouted pointing at him

"Oh please little girl" Paul scoffed stepping closer to her

"You think I'm afraid of you?" AJ laughed

"You should be" Paul said menacingly "You think what happened to you a few nights ago was rough wait until you see what I have in store for you" he warned "You're going to be on your hands and knees and not for what you're usually on them for either, you're going to beg me for forgiveness"

AJ saw Brad open the cage door and try to push Punk out who was still barely able to stand out so he could get the win but from the screen she saw Ryback was beginning to climb the catch and was almost at the top. She turned around from Paul and raced towards Rybak when Paul grabbed her so she was facing him.

"What do-" AJ started but Paul cupped her face and pulled her into one of the most disgusting kisses she had ever been apart of. She pulled away as quickly as she could and wiped her mouth to get Paul's salvia off of her lips.

"Don't lie sweetheart that was better then Punk" Paul grinned and AJ lifted her leg and kicked Paul right in the crotch and the crowd roared with excitement. She then saw Punk was halfway out the door but so was Ryback.

"Hey!" AJ yelled grabbing onto his leg and trying to pull him down but she was not match for his strength and she knew it, she needed to distract him for a few more seconds until Punk made it with Brad's help.

"Get off!" Ryback screamed trying to kick AJ off of him.

AJ closed her eyes tightly and held onto Ryback for dear life. In the few seconds that past AJ wondered how this wonderful night turned into such shit. She thought tonight her and Punk would walk out of Hell In A Cell the ultimate duo and Paul would be finished. She underestimated Paul though and now she was putting herself in a terrible situation where she knew it just wouldn't end well. Her eyes didn't open until she heard the sound of the bell; she turned her head and saw Punk barely on his feet outside the cage with Brad raising his arm in victory.

The distraction causing Ryback to kick into AJ hard enough to send her on her flying on her ass. She looked up and saw Ryback climb back down the cage and AJ crawled to the door but Paul Heyman was on the other side locking her in with the monster. She looked almost desperate but Paul didn't care.

"I think he's hungry" Paul said pointing behind her to Ryback. AJ shook the door but it was chained and locked shut.

"Paul I'm warning you" AJ hissed

"It's feeding time" Paul crackled a laugh and walked away from the cage.

AJ slowly turned around and saw the large man zeroing in on her, Ryback was pissed as he should be. He fought a hard battle but ultimately he didn't win the gold like he technically should have and the one person to be blame was locked in a cage with him.

"I know you're upset…" AJ trailed off holding her hand up to keep him at bay, not that it would really keep him away "But you're a good guy" she said nervously "You wouldn't hurt a girl" yup, AJ just played the 'girl' card because no matter how tough she was she didn't want to be at the receiving end of his finishing move.

The irony of the situation wasn't lost on AJ, her and Punk strategically planned Paul being the one locked in with the monster and they would celebrate and laugh at the top of the stage. Only now it was AJ locked away, Punk hurting and Paul was the one celebrating.

Punk was half way to the back confused and in pain. All he wanted to do was head to the locker room with his championship, crawl onto his bus and sleep the pain away. He heard the crowd was booing and he wasn't sure if they were booing him but he didn't care he walked in and out of the cage the champion and that's all that matter or at least that's what he thought. When the crowd's cries got louder he turned and looked back and his eyes nearly popped out of his head. He titled and shook his head to see if what he was seeing was true. AJ shaking the cage door frantically and Ryback stalking towards her.

"He wouldn't" Punk muttered to himself ever so slowly walking back towards the cage and the crowd cheered.

Punk watched as AJ decided to climb the cage to escape Ryback's wrath. He let AJ get almost half off when Punk saw him tug on her leg sending her crash to the mat, that was the adrenaline rush Punk needed to race towards the cage. He knew Brad had the key to get in and he was long gone so he had no choice but to climb it. Punk was crossing over the top of the cage when Ryback lifted AJ over his shoulders and started stomping around the ring like a moron. And Ryback seemed to believe the crowd's cheers were for him, not realizing Punk was already back in the cage.

Punk waited for Ryback to turn and face him and just as he was about to drop AJ Punk lifted his leg and kicked Ryback as hard as he possibly could in the face. Ryback dropped AJ as he hit the mat and Punk grabbed her by the arm and lifted her to her feet.

"You ok?" Punk asked her and she nodded slightly shaking "Good climb up" he said rushing her towards the cage wall and waited until she was almost half way up before he followed after her.

They dropped to the other side as Ryback came to and he was furious, spit coming from his mouth, eyes bulging out his head and a dead glare set on Punk. He started his stupid chants as Punk tugged AJ down the ramp backwards not taking his eyes off of the self-proclaimed 'big guy'.

"He looks mad" AJ said looking back at Ryback but Punk just laughed at that angry superstar in the ring and picked up his championship he had dropped when he went back for AJ.

"Good" Punk said holding his title up so Ryback could see.


Punk was packing up his bag after a hot shower in the locker room ready to hit the road. He wasn't too surprised when AJ was outside his door with her fist up ready to knock.

"Leaving?" she asked sweetly

"I wasn't planning on staying the night" he teased "What's up?"

"I wanted to thank you for coming back for me tonight" AJ said to him

"Not a big deal" Punk said to her "Doesn't change a thing"

"Changes everything" AJ insisted "You were out free and clear and you didn't just come back you climbed a cage and made sure I was out first, you saved me. You wouldn't have done that for just anyone"

"You're right" Punk agreed

"I really care about you" AJ admitted "And now I know you feel the same. You can say whatever you want to my face but in your heart I'm there" she said poking his chest over his heart

"I didn't even know what I was doing" Punk lied scratching the back of his head "I was confused, took too many blows to the head"

"You saw me in trouble" AJ corrected "You dropped your championship and ran for me."

"I don't even know how I got out of the cage AJ" Punk admitted

"Maybe you should re-watch the match" AJ suggested "And you'll see I care just as much" she reached up and softly kissed his scruffy cheek.

Punk waited until she was out of sight to smile at the kiss. No matter how shitty he felt physically she could always bring a smile to his face. He chuckled at her and grabbed his bag.

"Hey Punk" Paul greeted as Punk walked out the exit door "Want to talk about tonight"

"Nope because the last thing I remember is you sneaking into the cage and hitting me in the back" Punk said to him as he strolled to his bus

"Just like what you and your whore were planning on doing" Paul smirked and Punk stopped in his tracks and turned around to face Paul

"Don't disrespect her" Punk warned him "And I do have a lot to say to you but I'll do it publicly just like you like"

"Where is your tart tonight?" Paul asked looking around not seeing AJ in sight

"Paul" Punk warned this time in a lower voice

"She get a taste of me and realize you're not half the man I am?" Paul chuckled and Punk looked confused "You didn't see that? That searing kiss we shared in the ring right before she stupidly held onto Ryback's leg so he couldn't crawl over the top?" he laughed "You don't remember any of that? I thought you sent her in there to do that I'm surprised you ran back for her though just proves what I thought along- she makes you weak. You'll never keep that belt with her at your side"

"According to you she's the reason I have this" Punk said with a smirk "She's pretty special"

"She's not that great" Paul said to him

"She's better then I thought" Punk said with a wild smile "She really did that huh?"

"Oh please like you didn't put her up to that" Paul spat

"Our deal was she stays outside the cage while I destroy you inside, Brad was going to slip and let me out- unbelievably he's the only one who stuck to the plan" Punk chuckled

"What are you so happy about?" Paul asked him

"I won my match, I dropped some dead weight what's not to be happy about?" Punk asked him amused as he walked away from him "Oh and Paul" He said looking back at him "I'll see you tomorrow night"


Punk was heading towards his bus and saw AJ stuffing her bag into Celeste's rental.

"You have too many bags AJ" Celeste scolded

"Yea what the hell AJ?" Ziggler asked trying to close the trunk himself

"Sorry I thought I'd have more space" AJ shrugged

"We're going to have tie your crap to the roof" Ziggler said tossing her back on the floor.

"My shoes!" She cried

"Why do you have a bag shoes?" Ziggler asked slamming the trunk shut

"We can't tie it to the roof" Celeste said

"Maybe we can squeeze it in the back" Langston suggested

"There's no room for me I'll hitch a ride with someone else" AJ offered. She had thought she'd be traveling with Punk so she didn't travel light and clearly her old road crew wasn't expecting her.

"No we'll figure it out" Celeste assured her

"Really isn't any room" Ziggler whispered to Celeste

"Seriously I'll just-" she started reaching for her bag that Ziggler dropped but someone else picked it up. "Punk" She said surprised

"You have more bags?" he asked her

"Just one" she said quietly and Celeste passed it to Punk.

"Didn't they break up like an hour ago?" Langston whispered to Ziggler who just shrugged

"Come on" Punk said nodding for her to follow

"Bye guys" AJ said to them

"Wait" Celeste said grabbing her arm "Are you sure? He said some horrible things to you and if he's still mad-"

"I'm fine" AJ said to him and Punk frowned at Celeste's comment

"Ok" Celeste said hesitantly

Once on the bus AJ walked on ahead of Punk who dropped her bags by the couch.

"You're giving me whiplash" AJ said to him

"What I said earlier…" He trailed off

"Which what?" AJ asked him "Calling me stupid? A whore?"

"I didn't mean it" Punk said to her "You know that"

"So everything I said to you earlier- my demands you're willing to give into them?" AJ asked him

"Yes" he said confidently

"Why the change of heart?" AJ asked suspiciously

"Because tonight I realized I could have it all" Punk said honestly "And I want it all. I couldn't leave you behind in that cage and I can't leave you behind in my life. I'll do the dinner- I'll do a hundred dinners with you in the best and most expensive places in the country, I'll walk right up to you tomorrow in front of the entire roster and kiss you and I plan on walking into the arena tomorrow holding your hand and doing so proudly"

"Are you going to run for the hills the first time we argue?" AJ asked him

"No" He said to her "No more running"

"Are you going to be a jerk?" AJ asked him

"Probably" He said honestly "I'll try though and I promise to treat you with respect something I hadn't really done before"

"I respect your honestly" She said to him "And the other women?" she asked him "It's a deal breaker"

"What other women?" he asked and she smiled

"Good answer" she said to him with a smile.

"So we're good?" Punk asked

"Yea" she said and he reached down to kiss her but instead he got a hard slap across the face.

"What the fuck AJ?" He asked holding his stinging cheek

"You called me a whore and stupid" She said to him "It really hurt my feelings" she said coldly "You also didn't do half of the stuff on my demand list" she pointed out

"Shit that hurt" he said rubbing his cheek

"I'm not anyone's whore" AJ said to him "You say nice things now but tomorrow morning you could be gone for all I know. If you truly meant what you just said you'll do all of it and then some"

"I will" he said annoyed still holding his face

"No sex" She said to him and his face turned to stone

"Ever?" he asked horrified

"No Phil, until I believe you" AJ shot at him

"My word isn't good enough?" He asked offended and AJ narrowed her eyes at him "Yea I get it ok" he agreed

"But you can kiss me- just once" She said holding up one finger "And only because Paul was last to kiss me and I still taste taco bell on my lips after he licked my lips like a lollipop" she said cringing

"Did you wash your lips?" Punk asked feeling grossed out himself

"I scrubbed them" She said to him and pouted "Come on" she said pointing to her lips that were puckered up.

Punk carefully walked over and eyed her first "Is this a trick where you slap me again? I know I'd deserve it but just give me a heads up" she shook her head no and kept her lips slightly puckered "Ok" he said unsurely and leaned down to kiss her.

The kiss was sweet and filled with love, their kisses before were great but being 'official' made it all that much better. AJ almost didn't want to pull away but she knew she had to before both wanted more and she was planning on making him work for it.

"Much better" AJ said happily

"I'll make him pay for what he did to you tonight" Punk assured her resting his forehead against hers

"I know" she said to him