Forming A Lie

AJ woke up the next morning, turning around in bed as she looked on at the empty space beside her in bed. She sat up, holding the sheets to her chest as she pushed her hair back from her face. She leaned over to the bedside table where her phone sat and picked it up, double blinking as she saw it was past 9am. She couldn't remember the last time she'd slept past 9. She always had to get up with Kace, which suddenly made her panic.

She got out of bed, quickly putting some pyjamas on and rushing out of the bedroom door, looking in the kitchen and then eventually the living room where she saw Kace sitting with Punk quite content as they watched the TV.

She had automatically thought that Punk had just gone home through the night, but here he was.

"Morning." Punk smiled over to her as AJ folded her arms and walked further into the living room.

"Morning." AJ nodded, giving Kace a kiss on the cheek and sitting down next to Punk, "I… I thought you'd left." She admitted truthfully.

"Yeah, I could see that as your burst through the door." He smirked a little, "I couldn't sleep. You were extremely distracting." He whispered to her and kissed her cheek as she smiled to herself, "I just got up and showered and… Kace was already up so we had some breakfast." He said as AJ smiled and nodded.

"I haven't slept past 9 in five years." She told him truthfully as Punk laughed a little.

"Yeah, I wanted to let you sleep." He nodded, placing his hand on her thigh, "You ok?" He looked at her as she nodded.

For some reason, she felt all weak and teenage like. It really was a big step for them and AJ was glad that it happened when it had happened. She was glad it wasn't rushed, and boy was it a night she wanted to duplicate over and over again. She'd never been taken care of in that way before. She hadn't felt completely safe with anyone like she did with him. Although with Miles, she was convinced she loved him at the time, there was always a dangerous and cruel sense that came with him. But with Phil, everything just felt right and she finally felt like they were safe. Her and Kace.

"I'm fine." AJ smiled to him, "You?" She whispered as Punk just smirked and nodded.

"Yeah, I'm pretty good." Punk smiled, "Unfortunately I can't stick around for too long, I have that annoying thing called work to go to. I start at 12." He said as AJ frowned.

"I wish you could spend the day with us." AJ sighed, playing with his messy hair as he nodded.

"I do too." Punk said as Kace turned around and looked up at Punk.

"Do you have to go?" Kace asked, kneeling up on the couch so he was looking directly at Punk, "Can't you just stay for a little while longer?" He asked. He loved Punk's company. He of course loved his mother, but he'd never had that male bond with someone before and Punk was exactly it.

AJ smiled as she watched Kace. That little face got her at the best of times, but seeing him so fond of Punk, and seeing Punk so great with Kace also really made her heart warm. All she wanted was for her son to feel loved and have great people around him.

"I wish I could, buddy." Punk smiled, "I gotta go to work." He frowned, "You stay here and keep your mom company and I'll be back over tonight." He nodded, "That's a promise." He said as Kace smiled.

"And will you sleepover again?" Kace asked. He wasn't stupid. He knew that Punk had stayed over, he didn't of course know all the details, but he'd never been over so early before, so he only assumed.

"Kace." AJ hummed with a smile.

"What? He makes good breakfast." Kace informed his mother as Punk laughed a little.

"Your mom makes the rules." He said, "I'll stay if she lets me." He turned to AJ and smirked as she laughed and nodded.

"Let him stay." Kace smiled, "Please." He cheered as he rested his chin on Punk's shoulder.

"Ok. Ok." AJ smiled, "I guess if you prefer his breakfasts." She shrugged as Kace cheered.

"What can I say? My breakfasts are good." Punk smirked to AJ who just nodded, looking on as she saw Kace sit back down on the couch, leaning against Punk comfortably as she nodded. It was the first time she got a glimpse of what her future could be like. And for it to be so hopeful like this was a dream. She was just scared it would all come crashing down soon.

"When do you finish work?" AJ asked him.

"8." Punk said, "I'll be over just after that." He nodded as AJ smiled.

"I already can't wait." She whispered as he smiled. He wasn't used to taking things slow, not the way he had with AJ, but he couldn't deny that it had worked in their favour, as last night was one of the best nights he'd spent with a woman. But… he knew that was because his feelings were tremendously strong for her.

"I never thought I'd see the day." Dean shook his head, sitting behind the counter at the comic store later that day after Punk had of course filled him in on everything that had happened, "My hangover is subsiding from my bursting happiness for you." Dean said as Punk just laughed.

"So you stayed out for one too many?" Punk asked.

"You know me." Dean shrugged, "I go wherever the party takes me." He said as Punk just shook his head.

"But you made sure Bonnie got home alright?" Punk asked.

"Yeah, she got a cab." Dean nodded, "She's the older one. You baby her too much." Dean grumbled.

"Because she's still my sister." Punk said, tagging some comics behind the counter. The store was normally quiet towards the end of the night which is when they'd get caught up with their stocking and pricing.

"So how was it then?" Dean asked as Punk turned to him.

"I'm not giving you details." Punk laughed.

"Oh, go on." Dean said.

"It was good, alright." Punk said, "I told her I loved her." Punk nodded.

"I really do hate you sometimes." Dean said.

"What?" Punk shook his head, "I've been dating her for a few months. She's… She's different, Dean." Punk nodded.

"Wait… you really do love her?" Dean asked as Punk nodded.

"Yeah, I do." Punk said, "I love being around her. She's like infectious. And at first, I thought I was gonna have to really pull it out the bag to hit it off with her son but… he's amazing too, and he's just… like a part of my life now. They both are." He nodded.

"Oh, you're in it deep, aren't you?" Dean chuckled as they heard the door chime open, both of them turning around as they saw Punk's foster mother, Alice walk in through the door. Dressed in fine clothing from head to toe, clutching her Gucci handbag, her curls bouncing on her shoulders as she walked over to the counter, "Did it get cold in here all of a sudden?" Dean stood up, whispering to Punk.

"Phillip." Alice nodded as Punk just stared across at her blankly, "Dean, be a sweetheart and give me a minute with my son." She said as Dean just nodded, patting Punk on the back and heading off into the back of the store.

"I'm busy." Punk said, "You know… I actually do work here. I don't sit at a computer desk pretending to be stressed out with non-existent work whilst ordering people around." He said as Alice just rolled her eyes.

"You're going to give yourself a nosebleed, Phil." Alice sighed as Punk just shook his head, "Kat came to our home last night. She was in a mess." She said as Punk just looked across at her with not much interest in what she had to say.

"What do you mean?" Punk shook his head, uninterested.

"She was hysterical. And she spilled a lot of home truths." She said, "I am… disgusted by how you behaved with her." She said, "Pushing her to get an abortion."

"What?" Punk shook his head.

"And then you flash another woman off in front of her?" Alice spat, "You should be ashamed of yourself-"

"Wait… wait a minute… I didn't… she didn't have an abortion. She lost the baby." Punk said, "Did she tell you that I made her get an abortion?"

"Yes. She did." Alice said, "Your father is disgusted-"

"I didn't make her do anything. She lost the baby. She's lying to you, for what reason I don't know, I also don't care, but she lost the baby. I would never have made her do something like that."

"Then why was she so upset about it?" Alice asked.

"I don't know. I don't actually think it's any of your business, if I'm being honest." He said.

"That would have been my grandchild." Alice said, "How dare you… you make me out to be the monster all of the time." She spat, "Kat was… was good for you and she saw sense in you working with us-"

"You tainted her and now she's your bitch. That's why you feel you need to defend her." Punk said as Alice slapped him across the face hard as Punk stumbled back a little and pressed his hand against his cheek, "It's been a while." Punk nodded, looking across at her coldly.

"You may be old enough now to stick up for yourself, but don't forget what I am capable of." She hissed as Punk looked across at her. Had he cared about what she thought of him, he would have defended himself more. He knew he didn't force Kat into doing anything, and that they had lost their baby. He was disgusted that Kat was making up a lie like that, just to get the approval of his parents for a reason he did not know. But… it wasn't foreign to feel a flash of pain at the hands of his mother.

"Leave my store." Punk told her calmly as Alice backed away and left the store, slamming the door behind her as Punk sighed, placing his hand on his cheek and shaking his head.

"How was work?" AJ asked, later that night as she lay naked and on top of Punk who was equally naked and under the sheets with her. All she'd thought about all day was being back in this exact position with him. She felt like she was addicted to a drug now. Taking it the first time only made her want more and more.

"It was fine." He forced a smile as he tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear as she rested her chin on his chest and looked up at him.

"Just fine?" She whispered as Punk nodded.

"Nothing exciting." Punk told her, "Haven't heard from Bonnie all day. Have you?" He asked her as she shook her head.

"No. I'll see her in the morning at work. I think today was her day off too." She said as Punk nodded, "Are you sure work was ok? You've been quiet since you got in." She admitted.

"Yeah, it was fine." Punk smiled, "Just tired, that's all." He said quietly as she nodded and sighed peacefully, resting her head on his chest.

"Yeah, me too." She said, feeling relaxed and at peace in his arms, falling asleep on him whilst Punk stayed awake, running his hand up and down her naked back as he thought about what had gone down with his mother at work earlier.

A/N: Let me know what you think!