Is it even reality?

The next two weeks flew as AJ and Punk kept their marriage a secret, which she was really enjoying. She loved staying tucked away with him in their spacious NYC penthouse but it was back to reality. Punk had to get back to work and AJ had to go see her therapist. She really missed working but Punk had made it clear she never had to work again that he would take care of her but she wanted to go back and knew the only way to do so was to get this therapy over with.

AJ wasn't having issues outside but Punk and Dean were very protective and wouldn't let her go anywhere without them. They were so afraid she'd get swooped away from them and although it was sweet AJ was going stir crazy. She promised Punk she'd wait for him to get out of work and he'd take her to her session but she was antsy and decided to venture the short distance to the Marvel building herself.

When AJ walked into the building all the new faces surprised her. It was a bitter reminder of how much AJ had missed even though she was only gone for eight months but a lot can change in that short time. AJ was also excited to see Paul who she had spoken to on the phone numerous times but hadn't seen in person yet. She decided he'd be her first stop as she headed towards the elevators.

"Um excuse me." A man greeted jumping up from the security desk. "You can't just go up there."

"I work here." AJ said to him as she pushed the 'up' button.

"I apologize." He smiled. "I just need to see your employee ID."

"I don't have one anymore." AJ said to him. "I worked in the LA office and before that I was here."

"Your LA employee badge will work here." The man assured her.

"I don't have it." AJ said to him. "Call Dean he's the head of your security he will vouch for me." AJ said as she the elevator doors finally opened and went to step on until the man pulled her back.

"You can't go up there." The man said gripping her arm.

"Don't grab me like that!" AJ yelled trying to pull her arm away.

"Don't cause a scene or I will call the police." The man warned her.

"What the fuck are you doing Jefferson!" Dean shouted tugging AJ away from the man.

"She tried to get upstairs with an ID badge." The nervous man replied.

"She doesn't need a fucking badge!" Dean yelled at him.

"It's fine Dean." AJ said rubbing her arm.

"Did he hurt you?" Dean asked then narrowed his eyes at the young employee.

"I didn't mean to." The man said him stuttering from nerves.

"I'm fine Dean he was just doing his job. I shouldn't have tried to sneak up." AJ said to him.

"You're fucking lucky." Dean said pointing at the man as he pushed the elevator button and it opened. "Why didn't Punk just take you up with him?" he asked as he stepped onto the elevator with AJ.

"He doesn't know I'm here." AJ said to him. "I wanted to surprise him."

"Are you insane? You left the house alone?" Dean asked stunned.

"I needed some space and time to myself. I'm not scared Dean." AJ said with a light laugh.

"Well I am." Dean said stubbornly. "I need you around."

"I'm not going anywhere." AJ promised as the doors opened.

"AJ." Paige greeted as she stepped off the elevator. "It's great to see you."

"You too." AJ said plastering on a smile. "Is Phil in his office?"

"He's in a meeting with Paul and Vince." Paige said to her. "But you can wait in his office."

"Great." AJ said to her.

"Work on getting her an employee badge." Dean said to her.

"She's not an employee here though I can't just make one up." Paige said to him.

"Of course she is." Paul's voice boomed. AJ's entire face lit up as she turned to face her former boss who had his arms opened for her and she ran into them. "You'll take care of that won't you Paige?"

"Right on it." Paige said walking behind her desk.

"I know you're here to see me because you must be sick of seeing Punk's face." Paul teased.

"You're the only reason I'm here." AJ laughed.

"That's what I like to hear." Paul smiled. "I'm sorry I haven't gotten around to see you but Punk has been hogging you."

"Yes he has." AJ agreed. "Is he around?"

"He's finishing up in the meeting." Paul said to her. "I heard there's a big wedding."

"Yes I'm meeting with the planner later tonight." AJ said to him.

"I'm very excited mostly because I thought I'd never see the day Punk would settle down and actually get married." Paul joked.

"Or because you thought you'd never see me again?" AJ asked knowing that's what he was thinking.

"I didn't want to dampen the mood." Paul said to her. "But it is damn good to see you and you always have a chair in my office."

"I want to come back really soon I just need a few more weeks." AJ said to him.

"I haven't hired anyone for eight months I can hold out a few more weeks." Paul grinned.

"Hey." Corey greeted sympathetically.

"Hi Corey." AJ said to him as he gave her an awkward hug.

"It's really good to see you again." Corey said pulling away.

"We were just talking." Paul said to him.

"It's fine Paul." AJ said knowing he was trying to save her from an awkward conversation.

"In that case I'll be in my office and you will stop by there before you leave." Paul warned and gave her a kiss on the cheek.

"I heard about everything I feel terrible." Corey said to her. "I don't even know what else to say."

"That's more than enough thank you." AJ said to him.

"When I heard you were missing I couldn't help but feel guilty about the way things ended between us and I mean you're a cool girl still and maybe we can grab a coffee one day or maybe lunch?" Corey offered.

"She's busy that day." Punk said from behind AJ and Corey rolled his eyes.

"It wasn't a date it was peace offering." Corey said to Punk.

"It's appreciated but not necessary." Punk said to him with a sarcastic smile. "See you later."

"Bye AJ." Corey said with a sincere smile then walked off.

"It was nice of him to offer." AJ said as Punk guided her to his private office.

"He can fuck off." Punk huffed. "My wife isn't having dinner with that slimy piece of shit."

"No one knows I'm your wife." AJ reminded him.

"True but it doesn't change the fact that you are my wife." Punk grinned. "Legally and in my heart."

"You're such a smooth talker." AJ teased sitting behind his desk.

"So what are you doing here? Not that I mind but I thought I was going to meet you at home." Punk asked her.

"I just wanted some fresh air." AJ shrugged simply. "I wanted to walk outside without you or Dean shadowing me."

"That's understandable. Just give me a heads up next time." Punk said simply as he sat on the edge of his desk and looked down at her.

"I will because I almost didn't get in." AJ said to him. "This guard pulled me off of the elevator." She complained.

"He touched you?" Punk asked slowly and AJ rolled her eyes.

"Yes he did his job Phil." AJ said to him.

"Are you ready for this therapy session?" he asked her and she just shrugged.

"I really don't think I need it. I feel like my old self again." She said innocently.

"You still have nightmares." He noted.

"Who wouldn't?" she scoffed.

"Just go once or twice." Punk insisted.

"Only because I want to get back to work." AJ said to him. "I can't wait to be back here so much better than the LA office and Eric."

"You didn't hear?" Punk asked her. "Never mind how would you have heard…"

"Heard what?" AJ asked intrigued.

"Eric Bischoff was arrested a few weeks after you disappeared." Punk told her. "Right after you left he told the police he received a call from you but when the police traced your calls you never did call him. He was brought in for questioning on that and ended up confessing to jumping you in the garage."

"That was him?" AJ asked annoyed. "Asshole." She muttered under her breath.

"I guess he was in cahoots with Mike too." Punk said to her.

"What's going to happen to him?" AJ asked him.

"He's going to jail for a very long time." Punk said to her. "So is Randy."

"Good." AJ said quietly. "I feel like I made a mistake that night that I shouldn't have gone along with them."

"You did what you had to do to stay alive." Punk assured her. "You're amazing. So what we lost on a few months? We have a lifetime."

"I didn't do it for me. I don't care if he would have killed me it was you I was worried about." AJ said to him.

"And that is one of the many reasons I love you." Punk said with a small smile. "But if this situation ever pops up again and it's you or me- always pick you. I'm dead without you anyway."

"Don't say that." She said shaking her head slowly.

"Hey enough about this depressing stuff." He said grabbing her hands and lifting her from the seat. "We'll get through your therapy session than we'll meet the wedding planer tomorrow."

"You want to meet the planner?" AJ laughed. "I thought you said to just pick the time and place and you'd be there."

"That is true." Punk agreed. "I was just trying to tell you what I thought you wanted to hear." He leaned in kissed her but before he could even slip his tongue inside her mouth she pulled away. "Come on for old times sake." He smirked.

"Tonight. Right now we don't have time." AJ said and he looked at the time and groaned.

Punk was in the waiting room of the therapist's office looking at a piece of art on the wall. He wasn't even sure how long he had been looking at it but he was clearly more nervous for AJ to be here than she was. Her session was only forty-five minutes but it felt like it was hours.

Finally Punk turned from the picture to see AJ walking out of the office and had her head down. She rushed passed the receptionist who wasn't to schedule another session but she simply brushed it off and walked towards the door.

"What happened? Aren't you coming back?" Punk asked walking over to her.

"No I'm never coming back." She said opening the door. "I hate that guy and I hate this whole process I just want to go home."

"Did he say something to upset you?" Punk asked following her out.

"He's horrible." AJ said as they stepped into the hallway and she put on her jacket. "Can you please just take me home?"

"I'll go in there and talk to him-" he said walking back towards the door but she grabbed his wrist.

"No he doesn't like you." AJ said to him and he let out a small laugh. "He blames you for everything! I'm not going to sit there and talk to someone who talks about my husband that way."

"Wait here." Punk said walking back into the office.

"Sir you can't just-" the receptionist started but Punk walked into the doctors office and saw an older man sitting in his chair writing in a file.

"Can I help you?" the man asked.

"Yea what did you say to my wife?" Punk asked.

"Mr. Brooks." The man said knowing. "She was a little upset I hope she's ok."

"You think shit talking me to my wife is going to make her feel better?" Punk asked him.

"I didn't do that. I don't even know you Mr. Brooks." The therapist said to him. "But I can't discuss my sessions with you."

"Phil let's just go." AJ said tugging on his arm.

"Not until I know why he upset you so much." Punk said not looking at her but him.

"I can't discuss it." The doctor said to him.

"We'll find her another doctor." Punk said grabbing her hand.

"I don't want another doctor." AJ said to him. "I don't want any doctor."

"Getting a new doctor won't change her reaction." The therapist insisted.

"What are you talking about?" Punk asked him annoyed. "And how fucking dare you put the blame of this on me!"

"I never did." The doctor said sadly then looked towards AJ.

"Don't call her a liar." Punk warned him pointing at him. "I'll have your license taken away." He threatened.

"Phil stop." AJ begged. "It's not about you. I just don't want to be here ok?"

"She needs therapy." The doctor said to him. "If not from me than from someone else. She hasn't even begun to overcome this yet. She's still in shock and if you don't get her help it's only going to get worse, she'll get worse."

"He said you marrying me was a huge mistake." AJ told Punk who looked at her oddly.

"I said it was rushed and not ideal but never said it was a mistake." The doctor corrected. "She doesn't even think she's really home."

"Stop!" AJ yelled towards the doctor.

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" Punk asked him.

"She thinks this could all be one big dream or that she's actually dead and not really here." The doctor told him.

"AJ." Punk said looking back at her.

"Can we please, please just go?" She cried gripping his one arm with her two small hands.

"You're only enabling in her." The doctor told him. "Keeping her sheltered and rushing off into marriage isn't going to make her better forever only for a short time. She needs to understand this is the real world and she is going to have to re-adjust."

"I'll take care of my wife." Punk said coldly to him and grabbed AJ's hand. "Let's go." He whispered to her and pulled her out of the office.

AJ decided to go right to bed after the therapy session hoping to avoid a conversation with Punk about everything the doctor told him. When she woke up at around midnight she heard voices in the living room and realized Punk wasn't alone. She opened the bedroom door on a crack and saw Dean was talking to Punk in the living room.

"Well what the fuck can we do?" Dean asked him.

"Convince her to go back. Maybe she'll listen to you." Punk said to him.

"If she isn't listening to you she certainly isn't going to listen to me." Dean scoffed. "She seems fine to me this guy probably just wants to make some money."

"I can't take any chances." Punk argued. "I just got her back and I won't fuck this up. I need her to be a 100%."

"Well maybe she'll never be a 100%." Dean shrugged. "It's understandable. What happened to her was traumatic."

"If you're going to talk about me at least wait until I'm not in the house." AJ said making herself seen.

"I wasn't saying anything." Dean laughed nervously standing up and Punk shot him a glare. "But your fiancé here is pretty worried about you."

"Yea I get that." AJ said looking towards Punk who did seem very concerned. "I know where I am and I know this is real." She laughed but neither Dean nor Punk seemed amused. "What I told him was sometimes it all seems all too good to be true. He mixed up my words."

"So why were you so upset?" Punk asked her.

"Because he kept asking me things about the room I was in and stuff and of course that's going to upset me. Who wants to relive something they're trying to forget?" AJ asked them.

"I get that." Dean said to her. "Maybe you do the therapy just not right now." Dean said looking between her and Punk. "Is that a fair compromise?"

"No. Not if she'll get worse." Punk said to Dean but looked right into AJ's eyes. "That's not an option."

"I'm fine." AJ argued lightly.

"I should go back downstairs." Dean said shifting towards the door. "I'll be by tomorrow for lunch." He said to AJ then walked out the door.

"You really had to drag him into this?" AJ asked him. "Like he doesn't have enough going on in his life?"

"He cares about you and wants you better." Punk said to her.

"Have I been acting weird?" AJ asked him. "I think I've been myself."

"That's the problem. You shouldn't be yourself you should be acting weird that's what's worrying me." He said to her.

"Why are you letting this guy get into your head?" AJ asked him. "What happened to me sucked and yes I still have nightmares and think about it but I've only been back a few weeks and I was there for eight months. Sometimes when I wake up in the morning I think I'm still there and then I look over to you and I know I'm ok. You're keeping me sane and focused."

"What if I'm not enough?" he asked her.

"You're more than enough." She said sweetly grabbing his hand and walking him over to the couch. "Stop worrying about me."

"Not possible." He said stubbornly as he sat on the couch and she joined him.

"Maybe you're in shock too." AJ said to him. "Maybe you don't think I'm really here."

"Well if this isn't real and I'm dreaming than I never want to wake up." He said to her.

"The guy who was keeping me in his house is going to court on Friday." AJ said to him. "Maybe we could go? The DA thinks he's going to plead guilty and that would be some good closure." AJ suggested to him.

"We'll go." Punk said to her without giving it a second thought. "Are you sure seeing him won't bother you too much?"

"I don't even know what he looks like." AJ admitted.

"Mike pleaded not guilty and he's going to be going on trial." Punk told her. "It's going to be all over the newspapers. You might have to testify."

"I'll do it." She said to him. "I want him as far away from you as possible."

"Funny." He said with a bitter laugh. "I was thinking the same thing about you."

AJ crawled over his lap so she was straddling him and began to kiss him. She simply couldn't get enough of him since she had been home and she knew he felt the same. There was some urgency this time around as her nails clawed through his hair as he slipped his hand into the front of her sleeping shorts and played with her lower region.

"I missed you touching me like this." She said resting her forehead against his as she swayed her hips into his fingers.

"Does it feel real to you?" he asked her in a gruff voice.

"So real." She said wrapping her arms around his neck as she moaned at the motion of his fingers.

"My wife." Punk said looking into her eyes and she smiled as she moaned. "My perfect, beautiful wife." He added and she kissed his lips hard until she came around his fingers.

"You're hard." She said moving her lips to his ear and sucked on his earlobe roughly.

"You're straddling me, of course I'm hard." Punk said as she stood up and shimmed out of her clothes and then tugged Punk's pants and boxers just enough so he'd spring out.

AJ was on her knees before him and gripped him so she could lick him from top to bottom. Punk rolled his eyes at the feel of her tongue and leaned back into the coach and hissed when her mouth began to suck on his tip while her hand stroked him. Punk opened his eyes and saw her other hand disappear and knew she what she was doing to herself and it only made him harder.

"Ok babe." Punk said pulling her mouth away and she pouted.

"Please?" she asked cutely. "Let me make love to you this way."

"I want to be in your body." He said tugging her up so she was back straddling him.

AJ lifted her hips and fell onto his body and both let out sweet sounds. AJ was moving face with the help of Punk's hands cupping her ass. AJ was startled when the finger that was inside of her slid into her back entrance but she didn't let it slow it down as he began to penetrate from both entrances.

"Jesus Christ Phil." She moaned moving quicker wanting to release.

AJ's hands gripped his shoulders for more support as she rode him as hard and fast as she could but Punk had no trouble keeping up at all. AJ couldn't keep her eyes off his intense glare as if he was trying to make her better this way. And he really had no idea how much he truly was helping her. She just needed him.

"Just a little more." AJ said to him and he knew what she needed. "Touch me."

"My hands are kind of full." He joked but then moved his finger out of her and ran it over her front to her clit. "That's my girl. I love that face you make when you're about to cum." He said proudly. "So fucking hot."

"Phil!" She cried out as she clenched around him and came. He could feel her juices run down his own thighs and that sent him into his own orgasm. One that was so powerful AJ made noises he had never heard before in his life.

"You ok?" He asked her after five minutes of silence so she could calm down.

"That was amazing." She said kissing the corner of his mouth. "I've never felt you cum that hard before."

"You bring it out of me, you bring out all the good and crazy stuff in me." He said to her.

"No regrets right? We didn't rush things?" AJ asked him.

"None whatsoever." Punk assured her.

The next afternoon Dean was eating lunch with AJ and he brought over her favorite Chinese food all the way from Brooklyn.

"This is so good." AJ said eating right out of the container.

"Yea it is and you better eat it all." Dean warned her. "Punk's right we've got to fatten you up a little."

"I barely ate the last eight months." AJ reminded him.

"Exactly so we have a lot of lost time to make up for." Dean said to her.

"My wedding planner is going to be here in a few minutes." AJ said reading a text off of her phone.

"You'll eat first." Dean said in a fatherly way.

"Speaking of the wedding. Would you stand up for me?" she asked him.

"What does that mean?" Dean asked unsurely.

"You'll be right at my side, my best man." AJ said proudly.

"Isn't the guy supposed to have a best man?" Dean asked her.

"Yea and Phil has one but you're my best friend, you're my best man everyday of my life so why not at my wedding?" AJ asked him.

"I'd be honored." Dean said to her. "But there will be chicks at this wedding right?"

"I'm sure there will be. I mean you know I have tons of female friends." AJ remarked sarcastically. "So you're ready to move on?"

"Move on from what?" Dean asked confused.

"Stop pretending she doesn't exist." AJ said cleaning up the food. "She was a big part of your life."

"I have no idea what you're talking about." Dean said casually and before she could respond there was a knock at the door.

"This conversation is over." AJ warned him as she opened her front door to two women. One was dressed in a short red dress skirt and blazer and the other had a sideways ponytail and was in more laid back lively colors.

"I'm Summer your wedding planner and you must be April." The blonde in red smiled shaking her hand.

"Please call me AJ." AJ said letting the two into her apartment.

"What a beautiful home you have." Summer said admiring the penthouse.

"And you are?" AJ asked sticking her hand out to the younger woman.

"That's Bayley." Summer said not even looking back. "She's my assistant."

"Nice to meet you." AJ said shaking her hand.

"I'm a really big fan of your fiancés." Bayley blushed. "I read all of his comics!"

"Enough Bayley." Summer said cutting her off and Bayley just stepped back.

"April wants a big wedding on short notice." Summer reminded her. "No time to discuss cartoons."

"It's comic books actually." AJ corrected but still smiled.

"That's fine." Summer said brushing it off.

"Can I get you something to drink?" AJ offered.

"I'll have a coffee with two sugars and only a splash of milk." Summer said removing her jacket and taking a seat on the couch. Dean snorted at the pushy and clearly self-centered woman as he continued to eat with his chopsticks.

"What about you Bayley? Thirsty?" AJ asked her.

"Pretend she isn't here." Summer said pulling a binder out of her bag.

"I'm find but thanks." Bayley smiled warmly.

"At least sit." AJ said pulling out a counter chair for her across from Dean.

"She's allowed to sit right?" Dean asked and Summer looked over.

"Oh hello." Summer said walking over to him. "Are you the fiancé?"

"No I'm the best man." Dean said and her eyes lit up.

"Brother to the groom?" Summer questioned.

"Brother to the bride." Dean said without missing a beat.

"You're going to look great in a tux." Summer smiled at him.

"Are you here to plan my wedding or hit on my friend?" AJ asked her.

"Right sorry." Summer said and she and AJ walked over to the couch and began looking through her binder.

"She seems lovely." Dean said to Bayley couldn't help but laugh quietly. "Doesn't let you laugh either huh?"

"She doesn't like distractions." Bayley whispered to him.

"That's a shame because you have a great laugh." Dean shrugged then went back to eating his food.

A few hours later Summer and Bayley were gone and Punk was just getting home.

"I'm so glad you're here!" AJ said running to Punk as he walked in the door.

"Love that reaction." Punk laughed kissing her.

"I'm glad you're here too." Dean said annoyed. "She's been talking about the wedding for hours it's not even my fucking wedding."

"So Summer the wedding planner was telling me that there was a last minute drop out at the Plaza and we could get that spot for the wedding." AJ said to him.

"Ok." Punk said to her. "How soon?"

"About six weeks." AJ said to him.

"Book it." Punk said grabbing a bottle of water.

"Hear the price first." Dean laughed.

"It's a hotel how much money could it be?" Punk asked him but Dean just laughed.

"About…" AJ muttered under her breath and Punk narrowed his eyes at her.

"I didn't catch that, how much?" he asked.

"75 grand." Dean said and Punk choked on his water.

"For a four hour party?" Punk asked her stunned. "Are you insane?"

"It's so pretty though!" AJ said to him. "We can have the ceremony there and the food is amazing!"

"75 grand not including your dress or my suit?" Punk asked her.

"No it's not included." AJ admitted. "I know it's more than you wanted to spend."

"Yea I thought we agreed on around 25." Punk reminded her. "It really is just a party."

"I know! But we have the money. I have a lot of money saved up and haven't spent any of it in the last eight months so I can pay for almost most of it." She reasoned.

"I don't want you to pay for it I can pay for it but it's a lot of money." Punk reminded her slowly but her eyes were too excited she clearly wanted this.

"Come on you only get married once." Dean said to Punk. "Unless you're AJ of course." He teased shooting her a wink and she rolled her eyes.

"You're still here?" AJ asked him annoyed.

"I want to see if you can convince this cheapskate into dishing out 75 grand for you." Dean said amused. "I mean I know it's like your dream and the idea of it made you so happy earlier but it's a lot to ask from him I don't think any man in his right mind would spend that much on a stupid party."

"It's not stupid." AJ argued. "It's celebrating our love and showing everyone how happy we are. We aren't just celebrating that we're celebrating me coming home too."

"It's stupid." Dean said simply and AJ frowned.

"It's not stupid." Punk said to Dean after seeing how sad AJ looked. "Book it."

"No it's really a lot-" she started to argue.

"I don't care if it costs a million dollars just book it before you lose the spot." Punk insisted. "This is what you want so you get it."

"Thank you baby." AJ said wrapping her arms around his neck and looked towards Dean and gave him thumbs up. Clearly Dean making Punk feel guilty was all part of the plan. "Oh and Dean you have a plus one."

"And who am I bringing?" Dean asked her.

"You and Bayley seemed to chatting a bit earlier." AJ noted.

"She's like 15 years old." Dean scoffed.

"People told me that about AJ all of the time." Punk said to him as AJ texted Summer to give her the go ahead on the plaza.

"No this girl is legit 15." Dean said to him.

"No she's 23." AJ corrected. "I'm only two years older her."

"She's not my type." Dean said to her. "Summer the planned would be my type if she didn't speak."

"How is she not your type?" AJ asked him. "She likes all the same stuff you do, you talked to her the entire time she was here just because she doesn't dress like a tramp doesn't mean she isn't your type."

"Alright I'm done here." Dean said standing up.

"I think you should go for it!" AJ yelled as Dean walked out the door.

"Don't push him." Punk said to her. "Stuff like that takes time."

"But this girl is so sweet!" AJ said to him. "She really is and I'm a good job of people and she's great people!"

"Time AJ." Punk repeated.

"So are you sure you're really ok with this?" AJ asked him. "It's stupid because we're already married but we'll have the pictures from this day forever."

"I want what makes you smile." Punk said to her simply. "I don't care about the price I care about you."

"Thank you." She said kissing his cheek. "And right after the wedding Paul said I could come back to work."

"Right after the honeymoon." Punk corrected.

"We have to figure that out too." AJ said giving it thought.

"I've thought about it." Punk said to her.

"Great!" she said to him.

"Paul actually suggested it and since we're spending so much on the wedding I think we should take him up on his offer." Punk said to her.

"What offer?" she asked him.

"He has a rental in Bora Bora." Punk told her. "It's literally in the middle of the water, I've been there a few times at his place and I think you'd love it."

"Obviously I've never been there but it looks beautiful." AJ said to him.

"So it's good?" he asked and she nodded. "This wedding stuff is so easy." Punk scoffed sitting on the couch and turning on the TV. "Place picked and honeymoon in the first day."

"It's going to get crazy." She warned him.

"I think we'll manage." He laughed.