What Is Love?

"What are you doing?" Lily asked walking into Jade's nursery where Punk had been most of the day.

"I'm baby proofing the nursery." He said to her as he put something on the window.

"What does that mean?" Lily asked sitting in the brand new rocking chair that had just been delivered.

"I need to make sure there is nothing that the baby can hurt herself with." Punk said turning to look at Lily. "What are you doing? You've been hiding away in your room since school."

"I was painting invitations for your party." Lily told him

"I said I didn't want a party." Punk reminded her.

"Well, mommy said we are having a party and she's the boss." Lily said to him simply.

"Right, how could I forget?" He asked mockingly and Lily let out a dramatic sigh. "Something wrong Princess?"

"How did you know you loved mommy?" Lily asked curiously and he smiled.

"That's an excellent question." Punk said to Lily. "I knew I loved her long before I ever told her."

"Why didn't you tell her?" Lily asked.

"I didn't want to scare her away." Punk confided. "I had also never told anyone I loved them before. It was a weird feeling."

"So when did you know?" Lily asked eagerly.

"I used to go see your mom every morning before I went to the gym since she worked right next door." Punk began. "And one morning I went in there and she wasn't."

"Where was she?" Lily asked horrified.

"I didn't know and I looked everywhere" Punk admitted. "Someone said she was at the hospital but I still couldn't find her. I thought she was hurt and I couldn't get to her."

"Oh no!" Lily gasped.

"I kept thinking I wish I had told her that I loved her." Punk said to Lily.

"That's so sad daddy." Lily frowned.

"I went to her apartment and sat in front of her door and waited for her because I was too scared to do anything else." Punk told Lily. "Eventually your mom came home."

"Was she ok?" Lily asked and Punk nodded.

"She was taking someone to the hospital she wasn't hurt at all." Punk told Lily who felt relieved and he had to laugh.

"Why didn't you tell her you loved her?" Lily asked.

"Again, I was scared." Punk said to her. "Even after your mom told me she loved me I was still too scared."

"That must have made mommy feel bad." Lily said sadly.

"Why?" Punk asked.

"She loved you but you never told her." Lily pointed out. "If I told Joseph I loved him and he didn't say it back I'd be very sad."

"We're still friends with Joseph?" Punk asked annoyed and she nodded.

"I think I love him." Lily told Punk and he rolled his eyes. "How do you know when you love someone? What does it feel like?"

"It feels like your heart is beating so fast it's going to come right out of your chest." He told her.

"That sounds like it hurts." Lily said seriously.

"It does sometimes, but usually it feels good." He smirked. "It's actually the best feeling I have ever felt."

"I hope I'm in love." Lily said to him and he sighed.

"Princess, you're six years old." He reminded her walking over to the rocking chair. "I didn't find love until I was in my thirties. You're going to meet so many people in your life and love is going to surprise you."

"Were you surprised?" Lily asked and he laughed.

"Honestly? No." He said to her. "I had been friends with your mom for a while but I knew once I asked her out that was it. There would be nobody else who would compare to her beauty and heart. And the best thing about your mom? A lot of guys wanted to date her and she never settled. She could have married someone with a lot more money, she could have married someone who was a lot smarter but she picked me. She knew what she wanted and she stuck by me no matter how crazy I got."

"You should have a Disney movie about this." Lily said seriously.

"What's with all the questions?" Punk asked. "Is this for school?"

"Nope." Lily said to him. "Joseph said he loved me."

"For fuck sake." He muttered under his breath annoyed and walked over to his toolbox.

"But I don't love him" Lily said and Punk turned around and smiled proudly.

"That's my smart girl." Punk said proudly.

"I'm not even sad when he doesn't go to school." Lily shrugged

"You're really too young for love." Punk said her.

"But I love you and Mommy and Jade." Lily said to him confused.

"That's a different kind of love." Punk smirked. "You'll know when you're in love when you're older and learned more."

"You're right daddy." Lily agreed.

"And keep in mind, not everyone is worthy of your love." Punk said to her and she titled her head in confusion. "You're a smarty, pretty little girl and when you're older boys will lie to you and say it to get what they want-"

"What would they want?" Lily asked and his face dropped

"You're too young to know that too." Punk said to her quickly "Point is, don't just give someone your heart, let them earn it."

"Ok daddy." Lily smiled

"It's time for bed." AJ announced appearing by the door.

"Ok." She said and jumped out of the rocking chair and gave Punk a kiss goodnight.

"Need me to check for monsters?" Punk asked hopefully and Lily just shook her head and ran out of the room.

"That was some solid advice you gave our daughter." AJ smiled.

"I'm pretty wise." Punk grinned smugly.

"It scares me too." AJ admitted and he looked at her. "Her getting older. Getting whistled out, men who will use her because she's beautiful, knowing she'll get her heart broken"

"It's part of life." Punk said to her. "We just have to teach her about this stuff and let her know we're here. You and I didn't have parents we could go to."

"Or friends." AJ added referring to herself.

"Lily is going to have us and Jade." Punk said to her. "Actually she has a huge family. She's going to be fine."

"I hope so." AJ said to her. "The world is just such an ugly place today."

"It is. But our girls are resilient, just like their parents." Punk pointed out. "So, when was the first time you realized you loved me?"

"Seriously?" AJ asked with a laugh as she tried to open the dresser drawer.

"Everything is baby proof." Punk informed her. "So, answer the question."

"Ok." AJ said turning to look at him. "After we had sex."

"Which time?" he asked.

"The first time." She admitted.

"I was that good?" He asked smugly.

"Actually, yes you were." She had to admit. "But it wasn't like that."

"What was it like?" He asked amused.

"I had only been with one man before-" She began.

"Two. Don't lie." He said to her and she rolled her eyes.

"How do you remember that?" she asked in disbelief.

"I just do." He shrugged. "I thought it was so hot that you weren't with countless men. I loved that you were so untainted."

"Anyway, when we had sex the first time I had never felt so connected to somebody. You took such good care of me that night." She said to him. "I had never felt that good of bliss before."

"Wait a second." Punk laughed holding up his hand. "Had you not-"

"No." She said quickly and turned around to open the closet.

"What?" He asked laughing. "You never-"

"I never had an orgasm before you, happy now?" She asked in a bitter whisper.

"No that doesn't make me happy, it makes me feel bad for you." He teased coming up behind her.

"Really? You wish some other man pushed me to the limits you do? Made me scream his name and-" She stopped when he clasped his hand over her mouth.

"I changed my mind. It does make me happy." He said in a whisper in her ear removing his hand from her mouth.

"You respected my body and feelings, you were tender and very giving. You were amazing." She smiled as she looked at the clothes hanging up in the closet.

AJ gasped when she felt his hand dip into the front of her pants as his chest pressed against her back.

"Phil." She whispered.

"You bought back all these memories now." He whispered back in her ear.

"I'm a cow." She reminded him.

"You're beautiful." He corrected kissing behind her ear. "So very beautiful. And I feel bad you were neglected for so many years before me, let me make up for lost time."

"Oh god." She moaned as he rubbed her.

"Mommy! Help me brush my hair!" Lily yelled from her room next door and Punk pulled his hand away and stepped back.

"I'll brush her hair." Punk offered.

"I think not." AJ laughed. "You don't know how to do her hair. You can police their dating lives and clothing but leave their hair to me." she warned.

"Fine." He scoffed. "I'm not bad at it." He mumbled under his breath.

"Awful at it." AJ said to him seriously. "You did a really good job in here by the way."

"Thanks." Punk said proudly. "What else do I have to do."

"You need to get some lotion and light some candles because I need a back and foot massage." She said pouting her lip.

"Fine." He said to her.

"Mommy!" Lily yelled again.

"I'll be right there!" AJ yelled back.

"Hey." He said grabbing her wrist gently before she walked away. "You know I loved you from the first time I set my eyes on you, right? I only realized it later on."

"There was one night I was going to open the store and this homeless guy was sleeping outside the door. I couldn't get him to move from the front of the door and you walked over and tried to act all tough and physically picked him up. Once I was inside you pulled out the only $5 you had in your pocket and gave it to him then gave him one of your sweatshirts to stay warm." She said to him. "I loved you then too, I only realized it later on." she said then gave him a sweet kiss.

"Mommy! You're kissing and not helping me!" Lily nearly cried.

"Relax kid." Punk teased pulling away from the kiss.

"I can't! My hair is knotty." She frowned.

"Let me do it." Punk offered holding his hand out for the brush but Lily did not find his offer amusing or funny.

"Get out of here." AJ laughed pushing him away gently and taking Lily's brush.

"Mommy, what does love feel like?" Lily asked.

"What's with all these questions about love?" AJ asked as she sat on Lily's bed and brushed her hair.

"I have to know what it feels like so I don't miss it." Lily said simply.

"You won't know love until you're older and learned more." AJ said to her. "But I will give you one piece of advice that I hope you remember when you're older."

"What's that?" Lily asked.

"Make sure whoever it is, they respect you." She said to Lily. "Make sure they open the car door for you, holds your hand when you cross the street, thinks of you first when there's an emergency, gets mad at you for silly things like not saying goodnight or calling when you get somewhere because they want to know you're safe. Someone who will drop anything, including their biggest fight of their carer so they can hold your hand when you're in the hospital."

"That's a lot to remember." Lily said honestly.

"I'm sorry I rambled." AJ smirked. "Make you're sure happy and respected."

"I will mommy." Lily promised.

"You're a smart, sweet person and people have to earn your heart. Do not just give it away." AJ encouraged.

"Joseph loves me." Lily sighed and AJ laughed. "I don't think I love him."

"I don't think so either." AJ agreed. "I don't think he knows what the word means."

"I don't either." Lily said to her. "My heart doesn't beat really fast like daddy said it would."

"Is that what he said?" AJ asked with a sweet smile and Lily nodded.

"What does it feel like to you? Is it different?" Lily asked her.

"I think it's different for everybody." AJ told her as she continued to brush her hair. "To me it feels like I'm the only person in the room sometimes. There's a weight lifted off of my chest when I see your dad. And I always smile, I don't even realize I'm smiling it just comes naturally."

"It's a fairy tale." Lily smiled.

"Something like that." AJ teased. "You know, your dad wasn't my first boy who was my friend. But he was the first one who treated me the way I deserved to be treated."

"I'm glad you and daddy got married." Lily said to her.

"Yea me too, there would be no you." AJ laughed kissing her cheek.

"I like being here." Lily smiled.

"Good." AJ laughed as she finished up her hair.

"Mommy, we have to get the food for daddy's party." She reminded AJ as she got under the covers.

"I'll pick it up." AJ said tucking her in.

"And I have to finish my invitations." Lily reminded her with a yawn.

"Don't worry we still have some time." AJ assured her kissing the top of her head.

"Mommy?" Lily asked before AJ could leave.

"Yea?" AJ asked.

"Could you check for monsters first?" Lily asked fearfully and AJ walked over.

"Of course. But why not ask your dad? That's like his favorite thing to do." AJ questioned.

"I told him I wasn't a baby or scared already." Lily said to her.

"You can ask your father for anything and he will never judge you." AJ told her seriously. "That's one of the many things I love him. He's really good for checking for monsters."

"Ok." Lily said sweetly. "Daddy!" she screamed so loud that it actually caused AJ to jump and in a second Punk ran in the room.

"What?" he asked anxiously looking around the room.

"Can you check for monsters under the bed?" Lily asked giving him her best smile.

"Really?" Punk asked flattered and unable to hide his smile and she nodded.

"I'd be honored to search for monsters." He said seriously and dropped to the floor to look. "Nope. It's all clear tonight."

"The closet too?" Lily asked and Punk jumped up and checked the closet next.

"Nah, they must have know I'd be checking tonight." Punk remarked smugly.

"Thanks daddy." Lily said relieved and Punk kissed her forehead.

"Get some sleep Princess." Punk said as he pulled AJ out of the room.

"You hear that? My baby is still my baby." Punk said to AJ as he was practically glowing from happiness. "Still needs her dad to check for monsters. I didn't even have to hide Larry under the bed to scare her."

Punk was working out at the gym. He knew he'd be missing a lot of time in a few weeks when Jade would be born so he was overworking now. Especially since he was done with his night school and Lily was back in school, he had a lot of free time, so when he wasn't working on Jade's nursery he was at the gym.

"Your timing is great." Dean noted walking over to Punk who was absolutely covered in sweat.

"Yea I think this fight being delayed was a blessing in disguise." Punk admitted using his arm to clean off his forehead. "Colton is fucking strong. A lot stronger than I first thought."

"You're definitely going to be better prepared for sure." Dean said to him.

"I have to pick Lily up from a play date then I'm coming right back. I won't be longer than forty minutes." He told Dean as he grabbed a towel.

"Play date?" Dean asked and Punk shook his head.

"That fucking little criminal in training." Punk remarked. "One of her many boyfriends apparently. Can you believe she was asking about love last night?"

"It's cute." Dean smirked.

"Yea AJ thinks that too. Just wait until she's older." Punk warned. "It's all warning signs."

"I'm surprised you let her play at his house." Dean had to admit.

"She's a kid and we want her to have kid friends." Punk recited. "That's what AJ tells me anyway. She met his parents and apparently they're fine." He forced out. "Father's a doctor, mother is a realtor."

"Solid family she's going to marry into." Dean teased.

"I don't know why you think this is funny. You and Celeste will have a girl too and you'll have this stuff keeping you up at night." Punk warned. "You'll be living it too."

"My kid won't be allowed out of the house." Dean shrugged simply.

"I tried that but AJ said no." Punk said seriously. "Now I'm going to have two of them and it's hard enough to keep my eyes on Lily who is always outsmarting me."

"She is smart." Dean had to admit. "Hopefully my kid isn't smart."

"You're fucked up." Punk laughed.

Dean looked up and saw AJ walking through the door.

"Hey AJ." Dean greeted.

"Hi." She smiled and Punk turned around in his seat.

"What are you doing here?" Punk asked

"Don't freak out." She said to him and he frowned.

"What did she do?" Punk asked already knowing this was a Lily story.

"Just promise you won't overreact." she warned.

"Depends on what she did." He said standing up.

"She did nothing." AJ assured him.

"So that little asshole did something?" Dean asked before Punk could

"He has a pet snake." AJ reminded Punk. "She got bit, thankfully Joseph's father is a doctor but-" she couldn't even finish because Punk was already storming out the door.

"Remind him he can go to jail for beating up a seven year old." Dean warned AJ who just let out a sigh. "Is Lily ok?"

"She's...Lily." AJ said to him. "She's very upset but Joseph's father said the snake isn't poisonous and barely cut the skin."

"AJ! I'm leaving in thirty seconds with or without you!" Punk yelled opening the door for a second.

"Good luck." Dean smirked.

When they got Joseph's house, which was a palace, Lily was in the kitchen with Joseph and his father.

"Daddy!" Lily shouted relived to see him.

"I'm here Princess." Punk said racing to her.

"I'm sorry about this." Joseph's dad said to them. "But Lily will be fine."

"Why was she unsupervised with the snake?" Punk asked as AJ began to remove the bandage from her finger. "Were you not watching my kid?"

"We were feeding it." Joseph said.

"I thought this snake wasn't poisonous." AJ hissed looking up at Joseph's father. "Her finger is swollen!"

"It's not-" he began as Punk leaned over to check Lily's finger now.

"I have snakes in my store, they don't swell after bites." AJ said pushing Punk away from Lily and looking at Lily's finger.

"It hurts mommy." Lily sniffled.

"I bet it does." AJ said sadly cupping her face

"The snake barely has teeth-" the doctor began again.

"Then what the fuck happened to my daughters finger?" AJ snapped before Punk could respond and he was impressed.

"There could bacteria in the teeth." The doctor told them.

"We're taking her to a hospital." Punk said grabbing Lily and picking her up.

"You should have taken her to the hospital." AJ hissed at the man as she collected Lily's things. "For a doctor you're very irresponsible." She scolded.

"Ok babe." Punk said trying to take AJ's hand with his free one.

"I'm a doctor-" He began.

"I entrusted you with my daughters care!" AJ yelled.

"Listen lady-" He began.

"Her name isn't lady!" Lily scolded and now Punk was in the middle of both of his girls flipping out and it was usually him and they were the voices of reason.

"If you're looking for a reason to sue because you're hard up on cash-" He began.

"I could buy and sell you, this house and the three cars in the driveway." Punk informed him. "Let's go." he said to AJ and pulled her out of the room.

"The snake didn't like me." Lily explained as she sat on a bed in the ER. "I did what you taught me to do mommy." She told her mother.

"I'm sure you did." AJ said putting on a smile. "The snake was probably hungry."

"But my finger isn't food!" Lily exclaimed as a doctor wrapped her finger.

"The snake didn't know better." Punk said to her.

"I think it hates me." Lily said seriously to Punk who frowned.

"Someone should have been watching you better." AJ noted.

"You ok?" Punk asked her.

"No I'm not because I didn't realize she'd swell so much. I thought Joseph said garden snake, not garter snake." AJ said shaking her head.

"I didn't like it there anyway." Lily shrugged.

"Why's that?" Punk asked concerned.

"You can't run in the house." Lily confided. "You have to take your shoes off at the door and hang them." she said scrunching up her face. "I was chewing gum and they made me spit it out."

"Fuck them." Punk said disgusted. "Stuck up pricks."

"The only thing we could do is feed the snake and then it bit me." Lily shrugged. "I couldn't get it off my finger. Joseph got scared and ran off."

"What?" AJ frowned and Lily nodded.

"I had to yell for help but I stayed very calm like you always told me to do." She told AJ proudly who had taught Lily how to handle all kinds of animals.

"He's not your boyfriend anymore." Punk told Lily sternly. "No boyfriend or real friend for that matter would leave you like that."

"You wouldn't have left mommy?" Lily asked curiously.

"Never." Punk said without hesitation. "Especially if she was hurt and needed my help."

"That's a great lesson in love by the way." AJ said to Lily who was still very curious about the topic of love.

"Stupid boy." Lily muttered. "I didn't need his help anyway."

"That's my girl." AJ said proudly.

"Can I have a pet snake?" Lily asked

"Hasn't this taught you anything?" Punk asked in shock.

"It taught me that I have to practice so snakes like me." Lily said simply.

"What a positive attitude." AJ noted proudly. "We'll see what I have at the store."

"No." Punk said and both AJ and Lily looked at him. "No snakes. We have Larry and you have a fish."

"I take really, really, really good car of Louis the fish." Lily pointed out. "I feed him every day, I clean him every Saturday."

"You do a great job." AJ agreed. "We said we'd consider something bigger after we saw how she did with the fish."

"I thought you wanted a rabbit?" Punk asked Lily. "Rabbit's are so cute! Let's get you one of those."

"I think I want a snake now daddy." Lily informed him.

"What about a hamster?" Punk asked almost desperately. "Kids your age love hamsters!"

"Hamsters scare me." Lily cringed.

"What? Are you kidding?" Punk asked in utter disbelief. "You want a snake because you're scared of hamsters? What kind of a kid are you?"

"Are you afraid of snakes?" AJ asked Punk curiously.

"Of course I am!" Punk admitted honestly. "Who isn't?"

"I'm not." AJ and Lily said at the same time.

"You'll be more like daddy, right?" Punk asked AJ's belly.

"No. Jade is going to like snakes too." Lily told Punk. "Can I have a snake?" She asked looking at AJ.

"We have to talk your dad into it first." AJ said to Punk.

"Almost done." The doctor told Lily.

"Do I get a cast?" Lily asked hopefully.

"No sweetheart, just a bandage." The doctor smiled and Lily let out a disappointed sigh.

"I hate snakes." Punk whispered to AJ.

"We have to remember we have a new baby coming home." AJ reminded him.

"Exactly why I don't want a snake slithering into her crib." Punk said to her.

"Our attention will be split, Lily can concentrate on her new pet a bit and she is responsible." AJ said to him. "She'll teach you not to be afraid of it."

"No AJ." Punk said to her. "I'm putting my foot down on this one."

The next day Punk was in the doorway with his arms folded as he watched AJ and Lily set up her new tank for her snake.

"How secure is the top on that?" Punk asked seriously.

"Very." AJ said as she picked the snake up and put it in the cage.

"What should I name her?" Lily asked in awe of it.

"Whatever you want." AJ said to her.

"Fluffy." Lily grinned almost evilly. "Joseph wanted to come over when I told him I was getting snake but I told him no."

"Good." Punk said to her seriously. "He's not allowed here anyway unless you can get that thing to bite him." he said nodding towards the snake.

"It's a garden snake Phil." AJ laughed. "They're harmless. Come over and say hi to Fluffy."

"No thank you." He said to her. "I'm never coming in this room again."

"What?" Lily nearly cried. "Who is going to check for monsters for me?" she asked feeling her eyes water up.

"Phil." AJ scolded.

"Of course I'll check for monsters." he said to her not wanting her to cry. "But you have to lock that top."

"Fluffy is nice." Lily promised. "I wouldn't let her bite you."

"Really?" He asked skeptically and Lily nodded.

"I won't let her scare you either. Don't worry." Lily assured him.

"You're the best daughter ever." Punk said to her with a smile.

"You want to come in?" AJ asked seriously.

"Nope. Maybe later." He said then walked away.

"What a chicken." AJ said to Lily who covered her mouth to silence her laughter.

"I heard that!" Punk yelled from down the hall.