Lateness & Wins
AJ was at work a few days later and was closing the shop for the first time in a long time. It was also only two night before Punk's big fight and she had that on her mind. Just as she was putting the money away the door chimed and she froze then realized it was only Luis who she hadn't seen since her first day back.
"Sorry didn't mean to scare you." He said placing the keys into his pocket and locking the door. "I just came to check in on things."
"We've been doing good." She said to him. "Today was pretty busy for a Thursday night."
"The sales have been good with you." Luis noted.
"Must be the lack of formal uniform." She smirked.
"That must be it." He remarked sarcastically. "You can go. I'll finish up I don't want you leaving too late."
"It's alright I'm waiting for my boyfriend and he's not here yet." She said to him.
"Isn't he next door?" Luis questioned.
"No he's having dinner with his manager." AJ said to him.
"Paul Heyman." Luis noted. "I spoke to him. I'm endorsing Punk."
"Wow that's great." She smiled.
"Not cheap either." Luis joked. "Paul Heyman is a very tough businessman."
"He's the best." AJ agreed. "I'm all finished anyway."
"Did you master the register?" He asked her.
"Yea I think I figured it out." She smirked.
"Those are beautiful earrings." Luis noted as AJ tucked her hair behind her ear.
"Oh thank you. They were an anniversary present." She said touching the black diamond earrings.
"How long have you been with Punk?" Luis asked curiously.
"A year." She told him.
"Very nice." Luis smiled. "Why don't you seem more excited?"
"I am excited." She said to him as he looked over the days paperwork. "Why would you ask that?"
"It's just most women who are in such a serious relationship as you are usually expect a different piece of jewelry." he smirked.
"Marriage isn't for us." AJ blurted out and he looked up from his paperwork.
"Why is that?" Luis questioned.
"He's just not the marrying type." AJ shrugged. "He doesn't think legalizing a relationship is important."
"Or does it have to do with all this money he's making?" Luis questioned.
"I want for nothing." AJ told him defensively. "He takes very good care of me financially."
"Yet here you are." Luis noted. "In some half alive pet shop in the worst part of town."
"I like to work." AJ said to him.
"Or maybe you need this for security. A man who won't marry a woman doesn't leave her a lot of confidence." Luis pointed out.
"Are you married Mr. Cortes?" AJ asked annoyed.
"I am not. But I'm a very busy man." Luis said to her. "I'd like to be married and have children someday. It's hard to find a woman who understands the importance of a career. It's a shame because you seem to respect his career."
"I respect everything about him including his wishes and views on marriage and children." She said to him.
"Children too?" Luis asked with a laugh. "Sounds selfish to me."
"He's the most selfless man on this planet." AJ argued.
"I don't mean to butt in or insult you I've just been in boring meetings all day and this is the first real conversation I've had." He admitted.
"You are rude." AJ frowned. "Maybe that's why you don't engage in more regular conversations."
"You are aware that I'm your boss right?" Luis asked her.
"And I'm the only person who knows what they're doing here." She shrugged.
"No one has ever had the guts to speak to me the way you do." Luis told her.
"Sorry I don't mean to be disrespectful." She said shaking her head. "I just have a lot going on with Phil's big fight-"
"It's fine. It's actually refreshing to not have someone cower in fear around me." Luis smirked.
"Well I'm going to go wait outside Phil will be here any minute." She said putting on her jacket.
"Have a good night April." he said to her. "And I'll see you at the fight."
"You're going?" AJ asked.
"For the amount of money I'm paying to have Punk wear my logo on his sweatshirt I'll be cage side." He smirked.
Twenty minutes later AJ was still outside shivering waiting for Punk. She tried calling him but his phone must have died and now since the furniture was all set up in the townhouse they were living there and it was too far to walk and she had no money on her to take a cab.
"Still waiting?" Luis asked locking up.
"Yea he's running late." She said as her teeth chattered.
"What time will he be here?" Luis questioned.
"I don't know." She admitted. "His phone is off."
"I'll give you a ride home." He offered.
"No that's ok, but thank you." She smiled and looked down the street looking for Punk's rental.
"I'm not going to leave you standing out here alone." Luis said to her. "So either we can both stand out here and freeze or we can warm up in the car as I take you home."
"Alright." AJ sighed giving in, mostly because her fingers were freezing.
A man jumped out of the large SUV that was parked outside and AJ jumped back terrified.
"That's just my driver." Luis told her trying not to laugh as he opened the backseat door for them.
Once she arrived at home she used her keys to let herself in and Luis followed her in.
"Thank you again for the ride." she smiled closing the door behind her.
"And thank you for letting me use your bathroom." Luis smirked removing his jacket. "What a beautiful home." he admired.
"Thank you. We're still not officially moved in with everything yet but we're getting there." She said looking around the dream home. "The bathroom is upstairs and either the first, second or third door on either the left or right." She said to him and he laughed loudly. "We've only been living here a few days." She admitted with a shrug.
"I'll find it." He said walking towards the stairs but kicked off his shoes.
"Oh you don't have to do that." AJ said to him.
"Beautiful hardwood floor shouldn't have shoes on them." Luis said to her before climbing up the stairs.
A minute later the door swung open and Punk stepped inside.
"I'm so sorry." he said to her and she frowned. "I just went by the shop. I tried to call to tell you I'd be late but my phone died."
"Why were you so late?" She asked folding her arms.
"Paul and I got wrapped up in-" he stopped when he saw a man's jacket draped over the new couch and a pair of mens shoes not far away. "Whose are those?"
"Thank you so much April." Luis said coming down the stairs as he adjusted his belt and Punk eyed him like he was about to kill him. He was tucking his shirt into his pants and his sleeves were rolled up. "Mr. Brooks." Luis greeted with a smile as he slipped on his shoes.
"Luis took me home and had to use the bathroom." AJ said to him.
"Do you always kick your shoes off when you use a bathroom?" Punk asked harshly.
"Phil." AJ whispered.
"No it's alright." Luis said to her. "It's proper manners."
"How about you just thank Luis for taking me home before I got frostbite." She suggested to Punk but he remained silent.
"I have to get going." He said putting his jacket on. "Have a good fight Mr. Brooks, April." he said and she walked him to the door.
"Thank you again." She smiled opening the door for him.
"Thank you for all your hard work." he retorted then stepped outside.
"What the fuck was that?" Punk asked her.
"My boss giving me a ride because you forgot me." AJ shot at him. "Did you want him to leave me on the street?"
"No but I didn't expect him to escort you inside." Punk responded.
"He had to use the bathroom." AJ said to him. "What's the big deal?"
"Who takes off half of their clothes to use the bathroom?" He asked her mockingly.
"His shoes and his jacket?" She asked with a roll of her eyes then walked into the kitchen but he followed her.
"I don't need this shit right now AJ." he argued. "I'm trying to get our shit packed up in Vegas and I have a huge fight in two days."
"So? How am I giving you shit?" She asked him. "I needed a ride home and he had his driver take me."
"His driver." Punk whistled. "How fancy."
"I'm the one that should be mad." AJ pointed out. "You completely forgot about me tonight."
"I didn't forget I was running late." he corrected. "How long was he here for?"
"Are you kidding me?" she asked opening a cabinet and pulling out a can of soup.
"Does it sound like I'm kidding?" he asked seriously.
"Thirty two seconds before you walked in the door." She said to him. "Like I said he had his driver take me home and had to use the bathroom, he lives across town so the least I could do was offer him our bathroom."
"And since when do you call him Luis?" Punk asked her.
"Since always." She said turning the stove on and pouring the soup into the pot. "What is your problem? Why are you always so quick to accuse me of doing something wrong? Have I ever lied to you? Let you down? Cheated on you?"
"No." Punk admitted quietly. "I just-"
"-get jealous." She finished for him. "I've noticed but it's growing old and he's my boss and I happen to like my job. I left for a half a year to support you and then left another job in Vegas for you the least you could do for me is be a little nicer to my boss who is giving you a small fortune to wear his logo."
"You're right." He said to her. "I'm sorry I've just had a long day."
"I love you." She reminded him. "I'm not running out on you ever."
"Even if some ridiculously rich and way too attractive man tries to take you away?" he asked her.
"You think Luis is attractive?" She asked with a laugh and he smirked.
"You know what I mean." he said to her. "I forgot to pick you up-"
"You made one innocent mistake and you think I'll run into the arms of another man?" She asked him. "You know me better than that."
"I do." He agreed softly. "I depend on you so much that I feel like I take you for granted and you'll wake up one morning realizing you could do better and move on."
"There is no one better." AJ assured him.
"I didn't even bring you home dinner." he mocked pointing to the soup in the pot.
"You don't have to." She laughed pecking his lips. "You need to unwind a little bit. You can't be this tense Saturday."
"You're coming with me to the weigh-in's tomorrow right?" He asked her.
"Of course. I have the weekend off and I'll be firmly planted in your corner." She promised him.
"You like it here, right?" he asked her.
"Of course I do." She said to him. "Why would you even ask?"
"You just seem distant since we moved in." He noted eyeing her. "If I did something to upset you-"
"You've done nothing but be amazing. Tonight not included." She teased.
"Alright." he said kissing the top of her head. "I'm going to take a shower then do you want to watch a movie?"
"Only if I get to pick the movie." She said to him.
"Don't you always?" He asked seriously and she shrugged. "I'll be fifteen minutes."
"I'll be waiting." She promised.
Saturday night was here and AJ was a ball of nerves. She was sitting in Punk's corner biting on her nails as she waited for him to make his entrance. This fight had took a personal turn in the media and the arena was abuzz. She couldn't shake this horrible feeling in the pit of her stomach as Tommy made his way into the cage. He was unreadable which meant he was beyond confident.
"Terrible habit." A voice next to her said and she turned to see Luis sitting next to her.
"I know." AJ smirked. "I can't help it. I get so nervous when he fights."
"He seems pretty sure of himself." Luis noted as they watched Punk come out.
"He needs to be more than sure of himself." AJ said as she bit on her thumbnail.
Punk entered the cage and scanned the crowd until he spotted AJ. He shot her a wink and she gave him her bravest smile.
"I hear there's a lot of history between the two of them." Luis noted.
"It's a jealousy thing." AJ said to him. "Tommy used to train with Punk."
"I heard it was over you." Luis said to her and she laughed bitterly.
"Tommy tried to involve me but it was pointless. It was never a competition." She said to him as she kept her eyes on Punk. "This is his hometown you have no idea how important this fight is to him." She said to Luis.
"That's a lot of pressure." Luis pointed out. "His hometown, old friend, beautiful girlfriend watching from the crowd."
"He's good under pressure." AJ assured him.
"He needs to be better than good." Luis said to her.
The fight began and AJ cringed when both refused to touch gloves. As angry and determined as Punk looked, Tommy looked it more so. The first one to get a hit in was Tommy and it clearly rocked Punk. His face was already bleeding and the fight had only just started.
AJ wasn't sure how much longer she could stand to watch as Punk made a mild comeback but as they headed into the last round Punk seemed like he could barely stand. She had never seen him so bloody before and she knew he was hurting. Punk's fights never went this long and he never had this much trouble getting a win. She shut her eyes tightly as he stood up ready for the last and final round and hoped this would just end and sure enough it did. The fight was over as soon as AJ opened her eyes again and Tommy was running around the cage celebrating.
"Oh my god." she gasped standing up seeing Punk knocked out cold and people attending to him.
"You don't want to crowd him." Luis said holding onto her arms as she stood up.
"He needs me." AJ insisted.
AJ watched as Punk was helped up and stood next to the ref as Tommy's arm was raised in victory. The blood was drying up on his face but AJ could still his devastation. She felt tears fall from her eyes as Tommy tried to shake his hand but Punk turned his back on him and placed his hands on his hips and walked out of the cage.
Punk was in his locker room and requested to be alone but AJ came in anyway.
"I need some time." He said holding his hand up and avoided looking at her face.
"It's me Phil." She said locking the door behind her.
"I know who you are and I want to be alone." He said looking at the wall.
"I'm not going anywhere." She said walking over to him.
"AJ-" He started but she pulled on his arm so he was looking at her. "I can't look at you right now."
"Why?" She asked angrily.
"I fucking lost." He hissed. "Did you not see that fight?"
"I did and you did amazing. You hung in there-" She started.
"I fucking lost!" He yelled again and kicked a chair across the room. "To him! Of all fucking people! In my hometown!"
"No one lost any respect for you." AJ argued. "If that would have went to the judges you would have won."
"But it didn't!" Punk yelled. "I got knocked out. Do you know how humiliating this is?"
"It's not. You can't win every fight and you know that." She argued.
"I don't win to every fight I wanted to win this one." Punk said shaking his head in disgust of himself. "I wanted to do this for you."
"You made me so proud." She said placing her hand on her chest. "I know you and I know you were hurt and you didn't give up and that is nothing to be ashamed of."
"I want to fight him again." Punk told her.
"Phil you need to take sometime and please let the doctors check you out." She pleaded.
"I don't need doctors I'm fine." He hissed.
"You're bleeding and you took hard hits to your head." She pointed out.
"I just need to be by myself." Punk said sitting down and placed his head in his hands.
"You want me to leave?" she asked.
"No." He mumbled and she sat on the bench next to him and placed her hand on his back.
"People were cheering you on like crazy." She told him. "People still love you."
"And I let them all down too." Punk pointed out barely lifting his head to look at her.
"Nobody was let down. Your job is to entertain and that's exactly what you did tonight." she told him.
"No it's my job to win." Punk said softly.
"You have to know how to lose in order to win." She reminded him.
"You a coach now?" he asked amused.
"I should be." She smirked. "This fight doesn't change the fact that you're incredible or that I love you."
"It makes me a loser." Punk said to her.
"You're always my winner." She said resting her head on his shoulder. "It takes a strong person to even work up the nerve to step in there and do what you do. Not only that you kept getting up even though you were clearly hurt. That's amazing to me- foolish- but amazing nonetheless."
"I just never wanted to let you down. I wanted you never regret everything you've given up to support me." he admitted. "Letting you down is the worst feeling."
"But you didn't." She reminded him. "Tonight just reinforced what I already knew, that you're the most amazing fighter and man and I'm lucky to have you." She said and he gave her a halfhearted smile.
There was loud banging on the door and they could hear Paul on the other side.
"Want me to get rid of him?" AJ asked him.
"No I have to face the music sometime." Punk sighed and watched as AJ stood up and let him in.
"Punk that was awesome." Paul cheered and Punk narrowed his eyes at him. "They're already talking re-match! Do you know how much money we're going to make off of a re-match!?"
"How about we get him healed up from this fight first." AJ suggested.
"Yea about that, you need to let the doctors in so we can figure out how long you're going to be out for." Paul said to him.
"I don't want to see anyone else." Punk said to him.
"For me?" AJ asked hopefully.
"For her?" Paul pouted sticking out his bottom lip and nodding towards AJ who he knew he couldn't say no to.
"Fine." Punk gritted out.
"Is a re-match something you're ok with?" Paul asked as he waved in the doctors.
"I demand one." Punk practically hissed.
"He got lucky tonight." Paul scoffed. "It was that first blow that rocked you. You won't make that mistake in the next fight."
"Never again." Punk assured him coldly.
"Maybe you overworked as well?" AJ suggested and Paul nodded in agreement.
"She's a smart woman." Paul agreed.
"She's interviewing to be my new coach." Punk joked.
"I'd be good at it." She replied smugly as the doctors cleaned up his face.
"She is the only one to calm you down and talk sense into you." Paul pointed out.
"She's a keeper." Punk agreed glancing over to her and she smiled towards him.