Jet Pack Blues
It had been a full 24 hours since AJ left and for Punk it felt like eternity. He didn't sleep one wink and was on the search for her. He parked outside the pet shop for hours hoping she'd go into work even after the sales girl told her AJ wouldn't be in for a few days. He went to every hotel nearby and she wasn't booked there either unless she was using a fake name. He was now back home with Larry who also seemed depressed with AJ trying to figure out his next course of action.
"I was knocking for ten minutes." Paul said letting himself in and saw Punk with bloodshot eyes looking at the blank TV. "What's wrong?"
"AJ is gone." Punk rasped out.
"Gone?" Paul asked slowly. "What do you mean? She died?"
"No." Punk said almost annoyed. "She left."
"Why? What happened?" Paul asked sitting next to him.
"We got into a fight last night and she packed a bag and left." Punk said still looking at the turned off TV.
"Over what?" Paul asked.
"She thought I was going to propose last night." Punk said to him shaking his head. "You should have seen her face when I showed her the real gift. I thought it was the best gift ever but it crushed it her."
"Oh." Paul said thinking to himself. "She left because of that? That doesn't sound like her."
"I don't want marriage." Punk said to him. "She wants marriage and kids and I want to retire in a few years and not have a care in the world. I told her if I couldn't give it to her someone else could."
"Are you fucking crazy?" Paul asked and Punk looked at him. "Why didn't you just set her up on some dates while you were at it?"
"That's what upset her the most. She said I wasn't willing to compromise and that's all she's done. She was right." Punk admitted. "I didn't even think about it. I didn't even entertain the thought."
"Why not?" Paul asked him.
"Because I've always believed that's what I didn't want. I grew up with my parents constantly fighting and I never understood why people got married." Punk said shaking his head. "But now that she's gone all I can think of is marrying her and giving her as many kids as she wants. I want to talk to her but she turned her phone off and I can't find her anywhere. Did she call you?"
"No." Paul said to him. "Where could she possibly be? You try hotels?"
"Hotels, motels, work, Celeste's, work again, her old building, her favorite spot in the park- I can't fucking find her." he hissed standing up.
"What were you hitting?" Paul asked nodding towards his red fist.
"The wall." Punk said looking at his knuckles. "I trashed that fucking game room I spent so much money on too." he said shaking his head.
"If you find her what are you going to say?" Paul asked him.
"That I lover her and want her to come home." Punk said with a shrug. "I don't even know." He said running his hands over his hair. "I was always scared of that commitment but this is scarier. I need her to come home."
"If you don't want those things it's not fair to ask her to give that up." Paul pointed out.
"Well I'm fucking selfish!" Punk announced. "I didn't even know that's what she wanted!"
"Really?" Paul asked surprised. "She was talking about engagement rings during the hockey game last week."
"I didn't even realize that was a hint!" Punk yelled. "I'm an idiot."
"Just because you don't want the same things doesn't mean you're an idiot." Paul argued lightly.
"No but telling her someone else could give it to her was stupid." Punk said to him and for that Paul had to agree. "She thinks I was willing to let her go and be with someone else because I didn't love her. She thinks I don't wake up every morning and pull myself out of bed for her or every time I fight I do it for her. Why would I let her believe that?"
"What if someone could give her what she wants?" Paul asked him.
"I'd want her to be happy." Punk said looking at him. "But I'd also kill the man giving it to her."
"Well, it sounds like you're not willing to let this go." Paul teased.
"I can't." Punk said shaking his head. "I should have at least told her I'd think about it."
"You can't change what you said you just need to worry about what you'll say when you find her." Paul said to him.
"Where the fuck could she be?" Punk asked him.
"Did you try her boss?" Paul asked him.
"I tried calling him." Punk admitted. "He didn't return my calls. I asked her if that's where she was going and she pointed out how he gave her a ring-" he stopped and began to think of something.
"What is it?" Paul asked.
"That mother fucker." Punk hissed coldly. "He gave her that fucking ring for her birthday after he knew that's what she wanted! She told me that she told him how she wanted more and he was mocking me right in front of my face!"
"He does seem to be very fond her." Paul admitted and Punk shot him a death glare. "I'm not saying she seems that fond of him."
"Oh she is." Punk said dramatically. "He's always at the shop sniffing around and she's always talking to me about what funny thing he said or what fancy fucking party he attended. He'd giver her everything." he said quietly.
"Marriage, children, money, probably her own zoo." Paul agreed.
"Yea he could." Punk agreed then grabbed his jacket. "Doesn't mean I'm going to let him."
"Don't get arrested!" Paul yelled as Punk ran out the door knowing where he was going.
Punk was pacing around the waiting room in Luis's office when his assistant came out.
"Mr. Cortes will see you now." She smiled waving him into the open door.
"I have exactly three and a half minutes." Luis said looking up at him.
"It won't take that long." Punk said walking over to the desk. "Where's AJ?"
"I would imagine home." Luis shrugged.
"Don't play that game with me." Punk warned him. "I know you've been sniffing around her, I know why you gave her that ring last night."
"Oh so she was finally honest with you." Luis said to him. "I told her to tell you all along."
"Well she told me last night." Punk said to him. "What were you thinking when you gave my girlfriend a diamond ring last night?"
"I was thinking someone should." Luis said simply.
"You think this is funny?" Punk asked him. "She's my life and now she fucking walked out of him because of you!"
"Because of me?" Luis asked with a laugh. "I'm not the one not willing to marry her. I'm also not proposing to her. AJ is a lovely woman and I am very fond of her but I nothing is going on between us."
"You like making me look bad and upstaging me with your stupid over the top flowers and flashy ring." Punk said to him. "Did you think she'd leave me for you?"
"Anytime I have invited your girlfriend out to a business dinner she's turned me down, anytime I've asked her to do anything privately she's turned me down." Luis informed him. "She loves you. She tells me that constantly and I respect that about her. She's extremely loyal to you. Just last night she told me how she would never leave you even if she didn't get what she wants I can't imagine what went so wrong."
"I went wrong." Punk mumbled choosing to believe the man.
"I have a feeling she'll come home." Luis said to him.
"If you try to reach out to her and use this against me I swear on what ever god you believe in I will beat the shit out of you." Punk threatened. "Don't give me that smirk." Punk warned the man. "She's mine."
"So prove it." Luis shrugged. "Maybe that's another incentive to put a ring on her pretty hand. Everyone is up for grabs unless spoken for."
"I'm going to ask you one more time." Punk began as calmly as possible. "Do you know where AJ is? Are you putting her up somewhere or hiding her out at your place."
"If AJ came to me last night in tears looking for comfort the last place I would be right now is in this office." Luis said honestly and Punk narrowed his eyes at him then smirked.
"You and I are going to have a big problem down the line." Punk said almost amused. "That's alright I like a challenge." he then turned and walked out the door slamming it as hard as he could behind him.
On the drive home Punk passed his old house as he was stopped at red light in front of it. That's when he remembered a conversation he had with AJ when they first started dating. She grew up down the block he often wondered what it would have been like had they met all those years ago then it hit him- her father's house. She would go home. He drove down the street and got out of his car and knocked on her father's door.
"I'm supposed to tell you she's not here." Robert said with a sad smile.
"I won't upset her." Punk promised him. "I just need to talk to her."
"I think you're a good man." Robert said to him and stepped aside. "That's the only reason I'm letting you in."
"Thank you." Punk said stepping into the surprisingly warm home. "She's been here all night?"
"Yea. Cried all night, didn't sleep, showered and then continued to cry." Robert said closing the door. "You don't look like you had much of a good night yourself."
"I wish I could say I was man enough to not have had the same night she had." Punk admitted.
"You'll work this out." Robert said patting him on the shoulder. "She's in her old room. Last door on the right."
"Thank you." Punk said then climbed the stairs.
Punk didn't knock he just slowly opened the door and saw she was in her bed looking towards the wall in the dark.
"I told you I'm not hungry." She sniffled.
"You should eat something if you haven't eaten all day." Punk said and she sat up and turned to look towards the door. He gave her a weak and nervous smile as she got out of the bed then ran and hugged him. "I'm really sorry." he said holding her tightly.
"Me too." She cried into his chest.
"I want to talk about this." He said as she lifted her head up to look at him.
"I wasn't fair to you last night." She said to him.
"No, I wasn't fair." He corrected then led her over to the bed and sat her down. "I was selfish." He said looking at her. "I didn't even give you a chance to explain or even myself a second to really process what you wanted from me. I was just really caught off guard by the whole thing and according to Paul I missed all your hints." he said shaking his head at his own stupidity.
"It's ok." She said shaking her head.
"Don't say that." He said to her. "You always give in, you always fold, you always make sure I'm taken care of and I have what I need and you're so strong and independent that I sometimes forget to do the same for you."
"You do take good care of me." She argued. "You've give me a beautiful home-"
"I need to give you more than materialistic things." Punk said cutting her off. "I need to make sure your heart and soul are also taken care of like you do for me. I told you last night that someone else could make you happy and give you what you want but I can't live like that. I can't live away from you. I'll give you anything." He said looking at her and she frowned.
"No." She said to him. "I don't want you to give into me like this. If you come in here and say you want to marry me and have a family I won't believe it because you don't believe it."
"AJ I can't let you go." Punk argued. "24 hours without you was the most painful experience of my life."
"I don't want you to say these things because I'm not going anywhere." She said to him. "Ring or no ring, kids or no kids I'm committed to you." she promised him. "If down the road you change your mind then so be it." She said to him. "Because even though I know I can find someone who could give me a marriage and family I wouldn't want it without you. Don't be afraid of me leaving because I'm not and don't ever for one second think I'm unhappy because you make me incredibly happy."
"You didn't seem all that happy last night or on our anniversary when I-" He stopped himself and shook his head in disbelief.
"What?" She frowned.
"I had it set up like I was proposing to you." He said to himself. "I'm a fucking idiot."
"It's fine. I love my earrings." She smirked. "I think I was only acting that way because I was expecting something. Now I know not to. And I seriously love the game room." he then cringed slightly. "What?"
"I kind of had an accident in there." He admitted.
"Are you ok?" She asked alarmed.
"Yea I'm fine." He said placing his hand over his chest. "But your room-"
"You trashed it?" She asked already knowing.
"I'll fix it." He promised her.
"You better." She teased then grabbed his face gently and kissed her. "It's you and I no matter what."
"No matter what." He confirmed. "Now, can you come home? I need a good nights sleep, you need a good nights sleep and Larry needs to see you."
"Yea." she smiled getting off the bed. "How did you find me? Did my dad rat me out?"
"No I actually was passing here and I thought I tried everywhere else why not give it a shot." He shrugged as she packed up her bag.
"Where were you passing from?" She asked.
"Cortes headquarters." Punk said to her and her face dropped.
"Tell me you didn't hurt him." She pleaded.
"I didn't hurt him." He said to her and she was relieved. "Doesn't mean I won't. I know what he was doing giving you that ring. I know what he wants to do you."
"Oh stop." She sighed zipping up her bag.
"I don't even care because I trust you." He said to her and she eyed him. "I really do. I don't want to fuck up again I just want to take you home."
"Do I have to start looking for a new job?" She asked nervously.
"He's not going to fire you believe me." Punk said almost bitterly. "But I personally think you could do much better and should look for a new job."
"I'm sure." She smirked zipping up her bag.
"What did you mean last night by the way?" He asked her.
"About what?" She asked.
"That it's not your home." He clarified. "You don't feel at home there?"
"I was just angry." She said waving it off.
"If we're going to do this AJ I need you be more honest with me." He said and she stopped what she was doing. "I don't want to make the same mistake I did last night and a lot of that had to do with you not opening up to me. I need you to put yourself first once in a while and tell me what it is you want and feel."
"It's just I don't pay for the house." She said to him. "My name isn't on anything and don't get me wrong I'm grateful and all but if tomorrow you won't me gone I would be."
"You feel like you're just renting out there?" Punk asked her.
"It's just so easy for this all to go away for me." She sighed. "Our relationship, the house- I'm not secure." she shrugged.
"You know I would never throw you out, don't you?" He asked her.
"I know that. But for some reason when it comes to all that stuff it's always in the back of my mind like I'm temporary." she said to him.
"You really feel that way?" he asked her a little hurt.
"Not until I was packing my bag last night." She said to him. "I wish I made more money so I could contribute more that's all."
"You're not temporary." He promised her but now he also truly understood where was coming from.
"I know that. Last night was just an off night." She said grabbing her bag but he took it from her.
"Let's go home." He said taking her hand.
Paul was sitting on Punk and AJ's couch with a clearly sad Larry.
"Look at the TV Larry." Paul said pointing. "It's animal planet! You love watching the stupid birds."
Larry's head lifted up when he heard the front door and in walked Punk back first with AJ wrapped around his body kissing him. Larry jetted off the couch towards them.
"Did you find-" He stopped when he saw them. "And I'm going." Paul said turning off the TV and walked out the door, locking it as he did.
"Let me say hi to Larry." AJ said as Punk kissed all over her face.
"No, no Larry." he said pulling her to the stairs but Larry was barking and AJ wiggled free.
"Two seconds." She laughed at Punk and bent down to greet her dog. "Hi Larry." She said scratching his head and Punk scrunched up his face as he licked over face.
"Ugh." Punk groaned as he tapped his food impatiently. "Alright time is up." he said to her.
"I was only gone one night." AJ laughed as Larry continued to kiss her.
"He always hogs you." Punk mumbled under his breath. "I missed her too." He scolded at the dog.
"It was one night." She said looking at Punk.
"One night too long." He said to her. "We had no idea if you would come back to us."
"I'm sorry." She pouted at the dog and kissed his head.
"Alright he forgives you." Punk said grabbing her arm and lifting her bridal style then ran up the stairs with her.
An hour later they were laying in bed eating cold Chinese food wrapped up in just bed sheets.
"This would be better if it wasn't two days old." AJ teased.
"You ate a ton of it." Punk scoffed.
"I was starving." She pouted as he took a bite out of his food.
"I was thinking I have to go back to training in a few weeks." He said looking at her. "I'm going to be fighting Tommy again."
"I know." She frowned. "I hate him."
"Same here." Punk said putting his fork in the empty rice container. "I want some one on one time just us."
"That's all we have." She laughed.
"No either you're working or before that I was training. Do you realize that we've been together for over a year and we've never gone away together?" Punk asked her.
"I never thought about it." She admitted.
"Let's get out of town." He suggested. "We'll go on a road trip or something."
"Really?" She asked with an eager smile.
"Yea it'll be great." He said to her. "We can stop anywhere we want, do whatever we want and it will be just us."
"And Larry." she added.
"No Larry." Punk said to her. "He gets car sick."
"That's right." She frowned.
"I just want some time uninterrupted with you." Punk said to her. "We won't talk about Tommy, training, the pet store-"
"No marriage or kids." She warned never wanting to rehash that argument again.
"Nothing." He said to her. "It'll be just a fun trip."
"I like it." she smiled. "I have to talk to Luis first though."
"Of course." He forced out.
"You told me to be open and honest now I want you to do the same. What is your problem with him? You know I'm not leaving you for him." She said to him.
"I don't like that he gave you such an expensive gift." Punk told her honestly. "I think it was rude and deliberate to make me look bad."
"I shouldn't have accepted." She said looking at her hand with the ring on her finger.
"I'm not mad at you." Punk said to her. "It's him. He put you in a position where you had to accept it."
"I'm going to give it back." She said sliding the ring off of her finger.
"You don't have to." He said to her.
"Yes I really do." She said placing it on the side table. "I only accepted it and put it on to spite you."
"Mission accomplished." He scoffed.
"I would hate it if a woman you worked with gave you such a big gift too." She said to him. "I'll give it back to him tomorrow when I ask if I can have the time off."
"What if he says no?" Punk asked her.
"He won't." She said smugly.
"I like this open honesty thing." Punk grinned feeling better already.
"Speaking of that, are you going shave your beard?" She asked and he narrowed his eyes at her.
"There are still some things we can keep to ourselves." He smirked mockingly.
"Noted." She said trying not to smile as she sunk back into the bed.
"You really don't like it?" He asked her.
"It's a little out of control. A trim?" She suggested.
"A trim?" he scoffed. "I'm a man." he reminded her.
"I know that baby." She said giggling.
"You don't complain about it when it's tickling you." He reminded her rolling on top of her.
"Tickling me where?" She asked innocently.
"Allow me to demonstrate." He said giving her a long sensual kiss before descending under the bed sheets...