A/N: Thanks for the awesome feedback! I'm glad you all are enjoying the change of pace :)

Cold Hearted Snake

Two weeks later things were back to normal. Punk and AJ were simply passing each other in the house with few words and he was back to running his club, while Maria stayed at his side while AJ was still sneaking around with a married man but she was getting bored, she found herself always getting bored with the men she was with around this same time.

"I don't get you." Seth said from inside of her car.

"I can't do it anymore." AJ said to him simply. "You're a married man. I'm supposed to go to your wife's birthday party on Friday how am I supposed to look her in the eye?"

"It's a little past that don't you think?" Seth mocked. "We've had this going for months."

"And now it's over." AJ informed him almost coldly.

"Is there another guy?" Seth asked her and she rolled her eyes.

"I don't owe you an explanation." AJ reminded him. "You're not my husband. You're a junkie and I don't want that around me anymore."
"Oh please." Seth scoffed.

"I mean it Seth." AJ warned him. "Get out of my car and go."

"If you're dumping me for another man-" he began.

"You'll what?" AJ laughed.

"I'd fuck him up." Seth smirked and AJ again laughed.

"You have a wife." AJ reminded him.

"Yea I know but I like having you too." Seth remarked.

"You're also seeing Tracy." AJ pointed out.

"How do you know that?" Seth asked.

"I know everything." AJ told him smugly.

"Is it because of her?" Seth asked.

"No I don't give a shit what you do." AJ said to him. "I just don't want this with you anymore."

"Is it Punk?" Seth asked and AJ again rolled her eyes. "You two looked real cozy at Anthony's wake."

"I looked cozy with my husband at my father in laws wake?" She laughed. "Of course I was."

"Fine AJ." Seth said to her pulling stuff out of his pocket and dropping it.

"Don't leave that crap in here. If Phil finds anything he'll kill me or ship me off to rehab." AJ groaned.

"You're a little too fucked up even for me." Seth admitted collecting his items and her face dropped. "Don't look hurt by that, you are and you know it. You like being in pain, you like being in dead end flings that's why you only hook up with men you know you can't have. You just don't want to be happy and you use sex to attempt to feel anything because you're still so unbelievably cold and numb." Seth informed her.

"I'm not cold." She mumbled to herself.

"Ice fucking cold." Seth clarified. "Sometimes I was afraid you'd kill me during sex."

"Please." She snorted.

"You want to be miserable? Fine be miserable the rest of your life but newsflash sweetheart Punk isn't going to wait for you to work through your grief." Seth said to her.

"Punk?" AJ scoffed.

"I'm not an idiot. You love that guy but you're too fucked up to let him love you back, you've been pushing him away since your kid died and he's like a lost fucking puppy waiting for you to throw him bone." Seth said to her.

"That's not true." AJ said shaking her head.

"Oh, it's true." Seth said then got out of her car and slammed the door.

"Are you sure this is ok?" Maria asked walking inside Punk and AJ's townhouse.

"Your car broke down." Punk reminded her. "I'm not going to leave you outside in the middle of the night when no one can come get your car until morning."

"AJ isn't going to like that I'm spending the night here." Maria noted.

"She'll get over it." Punk mumbled. "She's not even home."

"Where is she?" Maria asked curiously.

"Well I could only assume meeting up with her mystery man." Punk said turning on the TV and inviting Maria to sit on the couch with him.

"Does it bother you?" Maria asked him.

"No." Punk said not bothered in the slightest.

"Did you ever figure out who it is?" Maria aksed him.

"No and I don't care because it's not my business." Punk shrugged.

"You still love her." Maria noted with a faint smile.

"I'll always love her." Punk said honestly. "We're just not meant to be together anymore. We're not kids anymore we've lived life and didn't survive it."

"I think it's sad." Maria admitted.

"You looking for a way out of this?" Punk smirked.

"No I like being with you." Maria told him. "But I don't want to be your mistress forever. We've been together for over a year."

"I know that but you know I'm not going to get remarried or have kids." He pointed out.

"I'm ok with that. What I'm not ok with is my boyfriend living with his wife." Maria said to him. "The marriage and kids thing is one thing but you have to meet me in the middle."

"You want me to what?" Punk questioned. "Divorce her?"

"That would be ideal but I know why you can't. But does she have to live with you?" Maria asked him.

"She likes being here because it's close to where PJ was, his room is here." Punk reminded her.

"Well can you go move?" Maria asked. "I have plenty of space at my place."

"I know this isn't easy for you." Punk said to her. "But I don't want to leave either."

"Is it because of PJ or AJ?" Maria asked him. "She's going to be fine you can stop holding her hand."

"It's for my sanity." Punk corrected.

"Don't you like me?" Maria asked him.

"Of course I do." He said to her quietly.

"I'm falling in love with you." Maria admitted and he froze. "I don't want to share you with her anymore."

"You're not sharing me we're just friends." Punk told her. "We barely even talk half of the time she's basically just my roommate."

"I'm afraid of losing you to her." Maria said to him sadly.

"You won't." He promised pushing her red hair out of her face gently.

"Kiss me." She requested and he leaned in and kissed her.

Ten minutes later Maria was straddling Punk as AJ walked in the front the door and dropped her bag to the floor in surprise to see them. She felt like her heart was literally being twisted inside of her chest.

"AJ." Maria greeted nervously and Punk pushed Maria right off of him.

"It's ok, don't mind me." AJ said shielding her face and running up the stairs.

"This is what I'm talking about." Maria said to Punk who was still looking at the stairs that AJ just ran up. "Why do I feel like the worst human being ever right now?" she asked climbing off of him. "I shouldn't! Because you're my boyfriend yet I feel like I just got caught with my hands in the cookie jar."

"I think I should take you home." Punk said feeling bad AJ saw anything.

"I think that's a good idea." Maria agreed almost coldly. "You'll take care of my car in the morning?"

"Yea." Punk said then practically dragged Maria out of the house.

When Punk got home five minutes later he knocked on AJ's door and she didn't answer so he pushed the door open. He hadn't been in the bedroom since he shared it with AJ, he always respected her privacy but he did want to apologize to her. He saw how unlike him who had lots of photos of PJ and his family she had only two. He always assumed her room would have been a shrine to PJ.

"AJ?" He asked loudly.

"In here." April responded and he pushed the bathroom door open and saw she as in a bubble bath. They were so comfortable with each other that he didn't think twice when he stepped further inside.

"I'm sorry." He said to her and she waved it off.

"It's not a big deal. It's your house you should be able to entertain your girlfriend." AJ said to him. "Just let me know next time and I'll use the backdoor."

"She won't be back." He promised. "I told you when we first agreed to all of this we'd never bring it home and I did."

"You've been with her a long time." AJ noted. "I don't blame you for bringing her in."

"It doesn't bother you?" Punk asked hurt. It would kill him to see her with someone on his couch.

"Everything bothers me." She smirked. "It's your life you should live it and be happy."

"Still, it won't happen again." He assured her.

"Ok." She said mildly relieved. Punk began to walk to the door but AJ spoke up. "Phil?"

"Yea?" He asked.

"Do you think I'm cold?" She asked him curiously. Punk knew AJ better than she knew herself, he would also tell her the truth.

"No." He said not even thinking about it.

"Are you just saying that?" She asked him.

"AJ you're one of the warmest most loving people I know." Punk said to her. "Actually you are the warmest and most loving person I know." He smirked. "Why?"

"Someone said I was cold." She admitted. "It bothered me."

"You're anything but." Punk said to her. "You're guarded though."

"Is that bad?" she asked him.

"Not at all. You've been hurt before and you guard yourself. I don't blame you." Punk said to her and she nodded slowly.

"Thank you." She said quietly.

"Are you going to Denise's party?" Punk asked her before he left the room.

"Yea, you?" She asked.

"I own the club." He laughed.

"Oh right." AJ smirked. "I'll see you there."

"Yea I guess you will." He said then left the bathroom.

As Punk walked through her bedroom he stopped by her vanity and saw a picture of PJ but next to it, and one of the rare photos out- was a picture of him with AJ on her 'prom' night. He picked up the picture and smiled at it remembering that night like it was yesterday.

"I liked your suit." AJ said walking out of the bathroom in a small towel.

"I liked your dress." He countered and put the picture down. "I haven't seen that picture in forever."

"It's one of my favorites." She admitted walking up next to him and looking at it. "You with your long blonde hair." She laughed.

"It was awful." He laughed himself. His hair was darker and usually slicked back now.

"You had like four tattoos now you have a zillion." She teased.

"You stopped at two." He noted. "Did you ever cover up ours?"

"The one you and I got? Of course not, why did you?" She asked.

"Nope." he said simply looking back at the picture. "I'm going to head down to the gym so if you want to lock up go ahead."

"No I'm ok." She smiled. "Night."

That Friday AJ arrived with Eve at Denise's birthday party at Punk's club. She hated the club with a passion, it was filled with loud music she hated and drunks she didn't like being around but Denise was nice enough and good friends with Eve so she attended. She decided avoiding Seth was going to be her major task. She had literally no emotional attachment to him but he had called her three times since she ended things and didn't want to give him the wrong idea.

AJ eyed Maria as she snuck away from the group and ran into Punk's office. It bothered AJ to no end but who was she to judge? She wouldn't' have liked anyone Punk was with at least she knew Maria was a sweetheart. She surveyed the room and spotted Colt sitting at the bar by himself and thought she'd at least have someone to talk to.

"Hey." AJ greeted.

"The most beautiful woman in the room is talking to me?" Colt asked mockingly. "Come here." He said pulling her into a hug. "I haven't seen you around much, how have you been?"

"Good." AJ shrugged sitting next to him on the bar stool.

"Really?" Colt asked skeptically.

"Really." AJ assured him. "I didn't realize you'd be here."

"Seth demanded we be here and so did Punk for that matter he wants to make sure Seth isn't sneaking drugs into here." Colt confided.

"I'm sure Seth knows better than to ruin his wife's party." AJ said then ordered a club soda.

"How's Punk doing?" Colt asked. "He's kind of kept to himself since his dad died."

"I think he's coping ok." AJ shrugged. "He's been spending a lot time with Izzy." She told him. "And Maria." She added sipping her drink.

"Ah." Colt nodded rather uncomfortably.

"It's really ok." AJ laughed. "I walked in on them mounting each other on the couch a few nights ago."

"Really? He actually bought her into the house?" Colt asked surprised.

"Yea, why not?" AJ asked.

"I don't know if it was reversed he'd flip out." Colt smirked.

"He's just grieving and if Maria can help with that then so be it." She shrugged.

"I heard you were a big help." Colt noted. "Drove Catherine up a wall." He smirked.

"It's what I do best." AJ grinned. "Yesterday I took Izzy to dinner and a movie and I even invited her with us just to make her skin crawl."

"I wish you could teach Punk that being nice to the woman would piss her off more than flipping out on her." Colt said to her. "She opted not to join you two?"

"No she couldn't make it she said she'd rather die." AJ said with a sarcastic smile.

"She's so sensitive towards recent events." Colt mocked laughing.

"She's still the woman who came up to me not an hour after burying my son to critique my dress." AJ remembered.

"She's a bitch." Colt waved it off then looked over. "You have a fan there." He nodded towards the photographer for the party who was clearly taking photos of AJ.

"Maybe I'm just super photogenic?" AJ shrugged.

"I'm sorry." The photographer said knowing he had been spotted. "I'm not a creep, well maybe a little but you have this absolutely gorgeous ora about you." he said in awe of her. The man was about Punk's height, short curly dark hair and seemed pretty casual. He also had the most piercing gray eyes she had ever seen. "It's so sad yet peaceful."

Colt mockingly studied AJ causing her to giggle.

"I don't know, I don't see it." Colt said seriously to the man.

"He's just teasing you." AJ assured him. "I'm AJ." She introduced shaking his hand. "And this is Colt."

"Good to meet you both, I'm Billy." He said shaking their hands. "Have you modeled before?"

"Uh, no." AJ laughed.

"She's like a midget." Colt snorted.

"I am very short." AJ agreed.

"Beauty knows no height." Billy grinned. He also had to be much closer to AJ's age than Punks.

"I don't model but thank you for the compliment." AJ smiled.

"You're welcome." Billy smiled and Colt felt like some sort of third wheel.

"Excuse me." Colt smiled then walked away from the two.

Colt was over by the bathrooms waiting to get in when someone grabbed his shoulder.

"Who is that?" Punk asked nodding toward AJ and Billy who were laughing at it up at the bar.

"That's the photographer for the party. He thinks AJ is pretty." Colt told him honestly.

"Photographer?" Punk scoffed folding his arms.

"He seems nice." Colt reasoned. "And she's smiling, isn't that the goal?"

"Yea." Punk admitted softening his gaze, he only just wanted AJ to be happy.

"I'm guessing he isn't the mystery guy she had been seeing." Colt noted.

"No he's not." Punk said and then casually looked Seth's way. AJ would have to be an idiot to think Punk wouldn't have pieced together the man she was seeing the last few months.

In all fairness to AJ she didn't give anything away it was all Seth who was constantly following her around and shooting her obvious looks. He assumed that ended though since she hadn't been out and her car hadn't smelled of smoke.

"No way." Colt laughed following his eyes. "Seth?"

"I have no idea." Punk admitted. "I'm just assuming. Don't say anything though this his wife's party-"

"I would never." Colt said to him. "But Seth? Really? Does AJ have like this need to never want to be happy?"
"I worry about her." Punk admitted shaking his head looking at her. "She says I blame myself and never moved on but she goes out of her way to punish herself she's going to get mixed up with the wrong people and get into the wrong things."

"Give her a little more credit." Colt sighed. "I mean she's pretty tough."

"She is." Punk agreed. "Still don't think she thinks clearly half the time."

"The photographer seems nice." Colt shrugged.

"Yea." Punk mumbled then looked away.

AJ skipped out early once Cliff spilled his beer all over her and realized she was having no fun. Billy walked her to her car and passed her his card and invited her to one of his art shows he was a 'legit' photographer and had a rich mind that AJ appreciated. Eve was too drunk to want to leave so when her fiance showed up AJ knew she was leaving her in good hands. The only sober one was Punk who was busy babysitting Maria who clearly drank too much that evening as well. She knew Punk must have hated that but she waved at him as she left and decided to go home and take a hot bath.

AJ was only ten minutes away from home when she saw sirens in her rear view mirror and was forced to pull over. She lowered her window and greeted the officer knowing she could charm her way out of whatever ticket he was planning on writing her.

"Good evening." AJ greeted with her plastered smile. "Was I going to fast?"

"No." The the officer informed her. "Your taillight is out."

"Really?" AJ asked innocently. She had known about it and meant to bring it up to Punk who handled all things car related for her. "I had no idea."

"Have you been drinking tonight?" he asked smelling the beer on her.

"No but I was at a bar and a friend spilled his drink on me." AJ told him honestly. The officer shined his light into the car and frowned. "You can test me." AJ laughed.

"What's that?" he asked nodding and AJ turned her head and saw a small clearly baggy on the floor and knew exactly what it was- it was Seth's coke. He must have dropped it in her car a few nights back when he emptied his pockets.

"I have no idea." AJ replied.

"Please step out of the car." The officer instructed and AJ knew she was done. She took her seat belt off and climbed out of the car.

"It really isn't mine even though I'm sure you hear that a lot." AJ insisted as the officer reached and grabbed the bag.

"You're the only one in the car." The officer noted.

"It looks bad I know but-" AJ stopped when she realized there was no way out of it.

"I'm going to have to take you in." The officer informed her and she didn't even flinch.

"Of course you are." She said with a sarcastic smile.

There was literally no one else she could call. The few people she considered friends were all at the club partying and half in the tank so that left one person, the one person she didn't want to call. She didn't even tell him why she was bought in just that she needed him to bail her out. She also knew out of everyone that he would be the only one to literally drop everything to get to her, she could always depend on Punk.

"Brooks." an officer announced unlocking her cell. "Your bail has been posted."

AJ stood up and walked out of the cell. She was led back upstairs and saw Punk at the desk talking to one of the officers but he stopped when she saw him.

"April?" A cold voice questioned. AJ froze knowing exactly who it was. "April Jeanette." the voice now scolded.

AJ slowly turned around to face her father who was a uniformed officer, had been for 27 years.

"Hi Hector." AJ greeted almost sadly.

"Don't be disrespectful." Hector frowned. "Were you arrested?"

"Drug charge." the officer who arrested her told him and his face dropped.

"April." He scolded. "What has become of you?"

"It wasn't mine." AJ defended quietly. "You wouldn't believe me anyway."

"Why didn't you tell the officer you were my daughter?" Hector hissed at her. "You could have avoided all of this."

"Because I didn't need you." AJ said to him. "You can't just pick and choose what problem you want to help me with."

"Are you ready?" Punk asked walking over to her standing behind her and looking at Hector.

"You, of course." Hector spat.

"Mr. Mendez." Punk forced out as nicely as possible.

"I can't believe you two are still married." Hector said to them. "Are you? I see no rings."

"We are." AJ informed him.

"And were you aware that your wife was arrested for drugs tonight? Or are you all too aware of it and if I searched your vehicle right now I'd find the same stuff?" Hector asked him.

"Search away sir." Punk chuckled. "I've got nothing to hide."

"Why are you taking drugs?" Hector asked AJ who rolled her eyes.

"Jesus, I'm not!" AJ yelled.

"Watch your tone." he warned her. "I knew you had changed but I don't even recognize you anymore."

"Maybe because you haven't seen me in years." AJ pointed out.

"We're done here right?" Punk asked the officer he paid the bail to and he nodded. "Great." Punk said smiling and wrapped his arm around AJ's waist and pulled her away.

"Always so quick to take her away from me." Hector spat behind Punk's back.

"Just leave it." AJ whispered to Punk knowing he wanted to respond.

The car ride was mostly silent and AJ was thankful for it but knew he'd ask questions.

"I can only drop you off." Punk told her keeping his eyes on the road. "I have to get back to the club and work."

"It's no problem, thank you Phil." She said looking out her window. "You aren't going to ask me about it?"

"I know you don't take drugs." Punk said simply and she looked at him. "Obviously there was a mistake or someone dropped something in your car."

"That's exactly what happened." AJ noted softly and smiled at him. "Thank you."

"I know you." Punk said simply. "No way that was yours. I'll call my lawyer in the morning but it wasn't a lot I think the cop was new and just trying to set an example with you."

"Thanks and I'll pay you back for the bail." AJ assured him.

"Don't insult me." He said still looking at the road.

"If you know the coke wasn't mine than why are you so mad at me?" AJ asked him.

"Mad?" he laughed. "Am I yelling?"

"You don't yell when you're mad." AJ sighed now looking straight ahead herself. "You yell when you're caught off guard or flustered or jealous, when you're mad you stay really quiet and avoid everyone's eyes."

"I don't want to get into AJ." Punk sighed. "But I will say this, I am disappointed at your choice of companionship."

"What do you even know about it?" AJ asked him.

"I know it's Seth." Punk said surprising her. "And I'd bet my life he dropped that shit in your car. I'm sure he's the one whose been smoking in your car as well."

"I ended it with him." AJ said to him.

"You don't owe me anything." Punk reminded her. "What you do and with who is your business I just really hope you realize you deserve better than Seth Rollins."

"I'm not looking for a boyfriend or for someone to treat me right." AJ reasoned.

"You're just looking for a quickie?" Punk asked briefly looking over to her.

"Is that so wrong?" She asked.

"No." Punk said already hating this conversation. "You should just be careful by who you choose to relieve that stress with because Seth puts needles in his arms and you don't know if they're clean." He pointed out and AJ face fell. "You really should get yourself tested."

"I should." She agreed. "I didn't think of it."

"You want me to call the doctor in the morning?" Punk offered pulling up in front of their house. They not only shared the same home but also still used the same doctor.

"Could you?" She asked and he nodded. "And about this Seth thing-"

"I would never tell his wife." Punk assured her before she could even finish.

"I know that." She snorted. "You're literally the only person in this world I know I can trust completely. I just wanted to say I'm sorry because I know you two are friends."

"We're not." Punk said to her. "We haven't been for a long time but I don't want you to worry about me or my feelings." he said to her. "If you find someone who cane make you smile again please go for it." He insisted. "I just want to see you get out of this funk."

"You're in a funk too." AJ pointed out.

"You deserve better." was all he said. AJ reached over and kissed his cheek.

"Thank you for everything tonight." she said to him. "Mostly for rescuing me from my dad."

"That's what I do best, piss off your old man." Punk smirked. "I'll call the lawyer, doctor and pick up your car from the police lot tomorrow."

"Don't you get sick of taking care of me?" She asked him.

"No I actually kind of enjoy it, you keep me busy." He admitted with a smile.

"Glad I could help occupy your boring life." She teased then jumped out of the car. "Drive safe." She told him. Punk waited until he saw AJ enter the house and turn on a light before driving off.