Author's Note:
Hey, what do you know? Another chapter in a span of a few days. I wanted to get this done before branching out into the next arc of the story, so to speak, and I wanted to have it finished before WrestleMania tomorrow. While the build up may have not been up to snuff compared to past years, there are a couple of matches I definitely can't wait to see.
The main one, of course, is Taker/Punk, and after what Punk pulled this past Monday on RAW was remarkably evil, and I fucking loved it. Even though it all points to an assured Taker win (no kidding, right? :P) I think we're gonna get ourselves another barn burner classic that features The Deadman, and who knows, maybe Punk will take some time off after this, because if anyone deserves it, it's him
Also, with me being the AJ mark that I am, I have been following like a hawk her WrestleMania Diary on this past week. From revisiting her old stomping grounds, to showing off her Chucks collection, to meeting Lita again (Yay!) and even Trish (Double Yay!), made me fall even more in love with this girl than I thought was humanly possible. And reading the pages and watching the videos, it re-established to me why I became a fan of hers in the first place: her grace, humility, and ability to remain humble after everything she's accomplished so far makes her so likeable and relatable. Damn, I love AJ.
BTW, on a related note, I find it funny that while WWE is producing this emotionally rich feature, they still expect me to boo AJ and call her a crazy, gutter slut whore, or something to that effect a mere days later. LOL, yeah right, Vince. Do you really think I'm that stupid? Puh-leaze!
So anyway, enough rambling. On to the new chapter!
Love, Honor & Glory
Part VI
Chapter 5 - I Can't Get You Off My Mind
Friday Night Smackdown - That same night
Moments later
Back Area near Gorilla
In the aftermath of what she had just done, which was verbally laying into Dolph, tearing him a new asshole in the process, AJ was merely standing by a table in the Gorilla location near the entrance way, tapping her foot impatiently as she was still waiting for her cue to go out for her match. She needed to let some steam off after her complete evisceration of the Show Off, and doing this match with Layla would do just the trick. Or so she thought.
Because even if she had gotten some stress release from competing, that little extra something was missing that could make her feel completely better. Maybe it was an old song, or a favorite saying. Or maybe, just maybe, it was missing the comfort of someone, someone who would listen to her, hear her out, and be respectful and mindful about what she would let out what was bothering her inside. She had that someone once, but unfortunately, it didn't last, or nearly as much as she wanted it to.
So imagine to her surprise when she turned her head to the side of what to look at while waiting to be called, and the main and forefront thing that she saw was him. There he was, standing nonchalantly in a simple pair of blue jeans and his bright yellow "GTS" t-shirt, his wonderfully tattooed arms crossing together at his chest, and his precious and coveted WWE Championship, with its newly re-introduced Winged Eagle design in full display, resting atop a crate next to him as he was talking to a young stage hand, as he was getting ready for his own segment later in the night.
Watching this, AJ's mind was slowly but surely made up. There were times like this that she actually did miss his presence, talking with him, laughing with him... even kissing him. All those past experiences and encounters that she had with him rushed back to her subconscious, replaying them over and over and over again in her head. A soft smile gradually appeared on her face as this was happening.
She knew what she needed to do now. Without looking around, or not even caring to see if anyone else was paying attention to her actions, she began her trek, casually walking towards Punk's location, her nimble legs tugging herself forward until she came to a stop directly at the Straight Edge Superstar's back, the only thing greeting her line of view being the back of his shirt, as he still was not aware that she was there. But that would eventually change, as AJ simply reached her hand out, and merely poked his shoulder, causing him to turn around. And when he saw her, his reaction mirrored the very one she had when bumped into Dolph earlier. But this time, however, AJ was hoping that things would be different, and not nearly end bad for her, as was the case with how their last conversation started out on Monday.
It took him a few seconds to get out of the shock of seeing AJ here, which gave the petite Diva a small sliver of self-satisfaction, knowing that the mere presence of her brought the mighty outspoken CM Punk to a stunned silence. Eventually, Punk would recover, and the conversation would begin.
"What are you doing here?" he asked.
"I got a match tonight. What are you doing here?" she retorted.
"I got something to say in response to Vince's BS "announcement" from RAW. I couldn't wait until next week. This had to be addressed, and addressed quickly."
"I see," AJ observed. "Well, let's just hope you don't go off on another paranoid ranting fit like you've done in the past. I must say, it's getting rather tiresome," she snided.
"Tiresome? You mean like you and your parade of boyfriends?" Punk fired back. In the past, that little comment would have had AJ reeling, maybe even bring her to the brink of tears. But that in the past now. This was a new AJ Lee, and AJ Lee that would be assertive, take charge, and not give a goddamn care what people thought of her. In essence, she had to thank Punk for that, inspiring her to be that way, even if he didn't know it, yet.
So instead of being sad and downtrodden with what Punk had just said, AJ merely laughed, chuckling tauntingly at his words as if they were bullets off armor.
"Cute, Punk. Real cute. But I suppose it's better than being a sad and pathetic loner."
Even Punk himself had to raise his eyebrows at that last comment. But not in anger, per se. On the contrary, he was very impressed at how AJ was standing up for herself, being the Self-Rescuing Princess that he thought she could be. If only he had gotten the chance to compliment her on that in the past. But that was then and this is now, and right now, he was in the middle of an engaging battle of words with the petite brunette.
"Hmm. Touché, AJ. Touché," he complimented, having no choice but to give credit where credit is due, and acknowledge that, at least this time, she had gotten the best of him. But he wasn't going to let their conversation end that quickly and easily. Believe it or not, he welcomed this opportunity, because before, or even since Monday, he actually felt a little more at peace. Who knew that talking to AJ would cure those problems? Or was it just another example that deep in the reserves of his heart and soul, he still wasn't completely over her, even if they had drifted apart months before.
"I gotta admit: all that other crap aside, it is nice to see you again," he said to her honestly. "But I have to wonder that why all of a sudden, when there's anyone else you can talk to, especially when you got a match up soon, why would you use this time to look for me, pick me out, and try to have a chit-chat?"
AJ pondered over that as well, trying to think of a response. But when she couldn't, Punk resumed.
"Is it because that maybe... you're still not over me?"
Now, how the hell could he have guessed that? AJ thought inwardly with a bit of an open mouth expression. It's like he read my mind. But how could he know so well? Unless... unless...
"Unless you're not over me first?" she asked open endedly.
When it was Punk's turn to respond and this time he couldn't, AJ knew what meant. By God, he still had feelings for her, and she for him. The solemn look that he gave her after that confirmed those suspicions and thoughts, and that alone began to make her eyes water. But she did her hardest to keep those tears from falling. However, that didn't stop the slight crack of emotion in her voice from showing up when she said,
"I... I gotta go. My match should be happening any moment."
She tried to walk by without a word, without even giving him the pleasure to even have a glance from her sad brown eyes. But before she knew it, he purposefully, but not forcefully, had her wrist and was dragging her off into a nearby corner.
"Alright, what the hell's going on here? I thought you wanted to talk with me, not run away. Why else are you paying this much attention to me?" the Second City Saint barked.
"What does it matter if I pay you any attention or not, Punk?" she snapped back, ripping her wrist away from his grip.
He soon knelt down to look her in the eye, trying to branch a connection to her. They were discovering something together, and he would be damned if she, or anyone else for that matter, suddenly threw it all away.
"Something's bothering you here AJ, and I know it. It's written in your face and in your body language. So, what's the deal here?" Punk asked softly, almost pleadingly, as she glared into his face. She still would not answer.
"April... please... what's wrong?"
The simple utterance of her name leaving his lips all but broke the dams that was resided inside her. She still managed to look away from him, but not before he reached out and turned her head to face him. What he saw made his heart ache. AJ's face was now streaking with red hot tears, a sad forlorn look on her face. That sealed it for him: she still missed him. And he would know, because he missed the hell out of her as well. He absolutely hated seeing her like this, so he was going to do his best to make good out of this situation.
Using his thumb to wipe away her tears, and serving her a soft and caring smile, he began to speak.
"Remember who put that skip in your step?" He looked into her eyes seriously almost like he was peering into her soul. "You once said we were soul mates, has your opinion really changed since then? Or where you waiting for me to change it back?"
Her heart skipped a beat as she stared back into his eyes, really unsure of what to do let alone say to this man who made her mind go blank and made her feelings go wild. AJ placed her hand on his chest to stable herself after hearing something like that from him. Everything but this moment was far back in her mind almost making her forget where she was.
Before she could respond, she heard her name being called out, echoing throughout the halls of the arena, and snapping her back to reality.
"I... I, uh…" She looked at him then to the ground as she backed up from him, cleared her throat, wiped her tears, and sniffled up her nose before speaking. "I gotta go. My match is next."
He let out a snicker and stood up straight putting both his hands in his jean pockets. "That's not the answer I was looking for, I'll let you know."
She took a few steps back and turned her back to him making her way quickly out to the hall, but then stopped as Punk called her name out once more. She turned to see what else he had to say, but he had better be quick so that she didn't miss her cue.
"Listen, AJ. If you don't want to talk now, I understand. You got other things on your plate. So maybe, if you're interested, we can have a discussion tomorrow, over lunch before the House Show in Alabama. What do you say?"
AJ looked down to the side to think it over, then, knowing she couldn't hold the producer off any further, made up her mind right then and there.
"OK, I'm down for that," she accepted, a smile now gracing her features as opposed to the heartbroken frown that was there a few moments earlier.
"So, then, is 4:00 a good time for you?" Punk asked.
"You got it. Save the time, Punkers," was what AJ said before hurrying up to Punk, catching him off guard with a grabbing hug, then punctuated it the same she did on Monday night: a kiss on the cheek. She was soon on her way, running the opposite direction to get to the entrance way on time so she could make her voyage to the ring to begin her match.
Punk once more was staggered, not moving an inch from where he stood, save for his absentmindedly rubbing the area where AJ pecked. With a self-knowing smile, the WWE Champion merely chuckled to himself before muttering, "Well, I'll be a goddamned son of a bitch. She got me again. You win this round, AJ."
As he ventured off into his locker room to get himself ready, he had no idea or clue about the figure that soon stepped behind from a nearby wall after he had departed. With a perpetuated scowl, and a sour attitude, Paul Heyman looked off at where Punk was headed, and then turned his head the opposite way looking where AJ had gone. The seeds were planted, and Heyman knew. The only thing he hoped for was that when it was all said and done, the scenario he feared most would not come to past.
But, on this night, all he could do was simply close his eyes and shake his head disapprovingly.
"This is not gonna end well..."
Author's Note:
Hope I did good enough here, guys. I may have rushed because I didn't want to be working on this during a weekend where there's the Tigers home opening series, WrestleMania, AND my Michigan Wolverines are in the Final Four and playing for a National Championship. No, sir, that shit will not fly.
But hopefully, within the next couple of weeks, as the fallout from WrestleMania cools down, the fate of Michigan's tournament destiny will be revealed, and blah, blah, blah, all that other good stuff.
Oh! One more thing: the dialogue in this chapter was inspired by a Punklee art piece on deviantART that was so good, Jean-TheGuardian himself that it was due to someone reading my story, lol. Maybe it was, maybe it wasn't, I don't know. But here it is for your viewing pleasure (NOTE: remove the spaces) princessadree . deviantart art / Have-you-changed-your-mind-Aj-Punk-356820334?q
Later, y'all! Catch ya on the flip side! :)
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#WrestleMania
#ILoveAJLee
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#FinalFour