Roommates

It had been one full week since April was staying with Punk. As far as April was concerned it was going great. She was getting out everyday to work and Punk's place was perfect. It wasn't too big but it also wasn't cramped and they did a good job of staying out of each others way for the most part. She liked to play his game system and he was a little pissed she beat all of his scores but he decided once this case was over and April was in the clear, he'd take a few days off from work and beat her scores for his own personal satisfaction.

April stepped out of the shower in a robe and and pulled the towel off of her hair as Punk glared at her in annoyance.

"I had to shower too." Punk reminded her.

"I know, that's why I was so fast." April said confused as to what he was so upset about.

"An hour and a half is fast?" Punk asked her seriously.

"Usually I'm over two hours. I like long showers." She shrugged and he just shook his head and grabbed a towel and walked to the bathroom.

"Who needs a hot shower anyway?" he mocked.

"It's a hot day so the cold water is good for you." She said then walked up the spiral stairs.

The minute Punk stepped into the bathroom there were wet towels all over the floor and he quickly cleaned them up and bought them out to the dryer located in the corner of his apartment. As he walked back towards the bathroom he shot a dirty look up at April but her back was to his visual. She removed her bath towel and he couldn't see more than her bronzed back and long damp hair. He couldn't help but stare at her for a long moment. It took a moment to realize he was peeping on his new temporary roommate and that was a no-no. He raced off into the bathroom and decided the cold shower was necessary anyway.

April finished getting changed into some of Punk's old stuff. She had made it a habit of sleeping in his favorite Cubs shirt she discovered when moving his stuff to the dryer. She accidentally shrunk it when she was trying to help out and even though it was shrunk slightly, it was still a tad big on her. She decided it was the most comfortable shirt she's ever worn so it became her shirt and Punk was forced to stare at her in his favorite shirt. She pulled on a pair of shorts and walked over to the pantry for a snake when someone began knocking on the door.

April heard the shower on and didn't want to bother Punk but she knew better than to answer the door. After one more knock the lock turned and the door began to open. April ran over and grabbed a broom prepared to defend her life with this cheap broom. She hid behind the door as it fully opened and a woman walked inside.

"Punky!" A voice cheered.

April raised the broom and the woman screamed in fear.

"Who the hell are you!" The woman yelled.

"Who are you!" April yelled back.

"Are you his girlfriend?" The woman asked eyeing April. "Are you wearing his shirt?"

"You're a friend of Phil's?" April asked lowering the broom.

"Something like that." She said coldly eyeing April from head to toe. "You're not really his type."

"Because I'm not." April defended quickly with a nervous smile. "I'm not with him like that. I'm just staying here."

"Sure." The woman said folding her arms.

"Who are you talking to?" Punk asked walking out of the shower with a towel wrapped around his waist. "Candice." Punk greeted nervously as the almost six foot blonde looked at him. She was slim, dressed like a model and made April feel small.

"Who is she?" Candice asked

"A friend from work." Punk said to her. "Candice this is April."

"Hi." April greeted quietly raising her hand in a wave.

"Sure she is." Candice said walking to the door. "I really thought you wanted this to work. We took our space and it's been weeks since I've heard from you-"

"Candice." Punk began but then looked at April who was listening intently. "You mind?" he asked April.

"Right, sorry." She laughed to herself then ran up the spiral stairs to her room.

April decided this was the most entertainment she had gotten in weeks and leaned over the half wall that looked directly downstairs and watched them eagerly as if she was catching up with General Hospital.

"She's in your favorite shirt! She calls you Phil!" Candice yelled.

"She shrunk that shirt so I gave it to her and she calls me Phil because she's from work." Punk defended.

"Then why is she up in your bedroom?" Candice asked nodding at April and Punk turned and looked up and saw April intently watching.

"Let's go outside." Punk said opening the door and followed Candice out. "It really isn't what it looks like but I don't have to defend what I do with other women to you regardless since you called it off between us."

"Because you live and breathe work it only makes sense that you'd bring it home with you and fuck it." Candice said to him bitterly.

"We're not sleeping together!" Punk yelled.

"You're both fresh out of the shower, she's in your room and in your clothes. She looks like she's fifteen, is she even legal?" Candice asked.

"First of all she's in her mid twenties." Punk defended. "But again, nothing is going on between me and her or me and you for that matter."

"You called me." Candice reminded him.

"I needed my key back. It's a security precaution." Punk said to her and Candice shook her head in disbelief.

"Or you just need to give it to your new tart." Candice said taking the key off the ring.

"We've been over for a while Candice." Punk reminded her as she slapped the key into the palm of his hand. "I don't want you to leave all mad though."

"Too fucking late." Candice said to him. "You invited me here to rub her in my face!"

"Actually no, I said I'd go to your place to pick up the key." Punk reminded her.

"You are a pig, Phillip Jack Brooks!" Candice spat then slapped him across the face hard. "Go to hell and take your new bitch with you."
Punk knew better than to respond or engage then let her walk away. He opened the door and nearly knocked April over who was clearly listening with her ear pressed to the door.

"Do you mind?" He asked annoyed.

"She slapped you hard." April said biting on her lip trying not to laugh. "I heard it."

"You probably heard a lot since your ear was pressed to the door." Punk said annoyed.

"It's annoying when you have no privacy, isn't it?" April asked cutely and he glared at her. "Sorry if I caused your girlfriend to break up with you."

"You didn't." he said simply then passed her the spare key.

"I get a key?" She asked happily.

"You are staying here." Punk said to her. "Just don't lose it."

"Sure." She said growing slightly distracted by all wet and half naked Marshal Brooks. She had no idea his entire chest was covered in tattoo's too and his body was perfectly chiseled. She has never seen him work out before yet he was ripped.

"I'm going to finish my shower." He said to her then walked back into the bathroom.

April shook her head quickly and ran up the stairs to Punks-now her- bedroom.

April as adjusting to her job at the office as well. She didn't have her own office or anything and it wasn't even close to her dream job but she was meeting a ton of people and she was treated with respect, unlike at her internship. She had grown to bond with Beth who worked on Punk's team and a few other girls in the office. For the first time since arriving in Chicago it didn't feel so bad.

"Hey, April." John Cena greeted standing over her desk.

"Marshal Cena." April greeted back.

"You can call me John, we're co-workers now I guess." John smirked.

"I haven't seen you since I started here." April said to him.

"I was on leave for a week." John said to her.

"Suspended?" April asked.

"Yea." John laughed. "Punk was right to do it. I almost got you killed you and I'm here to apologize to you for it."

"It wasn't your fault. I asked you to sneak me out." She reminded him.

"I knew better." John said sitting on the edge of her desk. "Punk's never a big of me anyway."

"Why?" April asked.

"He thinks I play it too fast and loose when it comes to work." John shrugged. "If he could I'd probably be off his team by now but I'm the best sniper he has on the team."

"I didn't realize you were a sniper." April said impressed as she looked up at him with admiration. She knew the man was married but he was dreamy. And now he seemed to have a bit of a bad boy persona.

"I was. I served two tours in Iraq as well." John told her and now she was even more impressed.

"Thank you for your service." April said with a smile.

"Don't thank me." John winked.

"How was your week off? Did you at least take a vacation. You deserve one." April said to him.

"No, I was actually packing and moving." John confided. "My wife and I have decided to separate."

"That's so sad." April said frowning. "I'm sorry."

"It was a long time coming." John said in sad voice. "We just didn't connect anymore. The attraction and lust was gone."

"Hard for any relationship to work without that." April said to him.

"You know-" John began but stopped when he heard Punk.

"Your first day back and you didn't report in with me?" Punk asked walking over to him.

"I was just saying hi to April." John said getting off of her desk.

"We have to talk." He said to John who nodded.

"I'll catch you later, April." John said to her then walked towards Punk's office. Punk shot April a glare and she shrugged.

"What did I do?" she asked innocently.

"You're back ten minutes and you're all over April's desk?" Punk asked closing his office door behind him.

"I was apologizing for what happened." John told him. "You were next on that list. I apologize for putting her in danger like that. I've learned my lesson."

"Have you?" Punk asked sitting behind his desk.

"I have." John said to him.

"What about your personal shit?" Punk asked him.

"I took this week off and took my wife away and we had a great time and talked about everything and we're going to work on it." John told him, honestly too.
"I don't plan on getting personal with anymore victims or witnesses."

"Co-workers too." Punk warned him. "Just keep your dick in your pants."

"I will." John assured him. "My job means too much to me and my wife means even more. Actually, you want to know a secret?" he asked Punk.

"Not really." Punk said honestly but John passed him the small photo anyway. "You're having a baby?"

"Yea. Nicole is six weeks along so we're not telling anybody yet so please don't say anything."

"Congratulations." Punk said genuinely and passed him back the sonogram.

"I'm nervous." John admitted.

"You'll do fine." Punk said to him. "You know, as long as you behave yourself."

"I plan on it. This was a wake up call." John told him.

"Good." Punk said to him. "Here." he said passing John a folder. "This weeks tips on Jeremy Sawyer sightings."

"I'll grab Adam and we'll hit every spot." John said looking over the long list. "Are you off field work?"

"No but I'm not doing extra. I have to keep an eye on April." Punk said looking at his own folder now.

"How is that going? She's still at your place?" John asked.

"Yea she is. She's shrunk my clothes, uses all of my hot water, eats all of my snacks and erased everything on my DVR. It's been a real pleasure." He mocked aggravated as he read his file.

"You sleeping with her?" John asked bluntly and Punk slowly looked up at him.

"Of course I'm not." Punk said annoyed he would even ask. "She's work. She's not a friend or a girlfriend and it's not personal. It's professional. Unlike you I'm completely capable of being around a member of the opposite sex and keeping my pants on."

"No need to get defensive, I was just curious." John said to him. "She's cute."

"She's in danger." Punk corrected. "That's my priority and it should be yours."

"It is, of course." John said to him. "I'll grab Adam and head out."

"Call me after every stop." Punk ordered and John nodded.

Later that night April was back at Punk's loft before him which meant a Marshal from the office was with her. As soon as Punk walked in the other Marshal left. He peered around and didn't see April in front of the TV like she usually was. He walked up the spiral stairs to HIS bedroom and saw her sitting on the bed with pictures all over her bed.

"What's all this?" Punk asked.

"My parents sent me a care package to the office." April told him. "It's mostly old photos and stuff. Just in case I get homesick again."

"You're not going to take off again, are you?" He asked warily.

"No. I'm oddly content." she said to him. "Besides my parents are leaving for their cruise in a few days so I can't even go home if I wanted to."

"Wow." Punk laughed sitting on the edge of her bed and picking up a picture. It was a picture of April in a dress and a white Easter dress.

"Flashing the horns on Easter Sunday." April smirked.

"You were a cute kid." Punk said putting the picture down.

"Or adorably evil." April smirked.

"This your brother?" Punk asked picking up another picture of April and a boy who looked just like her.

"Yea. That was on his birthday." She told him.

"If it was his birthday why are you wearing a Birthday crown and opening a present?" Punk asked amused.

"Because I was spoiled and required equal attention on Robbie's birthday. I got a crown and a present every year until I was ten." She told him.

"Cute." Punk smirked putting the picture down. "How are things going at the office? You still like it?"

"Yea. I'm grateful to have the job and to be making money. It's going to help me once this is all over with." April said to him. "Maybe I could move to a better apartment building. One where no one was been murdered."

"Good luck finding that." Punk teased.

"Everyone has been real nice and welcoming." She said to him. "I don't feel like a witness or victim. I feel normal. I haven't felt like that in a long time."

"What about back at home?" Punk questioned.

"Back at home after Robbie died everyone looked at me." She told him.

"How do you mean?" he asked.

"You know, with those 'aw, she's so sad and pathetic' eyes." She confessed. "It was annoying."

"People stare when they're unsure what to say." Punk told her. "It's insulting but it's not meant to be."

"Yea, I know." She said organizing her photos and he stood up.

"There's a fight on TV tonight if you want to watch." He said to her.

"A fight?" she questioned.

"UFC." He said and she gave him a blank look. "You've never watched UFC?"

"I've never heard of it." April said to him.

"Well, you're welcome to join me. I'm going to have some food delivered and it's entertaining. Unless you want to look at more pictures from your past." He shrugged.

"I'll watch." She said jumping off the bed. "But you have to explain it to me and be patient." She warned as she emphasized patient.

It was after midnight and the main event was about to come on but April was out called. Punk actually found it cute because she fell asleep ten minutes ago and there were pizza crumbs on her shirt and on the corner of her mouth. It looked like she over dosed on pizza. Punk lowered the TV so he wouldn't disturb her. He heard a knock at his door and narrowed his eyes at it. Everybody knew not to come around this late. Punk reached for his gun which was on the coffee table and carefully walked over to the door. Just as he was about to peek through the peephole a gun shot hit through the door sending him to the floor.

"Phil!" April yelled as she woke up and saw him lying on the floor.

"Run." Punk told her and her eyes widened.

"You're bleeding, you're-" She cried kneeling over him.

The door was kicked open next and a masked man grabbed April and lifted her up.

"Stop! Let me go!" April screamed as she kicked in the man's arms. "Phil!" she screamed and he reached for his gun he knew he dropped but it wasn't there.

Punk felt his side and realized the bullet grazed his side thankfully. It was still extremely painful but he sat up and tackled the guy with April in his arms.

"Run, April!" Punk yelled again as he struggled with the man and as she ran to the door she froze when she heard a noise and saw Punk was now on his back getting hit in the face.

She wouldn't call Punk a friend, but this was a man who had gone above and beyond to take care of her and keep her safe. She was conflicted if she should save herself or Punk. It only took three seconds for her to decide, within an instant she spider monkeyed onto the intruders back and he stopped his assault on Punk.

April was clawing at his face over the mask and he ran backwards into the wall causing April to hit her back and scream out but she didn't let go. Her face was read in anger and she was now hitting the top of his head as hard as she could until two security men from the building ran in just as Punk came to his feet.

"We got him!" the officer said but April kept hitting him.

"April! Ape!" Punk yelled prying her off of the intruder and let the two security guards tackle him to the ground. "It's alright." he whispered into her ear as he held her against her body, back to chest. "It's alright." he kept repeating.

"You recognize him?" The guard asked Punk who looked over.

"Nope." Punk said. "But I have a feeling I'm going to get to know him very well. I'll call my guys they'll bring him in."

"Sure thing Marshal." The guard said cuffing the man.

"You need to call an ambulance." April told one of the guards. "He was shot."

"I was grazed and I'm fine." Punk said then walked over to the cuffed man. "You work for Sawyer?" he asked the man who just glared at Punk. "Not feeling chatty? I have a feeling you're going to be extra talkative in a few hours." he said to him and the man spit right in Punk's face.

"Phil." AJ whispered and he walked over to her, rather than punch the man in the face. "You're bleeding." she said nodding at his shirt and he lifted the side of his shirt.

"It's like a scrape." Punk assured her. "Are you alright?" he asked placing his hand gently on her face and looking into her eyes and she just nodded.

"I hit my back." April said to him. "But that was it."

"Let me see?" he asked and she turned around and he lifted her shirt slightly and saw the red mark. He ran his fingers over the mark gently then she quickly turned back around. "It won't even bruise."

"Ok." April said to him quietly and he could tell she was terrified, she had every right to be.

"You want to get checked out?" he asked her and she shook her head. "Alright. You can come to the office with me. I don't trust you're not going to run off." He teased but she didn't smile.

"I wouldn't run." She whispered.

"Just in case." Punk said to her then smirked. "Hey, I told you to run but you saved my life instead."

"I did save your life." April said thinking about it. "Consider it a thank you for saving my life last time."

"Punk." Adam greeted as he and Beth walked right into the apartment.

"Get him down to the office." Punk told Adam. "No stops."

"Got it." Adam said walking over to the cuffed man.

"Are you alright?" Beth asked Punk. "You're bleeding."

"I'm fine." Punk said to her. "Ape here saved my life."

"You alright?" Beth asked April now concerned.

"Yea." She said putting on a brave smile.

"Don't let her out of your sight." Punk told Beth who nodded. "I just have to change my shirt."

"You're going to die, bitch." The man said as Punk passed him and he stopped but the man was looking at April.

"Hey!" Punk yelled grabbing the man's face. "Be very careful of what you say. Every dumb fucking word is another charge I'll add."

"Let's go downstairs and wait in the car." Beth said ushering April outside.

April caught Punk's eyes before Beth pulled her away and he gave her a reassuring look. She wasn't so sure right now but she was going to trust Punk for a while longer...