Smell You Later

John was outside Punk's office since he was called in on his day off. But was occupied at the moment since April was in his office. He rolled his eyes as she giggled at something he said as they looked over some sort of paperwork she must have been filing. He knocked on the door after running out of patience and Punk glared at him as did April.

"You two have the same looks now." John laughed walking into the office.

"Here. Sorry the hand writing is so bad." Punk said passing April the file.

"I'll give you penmanship lessons." April said seriously and he watched as she just passed by John without saying a word.

"She's snippy." John noted sitting in the chair across from Punks desk.

"She has the right to be." Punk said to him. "What were you thinking?"

"You're going to have to be more specific." John laughed.

"Where should I start? You pressing my witness into WITSEC or sexually harassing her?" Punk asked.

"I'll cop for the WITSEC talk but I did not sexually harass her." John said to him.

"Caressing her arms is sexual harassment." Punk informed her.

"The WITSEC was a talk I had with the Chief. You can ask him about it. I told him I'd talk to her about it. I was doing my job." John said to him. "I might be the only one doing my job."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Punk asked.

"It means you seem to want April around for other reasons." John said to him. "I'm looking out for her best interests."

"No. At first I thought you were looking out for your dick and now I'm not too sure." Punk confessed. "Why would you push her into WITSEC? You know we can't have someone watching her there. We'd be leaving her vulnerable ESPICALLY before the trial. Here, we can watch her."

"But you're the one watching her and how is that going? You almost got killed." John pointed out.

"I know what I'm doing. It's you who I have no fucking idea what you're doing." Punk said to him. "Maybe you should take some time off."

"I don't want to take time off." John said to him.

"I was trying to be nice but what I meant was- get the fuck out of this office for a while before I fire you." Punk said bluntly.

"I need to work. I have a kid on the way." He reminded Punk.

"Why did you tell April you and your wife were splitting?" Punk asked him. "Why are you fixated on her?"

"I'm not fixated." John laughed. "You know how I am. I was looking for a little sympathy."

"Your personal conquests are interfering with my case and I won't allow it." Punk said to him. "But all that aside because that's personal and not my business, why did you pull her aside without even talking to me first?"

"Because I spoke to the Chief." John said to him. "I was trying to look out for you and her. She's going to get you killed."

"I'll worry about me and April for that matter. You take the time off to prep for your kid." Punk said to him.

"I don't want the time off. But maybe you should transfer me out of your unit." John said to him.

"I was planning on doing that anyway." Punk said to him honestly. "I can't have someone on my team I can't trust and who is constantly ignoring my orders."

"It's for the best." John agreed standing up. "I'll talk to the Chief."

"I already have." Punk said before John walked out the door. "You can talk to him about your new assignment."

"I was just trying to help April." John said to him.

"No you weren't. I don't know what you were trying to do but I'll figure it out." Punk said to him then nodded for him to leave.

Punk walked in the door late after a few steak outs looking for Jeremy Sawyer. Punk knew he was getting close because although they didn't arrest Jeremy, they arrested a lot of his father's employees. He was so close he could taste it. It was almost three in the morning when he locked up and kicked off his shoes. He wanted to just get on the couch and sleep but it was already occupied with a sleeping April.

"Hey." He whispered as he gently tugged the book she had been reading that was now resting on her chest out of her hands.

"Hi." April greeted with a warm but tired smile. "You ok?"

"Yea." Punk said placing the book on the table. "You should go up to bed it's late."

"You take the bed tonight. I'm too comfortable." She said rolling onto her side and curling against the couch.

Punk had to admit that the thought of sleeping in his bed for a change was really appealing. He didn't argue with her- mostly because she was already sleeping again. He grabbed the blanket he usually slept with and laid it across her tiny body then practically ran up to his bed. Punk pulled his shirt off then opened his dresser and threw a pair of sweat pants on over himself to sleep in.

He jumped into the bed and smiled at the comfort of being able to lay out properly but that smile was gone in an instant when he realized something was wrong. He sniffed a bit then grabbed the pillow he was laying on and it smelled just like April's hair. It wasn't a bad smell but it was distracting as he tried to sleep off his ridiculously long day. He tugged the pillow case off of it and tossed it onto the floor then rolled over and laid on his stomach but then he smelled something else.

Punk stuck his head up and sniffed again then pressed his nose to his bed sheets and he could smell her perfume now. He buried his face in his sheet and breathed in her scent. He wasn't sure what kind of perfume it was but it was always very noticeable on her. He LOVED her smell and used to question his manhood since he could smell the difference from her hair and her perfume. He rolled back onto his back and looked up at the ceiling and that's when he felt it. He was getting hard from the smell of April.

Punk's face dropped in almost shock as he lifted the thin sheet to just check to make sure this wasn't just some nightmare. But sure enough he was sprung and his sweats were tented. He ran his hand over his face and shook his head in disbelief. It had to be because since he started this case weeks ago he hadn't had time to be with anyone and get out his sexual frustrations. It felt like the smells were getting even stronger and he had no choice but to relieve the pressure. He slipped his hand under his sweats and began to stroke himself then froze. There were no walls and no privacy, if April woke up and wandered up here she'd see him and he hadn't been caught whacking off since he was a teen and his mom caught him with her lingerie magazines.

Punk rolled out of the bed and tiptoed down the stairs. He didn't even dare look at the couch where April was still sleeping and hurried to the bathroom but when he reached for the doorknob it was locked. Punk looked to the couch and saw April was no longer there and then the door popped up. The last thing he wanted her to see was him with a hard on but thankfully the apartment was dark just like his sweats.

"Sorry." She yawned passing by him. Her eyes were still barely open and Punk rushed into the bathroom but hid his lower half behind the door and stopped April.

"Sleep up in the bed." Punk told her.

"It's fine." She said getting back on the couch.

"I can't sleep up there I have to be by the door. Just go back up there." He ordered then slammed the bathroom door.

"He's so cranky." April mumbled as she tiredly pulled herself up from the couch and headed up to Punk's bedroom.

The next morning was Sunday and it was Punk's day off which meant it was also April's day off. He had to run errands but left not one but two Marshal's outside the front door. He promised to bring her back donuts though so she was eager for her lazy Sunday. She was in sweats, hair was up in a messy bun and she was going to clean as a 'thank you' to Punk for taking such good care of her. She collected his laundry too and put headphones on and danced around as she did laundry and cleaned.

She was shaking by the washer and dryer as she listened to obnoxious 80s music and when she turned around she screamed when she saw a well dressed man standing behind her.

"Hola." The man greeted with a smile. "Mi nombre es Daniel."

"I have no idea what you're saying." April said pulling one of her ear buds out of her ear. "I don't speak Spanish."

"I'm sorry." The man chuckled. "I just assumed." He said gesturing to her and she looked down at what she was wearing but still seemed confused. "My son must be out."

"Oh. You're Phil's dad?" April asked.

"You can ask the Marshal's outside." Daniel smiled then stuck his hand out to shake hers.

"Hi, I'm April." She said feeling embarrassed that she looked like a mess.

"Nice to meet you." he said to her then Punk walked in the door.

"Dad." Punk greeted surprised.

"Son." Daniel smiled walking over and giving him a hug. "I was just introducing myself to your maid."

"Maid?" April asked offended.

"She's not my maid." Punk told him.

"I'm sorry, cleaning woman- that's what you guys like to hear right?" Daniel asked and her mouth dropped in shock.

"She's not a cleaning woman." Punk said to him putting a box of donuts on the counter. "She's a friend from work."

"I'm actually a federal witness to a crime and people keep trying to kill me and your son has been gracious enough to take me in." April told Daniel and Punk tried to hide his laugh. "I'm a college graduate who was in the wrong place at the wrong time. I'm not a cleaning woman even though it may appear that way, I just happen to be cleaning." She said then walked over to the box and took a donut then ran up the stairs.

"Thanks." Punk said to Daniel annoyed.

"I had no idea." Daniel said feeling bad. "I should apologize."

"You should and will." Punk said to him shaking his head.

"I just didn't assume she was a girlfriend." Daniel said to him.

"She's not but why would you think she wasn't?" Punk asked.

"She's Hispanic." Daniel said to him.

"So?" Punk asked him.

"Come on." Daniel laughed. "Stay with your own-"

"Don't finish that sentence." Punk warned him. "You would be a perfect man if you weren't a racist."

"I'm not a racist." Daniel defended. "I employ plenty of different races and religions but I'm not dating any of them. It's just personal beliefs."

"Your personal beliefs are dated." Punk said to him. "Don't come into my home and disrespect her."

"I didn't mean to." Daniel shrugged.

"But you did. You can go." Punk said to him.

"I haven't seen you in months. I was hoping we could have lunch." Daniel said to him. "I'm busy."

"You can get away for an hour, even better- bring your chiquita with you."

"April." Punk said sternly. "Her name is April and that shit isn't funny. Also, she can't leave the loft because like she said she's a federal witness and people don't want her to be one. That's the whole reason she's here."

"So there's nothing going on between the two of you, right?" Daniel asked warily and Punk walked over to the door and nodded for him to leave.

"Fine." Daniel said to him. "I'll come back when you're not so crabby."

"He's fun." April said as Punk closed the door and locked it. He looked up and saw her leaning over the ledge of the bedroom.

"He's a dick. He doesn't mean to be but he is." Punk said to her.

"It's ok. I did look like a cleaning lady and he's smarter than me since his Spanish is better than mine." She shrugged as she nibbled on her donut.

"Like I said, he's a dick." Punk said to her.

"You look like him." April smirked and he watched her as he walked over to the kitchen counter.

"I don't see it." Punk said grabbing a donut for himself.

"The eyes." April said to him. "You have your mom's smile and his eyes. It's cute."

"You calling me cute?" He asked teasingly.

"No. I said it was cute." She clarified with a laugh. "You look like a homeless man."

"You don't dig the beard?" he asked running his hand over the long beard.

"A little beard. But that's just crazy." She said to him. "Maybe we can go get our hair done."

"No." Punk said to her.

"I'm not ungrateful." She began as she came down the stairs. "Believe I am, I feel safe and you've opened your home up to me and that's almost all that matters."

"Almost?" he asked arching a brow.

"I need to get my hair done." She said and his eyed her.

"Your hair looks fine." He shrugged.

"It's so long that it will double my shower time. I need it trimmed and it dyed and I actually have money to get it done." She said to him eagerly.

"No." He said shaking his head.

"They already know I'm here so it's not like they'll follow me back." She said to him. "You can sit there right next to me the whole time and guard the door and do all that embarrassing stuff you usually do."

"It's not a good idea and I'm not John who is going to fumble and risk your life because you're begging." Punk said to her and she stuck out her bottom lip and pouted as she batted her eyelashes. "That is definitely not going to work."

"I'm not a prissy little girl who needs to get her hair and nails done constantly but I am a woman and sometimes women need a change with their hair it can change their whole attitude." she said to him.

"What?" he asked confused. "It's just hair."

"You haven't had any serious relationships, have you?" She asked.

"I have. But I guess they weren't as high maintenance as you." he shrugged.

"Please?" she asked again and Punk eyed her.

"I'll tell you what, you can get your hair done." He told her and she grinned.

"I'll go get changed." She cheered jumping up and down and kissed his cheek. "Thank you!"

"No need to get changed." Punk said to her and she froze and she turned to look back at him. "I'll have someone come here to do it." she opened her mouth to argue and he held his finger up to stop her and spoke over her. "It's called a compromise."
"Fine. But you should shave that beard down." She said walking up the stairs.

"What's wrong with my beard?" Punk asked himself as he tugged at it gently.

An hour later the door opened and in walked Karen is a little suitcase.

"Mrs. Brooks." April greeted.

"Karen." She corrected. "My son told me you need a new attitude, I assume you want some new hair."

"I had no idea you did hair!" April cheered as Karen unzipped her suitcase.

"Went to school for it, started out as a hair washer and now I work in the finest boutique in Chicago." She told April.

"I'm sorry you had to come here." April sighed seeing all the work she must have went through to pack up this stuff. "I asked him to take me out but he said no."

"He's just keeping you safe, dear." Karen said to her.

"Did you bring something to trim his beard?" April asked looking at her supplied.

"I'm sitting right here." Punk said on the couch as he watched the Cubs game. "And I'm not trimming it. Do your own thing."

"I did bring something to trim it." Karen told April as they both ignored him. "I once snuck on while he was sleeping and tried to do it."

"I'm about to do that." April said to her.

"My beard doesn't concern either of you so worry about your own hair." Punk said annoyed.

"I have more stuff in the car." Karen told Punk.

"How much more hair crap could you possibly have?" He asked annoyed.

"It's books I promised to give to April and then there's some food you can put in the freezer and reheat." Karen told him and he groaned as she stood up.

Four hours later April was finally done but Punk was enjoying just being able to lounge around and catch up on his shows.

"What do you think?" April asked walking over to the couch.

Punk sat up and examined her hair closely and it looked exactly the same to him.

"That took four hours?" He asked and April's face fell.

"That is so rude and not just to me but to your mother." April hissed.

"It's dark and long." Punk shrugged.

"It's darker and a tad bit shorter. Your mom dyed it and trimmed it for me." April told him.

"And now you have a new attitude?" He asked and she glared at him. "What?"

"I'm leaving you the shampoo." Karen said putting a bottle on the counter.

"You're switching shampoo?" Punk asked out loud in a disappointed voice and he couldn't believe he said it out loud.

"I knew you were using my shampoo." April said shaking her head.

"No I'm not and it actually smells." Punk said annoyed. "I couldn't sleep in my own bed because it smelled so bad."

"You're saying I smell bad?" She asked growing angry.

"It's a bit much, that's all." he said to her. "And your hair looks the same. I don't know what you want me to say." he shrugged.

April didn't respond but instead walked off and up the stairs to his room.

"What is wrong with you?" Karen asked him.

"What did I say?" Punk asked seriously.

"You told her she smells and her hair that is very different looks the same. This is a very difficult thing she's going through you can be nicer and a tad bit more patient." Karen scolded. "I raised you better."

"What do you want from me? I'm with her constantly." Punk defended. "She's not my girlfriend I don't have to care about her hair or how her hair smells."

"What is your obsession with her hair smell?" Karen asked.

"Nothing." Punk said shaking his head.

"You're not her boyfriend but right now you're her only friend in the world." Karen pointed out. "It's not in your job description but you can be a little warmer. She doesn't have anyone here but you. She trusts you."

"I just don't want to blur lines with her." Punk said to her. "We're professionals."

"Oh boy." Karen said shaking her head then began to pack up.

"What?" he asked quietly to make sure April wasn't listening.

"Her hair smell." Karen laughed. "You like her."

"I don't like her." Punk clarified her. "I tolerate her."

"Just because you don't want to mix business and pleasure doesn't mean you have to be an asshole. I did not raise you to be an asshole." Karen said to her.

"I don't have time for this." Punk said to her.

"You should apologize to her and tell her that her hair looks nice and you actually love the smell of her shampoo." Karen said to him.

"Let me worry about my job." Punk said to her annoyed. "Are you done now?"

"I am." Karen said. "She tried to pay me. I'm leaving the money here, it's a present."

"Ok." Punk said to her. "Thanks for coming by."

"Sit down." Karen said pointing to the chair and pulled out an electric shaver.

April had her headphones on as she laid in bed and only opened her eyes when she felt Punk standing over her.

"You shaved your beard." April grinned sitting up pulling her headphones out of her ears.

"I asked for a trim." Punk said running his hands over it. There was a beard but it was very short. It looked like a shadow.

"It looks good. I can finally see your face." April said to him. "Isn't that easy? Compliments are easy to give but hard to take."

"I'm sorry, alright." Punk said to her. "I'm a little stir crazy myself."

"So, you can go out." April said to him. "Just because I'm stuck here doesn't mean you have to be. I know I can get to be a bit much sometimes and it's ok if you have to run out for a night."

"It's not you." Punk said sitting on her bed. "I'm just working really hard on this case and I'm losing sleep. If I wasn't here I wouldn't be out having fun I'd be in my office."

"Maybe you need to have a little fun." April said to him. "Beth told me you've never even taken a vacation."

"I haven't and have no desire to." Punk smirked. "Your hair looks really nice."

"You're just saying that because your mom made you." She groaned.

"I'm not. I see the difference." He lied and she laughed.

"It's ok." She said shaking her head. "I try to think of you like a girlfriend and I have to remember you're a guy sometimes." she said.

"My beard doesn't just give it away?" He asked with a laugh.

"Not anymore." She smirked touching his beard. "It looks so much better."

"Thanks." Punk said to her. "Are you hungry?"

"I am." She said to him getting off the bed. "Are we ordering?"

"I was thinking I could sneak you out." he told her and her face lit up. "Don't get used to it. But there's a bar that sells great food and it's a known Marshal and cop hangout so no one is going to risk anything there."

"I get to get dressed and go out!" She cheered.

"You can show off that new hair I guess." Punk shrugged.

"Thank you Phil." She said giving him a grateful hug but he didn't hug her back. He was finding it very difficult to be in close contact with her without losing his mind and get aroused.

"I'll be downstairs." Punk said pulling her off of him.

"I'll be half an hour." She promised and he looked back at her.

"Half an hour? Just put on clothes." He said to her.

"You have no idea." April mumbled to herself as she opened Punk's dresser that was slowly filling up with more and more of her clothes.