A/N: As usual, you all rock! I appreciate the kind words and thoughts on this story. This is quickly becoming a favorite of mine to write. Thank you!

Working Girl

Punk walked into the small diner AJ had gotten a job in two weeks after she started. He meant to come by sooner but he had been busy trying rebuild a case against James Sawyer. AJ however had been working constantly and she was making good money and even though the place was small he could see why now. It was a trucker stop and AJ was cute and adorable and just what men wanted to gawk at after spending hours on the road.

"What a dive." Corey snorted as he stepped in behind Punk.

"Yea." Punk agreed looking around and the two walked over to the counter and took a seat with Corey.

"Coffee?" A waitress asked the two.

"Yea. Black." Punk said to her.

"Same." Corey said

"Is April here?" Punk asked.

"Of course she is." The older woman scoffed pouring him a cup of coffee. "But I'm going to tell you like I tell the other guys, she's pretty but she's got a boyfriend so tip as big as you want, you're not getting any. She's a tease." she warned then walked off.

"That's good to know." Corey said to Punk genuinely and he just glared at Graves. "Maybe if you ask John nicely he'll let her come back to the office. I think everyone is pretty much over it but him."

"I'm not asking John for shit and John isn't the boss there. The Chief is the boss than I'm the boss." Punk reminded him.

"Right." Corey said to him uncomfortably.

"April!" The woman behind the counter yelled. "You have two more horn dogs looking to check out your ass!" she yelled pointing at Punk and Corey and Punk look humiliated. "You still have to tip me for the coffee." she told Punk then walked away.

"Phil." April greeted with a smile and cupped his face and kissed him. "You didn't tell me you were coming in."

"We wanted to grab breakfast and were passing by." Punk lied.

"Hey, Corey." She smiled.

"How's it going April?" Corey greeted back with a smile.

"Busy. You came a the busiest time." She said with a laugh looking around at the crowded stop.

"You didn't mention this was trucker stop." Punk said to her.

"So?" She asked.

"No reason." he laughed nervously. "It's nice."

"Sugar!" A man yelled from the back and Punk turned to glare at him.

"He tips good." April warned Punk and then watched April walk over to him.

"She's making good money, it's just a pit stop." Corey whispered to Punk.

"She has a college degree." Punk reminded him coldly. "The whole reason she came to Chicago was for work and now she can't find work because the Marshal's don't want to assist her in the search since she pissed them off. Now she's staying in Chicago for me and she's working at this shit hole."

"She'll land on her feet." Corey said brushing it off as Punk turned his head and watched as the disgusting trucker flirted with his girlfriend.

"She's a popular one." The original bitter waitress told Punk.

"She's my girlfriend." Punk told her annoyed.

"Oh." The woman smiled. "She doesn't do anything with them or anything. They just like to look at her."

"Thanks. That makes me feel a lot better." Punk smiled sarcastically.

Punk turned and looked back as another purposely dropped his fork so April would bend over and pick it up and shook his head in disgust.

"Relax." Corey said to him.

"Thank you sugar." The man drawled as April passed it back to him.

"I should get you a new fork." She offered and the man placed his hand over hers.

"I don't mind things dirty." he told her and Punk rolled his eyes.

"How's the omelet?" Corey asked AJ when she walked back.

"I wouldn't recommend it." She told him. "Your best bet here is just pancakes."

"I'll take a stack." Corey smiled.

"Phil?" April asked him but he was glaring at the man who was clearly talking about his girlfriend with a group of guys. "Phil." She hissed and he looked at her. "Eat or leave."

"That's awfully rude." Punk said feigning hurt. "I've lost my appetite."

"Please don't cause a scene. They're harmless." She said filling his coffee cup. "I need this job."

"Why?" he asked her.

"Because I like to have money." She said to him.

"I'll give you money." He suggested.

"That would make me feel like a whore." She shot at him. "If you can't be in here you can go."

"My friend hasn't even eaten yet." Punk told her smugly. "I'm a customer. If I drop something are you going to bend over for me?"

"Wow, Phil." She said disappointed.

"He did that on purpose." Punk said loudly.

"He did not." April whispered. "He comes in every other day and tips be fifty bucks each time."

"I'd tip you fifty bucks too if you'd show your ass off for me." Punk told her and she glared at him.

"I'd tip a hundred. I think he's cheap." Corey added teasingly and both Punk and AJ glared at him. "It as a joke!"

"April, your table is asking for you." the waitress told her and April nodded. "I'll have your food right out." She told Corey then walked away.

Punk sat and watched April with her overly friendly customers while Corey ate his breakfast slowly. He was not happy with the glares April kept shooting him either. When April stepped into the kitchen he heard the table of men laughing and couldn't resist.

"You like doing that?" Punk asked the men.

"Excuse me?" the man who had dubbed his girlfriend 'sugar' asked amused.

"Come on, I'm done." Corey said walking over to Punk..

"You think making her bend over and whistling at her is appropriate?" Punk asked them.

"Are you the polite police?" the man laughed.

"Are you just a dick because you haven't seen your own for a while?" Punk asked back referring to the man's weight.

"The fuck you say?" The man asked standing up to go nose to nose with Punk when Corey jumped in the middle.

"She's working her ass off and you're making it uncomfortable." Punk spat.

"That ass isn't going anywhere." The man laughed and Punk shoved him.

"Phil!" April yelled running out of the kitchen.

The man went to punch Punk but he ducked and hit the man back sending him to the floor when the other men stood up Corey lifted his shirt to show off his badge and gun.

"Relax." Corey told them.

"Are you ok?" April asked kneeling down to check on her customer.

"You don't have to take their shit." Punk told April.

"You some kind of a jealous boyfriend?" The trucker asked Punk as he held his jaw.

"I'll get you ice." April offered.

"How about I call some real cops." The trucker said.

"No!" April begged. "He didn't mean it!"

"Ape, stop." Punk told her.

"April." The owner scolded coming out of the back.

"Your girls boyfriends deck all of your regular customers?" The trucker asked sitting back in his seat.

"I'll call the police." The owner told him. "I'm so sorry, Hal. She's new."

"She didn't do anything." Punk snapped at the owner. "Do you let all of your customers sexually harass your staff?"

"Excuse me?" The older male owner asked offended. "Just who in the hell are you?"

"He's leaving." April assured her boss.

"We are." Corey said grabbing Punk's jacket and shoving it into his arms.

"I told you when I hired you that regulars are our most important clients. They are who pays the rent here." The owner scolded and April was humiliated.

"He's my boyfriend and he's just protective." April defended quietly.

"Why don't you catch a ride with him." The owner suggested. "I'll mail you your last check, or what's left of it because you're paying for these gentleman's meal."

"Let's go, Ape." Punk said to him.

"Just get out." April said holding back tears and pushing Punk out of the diner. "How dare you! Now I have to pay for their food and apologize and beg to keep my job."

"You don't have to work here!" Punk yelled.

"Yes I do!" She yelled back. "Is this payback for messing up things at your job?"

"No. This is me not letting people take advantage of you." Punk hissed.

"I didn't ask for your help!" She yelled. "Just leave me alone." She said shaking her head then walked back into the diner.

"Let's go." Corey said and Punk shook his head in anger then stormed off to his car.

April begged and pleaded and offered her entire check to cover the meals and extras in order to keep her job and it worked. The owner was giving her one more shot but she had to work extra shifts and promise to never let Punk inside again. It was almost midnight in the diner and it was pretty empty. She was cleaning up so she should go home since she had been working almost fourteen hours now.

"What's good here?" A voice asked from the counter looking over the menu.

"Here to gloat?" April asked John Cena who smirked.

"It is really karmic justice that Punk embarrassed you just as much as you embarrassed him at his job." John grinned and April just glared at him.

"What do you want? And please don't cause a scene I'm on my last warning." She told him. "Even though I probably deserve to be fired."

"It's not that." John said to her. "Look, I'm here to apologize. I think I was a little rough on you."

"I understand." She shrugged. "No big deal."

"You were scared and you thought you were protecting Punk. It's kind of honorable." John had to admit. "And I know you think the threat is gone. You're relieved because you had it so rough before this trial and that's partly my fault."

"That is true." She agreed cautiously.

"I still wish you would have come to me or Punk about it before you did something so stupid." John said to her.

"I can't apologize again." April said to him.

"Corey told me you're working in this dive." John said to her.

"It's not that bad." April defended quietly.

"Really? Because when Punk came into work he was an extra moody prick." John informed her. "Look, you and I are going to have our differences but I've known Punk a long time and I know he didn't mean any harm from what Corey told me." he smirked. "He's all been in the parking lot for at least three hours waiting for you to come out, I assume to apologize. He loves you. I've seen him with a lot of women over the years and he's never acted this way. If you were anyone else or any other girlfriend he would have cut you off after that trial stunt." he warned her.

"I don't get it either if that helps." April teased.

"Look, I'd hate to see something happen to you." John began. "But something is off with this Jeremy Sawyer. I don't think you're as clear and safe as you think."

"No one has bothered me." She told him.

"Yet." John added. "I get your trust in the Marshal service isn't the greatest. But I need you to tell me if you see him or any of his associates and trust in me and Punk that we can keep everyone safe."

"Fine." April said to him. "Why do you think he'll come see me?"

"Just a hunch." John said to her.

"What about Adam?" April asked him.

"What do you mean?" John asked. "You want to get him out of trouble too?"

"No." April said annoyed. "When can I see him?"

"I didn't know you wanted to." John admitted.

"I keep asking Phil and he keeps pushing it off. I've been asking since I got released from the hospital." April said to him.

"I'm not going to sneak you in behind Punk's back." John told her honestly. "But I'll talk to him and see if I can talk him into it. Any reason in particular you want to see him?"

"Do you need a reason as to why I want to look at the man who shot me in the chest in the eye?" She asked.

"Fair enough." John said to her nodding. "Look, I can't get you back into the Marshal office but I can make some calls. I have a friend at the Tribune-"

"I don't want favors." She said cutting him off. "Not only do I not deserve your help or Phil's help or anyone else's at that office but I want to do this myself. Phil doesn't get that."

"I think he does. You're as hard headed as is he." John smirked.

"How's your wife feeling?" April asked.

"We just found out we're having a boy." John grinned then opened his phone up and showed her a picture of the sonogram.

"That's amazing." April smiled looking at the photo.

"Yea, I think this kid has made me gone soft." John admitted.

"I hope you're being good to your wife." April warned passing him back his phone.

"I am." John said to her.

"Is this another jealous boyfriend?" The owner asked glaring at April.

"No. I'm a paying customer." John told the man. "I'm also a federal Marshal." He said showing him his badge.

"I'm sorry Marshal." The owner said nervously. "What can we get for you?"

"I just needed a conversation." John said to him. "Your waitress looks exhausted though."

"Head out, April." The owner ordered and she just nodded.

"Thanks." She said removing her apron.

"I'd offer you a ride but Punk is out there and I'll let you walk out first because I imagine he'll attack me for coming near you." John smirked.

April stepped out of the diner and John was right. Punk was there and he jumped out of his car when he saw her.

"I know you're mad." Punk said to her then held out a bouquet of flowers. "I'm sorry." he said passing her the flowers and she glared at him but took the flowers. "I'm sorry I got you in trouble and you had to stay late tonight, I'm not sorry for not letting a bunch of pigs disrespect you."

"It's my job, Phil. It seems shitty to you but I need this." She said then put her nose to the flowers. "They're beautiful."

"Just like you." He added hopefully. "But to warn you, I'm always going to hit someone who talks about your ass."

"I get it." She sighed leaning into him and he placed his arm around her.

"I feel bad. I want to get you out of there." he said to her.

"It's good, honest work." She reminded him. "And good money. After your little scene everyone thought I was dating a crazy man and tipped me extra." She grinned pulling a roll of cash out of her jacket.

"Damn." Punk whistled.

"It makes up for the money out of my check." She told him.

"I just want to see you in a better place." Punk sighed. "You're too smart to be here."

"It's ok. Like I just old John, I don't want help finding a job. This is a learning experience." She told him.

"Speaking of, what is he doing in there?" Punk asked annoyed.

"Sort of apologizing." She shrugged. "He was nice, no need to beat him too."

"Really? I was looking forward to it." Punk said to her and she laughed.

"You are banned from coming in there by the way." She told him.

"Fuck that." he scoffed.

"Are you afraid I'm going to run off with a trucker?" She asked.

"No. Like I said I don't you being disrespected. Nor should you or any woman be." He told her. "And I'm a little afraid one day you'll wake up and realize this place sucks and leave."

"Leave you?" She asked and he didn't say anything. "I wouldn't be working at this shitty diner or begging and pleading to keep my job if it wasn't for you."

"Did you really beg?" he asked.

"You don't even want to know what I promised to keep that job." She said to him as she began to walk to the car but he didn't budge.

"I'd love to know." he said seriously and she laughed.

"Not everything is sexual." She reminded him amused. "I had to promise to take the midnight shift for every shift I have for the next two weeks, I had to clean the grease traps and clean the bathroom. Do you know how disgusting a truck stop bathroom is?"

"I can only imagine." he cringed walking her to his car and opening the passenger side door to let her in.

"I'm going to need a foot massage." She warned him as he got into the car himself.

"Yea?" He asked unenthusiastically

"Don't sound like that. When I blew your case I did plenty for you." She reminded him.

"You want me to dress in a teeny tiny red corset and handcuff you to the bed?" he asked referring to what she did to apologize to him.

"I wouldn't turn it down. Just not tonight because I'm too tired and I'm going to be tired every night I work this late." She warned already taking off her shoes.

Punk glanced over and could tell even under sock how swollen her feet were but it was her arms that alarmed him.

"What happened." He said before pulling out of the stop and examining her arm.

"It's from the fryer. I keep splashing oil on my skin." She sighed.

"Jesus, Ape." he groaned shaking his head.

"It's ok." She told him. "As long as I come home to you sleeping in bed every night it's worth it." She said happily.

And Punk truly believed her when she said that but he couldn't stand to see his spoiled little journalist busting her ass at this diner. And now he had gotten her in so much trouble she'd have to work late. He knew it was perfectly fine job and doesn't judge anyone who does it but he wanted better for her. He wouldn't be sleeping when she came home either, he'd be picking her up every night which now meant his sleep was going to be thrown off.

"It's really ok." She smiled at him as he drove. She could tell by his face and silence he was upset about not only her scars but the innocent flirting her customers did.

"I know." he said keeping his eyes on the road. "You know Thanksgiving is coming up."

"I'm aware." She said to him.

"I don't know if you're considering going back to Jersey for it." He said to her.

"I wasn't. My parents are going to my Uncle and Aunt's home for the weekend." She said to him. "I thought we'd share it together, maybe with your mom?"

"You are sweet to include her." Punk smirked grabbing her hand and kissing it as he drove. "But my mom and her sister go to Vegas every year for Thanksgiving."

"Really?" April asked stunned.

"Yea ever since my parents divorced. I used to get Thanksgiving with my dad so my mom would take a little vacation and it just stuck. Became a tradition for them." he told her. "So, I was thinking we can do something different."

"You're not working?" She asked.

"No, senior officers don't work holidays." He told her. "I thought we could go to my family cabin in Vermont."

"Really?" She asked with a grin and he nodded.

"Yea, I mean none of us every use it and just wasting away and it's a beautiful cabin." He told her. "Right on a lake and it probably won't be snowy but when it does snow it's beautiful. We can attempt to cook together and just enjoy the peace and quiet."

"I might have to work." She warned.

"I don't think you'll be working." he smiled.

"Don't go in there." She warned.

"I do have to go in and apologize to your boss at some point." Punk told her innocently. "Not that he deserves an apology but for your sake I'm going to apologize."

"I appreciate that." She smiled. "Thank you."

"Anything for you." He said to her.

"Even a foot massage?" She asked hopefully and he nodded.

"And I'll even help you clean some of those burns." He offered with a grin.

"You're the best." She said leaning over and kissing his cheek.

"So, what are you saying?" The owner asked John.

"I'm not say anything. I'm asking you if you've seen this man here." John said showing him pictures of James Sawyer, his father and associates.

"Is she like a criminal?" The owner groaned

"No. She's a potential victim." John told him seriously. "So it's very important that you look at these pictures and tell me if you recognize any of these men."

"I don't want any trouble here. This place is all I have." The owner sighed.

"I'm not going to let anything happen." John told him. "Now look closely."

"Him." The owner said pointing at James Sawyer's photo himself.

"Yea?" John asked and he nodded.

"He was outside here a couple of times last week and on Monday." The owner told him. "He's always outside peering in and never comes in. I've never seen April talk to him."

"I imagine she wouldn't. This man keeps trying to kill her." John said to him.

"What?" The owner frowned. "I knew a face like her's was nothing but trouble."

"Relax." John said to him. "I'm going to have Marshal's posted here while she works. She won't know so don't tell her."

"This seems weird." The owner said to him.

"I'm trying to protect April but April is very thick headed, just like her boyfriend and they make my job difficult. So the less they know the better." John told him. "She'll get scared and run or offer herself as sacrifice, I mean she's a sweet girl but a pain in the ass-" he stopped when he noticed he was rambling and the owner was confused. "I'm trying to do right by her is what I'm saying. I'm trying to keep her alive and not scare her all at the same time. You need to take her off nights."

"But-" The owner began and John glared at him. "Fine." The owner agreed.

"You need to also call me if you see him again." John said passing him his card.

"I thought you said you'd have Marshal's." The owner said nervously.

"Only when April is here, he might show up just looking for her." John said to him.

"I was going to fire April anyway." The owner told him.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you." John warned. "April is safer here in public than she is at home. I suggest you keep her employed because that keeps her alive. If she's dead you're going to piss not only me off but her boyfriend, you met that cheerful guy right?"

"I just want to run my business." The owner said to him.

"And you will. If you fire her or make her so miserable she quits I'll make sure to have this place inspected and shutdown." John threatened.

"Fine." The owner groaned. "But-"

"Nothing will happen in your diner, I assure you." John said to him.

"Why don't you just tell her she's in trouble and take her away?" The owner asked almost pleadingly.

"Because like I said, April Mendez thinks she can save herself but always ends up digging herself deeper. I won't make the same mistake again and I won't let her get killed either. I'll just have to do this without her help." He told him. "Or Punks." He added quietly. "They like to make my job difficult but that's fine because I like a challenge."