My Hero
AJ hadn't heard from Punk the rest of the day and she bravely decided to knock on his door the second day but he either wasn't home or refused to answer. Petra was also still not speaking to AJ and two days of being cooped up with her daughter who was giving her the silent treatment was also driving her insane.
"You're going to have to talk to me eventually." AJ said to her daughter who was in the living room coloring in one of her books on the coffee table. Petra just shrugged and continued to color. "I am your mother." she reminded her and again Petra shrugged. "You know I love you, right?"
Petra didn't even shrug as she tilted her head and continued to color.
"I'm just trying to protect you and that's my most important job as a mother." AJ said to her. "I don't want you to change how you feel about your dad but leaving him is the best thing I could have done for the two of us."
Someone knocking at the door alerted AJ who naturally assumed it was Dean even though it had been quiet for two days now. She slowly stood up as Petra's head shot up with excitement.
"Daddy is here for me!" Petra cheered.
"Shh." AJ whispered.
"It's me." The now familiar voice of Punk greeted.
"It's Punk." Petra frowned and went back to her coloring.
AJ opened the door and Punk stepped in holding two pizza boxes, a bottle of diet soda and a brown paper bag.
"Need some help?" AJ smiled closing the door.
"Nah I've got it." He said dropping the pizza on the counter.
"Pizza!" Petra cheered racing towards the kitchen counter where the pizza sat. "What kind is it?"
"Extra cheese of course." Punk shrugged almost smugly. "It's the best deep dish pizza in the City."
"Wow!" Petra grinned climbing up on the chair as Punk lifted the box to show her the pizza.
"I figured you guys could use some outside food." Punk said looking at AJ. "Hope this is ok?"
"It is thank you." she said to him.
"And for you kid." He said pulling a comic out of the brown paper bag.
"Wow that's issue 4! That doesn't come out for two more days!" Petra said holding her hands out for the new comic.
"Yea I know a guy who knows a guy who gave it to me early." Punk said and handed it to her.
"You're the best! Thanks Punk!" Petra smiled and jumped off the chair.
"What about pizza?" AJ asked her but Petra just walked into her bedroom and closed the door.
"She's still mad huh?" Punk asked as AJ grabbed some dishes.
"Yea. The last thing she said to me was that she hated me." AJ said to him.
"That was like two days ago." Punk noted.
"Yup. It's been a long two days." AJ groaned. "Thank you for the food and the comic for her she could really use a pick me up."
"I don't mind." He said to her.
"You haven't been around the last few days." She noted casually as she now pulled out three glasses.
"Yea I actually had a pretty break in my case." He confided. "Made some connections and had some important introductions. It's kept me away but now I have a little downtime. I have been by a few times though and I'm pretty sure Dean is gone."
"I kind of thought you were just avoiding me." She admitted.
"Why would I do that?" he asked her.
"I should talk Petra into eating." AJ said grabbing a slice and avoiding his question. "Pizza is her favorite."
"Can I?" Punk asked.
"Uh, yea sure." She said confused and watched as he walked into Petra's room.
AJ leaned against the doorway out of view because for the most part Punk was still just stranger to her.
"Pizza?" Punk asked.
"Yes!" Petra cheered.
"Why don't you come outside and eat with me and your mom?" Punk asked before handing off the dish.
"I don't like her." Petra told him honestly.
"You're being too hard on her." Punk said to her.
"I miss my dad." Petra shrugged.
"I get that but your mom has your best interest at heart." Punk said to her. "She doesn't like this anymore than you do."
"So then why are we doing it?" Petra frowned.
"Because your mom loves you more than anyone even more than your father." Punk said honestly. "She'd do anything to keep you safe and that's pretty amazing. Not every little boy or girl are lucky enough to have mom's that care that much."
"I miss my room." Petra confided.
"I know but this room isn't so bad." he said looking around. "You've got some cool posters and stuff."
"It's not the same." Petra frowned.
"Between us I have a different home." He told the little girl. "And I miss it a lot too."
"Really?" Petra asked.
"Yea I have a pretty great house a little while away and it has all my stuff and my family lives near it but I can't see them either so I know how you feel." Punk said to her.
"Is it because your daddy yelled a lot too?" Petra asked confused.
"My dad did yell a lot." Punk said to her softly. "But we never left but I wish we did. When I was your age I loved my dad just as much as you love yours but then I got older and that changed and I think that's what your mom is really trying to protect you from."
"I'll always love my daddy." Petra said to him. "I don't understand why I can't just see him."
"Your mom has her reasons and trust me they're the right the ones. Maybe one day you could but you're going to have talk to her again because you're making her really sad." Punk said to her.
"I guess." Petra said to him. "I don't want to make her sad."
"So come out and eat with us." Punk suggested and AJ ran away from the door so Petra wouldn't know she was listening.
"Hi mommy." Petra greeted tugging on her t-shirt.
"Oh hi there." AJ said trying not to sound too excited.
"May I have some soda please?" She asked cutely.
"Does this mean you're talking to me again?" AJ asked.
"Yes mommy I don't want to make you sad." Petra said smiling at her.
"Good." AJ smiled passing her over her drink.
Dinner went smoothly and Petra ended up playing Punk in video games until her bedtime. When AJ tucked Petra in and walked back out she saw him cleaning up the kitchen.
"You don't have to do that." AJ said to him.
"It's already done." He shrugged turning off the faucet.
"I really appreciate you doing this tonight. You're pretty good with kids by the way." AJ noted. "Do you have any?"
"No." He laughed. "I have nieces and nephews though."
"You and your wife aren't interested in having children?" she asked casually as she dried the dishes he washed. Punk smirked knowing it was her way of asking if he was attached.
"Do you really think I'd be able to have a wife or a girlfriend for that matter with the line of work I'm in?" Punk chuckled. "Sometimes I'm gone for months without contact."
"Must be difficult." She said to him.
"It's lonely." He admitted. "But I love what I do."
"Seth loves being a cop too." she noted.
"For the wrong reasons." He said to her. "I like locking people up and cleaning up the streets of the City I love."
"Yea there's a difference there." She smirked.
"I looked into that too by the way." Punk informed her.
"You've been busy." She teased nervously. "How did you get my last name?"
"It wasn't difficult once Dean showed up and flashed his badge. I took note of the badge number and there's only one Seth in his station house." Punk said to her. "He hasn't pursued legal action and now it's been so long that no one would probably take his requests for custody seriously. He's afraid of what you have on him."
"He should be. Even though it's not as much as I lead him to believe." AJ admitted.
"Don't do that anymore." He warned her. "If he thinks you know too much he'll kill you."
"As long as he goes to jail for it and doesn't get near Petra I'm good." AJ said seriously.
"Don't think like that, don't be negative." He said to her. "Look the next few days I'll be around but then I'll be gone for a little bit." he told her. "I have a buddy his name is Cliff and I trust him."
"Ok." AJ said not following.
"He's going to come by here once a day and check in on you and Petra." Punk told her.
"You told another cop?" She asked mortified.
"AJ it's not a legal issue anymore he's not even threatening legal action now it's a safety issue." Punk argued. "Besides I trust him with my life he's a good guy and he gets it."
"Whatever you think is best." She said to him. "Are you going to be safe?"
"I'm the best at what I do." Punk remarked smugly.
"You've really gone above and beyond for us and I appreciate it." She said to him. "You're one of the nicest people I've met."
"Don't spread that around." He teased.
"Are you in a rush to get back to your place?" she asked and he seemed amused. "Never mind of course you are you've barely been home-"
"I'm in no rush." He said to her. "What did you have in mind?"
"Anything." She said hopefully. "The last two days I've been cooped up in complete silence."
"So what did you study in college?" Punk asked as he looked at the card in his hands. AJ decided to school him in poker.
"Journalism." AJ said eyeing her own deck.
"And what happened?" Punk said looking over to her.
"I got lazy I suppose." she said to him. "Seth got us a beautiful home and he convinced me I didn't have to work so I didn't. I played the homemaker."
"Did you like that?" he asked picking up two new cards.
"At first and after Petra was born I liked it but once the violence started I never wanted to be three." AJ told him. "I'd spend a lot of time at his parent's house."
"Did they know?" Punk asked.
"Yes I told them." AJ said to him. "Thought they would talk to him."
"No dice huh?" Punk asked.
"His father was a very respected police Captain and he had the same tendencies as his son I had learned." AJ said to him. "His father asked what I kept doing to make him that angry while his mother told me it was best to just stop arguing with him."
"That's wrong." he said as AJ laid out her cards.
"Royal Flush." She announced and Punk's face fell.
"How the hell did you get that hand?" Punk asked her.
"I'm good at poker." She shrugged innocently.
"You're lying." He laughed. "I've never seen anyone get that hand." he argued.
"Believe it." she said grabbing the pieces of candy they were playing with.
"You cheated." he argued.
"Never." She said proudly and still smiling. "I'm just really good at poker."
"Sure you are." He said eyeing her.
"I really am." She said smugly.
"I should get back." he said to her.
"Yea you're probably tired." She noted.
"I don't really sleep." he said to her. "You look tired tho."
"I don't really sleep much either." she said standing up as he did. "But again I can't thank you enough for everything."
"Stop thanking me." he said walking to the door. "I'll stop by tomorrow if you don't mind."
"I don't mind at all." She said to him trying not to blush. She reached up and kissed his cheek. "Goodnight."
"Night." He smirked then walked out her door and she closed it.
AJ as cleaning up the deck of cards when she heard a soft knock and smiled to herself. She wasn't sure what she was thinking but she couldn't deny the butterfly's in her stomach when he was around and the fact that he was good with Petra was an added bonus. She walked to the door with a huge smile and opened it wide for him to give her that goodnight kiss she knew they both wanted.
Instead of Punk's chapped lips rubbing against hers and his hands running down her back to tug her closer she was met with a hand wrapped around her throat. That was not Punk, it was the large Samoan that AJ used to have over for Sunday dinners and would play in the yard with her daughter. Roman Reigns was a scary man and not just because of his size and strength but his eyes were colder than ice and that always rubbed AJ the wrong way.
"Hi." Roman greeted pushing her inside and closing the door while keeping the grip tight around her throat. Her hands were clawing at his arm but it was like he felt nothing. "Don't yell we don't want to wake Petra just yet." he warned her as he turned her around and tossed her into the door. "I'm here for the evidence and the kid."
AJ shook her head 'no' as he face turned bright red due to the lack of oxygen.
"I'll just kill you sweetheart." Roman remarked. "I'm not going to jail because you're pissed that Seth can't keep his dick in his pants. Even though, I thought I'd be waiting all night for that homeless man to leave your place."
"I..." AJ rasped out and Roman released her neck. "You won't get in trouble I don't want you or Dean involved. This has to do with Seth only." She pleaded rubbing her neck.
"Seth gets arrested he rats us out." Roman shrugged. "Don't make this difficult I don't want to hurt you AJ."
"I don't even have the stuff." she lied.
"I know you have that ripped off jewelry." Roman laughed. "If you would have traded it in I would have found it by now."
"I'm hiding it. It's not even here." AJ said rubbing her neck still. "Please just go before-"
Roman's hand was back around her throat and tossed her so hard into the door a picture fell off the wall next to it.
"I will snap your neck and find that evidence on my own if I have to." He hissed. "Seth doesn't give a shit what happens to you!"
AJ clawed at his eyes and he was forced to release and she hit the floor with a hard thump. She crawled between his legs to get away but he grabbed her ankle and dragged her across the floor.
"Stop fucking fighting!" Roman yelled grabbing her by her hair causing her to scream.
"Mommy?" Petra asked opening the door but neither noticed. "Uncle Roman?" she asked happily then saw he was hurting AJ. He pushed her onto the couch and climbed on top of her and pressed the palm of his hands to her face. Petra was absolutely frozen and not sure what to do.
AJ noticed Petra right away and her eyes widened in shock.
"Run." AJ rasped out as she struggled against Roman.
Petra did exactly what her mother told her to do and ran right to the door.
"Petra don't!" Roman yelled getting off of AJ.
He didn't get far since AJ launched herself off of the couch and onto his back.
"Run!" AJ screamed as Petra was afraid to open the door.
Roman moved around the apartment trying to get her off of him and broke items in the process and that's when Petra ran- she didn't go far she went right to her new friends apartment. Roman ran back first into the wall and AJ slid down the wall in pain as she was sandwiched between the wall and the brick wall that was Roman Reigns.
Petra desperately knocked at Punk's door but her little fist wasn't doing the trick. She reached up and tried to open the door and didn't even think twice when it wasn't locked she was just happy to be inside.
"Punk!" Petra yelled out. "Punk!"
She walked further and saw him on the couch with headphones on over his ears and his eyes were closed. The music was so loud she could hear it from where she was standing. She ran right to him and poked him causing him to jump.
"Holy shit." Punk gasped pulling off his headphones. "Petra?" He asked eyeing the small intruder.
"Uncle Roman is hurting my mommy." She sniffled and pointed tot he door.
"I want you to go into my room." He said standing up and pushing her into his surprisingly neat bedroom. "Lock the door behind me and don't open it for anyone." he warned her and she nodded.
Punk grabbed his gun off of the counter and ventured across the hall. He saw a large man pull AJ to her feet roughly and shake her.
"Tell me where the-" He froze when he felt something against his head.
"Get out." Punk said simply.
"Do you know who I am?" Roman asked with a grin but didn't dare to turn around to face the man with a gun.
"Do you know who I am?" Punk challenged. "I don't care if you have a badge or a fucking army outside backing you up. Let her go or I will blow your brains out." he threatened. He released AJ who was shaking slightly. "You're going to turn around and leave." Punk said moving to the side but keeping his gun up.
"I have a gun too." Roman warned him.
"I'm a better shot." Punk remarked smugly. "You'd be dead before you reached it. Is tonight the night that you die?"
"I just need a few things." Roman said to him.
"She doesn't have what you're looking for." Punk said moving so he was in front of AJ and now facing Roman.
"I think she does." Roman said to him. "This has nothing to do with you man. Don't be a hero."
"You come into my building and attack my neighbor? It's my business. We don't need a police presence around here. We like how quiet it is." he remarked to him.
"I'll be back AJ." Roman said to her. "Or he'll be. He's not giving up on Petra."
"He can't have her." She said holding back tears.
"Sure he can and he will. It's up to you on what kind of role you play in her life, do you want to be a weekend mom or deceased parent?" he asked seriously.
"It's enough." Punk said clenching his teeth. "Get the fuck out." he hissed.
"Whatever." Roman muttered looking around the place as he walked out the door.
Punk still had his gun up as he watched Roman walk to the staircase then Punk walked over to AJ's window and looked down to make sure Roman left building which he did after five minutes. He lingered for a moment and made a phone call before hailing a cab and getting in.
"He's gone." Punk said finally tucking his gun away.
"Petra?" she asked.
"She's in my apartment." he told her and watched as AJ ran right into his apartment.
"Petra?" She yelled out.
"I'm here mommy!" she yelled behind Punk's bedroom door.
"Open the door baby." She said shaking the door knob.
"I can't. I promised Punk I wouldn't open it for anyone." Petra informed her mother.
"It's ok Petra." Punk said as he locked up his apartment door.
"Mommy!" she yelled happily running into her arms.
"Are you ok?" She asked pulling away to inspect Petra.
"Yes mommy. But why was Uncle Roman hurting you so bad?" Petra frowned. "I thought we were friends."
"It's really hard to explain." She said to her smiling from relief that Petra was safe but tearing up from the shock.
"I don't want to go back with them anymore." Petra said shaking her head. "I'll stay with you mommy."
"That makes me very happy." AJ said hugging her tightly. "Come on now." She said lifting her in her arms.
"Where are you going?" Punk asked blocking her way to the door.
"To pack up and leave." she said to him.
"You're not going out on the street after that." Punk said seriously. "He'll find you easy."
"I'll have a better chance of him not finding us at the place he knows where we live." AJ said to him.
"Stay here tonight and I'll bring you somewhere safe in the morning." He told her.
"Where could you possibly bring us?" AJ asked him. "We can't go to a shelter and-" she started.
"I'm not taking you to a shelter." He said to her. "Trust me it's safe and no one will find you either of you there. Isn't that what you want?"
"Of course." She sighed.
"Then just agree." He said to her.
"Ok." She smiled.
"I'm going to go get those important things you have hidden away." He said to her. "And in the morning we'll pack up the rest of your things." He told AJ who nodded. "You and Petra stay in my bed tonight ok?"
"I guess. I just feel really bad." she frowned.
"Don't feel bad just get her settled into bed." Punk said to her. "She's scared and needs you right now." He whispered.
"You saw where I had the coffee can of jewels?" AJ asked and he nodded.
"Under the couch there's more and behind the picture that fell there's some taped behind it." she said to him so he knew what he was grabbing.
"Got it." Punk said opening the door.
"Don't leave Punk!" Petra yelled horrified running to him. "Me and mommy need you."
"I'll be less than a minute." He promised the sweet little girl with wide scared eyes.
"Promise?" Petra asked.
"I promise." He smirked and she let go of his leg.
"Come on honey let's get you into bed." AJ said grabbing her hand and walking her into the bedroom.
After an hour of talking down her daughter who was still scared she managed to get Petra to sleep. She crept out of the bedroom and closed the door behind her carefully.
"She asleep?" Punk asked.
"Out like a light." AJ said relieved. "I feel bad you're giving up your bed."
"I don't mind." He said to her. "I think I got everything you hid."
"Where are you taking us?" She asked him.
"To my home." he said to her.
"That's a bad idea." She said to him. "You can't get anymore involved."
"I'm involved." He smirked.
"Please." She pleaded. "Just let us walk out of here on our own and I'll find somewhere new for us-"
"No." He said shaking his head. "If you leave with her then I can't focus on my case since I'll be too worried about you two. My place is much bigger and they'll never look for you there. You'll have a lot of space and shops near by, a great comic shop for Petra and it's really safe. They're never going to guess you moved to Wicker Park."
"Wicker Park?" she asked.
"It's a pretty expensive area." he said to her. "It's not only a better fit for you two but its the safest place for Petra."
"All I want is for her to be safe." AJ said to him. "I'll go."
"Good." he said relieved. "So that guy is a friend of your husbands too?"
"Roman Reigns." AJ said to him. "Him, Seth and Dean are very good friends."
"Did he hurt you." He asked noting the red marks on her neck.
"No." she said to him.
"He choked you pretty hard." he noted inching closed to her to examine her neck. "You want some ice?"
"No." she said quietly.
Punk's lips were inches away from hers as he looked up at her and AJ didn't think twice before pressing her lips to his. Thankfully Punk reciprocated and eagerly kissed her back. His hand moved to tangle in her hair while his other hand rested her thigh. Her lips parted when she felt his tongue swipe across them and now their tongues were wrestling. AJ moved her hands up to gently cup his face and moved her face all around to taste him.
Punk parted from her first to catch his breath and AJ rested her forehead against his while keeping her eyes locked on his. She wasn't sure if he was regretting this but she decided to be selfish and pull him back into the kiss. And this time she crawled over so she was straddling his lap and he leaned back against the couch as she controlled the kiss completely. AJ's hips rolled slightly over him and she could hear him groan into the kiss. He became braver as well as his hands moved to her ass and squeezed it gently to encourage to keep moving against him like that.
Punk knew this was wrong. This woman had so much baggage and even a kid but the physical attraction was strong. She was a beautiful young woman and the fact that she stood up to her husband and ran off made her brave which he found sexy as well. Opp, he almost forgot that she was also still legally married as well. But right now he wasn't thinking with his head he was thinking with his dick that was growing hard with every gentle thrust into his pelvis from her. The kiss had been going on for so long now that he just knew she had to feel his want for her against herself.
"I'm sorry for jumping you like that." she said finally pulling away but keeping her hands on his face and running her thumb over his scruffy cheek.
"I kind of liked it." He smirked.
"I can feel that." She whispered adjusting herself slightly so she rubbed against his stiff member.
Punk rotated and laid her underneath him and pushed her hair out of her face then leaned into kiss her again. Her knees were bent then her legs were wrapped around his waist as he pressed himself into her over their clothes. Punk was now steadily reaching a point where he wasn't going to be able to stop. His mouth moved from hers and kissed her jawline and moved to her neck. His hands were tugging at her t-shirt and ready to pull it right off her body. He looked up at her for permission and she nodded biting on her bottom lip. Just as Punk was tugging her shirt past her stomach they heard his door open...
"Mom?" Petra asked. "Mommy?" she was now crying.
"She's right here." Punk announced sitting up as AJ sat up adjusted her shirt.
"Mommy I'm so scared." she sniffled and Punk frowned at the small child he had really grown to like. "Is daddy going to do that to you if he finds us?"
"Of course not baby." AJ said as Petra walked to her.
"Are we moving again?" Petra asked her.
"Yea sweetie." AJ said trying to smile for the benefit of her daughter.
"It's an awesome place." Punk interrupted. "It has this huge living room with all cool horror movie paintings and big comfy couches. You and your mom will also get your own bedrooms and you'll have a view of all of Chicago." he said to her.
"Really?" Petra asked smiling a bit.
"Oh yea." Punk said as if it was nothing. "There's a cool theater room so you and your mom can watch movies and it will feel like you're at the actually movies." AJ looked over to him as he explained the place to Petra as if he was crazy. "There's also a lot of comics."
"How many?" Petra asked seriously.
"Over a thousand for sure." He said and her eyes widened. "And there's every single superhero movie you could ever imagine there as well."
"Will you be there?" Petra asked tilting her head and looking at him.
"No I won't." Punk said to her. "Maybe once in a while but I have to work."
"But what if Uncle Roman comes back?" Petra asked. "Who is going to help mommy? I'm too small!" she explained and Punk admired the fact that she was trying to protect her mother.
"Don't you worry because I have a lot of friends there and you two will be kept very safe." he assured her. "Just listen to everything your mom says ok?"
"I will." Petra said to him then looked at her mommy and placed her tiny hand on her forehead.
"What are you doing?" AJ laughed.
"Feeling your head because your skin is all red. Are you sick mommy?" She asked and now AJ was blushing more as Punk coughed casually into his hand.
"Let's get you back to bed." AJ said standing up.
"Will you stay with me after I fall asleep?" Petra asked her.
"Sure." AJ agreed smiling.
"I just have to go to the bathroom." She said running into the bathroom and slamming the door.
AJ looked over to Punk who looked back at her and smirked.
"Sorry." She said to him.
"We got a little hand anyway." he said to her.
"A tad." she agreed. "I'm going to go to bed." She said and he smirked.
"Thanks for the update." he laughed. "Enjoy sleeping in a real bed for a change."
"It has been a while." She said to him. "Is your house really that big?" she asked him.
"I wouldn't lie to Petra." Punk said to her. "It's all the truth."
"You live in a mansion?" AJ asked.
"No." he said to her. "It's more like a penthouse. You'll love it."
"What happens if your case closes tomorrow and you come home?" she asked.
"Then you and Petra will be very comfortable on the street by my house." he said seriously as her face fell. "I'm kidding." He laughed. "My case isn't closing anytime and even if it did I have plenty of room for all of us."
"About what almost happened..." she said stepping closer to him.
"Ok." Petra announced. "Ready for bed!" she walked by Punk then stopped and walked back to him.
"Good night Punk." She said hugging him which surprised him but he couldn't help but smile. "Thank you for helping my mommy tonight. You're my hero." she then gave him a kiss on the cheek and a broad smile.
"Mine too." AJ smiled taking Petra's hand into her own.
"You can hug me later." Punk teased to her.
"You should do it now mommy." Petra encouraged.
"No, no I'll hug him tomorrow or something." AJ said as she began to blush again. "Good night."
"Night." He smirked watching them walk into his bedroom. Punk had to let a small laugh out as he now found himself growing attached to this woman and her daughter. He was notorious for having the worst timed romances...