Chapter 26: Naughty List
A few weeks had passed and AJ was settled and living in Chicago with Punk. She loved everything about the Chicago- the shops, the food and even the people. It reminded her a lot of growing up in Jersey and having Punk around 24/7 was just an added bonus. His place was huge and she didn't change much but he told her to go nuts for all he cared. She did buy a new bed (without informing him until it arrived) and he even built her shelves for her comics and figures.
She was also spending more time with his family and friends and was feeling like she was truly belonged there. Amy on the other hand was a forbidden topic- no one dares to mention her name around Punk or even make reference to her. And Punk kept true to her promise she was completely shunned by all of Punk's friends and family she had heard from his sisters that she had reached to them and even Colt at some point but no one returned her calls.
As for work that was going great as well. Punk and Randy were in a main-event feud over the title and Punk was told just a week ago that he'd be winning the Rumble. AJ played a part in the feud naturally having trouble picking sides and accidentally helping Punk pick up some wins against Randy. She was scheduled to make her official turn against Randy at Wrestlemania. She was excited to work with Punk again but they were told it wouldn't go far past Wrestlemania- he would win the belt and move on and she would move into the Diva's title picture neither would be valets to the other but Punk was just happy he didn't have to watch Randy kiss AJ again. The more time she spent with Punk the more he truly hated it and two weeks ago him and Randy nearly came to blows over Randy touching AJ during a match that Punk wasn't fond of (something's never changed).
But now they were at Raw and it was their last show before the Christmas break. AJ was thrilled since Robbie and his family were coming down but AJ could tell Punk was growing more and more nervous which she found to be adorable. She also couldn't help but wonder what he had gotten for Christmas. He refused to drop any sort of a hint but she couldn't help but wonder if he'd be giving her that ring that he loved to talk about. She wasn't ready to race down the aisle anytime soon but the fact that he constantly bought it up kept her wondering when it was going to happen and with both their families their that seemed like a perfect time.
"How do I look?" AJ asked walking over to Punk and spinning around in her Christmas grinch outfit
"Hot" he said looking up at her "Are you wrestling like that?"
"I'm not wrestling" she frowned taking a seat next to him "I'm just doing a backstage thing but I will be joining Randy at ringside tonight while you two fight"
"You'll have to take that off" Punk said seriously "Too distracting, I'll be watching you and not Randy" he noted taking a bite out of his food
"Yea I don't think they're going to let me at ringside as a bad elf" she smirked
"Can you keep the costume?" he asked casually and she knew where his gutter mind was going and pinched his arm
"Ouch! Kidding" he said rubbing his arm "Well just a little" he added with a wink
"Keep this up and you're going to find coal in your stocking" AJ threatened
"As long as you're under the tree- preferably in that outfit I don't care what's in my stocking" he said seriously "I think I have an old Santa suit in my closet actually it could be fun"
"Do I even want to ask why you have a Santa suit?" AJ asked
"I dressed up for a Christmas party one year- that's not the point of this story" he said deadly serious "The point is I have the costume" he said making strong eye contact
"Don't be a pervy Santa" AJ teased
"Whatever" he shrugged
"Hey guys" Paul said walking over to the two "Nice outfit" he said eyeing AJ fondly
"Really Paul?" Punk asked annoyed
"Sorry" Paul said quickly
"What's up?" she asked with a smile
"I was hoping to have a word with Punk" Paul said to her "You mind?"
"Not at all I have to go meet up with Santa and the other elves anyway" AJ said standing up and giving Paul her seat "I'll try to catch you before your match" she said to Punk leaning down and pecking his lips quickly
"Bye babe" he said watching her go
"Naughty elf" Paul said with a goofy smile
"Paul" Punk said slowly
"Right" he said getting back on point "So I thought you'd be interested in knowing that there's a familiar face backstage here tonight"
"I don't see how that would interest me at all" Punk said simply sipping on his water "Unless it's Amy"
"It's not" Paul assured him and Punk's tense body eased up slightly "But the other one is here- B or F or whatever the hell his stupid initial name is" he rambled off casually "You know-" Punk was already out of his seat and headed out of catering "Wait Phil" he said chasing after his friend
"Where is he?" Punk asked looking up and down the halls
"I spoke to Hunter and B is being escorted out of the building as we speak" Paul assured him
"You should have told me first" Punk said turning around and getting in Paul's face
"I thought you'd react violently" Paul admitted nervously "And you do have the scary look in your eye"
"How did he get backstage to begin with?" Punk asked
"He's friends with one of the techs or something" Paul shrugged "He's not banned there were no charges filed against him and as far as anyone is concerned he's an innocent man. He was only escorted out as a favor to you" Punk was already headed towards the exit doors in the back of the arena "Don't do something foolish" Paul warned
"He beat AJ" Punk reminded him
"The DNA-" Paul started
"I don't give a shit about DNA!" Punk yelled before walking out the door "I know what I know and I know he had something to do with what happened to her!"
"Maybe those dreams were just dreams" Paul suggested
"He didn't deny it to AJ and Amy didn't deny it to me" Punk reminded him "They got away with what they did and I don't know how they did it but I will figure it out" he then stormed out the backdoors.
"Don't we have a match?" Randy asked who was standing outside smoking a cigarette but Punk just ignored him and shot his head all around the parking lot and spotted T walking towards a car.
"You should really just think-" Paul didn't get a chance to finish because Punk was already jetting towards the man
"Hey!" Punk shouted causing T turn around
"Oh hey man" T smiled "Sorry I can't stay and chat I've been asked to leave, do you know anything about that?" he asked with a laugh
"Take your jacket off" Punk instructed unzipping his own hoodie to reveal his t-shirt. The weather was cold and he was sporting his in-ring boots and basketball shorts.
"I'm sorry?" T asked amused
"Let's see how you do taking on a man" Punk said removing his t-shirt and tossing it to the ground. His breath was visible with the cold air but he was ready for a fight.
"You're kidding right?" T asked seriously
"I'm not going to jump you from behind I'm not a coward" Punk spat holding up his fists "Let's go"
"Fine" T said removing only his jacket and taking his phone out of his pocket and putting it on his sweatshirt
Across the parking lot Paul and Randy were watching from afar.
"Should we do something?" Randy asked Paul
"No" Paul said simply "Let him get it out now if it goes to far we'll break it up"
"Punk is involved what are the chances that it doesn't go far?" he asked seriously as a few more workers stepped outside and all seem interested in the fight they were going to get to witness for free.
About thirty seconds later the fight was on and both men exchanged blows to the face but Punk got the upper hand. There was never any doubt in anyone's mind. Punk was built and strong- T was on the husky side and not from muscles either. This is what Punk did for living and this is what T couldn't hack doing. It wasn't long before Punk had T pinned against a bus and used his free fist to punch him in the face.
"What is going on?" AJ asked walking over to Paul shivering and rubbing her arms in an attempt to stay warm. "Someone said Phil-" she looked over and her face fell "Oh god" she mumbled and started to race towards the fight.
"Ok time to break it up" Paul said to Randy noticing even from the distance that T was bloody enough to barely stand the only thing keeping him up was Punk.
"Stop!" AJ screamed running towards them and grabbing Phil's arm, he didn't even realize it was her when he jerked his arm back almost causing her to hit the floor but Randy caught her just in time.
"It's enough!" Randy yelled trying to pry Punk off of him
"It's not enough" Punk hissed and that's when more superstars and security came over. Punk had no choice but to let T hit the ground
"I think you broke my nose" T said holding his face
"I was aiming for your neck!" Punk screamed harshly
"Phil stop" AJ pleaded latching onto his arm and her turned and looked at her wide eyes filled with desperation and fear. It's almost like a switch went off in his head.
"Bring him to a hospital" Hunter said walking over to the scene and talking to one of the producers "What the hell were you thinking?" he demanded looking towards Punk
"It was a fair fight" Punk defended
"He can press charges!" Hunter yelled
"I'm not a little bitch" T hissed looking up at him
"You fight like one" Punk said hacking up a spitball and hitting it directly on the man
"Phil" AJ scolded
"Take him inside" Hunter said to AJ forcefully
"Come on Phil" AJ said tugging on his arm
"You look good by the way!" T laughed from his spot still holding his nose and Punk went to lunge at the man again but Hunter and a few security guards stood in his way
"We have a show going live in less than hour" Hunter reminded him in a low voice "Go clean yourself up"
"Just leave it" AJ pleaded again and with one last look at T he headed back into the arena with AJ
"What are you looking at?" Punk shouted towards the group of people who had come out to watch the fight
"Ignore them" AJ whispered to him and walking him into the arena and headed straight to the trainer
"I don't need a trainer" Punk said trying to leave the room
"Look at your hands" she said looking at his usually white tapped hands that were now painted blood red.
"It's not mine" Punk said looking down at them
"Your knuckles are defiantly cut" AJ said to him sadly
"I'll be fine go get ready for your promo" Punk said taking a seat on the table
"I have a few minutes" she said to him "Do you feel better?" he just looked up at her
"Yea I do" Punk said simply "Do you?"
"No" AJ said to him "You don't solve violence by more violence" she said to him "You scared me tonight. You almost took my head off"
"I didn't realize it was you" Punk admitted "Sorry"
"Seeing someone fight like that- get violent like that and not inside a ring it brings me back to that night" AJ admitted quietly and Punk's heart fell
"I didn't mean to do that" he said to her
"I'm sure you didn't" She said to him as the trainer stepped in the room "I'll give you some privacy" she then headed towards the door
"AJ wait" he said standing up and tried to follow her but the trainer stood in front of him
"You're not going anywhere sit" he warned Punk giving AJ a chance to race out the door and away from him
"Make it quick" Punk said annoyed to the doctor but kept his eyes locked on the door that AJ walked out of.
After her promo AJ headed straight to the Diva's locker room and attempted to avoid Punk before his match but as soon as she stepped out of the locker room he was waiting for her.
"How is your hands?" she asked casually
"They're fine" he said looking down at them then back at her "How are you?"
"I'm good" She said to him
"AJ I didn't mean to scare you" Punk said quietly walking over to her
"You did" she admitted "I hate that your capable of getting to that level. I know I don't remember much from that night but I still have the nightmares"
"I know" he said shamefully. She had a bad one about four nights ago that left her crying and sweating and Punk held her until she fell back asleep. "I didn't jump him AJ" he promised "I'm not like that"
"You didn't really give him much of a choice though did you?" AJ asked
"I'm sorry that I scared you but I'm not sorry for what I did" Punk told her honestly "He deserves so much worse than that. I actually went easy on him"
"I'm sure he's real thankful" she mocked
"He should be" Punk said to her but she still wasn't amused and her face was still cold "I know I lost my cool with him but I would never raise my hand to you" he didn't feel that he even had to say that but if that was the confirmation she needed then so be it
"I know that" she said in disbelief that he even thought she felt that way "You could have gotten arrested tonight. Our first Christmas would have been spent apart."
"He's not pressing charges and Vince is paying for his travel arrangements back home to show his appreciation" Punk said to her
"You could have been suspended!" She pointed out
"But I'm not" Punk said simply "I'm still going to the Rumble and winning and then I'm going to Wrestlemania with you"
"I know you're used to kind of doing things on your own but you're not alone. Whatever happens to you effects me- no matter how big or small" AJ said to him "And how did you know he didn't have a weapon on him? You could have gotten yourself killed over nothing"
"You're not nothing" Punk said seriously "And there's no point in 'what ifs' because none of that happened and everything is fine"
"Fine" she said giving in "Just please try to remain cool headed in the future?"
"I'll try" He promised "Seeing him though and thinking back to that night I saw you I just snapped" he admitted "I love you so much that it scares me and I want to make this right for you since clearly the police won't do it"
"I know and I love you for that" she said cupping his cheek and giving him a sweet kiss
"I've got your back just like you always have mine" Punk said resting his forehead against hers once they broke their kiss
The next morning they flew back to Chicago and were ready to get a head start on the holiday week.
"So I finally get to go to a Blackhawks game?" AJ asked as they stepped inside their townhouse
"Yes" Punk said to her "I'm hoping you'll be my good luck charm"
"If they lose does that mean I can't go to another game?" she asked
"Yes" he said seriously causing her to glare at him "I'm kidding"
"Oh we need to pick up the tree" AJ reminded him
"I don't know why we couldn't just get it last week when we actually had time" Punk said to her
"Because I want a real tree" AJ said to him
"A messy real tree" Punk noted with a nod "Love the idea of that" he forced out. The normally clean freak Punk wasn't thrilled with the idea of cleaning up after a real tree
"This place is so beautiful that it deserves an even more beautiful tree" AJ said seriously unbuttoning her jacket "Besides I want our first Christmas together to be one to remember" she said walking over to him "And everything has to be perfect"
"And a real tree will make it perfect?" Punk asked her
"Yes" she said with a firm head nod
"Then we're getting a real tree" Punk said without hesitation
"Thank you" she smiled kissing his cheek and grabbing her bag and heading upstairs "Phil!" she yelled from the top of the stairs. He walked up the stairs and into the bedroom where she was and saw why she was yelling for him.
"Oh what the hell is this?" Punk groaned looking around their bedroom. Their new bed was in tact but their comforter and mattress was ripped apart.
"Oh that's nice" AJ said pointing to the mirror where 'whore' was written across it in red lipstick "You think that's meant for you or me?" she asked him
"Probably me" Punk said "It looks like Amy's handwriting"
"I thought you changed the locks" AJ said to him
"I did- the front door" Punk said to her "I don't remember if she had keys to the back or the garage" he admitted "Fuck" he muttered looking at the mess
"Well there goes our nap" she frowned "We're never going to get a new mattress this week. Christmas is in two days"
"I have three other bedrooms" Punk reminded her
"I'm going to look around and make sure hurricane Amy only hit this room" she said then walked out of the room.
Punk placed his hands on his hips and glared towards the mirror with the red writing. He picked up his remote controller to the TV and threw it into the mirror causing the glass to shatter.