Leaving On A Jet Plane, Don't Know When I'll Be Back Again
AJ woke up the next morning with Punk sleeping soundly next to her. She was glad she was able to calm him down and not dump her for lying about Dean or worst go downstairs and attack Dean. But one thing for sure was this Dean thing had become a big mess one she was now determined to fix. But that would come later first would come getting back to work.
"It's time to get up!" AJ cheered causing Punk to jump and fall right out of the bed.
"You are worse than my alarm." He said annoyed climbing back into the bed.
"I really want to get to work." She said excitedly. "But I have to go down and get some clothes first."
"Not necessary you did your laundry here and it's still here. Fresh and clean." He said rolling onto his side and closing his eyes.
"Oh ok." AJ said to him then frowned. "What are you doing?"
"It takes you like an hour to get ready, it takes me five minutes. Wake me up in 55 minutes." He said curling into his pillow.
"I need you to help me get ready." She reminded him.
"You need help getting dressed?" He asked shooting his eyes open and smiling.
"Yea and brushing my hair, putting on my makeup." She rambled. "Please?" she whined crawling onto the bed and kissing him. "I really need you."
"What did you do the last week?" he asked her. "I'm not good with hair and makeup."
"Renee helped me but I guess if you don't want to I can go downstairs and ask her." She said pouting.
"Renee isn't there. She was less than pleased when Dean told her about sleeping with you." Punk said sitting up and rubbing his eyes.
"No." She frowned. "Dean can't loose her! She's keeping him sober!"
"No Dean is keeping Dean sober." Punk reminded her. "And maybe you two staying apart for a while is for the best."
"Are you not ok with him living with me?" AJ asked and he laughed.
"No AJ I'm not." He said getting out of the bed and reaching for his discarded boxers. "I wasn't ok with it to begin with but now that I know he's seen you naked and had his dick in you less than a year ago I'm really not ok with it."
"It wasn't like that." AJ reminded him.
"I know what it was like. He was upset, depressed and drunk and wanted to feel something and used my girlfriend to feel it. He didn't give a shit about your feelings or what it would do to your friendship." Punk ranted. "I've done it to girls before AJ."
"So you know it meant nothing." She pointed out.
"I know it meant nothing but it changed things between you two." Punk reminded her. "You don't do that to a friend. Your brother is probably rolling in his grave."
AJ frowned at the comment and looked down feeling ashamed and he instantly regretted saying that.
"Not because of you." Punk added softly. "You were just trying to be there for him, hell you tried to do the same thing a few months before that." He smiled. "I'm not mad at you for doing it I'm mad at him for it."
"But you two were getting along so great." AJ argued lightly.
"Yea and now we won't be a lot like you two won't be either." Punk noted. "Come on let's get you ready for work."
"Fine." She said but someone was knocking at his door. "Who is that this early?" she asked him. "Are you expecting somebody?"
"No." He said unsurely grabbing his shorts and sliding them on.
"Maybe it's Dean!" she said hopefully.
"I hope not because it's too early to punch someone in the face." Punk grunted walking to the door. He looked through the peephole and seemed confused.
"Who is it?" she asked.
"Maria." He said to her then slowly opened the door.
Maria looked a mess. Her eyes were swollen, her clothes her hanging off of her and she was shaking.
"What's wrong?" he frowned.
"I-" she started and AJ came into view.
"Are you ok?" AJ asked concerned and Maria shook her head 'no'.
AJ stepped into the hallway and gently pulled her into the apartment.
"What happened?" AJ asked the usually always friendly to her woman as she sat her on the couch.
"Mike." She cried out and Punk looked confused.
"What did he do to you?" AJ asked softly.
"He raped me." She announced crying and looking at Punk. "Him, Randy and some other guy." She sobbed.
"Oh my god." AJ whispered.
"It was awful!" she sobbed and AJ wrapped her arms around the woman.
"I'll call the police." Punk said quickly reaching for his cell.
"No!" she screamed. "He said he'd kill my parents and sister! He'd come back and do it again!"
"He can't do that in prison." Punk reminded her gently.
"No Phil just leave it! I don't want to go to the police I don't want to re-live it." Maria cried. "Please don't." she said fearfully.
"Don't Phil." AJ said looking at him and he put his phone down.
"It's the right thing to do." Punk insisted to AJ.
"No I just want to leave." Maria said to him. "I need some money to get out of New York and back home that's the only reason I'm here."
"I think you should go to the doctor." AJ said to her. "You could be hurt-"
"I'm not." Maria shook her head.
"You might not know it yet." AJ said quietly.
"They used condoms and they didn't hit me or anything just held me down." Maria sniffled.
"We'll get you whatever you need, right Phil?" AJ asked looking up at him.
"Yea, yea sure." He said feeling sick to his stomach. "Where did this happen again?"
"My place. They were all in there waiting for me to get home." Maria told him. "I had nothing to do with setting you up." She said to AJ and she gave her a weak smile.
"I know it's ok." AJ assured her.
"They just pounced me on me." Maria recalled. "One at time, two at once." She cringed as tears continued to roll down her cheek and Punk could feel his stomach turn. "I already took a shower so the police and hospital wouldn't do much for me anyway."
"Are you sure?" AJ asked her. "They'll still be out there."
"But I'll be far away." Maria told her. "My family lives in Kentucky they won't find me there. I just need to go home. Please help me go home."
"Ok." Punk said nodding. "I'll get you a plane ticket."
"Thank you." Maria said relieved. "As soon as possible."
"What about your things?" AJ asked.
"Burn it for all I care. I have some stuff in my bag but that's all I need." Maria said to her. Maria looked and saw Punk stepped away to look up tickets. "Listen to me you have to be so careful. They did this to get to him." She whispered to AJ who frowned. "They'll do this to you next."
"I'm fine." AJ said to her and Maria shook her head.
"You should take Phil and run." Maria said desperately. "They won't stop until he pays for betraying his brother. They did this to me and I'm just an ex- I can only imagine what they have in store for you. And sending Ryan away didn't do you any favors."
"Did they mention me?" AJ asked her.
"Not much and not in any threat it's just obvious." Maria said to her. "Please don't let this happen to you."
"You have a flight in two hours." Punk said to her. "I'll take you to airport and I'll have a car pick you up in Kentucky."
"Thank you." Maria said to him.
"What else can I do?" he asked defeated.
"Just stay safe." Maria said to him. "They are crazy Phil."
"I'm sorry this happened- it shouldn't have-" he fumbled over his words.
"Its not your fault." Maria said to him. "I kept seeing him in prison if I hadn't he would have left me alone."
"It's no ones fault but theirs." AJ said to the two of them. "No matter what anyone did or said this is not excusable."
"Just stay here and I'll take you to the airport." Punk said to her. "I'm just going to get changed."
"Thank you." Maria said relieved she wouldn't have to go alone.
"Is there anything I can do? I mean anything? Pack up your place? Call your school?" AJ offered.
"No I'll take care of all of that in time." Maria said to her. "Like I said just keep your eyes opened."
"I will." AJ promised.
"I just feel dirty." Maria admitted beginning to cry again.
"You're not." AJ disagreed. "What happened to you was dirty but that doesn't make you dirty."
Another knock at the door startled Maria and it was AJ who stood up now.
"Let Phil get the door." Maria whispered.
"I won't open it until I know who is there." AJ assured her and she peeked and saw it was Dean. She opened the door on a crack and looked at him.
"I'm sorry." Dean said to her.
"For what?" AJ asked unsurely. "Telling Phil something that I hadn't told him? Yelling at me? Treating me like shit? Take your pick."
"Is all of the above an option?" Dean asked her.
"No it's not." She said to him. "And now isn't the time because I'm busy and believe me Phil doesn't want to see you."
"Told him the details huh?" Dean smirked.
"It's not funny he's really upset with both of us." AJ said to him.
"He shouldn't be upset with you." Dean said pushing in the door. "I'll talk to the big bitch myself-" he stopped when he saw Maria.
"Dean now isn't a good time." AJ insisted.
"What happened to her?" Dean asked pointing at her.
"Dean it isn't the time." AJ insisted trying to push him out the door with her one good hand but it was too late Punk already stepped out of his bedroom and glared towards Dean.
"Morning." Dean greeted.
"Dean just go." AJ hissed.
"No." Punk said to her. "Stay with AJ until I get back." He told him. "And I mean stay with her as in take her to work and do your fucking job as a security job and not let anyone in that building that doesn't belong. Don't let her go to lunch, don't let her leave the building. I am in no way telling you to take your dick out, am I clear?"
"Are we going?" Maria asked him.
"Yea we're going." Punk said helping her to her feet and cringed when he saw her walking funny.
"Yea I'll do it but I was pretty sure you'd want to punch me first. You get one shot." Dean offered.
"I'm busy and I will take you up on that right now I know you won't let anyone get to her." Punk said to him.
"Of course." Dean said looking at Maria and slowly putting everything together.
"I really don't think Dean-" AJ started.
"It's not an option, suck it up for a few hours." Punk snapped her and she rolled her eyes then walked Maria out the door.
"Are you going to tell me what that was all about?" Dean asked pointing to the door Punk had just walked out of.
"That was his ex." AJ said to him.
"And where were they going?" Dean asked.
"She was gang raped last night." AJ said to him and his stomach dropped.
"By his brother and his band of misfits?" Dean asked and she nodded. "Son of a bitch." He hissed. "I fucking hate those guys!"
"You should really keep Renee close." AJ said to him. "Go find her-"
"I'm not leaving you here. Go get your shit for work." Dean said to her. "They don't know about Renee and it's not me they're pissed at."
"I really think we should talk about everything too." AJ said to him.
"I don't want to because you know how I feel about talking about feelings and shit." Dean groaned.
"Why did you tell Phil?" AJ asked him.
"Because I was hoping he'd punch me in the face because I deserve it." Dean laughed. "I did wrong by you. I promised Robbie I'd look out for you and what did I do? Fuck you like you were nothing and then walked away."
"I'm not upset about the sex Dean!" She yelled. "It happened and let's be honest we knew it would happen eventually I'm upset that you walked out of my life and only came back because Phil asked you to."
"I was going to come back I just wasn't sure when." Dean admitted "I was in a shit place and I wasn't coming back and hurting you." He said to her. "No chance in hell was I going to repeat my mistakes with you."
"It was the worst feeling." AJ said to him. "You were all I had and you had left me just like Robbie did."
"I didn't mean to do that." Dean swore.
"It's going to take time." AJ said to him.
"I'm not going anywhere." He chuckled. "I love you kid and I'm going to fix this. I hate fighting with you, I hate not being able to look you in the eye I miss my best friend."
"You have her." AJ smiled and pulled him into a hug.
Punk was waiting for Maria's flight to board and sat awkwardly next to her.
"Why won't you look at me?" Maria asked him.
"Because I feel bad." Punk said honestly. "If I look at you I won't be able to stop and I'll have to run to my brothers place and kill him."
"Leave it alone." Maria insisted.
"I'm not built that way you know this." Punk said.
"Do you love AJ?" Maria asked him.
"Do you really want to know the answer to that?" Punk asked back.
"If you love her as much as I think you do you'll leave it alone because this will be her and I promise they won't be as gentle with her." Maria said to him. "The things they said about you to me were so vile."
"I shouldn't have thrown you out of my office yesterday." Punk blurted out.
"Would have happened regardless." Maria said to him. "You need to think about getting out of New York they don't want you here."
"I'm not leaving AJ behind." Punk said to her.
"Take her with you." Maria said to him. "Ryan was there to do the same thing to her."
"They told you that?" Punk asked her.
"What did you think he was there to do Phil? Braid her hair and gossip?" Maria asked. "You're very lucky she only walked away with a broken hand."
"My job is here, AJ is here and more importantly I don't want him dictating my life anymore." Punk said to her. "I left New York years ago because of him."
"You're going to get hurt." Maria said sadly and that's when she heard her flight being called. "Be smart and not proud." She then walked off leaving Punk sitting in the airport.
He stood up once she was boarded and began to leave but stopped in front of the information desk and looked at flights. There was one leaving for Chicago in four hours….
Punk never came back to the office or answered any of AJ's calls or Paul's for that matter. She was slowly going stir crazy especially when she was back home for a few hours and he still wasn't around.
"Is he just not answering his phone or did he turn it off?" Renee asked.
"It's off now but it was on before." AJ said to her. "What if his brother jumped him?"
"His brother prefers to hurt women not men." Dean noted. "I'm sure he's just cooling off or more likely doing what he did the last time and left."
"Dean!" Renee scolded.
"No he's right." AJ said to her slowly. "He's done it twice before."
"He's a real fucking prince." Dean snorted. "When the going gets tough Punk gets going. He should really change his nickname from Punk to Pussy."
"You don't know that's what happened." Renee reminded him. "Stop upsetting her."
"I'm just preparing her." Dean said casually.
"I have to go to his place and see if his stuff is still there." AJ said grabbing her keys where she kept a spare to Punk's place.
"I'll go with you." Dean offered.
"No I'm going alone." She said storming out of the apartment.
AJ walked up to apartment and unlocked the door to let herself in. She heard noise coming from his bedroom and her stomach tightened. Would he be in there packing? Was he with another woman? Was he going to try to push her away? Part of her never wanted to know but she had to find out. The door was open on a crack and she pushed it fully open and saw him looking through his dresser.
"You're leaving." AJ announced and Punk turned around to face her.
"What?" He asked.
"You're packing." She frowned. "You weren't going to say goodbye? You were going to do this to me again?"
"Do you see a bag?" Punk asked her and that's when it dawned on her, there was no bag. "I won't lie to you I thought about it. I want you safe more than I want to take my next breath but leaving you isn't going to do that. Look at what happened to Maria."
"So what are you doing?" AJ asked him. "And where the hell have you been all day?"
"After the airport I took off to Brooklyn to look for Mike." Punk told her honestly and she shook her head. "Couldn't find anyone. Then is at outside the police station for about an hour trying to decide to report the rape to them even though Maria begged me not to. I decided against it because I owed her her privacy at least. After that I drove around my old neighborhood and started to think."
"What were you thinking about?" she asked sitting on the bed.
"Just life. How I got here, the bad shit the good stuff." He shrugged. "Just trying to figure stuff out."
"Did you?" she asked him.
"Yea I put a few things in perspective." Punk said to her. "You are the best thing that has happened to my life." He said to her and she smiled. "Any good memory I've had involves you."
"I feel the same." She said relieved that he wasn't packing up and running out on her.
"I want to marry you." He said honestly and she froze.
"I've been married before." AJ reminded him.
"So you can't do it again?" he asked her.
"No it's just- it's a lot harder than it looks." She said to him.
"You're not eighteen anymore and you don't have to struggle for money." Punk said to her then reached into the drawer and pulled out a box. "I wanted to get on that flight and leave you behind so nothing could touch you but I can't. I'm too fucking selfish and I won't give you up for any reason."
"Are you proposing?" she asked nervously.
"I'm not down on one knee am I?" he teased. "I want to but I'm afraid you're going to say 'no'."
"Yes." AJ said surprising him.
"What?" he asked.
"I'll marry you." AJ smiled.
"If you didn't have a cast on your hand right now I'd put the ring on you." He said to her but she pulled him into a kiss.
"I don't need a ring." She said to him.
"I really think you do because I spent a small fortune on it and it took me half a day to pick it out." He smirked but she kissed him again. "Do you at least want to see it?"
"No." she said shaking her head. "Because if I see it I'll want to wear it. When I get my cast off you can put it on my properly."
"Damn right I will." He grinned. "Before we start celebrating because I can already tell by the way your eyes wandering and your teeth are biting on your lip that you want my clothes off of me."
"Is that so bad?" she asked tugging on his shirt.
"How do you feel about LA?" Punk asked her and she pulled away.
"Why?" she asked him suspiciously.
"I don't want to leave you but I want to leave with you." Punk said to her.
"What about not letting your brother push you away? Force you out of New York?" she asked him.
"My pride means a lot to me but you mean more." He said to her. "I can't be here and not trust he's plotting to do to you what he did to Maria because if he ever touched you like that-" He started but couldn't even get the words out.
"It's ok." She said rubbing his back soothingly with her one good hand.
"Marvel has an office in LA and Paul is willing to let us work out of that office. We'll still work and answer to Paul but just in a new place." Punk said to her.
"What do you want to do?" she asked him.
"I want to go to LA with you." He said to her. "I don't want to start our lives out together in fear."
"So let's go." AJ said simply.
"Just like that?" he asked her.
"Just like that." She confirmed. "As scared as you are for me I'm scared for you. Let's go to LA."
"I've been hiding up here for an hour rehearsing how I was going to talk you into marrying me and moving and you've made it so easy." He said with a relieved smile.
"I hate to leave Dean behind but I'm sure he'd understand." AJ said to him.
"I'm sure he will and speaking of did he behave himself today?" Punk asked her.
"Yes and we talked and everything is ok." AJ said to him. "I don't know how he'll take me leaving."
"Leave him your place he can move Renee in there he'll still work at Marvel it will be fine." Punk said to her.
"Are we really doing this?" She asked with a laugh. "Getting married and moving across the country?"
"Yea." He said happily. "I love you." He said cupping her face and just as he was about to kiss her there as loud banging at the door.
"AJ open the door before I kick it in!" Dean yelled.
Punk opened the door and let Dean in followed by Renee.
"I was worried about you!" Dean yelled. "You said you'd come right back down I thought-" he started but Punk punched him across the face.
"That's my free shot right?" Punk asked him and Dean rubbed his jaw.
"Yea your one free shot." Dean said glaring at him. "A cheap one too." He mumbled as Renee inspected his face.
"I'm getting married!" AJ announced and Dean froze.
"And we're moving to LA." Punk added and now Dean looked towards him.
"You've been up here for five minutes." Dean pointed out confused. "What the fuck happened?"
"Phil asked me to marry him and I said yes." AJ squealed.
"Moving to LA is the safest option for AJ." Punk said to Dean and even Dean nodded in agreement.
"And for Phil." She added.
"Go for it." Dean encouraged.
"You can stay in the apartment." AJ said to him clearly very excited and happy.
"Congratulations." Renee said giving her a hug. "When are you going to LA?"
"I don't-" she started.
"The end of the week." Punk announced and AJ looked surprised.
"We don't have a place." She reminded him.
"No we don't but they have plenty of hotels there while we look. I want to pick a place together." He said to her. "We'll take what we need and I'm sure good ol' Dean could pack up the rest of our stuff for us, isn't that right Dean?" he asked sarcastically. Clearly Punk still wasn't a fan of Dean.
"I'm not packing up your furniture." Dean said folding his arms defiantly.
"We'll leave it here. We'll get all new stuff in LA." He said to AJ who smiled.
"Really?" she asked.
"Yup." He said to her. "Whatever you want."
"Are you keeping this place?" Dean asked him.
"Until my lease expires next year yea." Punk said to him.
"It's a lot bigger than AJ's place." Dean said looking around the place fondly.
"You think I'm going to let you move into my penthouse apartment for free after the shit you did to AJ?" he laughed. "That's cute though." He said still laughing.
"It's probably a lot safer too." Dean shrugged innocently. "I'll have Renee with me I'm sure-"
"Renee can stay in my place." Punk said smiling towards her. "You can't."
"Phil." She said to him.
"You know what? Stay in my fucking place-" Punk started.
"Hell yea!" Dean cheered.
"I don't even care I'll be in LA with my fiancée starting a whole new chapter." Punk said happily.
"You're so cheesy." She teased.
"I'm fucking thrilled right now." Punk said feeling relief and happiness all at once. "And if Dean doesn't mind I'd really like to celebrate."
"I don't mind." Dean shrugged looking around. "I can fit a pool table right over there." He said pointing by the window.
"You're not the only one really happy." AJ said to him. "I'll even let you do that thing you like."
"You mean…." He trailed off looking at her beasts and she nodded. "..and then I get to…you know on your face?"
"Uh-huh." She nodded while grinning.
"Get the fuck out!" Punk announced in a friendly voice opening the door. "Bring a pool table, bring Renee, move in a whole fucking marching band for all I care just discuss it downstairs."
"Fine jeez." Dean said insulted walking Renee out of the apartment and Punk slammed the door closed.
"You didn't have to do that." AJ laughed but Punk tossed her over her shoulder and literally ran into the bedroom….