A/N: Hey all! Just wanted to take a second and thank you all for your reviews! I also get what you're saying about AJ being written as strong but then ending up scared or threatened, hopefully this chapters helps explains the reactions. AJ is a tough character and she'll grow more into over more chapters. As of right now I'm trying to get the character out of her comfort zone and pushed off her pedestal she had lived on for so long, but again I hope this chapters helps explain a little bit of her reaction & I'm building up to some Punk/Jason history which will be teased in this chapter. Enjoy :)

Cabin Fever

Two days later AJ was growing terrified to leave her apartment and more importantly David wasn't a stupid man and knew something was going on. He kept asking questions about her run-in with Hector but she kept brushing it off. She knew she'd have to leave eventually to get a job at least. When she did venture out for that cause she was hired at the first place she applied to. It was a waitressing job which she obviously had no experience but the manager told her she didn't need much and handed her a uniform.

Punk walked into David's apartment at around nine hoping to find AJ who he hadn't spent quality time with since the hockey game. It as close to nine so he knew she had to be home.

"I was beginning to forget what you looked like." David said to Punk.

"I've been working my ass off." Punk scoffed. "We just caught up with every car in the shop."

"Good to hear." David nodded. "I suppose you're not here to see me?"

"What gave it away?" Punk teased.

"She's getting dressed for work." David told him and Punk frowned.

"She got a job already?" Punk asked.

"Yea waitress job." David shrugged. "You'll pick her up tonight right? I don't want her walking the streets too late."

"Yea of course." Punk said without giving it a second thought. "Where is she working?"

"Some diner." David said to him. "I feel bad she has to work in order to stay here." he said to Punk.

"She'll be fine." Punk said to him.

"Hector was in the building the other day." David told him and Punk groaned.

"He's more than the tenants." Punk scoffed. "He cause a problem?"

"He did with my daughter." David told him and Punk narrowed his eyes. "I walked out of the apartment and he was in her face. You know those fools smell money."

"Yea." Punk said rubbing the back of his neck. "I'll talk to her about it."

"Good because she won't talk to me about it." David said to him.

AJ walked out of the bedroom in a black raincoat that was long enough to just cover her ass and Punk eyed her bare legs and looked up at her.

"Please tell me it's a diner you're working at." David said to her seriously.

"It's a diner." AJ laughed. "Hi." She grinned upon noticing Punk and gave him a quick kiss hello.

"Hi." He greeted back. "You didn't tell me you were working."

"Oh yea I was going to go down by the shop tonight and tell you." She said then kissed David on the cheek. "I'll see you tonight."

"Be careful." David groaned but he looked at Punk with pleading eyes.

"I'll take her." Punk mouthed to him and David nodded.

"I really don't have time to talk." AJ said walking out into the hallway.

"We can talk as I walk you to work." Punk shrugged following closely behind her.

"You don't have to." AJ said as she walked down the stairs and he gently grabbed her and ripped open her jacket to reveal her uniform and he shook his head at her.

"You're working at the Penny? The sports bar where guys go in to watch games, drink and pinch the waitress's asses?" Punk asked in disbelief.

"Have you done that?" She asked narrowing her eyes at him.

"No I haven't because I have respect for women unlike the men who go there." Punk argued. "Look at you." He said noting her barely there black spandex shorts and a think black tank-top with the bar's name written over the left breast that was so tight it looked painted on. "Did you just say yes to the first job that was offered to you?"

"As a matter of fact I did." She said to him tying up her jacket. "I really can't be late."

"You're not working there." Punk said simply.

"You're not the boss of me." AJ argued. "You can't tell me where I can and can not work. I need to make money."

"For what?" Punk asked her. "You have bills all of the sudden? Rent to pay? The other day you weren't worried but today you're whoring yourself out."

"Are you saying I look like a whore?" She hissed and someone walking up the stairs stopped them both from talking.

"What's going on?" Jason asked putting his keys into his pocket.

"Your sister thinks she's going to waitress as Penny's." Punk told him and Jason laughed.

"No AJ." Jason said shaking his head.

"I already got the job." AJ informed him.

"You want to see her in uniform?" Punk asked him.

"No I don't." Jason warned Punk then looked at AJ. "That's a bad place for you to work in an even worse neighborhood."

"I'll be fine." AJ told them. "I need to work."

"You know what? I think we can squeeze you in downstairs." Jason said to him.

"We need someone to organize stuff." Punk agreed nodding along.

"You can't afford that and the manager at the Penny told me that some of the girls earn up to $400 a night in tips." AJ informed them.

"$400 a day?" Jason asked in awe and Punk glared at him. "Not the point." Jason said to her sternly. "Does dad know about this?"

"Does this have anything to do with Hector?" Punk asked her.

"Woah wait a second, what does he have to do with this?" Jason asked them.

"Who even told you about that!" AJ hissed.

"David did." Punk said to her. "Is he trying to get money out of you? That's what he does you know."

"I want to work because I want to." AJ said to them.

"Don't give him a dime." Jason warned her. "He's all talk."

"This isn't about him!" AJ yelled. "I have to go I'm going to be late." She said and quickly ran down the stairs.

"Fuck." Jason groaned. "I'm going to have to go down to that shit bar and watch her now."

"I'll do it." Punk offered.

"You've been working for two days straight I'll do it." Jason said to him.

"Just sit with your old man and I'll take care of AJ." Punk assured him.

"I'll just go looking for Hector." Jason said to him.

"Don't do that either." Punk said to him with a sigh.

"He's shaking her down for cash." Jason said to him. "We know this about him. We used to roll with him."

"And we don't anymore because of those reasons." Punk reminded him.

"He's fucking crazy to threaten my sister." Jason said to him.

"We'll worry about him tomorrow right now I have to get to Penny's." Punk said to him.

"Thanks man." Jason said to him.

Punk sat at a single table for AJ's entire four shift. He ordered a soda and fries and nursed it and refilled it the entire night while keeping one eye on the game and another on his new girlfriend who turned out to be quiet a handful. She wouldn't wait on his table but would only glare at him occasionally. When she punched out for the night Punk threw cash on his table and followed her out.

"I think what you're doing qualifies as stalking." AJ said putting her jacket on the minute she stepped out the door.

"You dropped a lot of trays." Punk teased.

"Did that make you happy?" AJ asked him.

"It made me smile." He admitted.

"Why are you doing this? I told you I wanted to stay in Chicago so I could have freedom." AJ reminded him.

"I get that I really do and I want you to do whatever you want but you have to understand that I'm going to look out for you and I know Chicago better than you and I only have your best interests at heart." Punk reasoned. "Just stop for a second." He said gently grabbing her arm. "What did Hector say to you?"

"Phil..." she trailed off.

"I know Hector. I've known him my whole life so nothing will surprise me." Punk said to her. "Don't you trust me?"

"Of course I do." She said to him looking down at her feet. "He thinks I called in the tip that got Shane arrested and Shane pays him $250 every Sunday so now I have to pay it in return." she told him and Punk rolled his eyes.

"And you went along with that?" Punk asked with a laugh.

"He put a knife to my throat." AJ whispered and his eyes widened.

"When did this happen?" he asked her.

"Right after I saw Hugh." AJ said to him and he shook his head. "He said if I told anyone or didn't pay he'd burn down the shop."

"That piece of shit." Punk scoffed. "He's not burning down the shop he's all talk."

"He said he'd kill me Phil." She said to him. "I have no reason to not believe the man who pressed his knife to my throat."

"You're supposed to meet him on Sundays?" Punk asked and she nodded. "I'll take care of it."

"No way!" AJ yelled. "You'll do something stupid like tell him no or hit him."

"Like I said I know Hector." Punk reminded her. "Let me worry about that."

"I'm sick of people taking care of me." She argued.

"Well get used to it." Punk said simply. "It's what I do. I'm not suffocating you but I'm in too deep with you as of right now and whether you push me away and tell me to fuck off I'm still going to make this Hector shit go away and I am going to sit inside that shit bar for every shift you work and look out for you."

"Why?" She asked dramatically. "Can't you just butt out?"

"No." He said to her. "You helped me and now I'm going to help you."

"What did I do for you?" she asked him.

"You made me smile and laugh for the first time in months." He said to her with half a smile as he placed his hands on her hips. "You've given me good dreams since our first kiss." he said now fully smiling and she had to blush at it. "And when I make you blush you have no idea how much that fuels my ego."

"I'm just not used to someone having my best interests at heart rather than their own." She admitted.

"This Hector stuff isn't a big deal. He does this all of the time when he smells a little money." Punk told her. "And if anyone threatens like you that you have to tell me or everyone is going to walk all over you."

"I'm just scared." She admitted trying not to cry. "I'm not used to this."

"That's why I'm going to take care of it." He reminded her looking directly into her eyes.

"It's not just Hector." She said to him. "I'm scared for everything. I've never been on my own before and if I were you I'd be sick of me by now."

"Sick of you? I can't get enough of you." Punk scoffed.

"What if Maria comes back?" AJ asked and he clearly didn't like she brought up that name.

"What will it take to convince you that I'm over her?" he asked her and she wasn't sure what to say. "Seriously just tell me." He demanded. "I'm here with you right now in this moment. If I wanted to be with Maria I'd be in New York groveling at her feet right now."

"We should get back I'm sure David is waiting up." AJ said as she began to walk.

"You know what I think you need?" Punk asked keeping up with her pace. "To clear your head."

"You have no idea." She smirked.

"Great. Fishing helps me. Let's go." Punk said to her and she laughed. "I'm serious we'll leave tomorrow morning and be back Sunday afternoon. One day. One night."

"I have to work." AJ said to him and he rolled his eyes.

"What do you really want to be doing? Fishing with me or cleaning up after a bunch of drunken idiots?" Punk asked her grabbing her arm so she would face him.

"Fishing with you." She smiled.

"Good." he said relieved.

Punk and AJ arrived at the cabin by one in the afternoon the next day and she was loving the seclusion of it. The cabin was very small. It was basically one big room with a kitchen sink, stove and a big bed then a bathroom connected.

"It's not much." Punk said as he carried their bags inside.

"It's perfect." She said to him as she removed her jacket. "I feel bad about leaving David though."

"David knows you need this time away." Punk said to her as he removed his own jacket first. "Do you want to eat before we fish?" he asked her and she turned around and smiled.

"I want to go to bed." She said to him.

"Yea you were up late." Punk agreed.

"I don't want to sleep." She said to him and he looked down at her.

"Are you sure?" He asked her and she nodded then crossed her arms and removed her t-shirt.

"I could light a candle first." He said nervously.

"I don't need a candle I just need you." She said backing up towards the bed. "Why do you seem so nervous."

"You make me nervous." he admitted following her to the bed like a man possessed. "I've only been with one other person I don't want to disappoint you."

"I don't have much to compare it to you." She reminded him and placed her hands under his shirt and ran them up his chest and he leaned down to kiss her. He quickly removed his own shirt causing the kiss to break then turned her around so her back was pressed to his chest.

"Let me know if it's too much." He whispered into her ear as he wrapped one arm around her waist but it didn't stay there long. His hand dipped slowly into her tight spandex pants and cupped her flesh over her panties.

"Don't stop touching me." She moaned digging her nails into his arm.

"You like this?" He asked quietly into her ear as his hand moved and dipped under panties now.

"Yes." She whispered back and closed her eyes as he played her like an instrument.

Punk may have only been with one woman before her but he sure knew his way around the female body. He didn't was rubbing circles around her clit and kissing behind her ear and her legs were already shaking.

"Feels good?" He asked and also she could do was nod.

He began to rub her quicker and used his arm to keep her standing as her orgasm rocked through her body. She rested her back against his chest and let him kiss her shoulder. He moved her bra strap off of her shoulder using only his teeth as he still stood behind her. The hand that was still buried in her pants was forced out by her hand and she pushed it up her body and over her right breast until it was at her mouth and he let her run that finger over her bottom lip.

"I'm so fucking hard." He warned her and moved both hands over her breasts and played with them over her bra.

AJ turned around in his arms and let him push her onto the bed where she landed on her elbows. She watched with lustful eyes as he tugged her panted down her slender legs. He lifted her left foot and placed a kiss over it and began to kiss up the rest of her left leaving a trail of wet kissed. AJ was already wet with want again as he lips approached her inner thigh. He bit over the thin material of her panties causing her to yelp. It wasn't from pain but from pleasure. She watched as he fondled her with his mouth but he also kept his eyes directed looking up at her.

AJ gripped him by his short hair and pulled him up her body so he was crashed against her and covered her mouth with his. She wrapped one leg around his waist and rubbed her lower half against the bulge in his pants as she panted in the steamy kiss. There was no heat on in the cabin but they sure didn't need it. She was already sweating.

The kissing stopped when he felt AJ playing with the belt around his jeans and he stood up and began to remove it himself. She sat up on her knees and kissed his colorful chest and again while removing his bottoms he couldn't keep his eyes off of her face as she kissed over his heart. He had slept with Maria many times but never felt like this before. He was able to kick off his jeans and once he did she tugged down his boxers and kissed just over his waistline. He wanted to be patient but she was making it difficult. She placed her mouth over his head and he reached behind her back and unclasped her bra. He wasn't able to remove it fully since her hands were latched at his hips but he got a view of her breasts and now his mouth was watering.

He pulled her face back so she would release him and she looked up directly at him and licked her lips. Sweet little AJ wasn't so sweet. She as a vixen and that made him want her all the more. He reached down and tugged her bra off completely and then lifted her into his arms so her legs were wrapped around his waist and her bare breasts were rubbing against his bare chest. He sat down on the edge of the bed and kissed her mouth roughly then over her jawline and down her throat and didn't stop until he was able to suck on her right breast. AJ kept his head in place with her and rolled her hips into his hard shaft while he did so.

"I need to get inside of you." he said pulled away from her breasts but not before leaving them swollen.

Thankfully her panties tied at the side and removing them was easy. The minute she was free she was leaking onto him and he was now the hardest he felt he had ever been in his life. She lifted herself up slightly and he guided her down onto him slowly. She gasped at the contact as he was as deep as he could go.

"It's been a really long time." She said hoping her discomfort didn't turn him off.

"It's alright just relax." He cooed brushing her hair behind her ears.

As much as he wanted to move he didn't want to hurt her so he kissed her lips again and tried to relax her. He wanted her to move first and give the OK. He cupped her face as his tongue wrestled hers and eventually he felt her begin to move.

"I'm good." She assured him staying nose to nose with him.

"Yea?" he asked as he gently thrust up into her and she nodded and bit on her bottom lip.

"It's good." She said scrunching her face up. It had been so long she didn't want to come too quickly but even the though of him inside of her was enough to send her over the edge.

"How's this?" he asked falling onto his back and taking her with him. She responded by kissing him.

His arms were wrapped around her body and his hips pushed up into her much quicker now. The kiss was broken when she gasped and screamed in pleasure and his tongue ran over her throat.

"Oh my god Phil." She cried shutting her eyes tightly as he moved even faster now.

"Let go." He encouraged. "Come." he growled holding her tighter and pushing up a few more times as hard and fast as possible. He felt her body shake and release and he then rolled her onto her back so he was over her. "You look so beautiful right now." He said in disbelief by how truly beautiful she looked as he marked her as his. Her skin was glistening, her hair was sprawled out, her lips were parted as she moaned and cried.

Punk lifted her left leg over his shoulder and continued to push into her. He was in awe of how she took him completely and couldn't believe she started begging for more. She fisted the thin bed sheets as she began to move her hips off the bed to take him even deeper inside of her. The sight of her alone could make him lose it. He felt himself coming close but knew AJ was again close. He dropped her leg and crashed against her body and pushed up into her as hard as he could without hurting her and that sent both into a release. He knew better than to have come inside of her without a condom but he didn't have the will power to leave her just yet.

"Jesus Phil." She cried as he buried his face in her neck and tried to regain his breathing.

"So fucking good." she heard him say into her neck. "Fucking hell AJ." He finally lifted his head up to look at her.

"I wasn't too out of practice?" she asked nervously and he gave her an 'are you kidding me' look. "I'm on the pill by the way." She told him and he was instantly relieved.

"Good." He said finally pulling out of her slowly.

"You were right. This is exactly what I needed." She said looking over to him.

"I didn't bring you up here for this." He said to her and her face dropped. "Not that I didn't want this because, well, god damn AJ." He practically whistled.

"You cleared my head perfectly." She smiled and kissed his cheek. "Thank you."

Later that night they were out by the lake night fishing since they missed most of the daylight due to not being able to separate each other. He had a small fire lit and that provided just enough light.

"I'm not catching anything." She frowned reeling her fishing pole.

"Babe you have to wait more than two minutes." Punk laughed. "Leave it in the water for a while."

"How will I know if I catch something?" She asked.

"The line will pull." He laughed walking over to her.

"Where does my bait keep going then?" She pointed out almost smugly.

"You're not putting it on right and you're losing it every time you throw your line out." He laughed grabbing more bait.

"Maybe the fish are sleeping." She shrugged.

"Night fishing is very popular." He said hooking her pole again.

Punk watched as she attempted to release her line into the water and it came up short but was much better than before.

"Good?" She asked hopefully.

"Great." He smirked not wanting to bring her down. "So you never told me about what Hugh wanted."

"He wanted me to come home." AJ said to him. "I thought you knew that."

"I don't think he liked me." Punk said to her and AJ rolled her eyes.

"He doesn't like anyone." AJ said to him. "I'm sorry if he spoke down to you."

"It's not your fault." He said to her.

"If he knew how happy you made me I'm sure he'd be nicer." AJ said to him.

"Or he'd be getting a restraining order against me for you." He suggested.

"I'm not a kid anymore." AJ said to him. "I want to be out here with my family and you."

"I feel bad about the Hector stuff." he said to her. "I want you to feel safe here."

"Honestly? You make me feel very safe." She confided.

"So why didn't you tell me about Hector?" He asked as he sat in the folding camping chair next to her.

"I thought I was helping you." She reasoned. "He said he'd burn down the shop. I thought I was taking care of you, David and Jason."

"I'm afraid he's going to scare you off." Punk said to her.

"If a knife to my throat didn't scare me off then not much will." She teased. "I can pay him Phil."

"Your brother and I used to hang out with Jason and Shane and a few of their buddies." Punk told her. "Jason and I ended up getting locked up for a few nights in juvie after we broke into our school and it scared the shit out of us. Jason, Shane and a few others ditched us and we were the only ones who were inside. We stopped hanging around them after that."

"You rebel." AJ teased.

"He owes us one." Punk said to her. "It's not a big deal and to be honest he really wouldn't hurt you. He's never done any kind of time before."

"Have you?" AJ asked. "Besides a juvie stint?"

"You really want to know?" He asked her and she nodded.

"I was arrested a few times for fighting." He told her honestly. "Nothing serious and charges were always dropped."

"I didn't realize you were a fighter." AJ said to him and he laughed.

"I don't train for it anything." Punk laughed. "It's always a spur of the moment thing. Kate's ex-boyfriend hit Jason a few years back and socked him and got arrested for it. One time a guy on the street slapped Maria's ass and I again punched him in the face."

"You're very loyal." AJ noted.

"I don't have family." He reminded her. "Jason, David and at the time Maria was all I had and there is nothing I wouldn't do that for them. You are in the category now."

"I'd punch someone in the face for you." She said seriously and he laughed.

"I have no doubt that you would." He said still chuckling. "Enough about me." he said and watched as she reached for the pole. "No." He scolded and she pouted and folded her arms like a child. She was wearing a pair of his sweat pants and one of his sweat shirts since it had gotten so cold out. Her hair was back in a simple ponytail and she was still the most beautiful woman he had ever seen.

"But-" She started.

"It's too soon." He said to her. "So uh, earlier today was great." He said to her. "For someone who had only done it once..."

"You think I lied?" She laughed. "I'm flattered."

"I don't think you lied." He reasoned.

"It was all instinct. I didn't want to let you down." She shrugged.

"You could never let me down." He said quietly but looking right at her. "How long had it been since you uh-"

"If you want to know about my first and only time just say it." She said to him but he didn't say a word. "I think it's the reason my parents are so protective of me. I was fourteen." she said completely surprising him. "Please don't judge me."

"I'm not." He assured her. "I'm just surprised."

"The girls in my class invited me to a slumber party which was so weird because none of them even spoke to me before but my mom made me go." AJ said to him. "The girl throwing the party was named Candice and she had an older brother. Long story short the girls ditched me." She laughed shaking her head. "I went into the bathroom to get changed into my nightgown and they were all gone, they snuck out to a party and left me in the house. Candice's brother was the only one home and he was really nice to me for some reason and we kissed then one thing lead to another." she said to him. "It wasn't my proudest moment."

"Your parents found out?" Punk asked.

"Yea." AJ said to him. "After it happened I started to bleed and was convinced I as dying." She smirked. "I called my mom and told her what happened she took me to the hospital."

"How old was he?" Punk asked.

"Seventeen." She told him and Punk shook his head. "I wish I knew better."

"You were a kid AJ." He said to her. "It wasn't up to you to know better. Did your parents press charges?"

"No." AJ said to him. "Candice's parents were friends with my parents at the time and they agreed to not bring it up since it was consensual but they never spoke again. After that Candice told the entire school and I was bullied everyday." She confided. "It followed me until I graduated from high school. Nasty words spray painted on my locker, constant teasing, rude remarks."

"Why didn't you transfer out?" Punk asked her.

"I never told my mom." AJ said to him. "I didn't want to be weak."

"And that's why you insisted on keeping this Hector thing to yourself. You're not alone AJ." He reminded her. "You have me, you'll always have me no matter what."

"Like I said I just have to get used to it." AJ shrugged. "I'd come home upset and my mom and Hugh never even noticed I was so upset or lonely. But you who have only known me for a few weeks always know."

"And I'll always be able tell so don't lie to me again." He warned her and she smirked. "Come here." He nodded and she stood up and walked over to his chair and sat on his lap. She leaned down and kissed him and the two ended up making out like love sick teenagers for over twenty minutes.

"Ha!" AJ yelled jumping off of his lap eventually and pointed to her pole that was moving. "I got something!"

"Reel it in." He said jumping out of his seat and she began to reel it in. "Steady and slow." He said coming up behind her and placing his hands over hers and helped her reel it in.

"I'm not sure if you're trying to help me or you just want to touch me." She teased as she slowly reeled in her line.

"I want to touch you." He said with no shame and she giggled.

"Wow!" She said in awe of the huge fish she pulled out.

"Holy crap." Punk said in shock.

"I did better than you!" She cheered.

"I can't believe it." He muttered.

"You try too hard." She informed him. "Ok unhook him and send him back." She said passing him the pole and holding the line up.

"We cook the fish we catch." Punk informed her and her entire face dropped. "AJ-"

"It's still alive." She pointed out. "Please take him off the hook and let him be free." She pouted.

"I didn't bring food AJ." Punk informed her. "I planned on cooking what we caught."

"We're wasting time, please." She begged now. "Please don't make responsible for killing this innocent fish."

"Oh fuck." He grunted and carefully removed the hook from the fish and threw it back in.

"My hero." She cheered wrapping her arms around his neck and kissing his cheek.

"Yea great." He mumbled.

"I like fishing." She said happily and grabbed more bait to re-hook her line.

"I hope you don't like eating." He said to her.

"I bought some crackers, I'll give you half." She offered seriously and he wasn't sure if he wanted to strangle her or kiss her.

"Give me something else when we get back inside and we'll be even." he said tilting his head as she bent over to reach into the bait bucket.

"Deal." She said then passed him her pole and bait. "Could you?" she asked cutely.

This was hands down his most favorite fishing trip in history. She drove him crazy but in a good way. He wanted to stay locked away in this cabin with her forever and he'd throw back every single fish as long as she smiled when he did so. He was not convinced he was falling in love with her, hard.