New Life

A couple of weeks later everyone was waiting for Kate to have her baby. The only one more excited than the parents themselves was AJ. She was so excited to be an aunt and a godmother and she was prepared to spoil her nephew.

"Look what I got!" AJ cheered walking into the shop holding two shopping bags.

"School books?" Punk asked hopefully.

"No." She smirked. "Check it out." She said pulling out a little cubs jersey.

"Cute." Punk forced out.

"And this is my favorite I had to have it ordered." She said pulling out a small jumpsuit that matched what the boys wore in the shop with David's logo on the back just like the real thing.

"Very nice." Punk said to her. "Did you stop by the school and sign up for classes?"

"I forgot." She admitted.

"You forgot? That was where you said you were going today." Punk argued lightly.

"I know and I made it to the campus but the office was too crowded." AJ told him and he narrowed his eyes at her.

"You just told me you forgot and now you're telling me it was too crowded?" Punk asked her.

"I forgot to go back is what I meant and now it's closed." She shrugged.

"So you're going tomorrow?" Punk asked her.

"The offices are closed I have to wait until Monday." She told him.

"Do you need to me to come with you so you don't forget again?" He asked almost mockingly and she just rolled her eyes and walked up the stairs with all of her bags.

"Why are you being such a dick?" Mike asked Punk as he worked under the hood of a car.

"Mind your own fucking business." Punk scoffed.

"Why are you pressing her on this. Did you ever think she doesn't want to go back?" Mike asked him.

"Of course she wants to go back she only needs one class." Punk argued. "She'll take a few more for a minimum but she's almost done."

"Maybe it's not about the work but her experience with her last professor." Mike suggested.

"She's over that." Punk said brushing it off, mostly because he didn't like to think about it.

"Is she really?" Mike asked. "She seems pretty traumatized to me."

"Oh I'm sorry, did I miss the moment when you became an expert on my girlfriend?" Punk asked him mockingly.

"You don't need to be an expert on her to know something is clearly wrong with her." Mike noted. "She's shopping like crazy and spending money she doesn't have. Maria said that's a sign."

"A sign of what?" Punk scoffed.

"I don't fucking know." Mike shrugged. "But it's not like her. Aren't you two supposed to be saving for a better place? And I guarantee all of that money she's blowing through is the money she set aside for school."

"No she wouldn't do that." Punk said shaking his head.

"Can you blame her?" Mike asked him. "I wouldn't be jumping up and down to go back to that campus after what she went through. I mean aren't you a little nervous with her going back?"

"No." Punk said honestly. "AJ is smart and knows what to look out for."

"Whatever." Mike muttered and went back to what he was doing.

Punk made his way upstairs and cringed at the sight of the hallway being littered with a bunch of loud, obnoxious people. He needed to get AJ out of this building pronto. He walked into their apartment that they called 'theirs' for close to three months now. He found her in the bedroom going through all the baby clothes she picked up today.

"AJ." He said softly and she looked over to him.

"What's up?" She asked briefly looking over her shoulder then went back to folding the clothes. "Can you drive me over to Jason's later so I can drop these off?"

"Yea." He said stepping further into the room. "AJ what's happening?"

"What do you mean?" She asked innocently.

"Do you not want to go back to school?" He asked her carefully.

"I do Phil I just forgot." She shrugged.

"Can you at least look at me when I'm talking to you?" He requested and she turned to look at him. "Now say that again to my face."

"Phil." She sighed and looked down at her feet.

"What's going on?" he asked moving to sit on the bed in front of her. "I thought we moved past this."

"We did." She said. "And I was looking forward to going back."

"So what happened?" He asked.

"I didn't realize college was like high school." She admitted sitting next to him. "I walked into the admissions office and it really was crowded but I heard the whispers."

"What whispers?" He asked.

"The students even the administrators know who I am and what happened." AJ said to him. "I even saw some people from that class and they were saying how I wasn't complaining about Daren when I was spending so much time with him in his office."

"You really let that bother you?" Punk scoffed.

"Yes Phil it made me feel like high school all over again." She told him. "I hated feeling like that."

"You won't be seeing those people again." Punk told her. "That campus is so big you'll never run into them in classes again. And don't let anyone bully you out of what you want. You have nothing to be ashamed about."

"I'm not ashamed and I know did nothing wrong I just don't need a reminder." She said to him. "Maybe I can transfer to a different school."

"We can look into that. A better school." He said to her.

"I can't afford better." She reminded him.

"No but we can." He said to her. "We've been saving up money, I have a little more on the side saved away and we can pull this off."

"Why do you have side money saved up?" She asked him curiously. "I thought we were saving together."

"I was saving for something a little more private." Punk hinted but she was smart and she'd catch on without him saying it out loud.

"Phil." She sighed shaking her head.

"It just pushes it back a little bit." Punk said as if it was nothing.

"I can ask my parents for the money." She told him. "I don't want to take the money you saved up to buy me a ring."

"AJ it doesn't mean you won't get one it just means it'll have to wait that's all and I'd rather that money go to school then to a ring." He said to her. "I'm going to propose to you AJ but it wasn't going to be for a while anyway."

"I don't need a fancy ring or a ring at all." She smirked.

"I would never propose without a ring." He laughed. "You don't have to ask your parents we'll make due."

"I can just go back to the community school." AJ said brushing it off. "I'll deal."

"I won't have you in a school where you're not comfortable or people are judging you. I don't want you to be reminded of any of that crap." He said to her. "We'll get you into somewhere better."

"How did I get you?" She asked him seriously. "You literally the most selfless person I have ever met."

"Only when it comes to you." He said taking her hand and kissing it, something he did often.

"I really want that ring though." She told him honestly and he smirked.

"You're going to get one I promise you." He assured her. "I want to do right by you."

"What about getting out of here?" She asked him. "I just put your entire life on hold so I can go to school?"

"It's not that bad." Punk shrugged.

"The building is getting so rowdy." She noted.

"Yea but no one fucks with us." He pointed out. "It's close the shop and it's cheap. I want you to accomplish your dreams first that's the most important thing."

"Why are you so good to me?" She asked him seriously.

"Because I love you more than life itself." He responded without missing a beat.

An hour later Punk came down the stairs and saw Jason had just arrived.

"Oh good you're here. Your sister has like four bags of baby clothes for you." Punk told him.

"I heard." Jason smirked walking over to a car and popping the hood.

"Was I right?" Mike asked him.

"No you weren't." Punk shot at him. "Mind your own business."

"Right about what?" Jason asked.

"AJ is afraid to go back to school." Mike told Jason and Punk rolled his eyes.

"That's not the case. She just doesn't want to go back to that school because everyone knows who she is and what happened. It brings up bad memories and I don't blame her." Punk said to him.

"So what's the plan?" Jason asked.

"We're going to get her into a different school, a better school." Punk told him.

"Community college is all she can afford unless her parents are going to help." Jason noted.

"I'm going to help." Punk told him and Jason frowned.

"That money you've been saving?" Jason asked quietly so Mike couldn't hear. "You were about to buy that ring."

"It just has to wait." Punk said simply. "I'd rather her have a diploma for herself then a ring for me."

"That's going to be everything you're saving and not just for a ring but to move too." Jason insisted.

"Then so be it." Punk shrugged. "I want her to do what she wants first. I can also pick up an extra job at night. The bar around the corner is always asking me to be a bouncer."

"Come on." Jason sighed. "You'll be killing yourself."

"I know what I'm doing." Punk assured him, simply laughing off his concerns. "I want to see AJ soar and that's what I'm doing."

"You're a good man." was all Jason could say. "My dad is probably smiling down at you for taking such good care of her."

"I love her." Punk said simply.

"I've got 66% owner ship of the shop and it really should be 50/50 between us-" Jason began.

"Don't even go there." Punk warned him. "You have a family."

"And you want to start one." Jason laughed. "You put in just as much effort, if not more than I do here."

"I don't need extra cash." Punk told him. "This school thing just sets me back a few months it doesn't put me in debt."

"You wanted to propose to her on your birthday and I thought that was an awesome idea." Jason smirked. "She never would have saw it coming."

"I'll do it next year." Punk shrugged. "It's not just a ring I have to save for but it's also a wedding. You know how much weddings costs."

"Kate's family paid for the wedding. It's tradition for the father of the bride to pay." Jason told him.

"Who knows if her family will even give their blessing." Punk said to him.

"They seemed pretty fond of you at that dinner." Jason told him. "Why don't you just let them pay for her school?"

"Because I want to help AJ. How am I supposed to marry the woman if I can't even help her with school?" he asked Jason. "Besides when I told her I had the money on the side she asked why and I told her it was for a ring so the surprise was ruined anyway."

"I feel bad." Jason said to him. "I have some cash too and Kate would be cool if I chipped in for her schooling."

"She's having a hard enough time accepting help from me she won't take it from you." Punk laughed. "It's fine. I told you and I told David and I told her mother that I would take care of her and that's what I plan on doing."

"She's not going to leave you." Jason said to him bluntly and Punk eyed him. "I know you're constantly waiting for the other shoe to drop but she's in this for the long haul. I know you want to help and provide for her but if you come up a little short it's not going to change a thing."

"Just stay out of it." Punk said simply. "What I do with AJ is my business I don't need your commentary on every decision I make in my personal relationship."

"Fine." Jason said with a laugh stepping back.

Monday rolled around and when Punk woke up AJ's side of the bed was empty and cold.

"AJ?" he groaned sticking his head up.

Instead of AJ running in, Larry came running in and jumping on the bed and licked his face.

"That's not the morning kiss I was looking for." Punk groaned gently pushing the dog off of him and sitting up.

Punk heard the apartment door open and got out of the bed and saw AJ walking in with a box of donuts.

"I got breakfast." She cheered putting it down on the counter then gave him a kiss on the cheek. "Morning."

"Morning." He murmured rubbing his face. "Where the hell did you go at this time?"

"It's nine." AJ smirked. "And the administrators office at school opened at eight so I wanted to be first in line."

"AJ we talked about this." Punk said fully awake now. "We were going to get you somewhere better."

"I changed my mind." She shrugged.

"And you didn't discuss it with me?" he asked her.

"I can't run from my problems Phil. Is it a little uncomfortable? Sure but once the office saw my name they let me handpick every class even if they were full and I got the best professor for journalism this year. She is one of the best in Chicago!" AJ told him. "Turns out the campus wants to keep me happy and enrolled there."

"Is that what you want? Will that make you happy?" he asked her seriously.

"Yea it does." She said to him as she put on the coffee pot. "My schedule for school is so light. I only have three days to go in and that means I can work some early shifts at work on my off days have some nights with you."

"That does sound appealing." He had to admit. "Are you sure about this AJ? I don't mind giving you the money."

"I want to move on and forward and I can't run away. I'm in Chicago for good." She told him. "Plus I really think I can turn my experience into something positive. The office was telling me about all of these programs they have and I can help other women. I'm actually really excited."

"I'm proud of you." he admitted. "I think that's great."

"And this means I'll get my ring sooner, right?" She asked wrapping her arms around his waist and giving him her best 'pout'.

"I'm not even close to finish saving." he warned her.

"It's ok just as long as I know it will definitely happen I'm good." She said looking up at him.

"Oh, it's happening." he smirked. "It's just still a ways off."

"I'm a patient person." she said to him and he laughed right in her face. "I am!"

"You are the most impatient person I have ever met in my life." He chuckled. "But don't worry it will be well worth the wait."

"I have faith it will be." She smiled. "Do you want coffee?"

"Yes." he said walking over the counter then his phone began to ring.

"Don't tell me you have to work already? I thought we'd at least get the morning." She frowned.

"It's Jason." Punk said looking at his phone then answering.

"Is it the baby?" AJ asked anxiously crowding him as he tried to talk into the phone. "Kate's water broke didn't it? Didn't it?"

"She is like a child you're absolutely right." Punk said into the phone but looked down at AJ who glared at him. "Yea ok." He said into the phone then hung up.

"Is it the baby?" AJ asked trying to contain her excitement.

"Yes but it's still really early he said it's going to be-" Punk couldn't even finish because she was already grabbing her phone, charger, keys and shoving the items into her purse. "Did you not just hear me? It's going to be hours."

"Yes I heard you and that's why I'm grabbing a book." She said walking over to her bookshelf and pulling a book out.
"Do you want to borrow one of mine?"

"We're going to be their all day if we leave now." He sighed.

"So I should bring two books?" She asked seriously.

"Fine." Punk forced out. "If you want to go down to the hospital and sit in the waiting room all day and night that's fine but I'm not. I'll drop you off and come back when she's closer to having the baby."

"Whose going to keep me company?" AJ asked confused.

"Your books." He said to her and she folded her arms and glared at him and he tried not to laugh. "That doesn't work on me." she then softened her facial expression and stuck her bottom lip out at him. "No."

"Please?" She said with her lip still out.

"Fine." He greeted out and she smiled. "I'm going to shower first and at least have a cup of coffee."

"You shower and I'll make coffee to go and walk Larry." She said to him.

It was nine hours later when Kate finally gave birth to a healthy baby boy. He was named David Jason, DJ for short.

"He is so cute." AJ said proudly holding her nephew for the first time. "Look at how cute he is." She said looking up at Punk.

"He's alright." Punk said and AJ narrowed her eyes. "I'm kidding!" He laughed. "He is cute, you sure he's yours?" he asked Jason who flipped him off in response.

"I want one." AJ said looking down at the baby.

"DJ is going to need some friends." Kate teased and now Punk flipped her off and she laughed.

"He's literally the most perfect human I've ever met." AJ said in awe of the newborn.

"He seems to like you." Jason noted.

"He has no idea who she even is." Punk scoffed.

"AJ used to read to my belly so he knows her voice." Kate told Punk who looked at AJ oddly.

"They said it's good for the baby." AJ defended. "Do you want to hold him?"

"No." Punk said quickly. "I don't want to drop him or anything."

"You're his godfather you have to hold him." Jason insisted.

"Come on Uncle Punk." Kate added. "Hold your nephew."

"Yea Phil." AJ said passing the baby over to him. "See? You're a natural."

"I've never held a baby in my life." Punk admitted.

"Last baby I held was AJ." Jason smirked nudging AJ's shoulder with his own.

"Isn't he the sweetest?" AJ asked looking down at the baby.

"Yea he's pretty cool." Punk smirked looking at the baby.

"Makes you want one of your own?" AJ asked hopefully.

"He's not that cool." Punk responded quickly causing the room to laugh.

"Ok it's my turn." AJ said holding her arms out and he tried not to laugh at her.

"You just held him for like five minutes I've held him for five seconds." Punk said to her. "No you can't hog our godchild."

"I should have just let you drop me off." She pouted sitting in the chair next to Kate's bed. "How are you feeling?"

"Exhausted." Kate admitted. "But it was worth it."

"Yes he was." AJ agreed.

"Don't worry about who gets to hold him because Kate and I are banking on you two baby-sitting DJ." Jason warned them. "So there will be plenty of time to hold him."

"Plenty?" Punk asked him and Jason nodded.

"Yea DJ is going to be spending a lot of time with his Uncle Punk and Aunt AJ. Every time mom and dad need a break." Jason told Punk.

"He could spend weekends with us!" AJ suggested happily and Punk's face dropped.

"Not every weekend." Punk smiled nervously. "Like a weekend a month."

"Every weekend." AJ said to Punk. "Until you give me one of my own."

"I hate you." Punk said to Jason who laughed. "I think he wants his mom." he said as DJ began to getting a little squirmy and he passed him off to Kate. "We should get going." he said looking at AJ who nodded in agreement.

"I'll be back tomorrow." AJ told them.

"Good. Can you bring me coffee? It's been too long." Kate begged.

"I'll get you a gallon of coffee." AJ promised. "Congratulations again." She said hugging Jason.

"Congrats to you too Aunt AJ." Jason smiled.

Punk took AJ's hand and lead her out of the hospital room.

"Do we have to wait for marriage before a baby?" She asked him.

"Yes." He said as they walked the halls together.

"I really want one." she said to him.

"You want one now because you just saw one." He chuckled pushing the button for the elevator. "Don't worry in a few weeks when you're changing him and he's crying you'll be more willing to wait."

"I don't know about that." AJ said giving it thought.

"No baby yet." he said to her as the doors opened to an empty elevator and they stepped on together.

"But we will have babies as soon as we get married?" She asked him.

"Sure." He laughed tiredly.

"Three like you promised?" She asked him and he nodded. "And you won't change your mind?"

"Trust me, I want to have a life with you and make children with you." Punk said to her. "It's all going to happen I just need you to be patient and trust me."

"You know I trust you." She said leaning against his arm and looking up at him.

"Good. Can you be patient?" he asked her.

"I can try really hard." she said honestly and he narrowed his eyes at her. "That's the best I can do Phil." She said almost sadly.

"That's all I ask for." He said kissing the top of her head as the elevator doors opened on the ground floor.