Chicken

Four months later, AJ was working the day shifts since she started school back up again and was loving it. She felt much safer and enjoyed the earlier crowd as opposed to the evening crowd. She was thriving in her classes and working with campus activists and reaching out to other assault victims. There was no better feeling then helping others and AJ was now considering a career change into counseling. Punk was working like crazy at the shop since Jason was really there only part-time since he had been helping out with DJ at home but he didn't mind. He knew one day Jason would repay the favor. The shop business was again booming and they were even doing a small remodel to upgrade the shop since they had higher end clients coming in.

"What else can I get you Jack?" AJ asked her favorite patron, a sixty-five year old man who came in every day for lunch, watched whatever was on ESPN and ordered a burger and soda.

"Nothing today AJ I'm watching what I eat." He smirked slapping his beer gut. "How's school going kid?"

"Busy." AJ admitted. "Finals are coming up and I took on an extra class a few weeks ago."

"It'll pay off in the long run." Jack assured her. "You don't want to end up busting tables here for the rest of your life do you?"

"No I don't." AJ admitted. "Even though it's not so bad. Everyone is great here."

"You mean me." He smirked finishing off his soda and throwing a twenty on the counter.

"You already paid." AJ said passing him back his money.

"Buy yourself a school book with that or something." Jack said to her as he put on his jacket. "Or treat yourself to dinner."

"Thanks Jack." She smiled slipping the bill into her apron pocket. "I'll see you tomorrow?"

"Yea honey." Jack assured her and gave her and the owner a wave as he left.

"He tips you well." The owner noted.

"He's basically putting me through school." AJ smirked. "Is that weird?" she asked thinking about.

"Not everyone is Daren Daniels." The owner reminded her sternly. "Jack has been coming in here for years now. He's lived here his whole life."

"So did Daren." AJ pointed out nervously.

"I wouldn't worry about it." The owner assured her. "He does seem to like you though."

"Should I tell Phil?" AJ asked him.

"Is he going to come in here and and beat him up like he did a few weeks ago when one of the customers slipped you there phone number every night?" The owner asked teasingly.

"I didn't even tell him about that he found those numbers in my apron." AJ defended.

"He goes through your pockets?" The owner, named Chase asked with a laugh.

"No he does my laundry sometimes." AJ shrugged innocently.

"You don't even do your own laundry?" The owner laughed loudly.

"I used to take it around the corner to get done professionally because I've never done it before but Phil says that's a waste of money." AJ told him honestly. "So he does it and he promised he'll teach me."

"You need to marry that man." Chase laughed. "He does your laundry, walks you home every day, puts a smile on your face- what are you waiting for?"

"Him." AJ groaned sitting in an empty chair at the bar. "He told me months ago to be patient but I'm getting impatient." she admitted without shame. "He's so focused on making more money and getting us out of that building that's he's forgetting to propose." she told him dramatically.

"So your boyfriend isn't jumping up to propose yet because he's saving money to secure a good future and life for the two of you?" Chase asked her and she nodded. "What a jerk." He teased. "You know what? I'd kill to have Phil date my daughter. Lesley brought him some guy and I swear she picked him out of an episode of Criminal Minds. Phil is a bright guy he's doing what's best for you."

"But can't he just propose and then save money?" AJ asked Chase.

"Let him do it his way don't annoy the guy." Chase warned her then smiled to himself. "On second thought annoy him so much he dumps you then I can introduce him to Lesley."

"Jerk." AJ muttered under her breath.

When AJ got off work she walked right over to the shop. When she worked the day shift she managed to convince Punk not to pick her up, the night was not an option since Daren. Punk would show up half an hour early and sit at the bar sipping on water until she was done. AJ didn't mind it though, she felt good when Punk was at her side.

"Honey, I'm home." AJ greeted cheerfully as she stepped into the shop.

"Yes you are." Mike grinned looking over to her earning a slap upside his head from Maria who was eating lunch with him.

"Hey." Punk greeted cleaning his hands off quickly and giving her a quick kiss. "I can't even talk for long I have to get these cars done."

"Ok you can just listen." She shrugged and he had to laugh under his breath. "I'll save you the time and tell you work was good, no one jumped me in an alley-" Punk glared at her for that remark. "But I did want to bring something up that I found weird."

"What's that?" Punk asked as he stuck his head under the hood of a car.

"So I have this regular customer and he comes in for the lunch shift everyday and requests me as his waitress." she began and Punk eyed her unamused.

"Does he now?" Punk asked as he continued to work on the car.

"He tips me twenty bucks a day, that's a lot isn't it?" AJ asked him.

"Do you bend over him?" Maria asked from across the room and AJ rolled her eyes at him.

"Twenty bucks a day?" Punk asked. "That's a lot."

"Isn't it? Do you think it's weird? Or am I over reacting?" she asked nervously.

"I'll go in and talk to him." Punk shrugged.

"Not every guy on the planet wants to bone you AJ." Maria noted as she munched on her sandwich. "Some men are just nice to be nice."

"No men are nice when they want ass." Mike corrected.

"That's simply not true." Maria defended. "If you tell her stuff like that she's going to think every man who is nice to her wants to get in her pants."

"They probably do." Mike said to her. "Why do you think I'm so mean to her?"

"It's no way to live AJ. I get you're still screwed up from what happened but sometimes people are just nice." Maria informed her.

"Not out here they aren't." Punk said picking his head up. "When are you working again?"

"Tomorrow." She told him.

"I'll stop by and meet him." Punk told her and she smiled gratefully.

"Thanks." She said kissing his cheek. "I'm going to cook dinner tonight by the way."

"Oh babe I don't think I'm going to get upstairs until real late." He said to her.

"No biggie." She said brushing it off. "I'll bring it down to you."

"That would be awesome." He said to her. "I didn't get to walk Larry either."

"I'll do it." She said walking up the stairs.

"Are you going to treat her like a baby forever?" Maria asked him.

"Are you going to mind your own fucking business ever?" Punk asked back.

"She can't be afraid of every single man that looks at her or pays her attention. I hate to admit it but she's pretty and men will look at her. Not all of them are going to assault her." Maria insisted.

"It's for my piece of mind too." Punk told her and Mike quietly. "I need to know she's ok. And if that means I have to go and meet every single man that interacts with her I will."

"Dramatic." Maria snorted.

"Leave him alone he's about to propose to the girl and just wants to-" Mike began but stopped when Punk glared at him.
"That was secret wasn't it?"

"Yea it fucking was." Punk snapped slamming the hood of the car he was working on down.

"You're proposing?" Maria asked surprised.

"I am." Punk said to her. "Got the ring. Just need to call her step-father first."

"You're calling her dad?" Maria laughed. "You didn't even do that for me."

"I'm not looking to repeat mistakes here." Punk said to her. "And don't tell her." he warned her. "I've been sitting on this ring for weeks now waiting for the perfect opportunity."

"I won't say a word." Maria said almost childishly. "Can't believe you think I'd ruin such a big moment for you. Can I at least see the ring?"

"No you can't because it's at Jason's place." Punk told her.

"Why?" Mike asked.

"AJ snoops and she's been looking for this ring for two months now." Punk informed them. "All I need is to walk upstairs
and find her wearing it before I even had the chance to ask her."

"When are you calling Hugh?" Maria asked.

"I wanted to do it tonight but I don't know if I'll have time." Punk said thinking about it. "I'm actually paranoid he's going to tell me no."

"Dude, I don't think she gives a shit what her parents say about it." Mike laughed.

"Yea I mean AJ is a big baby at least with you but she doesn't seem to care what her parents think." Maria agreed.

"I care." Punk said to them. "Family is important to AJ and whether she wants to admit it or not she wants their blessing."

"What if Hugh says no?" Mike asked.

"I'll ask anyway obviously but I don't want to think about that." Punk said to him.

"I thought you were waiting for her to graduate?" Maria asked.

"I was but now she's thinking about changing her major and I don't want that long. I'm making good money to provide for the two of us right now so that'll have to do." Punk said to her.

"Are you using the same ring you proposed to me with?" Maria asked and Punk smirked.

"No I traded that in last year." Punk smirked and Maria rolled her eyes.

"Are you ever going to propose?" Maria asked Mike.

"I have to get back to work." Mike said quickly pecking Maria's cheek. "I'll call you later, ok?"

"Jerk." Maria mumbled.

The next day Punk made sure to stop by the Penny to see AJ during her lunch shift. He peered inside the window first and watched how AJ laughed with the customers and floated around. It was almost an illness because he could just watch her forever. She was going to be his partner in life soon. Which meant he had to bite the bullet and call her mother and Hugh but the fear of being told he simply wasn't good enough weighed on him heavily. He was still traumatized after Maria rejected him for not 'being good enough'. Deep down he knew he wasn't but he was working his ass off to be.

"Why are you peering through the window like a creep?" AJ asked stepping outside.

"Sorry." He smirked. "You looked busy."

"I'm not." She shrugged walking to him and bent his down down to kiss her lips. "I put in a plate of food for you."

"You didn't have to." He said to her.

"But I did." She smirked grabbing his hand and dragging him inside.

"Which one is the guy who tips you a lot?" Punk asked her quietly.

"He's over there." She said pointing to the end of the bar. "Can you be nice?"

"I'm always nice." Punk scoffed walking right to the end of the bar and sitting next to the man who had his head down as he ate and an old ratty cubs hat.

"Jack." AJ smiled catching the customers attention. "I want you to meet Phil." she introduced and Jack stuck his head up and looked to his left.

"We've met before." Jack smirked.

"You know each other?" AJ asked Punk who let out a sarcastic laugh.

"You can say that." Punk said amused as he looked at Jack. "She's a little young for you, no?"

"I was going to say the same thing to you." Jack laughed. "But no, come on now I didn't know she was your girlfriend."

"How do you two know each other?" AJ asked looking between the two confused.

"I'm heading out AJ, thanks." Jack said standing up and throwing some cash on the counter.

Punk followed the man out of the door with a twenty in his hand and grabbed his arm.

"She doesn't need your money." Punk said shoving it in his front pocket of his shirt.

"Don't be like that Phillip." Jack warned. "She's putting herself through school."

"I take care of her." Punk insisted.

"Do you?" Jack asked seriously. "Because I've been coming to the Penny every day for lunch for the last six years and I heard all about the night-shift waitress who was almost raped in the alley behind this place. You like to beat people up don't you Phillip?"

"It must be in my blood." Punk shot back.

"I still have a scar." He said pointing above his eye.

"Good." Punk said to him. "So do I." He said pulling his shirt up half way to see a faint white scar. "I have a lot more but that's why I have all of these tattoos now. I wanted them forgotten."

"Look Phillip-" Jack began.

"Punk." He corrected.

"Ridiculous. You're named after your grandfather." Jack reminded his son.

"Don't talk to AJ anymore." Punk told him. "Don't leave her big tips and stay out of her way."

"I like AJ." Jack said to him. "She always talks to me about you, you are not who was I expecting. Hard working, loving, loyal- none of that describes you."

"I work my ass off." Punk scoffed. "I don't want to end up alone like you."

"I'm married." Jack laughed. "I'm far from alone. You still at David's shit shop?"

"Yea I am and the shop is in excellent shape." Punk told him proudly. "AJ is also David's daughter."

"That's little April?" Jack asked surprised.

"Leave her alone. We don't want anything to do with you." Punk informed him coldly.

"I'm not going to stop coming here and I think AJ's a great girl, way too good for you." Jack smirked. "I'll see you around." he then walked off.

"Phil?" AJ asked stepping outside. "How do you know Jack?"

"He's nobody important." Punk said turning to look at her. "Still have that food for me?" he asked happily walking inside.

The next morning Punk was the first one in the shop working when Jason walked in.

"I really thought I'd beat you here." Jason smirked taking his sunglasses off.

"Look at those bags under yours eyes." Punk laughed. "Fatherhood." He snorted.

"You have bags under your eyes too." Jason shot back.

"That's from being up all night having sex with your sister." Punk retorted without missing a beat and Jason glared at him.
"You asked for it." he smirked.

"Wow there's a lot to do." Jason said looking at the work board.

"Yea." Punk yawned.

"So did you call Hugh yet?" Jason asked casually.

"No I'll do it this weekend." Punk said shrugging it off.

"If you don't want to propose to her you don't have to." Jason reminded him.

"Believe me I want." Punk said honestly.

"So why are you prolonging this Hugh thing?" Jason asked him seriously.

"Because I know he's going to say no so I'm just mentally preparing myself for the rejection." Punk told him.

"Why would he say no?" Jason scoffed. "He likes you."

"I let AJ down." Punk reminded Jason and he rolled his eyes.

"Let that shit go man." Jason said annoyed. "You didn't let her down. You can't hold her hand every minute of every day. There are some shitty people out there and it's not your job to shield her from everyone."

"It is my job." Punk defended. "Jack threw it in my face."

"Jack?" Jason questioned then it hit him. "Your dad?" He asked stunned.

"He's a regular at the Penny, he's been giving AJ big tips so I went down there to check him out to make sure he wasn't a psychopath and it turns out he was." Punk told him.

"No fucking way. Is that the first time you saw him since your fight?" Jason asked him.

"Nope." Punk said to him. "He's still an asshole though."

"Was he tipping AJ big because he knew you were dating her?" Jason asked.

"No he pities her since she's putting herself through school and was almost raped." Punk said to him. "That man never showed me an ounce of sympathy." \

"So it wasn't a happy reunion?" Jason questioned.

"Fuck no." Punk scoffed. "It wasn't long. I told him to stop kissing AJ's ass and that she didn't need his money."

"What a small world." Jason said in disbelief.

"Yet I never bump into Duncan Keith." Punk remarked sarcastically.

"Why would you listen to anything he has to say?" Jason asked seriously. "Stop being such a little bitch and propose already. Call Hugh and don't ask him, tell him you're going to propose. This pussy footing around isn't like you. Who gives a shit what people think. Do you love AJ?"

"Of course I do." Punk said to him.

"So stop dragging this out." Jason said to him. "Call Hugh and get this shit over with."

"Fine." Punk said to him. "I'll call him later."

"Good." Jason said to him. "So I'm best man right?"

"Who else would be?" Punk asked seriously.

"Just asking." Jason shrugged.

"That is if she says yes." Punk pointed out.

"The other day I went upstairs to clean up and she had a pillowcase over her hair practicing being a bride." Jason said to him and Punk let out a loud laugh.

"I keep dropping hints and it's really not fair." Punk admitted. "Sometimes when I'm picking something up from the floor I drop to one knee. I did it at dinner a few weeks ago and she threw her drink on my lap." he laughed as did Jason.

"Cruel man." Jason still laughed.

"It keeps her on her toes." Punk shrugged.

"Just let me know when you want me to give you the ring." Jason said to him. "Kate keeps looking at it, I think she's jealous." he teased.

"It is a great ring." Punk had to admit. "Bring it by tomorrow." he told Jason.

"How are you going to do it?" Jason asked.

"No idea." Punk admitted. "How did you propose to Kate again?"

"Cubs game." Jason told him and Punk nodded.

"AJ would want something private, just the two of us." Punk said to him.

"I have an idea..." Jason began.

A/N: Thanks for all your awesome reviews! And yes my name has changed but same crazy stories ;)