Stress, Bake, Bath


"Mija, I picked these up today at that little boutique down the street." Nico said, taking two baby grows out of a bag and holding them up, standing in the kitchen of AJ and Punk's apartment.

"Oh, they're so cute." AJ smiled, wandering over and taking a closer look, "They're so tiny."

"Yes, but good for boys or girls." Nico nodded, happy with her purchase, "When you tell me the genders I can start buying more."

"You don't have to buy anything." AJ scoffed, "But I appreciate it."

"Of course I will buy lots. These are my grandbabies. And they'll be spoiled by their Abuela." Nico said as AJ smiled.

"You can't turn my kids into brats." AJ warned.

"Never." Nico said, "But it's my job to spoil them."

"If you say so." AJ smiled, humouring her aunt. She knew there was no telling her.

"You have some cake batter on your forehead." Nico pointed out as AJ wiped her head with her arm, standing in her pyjamas with her apron on, having spent most of her Sunday baking in her kitchen.

"Yeah, it's… pretty much everywhere." AJ realised, "I need a bigger oven."

"When I build you a house, you'll have the biggest oven possible." Punk spoke up, sitting over on the sofa with his laptop in front of him.

"And when are you building this house?" Nico asked, "And where?"

"It's all to be confirmed." Punk waved his hand.

"Right now, he's looking for a place for us to move into in the new year." AJ said, wandering back to her baking.

"Any luck?" Nico asked.

"We've put an offer in for a house." Punk said, "It's a little old. Not the best. But it's bigger and it's in the town."

"You've not heard anything?" Nico asked.

"No. But it's the weekend. The agent is probably out of office." Punk said, "You want to see the pictures?" He asked her.

"Yeah, show me." Nico said, walking over to the sofa and sitting down beside Punk who got the pictures of the house up.

"It's pretty much just around the corner." Punk explained, "We went and viewed it on Friday night."

"It's nice." Nico nodded as she looked at the pictures, "Good for children. What do you think, mija?" She asked AJ.

"I like it." AJ nodded, "But it needs a lot of work."

"Don't worry about that." Punk insisted.

"There's a hole in one of the stairs." AJ turned to him with a raised brow.

"Which I will fix." Punk assured her.

"I think it's lovely." Nico nodded, "Maybe you should take a break from the kitchen, April. You've been standing there all day."

"I'm trying new recipes." AJ insisted. Although, she knew in her heart she was baking in order to distract her mind from the recent happenings.

"I've already told her to take a break." Punk nodded to Nico.

"This is my happy place. Are you trying to ruin my happy place?" She turned around to them.

"No, sweetie. Of course not." Nico said, "But you've been on your feet all day."

"Which I'm capable of doing. These babies won't stop me. I'm working until my due date." She informed them both.

"You'll be very big." Nico pointed out.

"There's no use arguing with her." Punk told Nico who nodded in agreement.

"Hey, you two are not allowed to gang up on me." She pointed a wooden spoon to them both.

"We're not." Nico said, "We just want you to be comfortable."

"I am comfortable." AJ nodded, "I'm completely comfortable. I mean… why wouldn't I be? There's a police car sitting right outside my apartment building. I am so comfortable." She said, turning back to her bowl of cake batter and mixing it as Punk turned to Nico with concern.

"Maybe I'll turn in for the night. I fear you'll be getting sick of me hanging around you like a bad smell." Nico said, standing up from the sofa as AJ turned to her.

"What? No." AJ said, "No, I'm sorry." She sighed, "I'm just… I'm not feeling great. Clearly." She turned to the kitchen which looked as though a bomb had gone off. Several times.

"I know you're not, mija." Nico understood.

"I love that you're here." AJ assured her aunt, "I just feel a little on edge."

"I know." Nico nodded, taking AJ's hand in hers, "But remember, those who love you are right here. We're here for you. And you're safe." She said as AJ nodded, turning to Punk who gave her a soft smile.

The past few days, since going to the sheriff with her concern over Craig's connection to her rapist, had been difficult. There had been a heavy police presence on the town's streets, and she couldn't help feeling like she was being chaperoned and tiptoed around. They had yet to hear from Sheriff Peterson about the phone call he promised he'd make to New Jersey State Prison. But that wasn't surprising.

"Will you take some of my baking with you?" AJ asked, "I… don't think I'll have room here to store it." She admitted, looking at all the cookies, muffins and cakes she'd made from earlier in the day.

"Yes, I'll take some for me and Lyla." Nico nodded, grabbing her coat and putting it on whilst AJ wrapped some baked goods for her to take.

"Do you really like the house that we put an offer in for?" AJ asked her.

"I think it's beautiful." Nico nodded, "A home is where you make it. You'll make it a home together." She smiled, turning to Punk who smiled.

"It'll do until I build one." Punk nodded as AJ chuckled, smiling over to him as he winked at her playfully. He'd definitely been doing his best to keep her spirits high. It was difficult to see her so anxious and stressed, especially when he felt so helpless. Like he couldn't do or say anything to help her. All he could do was be there.

"Have you built a house before?" Nico asked curiously.

"Oh, yeah. Tons." Punk nodded to her as AJ rolled her eyes.

"Really?" Nico asked seriously as Punk just smirked, "Oh, you're a bad man. You better not build my baby a house that will fall down. Especially with the storms here." She said as AJ just chuckled. If there was one thing that was cheering her up over the past few days, it was definitely watching her aunt and boyfriend's relationship grow and blossom. They were turning into quite the comedic duo.

"I promise you. It'll be the sturdiest house in the whole world." Punk nodded.

"With a big oven." AJ added.

"With a huge oven." Punk agreed.

"I think I might try to bake bread tonight." AJ thought to herself, opening up some cupboards to see if she had the right ingredients.

"Good luck." Nico nodded to Punk before saying her goodbyes and leaving the apartment.

"I've only tried bread once and it was such a failure." AJ told Punk who had closed off his laptop and sat it on the coffee table.

"Why don't you try tomorrow? You've done more than enough today." He said, standing up from the sofa and making his way over to her in the kitchen.

"You think I'm crazy, don't you?" She figured.

"No. I think you're just trying to distract yourself. And I don't blame you." Punk said, "But you've been on your feet all day. You need to have some rest."

"Maybe." AJ said, crossing her arms and looking at the kitchen which was filled with mixing bowls and different sweet treats baked in every corner.

"Why don't I run you a bath?" He asked, "I'll load it up with bubbles and candles."

"You speak my language." AJ nodded, wrapping her arms around him and hugging into him tightly, "Do you think they'll accept the offer for the house?"

"We offered the asking price so… I don't see why not." Punk said, rubbing her back softly.

"Why hasn't the sheriff contacted us? It's been days." She huffed.

"He's maybe working on it. Maybe he's found something and he's checking it out before contacting us." Punk said.

"Or he's not even done anything yet." AJ said, "That's what I'm betting."

"If we don't hear anything from him within the next few days then we can pay him a visit." Punk nodded.

"Will you join me in the bath?" She looked up at him with a tempting grin.

"Yes." Punk nodded quickly as she chuckled, "You go run it and I'll clear up here."

"Really? It's such a mess." AJ groaned.

"I got it. Go get the bath on and put your feet up." He told her as she leaned up and kissed him softly.


"This is really nice." AJ said with a relaxed sigh, leaning against the end of the bathtub whilst Punk leaned against the opposite end. She didn't realise how much she needed something like this to soothe her body and relax her mind.

"How are you feeling? Pregnancy wise?" He asked her.

"Fine. A little tired sometimes. And my boobs hurt." She admitted.

"They're bigger." He nodded, looking at her breast's half covered with bubbles.

"Yeah, my aunt has already pointed that out." AJ said, "I'm not sure whether I want to breast feed." She admitted, "I think it'll be difficult with two."

"One boob for each." Punk shrugged as AJ chuckled.

"I'll basically be a cow." AJ nodded as Punk scoffed.

"No, you'll be feeding our kids. That's pretty incredible." He nodded, "But… it's about whatever you feel more comfortable doing."

"I'll think about it." AJ said, "I made the appointment for the next scan. Last week in December."

"Not long." Punk said, "Excited to find out the genders?"

"Yeah." AJ smiled, "Although I have a feeling there's one of each in there."

"You have a feeling?" Punk chuckled.

"Yeah. I don't know how to describe it." AJ said, "Just feel like I know it's a boy and a girl."

"Mother's intuition." Punk said.

"Maybe." AJ nodded, "I'd like to do a little get together in my café with our close friends. To tell them about us having twins and the genders. Maybe we could tie it in with a new year's eve celebration." She said.

"Yeah, that sounds good." Punk nodded.

"Although, it's hard to think about celebrating when all I can think about is… Craig. And what he wants. What Todd wants." She shook her head.

"Come here." He told her, tugging on her ankle under the water a little as she smiled, manoeuvring herself over to him on the other side where she straddled him, sitting on his hips, feeling his length twitch a little against her stomach.

"You're easier to set off than a firework." She scoffed as he chuckled and nodded.

"Yeah, you got that effect on me." He nodded, "I know its mind numbing for you to keep hearing this, but I promise, nothing is going to happen to you. Craig is not going to get anywhere near you. And as for that… lowlife in prison. He can't do anything. He can play all the mind games he wants but he's locked away. He's lonely. Probably getting beat on every day for what he did to you. Whilst you're here. In a town with people who love you. With great friends and a successful business. You're loved. He's definitely not." Punk said as she nodded.

"I know." She said, leaning her forehead against his, "Sometimes it's just hard to convince myself of that."

"I know. But that's why I'm here." He said, tucking a strand of her slightly wet hair behind her ear, "Whatever it is he's trying to accomplish, he's not going to succeed."

"Thank you. For being so patient and understanding. I know I'm not the best to be around right now." She said.

"You don't have to thank me for anything." He said, "I'll always be here for you. Always." He nodded as she smiled, leaning in and kissing him softly, cupping his cheeks with her wet hands whilst his hands caressed her waist under the water, feeling himself getting harder as their kiss went deeper.

"Put yourself inside me." AJ moaned against his mouth, nodding to him desperately and biting her lip as he sat forward a little, guiding himself inside of her as she sank down on his length, both of them moaning out with pleasure.

"Fuck." Punk moaned, "You feel so good." He murmured, leaning his head against her chest before leaning further down to take one of her sensitive nipples into his mouth.

"God." AJ moaned, leaning her head back as she moved up and down on his length, enjoying the feeling of him so full inside of her, hitting against her g-spot whilst stimulating her nipples, making her body come alive and tingle everywhere. There wasn't a part of her body he hadn't explored or knew how to work.

"We're gonna flood this place." Punk spoke into her ear whilst kissing her neck, having noticed some of the water flowing out of the tub and onto the floor.

"I don't care." AJ gasped as Punk chuckled, continuing to kiss her neck whilst she moved up and down on him, her breasts pressing against his chest as they held each other close.

"You're so beautiful." Punk said, cupping her cheeks and looking into her eyes, "Look at me whilst you come." He told her as she nodded, feeling that sweet release building up inside of her, reaching her hand down and stroking herself to bring it on.

"Fuck, that's it." She moaned, rolling her head back as Punk cupped her cheeks and brought her face back to his level.

"Look at me. Look at me whilst you come." He told her as she nodded, already feeling herself reach her release, looking him in the eye and moaning as she felt the pleasure wash over her, causing her body to shudder a little. She kept her eyes on him the whole time, although they slightly rolled back occasionally.

"You like watching me come?" She gasped, still feeling the pleasure pulse through her body, "You like watching what you do to me?" She said, leaning her forehead against his.

"It's one of my favourite things." Punk moaned, still thrusting up inside of her, seeking out his own release which didn't take long to conjure as AJ began kissing his neck and whispering sweet nothings into his ear.

"Now you look at me whilst you come." AJ moaned, tilting his head up to look at her as he groaned, feeling himself reach his climax, moaning out with every spurt he left inside of her.

AJ watched him with a smirk, enjoying his scrunched-up face of pleasure and relief, kissing the side of his mouth as he eventually leaned his head on her shoulder.

"Fuck, I love you." Punk gasped.

"Of course you love me right now." AJ laughed a little as he lifted his head and looked at her.

"I love you always." He assured her as she smiled, kissing him softly before looking over the edge of the tub.

"I think there's more water on the floor than in here now." She laughed a little as Punk smiled, pulling her down further into the water with him as she giggled.