Tame

Chapter Twelve

"Ow," Punk groans as I help lower him onto his bed.
We landed in Chicago about an hour ago after the doctor said it would be best if he rested for the next few weeks. That means no championship match at the TLC pay-per-view in two weeks. I know Ryback can't be happy about this.
"Sorry," I mumble.
"No, that's okay," Punk assures. "Thanks, Munchkin. Can I call you that again?"
"I don't care anymore," I grumble.
"Hey." Punk grabs my wrist as I start to walk away. "What's wrong?"
"What happened out there?" I ask.
"What are you talking about?" Punk questions.
"On Miz TV," I say. "Why was it taking you so long to answer Miz's question about Maddox and The Shield?"
Punk runs his hands over his face. "I-"
"Are they working for you?" I interrupt. "Are they the reason you still have that title?"
"No," Punk says forcefully. "I still have that," he points to the belt on the night stand, "because of me."
"And why should I believe you?" I ask.
"Because I'm your best friend and I would never lie to you."
"I thought you were my best friend," I state. "But now I'm starting to question it. Now, I'm about to ask you a question and I expect a straight answer. Why have Maddox and The Shield been helping you?"
"It's just a coincidence," Punk says.
"There's too much consistency for it to be a coincidence, Phillip!"
Everything goes still. I never call Punk by his real name unless I'm really angry at him and that's only happened once since I've known him.
"Sit down," Punk tells me gently. He doesn't want to set me off. "Come here."
I do and he wraps me in his arms. "I really don't know why they're here, Munchkin. I really wish I had an answer for you, but I don't. Now, why don't I order some food for us-"
"What you need to do," I tell him, leaning away, "is tell me what's going on. Because I know you know, Phillip, but for some reason you're not telling me and that's not okay. If we're best friends like you say we are, like I believe we are, then you need to start telling the truth. I'm tired of being the idiot here. I'm tired of people saying that you have me wrapped around your finger, or that you have me under your thumb. Tell me what's going on."
Punk looks me in the eye and I sit up straight, waiting to hear the truth, but he just shrugs. "I don't know why those dudes are here."
I scoff, shaking my head. "Okay," I mutter. I slap my thighs. "Well that's my cue to leave."
"Munchkin, wait," Punk protests. "Please don't leave."
Ignoring him, I grab my things. "I have a flight to catch," I tell him. I stop in his bedroom doorway and turn around. "I should've listened to AJ when she was talking about you, but for some reason I didn't think you were the man she and everyone else was making you out to be."
"Munchkin," Punk sighs. "Please. You have to believe me."
"I can kind of see why the Maddox incident is a coincidence," I push on, ignoring him, "but there's no way you can't be paying The Shield for saving your ass. And the fact that they 'coincidently' came to the rescue right before you answered Miz's question....there's no way you don't have anything to do with this."

"So, what did Asshole say?" AJ asks 20 minutes later as I'm waiting for my plane at the airport. "Did he spill the beans?"
"Nope," I sigh, rolling my eyes. "Still in denial. I don't know why he refuses to tell the truth. Everyone knows he's paying them."
"Yeah," AJ agrees. "But I guess he's still trying to save face. I mean, there's no concrete proof that he's involved with them so that means that he can't be severely punished by Vince."
"Do you think we can go to Vince and tell him about seeing Phil and them at the diner?" I ask her.
"No," AJ says sadly. "That can be argued as a coincidence."
I groan. "Everything's a coincidence," I mumble angrily. "Why is that?"
I can imagine AJ shrugging. "I wish I could tell you, Ad."
I roll my eyes. "It's whatever I guess," I mutter. "We're just going to have to see where this goes."
"Yeah."
They call my plane over the PA system. "I gotta go," I tell AJ. "My plane's here."
"All right. I'll see you in South Carolina."
"See ya," I say before hanging up.

The elevator spits me out on the third floor of the Embassy Suites in North Charleston. AJ got us a room on this floor in #371. As I'm walking down the hall, a hotel door opens up ahead and Dean walks out, giving me a grin. It's like he was waiting for me.
I sigh. "What do you want, Dean?" I ask angrily.
"Did you like seeing your friends get destroyed last night?" he taunts.
I pull a hand through my hair. "I'm not in the mood for your crap, Dean," I say in a low, tired voice. I can feel myself tearing up a little, I was so sick of this game. "You beat up my friends, good for you. But that doesn't change anything nor will it ever. I just want to get some sleep."
I shoulder past him to my room. Spinning me around, he grabs my arms and starts shaking me. "Why are you doing this to me, Ada? Huh?" Dean pushes hair out of my face. "Why are you doing this to me, baby?"
"Get off of me, creep," I say, pushing him off.
Dean chuckles. "You liked it when I was on you before."
Fuming, I contemplate on whether to hit him or not and how hard. "I don't have time for this, okay? I'm tired, I'm tense, my feet are hurting-"
"I can give you a massage," Dean offers, bouncing his eyebrows. "I'm known for giving the best especially to pretty girls."
I laugh ironically. "I bet you do," I reply sarcastically. "But I'm not interested. Goodnight, Dean."
"Baby-"
"Hey!" Our heads snap in the direction of AJ's voice. She's standing just outside our open hotel door with her hands on her hips. She's in her batman pajama bottoms and tank top, and by the way her hair's out of place, she just woke up. She shakes her head. "She said she's not interested in your creepy ass."
Keeping the door open by the swing lock, she walks over to us. "And I'd appreciate it if you'd leave my friend alone. She doesn't like you, dude. Pursuing her like this is making you desperate and very pathetic in my eyes."
Dean looks down at me, raising his eyebrows. "She's something," he mouths.
"I'm sorry, what did you say about me?" AJ questions, planting herself between Dean and I. I'm able to breathe.
Dean chuckles, but I guess the look AJ's giving off makes him stop. He rolls his eyes. "Nothing."
"Uh-huh, thought so." AJ turns around and grabs my hand. "Come on, Ad." She starts tugging me towards the room and we're almost inside before she calls out, "Have fun jerking off tonight, perv."
Gasping, I push her inside and slam the door closed. "Are you crazy?" I ask her. "I can't believe you said that."
"Thanks," AJ replies, grinning. "I do what I can."
I shake my head at her.
"How long has that dude been messing with you?"
I roll my eyes, sighing. "Ever since we saw them at Big Al's," I answer. "It's gotten out of hand."
"Obviously, if he's staying up past two in the morning to pick at you," AJ says. "Want me to get him for you. I can bite him."
I laugh. "I know you can," I agree. "But don't do anything especially right now. Let's just get some sleep."
Changing into my superman pajama bottoms and tank, I climb into the second bed and tell AJ goodnight before drifting off to a dreamless sleep.