[an] this is a birthday oneshot for the completely awesome Eva (eva505). Thank you for being such a wonderful friend. I'm really, really sorry this is so late. I do hope you enjoy the dean/aj fluff.
[Disclaimer] I do not own any superstar/diva mentioned in this oneshot. I only came up with the plot.

That's Why I Love You

December 5, 2014

The snow collected on the window sill – cushioning the glass from an icy gust of wind. It was extremely cold in Cincinnati for the beginning of December. The sun was just starting to set as the phone rang. The brunette dropped the multicolored strands of Cray paper and plucked the cordless phone off of the cradle, "Hello?"

"I've got it!" the triumphant voice of her best friend, Kaitlyn, rang over the phone.

AJ let out a sigh of relief, "You're an angel. I was afraid they would be closed."

"They were but I asked nicely," AJ could picture her friend's smirk, "and batted my eyelashes a bit."

AJ laughed, "Does it look nice? I want everything to be perfect."

"You really got it bad don't you?"

AJ smiled, thinking about her boyfriend of about a year. "Yea, I guess I do."

The woman on the other end of the phone laughed, "Well I guess he is good enough for you." She ignored AJ's indignant huff and continued, "Don't worry the cake is perfect."

"Good I'll see you when you get here," She ended the call and retrieved the red, blue, green, yellow and orange streamers from the floor. She then climbed the step stool and attempted to hang the decorations from the ceiling. She growled in frustration when she realized she was about 5 inches too short. She shuttered when the door opened and a gust of chilly wind blew inside.

"Need some help, shrimpette?" Seth Rollins stepped into the living room, carrying a large, brightly wrapped box.

"AJ gave him a dirty look, but hopped down off of the stool. "Please, gangly giant."

Seth smirked and took the streamers from her hand and hung them up.

"You know you did such a good job, you can hang up all of the decorations – I need to take care of the food." AJ trotted off toward the kitchen before Seth had the opportunity to object.

AJ pulled the snack food out of the oven and poured a bag of Chex mix into a big bowl. AJ had just draped the light blue table cloth over the table when Kaitlyn walked through the door, carrying a brightly decorated sheet cake. She was followed by Dean's other best friend, Roman Reigns, who was carrying two presents, mostly like one from himself and one from Kaitlyn.

"Hey," AJ smiled "Just the man I was hoping to see."

"She is just going to put you to work." Seth said, hanging a birthday sign form the ceiling. "Hey babe," He nodded to Kaitlyn.

AJ smacked Seth on the arm playfully. "Only for a minute," She smiled at Roman.

"I don't mind," he sat the other gifts down with Seth's.

"Can you help me move the table over there," AJ motioned to the back wall of the living room. "I've already moved the stands that were over there."

"Sure." Roman took one side of the table while AJ took the other. They moved the table against the wall. Kaitlyn sat the cake down on the center of the table then surrounded it with the presents.

The phone rang again and AJ motioned for her friends to keep quiet. She answered, "Hello?"

"Hey babe. I'm on my way home the interviews took a little longer than expected."

"How long will you be?"

"About fifteen minutes."

"Okay, I'll be waiting. Love you."

"Love you too, babe."

AJ ended the call, "fifteen minutes! I better get the fold out and the punch made!"

Kaitlyn laughed, "Don't worry. We'll get everything done."

"Yea AJ," Seth smiled and wrapped his arm around his girlfriend's shoulders. "Kait and I will help you."

"Well what am I chopped liver?"

"No, just useless." Seth smirked.

"Okay. I see how it is." Roman laughed.

"I really appreciate all of the help. Hopefully he likes everything."

"Girl you need to relax – everything is going to be perfect." Kaitlyn smiled.

"Yea he is going to love it."

AJ nodded, "Okay, can you guys finish the decorations while Kait helps with the food."

The boys nodded. Roman had picked up the staple gun and Seth had the tape when Kaitlyn ushered AJ to the kitchen.

"It's really sweet of you to do this for him."

"I just can't believe he has never had a birthday party. I hope he enjoys it."

"He will – trust me."

AJ nodded and the two girls collected the food and sat it up on the table. AJ then went back to the kitchen to make the punch while Kaitlyn helped the boys finish the decorations.

When Dean and AJ had begun dating he had not be secretive about his troubled childhood. He had always been a good student, losing himself in his work to escape the problems at home. It was only natural that Dean would go on to pursue a job that consumed the majority of his time. However, Dean always made time to spend with his girlfriend. So when he had told her that he had never had a birthday party as a child – she made it her mission to hold him a very special birthday bash. She invited his best friend Seth Rollins and his girlfriend – her own best friend – Kaitlyn. Then she had asked Dean's other best friend Roman, who had just returned to a nearby base after sometime overseas, to come. The two had not seen each other in some time. She hoped that would be another big surprise for him.

After pouring the green punch into the bowl with lemon lime soda she mixed in a big container of rainbow sherbert. Then she carried the bowl of punch out and sat it beside the stack of blue and green cups. AJ looked around at the decorations. Her friends were doing a wonderful job. She was just about to get the rest of the food out of the kitchen when the last few guests showed up. Cody Rhodes worked with Dean at the station, a beat cop who often helped Dean during difficult cases. He was followed by his girlfriend Kelly. AJ had only met Kelly once before, but she seemed like a nice enough girl and she was happy to see one more person there to help celebrate her boyfriend's birthday.

"Thanks so much for coming Cody, Kelly."

"We wouldn't miss it." Kelly smiled sweetly before helping Kaitlyn tack up a large birthday sign above the windows. Cody followed AJ into the kitchen to help her carry out the food.

"Thank you for letting Kelly come along."

"We're happy to have her. I'm sure Dean will be so happy to see you both."

Cody smiled and picked up a large tray of snack food and carried it out to the kitchen. AJ followed him carrying the bowl of Chex mix and a bowl of assorted candies.

Kaitlyn, Seth, Roman and Kelly had scattered various colored balloons around the room and placed bouquets of birthday balloons on either side of the cake. "You guys did amazing. Thank you so much." AJ smiled gratefully. "We better hit the lights and hide. He should be home any moment. "

AJ waited for her friends to find hiding places before turning off the lights and crouching down behind the chair below the light switch. They had to wait about three minutes before Dean's car pulled into the drive way.

Dean cut the engine and got out of the car. He looked up at the house. It was strange for the living room lights to be off. AJ rarely turned off the lights when she was home alone – paranoid that someone would break in and she would have to use the little handgun hidden in the nightstand beside their bed. He looked up at the bedroom window and noticed that it was on. Deciding that she must have locked herself up in the bedroom with her x-box, he made his way up the front steps. He unlocked the front door and stepped inside. The hallway was completely dark and he felt around for the light switch on the wall. He was just about to flip the switch when the lights turned on.

"SURPRISE!"

Dean jumped. He stared at the crowd of people and the brightly decorated room, shocked.

"Happy Birthday!" They chorused.

Once the initial shock wore off, Dean smiled. "Wow, you guys really did all this for me."

"Not us, your girlfriend." Seth motioned to AJ who was watching Dean, a pleased expression on her face.

"I couldn't do it without you guys. I'd still be trying to get everything done." AJ replied.

"You didn't have to do all of this." Dean looked around at the various colorful decorations and banners. He walked over to the table and grabbed a scoop of Chex mix and popped it into his mouth. He looked at the sheet cake, decorated with green and blue balloons. "Thank you so much," he looked at his friends and his girlfriend.

Dean's eyes fell on a certain person at the back of the group and he smiled. He went over and hugged his friend Roman. "When did you get home?" The last time he had spoken to him, he had been overseas.

"Just got home this week. When AJ called and told me about the surprise party we decided it would be best to wait and tell you I was back. You know more surprises." Roman smirked.

"Well aren't you too clever." Dean smiled at his girlfriend. "I don't know about you guys, but I'm starving and this food looks fantastic. I think we should eat."

Roman nodded and they all crowded around the table, piling their plates with the various snack foods that AJ had made.

After three movies, opening gifts, half of a cake, and two rounds of balloon volleyball, it was getting late. Cody and Kelly had already called it a night, seeing Kelly had to be up early for work the next morning. Kaitlyn was half asleep on Seth's arm as the third and final movie came to an end. Roman checked his watch. "I hate to do it because this had been a blast, but It's two thirty and I have to be up by six to get ready for work. I think it's about time I called it a night."

Dean nodded his understanding. "Thank you so much for coming. I'm glad you're home." He got up and gave his friend a quick hug. "You better come back and visit."

"I'll be around for some more of AJ's awesome cooking, you know that." Roman smiled as he grabbed his jacket off of the banister. "I'll talk to you later."

"I think we better head out too." Seth said, helping a groggy Kaitlyn to her feet. "I don't think Kait can last through another movie."

AJ smiled and hugged them, "Thanks for all of your help."

"Anytime." Seth gave his friend a hug, "Happy birthday, bro."

"Thanks. Bye Kait."

"Happy Birthday," Kaitlyn mumbled and followed Seth out the door. Once he had closed the door, Dean chuckled.

AJ smiled and returned to the couch, folding her legs underneath her. "Did you have a good night, baby?"

"It was great." He sat down beside her and wrapped his arm around her shoulders. "I never would have guessed you were going to throw me a party."

"That's why it is called a surprise party." AJ replied sarcastically.

Dean grunted, "And it's not my actual birthday."

"I know, but if I had done it on your birthday you would have been suspicious… also part of throwing a good surprise party."

"That's okay. I'd like to have a quiet night with you for my actual birthday."

"Don't you have to work?"

"Took it off." Dean shrugged his shoulders and picked up his bottle of beer off the coffee table. He took a drink and smiled. "Figured it would be nice to have a day to ourselves."

"Do you want to go out – or do you want me to make you something?"

"I think just a nice night in would be perfect babe. You've done so much already. We can just order a pizza."

AJ scoffed, "Making your favorite it is."

"You're impossible." Dean said with a laugh.

"But that's why you love me." AJ smiled, leaning against his chest.

"That's why I love you." Dean agreed.

[an] okay, just a cutesy little oneshot. I really hope you enjoyed it, Eva. I was really excited when you picked this couple because they are my favorite. : ) Happy Belated Birthday, hon. - Danie.

[Everyone else] Hope you all enjoyed this little oneshot. Hope to see you around next time =)