A/N: Hello! New story! I know there aren't many AJPunk readers out there anymore but I still love writing and will continue to do so. This one is going to be AU and rated M for the obvious reasons, so enjoy!
Disclaimer:I also own nothing. I won't even take responsibility for the creeps I create ;)
Summary: AJ moved to Chicago to get to know her estranged father and brother but finds so much more. The princess from New Jersey will be living a completely different life all the while saving Punks and turning his upside down.
Home is where the heart is
AJ arrived in Chicago on a rainy night. She refused to take a plane so taking the bus was the only way there since she wouldn't drive all the way from New Jersey. She wasn't familiar with Chicago but visited once in a while for family occasions and when she was younger she spent the summers with her dad here but as she got older she stayed home in New Jersey with her mom and step-father.
Once she had gotten the call from her brother that their dad wasn't doing so well she knew it was time to come home. It's not that she hated her father, he was a hard working man and always called every holiday and offered to fly her out constantly but for the most part her father was a stranger to her, even her brother for that matter.
AJ was a product of a one night stand. Her mother and her father were basically strangers but when her mother was 24 she came to Chicago with friends for a concert and met her father where they had a one night stand. They had mutual friends so 'complete strangers' was a bit of stretch but they had never spoken before that night and barely again after it. Her father David was heartbroken when Pricella made it clear she was staying in New Jersey to have her daughter and he could be as involved as he wanted. He would have picked up and started over in New Jersey if it weren't for his older son Jason from a previous relationship. Jason's mother had passed away so David was all he had and he was already seven by the time AJ was born and didn't want to uproot him to a different state.
AJ's step-father was a nice man as well, Hugh was very well off and provided a luxurious life for AJ and her mother, vastly different then the life she would have had if she had lived with David in Chicago who ran his own mechanic shop. She did enjoy spending time with her father and her brother but she realized as she arrived tonight she hadn't seen either of them in close to five years. She was excited for a change of scenery, going from mansion in New Jersey to staying with her brother and father who lived upstairs from their shop in a rundown apartment building.
"What time is she getting here?" David asked from the office as Jason and his best friend since the day he was born worked on a car.
"I think she said her bus would be getting in around five." Jason said as Punk slid under the car. "Stop trying to sneak out and get her she said she'd get here just fine you should be upstairs resting."
"Shut up." David huffed and Punk laughed from under the car.
"Stubborn old bastard." Punk chuckled.
"Cancer hasn't slowed him down one bit." Jason had to agree. "I just hope April doesn't break his heart."
"She agreed to come out here and help with him." Punk pointed out. "I'm sure she has good intentions. She's not a monster."
"I know but I don't know her." Jason reminded him. "Calling her on the phone was awkward. I haven't seen her in years."
"She's still your sister." Punk reminded him. "She's a little quiet, a tad snobby but for the most part she seems genuine."
"She's a bookworm." Jason said to him. "I don't know where got that from."
"Maybe her mother." Punk teased.
"Pricella isn't a bookworm." Jason scoffed. "She didn't go to college or anything. She had April and met Hugh. She didn't even give my dad a chance."
"I thought you liked Pricella." Punk said sticking his head out of the car.
"She is very nice." Jason had to admit. "I just feel like my dad missed out on a lot with April because of her but I guess it's because of me."
"Your dad is going to get plenty of time with her now." Punk pointed out sliding back under the car.
"What time is it?" David shouted from the office.
"5:15!" Jason shouted back. "She's not here yet."
"Well something must have happened." David said putting on his jacket and grabbing his keys.
"It's pouring out you're not driving to the bus station." Jason argued as Punk laughed under the car.
"We should have gotten her ourselves. A pretty young woman like April shouldn't be at bus stations alone." David scolded and Jason rolled his eyes.
"How do you even know what she looks like?" Jason scoffed grabbing his jacket. "I'll drive."
"I can drive myself." David said shooing him away.
"Relax old man." Jason laughed. "You got this Punk?" he asked him.
"Don't burn my place to the ground." David teasingly warned Punk as he and Jason walked out of the shop.
Punk was still under the car when he heard the door open.
"We're closed!" Punk shouted not moving from what he was doing.
"Hello?" a sweet voice asked skeptically.
Punk slid out from under the car and was right at the drenched young woman's feet. He slowly looked up and saw who he thought was April but if it was her she had truly grown up from the last time he had seen her.
"April." He said surprised shooting up and grabbing a rag to clean off his hands that was were covered in oil.
"AJ." She corrected putting on a smile. "I remember you, you're Jason's friend Phil."
"Punk." He corrected this time.
"Right." She said tucking her wet hair behind her ear.
"Your dad and brother just went to look for you." Punk said to her and she frowned.
"My phone is dead or I would have called." She told him.
"It's fine I'll text Jason." Punk offered reaching into his pocket but he kept peering at AJ. "That's all you bought?" he asked nodding towards her one suitcase.
"Yea anything else I need I can just pick up here." She shrugged.
"So you're planning on sticking around?" he asked curiously for David's benefit. David had taken Punk in when he was fifteen and he considered him to be more of a father then his own ever was.
"I want to help my dad and I'm not putting a time stamp on that." AJ said to him softly. "The shop looks exactly the same." AJ smirked looking around the dark dingy but yet comfortable mechanic shop. When she would visit her dad would let her fix the cars and let her play in them. She had good memories here.
"Yea except David tried cleaning up for you." Punk smirked putting his phone back in his pocket.
"He shouldn't have gone through that trouble." AJ said to him then got a good look at him. "You look different. I wouldn't have recognized you if it wasn't for the knuckle tattoos."
The last time she saw Punk was the last time she visited after graduation. He had long blonde hair and only a few tattoos but she could tell from the way his t-shirt was cut that he now had tattoos on his chest and his hair was short and slicked back.
"You look different too. I mean you didn't get any taller." He teased. "But you seem more mature."
"Was a total immature brat last time I was here?" She asked with a laugh.
"No not at all." He said to her. "You just don't look like a kid anymore that's all."
"How's my dad been doing?" AJ asked walking around the shop slowly.
"He's stubborn but the treatments are catching up with him whether he wants to admit it or not." Punk told her and she shook her head.
"I didn't realize it was getting so bad." She admitted.
"He's not going to show it." Punk warned her. "He's going to pretend he's fine."
"Yea." AJ nodded slowly.
"Jason said they're on their way back." Punk told her. "Want me to show you upstairs?"
"I could use a towel to dry off." She laughed.
Punk just grabbed her suitcase for her and lead her up the stairs which lead to a door that lead to a long hallway for the apartment building.
"I live across the hall." Punk told her pointing at the door. "If you need anything you can just come over and ask, Jason lives a few more doors down."
"I remember." AJ said as Punk simply opened her fathers door. It was exactly how she remembered his apartment being. It was covered in Blackhawks and Cubs memorabilia and photos of her and Jason. The furniture was the same since she was a little kid but she frowned when she saw all the medicine bottles on the kitchen counter. He was sicker than she originally thought.
"I think he's giving you his room." Punk said to her and she shook her head.
"No way." She said taking her suitcase and placing it on the couch. "The couch is good for me."
"It doesn't even pull out anymore." Punk argued.
"I can sleep on a couch." She smiled. "My sick father isn't going to that's for sure."
"Do I have to remind you of how stubborn he is?" Punk asked amused.
"I'm pretty stubborn myself." AJ told him proudly. "I might just get a place out here myself depending on how long I stay but I don't want to go too far."
"Well you should get a place in the building because this isn't a good neighborhood for a young woman to live by herself in." Punk warned her.
"I want to be close and if there's nothing in the building then it will be on the block. I am more than capable of taking care of myself." AJ told him and watched as he walked into the bathroom and handed her a towel. "Thank you." She said drying herself off and Punk couldn't keep his eyes off of her.
"April!" David grinned walking into the apartment and her face lit up with genuine excitement and she ran into her fathers arms and hugged him. "I've missed you so much sweetheart."
"I've missed you too." AJ said holding back tears. She never wanted to go this long without seeing her father again.
"Hey little sister." Jason greeted giving her a hug once David finally let her go.
"It's really good to see you." AJ said hugging Jason just as tightly. She felt like an only child for the most part and it was lonely. Seeing Jason reminded her she wasn't alone.
"When did you grow up?" Jason teased pulling away.
"Five years go by and you change I suppose." AJ shrugged.
"I see you've met Punk, again." David said to her.
"Yes." AJ said smiling back at him.
"Let's get you situated." David announced walking over to her suitcase.
"Do not touch that suitcase I'm taking the couch and do not argue with me." She warned him and David looked at Punk who just shrugged.
"I wouldn't feel right about that." David said to her. "I've set up the room for you, got you new sheets and everything."
"Well I hope you enjoy them." AJ told him happily. "So, what's for dinner?" she asked the three men who she had a feeling she would be spending a lot of time with.
After dinner and a shower AJ wandered down to the shop where Jason was still working away. She knew he had picked up a lot of slack once their father had gotten sick.
"Hey." AJ greeted with a shy smile.
"Hi." Jason smiled back stopping what he was doing.
"Don't stop on my account." AJ urged him but he shrugged and walked over to the counter and took a seat on it.
"I needed a break." Jason admitted.
"So, how have you been?" She asked nervously. It was pretty awkward since it had been so long but she wanted to get to know her brother again.
"Good." Jason said unable to hide his smile and AJ caught on.
"Seems like it's really good." AJ smirked.
"I'm getting married." Jason told her and AJ's mouth dropped in shock.
"That's great!" AJ cheered. "Congratulations!"
"Thanks." Jason smiled. "She's a great girl she wants to meet you but I told her to let you in settle first."
"I want to meet her right away." AJ told him enthusiastically. "What's her name?"
"Kate." Jason told her and she nodded along.
"You seem so much happier I was wondering what was going on." AJ teased.
"Well the last time you saw me I was in my angst emo years." Jason smirked.
"So, when is the wedding?" AJ asked him.
"We're waiting to see how dad is doing." Jason told her. "We want him at the wedding so if we have to speed it up we will."
"He seems ok." AJ shrugged. "I mean he seems exactly the same only more tired."
"It's catching up with him." Jason told her. "He keeps losing weight, his body isn't responding to the treatment and he's thinking about stopping it all together."
"He can't." AJ argued shaking her head.
"He's tired of fighting." Jason told her. "He just wants to be happy with whatever time he has left and you coming here has made him very happy."
"I hope so." She said to him. "I really hate that it took this to get me back here."
"You have your own life and he understands that." Jason assured her. "Speaking of, how's school? You graduated right?"
"I didn't." She admitted. "I took a term off and just never went back last year."
"It was your last year why would you do that?" Jason asked surprised. "You were so into school."
"I just had things going on." She shrugged. "None of it is important."
"It must have been important if you dropped out." Jason pointed out.
"I actually looked into taking some classes out here." AJ told him and he was taken back a bit.
"So you're really planning on sticking around?" Jason asked.
"I'd like to." she said to him. "I want to get my degree I just have to see if the local college out here will accept my credits first."
"Did something happen?" Jason asked curiously.
"I just kind of rebelled." She shrugged.
"I thought you were going to go to med-school like your step-father?" Jason asked.
"No that's what Hugh and my mother wanted me to do." AJ laughed shaking her head. "I faint at the sight of blood I wouldn't make a good doctor. I wanted to major in journalism."
"That's awesome." Jason said to her.
"I really missed having a brother." AJ admitted. "I'm not just here to help with dad but I really want to get to know you again."
"You've always had a brother." Jason replied quickly. "I've always only been a phone call away and you're stuck with me for life." He smirked making her feel better. "I'm glad you're here because I've missed you a lot. I should have reached out more to you."
"Don't be silly I could have done the same." She said to him.
"Maybe I could have talked some sense into you and kept you in college." Jason smirked.
"It was for the best. I didn't like what I was studying at the time." She told him. "I'll get it done."
"I hope so." Jason said seriously. "You're a smart girl I'd hate to see you throw away your future."
"I won't do that." She said to him. "But right now I want to focus on dad. I told him I'd take him to chemo tomorrow and I really want to speak to his doctors."
"I'll go with you guys." Jason offered.
"Don't be silly." AJ said brushing it off. "You've been doing this alone for so long now its about time I pick up some of the slack. Take Kate out or something." She suggested.
"I was thinking she'd come by tomorrow night and we'd have dinner. Dad is usually exhausted after treatment and sleeps the minute he gets in. We'll take you out and show you around."
"Well, I hope you plan on taking her to the Hawks game." Punk said walking down the stairs.
"It's a little early to force that on her." Jason laughed.
"I'll go to a Hawks game." AJ smiled wide. "I've been to so many Devils games-" she stopped when both looked at her oddly.
"You know you're a born Hawks fan." Jason reminded her.
"I know." She smiled, already feeling at home.
"But you should come along with us." Jason told Punk. "Me and Kate are going to show AJ around town."
"I'm in." Punk agreed without hesitation.
"I need to take this." Jason said looking at his ringing cellphone.
"Go ahead." AJ encouraged and Jason stepped outside with his phone.
"How's the first night?" Punk asked taking Jason's seat and opening a bag of chips that were laying on the table.
"It's nice. Feels like home actually." She said to him. "I just wish this was happening under better circumstances."
"Is the couch ok?" Punk asked her.
"Yes it's fine." She lied. The couch was awful but she was just happy to be back with her father and brother. "Can I have some?" she asked nodding towards the bag of chips.
"Nope." He said simply placing one into his mouth and looked at her as she laughed in shock. "This isn't New Jersey princess, junk food in this shop goes fast." he teased.
"Give me a chip." She demanded trying not to laugh.
"They're too good to share." he said seriously reaching for another but AJ snatched the bag from him and began to laugh as she stuck her hand inside the bag and took a handful out and he watched her in shock. "You're really used to getting whatever you want, aren't you?"
"I am." She admitted proudly. "Doesn't mean I'm spoiled."
"I think that's exactly what it means." Punk said to her. "So you're really here for the long haul? I just need to know if I have to start locking up my chips."
"I think am." She confirmed.
"Your mom is ok with that?" Punk asked. "Boyfriend?"
"My mom thinks it's a good thing to be with my dad right now and I don't have a boyfriend." She said to him and he just nodded casually and stuck his hand in the chip bag. "Don't eat them all." She warned him.
"They're my chips." he reminded her.
"Sorry about that." Jason said walking back in.
"It's ok I'm going to try to get some sleep. Night." She said.
"Goodnight." Jason said as Punk turned his head and watched her walk up the stairs. "Dude." he hissed at Punk.
"What?" Punk asked innocently.
"You were checking her out." Jason grumbled.
"I was not." Punk scoffed.
"Yea you were and you were doing it during dinner." Jason pointed out.
"She's hot." Punk pointed out and Jason cringed.
"She's my sister." Jason reminded him.
"I'm not going to make a move on her relax." Punk said to him.
"Why? Is my sister not good enough for you?" Jason asked defensively.
"She's hot." Punk repeated. "But she's your sister." he added. "I wouldn't do that to you."
"She's an adult and can do what she wants but stop undressing her with your eyes in front of me." Jason warned him. "Maybe AJ would be good for you actually. You've been slumming it since you and Maria broke up."
"We didn't break up for good." Punk reminded him coldly. Maria was the love of his life. They had been together since they were 15 when she out of the blue announced she needed space a few months ago. "She just needs space."
"Space? She's been shaking up with Curtis for weeks now." Jason said to him and Punk's eyes went cold. "You know this and you need to hear it. She's not coming back and even if she was why would you want her to? She can go out and have fun while you sit here heartbroken watching Lifetime movies every night?"
"I am not watching Lifetime movies!" Punk defended angrily.
"All I'm saying is that you should start going out again and having fun." Jason suggested.
"Maria and were each others firsts for everything and there is no way you can convince me it's truly over." Punk told him simply and Jason just shook his head in disappointment.
"Since you were fifteen you were with her, you've been with her and only her your entire life." Jason pointed out. "She's out experiencing life and different people and you're sitting at home waiting for her to come home. You deserve better than that." he scolded.
"I can't just flush away fifteen years with someone." Punk told him. "I was prepared to spend the rest of my life with her."
"You asked her to marry you and she said no." Jason reminded him painfully. "She told you she didn't want to live like this and needed space."
"I was there, I fucking know!" Punk yelled pushing a chair over.
"You should work on your anger issues too." Jason said unbothered by Punk's outburst since he was so used to them. "She said she needed space but deep down she felt you weren't good enough for her anymore and it eats at you every night and that's bullshit because you're the best person I know." he told him. "She wasn't good enough for you."
"Don't talk about her like that." Punk warned him. "She wanted space and I respected it."
"Right. But you should at least go and get laid." Jason said to him. "Maybe you won't be such a grouch."
"I don't need to get laid." Punk said to him. "And this conversation started with your sister are you suggesting I sleep with your sister?"
"No." Jason said disgusted. "Go get laid elsewhere and once you're normal maybe you can meet a nice young woman like AJ."
"Right." Punk scoffed. "You have nothing to worry about because I'm not going to touch your sister or anyone else for that matter because I believe in what I have with Maria."
"What if she never comes back?" Jason asked him.
"She will." Punk said simply.
"I've never seen you like this." Jason frowned. "You've put on such a brave front when my dad got sick but you can talk to me about this. Let me fucking help! Let's go out to a strip club or something." he suggested.
"I don't want to go to a strip club." Punk laughed. "I'm perfectly fine."
"Right." Jason nodded.
Later that night AJ was tossing on the couch trying to get comfortable. It wasn't just the fact that she couldn't get comfortable but the neighbors were so loud. It sounded like they were having a party and she was afraid they'd wake David up. She jumped off the couch and marched right outside the door once the music became so loud that the pictures on the wall shook. She balled her little fist up and banged on the door as hard as she could.
"Who are you?" A young man asked with a laugh.
"Who are you?" AJ shot back at him. "It's two in the morning and my father is trying to sleep next door."
"You're David's kid?" The man asked skeptically.
"Yes I'm his daughter and he's not feeling well and needs as much rest as possible." AJ informed him folding his arms. "Turn down the music."
"Listen honey, if your daddy has a problem with my music he can walk over here himself and tell me himself." The man said leaning forward to get in her face. "Until then go back next door and invest in earplugs."
"I told you to lower that music." AJ told him sternly and the man laughed.
"Hey get over here!" The man yelled looking over his shoulder and then another guy walked over and this one didn't even have a shirt on. "She said our musics too loud."
"Who is she?" The shirtless man asked amused. "I've never seen you around here and I know I'd remember bumping into you." he said eyeing her bare legs, which reminded AJ she was wearing short sleeping shorts and a blank tank-top.
"David's daughter." The original man told him.
"Who the fuck is David?" The shirtless one asked.
"The old piece of shit who runs the shop downstairs." He told him and AJ's eyes widened.
"How dare you!" She yelled and both men laughed. "You know what? That's fine I'll call the cops about the noise and I'm sure they'll be interested in that funky smell coming from your apatment." She said noting the smell of weed.
AJ turned around but she was pushed into the wall with her arm twisted behind her back.
"I don't give a shit who you are princess but if you call the cops it will be the last thing you fucking do." The shirtless man threatened as her cheek pressed against the wall and she was terrified. No one had ever manhandled her like this before.
"Relax man." The dressed one suggested nervously. "She's David's kid she won't call the cops, right honey?"
"No." She promised with a shaky voice trying not to cry.
"Let her go." The man urged.
The shirtless man released her arm and she turned around and he pressed himself into her body.
"You want to come inside and hang out?" he offered twirling a piece of her hair with his finger.
"No." She said looking away from him and he gripped her chin so she was looking at him in the eye.
"Are you sure?" He asked quietly.
"Just let me go." AJ whispered. "I won't call the cops I promise."
"You really are pretty." The man said leaning forward so his lips were brushing hers.
"Please." she whispered but the sound of a door opening caused the man to step back a few feet.
AJ turned her head and saw her brother and Punk coming up from the shop.
"What's going on?" Jason asked walking right over to AJ who looked paler than a ghost.
"Your sister came by to introduce herself, we were just inviting her to the party." The dressed man told him as the one who manhandled her walked back into the apartment without saying anything to them. "She's a sweet kid." he smirked then walked into the apartment and closed the door.
"What happened?" Jason asked AJ.
"Nothing." AJ said shaking her head.
"You're shaking, did they hurt you?" Jason asked grabbing her arm before she could go back inside.
"No I just asked them to lower the music and they made it very clear they wouldn't." She said with a nervous laugh. "Then they thought I'd go to their party." She said with an even louder nervous laugh.
"They're idiots." Jason told her. "Don't knock on their door again."
"That won't be a problem." AJ said seriously as she crossed the hall.
"Hey." Punk said gently grabbing her wrist. "You sure?"
"I said it was fine. It's just like they said." She assured him with a smile. "Goodnight." She then walked into the apartment and locked the door.
"They fuck with my sister I don't care who they're connected to I'm going to beat the shit out of them." Jason warned Punk.
"We should have given her the heads up on the not so friendly neighbors." Punk told him.
"You think she's ok?" Jason asked.
"Yea." Punk said brushing it off. "They just got in her face and now she knows not to bother with them. I'll keep an ear out though." he assured Jason who nodded. "She's not used to this kind of element. She's from a gated community in New Jersey she'll get used to it."
"Yea." Jason said quietly. "Get some sleep." he said to Punk and walked into his apartment.
Punk unlocked his door but stopped and headed across the hall and knocked softly and waited to hear the locks turn and AJ opened the door on a crack.
"I'm really ok." AJ said knowing why he knocked. "I just need to realize that I can't boss everyone around."
"No you can't." Punk smirked. "Not in this building at least. Just keep your head down for a while no one knows you yet. You'll get a feel for the place."
"I will." She said to him braving a smile.
"They always play loud music the trick is to put your headphones on and listen to your own music, that's what your dad does." Punk told her.
"I'll try." AJ said to him.
"If they give you a hard time again just let me know." He told her. "Adjusting here isn't going to be easy and I have your back so does your brother."
"I know that." She said to him. "Thank you Phil."
"It's Punk." He corrected and she just giggled and closed and locked the door.
A/N #2: Soooo what do you think? A little switch up, Punk is the heartbroken one, AJ is the brave one! Obviously she'll be the one to shake him from his funk but how long will she really stick around? How long does David have? And will AJ bump into her neighbors again? (probably since they're neighbors and all...) R&R!
