Punch. Beautiful left hook. Technical right hook. Punch again. As old memories started flushing back like unwanted, snoopy mosquitoes - all at one time, AJ let another rant of strong and angry punches to the punching bag. How long can he last? Beating it without break?

His fists started hurting, but he didn't give a damn. His wrists also started protesting against such tense workout, but AJ couldn't care less either. All the anger, disappointment, blame inside of him. . . everything that has made his life that much harder. . . he vent it all out. Well, at least he tried to vent it ALL out, but with each thrown punch - now matter how hard would it be - it still felt that there's much more anger left. It was as hopeless as trying to scoop out the ocean with a tea cup.

AJ heard the door of the gym opening, but he didn't pay much attention to it as he continued punching the bag. He didn't even wonder who entered. . . until he heard someones little laugh mixed up with a hand clapping.

"Good. I see you're preparing." A stranger said slowly getting closer. Allen didn't need to look at him, to know who he was. Another left hook, way harder than those, thrown before it. "Sunday is gonna be the big day. I hope you understand how slim are your chances against me." Daniels smiled a little, crossing his arms, his eyes following AJ.

"Unlike you, I don't talk about whooping asses." AJ responded continueing his workout. "I just do it." Christopher raised his eyebrow.

"Who could ever see that coming?" he asked with some small, unfamiliar flame appearing in his dark eyes. His head was occupied with memories. . . just as AJ's. Everything flew in his head with a few seconds, before he shook his head a little, like trying to get rid of those memories. Trying to shake it off like some dust. Unfortunately, it wasn't that simple. "I guess it's all over and forgotten now?" he asked with some sort of a hope, like waiting for an approval. But AJ just glanced at him with a little sneer smile.

"You think?" he asked throwing two more punches to bag's direction. His voice ironical. "It will never be over or forgotten. And you know damn well why." Daniels let out a weak sigh, before getting another - different - smile on his lips.

"How's your little girlfriend doin'? How's her sisters? Ain't they so hot, AJ?" he asked before being strongly pinned to the cold, concrete wall, AJ's hands holding on his shirt's collar. Chris still tried to keep up the smile - only this one was fake.

"And how's your son, Joshua? Is he much alike you?" AJ responded with a question, as Christopher's smile immediately disappeared from his face. He quickly grabbed AJ's throat, and they changed positions - now AJ was pressed against the wall with a disdainful smile on his face, while Chris' face expression was angry and threatening.

"Don't go there. Ever." he hissed before roughly letting AJ go. Allen strongly puched him in the chest, maiking Christopher took a few steps backwards.

"Mention Trish or her family again. I'm daring you." AJ told angrily, his voice silent, but serious.

"You haven't told her, have you?" Daniel's smile got real as AJ roughly started undoing his knuckle protection. "She doesn't know why from best friends we turned into enemies, does she?"

"It's between you and me." AJ responded, his voice serious and angry. He hated when anyone from that place tried to get in his personal live - get all the painful little details to make him angry. And especially if that someone was Daniels. The man, who knew everything about him. The man, who screwed his life. And the man, who got screwed hislife by AJ. "Don't get her involved."

"She's already involved. From the very fucked up beginning." Christopher raised his eyebrow slowly straightening up his shirt's collar. "If she isn't just your little sex toy - when are you gonna tell her?" he laughed out, enjoying that he found his enemy's soft spot.

"She doesn't have to know." AJ responded angrily. He hated discussing this topic, but he was also afraid that Christopher might go and tell Trish all the dark, fucked up truth himself; in which case, their relationship would be totally, irrecoverably over. "And it's none of your god damn business what I tell her, and what I don't."

"Chill, man." Daniels raised his arms in defence, still smiling. "I'm just looking out for you. Wouldn't it be. . . upsetting. . . if someone too talkative accidentally tell her what have you done? What would you do then?"

"I would kill the holly fuck out of that somebody." AJ hissed grabbing his bag and throwing it over his shoulder, on his back. "See? After all we do have something in common." he sadly smirked heading to the door, leaving Daniels behind.


"Morning." Taryn yawned slowly climbing the stairs down, where Stacy and Trish were already cleaning up.

"Good morning." Stacy smiled a bit carrying 6 dirty plates from the dining room to the kitchen, where Trish had her hands dipped in a sink full of water and bubbles.

"What morning? It's 12 o'clock." Trish giggled washing the bubbles off her hands.

"Well it's not my fault that some two individuals stopped making certain noise in their bedroom only about 4 a.m!" Taryn smirked collapsing on the chair and biting an apple, which she got from the basket on the table. Trish's cheeks got red as she bit her lip.

"My god. . . you guys. . . heard it?" she asked silently.

"Uh-huh." Stacy nodded giggling. "Looks like AJ gave you some wrestling lessons, huh?"

"Gee Trish, I thought you were 'sex after marriage' type of girl." Taryn wrinkled up, still smiling and chewing the bite of the apple. "And man, how wrong I was! What an upset."

"Ok, stop it! I'm sorry, ok? I'm sorry." Trish said starting to clean up the plates.

"We were just kidding, you know it." Stacy smiled once again going to the dinning room. "There were a couple of times when me and John didn't let you sleep either."

"A couple?" Taryn asked ironically. "I don't have enough fingers to count how many times I had to stay awaken because of you guys."

"Oh please, you're the last person, who has a right to complain about it!" Stacy rolled her eyes. "When you and Evan. . . start. . . I pray god, that the windows wouldn't shatter into pieces."

"Yeah well. . . he's a screamer." Taryn winked as the girls giggled.

"So, when is AJ coming back?" Stacy asked getting back to the kitchen, a little smile still playing on her lips.

"He left 6 in the morning. I guess he should be back soon." Trish responded drying the clean plates with the towel.

"You cruel girl, he had to left 6 a.m and you didn't even let him sleep at night?" Taryn shook her head, pretending to be surprised and appalled. "Who are you?"

"Your older sister, so shut up." Trish stuck her tongue out as Taryn giggled.

"Some help here!" Stacy interrupted carrying some plates in one hand and three wine glasses in another. Two wine glasses were empty, another half full.

"Coming!" Taryn responded taking the plates from Stacy's hands and putting it into the sink. Stacy put the wine glasses on the table, which was covered in white tablecloth. The glass, in which there was some wine, slipped and fell down on the table, leaving the big red spot on the tablecloth. The glass rolled down to the very edge on the table and fell down to the floor, shattering into many small pieces.

"Fuck!" Stacy whispered angrily heading to take a broom.

Trish slowly looked over the glassware pieces, her eyes traveling among them like trying to find a right way in the labyrinth. One bump, and the irrecoverable damage was made. No one could fix it. As she looked at one bigger glass splinter, which was crescent-shaped, the kitchen tile pattern watching through it was distorted. A familiar shiver got through Trish's body as her eyes slowly continued travelling up the table's leg, until her eyes caught a huge red wine spot on the tablecloth. She didn't blink. She just stared at that spot like it's some kind of a miracle, like it's a priceless piece of art. . . like it's special. Trish didn't notice as Stacy, who was sweeping the floor spotted Trish's face expression and leaned the broom against the kitchen dresser. She grabbed her sister shoulders and shook her a little. "Trish, it's just a fucking wine spot, OK?" she asked as Trish lightly nodded.

"Everything's alright?" Taryn asked taking the tablecloth away from the table.

"Yeah." Stacy nodded once again taking the broom and continuing sweeping the floor. Trish just ran straight to her bedroom.