Something About Him

"April, how was your date last night?" Jake asked the next day at the garage where AJ had came by to see her father and brother after work, spotting Punk over in the corner, well… spotting his legs hanging out from underneath the car as he was rolled under looking underneath.

"It was ok." AJ shrugged briefly, "I don't think I'll be seeing him again, though. Lucky for you." She smiled as Jake smiled to himself without her noticing, "Where is Dean?" She asked, taking a seat at the small desk.

"It's his day off." Jake said, "Why? You're not normally looking for your brother." He laughed.

"I was just wondering since it's so quiet in here." AJ smiled as Jake nodded in agreement, her eyes catching over to Punk as she watched him stand back up, noticing her and nodding over to her as she smiled pleasantly.

"You busy at work today, sweetheart?" Jake asked.

"No, actually." AJ admitted, "It was a pretty boring day. I'm waiting on colours coming through and the go ahead to start working on some things." AJ said, "I think I get more tired on the days I don't do anything. How is that even possible?" She asked.

"Did you have a late night?" Jake raised his brows.

"No. I didn't." AJ said firmly, "Not that it would have been any of your business." She told him as he laughed.

"You need your rest. You have a mentally challenging job." Jake said.

"I know." AJ nodded, "When are you making me dinner again?" She asked curiously.

"When do you want dinner made again?" Jake asked her.

"What about tomorrow? I'm off work early. I'll go home and walk Dodger and then I'll come over?" AJ said as Jake nodded.

"Ok. Sounds good." Jake smiled just as Dean walked through the doors, "Dean, dinner tomorrow night, you around?" He asked as Dean nodded casually whilst Punk briefly listened in whilst continuing to work on the car he was fixing.

"Sounds good." Dean nodded as Jake smiled, wandering his way round the back of the car whilst Dean looked in the drawer beside where AJ was sitting for his car keys. He always left his car beside or inside the garage, it was just always something he'd done.

"Where are you going?" AJ asked him.

"None of your business." Dean chuckled.

"Are you going out tonight with your friends?" AJ asked him as Dean nodded, "Why don't you invite Phil." She whispered as Dean turned around to look at Punk who was back underneath the car, oblivious to everything else.

"Why?" Dean shook his head.

"Well… I met him last night and he doesn't have any friends here." AJ explained, "I don't know, I feel bad for him. Imagine moving to another part of the city by yourself, not knowing anybody." She said as Dean just looked down, "You two were best friends when you were little kids. I'm sure that was for a reason."

"Yeah, he's a cool dude, AJ. But I'm not babysitting him." Dean said, "Plus, why do you care so much?"

"I don't I just… I don't want him feeling lonely." AJ said, "Please, can you just be nice for once."

"Fine." Dean just shook his head as he walked over to Punk, tapping his foot as Punk slid out from under the car and sat up.

"Everything alright?" Punk asked Dean.

"I'm going out tonight." Dean said, "Just for a few drinks with my friends. You wanna come?" Dean asked him as Punk looked up at him, and then looked over at AJ who quickly turned away when he turned to look at her. He smiled, knowing what had happened here.

"It's alright, man. You don't have to keep an eye on me." Punk said, "I appreciate the offer though." Punk smiled as Dean nodded with a friendly smile, walking back over to AJ.

"Well there went nothing." Dean whispered to her, "I'll see you later." He told her, walking out of the garage as AJ looked over at Punk who was wiping his hands on a cloth that was already dirty.

"I don't need you making friends for me." Punk said loud enough for her to hear as she looked over at him.

"I just thought it'd be nice for you to get to know some new people." AJ shrugged.

"Well thanks." Punk said sarcastically, "But I'm good." He nodded to her as she just rolled her eyes and stood up.

"Dad, I'm gonna go now. I'll see you tomorrow." AJ called out to her dad who was at the back of the garage.

"Ok, sweetheart. I'll see you tomorrow." Jake called back to her as Punk watched AJ leave the garage in a flash. He didn't mean to be rude, but he didn't need her setting him up with new friends like he was incapable of doing so himself.

"Jake, this car is nearly set." Punk told Jake who made his way over.

"You're really good, son." Jake admitted, "I've been trying to get that exhaust to repair all week and I never could." Jake smiled, "You're a good worker, kid." He smiled as Punk nodded.

"Thanks." Punk smiled, "My dad taught me since I was old enough to walk so… you know, I've had plenty practise." Punk said as Jake smiled.

"You miss him?" Jake asked seriously.

"Yeah." Punk nodded, "I regret not seeing him as much as I grew older. I wish I moved her years ago." He admitted.

"You can't think like that. Just remember all the great times you had with him." Jake smiled as Punk nodded.

"I try to." Punk smiled, "I don't wanna… come across as rude." Punk began as Jake already smiled, waiting patiently, "But… is April always around here?" He asked him as Jake laughed.

"Think she's a pain in the neck?" Jake asked him.

"No, not at all… I just… I didn't think she'd be so interested in hanging around a garage all day." Punk said.

"She doesn't have many friends." Jake said, "Actually, she doesn't have any friends." Jake admitted a little sadly as Punk put down the cloth he was wiping his hands with.

"Why not?" Punk asked. He found it hard to believe that a girl as funny and sweet as April, which was what he'd gathered from their walk last night, how she couldn't have any friends was beyond him.

"I don't know if maybe it's my fault." Jake said, "Me and Dean really shielded her from a lot of things. Especially after her mother died." Jake said, "I never let her out to play in the streets like I did with Dean. She's always been a little awkward." Jake said as Punk nodded, "But she's happy. It doesn't bother her." Jake shrugged, "Why do you ask?"

"No reason." Punk shook his head, "I just find it cool actually, how close all three of you are. You're lucky to have them." He nodded.

"I really am." Jake smiled, "They're all I have. I promised myself that once they grew up I wouldn't let them move away and… you know, only visit for the holidays." Jake said, "I think losing my wife brought me closer to them in a way." He admitted, "Especially Dean. We really… came together to raise April. She was just a baby." Jake said as Punk nodded.

"Dean is a good guy." Punk nodded as Jake smiled.

"I'm glad you think so. You two used to play until the street lights came on outside." Jake laughed as he recalled.

"You don't mind me asking how their mom died, do you?" Punk asked curiously.

"It was a freak accident." Jake said, "Just… one of those things I guess." He said, "She was on her way home from work, hit by a car." Jake said, "Died in hospital later on through the night." Jake nodded.

"I'm really sorry." Punk sighed as Jake just nodded.

"April doesn't remember anything about her, but I know it still gets to Dean." Jake said, "He knew her. He was old enough to know what was going on." Jake said.

"He's a tough son of a bitch." Punk smiled as Jake laughed.

"You're right. He is." Jake said as Punk folded the hood of the car he was working on down, "What about you? You still talk to your mom?"

"Not really." Punk said as he began polishing the front of the car where he'd left some marks from working on it, "She's so busy with her new husband and his kids. I think she forgets about me most of the time." Punk shrugged.

"Does that bother you?" Jake asked him.

"Not really." Punk said, "I get why she left my dad, I was never one of those kids that cried over their parents divorcing cause I understood it." Punk said, "But she never even went to his funeral." Punk said.

"Maybe it secretly upset her and she didn't want to let it show." Jake shrugged.

"Nah, I don't think so." Punk almost laughed, "I'm better off here. It's like a new start for me now." He smiled as Jake nodded.

"Well you're welcomed here." Jake said with a smile as Punk nodded. If there was one thing he did love about this garage, was that he felt welcomed. Extremely welcomed. Especially by Jake. He did remind him of his dad in some ways. They must have gotten along because they had the same sense of humour. It was a little strange having moved to a different city, back to where he grew up, a place where he knew only one person, but he did feel welcomed by Jake and his family. It helped a whole lot.

The next day, Punk was working late whilst AJ and Dean were upstairs in their father's apartment having dinner. He was determined to fix the car he'd been working on all day and told Jake he'd shut up shop once he felt he'd done all he could, which meant he was probably going to be there all night.

He enjoyed working with cars, it wasn't something he found particularly challenging, but it was probably because he'd grown up around them all his life. His father really did teach him things since he could walk. He loved his job. He felt it was important that he worked a job he enjoyed coming to.

He looked up when he seen the side door open which lead to the apartment upstairs, watching AJ creep out and smiling to himself. He didn't know what it was but everytime he seen her he just wanted to grin like an idiot.

"Bored up there?" Punk laughed whilst continuing to focus on the car as AJ made her way around the different cars to reach the one he was working on.

"They're arguing about hockey, or baseball… I don't know, one of the two." AJ shook her head, "There's spare dinner upstairs, I could bring you some down if you're hungry. Dad said you wanted to work all night." She said.

"You wanna feed me up and make sure I'm making friends." Punk smirked, "Gran? Is that you?"

"I probably dress like your gran." AJ scoffed as she looked down at her simple beige dress she was wearing, "No, I just wanted to offer incase you were hungry." She shrugged.

"I'm ok." Punk smiled, "Thank you, though." He said, appreciating the offer.

"So uh… what's wrong with the car?" She asked, trying to strike up a conversation as Punk smiled.

"Well the guy needed a new battery but it's the timing belt that's causing him the problem." Punk stood back as AJ nodded, "You know what a timing belt is?" He asked her with a small smile.

"Is it a timer?" AJ smiled optimistically as Punk shook his head.

"Not quite." He smiled, "It's just… a part of the engine." Punk shook his head, realising he was talking to her about timing belts, "Doesn't matter." He said quickly, "Your dad normally likes when timing belts need to be repaired because that means we're gonna take in a lot of money." He said as AJ just smiled, trying to pretend she was interested but she really wasn't.

"So are you uh… planning to stick around or is this just a pit stop?" AJ asked, leaning against the next car that was beside the one he was fixing.

"I like it here." Punk said, "I got an apartment, I got a good job. I don't have a reason to leave and go some place else." He said.

"Good. My dad really likes having you around." AJ nodded, "He hates it when I say it but… he is getting older, all the tugging and heavy lifting and the other challenges that come with fixing cars is catching up with him." AJ said, "And he's too stubborn to hire other employers but… he must have really liked you." She said.

"I'm glad I can help him out." Punk smiled.

"Yeah, me too." AJ smiled quietly, "I better get back upstairs and make sure they aren't killing each other." She admitted as Punk just smiled, "I'll see you around." She smiled to him as he nodded to her, walking off back to the side door, turning back to look at him as he went back to fixing the car, smiling to herself as she realised him being around wasn't only making her father happy. There was just something about him.

A/N: Let me know what you think! I know it's a little slow in starting but it'll pick up soon, I promise!