Nearly Over

"Cake. Coffee." Punk nodded, sitting the mug and plate down at the table as he joined Liz in the café, "You want anything else whilst I'm on my feet?" He questioned.

"Lose the attitude." Liz raised a brow and stared at him as Punk sat down across from her.

"I don't have a lot of time." Punk told her.

"Time." Liz nodded, "You know who hasn't had a lot of time? AJ. Breea. You know… your wife and your five month old daughter." She said as Punk sighed.

"Liz, if this is just gonna be some lecture about what's going on… I… I don't wanna listen to it." Punk told her honestly, "I'm already feeling guilty but I can't get out of this. I have to finish it and I'm close. AJ understands." He said.

"Yeah because she has no choice. She understands your job, obviously more than I do, but this isn't fair on her, you know it isn't." Liz said, "I don't know why you ever agreed to something like this. Especially when you know it's just rubbing it in AJ's face."

"What?" Punk shook his head.

"What?" Liz shrugged, "You really don't see it that way?" She asked him, "You and I both know she will never be able to go back out there and be a cop. Her injury is permanent. She's always going to live with it and I know enough to know that… the Chicagp PD aren't interested in weak cops."

"Don't ever call her weak." Punk made clear.

"You know what I mean." Liz said, "She's not healthy enough to go back and you know it." She said.

"She doesn't have to be out on the field, yeah but… but I'm not gonna shut her down with it." Punk said, "You think I'm rubbing it in her face?"

"Well you're out working, she wants to help you and she can't… I know it's your job, Phil. I understand that. And look, I thank you for what you did for April. You… you encouraged her in ways that I never did. You helped her achieve something she was really passionate about. You listened to her, to what she wanted and she had a career that she really loved." Liz said, "You know I love you for that." She said as he nodded.

"But?" Punk waited.

"But she got hurt. She should be dead, actually." Liz nodded.

"Don't say that." Punk shook his head.

"Well it's true. How many do you know get shot in the head and survive?" Liz questioned as Punk looked across at her, "How do you know that if she did return to work, she wouldn't have severe PTSD?"

"Ok, I'm assuming by this conversation that April has been… she's been telling you she wants to go back to work?"

"Yes." Liz said as Punk nodded, "I know she doesn't mean right now but… I know she mean soon." She said as Punk sighed to himself and nodded.

"Then we'll talk about it." Punk said, "I'll get home soon and we'll talk it through. A lot calmer than how you talk to her."

"I say what she needs to hear." Liz shrugged.

"Yeah, so do I but I'm not a dick about it." Punk said as Liz looked across at him, "Come on, Liz. Don't look at me like that. I told April about this months in advance, I sat her down and I talked it through with her. It's nearly over now."

"She's so stressed that she took a seizure, Phil. What part of that isn't sinking in?" Liz questioned, "Saying you're gonna be home soon isn't good enough anymore. I want a number of days."

"It doesn't work like that." Punk shook his head, "I'm close to wrapping it up. I need to make sure that… that when it is time to end it, it's done properly." He said, "And April knows that."

"And when you do come home… are you gonna tell April that her returning to the PD isn't likely?" Liz asked.

"I'm not telling her shit. She makes her own decisions and I'll be there to support her and give her advice-"

"She can't go back on the job when she's taking seizures." Liz scoffed.

"Trust me, telling April to not do something only makes her want to do it even more." Punk nodded, "I'll talk with her, we'll discuss the options, there could be other jobs in the department… you don't have to rain on her parade completely." Punk made clear as Liz sighed.

"Well I just worry about my daughter's health." Liz said.

"Yeah and I do too." Punk nodded, "But she's not terminally ill, Liz. Yeah, she's… she's got an injury that she's gonna feel the effects of for… well for however long, we don't know that, but… don't immobilize her." He shook his head.

"I'm just looking out for her." Liz said, "Her health and her safety."

"Yeah, I am too." Punk said.

"You haven't been." Liz glared at him.

"Liz, I'm not doing this with you." Punk shook his head, standing up, "I'll be home soon-"

"Your wife is sitting in a hospital bed right now, terrified, looking after your daughter and all you can think about is this stupid job." Liz spat angrily as Punk looked at her and sighed.

"I have to do it." Punk said as Liz just shook her head, watching him walk off as she sipped on her coffee and sighed.

"I did it. I did it." AJ smiled excitedly as she ran through the precinct, finding her boyfriend of three years, watching as he stood up from his desk.

"Let me see." He smiled, taking the certificate from her and reading it with a smile.

"I can't believe it." She smiled happily.

"I can. You worked your butt off." He said, "Well done." He smiled, wrapping an arm around her and kissing her head as she smiled.

"Well you were… very helpful." She nodded, "I have you to thank for my developing six pack." She smirked.

"I'm pretty sure you put in that work on your own." Punk smiled, "I knew you'd do it." He nodded as she smiled. He could see how happy she was. She'd been completing the progress to become a cop for the past few years. He'd saw how hard she worked at and knew that with her dedication she'd have a job in the precinct in no time.

AJ felt so lucky to have met him because he'd gave her all the encouragement she needed to do something for herself. To embark on a journey to making a career for herself, a career which she was passionate about and good at. It had been a lot of sleepless nights and hard work but she'd finally completed all the steps and was so excited to continue and prosper in her journey.

"I'm so excited." AJ smiled happily as Punk kissed the side of her head.

"We're going out to celebrate. No excuses." Punk said as she smiled.

"Well where are you taking me?" AJ smiled.

"You decide." Punk nodded.

"Have you been busy today?" AJ asked him.

"I just got in from a fire on Belmont." Punk nodded.

"Bad?" AJ asked him.

"No, no one got hurt so… all good in that department." Punk said as she nodded, "Looking into how it started, all the boring aftermath work." He looked over to his desk as AJ smiled, looking on at the picture of them both that he had on his desk.

"I'm gonna wait to phone my mom later when I've calmed down." She smiled, "Although she's probably not gonna be that impressed." She rolled her eyes.

"Don't worry, it's me she blames." Punk shrugged, "Thinks I made you do this, even though she claims to love me."

"She loves to look at you." AJ corrected as Punk smirked, "That's not a good thing. She's my mother." AJ scoffed.

"Well, it's not my fault she's won over by my dashing looks." Punk smiled cockily.

"Calm down." AJ laughed, "She doesn't blame you actually. Last time she came over she was actually grateful to you for helping me. Helping me find something to chase. Helping me find goals and aspirations. I guess I didn't have anyone to encourage me like that."

"Hey, you fell in love with this on your own. You did all of this on your own." Punk nodded, "All the hard work and the perseverance." He said, "I knew you'd do great." He smiled, cupping her cheeks.

"All I have left is my field training program with a senior officer." AJ said, "And I'm officially a cop." AJ said. She was smiling because she'd done something that had actually paid off. She hadn't had the best upbringing in the world. It'd always just been her and her mother. She'd gotten involved in some things she never should have and she felt like she was channelling all her anger and regrets into this, and really turning it into something good. She knew her boyfriend could understand since he had similar reasons.

"I'll make sure they partner you up with someone nice." Punk looked around the precinct.

"No, I don't want you doing me any favours." AJ said, "I wanna do things for myself."

"Ok." Punk backed off and smiled, "I know you got it either way." He smiled, "You're gonna give me a run for my money." He said as she smirked.

"Yeah, you better watch out." She shoved him as he smiled, "You know everyone has been so nice to me. Congratulating me and welcoming me." She nodded, "It's nice."

"It's like a big family." Punk nodded as she smiled.

"I think I want pizza to celebrate." She nodded, "And then when we come home…" She whispered, wrapping her arms around his neck as he smiled, "You can show me just how proud you really are of me." She smirked, kissing him sweetly.

"Fuck, baby." AJ moaned, rolling her head back on the pillow as she felt her boyfriend move in and out of her, cupping the back of his head as he buried his face into her neck, kissing and teasing her whilst thrusting hard back and forth, "Fuck, you're gonna make me cum." AJ gasped, looking up and kissing him, sitting up and turning them around so she was on top, the sheets tangling with them.

"Fuck." Punk moaned, feeling her move up and down on him, biting her lip as he stared at her. Their relationship was extremely intimate and close. It was their private world together where they could let the world disappear around them.

"Feels so good. You feel so good inside me." AJ whispered, leaning down and kissing him, kissing his chest whilst moving her hips up and down, feeling herself get closer and closer, "Fuck." She moaned out in bliss, collapsing over him as her hair fell over his face, causing him to smile a little and shift it over, "Fuck." AJ gasped, kissing his neck, lifting her head back up with hazy eyes as he smiled.

He continued to thrust his hips up inside of her as she moaned to herself.

"You're literally going to make me cum again." AJ moaned as he laughed a little, turning them back around so she was on her back.

"Then cum." Punk whispered, kissing her neck as she smiled, rolling her head back as he continued to thrust inside of her, enjoying their intimate moments the best where he could have her to himself with no distractions, where it could just be them in their own little planet. He absolutely knew he was spending the rest of his life with this woman.

AJ came again just before Punk did, spilling himself inside of her as AJ smiled, feeling his hot seed fill her as he pressed his face into her neck.

"That feels so good." AJ whispered to him, kissing his cheek as he lifted his head, giving her his lips as they kissed sweetly before Punk pulled out and lay beside her.

"I love you." Punk said, a little out of breath as he ran his hand through his hair, causing her to smile, wrapping her leg around his and trailing her finger around his tattoos.

"I love you." AJ smiled.