Chapter 10: Will You Stay

"Let's go" Punk whispered as he walked to 's door

"Punk what's going on…tell me please" AJ replied softly tugging on his hand as she stopped in her tracks.

"I will tell you but just please come with me" Punk whispered moving a strand of hair behind her ear.

"Mr. Brook. Welcome back…and who is this if you don't mind me asking" Dr. Mitchell asked extending his hand to AJ.

"This is my wife" Punk replied with a soft smile

"Dr. Mitchell pleasure to meet you ma'am" Dr. Mitchell said his hand still extended

"Uh…April…but I go by AJ" AJ whispered snapping out of her daze and shaking his hand.

"How may I help you today Mr. Brooks" Dr. Mitchell asked taking a seat at his desk as he motioned for both Punk and AJ to take a seat as well.

"Well…I haven't told my wife about our last meeting…so I brought her and I really would like you help to break it to her gently as possible" Punk replied his head hanging low.

"Ahh I see and I completely understand this type of news is never easy to tell another" Dr. Mitchell replied with a gentle smile.

"Well Mrs. Brooks…I'll try to break this news to you as gently as I tried to break it to your husband" Dr. Mitchell said scooting his chair closer to his desk.

Punk glanced over to AJ and took her hand in his giving it a gentle squeeze. AJ looked over to Punk who smiled softly and mouthed the words I love you. AJ gave a weak smile her stomach was in knots…what was going on.

"Mr. Brooks was given a test a while back ago when he was last admitted to the hospital for his episode of pains" Dr. Mitchell replied grabbing a file out of his desk.

"Yes he told me that…but he also said it was nothing huge" AJ replied looking over to Punk

"I wish that were true but it's not…the results of the test show that Mr. Brooks has is the early stages of lung cancer" Dr. Mitchell replied softly his eyes filled with remorse.

"Excuse me" AJ whispered softly her eyes wide in shock

"AJ I'm sorry…but it's true…I have cancer and I couldn't tell you because well I was scared so this was the only other way I knew how" Punk replied looking at her hand as he began to play with her wedding ring.

"Were you ever planning on telling before we came here" AJ asked softly her eyes focused on Dr. Mitchell

"I…I don't know" Punk replied softly

Punk felt AJ slip her hand away from Punk's grip.

"You don't know…so what were you planning on telling me when you began to get worse" AJ exclaimed loudly getting up from her chair.

"AJ please this isn't easy…how was I supposed to walk into the house and say hey AJ how was your day by the way I have cancer" Punk replied harshly

AJ didn't say a word but just thanked Dr. Mitchell and stormed out of his office.

"I'm sorry about that…I was hoping she wouldn't take it that way" Punk whispered still seated in his chair.

"It's going to be hard for her I'm sure…but don't think it's because she not concerned or doesn't worry about the man she loves" Dr. Mitchell replied with a soft smile.

"Thanks…well I got to go catch up to her or you know" Punk replied as walked out the door feeling so ashamed of what just happened.

Punk found AJ sitting in passenger side of the car…her eyes were red from crying. He felt so awful…he wished with all his heart that this was just a nightmare he would wake up from…but it wasn't. This was his reality…this was his life and now he just felt like he ruined AJ's life too.

"What's going to happen" AJ whispered as Punk got into the car and placed his seatbelt on.

"I don't know…Dr. Mitchell said that I have to go through treatments of course…that it's not going to be easy" Punk replied softly biting his lower lip

"I can't…I can't lose you like this" AJ whispered warm tears rolling down her face

"Hey…no…don't do that" Punk replied softly gently turning her face to look deep into her eyes.

"You're not going to lose me okay…I'm going to beat this okay" Punk whispered catching her lips in a passionate kiss.

"Okay" AJ whispered caressing Punk's face

"I need to know something AJ" Punk asked touching AJ's lips with his thumb

"Anything" AJ replied closing her eyes to enjoy the touch of Punk's skin on hers

"No matter how bad things get…will you stay with me through it all" Punk replied softly studying AJ's face

AJ felt her hear sink…she loved Punk with everything she had in here. She knew that she wanted to say yes to what Punk was asking but her brain wouldn't register it. How was so going to do this…how was she going to deal with seeing the man she loved so much have to go through so much pain just to fight to live.