The More You Know

AJ had decided not to go through with going to court again, and had spent her day off work at home on the sofa. Due to her illness, some days were harder than others, especially in terms of doing anything productive. Sometimes she'd rather the manic episodes rather than the depressive ones. Even though they were more dangerous and explosive, they didn't seem to hurt her as much.

She was sitting in her own thoughts all day, not even realising how fast the time had went until she heard a knock on the door and looked at the clock to find it was almost 5pm.

She got up from the sofa with her blanket still around her shoulders, making her way to the door and opening it up as she saw her mother standing, furious.

"How dare you." Janet spat, walking into the apartment as AJ sighed and shut the door over behind her, "How dare you not show up today. Me and your father were all alone."

"Mom, you're grown adults." AJ groaned, not in the mood as she walked by her mother and back to the couch, "I didn't feel like coming."

"Well, April, I didn't feel like going either but I had to go to show support for Robbie." Janet said.

"Robbie would want me to put my health first." AJ told her mother simply and tiredly as she lifted up the TV remote, having it immediately snatched out of her hands by her mother.

"You listen to me, young lady." Janet warned, "All the sacrifices me and your father made for you and Robbie when you were children, everything we done for you… and this is how you repay us? We need your support right now." Janet said.

"It's too hard, mom." AJ shook her head, "I can't do it."

"I know it's hard, April. You're not the only one with the bipolar disorder." Janet spat as AJ looked up at her, "But I need to make sure that Robbie gets justice." She said, "And you should too."

"He won't." AJ said bluntly, "Not with the lawyer who is working with the defence." AJ shrugged, "There's no point."

"There is a point." Janet spat, "You will be there at the next court date. You won't be… you won't be lazing around here watching the time go by on the clock." She warned.

"Lazing around?" AJ screwed her eyes up, "I-I constantly work." AJ stood up, "I never take days off, all so I can pay not only my bills, but yours too. Don't you forget that." She warned.

"You don't pay our bills you just help us out." Janet rolled her eyes, "Don't be so dramatic."

"I shouldn't have to help you out. I struggle enough as it is. You don't even work. You never have. Yet you go on about all the sacrifices you made when we were little. I don't remember any of them. I remember being homeless and starving and cold." She spat, "Where were the sacrifices then, huh?" AJ asked as she saw her mother getting angry. She just wasn't in the mood to be pushed over the edge.

"How dare you." Janet spat, horrified as AJ just shook her head.

"No… No I'm not… I'm not doing it anymore, mom." AJ spat, standing up, "I have my own life to live. I can't be dealing with forty plus missed calls from you every day, and I can't be working like a slave every day just to make sure you and dad are financially stable, as well as myself, and I do not have to go anywhere that you say just because it's what you think is right." AJ said as Janet gulped a little, "I am done playing good daughter to you when you never even act like a proper mother." She said, her voice cracking as tears welled in her eyes.

"You are way out of line, April." Janet shook her head.

"No, I am not." AJ said, "You need to learn how to take care of yourself. That means taking your pills, going to therapy, having a job where you can pay your own bills properly." AJ said, "Because I won't do it anymore." She spat.

"April-"

"Please get out." AJ said, "Please." She begged as her mother looked at her.

"You should have been there today, April." Janet said quietly and calmly, "What kind of a sister even are you?" She spat, walking off and heading for the door as AJ sat back down on the sofa, burying her hands in her hair as she heard the door close, waiting until then to choke out a sob.

It was what her mother was best at, leaving her with one liners that made her really think to herself, and really believe what she was saying. She was just fed up of it all. At this point, she didn't even want to see her parents anymore. They were never parents to her.

"I felt like I broke up with them." AJ admitted the next morning as she stood in the cupboard with Cass in the hotel to get ready for their shift, "I just can't do it anymore."

"This is the best thing for you. The amount of stress she puts you under can't be good." Cass said, "And the way she thinks she can control you…" She shook her head, "She needs a hard smack of a reality."

"Or even just a hard smack." AJ shrugged as Cass smiled.

"You want your section today or will I do it?" Cass asked her.

"Oh, I'll be alright. What's the worst that happens? I bump into him, we awkwardly say hi and then we go opposite directions?" AJ shrugged, "I'm not paying attention to him."

"Good." Cass smiled, "It's about time you focus on you, April."

"I'm already planning on getting a new phone, and maybe even looking at different apartments too." She nodded as Cass smiled.

"It could be the best thing for you." Cass nodded.

"We'll see." AJ nodded, getting what she needed out of the cupboard as they both split up to go to their sections of rooms.

She was eventually halfway through her rooms, appearing back into the corridor as she watched Punk appear coming out of his room. Her stomach turned a little and she realised that was becoming a natural occurrence for her whenever she saw him, which was strange.

She tried to look busy, but couldn't help watch him as he walked up to her.

"Hey." Punk said, "You weren't at court." He said, "I missed you coming up and shouting in my face." He tried to ease as she just pushed a smile.

"I was busy." AJ nodded.

"Right." Punk said.

"Nice night with Nadine?" AJ asked him, not being able to help herself as he looked down at her.

"Uh… yeah." Punk nodded awkwardly, "I guess."

"Is that your type? Trash? Slut? Idiot?" AJ digged as he just smiled to himself.

"I understand why you don't like her." Punk said, "The way she treats you is bad."

"I make her feel good about herself. I'm glad I'm doing something useful." AJ shrugged teasingly as he smiled. He didn't get conversation like this with any other women he knew. She was fun, and playful, and perhaps a little too sarcastic for his liking, border lining on arrogant, but then… so was he, "So how was she then?" AJ asked, folding up towels, "Is she worthy of a date? Have you already taken her on one? I wonder." She smiled.

"I'm not much of a dating man." Punk said as she nodded.

"I could have predicted that." AJ nodded as he watched her, "So uh… can I help you with something?" She asked him, feeling it get awkward.

"Uh… no." Punk said, "I was just wondering why you weren't at court." He shrugged, "I guess it's none of my business really."

"You're right, it's not." AJ said, "But if you must know, I just find it hard. Especially when the likes of you are standing up implying my brother's death was his own fault." She said as he looked down at the ground, "So yeah, it's a little tough for me." She nodded.

"It's my job, April." Punk said a little sadly, "I'm-I'm sorry I'm upsetting you but I can't do anything about it." He said. For some reason, he cared what she thought which was so unusual, and he wanted her to know that he was sorry for upsetting her, and making this a hard time.

"You could do the right thing." AJ nodded.

"I have a client to defend." Punk said, "And I'm gonna defend him." He nodded.

"Then defend him. But don't… don't come to me, and talk to me like what you're doing isn't wrong." AJ said, "Don't act like we're ok. Because we're not."

"We don't even know each other." Punk said.

"Yeah, and I think it's best we keep it that way." AJ nodded, "There's no need for us to talk to each other." She shrugged as he nodded.

"Yeah, I guess." Punk nodded, standing in silence with her. He wanted to part ways with her but he also didn't. Something about her intrigued him. Something about her was just different, "I know about your mental illness." He said as she looked up at him quickly.

"What?" AJ shook her head.

"Well I'm a lawyer attached to your brother's case. I-I done my research." Punk told her as she suddenly didn't feel as invincible against him as she did beforehand. Him knowing about her illness made her feel suddenly vulnerable against him.

"What's that got to do with anything?" AJ said.

"Nothing. I just… I was wondering if that's why you were upset the other night." He said, "You never got the chance to tell me."

"Because it was weird and I don't trust you." AJ told him truthfully, "You-You shouldn't know about my illness."

"It's not something you should hide." Punk said.

"And why is that?" AJ smiled a little.

"You just shouldn't be ashamed of it, that's all." Punk said.

"Coming from the rich kid with a lovely family? Easier said than done." AJ smiled as Punk laughed a little.

"Rich kid with a lovely family?" Punk said, "Like you said, we don't know each other." He smirked a little as she watched him, "I guess I should… let you get on with your work. My room doesn't need serviced."

"You know I'll do it anyway." AJ told him.

"I know." Punk said, "Have a good day." He nodded, walking on by her and heading for the elevator as AJ watched him until he disappeared, taking a deep breath of relief. He was so intimidating yet comforting, and the fact that he knew she was bipolar and seemed not to blink an eye made her even more attracted to him, and she didn't want to be, but she couldn't help it. She just didn't want involved with him. She knew it would be a recipe for disaster.

A/N: Let me know what you think! Slow starting but it's gonna pick up, don't worry. Thanks for all the reviews.