Closing Time
Punk made it back home before AJ even got Petra ready for school. He wanted to tell her about Seth before she heard it on the news and she took it remarkably well. It didn't surprise him when she wept for the man she once love and created a child with and he wasn't angry about it. He just consoled her and held her close until she was ready to pull herself together.
"He was shot?" AJ asked still in shock.
"I think he was meeting with Kevin." Punk said to him. "There was a witness who saw him fleeing from the scene."
"Oh my god." AJ said said falling into the couch and holding her head. "He was confronting him, wasn't he?"
"I would presume so because if they were working together he wouldn't have been killed." Punk said to her.
"This is my fault." AJ said shaking her head. "I shouldn't have told him what was happening."
"It's not your fault." Punk said sitting next to her. "He knew what he was doing was dangerous."
"What the hell am I going to tell Petra?" AJ asked him.
"I don't know." Punk said cringing at the thought of having to tell Petra her father was dead. "You need to go to the morgue."
"Why?" AJ asked.
"You're still legally Seth's wife. You need to ID his body." Punk said to her.
"Oh god." she groaned running her hands over her face.
"Then you can work on arrangements." Punk said to her.
"His father died a few months back and his mother is in a nursing home she doesn't even know what day it is anymore." she confided. "He doesn't have any other family."
"That's why you have to do it." Punk said to her. "Or I could do it for you." he offered.
"No." She said giving him a thankful smile and placed her hand on his knee. "I'll take care of it."
"I'll help with anything you need." Punk offered. "I really don't mind."
"Can you arrest Kevin?" AJ asked him hopefully.
"I'm going to do everything I can to bring him in." Punk said to her. "Cliff is already bringing him in for questioning and he's going to see if he the witness can ID him."
"I can't believe this is happening." AJ said to him. "The last few years of abuse and the hell he put me through I never once wished death upon him."
"I know." Punk said to her.
"I just wanted him to leave us alone." she teared up. "I didn't want him to die on the street."
"I know that and no one deserves to be killed like that." Punk said to her.
"I should have known he was going to try to something." AJ said to him. "I used to know him better than anyone and the old me would have never mentioned Kevin because no matter how mad Seth would be at me he never let anyone else mess with me. I think a part of him did love him at some point."
"He did." Punk agreed.
"This one night we got into this huge fight. I had his parents take Petra for the night so we could re-connect or try to have some privacy and he was so mad I left her with his dad. He was screaming and throwing things and I didn't know the history with his dead so I just left. I walked out and went to this bar with a friend of mine, looking back I don't even know why because I don't drink. Anyway some guy was giving me a hard time and Seth walked in and nearly killed him." she told him. "Told him that I was his wife and no one messed with his family."
"I know this is difficult for you." Punk said to her. "You can take as much time as you need-"
"Away from you?" She asked. "Never." she said shaking her head. "I loved Seth but I'm in love with you. This is hard but it's not just me who is going to need you, Petra is going to need you too."
"I'm here for both of you." Punk promised taking her hand into his and bringing it to his lips and leaving a gentle kiss.
"Thank you." She whispered.
"Mommy you didn't wake me up!" Petra scolded running down the stairs. AJ had completely forgotten that today was a school day as Petra ran towards her. "I dressed myself." she announced cutely modeling for her mother. Her shirt was on inside out, pants backwards and two different pairs of shoes. "Why are you crying mommy?" she asked sadly walking to her.
"I- uh." AJ started not even sure how to begin.
"We need to talk to you." Punk corrected and AJ gave him a thankful smile.
The talk with Petra was harder then AJ ever imagined and never thought she'd have to explain to Petra at age six why her daddy had to die and wouldn't be spending Christmas with her this year like Seth promised before he left last night. AJ had to compare it to when her hamster died and Petra was just devastated. She held onto her mother and cried until Cliff came over to watch Petra so AJ could go to the morgue and ID Seth properly.
Punk was surprised how well AJ handled the morgue and the talk with Petra. It was ok for her to breakdown and let out before Petra knew but now that Petra needed her AJ was morphed into 'super mom' and was all about doing everything right and remaining positive for Petra and that amazed him. She made the ID and after the autopsy she was having him sent back to New Jersey where he would be buried near family.
"Why don't you two stay with me for a little bit?" Punk offered as he drove her back. "Petra loves it at my place."
"You don't mind?" AJ asked him.
"No not at all." He said to her. "I'll drop you back off with her then swing by your place and pick up clothes for you two."
"You're the best." She said giving him a sweet smile.
"No you are." Punk argued. "You were amazing with Petra. It's like you switched a light switch and morphed into super mom. It's incredible."
"I'm worried about her." AJ admitted. "She just doesn't get it."
"She's only six." Punk pointed out.
"Why did he pick die the same week he came back trying to be a good guy?" AJ asked him.
"He died for something." Punk said to her.
"What does that mean?" She asked confused.
"He wanted to right those wrongs and died trying to do it." Punk said to him. "Have to respect him for that and honestly after our talk last night I don't think there's any other way he'd want to go out."
"I guess." AJ agreed.
"If this IA investigation went forward with him he would have been doing hard time and do you know what it would be like for a cop in prison?" Punk asked him.
"So you're saying he was better off dying?" AJ asked.
"I'm not saying that because who knows what would have happened but I think he was so reckless meeting this guy because he knew the writing was on the wall and didn't want you or Petra to remember him as this monster, now you'll look back and remember he died trying to protect you both." Punk said and glanced over to her then put his eyes back on the road.
"Leave it to him to make me hate him for so long then make me feel bad about him dying for me." AJ muttered.
"He loved you I'm sure." Punk said to her. "I mean how could he not? You're amazing. And he may have never said it out loud but I think he respected what you did by taking off. That's why he never involved the police and when he came back he signed everything over to you, he knew you were right and he knew you'd take care of Petra."
"It's just so sad." AJ frowned. "I never imagined he'd die like this. He was so smart! I don't know what the hell he was thinking!"
"He was thinking of his daughter and the mother of his child." Punk pointed out. "We all do stupid things in the name of love."
"Well, promise me you never will." AJ warned him. "I know you love us but you can't do anything that reckless. No going to meet this Kevin guy even if you think you're protecting us no rushing to get justice on him because that's something we want. We can't lose you too."
"You have nothing to worry about." Punk said to her. "I'm going to bring this guy in, keep you safe and Petra happy." he said simply then had to laugh.
"What's so funny?" AJ asked him.
"When we first met I was working this case." Punk reminded her. "Now all of this time passed and you're right in the middle of this case. It's like coming full circle."
"I'm glad I met you." She said to him. "I'm glad you were working that case and you were so sweet to Petra at the comic book shop."
"I knew you two were running from something. I just didn't think I'd become so consumed by you." he admitted.
"Do you have any regrets at all?" she asked him.
"So far I've bought nothing but madness and a six year old into your life." AJ smirked.
"That's not true." Punk laughed. "And really this Kevin thing is on me."
"It's not." AJ assured him. "He was looking for a way into the DA's office and it just so happened to be me."
"I don't believe that." Punk said to her.
"Believe it." She said simply. "I owe Petra so much more than this."
"It's been a rough six months for her but she's a kid." Punk reminded her. "She'll move on from this."
"You think so? It won't just stick with her?" AJ asked. "She's all I'm worried about."
"I know that and again she'll be sad and wonder about her dad but time heals all wounds." He reminded her.
"I hope so." She mumbled to herself.
Punk dropped AJ right off at his front door then headed to her apartment around the corner. He had a key and walked right in when he saw Kevin sitting in her living room.
"Well isn't this funny." Kevin laughed standing up. "Wasn't waiting for you."
"What are you doing here?" Punk asked closing the door behind him and locking it.
"AJ and are old friends." Kevin shrugged.
"Not from what AJ has told me." Punk remarked.
"I should have known if she told her husband she probably told her boyfriend." Kevin said to him. "How does that work by the way? Did you two like share her at the same time? Or does he get her on odd numbered days?" Kevin laughed.
"Stop threatening her. She got fired trying to get you that file." Punk informed her. "She's no good to you anymore."
"Heard about that." Kevin nodded. "She's going to have to find another way in."
"You're going to have to find another way in." Punk corrected. "Aren't you supposed to be down at the station?"
"The witness never showed." Kevin shrugged. "Weird huh? I was really hoping to catch April and that pretty little girl- what's her name again?" he asked Punk who rolled his neck trying to contain his anger. "You must know!" he laughed. "Petra isn't it? Weird name but pretty, suits her pretty face."
"Is that how you baited Seth? Making comments about his daughter?"
"Doesn't take much to bait a hothead like that guy." Kevin laughed. "I can see why his marriage didn't last. I wanted to give my condolences to April that's all."
"That was a pretty stupid thing to do." Punk laughed stepping towards him.
"You think you're going to get a quick on me like Rollins tried to?" Kevin laughed. "If you kill me that will only create more problems for you."
"Not at all." Punk said to him. "I would like to kill you though." he admitted. "You getting AJ fired- even approaching her to begin with, your disgusting comments about Petra- those really piss me off."
"Because you know what I'm capable of." Kevin said to him.
"I do. And killing you will only bring a lot more hurt down on not just me but AJ and her daughter and I can't have that." Punk said the quickly grabbed his arm and pinned him against the wall with his face pressed against it. "So I'm going to arrest you for breaking in here."
"Oh come on." Kevin laughed as Punk cuffed him. "I'll be out by tomorrow."
"We'll see about that." Punk said to him and pulled him away from the wall.
AJ had gotten a call from Punk that he needed her down at the station as soon as possible. She dressed Petra and headed right over there and couldn't help but hope this had something to do with Seth's death. Punk walked over to AJ when he saw her walk in with Petra and hurried them over to his desk.
"I need you to make a statement about Kevin blackmailing you." Punk said low enough so Petra couldn't hear it.
"What? I'll never get my job back Phil." She argued.
"Trust me." He said to her eyeing her. "This could put him right where we want him. He was in your apartment when I went to pick up your things and I want to keep him in here. You need to give a statement. You won't get in trouble because you never actually took anything."
The last thing AJ wanted to do was go into a battle with this man but she looked down at Petra and locking up the man that took her father from her. She saw her sad but hopeful eyes and gave her a weak smile.
"Ok." AJ said to him.
"I have my lawyer here and he's going to talk you through it all ok?" Punk said to her. "Go into room one and I'll wait with Petra."
"I'll be right back honey." AJ said kneeling down and kissing her cheek. "You'll stay with Punk ok?"
"Ok." she whispered sadly.
AJ walked off and Punk picked Petra up and put her in his chair and he pulled a free chair over.
"How are you holding up?" Punk asked her.
"I'm sad." Petra admitted honestly. "I miss daddy."
"I know." Punk frowned. "But I have something for you."
"You do?" she asked and watched as he opened his desk drawer.
"Yup." he said pulling a badge out of his desk and handed it to her. "That's your dad's."
"Really?" She asked admiring it.
"Yea and I really think he would have wanted you to have it." Punk said to her.
"It's so shiny." She said running her tiny hand over it. "He always told me I couldn't play with it."
"Well it's not to be played with. It's just to remind you that your dad had a very important job." Punk said to her.
"Do you think daddy is in heaven?" Petra asked Punk who didn't believe in that sort of thing. He sighed unsure of what to say, he didn't want to lie to her but he also didn't want hurt her further.
"I think when people die they go into the hearts of people that loved them." Punk said to her.
"So daddy is in my heart?" Petra asked and Punk nodded. "That's pretty cool." She smiled.
"It is." Punk agreed.
"What's mommy doing?" Petra asked.
"She's just doing some boring grown up things." Punk said with ease.
"Mommy said we have to go back to New Jersey soon for daddy are you coming with us?" Petra asked.
"Will you like me to?" Punk asked.
"Yes." Petra said to him.
"Then I'll be there." Punk said her with a smile.
Later that night Punk walked into his place and AJ was sleeping on the couch. He stayed late to process Kevin and to make sure he wouldn't get bailed out tonight, which he wasn't. He walked over to AJ and kissed her cheek to wake her up.
"Hi." AJ greeted with a sleepy smile. "What happened."
"Well your good friend Ricky wasn't pleased about hearing Kevin threatened you for files and admires your will to not actually do it." Punk said as she sat up. "He wants to talk to you about your job."
"Really?" AJ asked. "I thought blowing him off today sealed my fate."
"Nah. He said once your done with everything with Seth to give him a call." Punk said. "It's only a matter of time before Cliff finds the gun that killed Seth and links it back to him."
"Good." AJ said to him. "Thank you."
"You're welcome." he said to her. "How's Petra?"
"She's better. Loves the badge you gave her so thank you again for that." AJ said to him.
"It belonged to her." Punk said sitting next to her. "So what's next?"
"Next I go back to Jersey and figure out Seth's funeral and I'll get to bring some of my old stuff back with me." She said to him. "I know Petra asked you to come but if it's weird for you I understand."
"I want to support you both." Punk said to her. "That's what I plan on doing."
"How did I get so lucky with you?" she asked. "I can't imagine doing this alone and thanks to you I never have to worry about it."
"Nope you don't." Punk agreed.
"So this all over now?" AJ asked him. "No more wondering if Seth is going to snatch up Petra or Kevin holding something over my head?"
"It appears so." Punk said to her. "You're free. For the first time in six years you can sleep soundly."
"I sleep soundly every night I fall asleep next to you." AJ said to him with a small smile.
"Funny because I have a hard time falling asleep with you lying next to me at all." He teased causing her to smile.
"Yea? I'm just tempting for you?" she laughed.
"Oh very tempting. You groan in your sleep and curl against me." Punk smirked. "And I just want to pin you underneath me and have my way with you all night." he whispered then tenderly kissed her lips.
"You should. That's a wake up call I wouldn't mind." She grinned wrapping her arms around his neck and deepening the kiss.
"I'd take you right here on this couch but there's a six year old who likes to sneak downstairs for cookies." Punk said pulling away. AJ just let out a laugh and stood up grabbing his hand and leading him up the stairs...
