Damn Shame

"I've told you what she wearing, what does it matter? She's a little bitty baby!" AJ yelled at the officer.

The resort room was filled with nearly twenty cops, detectives and whoever else. AJ wasn't even sure anymore. She felt like she had been telling the same officer over and over again what Brooke was wearing.

"My soon to be ex-husband took her! I know him! He's a spiteful son of a bitch." AJ hissed.

"So he's your legal husband still?" The officer asked her.

"What does it matter?" AJ asked him. "We have a court issued custody agreement and if he took her that's a felony!"

"Yes it is." The officer agreed. "You all came on vacation together?"

"No! My ex wasn't invited he followed us down here." AJ told him.

"To spend time with his daughter?" The officer asked her.

"No! He doesn't like her! He only hangs onto her because he thinks it will keep him close to me which is why you have to find her right away! He has no connection to her, he doesn't like her, he will hurt her, he has no idea how to care for her!"

"We're doing everything in our power to find her." The cop told her.

"How? By grilling me and my boyfriend?" AJ asked. "Cal Malone is a hateful human and he has no use for Brooke." She told him desperately.

Across the room Punk was being interviewed by a police officer.

"And you heard nothing?" The Detective asked him.

"No." Punk said to him. "If I heard something I would have gotten up. AJ noticed the baby monitor was turned off in the nursery."

"Is the baby-" The Detective began.

"Brooke." He corrected. "Her name is Brooke not 'the baby'."

"I apologize." The Detective said to him. "Is Brooke comfortable with Cal Malone?"

"No." Punk said to him. "He's terrible with her. He has no ambition to even try with her. He is desperate to cling onto AJ and she made it very clear to him last night that he violated the custody order by following us out here and trying to take her from AJ."

"We went by Ms. Mendez's grandparents house and they said Cal left last night to travel home but he wasn't on any flights so he's here somewhere." The Detective told him.

"He better be." Punk told him. "Cal has been abusive to AJ." He informed the detective. "We came together because he wanted her to get rid of the baby and now he's going to try to get rid of her. He's a sociopath."

"We're looking everywhere." The Detective assured him. "He won't get off this island with her."

"He could have had her for hours." Punk insisted. "We went to bed early and didn't hear her and she usually sleeps through the night."

"We're checking the resort cameras." He told Punk.

"This guy is going to jail for this, right?" Punk asked him.

"If what you're saying is true and he violated a custody agreement then yes he's going to prison. This is considered kidnapping. It doesn't matter if he's married to Ms. Mendez or Brooke's biological father."

"He truly has no interest in her." Punk told the Detective. "Find her before he gets sick of her." he pleaded. "He had her for fifteen minutes and she had a black eye."

"What?" The Detective asked.

"He said she dropped her toy on her face." Punk told him.

"Was this reported to your judge?" He asked and Punk nodded as the Detective jotted it down. "Like I told you if he's still on this island he's not getting off of it."

"Phil." AJ said walking over to him as Colt talked to other cops.

"They're going to get her back." He promised her as AJ wrapped her arms around him.

"She has to be so scared." She said shuddering the thought. "She's probably looking for us." she teared up. "Wondering where we are and why we let some maniac get to her."

"We didn't let him take her." Punk reminded her.

"She should have been in our room." AJ said to Punk.

"Yea, that I agree with." Punk had to admit.

"What the hell were we thinking?" She asked him.

"We weren't thinking that Cal would sneak in the middle of the night and steal her." Punk told her. "I never would have thought of that."

"I threatened him and backed him against the wall and of course he acted out and took her." She told him. "I fucked up so bad-"

"You were saying the right things. You were saying what you thought was right." He told her.

"But it wasn't right and now she's gone. Do you know how many stories there are of bitter exes taking their kids and doing horrible things to them? If he wants to hurt me the way I hurt him he'll hurt her." She told him crying. "He knows you and Brooke are my world and he can't touch you but Brooke is defenseless."

"The police are going to find him." He swore to her. "They are everywhere."

"What if it's too late?" She asked horrified. "What if she's already gone? What if he snuck out of PR and we'll never see her again!"

"He's not. We will find him." He told her.

"How can you be so sure?" She asked him.

"Because she has to be ok and we have to find her. I won't accept any other outcome." He told her almost coldly. "And if I get my hands on him before the police do then I'll be the one locked up for life." he told her and walked away to check in on Colt.

It had been nearly twelve hours and AJ was sitting on the couch like a stone as police came and went out of the room. She was paralyzed with fear while Punk couldn't sit still. He wanted to be out there searching for Brooke himself. He felt completely useless sitting around doing nothing but the police wanted him and AJ to stay put.

"It's been so many hours." AJ said as Punk walked over to her and she looked up with red swollen eyes. "That's a really bad sign, right?"

"No." He lied shaking his head.

The truth was, as every minute passed Punk grew more and more anxious and concerned. He didn't think Cal would get out of Puerto Rico but he was sure Cal would grow impatient with Brooke. He thought he would have returned with her by now and play it off as he had the right to do this but the longer they were gone the more he feared something went wrong. Police had pulled up footage of Cal leaving the resort with Brooke so it was for sure him, not that they had any doubt.

"She probably hasn't eaten all day." She told Punk as she choked back tears. "This is my karma."

"What are you talking about?" He asked almost annoyed.

"Because I didn't want her when I first heard about her, remember?" She asked.

"No." He said honestly. "I remember you were scared I remember Brooke not being part of your plan but I never once heard you say that you didn't you want her. That you wanted to get rid of her and since the day she was born you've been the most amazing mom." he told her sternly. "You did nothing wrong and Brooke did nothing wrong."

"I just want her back." She cried and he felt his heart break and he finally sat for the first time in hours and wrapped his arms around her. "I won't even be mad at Cal as long as she's ok I don't care."

"She's going to be fine." He forced out.

"I feel it in my heart." She said placing her hand over her chest. "She's hurt and she needs me, us."

"Ms. Mendez." An officer announced walking over and removed his hat and Punk's heart fell. "There was an accident..."

"No." She said crying shaking her head.

"We don't know if it is Mr. Malone and your daughter but we'll need you to ID them. The male didn't have an ID." the officer told her and AJ's face fell.

"What do you mean ID?" Punk snapped standing up.

"It's rainy and a big storm is hitting I guess they swerved off the road and into the water-" He began to explain.

"Oh my god." AJ gasped for air.

"We do not know if it's them for sure. We were told it was a male matching Mr. Malone's description and a child your daughters age-"

"What are the odds it's not them!" Punk yelled. "You told me you would find them!"

"Please, we just need you to come to the hospital." The officer insisted.

"I don't think I can." AJ choked out. "I can't-"

"Ape." Punk sighed looking down at her holding back his own tears

"You're crying." She said looking up at him. "You know it's them too."

"I'll go." Punk said unable to look at AJ's crush face and turned to look at the officer. "She can stay here."

"She's the legal wife and mother. It has to be her." The officer told him quietly.

"Phil." She cried.

"It's ok. I'll be there with you but we have to know." He said helping her up but her knees almost went out.

"I don't want to." She said shaking her head.

"I've got you." He whispered into her ear.

Once they got to the hospital AJ ventured down the long hall with Punk holding her up practically. His heart was beating so hard and fast that he thought he was going to drop dead right there. AJ's body was shaking so much he thought he'd lose his grip on her and she'd fall. This was the scariest moment of his life. He used to think walking out to the cage was terrifying, going out in front of thousands of people that was nothing in comparison to this. He'd gladly go to one of those other moments in heartbeat and relive it over and over again if it meant he'd never remember this feeling right now. He couldn't even stop his own tears from falling. Any story about a child bothered him, but this was a child he loved like his own, one he thought he'd help raise and watch grow up. He thought he'd give Brooke siblings. He wanted Cal gone but not like this, not at the expense of Brooke.

"It's right here." The officer said opening a door and AJ tried to take in a breath but began to sob.

"Ape." he whispered into her ear.

"I can't." She sobbed and fell to her knees.

"Ms. Mendez." The officer frowned as he helped Punk help her up.

"We don't know it's them." Punk reminded her.

"It has to be." She cried as they headed into the room and Punk couldn't look. He wanted to be the brave one but he couldn't look at a dead child, he couldn't let that be his last memory of Brooke and it was selfish of him but he physically couldn't do it.

"It's not them." AJ said in a voice still crying and Punk looked up finally to confirm that AJ wasn't crazy and she wasn't. "My god." She cried and Punk pulled her against his chest so she didn't have to see the sight in front of her anymore.

"It's not them." Punk confirmed as relief ran through this veins. He felt awful for the two people laying in front of him.

"I need to get out of here." She told Punk and he hurried her out of the room.

AJ felt weak, she couldn't walk another foot. They sat in an empty spot of the hospital so AJ could catch her breath. They weren't far from the room they just went into.

"I can't stand this anymore." AJ said to him. "That poor baby in that room-"

"I know." Punk said unable to shake that image from his head either.

"I just want Brooke and I want to go home. And when we get her home she's moving into our room." She told Punk.

"Absolutely." he agreed without hesitation. "We can move the chair and table out our room and her crib will fit right in that spot." he told her and AJ nodded along. This was all they had to talk about to keep them sane.

"And you were right, we won't let her date or leave the house." She told Punk.

"Agreed." Punk nodded. "Homeschooling is popular nowadays."

"Yes." AJ agreed.

AJ looked up and saw another crying mother make her way down the hall with a police officer and her heart broke for that woman. She was that woman less than half an hour ago. That woman didn't have a Punk with her, that man was probably her husband and she was about to lose her entire world and AJ felt her stomach turn.

"I'm going to be sick." AJ said placing her hand over her mouth and running into the bathroom across the hall.

Punk leaned against the wall for ten minutes until AJ came back out. She was pale and exhausted but he knew they wouldn't sleep until they heard news about Brooke and Cal.

"We should go back to the hotel." Punk told her.

"I can't sit there and do nothing." She said to him.

"They might circle back." Punk reasoned. "You need to rest."

"I can't rest until she's back." AJ said shaking her head.

"Ms. Mendez." The cop who escorted them there greeted.

"She needs to go back to the hotel." Punk told the cop.

"There was a little girl dropped off at the emergency room doors. She's wearing the pajamas you described-" he began and AJ grabbed his arm.

"Where is she?" AJ asked.

"This way." He nodded and they hurried to the elevator.

AJ walked into a room where a little girl was crying and AJ knew those cries. That was Brooke's 'I'm hungry' cry. She turned the corner and almost fainted for what must have been the third time today.

"Baby!" AJ cried snatching her daughter from the nurses.

"It's alright." The officer told the nurses.

"Mama is here." AJ said kissing her cheek.

"Is she ok?" Punk asked anxiously.

"Dehydrated." The nurse told Punk.

"Where was she?" Punk asked as Brooke's tears slowed down being in her mother's arms again but now AJ was crying more and more.

"She was dropped off." The officer explained to Punk. "No one saw who did it."

"Any bruises or anything?" Punk asked and the nurse shook her head.

"From the looks of it when we first got her she hadn't had a diaper change in hours I'd say almost a day so she has a small rash and she hasn't eaten so we're preparing a bottle." The nurse told him.

"Phil, she's ok." AJ cried with a smile.

Brooke reached her little arms when she saw Punk and he took her from AJ and kissed her cheek before holding her.

"She's getting started on solids and she loves sweet potato, do you have jarred sweet potato?" AJ asked the nurse anxiously.

"Yea we do." The nurse smiled. "I'll go get her some and you can feed her but we'll want to keep her for a bit longer and make sure she eats."

"Fine but we're staying too." AJ told the nurse and the officer nodded to the nurse.

"That's fine." The nurse told her and excused herself.

"He didn't like hurt her, right?" AJ asked the other nurse.

"No. She wasn't well cared for but no visible marks." The nurse assured her.

"I'm never letting you out of my sight ever again." Punk told Brooke as he couldn't stop the few tears escaping his own eyes.

"She's ok." AJ said relieved hugging the two of them.

"What about Cal?" Punk asked the officer.

"No sign of Mr. Malone." The officer told him and Punk looked angry.

"I don't even care at this point, I just wanted my daughter back." She said taking Brooke back from Punk.

"He has to pay for this." Punk told AJ.

"I agree but look." She said holding up Brooke with a teary smile. "We are so lucky. We didn't think this would end like this lets just be happy."

"I'm so fucking happy you have no idea." He told her.

"I know you are." She said grabbing his hand with her free hand. "Thank you."

"For what?" He asked.

"Not letting me fall." She told him. "Reminding me that she was going to be alright."

"I love you both." Punk told her kissing her head.

"We can leave, right?" AJ asked the cop. "I want to go home, my daughter needs to go home."

"Sure." The officer nodded. "We'll follow up before you leave and we can call if anything."

"I can't stay here if Cal is here." AJ told Punk who nodded. "I can't-"

"It's fine. I'll call Colt and tell him Brooke is here and have him book us the first flight out of here." He told her.

"He is still here, right?" AJ asked.

"His face is everywhere. He won't be able to get a plane." The officer assured her and she nodded.

"Good." AJ said kissing her daughters head. "You're going to be safe." She promised her.

"Here's the food." The nurse said bringing in a bottle and the jarred food.

"She eats the best for Phil." AJ said and looked over to Punk who was texting Colt.

"I'll feed her." He said instantly putting his phone away. "Hungry? I know you're hungry." He said to Brooke as he took a seat with her.

An hour later Brooke was fed and sleeping in Punk arms comfortably. They were still staying in the hospital due to Brooke getting blood work and the doctors just wanting to be cautious but they were promised they'd be out by morning.

"She looks so relieved. Is that weird?" AJ asked admiring Punk and Brooke.

"No. I'm sure she is." Punk whispered back to her. "She was with a strange guy who couldn't even be bothered to change or feed her."

"Bastard." AJ practically hissed. "I hope he's burning in hell somewhere."

"He will be." Punk added quietly.

"You're the best father." She told him and he looked up at her. "I know we never really got into the formalities of it but you are her father. You are everything that Cal is not. You are the one she wanted to hold her to go to sleep. She wouldn't even stay in my arms. You're her dad in every sense of the word and I want to make that official."

"Ape-" He began.

"I'm not being emotional, well I am emotional and I'll probably be emotional for a really long time but she deserves to have you as her father. No matter where you and I go in life I want you to be her dad and even though she can't talk, she wants you as her dad. She needs you as her dad."

"She's always going to have me." He told her.

"If you don't want to do this I understand-" She began.

"I was just going to say I don't need the paperwork to tell me what I really I know and feel but I'll call the lawyer as long as it's something you're truly ok with." he said to her.

"More than ok." She told him as they continued to whisper. "I'll never regret Cal because he gave me her but if I could pull out a wand and erase his genes from her and put yours I would."

"Cal only ever did one thing right in his life and that was make her." Punk told her as he smiled down at Brooke. "You hear that, kid? I'm your dad."

"She already knows that." AJ said to him as she sat in her chair across the room. "You should get some sleep while she's sleeping."

"YOU should get some sleep while she's sleeping." He challenged. "I'll stay up and play guard."

"I don't think I'm ever going to sleep again." She told him honestly. "I'm never taking my eyes off of her. I'm going to be so anxious going back to work-"

"There's no rush for anything." Punk told her. "I think the three of us need a chill out vacation, at home."

"Yea no more leaving the state." She said shaking her head. "Larry probably misses us like crazy anyway."

"Oh I'm sure." He agreed with half a smile.

"You were really scared today." AJ noted.

"More than anything. I never want to feel that feeling ever again." Punk told her.

"I know what you mean." AJ said to him.

"You were incredibly strong." Punk told her proudly.

"Not as strong as you." She argued.

"Not at all." He shook his head. "Brooke is so lucky to have you as her mother.

"And luckier to have you as her father." She added.

"A father." Punk whispered and smiled proudly.

"A damn good one too." She added.