Chapter 21: Picking Up the Pieces

"I love this park it's so beautiful "AJ whispered into Punk's ear as they held each other in a loving embrace.

"Your beautiful…I can't believe I found someone like you. I love you AJ with everything I have in me…I can't wait to spend the rest of my life with you" Punk replied caressing AJ's face.

"Punk I'm so sorry" AJ whispered letting go of Punk

"Sorry for what? AJ what's the matter?" Punk asked concerned as AJ began to back away from Punk in tears.

"AJ…where are you going…come back…AJ…AJ" Punk cried out but AJ turned her back and continued to walk away ignoring Punk's cries.

"AJ" Punk screamed loudly

"Hey…hey calm down Punk its okay" John said trying his best to calm Punk who was thrashing in his bed.

"NO…NO…I want to go home…I don't want to be here…I don't want to be here" Punk cried loudly pulling at the IV machine causing him to cry out in pain as well.

"Get this off me…get it off" Punk yelled at the top of his lungs.

"Punk man it's okay…you just need to relax" John replied placing a hand on Punk's chest to calm him boy was his heart racing.

"FUCK YOU" Punk spat as he slapped John's hand off of him.

Next thing John knew a few nurses and a doctor rushed into the room trying to their best efforts to calm Punk down but nothing was working. He was in a rage that wasn't allowing to think or act logically in that moment.

"You've been the one here for him this whole time…so you make the call" the doctor said walking up to John who was still in shock.

"Call for what?" John asked confused

"We can give him a medication that can calm him down and don't worry it won't affect with his chemo medications" the doctor replied softly.

"LET ME GO…I MAY HAVE CANCER BUT I CAN STILL KICK YOUR ASS" Punk yelled harshly trying to get out of his bed.

"Do it" John replied as the doctor nodded to a nurse to bring in the medication.

After a few minutes that the nurse stepped out…she returned with a needle and a small glass bottle of medication. The nurse quickly removed one of Punk's IV and hooked up the needle, and bottle to the IV machine.

"What are you doing…what is that" Punk asked looking at every move the nurse made.

"STOP WHAT IS THAT STUFF…please no more medication….just let me die" Punk cried.

Then within a few minutes the medication was kicking in and Punk was out like a light.

John was still in shock…what had brought that one. The only thing John recalled what him crying out for AJ and then going absolutely bonkers the next. Aside from all that all that mattered was Punk walk calm now…he needed his rest.

Hours had past and John had fallen asleep on the chair next to Punk. John's body ached from sitting on the chair for hours but he didn't really care…he was there for Punk. John awoke to the feeling of something hitting him on the forehead over and over again.

"What the…" John mumbled rubbing his sleepy eyes.

"About time you woke up…I was getting bored so yeah" Punk replied holding up the wrapper of his straw.

"That explains what was being thrown at me" John replied with a half-smile.

"Listen John…about my little well huge freak out I'm sorry" Punk whispered softly.

"Don't apologize…but Punk man what the hell brought it on?" John asked concerned

"Too much shit on my mind…cancer, my son and how I'm going to take care of him when I can't even take care of myself, and well AJ I miss her so much" Punk replied as he wiped a tear away before it fell down his cheek.

"Punk I have something to tell you…but promise me you won't freak the hell out again" John replied holding up his hands.

"Trust me…whatever this stuff they have pumping in me right now. Well let's just say I'm about 50 percent here and the other 50 on cloud 9" Punk replied with a soft smile.

"I called AJ yesterday when you were admitted" John replied putting his hands in his pockets.

"You did? Well what did she say?" Punk asked with eyes widened almost hopefully.

"She didn't want to come to the hospital…she said when she was ready she would come back. But Punk I don't th…" John was cut off by Punk chuckling softly.

"You don't think she's coming back…do you?" Punk whispered sadly all that hope in his eyes gone.

"I'm sorry man…but if she really wanted to she'd be here" John replied softly.

"John" Punk whispered

"Yeah" John replied softly

"You think that you can convince these goons to let me out of here…I just want to go home" Punk whispered trying his best to hold back tears.

"I'll see what I can do man" John replied walking out of Punk's room quietly closing the door behind him.

Once Punk was safe knowing John was gone he let it out…everything he broke into tears repeating over and over again why. Punk wrapped his hand on the necklace around his neck that AJ had given to him a long time ago…it was something to signify her love for him and their love of comics. It was a simple pendant of the batman symbol held on a black string.

"Stupid piece of crap" Punk growled out as he snapped the necklace off and threw it across the room.

John stood by the door and heard everything…it was now up to him to be there for Punk. He swore right then and there that he was going to see Punk fight through this cancer. Because now…John was the only one that Punk had left.