A/N... Hey guys! Sorry for not being as active as I usually am. Been really busy these few days. But here's another chapter. Enjoy.
5 months after prison release...
The next few weeks for Punk could only be described as wonderful. Ever since the twins birthday, things had picked up to high speed. He'd even began to stay in the house over night, and it didn't seem to be a big deal to AJ or the twins. It felt like their slow techniques were finally paying off.
He'd still give AJ and the twins some time to themselves, and with that time he would work out at the gym, or he'd make himself useful around his apartment, which was barely even necessary anymore.
He was inolved in day trips now with the twins and AJ. They'd go to the park together, they'd go to the beach, have ice cream, or sometimes... sometimes they'd just stay in, a cosy night in front of the fire, a pizza and a movie. Just like a family. Like a family he longed to be again.
Both Dylan and Heidi were extremely comfortable around their father now, morning, noon and night. They were comfortable with him dressing them, bathing them, putting them to sleep, giving them dinner. He really felt like a father again and it couldn't have felt better.
Rachel never left his mind however. As much as he tried to look past it, she still crept into his head when everything was silent, and his family were asleep at night. AJ was still seeking counciling. He suspected she would never get over it, after what she physically had to go through, never mind emotionally. And she done it all alone. That was the worst part for him. Knowing she was here, going through such horrific pain while he thought nothing of the sort in prison. He knew their still born daughter couldn't rip their marriage apart, but she was always going to be on their mind.
He guessed that over the past few weeks, he'd been so caught up in spending time with the twins, and getting used to being a father again, that he'd forgotten he was also a husband. He and AJ hadn't went out since he'd came back. They'd had nights alone together, but mostly that meant sitting in front of the TV and watching TV programmes. He hadn't taken her out into the public yet, and there were many reasons why. One being his own fears and anxiety, the other being the fear of losing his capability to interact with his wife the way they used to. But tonight he had asked her out to dinner. It'd been years, literally, since she got the chance to put one of her dresses to good use, and face him in a sweet restaurant again. Just like old times.
"They've had their bath, and they're in bed, Judy. If you need me, just call, I have my phone. Will you be ok?" AJ asked her long term baby sitter who she trusted one hundred percent with her children.
"Yes, of course. On you go. Have fun." Judy smiled as AJ nodded, grabbing her coat from the rack beisde the door, swinging the front door open to find Punk standing, just about ready to knock.
"Bet me to it." He smiled, looking her up and down with desiring eyes. She looked like an angel. He'd only seen her in jeans and loose t-shirts so far. It gave him all sorts of flashbacks to the dinners and conferences he'd take her to, where she'd distract him every second with the beautiful dresses she'd wear but insist were ugly.
"Sorry, I was running a bit late. The babysitter was late, and the kids wouldn't go to sleep." She gave herself a minute to compose, taking a deep breath with a relaxed sigh.
"I think this night is just what the doctor ordered." Punk chuckled, "Shall we?" He extended his hand out to her as she latched on to it with a smile.
"We shall." She smiled, closing the front door over and stepping down the front stairs with him.
It had been so long since she had gotten to wear a dress again, and feel like she belonged to someone. She felt like her duties had a purpose now that Punk was here. Now that the Mrs at the start of her name, and the Brooks at the end actually meant something now.
She had no idea where he was taking her, but she wasn't expecting people to be as friendly as what they used to be. She wasn't expecting to walk into a restaurant, get the best seat, get free meals, get discount, just like they used to when he was boxing and one of the most famous athletes in the planet. In fact, she was preparing herself for the worst, and she hoped Punk was too.
They wound up in some Italian restaurant in the main strip of Las Vegas. Punk already knew what to order AJ before she even looked at the menu. They'd been a few times to this specific restuarant, and the only thing that had changed was the reaction towards him. People weren't exactly nice to him. But he didn't care what other people thought of him. As long as they weren't affecting April, he didn't give a fuck.
"People keep staring." AJ whispered to Punk who shrugged.
"So what." He testified, "I'm out to enjoy a night with my wife. Fuck everyone else." He said.
And she wished for that strength he had. That strength that boxing had gave him. The strength of not worrying what other people thought. She on the opposite hand hated the whispering and the staring that was going on around them. She felt like she couldn't focus or enjoy her night when everyone around her was talking about the convicted boxer back out in the public eye again. The very same people who didn't know what went on with Punk and Jeremy. No one knew. No one would ever understand. And that was the frustrating part.
Although it was putting her off, she didn't stop it from runing her night. Punk was right. They were out to have a nice evening, a night off from the kids, just them two for the first time in what felt like forever.
She tucked into her pizza (of course, pizza) and finished the whole lot through flowing conversation with her husband. They talked about everything, but mostly about Dylan and Heidi.
AJ felt like a proper parent for once. Not that she hadn't for the past three years. But she didn't feel so alone anymore, she felt normal again. Like nothing had even happened. Like Punk had never even left.
Once they finished dinner, they decided not to stay for dessert, and get some ice cream on the walk home. The vegas strip was loud and crowded, but that was expected for a Saturday night. She enjoyed the warmth of hugging into her husbands body whilst walking along, their arms linked with her head resting on his arm.
"It's been a while since I was in one of these." Punk chuckled to himself as he looked up at the night clubs they passed by. They all held many memories, some good and bad. But mostly good, back when he would have post fight parties. The boxer, party scene felt like such a lifetime away for him.
"I know." AJ agreed, watching as a familiar face came from one of the night club entrances, noticing him notice Punk, preparing herself for a big scene to be made.
"Brooks!" Punk heard being yelled through the street, looking around and spotting one of his former opponents, Michael Remen. He looked down at AJ who had suddenly held onto him tighter than what she already was.
"Please, stay clam." AJ whispered, knowing that this man got under Punks skin, quite a lot.
"I'm alright." Punk reassured his wife, who was gripping onto him tightly.
"Damn, it's been a while." Remen appoached Punk with a chip on his shoulders, standing a few feet from the loud club, many people passing by them on the strip.
When Punk was stripped of his title back before he was sentenced, the title went straight to Remen. It boiled Punks blood. In Punks mind, Remen hadn't fought hard enough to be a champion. To be a champion, you need to beat the champion, and Remen hadn't done that. In Punks mind, he was still the champion.
"It sure has." Punk agreed, looking across to Remen, AJ standing slightly behind him.
"I see your lovely wife is one of the few people who stood by you all this time." Remen looked down at AJ.
"It seems like it." Punk nodded, "If you don't mind, buddy. Just out having a quiet night with my wife. I don't want any trouble." Punk nodded, "C'mon." He said quietly to AJ, walking on by Remen with the little dignity he wanted to keep.
"Always walking away." Remen turned to look on at AJ and Punk walking away, "Rematch... I dare you."
AJ felt Punk pause on the spot, which worried her completely, "Phil... let it go, you're on probation, you can't..." She didn't get to finish her sentence, Punk had already turned back around, shaking out of her grip and walking towards Remen.
"Come on..." Remen smiled at the reaction he knew he would get from Punk, "Do that wife of yours proud, do those children you got proud. Be a man and fight me again." Remen smiled, "Or be a pussy and be that failure you were always destined to be." Remen smiled.
"You know I'm suspended. I can't go back for another two years. You wouldn't be talking shit to be if you didn't know that." Punk said. He knew Remen was only talking shit because he knew he was suspended for another two years.
"I'm sure we could negotiate something with Mendoza and Jameson." Remen smiled, "Unless, like I said, you're too much of a pussy."
"Nah." Punk chuckled. He already knew, ex inmate or not, he was still on top of Remen, "The only thing stopping me from knocking your teeth down your throat right now, is one, my wife is standing behind me, and two, I'm on probation. And you know that too, otherwise you wouldn't be talking so much shit to me." Punk said, "Stay out of my way, I'll stay out of yours."
"C'mon... don't want your kids thinking daddy is a failure. Huh?" Remen smiled as Punk gritted his teeth. It was so hard for Punk not to punch him square in the face. But AJ was right, he was on probation. He couldn't afford to be so careless.
"What have I told you in the past... don't talk about my kids or my wife." Punk shook his head.
"You just leave it with me." Remen patted Punk on the shoulder, "I'll talk to Mendoza and Jameson. We can all see live, everyone watching across the world, if prison life kicked the boxer out of you." Remen chuckled as Punk just nodded with a smile. He was humouring Remen the best he could. But the words spoken to him were getting under his skin. Boxing was still in his blood, he still believed he had unfinished business.
"Just stay out of my way." Punk said, turning back around and approaching back over to AJ who had stood watching closely behind Punk.
"What did he say?" She asked curiously.
"Nothing." Punk smiled down to her, taking a hold of her hand tightly, "C'mon, let's go home."
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