an. Chapter twenty-one! Sorry it took me so long, I was getting caught up on homework, so I could have extra time to work on my writing! And don't even get me started on my work schedule, but I will say that I think it's time to start looking for another job. :$ Anyway, I cried whilst writing this chapter, it was just so emotional for me to write. If you shed a tear, I'm sorry. You're gonna see a very vulnerable side to Punk here, hope you enjoy it.

Flowers

Last night was crazy, and that was putting it mildly. He hadn't been able to sleep at all afterwards, hell he didn't even go home. Nope, instead he wondered along the beach long after everyone had called it a night. Though highly unplanned, everything had gone extremely well with AJ. He still wished that he was able to tell her when he was ready though.

But whatever, all that mattered now is that it was said, and they could start trying to build something together.

Being up as long as he was gave him loads of time to think about everything. At twenty-five he knew what he wanted, everything he would have had with Alyssa, was what he wanted right now. A family, career, a beautiful woman to come home to... just something to look forward to every day. Even though that life was far from happening at this point, he hoped that it wouldn't wait too long.

With all this sense of happiness and fulfillment, came a crushing blow; guilt. The dream he had a few nights ago kept replaying in his mind, even more so after last night. He knew that he was breaking a promise, one that he was sure would never be broken. As silly as some people might think it was, he couldn't help but feel like he was letting Alyssa down.

He just knew she was looking down on him with utter disbelief. How could he do that to her? Especially after staying true to his word after all this time.

He still loved her, though, no matter what. She had to understand that he was doing this for the both of them. So that they could both finally be at peace. The Alyssa he knew and loved really wouldn't want him to be down and out for the rest of his life.

Many people would think he was crazy, but he had it in his mind to ask her permission. He had a bouquet of daisies, he favorite flower, in his passenger seat; en route to the cemetery. If anything it would do him good to just sit and air out his thoughts, she was always such a good listener anyway. Maybe she'd give him some sort of sign, whether good or bad, he would just figure it out.

Parking his Chevy Avalanche in the cemeteries parking lot upon arrival, he grabbed the flowers, locked his doors and walked inside the gated area. Though it was far enough away from the water, he could still hear the waves crashing against each other. Other than that everything was peaceful, no breeze, but the weather was always cool in this town.

After five minutes he finally got to where he needed to be. A light pink, granite, heart shaped stone. It was lined off with a white picket fence, just like she wanted at the house. One of the projects he never got to, until she was gone. Placing the flowers in an empty vase, he then made himself comfortable on the bench opposite the headstone.

It had been a while since he'd been here, he felt horrible for it. He just got caught up in life, he supposed.

Alyssa Michelle Massaro
May 15, 1988 – August 15, 2008
Beloved daughter, sister, friend, fiance and mother
May she rest in peace

Below that one, lay a smaller headstone made for the baby that they lost in the accident as well.

Baby Brooks
Though we never met, I loved you. Though I never held you, you warmed my heart. Though you never spoke, your voice overpowers my thoughts. Though I'll never see you, you'll guide me through my life. Though you never walked this earth, you can now fly over it forever. You never got to really hear it, but daddy loves you so much. Fly high, angel.

Reading the words he wrote three years ago, brought tears to his eyes. So much emotion had gone into it, writing his feelings helped keep him from ding harmful things to himself. It was Ashley's idea to engrave it in the headstone, since, besides the name, it would be blank.

The service itself was extremely emotional, it was an unusually rainy day. Fit everyone's moods perfectly. The preacher said his final blessing, shook holy water and proceeded to lay the coffin in the ground. While he wasn't greatly religious, Alyssa's parents were though, letting them organize the service was the least he could do. He was sure they would have talked him into doing so anyway.

Wiping his eyes and momentarily wiping away the memories, he cleared his throat, there were things he needed to get done.

"Alyssa, sorry it has been so long... I just, well you've probably seen what I've been up to."

A couple deep breaths later, he continued, "I know this is silly, and you'd probably slap me if I was doing with anyone else. But this just feels right for me."

"I know that we promised that we'd always belong to each other, no matter what. And I stayed true to that promise for almost four years now. And then she came along, AJ Lee."

She's lightened up my world, made me see what it was like to truly live. For the first time in such a long time I'm happy again. She made me feel like, she made me feel... like you used to."

After the last few words came out of his mouth, he finally understood everything. Every encounter he ever had with AJ, almost matched every encounter he had with Alyssa before they became a "thing". Maybe in some weird way, Alyssa sent AJ here to change everything. To finally get him back to the man he needed to be. To the man he used to be.

Standing up and walking over to the headstone, he knelt down and placed a kiss on it, "Always looking out for me, thank you. Kiss that baby of ours for me, I love the both of you so much."

an. So what did you guys think? I think now Punk can really move on and start really trying to build something with AJ... and next chapter we'll get to AJ and how she is handling the whole situation. Leave me a review and let me know how you feel about it. :) Also, I'm starting to start look into when this story is going to end... we're almost there!

Abrazos y besos para todos!