AJ had left the hospital later in the day to go home and shower, and also see to her other two children. She had promised Rebecca that she would be back, and plus, a lovely nurse was looking after her in her room the entire time like AJ had requested, so she didn't feel too bad.

She got a cab back home as she couldn't drive yet again with her injuries, and even if she could, Punk had taken the car with no regard to her own transport.

She got home to the quiet house, assuming that Eve still had Nick and Harli at her house and was taking care of them until she contacted her. She knew Punk was in the house however, as the car was in the drive, and she could hear movements upstairs.

She walked into the bedroom, that she had hoped they could unify in again soon, but then realised he was gathering his things that he had collected over the past few months of being here. It wasn't much, but it was just things that got him by, and he was packing it all away.

"I don't think you're being very fair here." AJ folded her arms, looking across at him as he didn't think twice about looking up at her, "You're just- You're just upset, and you're finding it tough seeing Rebecca like this. In a few days, you're gonna realise you made a mistake."

"Is that what you done… when you left me? Did you realise a few days after that you had made a mistake?" Punk asked her.

"As a matter of fact, yes. Yes I did." AJ said.

"But you still continued to divorce me, take my kids from me, and refuse any contact from me what so ever." He said, "That. That was your mistake." He said.

"And I don't want us to make the same mistake again." She said, "Please, don't go." She shook her head, "I'm still- I'm still struggling, and the kids want you here."

"I'm not leaving. I'm just moving out of here and getting my own place." He shrugged like it was meaningless, which hurt her even more. It was like he was just turning on her. Like something had switched off, and that loving, gentle, caring man she knew he was no longer existed.

"I want you here." AJ said, "I thought we were going to try and work this out. We were taking it slow." She sighed.

"Yeah? Well I'm just tired now, of always being the guy that was never here. I know nothing of Rebecca's illness, and somehow… somehow I feel guilty." He looked across at her, nothing but the bed in between them, "As if it's my fault I know nothing about her illness. But it was you who hid it from me. You hid all of them from me, and I'm here, looking like the runaway father." He said, "I'm not taking a back-seat to it anymore. And hadn't you been in the car accident, I don't think you'd have even realised how much you needed me." He shrugged with no emotion, "If you need a near death experience, to realise how much I loved you, and how much you needed me around, then what's the point? You should have- You should have realised it on your own." He sighed, picking up his back as she shook her head.

"I have realised it. Does it matter how or when I realised? Look, I need you, Phil. I need you now more than ever. Rebecca needs parents who can come together and be there for her. She… she doesn't need two homes, and two separate lives. She doesn't deserve that." AJ shook her head, "And neither do Nick or Harli."

"Well it's better than having two fucked up parents who can't stand in the same room as one another."

"Since when did we hate each other, Phil?" She asked him, standing in front of the bedroom door, not allowing him out of the room until she had said her peace.

"We don't." Punk said, "I'm just realising that, I never… I never came here to reconcile with you. I came here with the intention to see my kids again and be their father. That was it. And that night I came here, you didn't seem to want to patch things up with me anyway. And then you got yourself in the crash, and you realised how alone you really were, and when you were in need, you turned to me, because no one else was there-"

"Don't act like I used you, Phil!" AJ shouted, "I turned to you because I love you, and I finally realised how bad a mistake I made. We've talked about all of this."

"I'm not saying you used me, April. I'm saying that… I was the one that got off my couch and came to see you. Hadn't I not, you'd still be here, keeping my kids from me and going about your normal life. I still don't think you've realised how much you've taken from me of their lives." He said.

"Phil, I've said I'm sorry." AJ cried, "What do you want me to do?" She asked.

"Sometimes sorry just doesn't cut it. Not when your daughter is ill, your son has been at near death, and your other daughter still doesn't want to look at you." He said.

"We can work on it. It's only been a few months-"

"It's nearly been a year." Punk said.

"Well we just have to have… a little patience." She shrugged.

"Don't talk to me about patience." He shook his head, "I was patient for three years."

"We can be patient together, build ourselves back up. Be there for our children. Together." She sighed, pressing her hands against his chest to fall into him, "Please, don't leave." She cried, resting her head onto his chest.

He stood still, making no contact with her body but allowing her to curl against his chest in a crying heap. It did hurt him to see her upset. His abrupt decisions weren't made because he no longer loved her or cared for, he'd just had enough. He didn't want to be those parents that stuck together for their kids. It wasn't fair on them, and it wasn't fair on the kids. Sometimes he believed that was all AJ was interested in, him being there as a shoulder to cry on regarding the children.

"I have to go." He told her as she looked up through her teary eyes, "I've found a place a few blocks from here, I'm gonna go check it out, see what numbers I'm dealing with." He said as she backed away ever so slightly, "Dean and Renee are coming over to help me move in. They're getting my things from Chicago transferred." He said, "I'd stay clear of them-"

"Why?" AJ shook her head.

"Well… you aren't their favourite person. I'm sure you could accumulate Renee, but Dean has no interest in seeing you." He said, "You didn't just take my kids from me, you took them away from Dean. Nick and Dean were like brothers-"

"Are you trying to hurt me here?" She asked him.

"I'm just stating the truth." He shrugged, "The truth that I don't think you've came to terms with." He said.

"I have… Phil, I know what I done was wrong. I do." AJ said, "Please, just stay, and we can work something out."

"I have to go." Punk shook his head, "I'm gonna visit Rebecca later on tonight, and I'll pop round to see Nick and Harli too." He said, "Once I get my place sorted out, we can arrange a schedule or something for them to come stay with me some nights."

"No. I don't want you to take them from me." She shook her head.

"Hurts. Doesn't it?" He looked her in the eye, "I mean for a few nights at a time, or a weekend… I don't know, not three years anyway. Because that would just be torture. Wouldn't it?" He asked as she cried.

"Why are you being so horrible?" She shook her head.

"I'm not. I wish I hated you. I do." He said, "But I don't, I love you-"

"Then why are we-"

"Because it's for the best." He said, "Trust me."

He walked by her and out of the room, walking down the stairs and straight out of the house, leaving AJ collapsing down on the side of the bed, placing her hands in her hair as she sobbed loudly. Why had he turned such a dark corner all of a sudden?

At first she assumed it was just the fact that Rebecca had taken a little hiccup, but she was going to get better, he knew that, and then she figured it may just have been a heat of the moment fight they had, but he was really being serious. He really didn't want to try anymore with her. Why had he given up on her? She felt cold and alone again. She knew there was a reason she completely shut herself off from loving again. This was exactly it.

"Where do you want this, Punk?" Dean asked, a few days later, he and Renee having travelled over to Puerto Rico with their daughter Hannah, to help Punk move into his new home. Punk had kept Dean posted the full time he had been in Puerto Rico via text and phone call, and once telling him about the big bust up he and AJ had, and how he was moving out, Dean thought it was appropriate to go see Punk, and give him a helping hand. He was very surprised that he and AJ had gotten together, and he could have predicted that it was only because of AJ's car accident that she had began to lean on Punk's shoulder for comfort again, and realised that she needed him.

"Just sit it over there, Dean. I can move things around when you guys leave." He said.

He had been visiting Rebecca at night in hospital whilst AJ visited her during the day. He had also been going round to the house to see Nick and Harli whilst AJ stayed upstairs the entire time, refusing to see him or speak to him. He knew she'd be like this.

But today, Rebecca had gotten home, which meant the hospital couldn't hid them from each other anymore, he'd have to see AJ a whole lot more, and he had to organise some sort of schedule with her, of when he could have the kids stay with him. His house was nearly set up. It was pretty small and basic, and unfortunately, Rebecca and Harli had to share a room, but it was a big enough room for the both of them. He could only afford a three bedroom with his income.

"Are you going over to see her tonight?" Dean asked whilst Renee was making Hannah a sandwich in the kitchen, after asking Punk of course if it was ok to do so, which it totally was.

"Yeah." Punk nodded, taking his cubs hat from his head and running his hand over his hair, "You don't think I'm being harsh, do you?" He asked.

"Are you kidding? Of course not. You're right, what you said, about her not realising the damage she actually done by taking the kids from you." Dean shook his head, "You have every right to focus on them, and only them." He said.

"I just… well, I guess I feel a little bad. She still hasn't got her full strength back, and looking after the three kids isn't all that easy."

"Well she would have got by doing it without you here, wouldn't she have?" Dean said as Punk just shrugged, "Let's face it, man. This is where you'd be if that crash hadn't happened. This was your initial plan anyway, to come here and get the kids back in your life."

"I still love her though, don't I?" Punk said as Dean nodded.

"I know you do. But you gotta let her go. Too much has happened. If she really cared about your feelings, she would never have left in the first place." He said, "Look, we gotta shoot for our flight. But we'll be back in a few weeks to visit, maybe… see the kids." Dean shrugged as Punk smiled, placing his hat back on his head. He knew Dean had been desperate to see the growth in Punk's kids, especially Nick who Dean had played second father to since he was born.

"Yeah, that sounds good." Punk nodded, "Thanks, man." He smiled as he hugged his friend goodbye and also said goodbye to Renee and Hannah who gave him a warm hug. She had missed her Uncle Punk whilst he had been over here in Puerto Rico.

Just as they were heading out to the car, old worlds collided and AJ had pulled up in a cab with all three of the kids (she still couldn't drive) by her side with little backpacks with them. As soon as she noticed Dean and Renee leaving the house, her heart skipped a beat, as well as noticing the small little girl with them who was just a year or less younger than Rebecca was.

Everyone stood still. Dean looked straight past AJ and to the kids, surprised to see that Nick and Harli hadn't really changed, apart from growing in height and maturing a little. Rebecca of course was a complete mystery, as she was just a baby when he used to see her on a daily basis.

"Go get your dad." AJ told Nick and Harli as she lifted Rebecca up into her arms, struggling a little from her back pain she still got, shutting the cab door and walking on down the pathway with her head down.

"N-Nick." Dean said softly, but the eight year old flew past him without even acknowledging him one bit, along with Harli who followed her brother into the house.

"What are you doing here?" Punk asked, "I was gonna come to you." He said whilst Dean turned his focus to AJ, glaring at her as she caught eyes on to him.

"We'll see you soon, Punk." Dean said, walking by AJ as he took his daughter's hand, Renee following who gave AJ nothing but a small smile, leaving in their rented car as AJ finally took a deep breath. She felt like everyone despised her existence.

"I thought you'd want them for the night." She just shrugged as he nodded.

"Yeah. Yeah I do." Punk nodded, going along with it as he let her in.

"Hi, daddy." Rebecca smiled tiredly as AJ placed her on the couch. She was still pale and tired, and on heavy medication, but doing much better. In fact, it was she who requested to go see her father, and of course Nick piped in too.

"Hi, princess." Punk smiled, turning his attention back to AJ, "I'm sorry about the mess, I've just sort of, got everything into the house." Punk said.

"It's ok… Oh, if you aren't ready or the house isn't finished I can take them back home. They just… wanted to see you. Life with mom is a lot more boring for them now." She said truthfully as he just sighed.

"That isn't true." He told her, "Upstairs is all ok, so they can stay here tonight. Might even get Nick to help me move a few things." He shrugged with a smile as AJ just nodded.

"Ok, well be careful." She asked him, walking over to her children to say her goodbyes to them, telling them she'd see them tomorrow when she picked them up. Not that she wanted to be all alone tonight, but Rebecca wanted to see her dad as did Nick, and Harli was curious to see this new house that her mother had mentioned.

She hated the idea of the kids having two different homes, but it was what Punk wanted. He had made his feelings extremely clear.

"Will you be ok?" Punk asked her as he walked her out.

"What does that matter to you?" She asked him as he just frowned.

"I still care about you. April, I still love you. This is killing me. But-"

"It's for the best." She finished, "But what is the best?" She asked him as he stared at her. It was incredibly hard to see her so upset, but he wanted time with his children. He'd done his part with helping her. He'd helped her in the hospital, he'd been there for her to cry, he'd helped her dress herself, cook for her, cleaned the house for her and kept things in order for her. But now he had realised that all of that shouldn't have been necessary for her to admit her feelings to him. She was still way too cold and vulnerable, and he believed it was best they put all their focus into being parents. Separately.

"I'll keep them safe, at least… at least you can rest easy. Maybe having some days off from them won't be all that bad." He said.

"They're my children. Days without them are torturous." She said, "But it's for the best." She repeated, almost mocking him without intention.

"Yeah." Punk nodded, "I think that's your cab." He said, noticing a black car pull up in front of his new home. Hearing the kids screaming and yelling with excitement from inside almost warmed him, but he knew it was tearing AJ apart, and he couldn't deny it broke his heart.

"I'll pick them up tomorrow then." She told him as he nodded, "Make sure Rebecca takes her medication before bed and in the morning after her breakfast. Otherwise she won't have a good night sleep. Everything is in their little back packs they have." She told him as he nodded with a polite smile, watching her slowly walk away down the gateway to the house and straight into the car.

"Where to, Miss?" The taxi driver asked politely whilst AJ watched Punk walk into the house and shut the door, staring through the opened window (no curtains had been put up yet) as he had Nick lifted up, smiling as he spun him around, hearing their laughter through the opened living room window.

"Um… the nearest bar." AJ said, turning away and sinking down.

"No specific one?" The cab driver asked her.

"No. Any will do."

A/N: Damn, AJ. That isn't the answer. Wonder what is going to happen now. Review and let me know what you think. Thanks for the support! Love you guys.