Hey guys! Sorry for the unusual wait in update. Life took over and I haven't had a spare minute to sit down and write a new chapter. Thanks for being patient and enjoy this chapter!

"So where are the kids right now?" Brie smiled as Punk arrived back to the table in the small coffee shop. It was late on afternoon, going into dinner time, and he was at his arranged coffee meet-up with Brie. He'd spent the morning with the kids and took them to school, but AJ had picked them up and was having them for the night. He assumes she wasn't off on one of her little dates tonight. What a shame.

"They're with AJ." Punk said, "I guess we have a fair schedule with them. We're able to come to terms with when they stay with us, you know." He said as Brie nodded.

"That's good." Brie smiled, "I'm sure it will benefit the kids a lot that you can both be civil. I mean, my parents couldn't stand in the same room as each other when I was growing up." She said.

"That's what I was afraid of." Punk sighed.

"But there's no tension between you guys, right?" Brie asked.

"No, well… she's dating some other guy. I can't tell if it's to rub it in my face, or if she's actually… moving on." He said with disbelief.

"What's more scarier?" She smiled, "You still have feelings for her?" Brie asked timidly, raising her coffee to her lips and sipping on it slowly. She hadn't came to meet Punk with the intention of anything happening, but there was definitely something in the air.

"She's the mother of my kids. My- My ex wife. I still love her and care about her. But if she is moving on, I should too, shouldn't I?" He asked her as she shrugged.

"If you want to." Brie said, "But you don't have to get with someone, just because she has." She said.

"I know." Punk nodded, "I know, I'm all about my kids right now. They're the main focus." Punk said as Brie smiled.

"It's lovely to see how much you care about them." Brie smiled, "When I hinted to Bryan about having a baby, it was all… Oh, Brie we don't have the money. Oh, Brie we aren't ready. Oh, Brie we don't have time for a baby." Brie shook her head, "He completely forgot that babies just need love and a home." She said as he smiled.

"They do cost me a fortune, though." Punk joked as Brie laughed, "I'm kidding." He stopped joking and looked over to her as she looked away from him, "It's ok to miss him you know." He said.

"I really don't want to miss him." Brie said, "But I do." She nodded.

"It's just gonna take some time." He nodded to her, "I guess it's good you came out here for some time away."

"Yeah. It's so beautiful out here. Everything seems at peace. I could understand why AJ wanted to move out here with the kids." Brie said.

"Yeah. I think she moved to be closer to her parents, although, she actually hasn't spoke much about them come to think about it." He thought, "But yeah, it's safe and secure. Not like the old Chicago streets the kids would have had to grow up on." He said.

"That's right, you're a Chicago boy." Brie remembered with a smile, "How long have you been here then?" She asked.

"Just around a year now." He told her, "I do miss it. Sound of the trains. Being able to order take-out at 3am. Falling asleep to sirens." He chuckled to his own dismay, "Yeah. Much better out here." He laughed.

"What about the rest of your family?" Brie asked.

"Well, it's just my mom now." He said, "Never had a dad, and my sister… she passed away just before I came back to the military a few years ago."

"Oh, I'm sorry." Brie apologised.

"Don't be." Punk said, "These things… they happen." Punk said, "Enough of me, what about you? You said you were here visiting your brother?"

"Yeah, get your hands right in. Make sure the bottoms are fully covered." AJ smiled, watching over the kids at the kitchen table, an old mat spread over the wooden furniture whilst they splatted their painted hands over paper. She figured they pass some time whilst the dinner cooked. This was their idea.

"Look, mommy. My hands are the smallest." Rebecca compared her hand-prints to her brother and sisters.

"You are the smallest." Nick remarked like a typical big brother, looking down at his little sister who stuck her tongue out at him playfully and continued with her paintings.

"Mommy, can we put these on the fridge when we are done?" Harli asked her mother who nodded with a smile.

"I'm sure I can find some room, yeah." She smiled, watching them as they happily enjoyed themselves.

It felt so good to be back on her feet again, and feeling close to her normal self. Her body would never feel the same, she was told that from the doctors themselves. And she was on medication for life with her head, but she was still afforded this wonderful life with her children. She hadn't got lost to the tragic accident she was in, and she was never taking this life for granted ever again. She couldn't even think about a life without her children. No life at all.

The door suddenly went as she got lost in her children's happiness, bringing her out of her daydream, "You guys stay here, no messing around." She told them, walking out of the kitchen and to the front door to see who it was, something told her it would be Punk, but she was wrong.

"Jeff." AJ smiled.

"Hey." Jeff nodded.

"I uh… I have the kids tonight, I'm sorry-"

"Oh, no it's ok. I just came by to drop a few things off that you've left behind at my apartment." He said, handing her over a bag as she looked inside, grinning to herself.

"You were worried incase I didn't have any other underwear to wear?" She smiled up at him as he laughed.

"Yeah. That's exactly what it was." Jeff laughed, "Or maybe it was just an excuse to see you." He shrugged as she smiled, turning her attention back into the kids who were creating a lot of noise, no doubt messing around with one another, "Hands full?" He asked.

"Pretty much. They're uh… they're painting right now. I didn't realise the chicken I'm making them took longer than expected, so-"

"So you decided to let them splash around with paint until it was ready?" Jeff asked with a grin.

"Yeah, come to think about it… I should have just stuck on a dvd." She laughed at her own mistake, suddenly feeling a light shove out the way as Rebecca had made her way out to the front door.

"I thought it was daddy, mommy." Rebecca looked up at AJ, suddenly shying behind her a little now that she noticed there was a stranger at the door.

"You're going to stay with daddy tomorrow. Remember? He said he was going to take you all out for the night." She reminded her daughter who nodded, hearing her suddenly whisper and tug on her leg.

"Who is that?" Rebecca whispered, to which Jeff could still hear, smiling at such adorableness.

"He's just… a friend of mommy's." AJ smiled down to her, "Why don't you go back in, I'll be in, in a minute." She told her daughter who nodded, scurrying away back into the house.

"She's cute." Jeff nodded, "I better let you get back to the kids." He said, "I'll text or call-"

"Why don't you come in." AJ said without thought, "There's plenty of dinner to go around, and the kids are bound to love you." She smiled as he slid his hands into his jean pockets.

"I don't wanna… break any boundaries with you and your ex husband." Jeff said, "He might not be ok with me near his kids, and I don't-"

"Who made him in charge?" AJ shook her head, "I'm their mom, I'm saying you can come in. Ok?" She smiled as he nodded.

"Ok, ma'am." Jeff laughed, "I have to admit, whatever is cooking smells really good." He said, stepping into the house as she took his jacket from him.

She didn't think about Punk and what he would think of this. As far as she was concerned, she trusted Jeff with her children, and right now, it was up to her who her children seen. When Punk was taking care of them, he could decided who they couldn't and could see. But right now, she wanted to introduce the kids to Jeff. She had a special feeling about him. A feeling powerful enough to push away her feelings for her ex. Or, at least she thought.

"I thought we were just having coffee." Brie spoke in a hushed voice later that night, not having thought she would have wound up in between Punk's bed sheets in his home. He had invited her to his house to show her where he stayed and to give her a little tour, and somehow they wound up here.

"So did I." Punk laughed to himself, wiping his forehead with the back of his hand which had a thin layer of sweat, "But I don't regret it." He turned his head to face her.

"I thought you would. You still seem pretty hung up on AJ." Brie admitted, playing with the sheets between her fingers, not feeling it right yet to relax down into him, until he pulled her in and she had no choice.

"I'm not hung up on AJ." Punk told her as she looked up, "Me and her… we're over. There's nothing there anymore." He told Brie who nodded, "Ok?" He smiled.

"Ok." Brie whispered, "Then I guess I don't feel as bad then." She grinned as he smiled, leaning down and pressing his lips against hers, pulling her in close whilst embracing her without regret like he had said. He wasn't thinking about AJ. He really wasn't. Maybe this was what he needed all along. Reality to kick in. He and AJ weren't going to work out. But maybe he and Brie would.

A/N: Separation at its finest right now. But not to worry, I'm sure our favourite couple will find their way back to one another… but all in good time ;) Review and let me know what you think!