Lie

"Hey, how was the doctors?" Punk asked as AJ got home later that night. Punk was sat up on the sofa watching hockey, "I didn't expect you to be so long." He admitted.

"I didn't either." AJ said, placing her bag down on the sofa as Ace greeted her excitedly, "I guess I was just talking a lot. I was telling her everything that happened at the park." She said as Punk nodded, "She said I've to take it slow." She rolled her eyes, sitting down beside him on the couch, "Has he been out?" She asked.

"Yeah. Fed and walked." Punk nodded, "When I came back from taking you to the doctors, I called in for gas at the gas station and… I ran into my mom." Punk said as AJ raised her eyebrows, "Well, I didn't run into her, she came up to me."

"Why?" AJ shook her head, "What did she have to say?"

"She told me that my brother was out of prison and that she thinks… well no, my dad thinks that it was him that tried to take a shot at me at the park." Punk shook his head at the craziness of it all.

"That's crazy." AJ shook her head, "That's all she had to say?"

"Yeah. Then she walked away." Punk shook his head, "She's probably just trying to take a dig at me."

"Could you see your brother doing something like that?" AJ asked him.

"No way." Punk said, "He was in prison for petty stuff. Stuff that caught up to him. He's no killer." Punk shook his head, "He's not smart either. He wouldn't think to wear black or do it at night time or have a quick getaway. He's stupid." Punk spat, "She's doing this to interfere with my life in some way. Even if it's not her. She's just trying to get a reaction from me, and it's not gonna happen." He spat.

"Do you think she just wanted to… try and start a conversation with you?" AJ questioned.

"No. Are you kidding?" Punk laughed, running his hand over his face, "You don't know her. She has no regard for anyone apart from herself." He said.

"So just ignore her then." AJ shrugged, "If you know your brother wouldn't do anything like that, let's just continue to figure it out like we've been doing." She said, taking his hand in hers as he smiled and nodded.

"Do you think it could be him?" He asked.

"Well I don't know him." AJ shrugged, "But I didn't think that blood was that bad between you. If you think it's your mom just trying to mess with you then I think that too. Go with what your gut tells you." She nodded as Punk just sighed, leaning back on the couch.

"I'm just gonna forget about her, like I've always done." He waved his hand, "What else did the doctor say to you?" He asked her, trying to get the focus off of him.

"Oh, nothing much. Nothing out of the usual I guess." AJ leaned back next to him, "I've just to stay on top of my medication, do what I've been doing." She said as Punk nodded.

"We'll get it cleared up just like we normally do." Punk nodded, leaning over and kissing her cheek as she smiled.

The next day they were both at work. Seth and Eve weren't around since they were off on a getaway for Seth's birthday, and Dean was working a different case, so… in other words, there was no one around to distract Punk, which meant he actually got a chance to sit down and think about things at his desk.

AJ was clearing up her other cases so she could focus on trying to find the man who had taken a shot at them and killed that poor woman riding by. Of course, at the back of her head was Punk's conversation with his mother, and how almost unnecessary it was if there wasn't some truth to it.

She finished up talking to a few witnesses for the morning, locking her office door and heading out, but not before Punk questioned her.

"Where are you going?" Punk asked as she walked by his desk, "You found something?" He asked hopefully.

"I'm gonna… grab some lunch." AJ told him as Punk reached over, taking her gun from her pocket.

"I didn't know ordering a sandwich was a life or death situation." He shook his head, watching as she glanced all over the station wearily.

"Habit." AJ smiled nervously, "Do you want anything?" She asked him, nevertheless, taking her gun back from him.

"No, I'm just finishing up this report." He said, "I'm not hungry." He waved his hand.

"I'll bring you a donut anyway." She smiled to him.

"Us police officers are so interchangeable." Punk shook his head, "I'll see you when you get back." He nodded, tapping her butt playfully and turning back to his desk as she smiled. She desperately wanted to say to him, but she knew he'd go crazy. She knew it wasn't something she should have lied about. She never lied to him. Ever. But she just had to know.

She got in the car and drove to the address she'd gotten. It was an estate house that his brother had just been moved into after his prison release. She'd got his files this morning and was analysing them for most of the morning. She just wanted to rule it out. She didn't believe his own brother would do something like this, but… she didn't know what he was like.

She stood at the front door, knocking a few times until finally a man answered. He didn't really look like his brother. They had the same look across the eyes, but apart from that she couldn't spot any outstanding features they shared.

"Mike Brooks?" AJ asked as the man nodded, "I'm detective Mendez." He said, watching as Mike flinched a little, "Could I come in?" She asked.

"Uh… yeah." Mike said, opening up the door as AJ walked into the house, walking on into the sitting area. The place was pretty run down, but she wasn't there to criticise his home décor, "What's this about?" Mike asked her, "Is this to do with my probation?" He wondered.

"No." AJ shook her head, "No, nothing… nothing to do with that." AJ said, "I promise I won't take up much of your time." She said, "There was a shooting a few nights ago at the park. A woman was killed." AJ said, "I was wondering you knew anything about it."

"Me?" Mike shook his head, "Why would I have anything to do with it?" Mike almost a laughed a little, "Who sent you here?"

"No one." AJ shook her head, "Maybe… Maybe I'm here on a personal level." She shrugged, "I'm AJ. I'm-I'm dating your brother." She said as Mike shook his head with confusion.

"Tell me how that links to me knowing about this woman getting killed?" Mike said, "No offence but I really don't care if you're dating my brother." He said.

"Well… we were there, at the park. The suspect who shot the woman was aiming for one of us." AJ nodded, "Your mother met with Phil last night at a gas station. Not intentionally. She put things in his head that you might have had something to do with it." AJ shook her head.

"Good old mom." Mike nodded, "Does Phil think it was me?" Mike asked.

"He doesn't." AJ said, "But I just wanted to come here to rule it out. I've been thinking about it all night and all morning."

"Me and my brother have never been the best of friends… barely even brothers, but I'd never try and kill him. That's a little bit deep." Mike shook his head, "My mom isn't right in the head. She never has been. Phil should know better than to believe what she says."

"This isn't Phil asking. This is me." AJ said, "Phil doesn't know I'm here."

"Ok, well… you have my word that I had nothing to do with shooting that woman." Mike nodded, "I'm just trying to get my life back together. Why would I risk it all to get put back inside again? Why would I try and kill my own brother?" He asked.

"I-I don't know. I just… I wanted to hear it from you, I guess." AJ shrugged.

"Gotta see it, to believe it?" Mike asked as she nodded, "Hey, that's no problem. I just hope you find whoever did it." He nodded.

"We're working on it." AJ nodded, "I'm sorry for wasting your time." AJ shook her head, feeling a little foolish now that she hadn't just believed her boyfriend's instincts.

"I'm not." Mike edged a smirk as AJ just looked down at the ground, making her way out of the house to the front door as he followed behind, "How is he?" Mike asked.

"He's good." AJ nodded briefly, "Just… Just forget I came here." AJ said, tucking her hair behind her ear, stepping out of the house and turning back to him, "I just… I was just-"

"Being a cop?" Mike smirked, "I get it. You do what you gotta do. Just… don't believe anything my mom says. Little tip for you." He winked as AJ turned away from him. He did bring a lot of bad vibes her way, but he seemed pretty harmless.

"Thanks." AJ nodded casually, walking down the rest of the steps and heading back to the car whilst Mike closed over his front door. He walked through to the kitchen, grabbing his black hoodie and pants, walking outside into the garden, throwing the clothes in the empty trash can, followed by lighting the lot on fire.

When AJ got back to the station, she saw Punk wasn't at his desk, but instead was in her office sitting behind her desk. She'd still gone to get herself lunch and a donut for him, not to cover her tracks, but because she genuinely was hungry.

"What are you doing in here?" AJ laughed lightly, closing the office door over and sitting the brown paper bag with the food in it on her desk.

"How was my brother?" Punk asked calmly as she looked across at him.

"How did you know?" AJ sighed.

"I knew the second you were walking by my desk." Punk said, "You never go anywhere without telling me where, and you wouldn't take your gun to a God damn sandwich shop." Punk said, "So how is he?"

"I just had to hear it from him. You know how I am." She tried to laugh it off.

"April this is different. This is my brother." Punk said, "You were the one who told me to go with my gut, and you said you'd believe me whatever I thought." He said, "But you just can't help yourself can you?"

"Excuse me?" AJ said as Punk stood up.

"You. You always have to know everything."

"Yeah, Phil that's part of the job." AJ snapped, "I figured it was random of your mom to just stop you and say that, so yeah I went and I spoke to him. It was just a few minutes, barely even that… he didn't even know what I was talking about." AJ said, "So now we can rule him out of the equation."

"Why didn't you just tell me you were going to see him?" Punk said.

"Because I knew this would be how you reacted." AJ pointed to him.

"No, if you told me beforehand then I would have been fine about it-"

"Like hell you would." AJ shook her head, "I was just being a detective, ok. Detectives investigate and stick their noses in places they shouldn't be. Just because it's your brother doesn't mean there are different rules." She said.

"Well don't tell me one thing and then go do the exact opposite." He shook his head.

"Why are you so mad at me?" AJ asked him angrily.

"I'm not mad." Punk scoffed as AJ tilted her head, "I just don't want you getting involved with any members of my family, and I don't want you to lie to me either. I knew you were lying to me. I've spent eight years with you, you suck at lying. Your nose twitches and you look everywhere but the person you're lying to." He said as AJ rolled her eyes and folded her arms.

"Look, I'm sorry. Is that what you want me to say?" AJ asked him mockingly.

"Oh, forget it." Punk waved his hand, "You figure this case out on your own." He told her, walking by her.

"Phil." AJ spat angrily, watching him leave the office and slam the door shut.

A/N: Let me know what you think!