Finding A Home

"Morning." AJ said, "Or… afternoon I should say." She said as she watched Bonnie finally approach her in the café, even though they both started at the same time a few hours ago. The café was busy and they did have a lot of people to make breakfast for and make coffees for, but it wasn't like Bonnie to stay so quiet, normally she'd go by and crack a joke or two to her.

Bonnie just nodded to her whilst cleaning out the coffee filters as the breakfast rush died down a little.

"Is everything ok?" AJ asked her curiously, finding her to be oddly quiet.

"Yeah, I'm fine." Bonnie forced a smile, turning around as AJ watched her, "How was the rest of your weekend?" She asked, trying to make casual conversation.

"It was good, yeah." AJ smiled to herself, "It got better from the party, that's for sure." She laughed a little.

"I saw you leave early. What happened?" Bonnie asked whilst stacking more coffee cups near the machine.

"I… I ran into Phil's ex or… more so she came to me. She said a bunch of mean shit and spilled her drink over me. I just wanted out." AJ shook her head.

"She's messed up." Bonnie shook her head as AJ looked towards her wrist which had a bruise all the way around it, sticking out to her now that she'd noticed.

"Hey, what did you do to your wrist?" AJ asked as Bonnie jumped slightly and covered her wrist as AJ raised a brow.

"Uh… I don't even know." Bonnie laughed it off, "I'm so heavy handed. I could have bumped it in the kitchen or… in here." She shook her head.

"Looks like a pretty precise bruise." AJ frowned a little as Bonnie just waved her hand.

"It's nothing." She said as AJ just nodded, "Seen my brother recently?" She asked, desperate to change the conversation topic as AJ just watched her. She didn't seem like her usual self. She was brief and on edge.

"Yeah. Well I spent most of the weekend with him." AJ said, "We actually… you know… we finally did it." AJ smirked to herself as Bonnie turned to her, "I'm so glad we waited and-"

"No offence, but… I don't really wanna know about my little brother's sex life." Bonnie said seriously as AJ just raised an eyebrow.

"Well I wasn't going to give you details but… I just thought I'd let you know." AJ shrugged, feeling stupid and embarrassed for telling her now, "Are you sure you're ok?"

"Yes, April. I'm fine." Bonnie said, "I'm taking my break. You can cover for just now." She said, untying her waist apron and walking off into the back as AJ folded her arms.

"She was so off with me all day." AJ said, later that night as she sat at the kitchen table with Punk, empty dinner plates around them whilst Kace finished his homework, "She didn't even say hi to me until almost noon." She sighed, wresting her head on her hand as Punk just shrugged.

"Maybe she was just having an off day." Punk said, "Can't be anything you've done. You didn't see her all weekend." He said.

"Do you think she's mad that I left the party?" AJ asked him.

"No, of course not. She's not mad at you. We all have days we'd rather not go to work, right?" Punk said, "Her hangover is probably still there from the party." He chuckled a little as AJ just smiled.

"She's just never been like that with me." AJ shook her head.

"It'll be fine." Punk nodded, "She'll be back to her normal self tomorrow. Just watch." He nodded as AJ just smiled.

"Mommy, is that right?" Kace asked, dropping his pencil and sliding his homework over to AJ who took a look at it. It was some spelling homework he had, and he always had to double check with his mom to make sure it was all right.

Punk smiled as he watched AJ check over the homework. He didn't think he'd be all that good at such normal living standards. Having a family. Sitting down to dinner every night instead of eating it on the couch. He was beginning to wonder what the future looked like and he really just hoped AJ and Kace were in it. He felt like he had to protect them now.

"Baby, you are so smart." AJ smiled as she flicked his chin playfully and rubbed his long hair playfully, "You're getting so good with your spelling." She said as Punk smiled.

"That's cause you read all your comics." Punk nodded, "Comics make you smart." He winked as Kace smiled.

"Do they really make you smart?" Kace smiled to him as he rested his elbows on the table.

"Yeah." Punk nodded, "So if anyone ever tells you it's lame to read comics, just know you're smarter than them." He shrugged as AJ smiled over to him.

"That doesn't mean you get to go around claiming you're smarter than everybody, though." AJ smiled to her son, playing with his hair whilst Punk just nodded to Kace and winked to him as the five-year-old laughed.

"What if I am smarter than everybody, mommy?" Kace questioned her as AJ laughed a little.

"Then I'll have raised a genius." AJ said, "Let's get your back packed for tomorrow. Where is it?" She asked, standing up.

"Uh, it's in the living room I think." Kace nodded as AJ left the kitchen to go collect his backpack, "Phil." Kace said as he swung his legs back and forth dangling off the chair.

"Yeah, buddy?" Punk turned to him.

"Are you my dad?" He wondered as Punk looked across at him, not having a clue what to say.

"Do you have gym tomorrow, Kace?" AJ asked, coming back into the kitchen as she opened up his backpack and started to pack it for the morning.

"No." Kace shook his head, continuing to look at Punk who just turned away. He had no idea what to say. It really was a simple question but the kid was just so innocent and he really didn't know what was the best thing to say. He was a big part of Kace's life now, and he was totally fine with that, in fact, a part of him loved having a good bond with him, but he just didn't know how to handle that type of question.

"And what do you want for lunch so I know what to make in the morning?" AJ asked as she put Kace's homework back in his bag.

"Just sandwiches." Kace told her, "No crusts." He said as AJ just nodded.

"If I give you a banana will you promise me you'll eat it?" She asked him whilst Punk sat in silence in his own thoughts.

"Yeah, mommy. I promise." Kace nodded.

"Ok, good boy." She smiled, kissing his head, "Why don't you go watch some TV before bath time?" She asked him as Kace just nodded, looking back over to Punk and then jumping off the chair to go off into the living room, "Now he is gonna protest to all the kids in his class about how much smarter he is than them just because he reads comics." She smiled as she sat back down at the table and looked over at Punk, noticing he wasn't really paying attention to her, "Hey." She said softly as Punk's eyes formed back over to her, "You ok?" She smiled.

"Yeah, well… he uh… he just asked me if I was his dad." Punk said, "Just when you were getting his bag there." He said, scratching the back of his neck as AJ nodded.

"What did you say?" AJ shook her head.

"Nothing. You came back and… I didn't know what to say to him." He told her truthfully, "What should I say?"

"What do you want to say?" AJ asked him. She knew Kace would no doubt have questions at one point, especially now since Punk was in his life. She had no intention of ever letting her son near his real father, but that didn't mean he would never have a father, not in her eyes.

"Well… I'm not his dad, am I?" Punk said, "But I'm here. He should know that much." He nodded, "You've never spoken to him about Miles, have you?"

"No. Never." AJ shook her head, "And I don't plan to." She said, "It's never came up until now. I guess you being around here and… he obviously hears kids at school talking about their dads. He's gotta wonder." She nodded.

"I just wanna be honest with him. That's the best thing, right?" Punk said as AJ smiled and nodded.

"Yeah." AJ nodded.

"Ok, I'm gonna go… I'm gonna go talk to him." He stood up as AJ nodded and smiled, watching him walk off into the living room. She loved that he was so patient and willing. He really was a father figure to Kace, a pretty damn good one, and she loved that he genuinely did care about him too.

Punk headed into the living room and took a seat beside Kace who was watching the TV, "Hey, kid." Punk said as Kace looked up at him, "I guess I never really got to answer your question, did I?" He said.

"No." Kace said as Punk nodded.

"I'm not your dad." Punk shook his head, "Your dad… well, it's better that he's away from you and your mom." He nodded, "But… I'm here for you, just like a dad. If you need anyone, at any time, I'm here for you, you and your mom." He nodded, "Truth is… I think your mom is really special." He said as Kace looked up at him, "And I wanna keep her and you safe."

"No one normally is nice to mommy." Kace said.

"What do you mean?" Punk said.

"Some peoples shout at her and hurted her." Kace said.

"I promise you, kid. No one is gonna hurt your mom or you ever." He said. He sometimes forgot how much hardship Kace had gone through, especially at such young age, as well as AJ, and really promised that he'd never let anything bad happen to them, he loved AJ like he'd never loved anyone before, and he loved Kace too, just as if he was his son. He didn't think those feelings could ever change.

"Are you gonna be around forever?" Kace asked him with a smile, "Because I like you." He nodded, "And you make mommy laugh." He said as Punk smiled.

"I'll be around. For as long as you need me." Punk said, "I care about your mom. I want her and you to be happy." He nodded.

"Mommy always says that if I'm happy then she's happy. And I'm happy." Kace said, "We've never stayed for so long at somewhere." He told him.

"I don't think you're gonna have to move again, kid. I got you here." Punk nodded, "You don't have to worry anymore."

He couldn't imagine how worried he would have been, especially at a young age, with so much moving, and seeing his mother fight for shelter and food. To be stable somewhere must have meant a lot, he knew it meant the world to AJ, and he only wanted to add more light into their lives. He really felt like he found his family with them.

"Can you stay and watch this show with me?" Kace asked, resting into Punk's side as Punk smiled and wrapped his arm around him.

"Of course." Punk smiled.

A/N: Let me know what you think! I know it's still going slow but… someone is lurking in the shadows and the story will be building up soon. Also, more on what's going on with Bonnie and what Punk's foster parents are up to coming soon! Thanks for the reviews!