Lonely Again


"Hi, baby." Punk smiled as he watched AJ begin to open her eyes, "Hey, how you feeling?" He asked, watching her open her eyes and look around, seeing the look of panic and fear when she realised she was in hospital.

"N-No… No..." She mumbled, looking at the drip in her arm, a plaster on her hand from the injection she was given, trying to rip them off along with the drip in fear, "No… get it off." She panicked as Punk stood up.

"No. You gotta keep it in." He told her, holding her shoulders, "It's ok. You're alright." He said to her as she looked up at him, "You're safe."

"Why am I in here?" She asked him as she relaxed her shoulders and lay back against her pillows, not understanding why she had been put in here. She didn't like hospitals. They reminded her of certain things. Certain things she didn't want to remember. Certain times.

"You collapsed. We all thought you'd wake up but you never budged. I panicked but then Joey drove us to the hospital. They took you right away." He said, "They said it has something to do with your blood sugars." He said, "And apparently you were extremely dehydrated." He said sternly like a father, "But it's nothing to worry about. They're doing some tests just now and they said they'll get back to us."

"Why did I have to get put in a bed with all these machines?" AJ moaned, "I'm fine."

"Just to be sure. They might wanna keep you in." He said as AJ shook her head.

"No. Please, I have to go home. I can't stay here." She said as Punk shook his head.

"You're safe here, AJ. What-What's wrong?" He asked as she just shook her head and began to cry, "Hey, you're worrying me." He said, taking her hand and softly stroking the top of it.

"I just don't like hospitals." She moaned, not looking him in the eye.

"I'm not a fan of them either." He said as she just shook her head.

"No, you don't understand." She said.

"Then make me understand." He said, "What's wrong? Why do you hate them so much?"

She just turned to him, drying her tears that sprung from her tired eyes. She could quite believe she had low blood sugars. She'd been working quite a lot the past few weeks and was always on her feet. It made sense, "I was here when I was sixteen." She said, "And they had me hooked to all this stuff, all these machines." She said with fear, "And it terrified me."

"Why were you in the hospital?" Punk asked.

"I..." She looked across at him, "No reason." She said quickly as he raised his eyebrows.

"Don't give me that." Punk said, "You can't wound up in a hospital for no reason. What is it?"

"Well when I was living with that older guy… it was pretty hard going. I wasn't happy. I questioned who would be in that position. I was in a bad place that I can't even describe and I tried to hurt myself." She said, "I tried to overdose on a tub of pills, but apparently that wasn't my fate." She shrugged.

"Why would you do that?" Punk sighed, holding her hand even tighter.

"I wasn't happy and I didn't know a way out. I wasn't old enough to make it on my own." She said, "So I thought I'd just end it." She said, "But one of the guy I was staying with's friend found me, took me into hospital when he seen the empty tub of pills. I had my stomach pumped and woke up exactly like this." She said, "I stayed here for a week because the hospital didn't trust me. I also had lie and say the guy I was sleeping with was my brother, or else he was going straight to jail for me being underage." She said as Punk just shook his head.

"I didn't know you were in such a bad place." He said, "Why did you never tell me?" He asked.

"I didn't think it was necessary. I don't tell anyone about it. Carmella doesn't even know." She said, "I woke up there and I felt like I was back there again." She shook her head, "I know it sounds crazy."

"It doesn't." Punk said, "I understand." He said, "But you're ok. I promise. You've just been working too much these past few weeks. A few days off with some rest and eating properly will have you good in no time." He said. She'd been working long hours at the office as well as continuing to work with him as she was still his probation officer. She'd been skipping breakfast and even lunch some days. Living off caffeine and barely having much dinner when she got home. It wasn't healthy and this was the result of that.

"I can't be off work, Punk." AJ insisted.

"Oh, you will be and you are. I spoke to your boss to let her know you wouldn't be in tomorrow, and when she heard about the circumstances she told me to say you have the full week off to get back to normal. She says you haven't had a full weeks holiday in years." He said with disbelief.

"Well for a time all I had was my job." She said, "And then you came along." She smiled, "Thanks for being here." She whispered.

"I'm not going anywhere." Punk promised, kissing her hand softly.

"You said Joey drove me here?" She said as he nodded, "That was nice of him."

"Yeah, well I guess he's trying to get in my good books again, isn't he." Punk laughed, "I don't know, Ape. I see myself forgiving him and I hate myself for it."

"He seemed sincere earlier. Maybe… Maybe he did just turn to your for help back then, and maybe he just panicked when you got sent down. Or maybe he felt too guilty to stick around." She shrugged, "He seems like he really misses you, and I can see you miss him too."

"Well the guy was like a brother to me." He said, "I have missed him. I just don't know if I should forgive him so easily." He said truthfully, "I don't know what to do."

"Just ask him to give you time." She said, "At least then there's hope for you both and he can maybe give you some space to think. If you keep shutting him down he'll just keep getting on to you." She said, "Maybe you two can work something out." She squeezed his hand tiredly.

"Yeah, but he can wait. I want to focus on getting you better. I feel like I should have been keeping a better eye on you." He said.

"I'm not a child." She laughed a little.

"I know, but I should have noticed how tired you have been recently." He said as she just shook her head. This wasn't his fault at all.

"Oh, good April. You're awake." A nurse walked into the room with a clipboard in her hands, "How are you feeling?" She asked.

"Ok." AJ nodded, "My head is still a little sore."

"I'll get you some water before I go." She told her, "We've got your results back, everything looks pretty normal, however we did find something." She said as AJ looked to Punk with fear, "You're pregnant, April." She said with a small smile, never knowing how patients would deal with that sort of news.

"What?" Punk shook his head and looked at the nurse.

"You're gonna have a baby." The nurse smiled as AJ shook her head.

"But I'm on… I'm on the pill." She said, slowly feeling Punk's hand untangle from her own, "I can't be."

"You are." The nurse said, "Perhaps that's why you fainted, but your blood sugars are low which was probably the main reason. Now you know you're pregnant, you have to look out for yourself more. Bring those sugar levels up and make sure you're drinking plenty." She said as AJ just sat in disbelief whilst Punk sat back on the armchair, not believing it either, "I'll um… I'll go get you some water." She said, leaving the door as AJ turned to Punk.

"Did you know?" Punk asked as AJ shook her head in disbelief.

"Of course I didn't." AJ snapped, "I'm on… Punk, I'm on the pill. How can I be pregnant?" She said as he just stood up, "Punk!" She yelled as he began to walk away, "Phil!" She yelled in desperation but he had already left.


"Hey, how is AJ?" Dean asked as Punk got home from the hospital. Dean, Seth and Enzo had stuck around with Carmella for Joni who was still asleep upstairs in AJ and Punk's bedroom.

"Y-Yeah." Punk nodded, not really hearing what Dean said, too caught up in what was going through his head.

"Yeah what?" Carmella said, "Is she ok? Has she woke up yet? What did the doctor say?" She asked curiously.

"She's gonna be fine." Punk said calmly yet dying on the inside. He really couldn't believe she was pregnant. Yeah, he never used protection, but only because she told him she was was on the pill which he assumed was reliable. He was just so shocked and had no words to say to her. That didn't mean he should have left her though She'd no doubt have been just as scared as he was, if not more scared. He regretted leaving the hospital but he just couldn't stay in it.

"Did you come back to get her some clothes?" Seth asked, "They keeping her in overnight?" He asked as Punk just stared down at the ground and quickly looked up out of his trance.

"What?" Punk shook his head.

"Dude, you ok?" Seth asked, "You seem a little off." He said as Punk just nodded.

"Yeah… Yeah, I'm fine." He said, "Is Joni ok? Is she ok?" He asked them.

"She's still sleeping." Enzo said, "You get back to the hospital. We can get her up for school and take her." He said as Punk just nodded.

"Yeah. Ok. Thanks." Punk said, "Where did… Where did Joey go?" He asked.

"Must have went home when he dropped you guys off." Dean said, "Are you sure you're ok?" Dean asked Punk. They could all see their friend wasn't even picking up half the things they were all saying. He looked all over the place, "Is AJ really ok or are you just saying that?"

"No. She's fine." Punk said, "Is it… is it warm in here?" He gasped, pulling his t-shirt out to let himself cool down, waving it at the bottom to let a breeze through, "It's just warm in here. Maybe that's why AJ fainted." He said, his mind racing with thoughts. So many thoughts. Was he really going to be a father again? Was AJ really pregnant with his child?

"Will I open a window?" Dean asked as Punk nodded, watching him walk over to the window and open it up, "So what did they say was the reason AJ collapsed?" He asked, taking a seat back on the couch.

"Her blood sugars were low. She's just been doing too much recently." He said as they all nodded.

"Do you want me to go back her a bag?" Carmella stood up, "If they don't let her out tonight… they'll let her out first thing in the morning. If it's only low blood sugars." She said as Punk nodded.

"Yeah. Please." Punk said as Carmella smiled, walking by Punk and upstairs to go pack her friend a bag with some fresh clothes and toiletries. It was near 2am now and she knew it would be highly unlikely for AJ to be let out now. She'd be discharged in the morning.

"You want a drink or something to eat before you go?" Seth asked Punk who shook his head.

"No. I'm fine." Punk said, "I just need… I need to go lie down." He told them truthfully. He couldn't handle all these thoughts. All these negative, fearful thoughts. He walked out of the living room and headed upstairs, walking into he and AJ's bedroom where Carmella was finishing off packing a bag.

"Nearly done." Carmella smiled softly.

"You couldn't go… give her it. Could you?" He asked as Carmella looked up at him.

"I'm sure she'll be a lot happier to see you than me." She said as Punk shook his head, "Yeah, I'll drop it off to her." She nodded.

"I'm gonna get some sleep." He lied as Carmella nodded.

"Ok. I'll tell her that." She said as Punk nodded, watching her walk out of the room and shut the door over behind her.

Punk then turned to Joni who was fast asleep on his side of the bed, leaning over and shuffling her across onto AJ's side as he slid onto the bed, not bothering to take off his jeans or t-shirt, just laying on his back as his mind spinned, turning around to Joni and shaking his head. He didn't know if he could be a father again. Especially with AJ. At least when he had Joni he had no one else to let down. He didn't know if he could really do this family thing. He'd never second guessed their relationship until now.


"Ok, April… this is going to be a little cold." The doctor said as she squeezed gel over AJ's stomach. They'd asked to take her for a sonogram screening to see if the baby was ok. Since she had collapsed they had to be sure. She insisted to wait until Punk got back, but then realised he might not bother to even come back after the look on his face. So she just went along with it.

"Ok. Let's take a look at your baby." The doctor smiled, running the probe over AJ's stomach.

It still hadn't suck in for AJ. She couldn't believe it. Kids with Punk wasn't even something they'd talked about. Hell… neither had even thought about it. They were so busy with Joni and concentrating on strengthening their already strong relationship, they hadn't thought about kids or felt it was at all necessary to think about it just yet. They'd been together for nearly a year. It was too quick.

"Everything looks perfect." The doctor smiled, "You're ten weeks." She said, "And everything looks and sounds wonderful." She smiled cheerfully as AJ forced a smile, looking up at the monitor and looking at the baby. How was there a little life inside her? It felt surreal. She didn't know if she wanted to believe it or not. She didn't know how to feel. Especially after Punk upping and leaving.

Once she had been for the scan and the nurses were satisfied everything was ok, as well as giving her a picture of the baby to take with her, she was back in her room, laying up in bed with nothing but the black and white image to look at.

Her head shot up when she heard the door open, only sinking back down against her pillows when she realised it wasn't Punk but Carmella with a bag for her.

"Hey." Carmella said softly, "I thought you'd be sleeping." She admitted, sitting the bag she had brought on the armchair as AJ just shook her head, watching her friend take her coat off, "How you feeling?" She asked, turning around and facing AJ, her eyes finding their way to the sonogram picture she was holding, only adding one and one together.

"Did he say anything?" AJ looked up at her with a lump in her throat as Carmella shook her head with shock, watching her friend burst into tears.

"AJ." Carmella sighed, sitting on the edge of the bed and wrapping her arm around her friend, feeling her lean into her as she sobbed quietly, "It's ok." She whispered, kissing her head as she looked down at the sonogram picture. It seemed like a new life had caused them to go back to the start. Here she was comforting her lonely friend.


A/N: Surprise. Or not. Lol. Let me know what you think!