Change of Heart

"I mean… I was honest with her yet I still feel like I've done something wrong." Punk said, having stopped by to Clara's and Seth's on his way home.

"What did you say to her?" Seth asked, standing in the kitchen with Punk whilst Clara sat at the table feeding TJ.

"I just told her I didn't know if I could do it. I mean… this is some other guys kid. What if… what if one day the dad wants to be involved? Where does that leave me? Or what if I just can't love it like she wants me to because it isn't really mine?"

"Don't you think you might change your mind once you see it?" Clara asked, "It's hard to think about so much when it's not even born."

"I don't know." Punk sighed, "I'm finally getting a chance with her… a just to make it up to her for leaving… and suddenly I'm fucking terrified."

"You have a right." Seth said, "I don't know if I could do it, raise someone else's kid." Seth shrugged, "It's a big thing having a kid, but when it isn't even yours… I don't know." Seth shrugged.

"So if we were on a break, and I got pregnant with someone else, and I wanted to get back with you, you couldn't do it?" Clara asked him as Seth just looked to Punk for a heads up.

"No, sweetheart." Seth said almost robotically, "That's not what I'm saying." He said as Punk laughed, "It's just… it's gotta be tough."

"I mean I think she understood. She appreciated me being honest, and I know she wasn't mad, I can tell she was mad, it was if she was just… accepting it." He said, "I just don't want to mess her around. I wanna make sure I know what it is I'm signing up for."

"You're signing up for hell." Seth nodded as Clara scowled at him.

"Seth!" She shrieked.

"And that's me not talking about the baby." He turned to Clara, "It's a big thing. We might make it look easy but you don't see us at 4am." Seth said as Clara had to agree on that one, "I've just finally gotten the ringing noise out of my ear from his screaming."

"Yeah but… not all… not all babies are like that, right?" Punk said nervously.

"Sure." Clara nodded, "But… pushing that aside, it's also the greatest feeling in the world. Moments like these." She smiled down to TJ who was quietly enjoying his bottle, "And when you first hold them. Watch them sleep. Just… look at their little face, their little fingers and toes… it's all worth it." She smiled.

"But I'm not… I'm not it's real dad." Punk said.

"Maybe not biologically." Seth shrugged, "You don't have to be blood to be family." He said, "Your mom told me that whenever I stayed over, remember?" He looked to both of them, "Just because biologically the kid isn't yours, doesn't mean you can't raise it like it is."

"It'll be hard though." Punk sighed.

"What part of life is easy?" Clara asked, "You love AJ, yes?"

"Of course I do."

"Then I guarantee you when she has that baby, you'll fall in love with it too." She nodded, "So you're a little frightened." She shrugged, "You'll get past that. Seth was like a frightened little girl when we found out we were having a baby." She said as Seth just rolled his eyes, "But he got over it. Didn't you?" She smiled up at Seth who nodded.

"I don't know what I'd do without that kid in my life now." Seth said honestly.

"God, I don't know what to do." Punk groaned.

"You have time to think about." Clara said, "At least she understands how you feel and it's not like you're both fighting." She said.

"I know but we're not exactly on good terms. I'm pretty sure she was crying when she walked off on her own." He said, "I'm fed up of feeling like I can't do anything right with her." He sighed.

"It'll all fall into place, man." Seth nodded, "Trust me."

AJ had gotten home and was already lying up on the couch thinking about everything Punk had said tonight. She really did respect and appreciate his honesty. She'd rather him say what he said than have him lie and bottle it all up within him. She knew it was an awkward and strange situation for him to be in, but maybe it was wrong of her to assume he'd just step up and become a father she needed for her baby.

She couldn't imagine him having a child and expecting her to raise it with him. She knew it would be hard for her so she understood where he was coming from.

She just missed him. Once she had slept with him, once they'd reconnected on that close level, she realised that she really did need him more than she let onto, now she just felt stupid for breaking down that barrier. What if he really couldn't do this? Because of the baby?

She was taken out of her thoughts when there was a knock at the door. She assumed it to be Dean, and she'd told him to just walk on in, but she got up anyway to check out who it was, opening up the door and seeing not only Dean standing, but Dean, Paige and what she assumed was their three year old daughter curled into him fast asleep.

"You… You don't mind, do you?" Dean asked.

"Of course not." AJ smiled softly, letting them in. It was the first time she'd met Paige and Lily. Paige wasn't what she expected. She was rather gothic like, but… absolutely beautiful, but somehow knowing that she'd been with Punk angered her a little.

"Is everything ok?" AJ asked, watching as Dean lay down Lily on the couch, taking the blanket AJ had been using and throwing it over her.

"We had a bit of a run in with my mom." Paige admitted to AJ who just nodded.

"Not good then?" AJ asked.

"She wants to take custody over Lily." Dean said, heading into the kitchen with them both so not to wake Lily with their voices.

"She can't do that. Can she?" AJ shook her head.

"If she has a good reason." Paige nodded, "She can use the fact that Dean has been on… drugs, to get custody." She sighed.

"But you're getting better." AJ turned to Dean, "You aren't taking anything anymore. She can't do that." AJ shook her head.

"We gotta get ourselves a place to stay and I needa find myself a rehab centre to go to." Dean said, "That way she'll have nothing against us." He said.

"But why would she want to take her from you both?" AJ asked.

"She thinks she isn't safe with us." Paige shook her head, "It's not like we… god, it's not like we mistreat. We love her more than anything in the world." She sighed, threatening to cry as Dean watched sadly. He hated what all of this was doing to her. When he first met her she was so strong and sturdy. She almost reminded him of AJ when she was younger. But now she seemed like a complete mess.

"I'll put the kettle on." AJ announced as Paige just nodded.

"Do you mind if I go shower?" Dean asked.

"No, not at all." AJ shook her head as Dean just smiled. He really did appreciate AJ being here. He would have went to Punk's but he hadn't spoke to him yet since everything with him and Paige. And he didn't want to bother Seth and Clara.

"I won't be long." Dean told Paige, kissing her head as he walked out of the kitchen.

"Try not to worry." AJ said as friendly as she could, "Once you guys find a place to stay, and Dean gets better… your mom can't use any other excuses." She said as Paige nodded.

"I know." Paige said, "We're really grateful to you for letting us stay here with Lily. Especially when..." She turned away as AJ looked across at her, "Dean told me about you and Punk… I hope I never hurt you or… it really was a mistake and-"

"You don't have to explain yourself to me." AJ said, "Me and Punk hadn't been together in seven years. I have nothing to get mad about." She said.

"Dean said you two were trying again-"

"To be honest, I don't really know what's going on." AJ admitted, "It's like we've swapped places. At first I was the scared one and now he seems terrified." She shook her head.

"It's probably just hit him." Paige said, "He'll come round, I'm sure." She said as AJ handed her a coffee that she took gratefully, "Thanks." She nodded as they made their way back into the living room where Lily was fast asleep on the couch.

She was even cuter in person. Quite small for her age, but so beautiful and sweet.

"Don't worry about her." AJ said quietly, "She'll not be very sure on what's going on." AJ said as Paige nodded.

"I know. I know she liked staying with my mom but she belongs with us. She was happy with us. I only went to my mom for some help, I didn't-I didn't ask her to take her from us permanently." Paige shook her head.

"Try not to worry about it." AJ said.

"I'm trying… I'm just worried about Dean. He's getting stressed and worried about it and when he gets stressed and worried he normally heads for the bar." She sighed.

"Don't worry." AJ shook her head, "I'm sure that's the last thing on his mind. When I spoke to him he was really focused on getting better." She said as Paige nodded.

"He is. We're gonna go to rehab tomorrow. Together." Paige said, "I'm just… so tired." Paige sighed, sitting back on the couch as AJ watched her.

"Go get some sleep." AJ insisted, "I'll stay here with her. I don't mind." She nodded as Paige looked over to Lily who was fast asleep on the couch with AJ sat beside, "I don't mind." AJ nodded.

"I just… I just need an hour." Paige said as AJ just smiled.

"Go." AJ said softly as Paige just nodded, standing up and walking away for the stairs as AJ turned to Lily with a smile.

She grew more excited every day to have her baby. She wasn't excited to be alone, but she was excited to be a mother, to hold her son or daughter in her arms eventually, but just now she had realised she really wanted Punk by her side for it.

A/N: What do you guys think? What will Punk do? REVIEW and let me know what you think.