It had been a long and painful week for Punk, waiting on AJ coming home like she said she would. He tried to look on the bright side, which was his mother really taking large steps into his and Max's life, and him being evidentally ok with it. She really was showing how much she had changed to them, him in particular.
Max was out of bed and walking around now, of course a small step at a time, but he was getting there, and that was the main point.
He was expecting AJ home later on tonight and nothing could dampen his mood. He'd missed her so much. Even if she had only been gone for two weeks. He was so used to her being in his day to day life every day for the past six years, that even just a few days absence from her was heart wrenching for him.
He never thought he could ever let his mother back into his life again, but this past week felt like the best thing he'd ever done. She really had changed, and she really was sorry, it didn't take a genius to figure it out. He did hope that they could build some sort of relationship, but he just wanted to take things one step at a time. And Stacey was completely fine with that.
Punk had gone back to work after his allowed time off due to Max's accident, and his mother had been visiting Max during the day, and him later on once he got in from work. She really was trying, he could see that, and he was glad.
He got home from work earlier than usual later on in the night, walking home as it wasn't that far. His heart skipped many beats when he found the apartment door opened already, only mean one awaiting thing.
He burst through the door, pausing as he looked across at AJ standing in the living room reading through mail she had missed from being away. She looked bright and refreshed. He was so glad she was back in touching distance. He'd missed her so much.
"April." He smiled, watching her smile and approach him, wrapping her arms around him tightly as he hugged her back just as tightly, enjoying the feeling of her body against his again.
"I'm so glad you're back." Punk shut his eyes tightly, never wanting to let her go, ever.
"Me too." AJ smiled, pulling back from the tight hug. She was nervous to see him again, especially when she had so much to tell him, but seeing him in front of her now calmed her in some sense. She was ready to tell him that he was going to be a father. Once she unpacked and got a chance to sit down with him, she would tell him everything. She knew he would be supportive. One hundred percent.
"I'm finally working things out with my mom. I should have listened to you, I'm sorry." Punk said as AJ smiled.
"It's ok. Let's just pretend it never happened." AJ shook her head, taking his hands in hers, "You rebuilding a relationship with your mother can be a fresh start. For all of us." AJ looked up at him as he nodded.
"Yeah." Punk agreed with her, knowing nothing about the little secret she had for him, "How about you come see Max with me tonight? My mom will be there. Max really misses you." Punk said as AJ nodded without choice. She couldn't exactly say no, although she would have much rathered to stay at home and talk to Punk about what was going on inside her womb.
"Ok." AJ nodded, "But after, when we come home... can we talk?" She asked him with hope he would be customed to the idea.
"Of course. Anything you want." Punk nodded. He realised how precious his life and relationship with AJ really was. He would never yell or get mad with her again, even if he wanted to. She deserved the world and everything in it. It took him just two weeks of absence from her to realise how much she really meant to him. She meant an unexplainable amount.
Later on...
Max was so thrilled to see AJ again after not seeing her for what felt like ages. Growing up with AJ and having her around constantly, made it feel strange whenever she wasn't around, for both Max and Punk.
"So when do you think you'll be getting out of here?" AJ asked, sitting on the chair beside Max's bed.
"The doctor's said maybe in a few days, didn't they?" Punk assured himself, looking to Max.
"Yeah." Max nodded, "But I'll still be in my bed at home." Max sighed at the inconvenience.
"Well... we'll look after you." AJ smiled to him, having really missed him just as much as Punk.
Punk couldn't take his eyes from her, she seemed... different, a good different, she was lighting up the full room. He was so glad she was back where she belonged. He'd never do anything to risk her leaving again, even if it was only for two weeks. To him it felt like two years.
Just as AJ was small talking with Max and Punk was joining in, Stacey entered the room for her usual night time visit with Max and Phil. This week had really progressed in the terms of Punks relationship with his mother. He was really hearing her out and now fully seen the want his mother had to try and make things right. He was beginning to realise that letting her have her say was the right decision, just like AJ tried to tell him from the beginning. She always had a tendancy to be right.
"Hope I'm not interupting." Stacey said, closing the door over and making her way over to her sons and AJ.
"No. Of course not." AJ smiled. She for one was glad that Punk had finally plucked up his courage and battled his fears, letting his mother into his life. She didn't want Punk to live with it forever on his shoulders, and she didn't want him to miss out on having the mother he always wanted, the mother that Stacey was bettering herself to be.
"It's nice to see you, April." Stacey smiled towards AJ. She had a rough idea that her son and AJ had some sort of fight, causing AJ to leave for a couple of weeks, but she seen standing here tonight, that things were perfectly fine now and she was glad of it. She'd never felt this happy, she could never thank her sons enough for giving her this chance to prove herself.
Later that night...
After a warm atmoshphered visit to Max's hospital room, Punk and AJ made their way back home, along with Stacey making her way back to the hotel she was staying at. Stacey had told Punk she was looking into buying a place not that far from his own apartment, but she told him she would only go forward with it if he was ok with it. The fact that she asked if it would be ok told Punk everything. At this point, he was more than happy to have his mother close by. It would only make it easier to rebuild their relationship.
Punk and AJ got back to their apartment late on, to which AJ was now gasping to tell Punk, not knowing if she was able to keep her announcment in any longer.
She was currently unpacking her clothes from the bag she had took to Chicago in her and Punks bedroom, her back to the door as she suddenly felt Punk come from behind her, wrapping his arms around her from behind, his hands warely placed on her stomach without even realising the meaning she was feeling from his touch on their unborn child.
"Phil." AJ whispered quietly at his surprising presence.
"I've missed you so much." Punk groaned, the sweet scent of her hair twitching his nose, leaning his head into her neck to lay gentle kisses upon.
"I thought we were going to talk first." AJ smiled, although enjoying the attention he was giving her, she couldn't relax yet without telling him.
"Let's talk in the morning." Punk whispered, feeling her turn around and step back a little. She knew he had the power to persuade her into bed without telling him. And she didn't want that.
"I really need to talk to you." She said as Punk gave in with a sigh, folding his arms and nodding. He wondered what could possibly be more important than welcoming his girlfriend home in the intimist of ways.
"Ok... what is it?" He asked her, finding his self control and patience as she rubbed her palms together, looking down at the floor and shuffling her feet around with nerves.
"I don't really know how to come out with this, so... I guess I'll just say it." She put her hands up with a giggle of nerves, watching his eyes follow her own.
He was on the edge of his seat, leaning forward with ears opened to what his girlfriend had to tell him. Nothing could possibly have prepared him for what he was about to hear.
"I'm pregnant."
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