The Fear

"So when is the wedding?" Freddie asked as AJ drove back from the hospital after stopping by at her apartment to grab some things whilst staying with Freddie.

"What?" AJ shook her head with confusion, keeping her eyes on the dark road as Freddie sat beside fidgeting with her hands.

"Your mouth got a problem with staying on its face?" She asked as AJ raised her eyebrows, "I saw you kissing."

"Freddie, that wasn't-"

"What?" Freddie laughed, "You trip?" She asked as AJ took a deep breath. She had a comeback for everything, literally.

"Your dad is hurting right now and I just want to be there for him." AJ said, "Is that ok with you?"

"Be there for him. Fine. That doesn't mean you gotta kiss him." Freddie said.

"Why is it such a big deal?" AJ asked her.

"Well for starters, he's on a lot of drugs so… you shouldn't take advantage of where his head is at. Second, don't just feel sorry for him because he got stabbed. Third, don't lead him on if you're just gonna run off again and leave him-"

"Freddie." AJ interrupted, "I'm not… none of that is relevant. I love your dad. That's never changed. I have no reason to hide that anymore. I'm not… I'm not charging into your lives, I know you're not used to any of this, I'm not either, but he needs his family, and us right now." She said, "We haven't even got a chance to talk about… us, me and him." AJ said, "I just want him to know I'm here." She told her as Freddie just nodded.

"As long as you don't hurt him." Freddie mumbled, looking out the window as AJ smiled.

"I promise." AJ nodded.

Freddie wasn't use to such a normal family setting. Seeing her parents affection towards one another was strange and unexpected, and she wasn't sure it was what she wanted to see, she knew it wasn't necessarily about her, but she'd just been so used to her father this whole time, she never even imagined what it'd be like to have a happy home with a mom and dad under the same roof.

"Are you still going to the owl?" Freddie asked her as AJ nodded.

"Yeah, I need to talk to Julio." AJ said, turning around the corner and parking up against the bar, "You coming in?" She asked Freddie.

"Yeah, I suppose." Freddie said, getting out of the car as they both headed into the owl. Whilst AJ wandered off to where Julio was, Freddie spotted Rocky over in the corner and headed over to say hello.

"What you doing here?" Julio asked AJ who approached him at the bar.

"To see what the hell is going on with my dad." AJ said, "Have you let him go?"

"Yeah." Julio nodded, "I told him to leave Chicago, to take your mom and leave, and I wouldn't have to make any decisions I regret." He said, "He's not a problem anymore."

"What if he comes back?" AJ shook her head.

"He won't, trust me. He's beaten and slashed, thanks to you. He's been warned. And there's no footage anymore. He'd be stupid to come back." Julio said, "I booked the flights using his credit card of course, he's not our problem anymore, and he's not your problem anymore. You can… come home." Julio nodded as AJ sighed to herself and nodded. She'd waited eighteen years to hear that, to feel free to come back to where she felt she belonged, where she felt loved her.

"What about Dean?" AJ asked, "He murdered that guy-"

"I took care of that." Julio said, "He was acting on impulse and I would have… done the same thing. It's not going to trace back to us, trust me." Julio said, "Toni said you were staying with Freddie at the apartment, that's good." He nodded, taking a drink of his whiskey.

"Yeah, she suggested it." AJ admitted still with surprise, looking over at Freddie standing talking to Rocky, "I think… me and her just need to take it slow. I mean I… I've missed so much of her life." She shook her head.

"You can make up for it." Julio said.

"Can I?" AJ asked.

"Yeah if you want to." Julio said, "I know it's a bit up in the air with Phil in hospital right now, but when he gets out, things go back to normal, you can… try and get your life back that your dad took from you." Julio nodded, "If… like I said, that's what you want."

"Of course it is." AJ said, "I just don't want to rush into things, me and Freddie are getting along good but… I know she's still not used to me being around, and it's not fair for me to just dive in head first." She said.

"It'll work itself out." Julio nodded to her, "How is Phil?" He asked as AJ told him about how Punk was doing.

Meanwhile Freddie was chatting to Rocky over in the corner, "How is your dad? Did you see him?" Rocky asked her.

"Yeah, he's woke up." Freddie nodded, "It was… pretty scary seeing him at first." She said. For some reason she just liked talking to him, she felt like she could trust him, and he wasn't as scary and intimidating as everyone made him out to be.

"I thought it would be." Rocky nodded, "At least he's on the right track." Rocky said, looking over to where AJ and Julio were talking at the bar, "You two getting along?" He asked her, dusting the top of his cue stick whilst standing beside the snooker table.

"Yeah, we are." Freddie nodded, "I'm just… I'm glad there's no secrets anymore and she can… well she can come home I guess." She said.

"Best not to rush into anything." Rocky suggested.

"Yeah, I know. She's only staying with me because dad isn't there, probably once he gets home she'll maybe find a place near here. She doesn't want to rush anything either." Freddie said as Rocky nodded.

"I guess you could use each other right now." Rocky said as Freddie nodded, "Hey, I wanted to go visit your dad but I think it's only family allowed. Would you be able to get me in?" He asked.

"Yeah, sure." Freddie nodded, "I'm gonna go tomorrow morning if you want to come with me?" She asked.

"If that's ok." Rocky said as Freddie smiled and nodded.

"That's fine." Freddie said as Rocky nodded.

"Ok." He said slowly, looking around awkwardly as Freddie stared at him.

"I uh… I should get going." Freddie said as Rocky nodded.

"Ok, cool." Rocky said as Freddie smiled, turning around and walking away, rolling her eyes and shaking her head at not being able to find anything else to say to him, joining AJ with Julio before leaving the bar.

"You're talking to Rocky an awful lot." AJ said, walking into the apartment with Freddie later that night.

"I spoke to him for five minutes tonight." Freddie laughed, "I wouldn't say that's a lot." She defended, walking through to the kitchen as AJ just smiled and nodded, sitting her bag down and following her.

"Do you like him?" AJ asked whilst Freddie opened the fridge and scoffed.

"Absolutely not." Freddie said.

"He's just a good friend then?" AJ hummed.

"Yes, he is." Freddie turned to her, "What did Julio say about your dad anyway?" Freddie asked, wanting to desperately change topics.

"Oh just that he's gone away. To the extent of that I don't know but… I think he'll stay away now. He looked… scared when he was at the owl tied up. He's lucky he got away so easily after what went down." She admitted truthfully.

"Why do you think your parents were so… against you being here?" Freddie asked, "It just… it all seems a little extreme."

"I don't know." AJ shook her head, "I never understood it, and then I just had to accept it I guess. To get by I used to tell myself… oh, they just care so much about me, that's all, but… taking me from you, practically blackmailing me, it… it shows they just didn't care. I guess it was more like a possessive thing and… maybe a standard thing. I don't know." AJ said.

"So are you gonna move to the south now?" Freddie asked her, taking out a bottle of water from the fridge.

"I… I think so." AJ nodded, "I still have my job in the north but… if I want to build my life back up, I want to do it with you and your dad in it." AJ said as Freddie nodded. It meant a lot to her that Freddie was even willing to let her in and was open to forming a relationship.

"I'd like that." Freddie nodded quietly as AJ smiled, "I just don't want you and dad to… think you guys have it figured out and then end up driving each other away because you jumped in too fast. I'm all for having my mom and dad under the same roof but… think about the time that's gone by." She said.

"I know." AJ nodded, "Nothing is gonna be rushed, I promise. Tonight I just… I don't know. I don't like seeing him like that, I just wanted him to know I was there for him and that things would be ok." She said as Freddie nodded, "I like that you care about his feelings." She smiled, "Have you always been like that?"

"We've gone through our phases." Freddie nodded, "You should of seen us when I was like around thirteen, fourteen. We did not get along." She smiled, "He's just been through enough, and I know he cares about you so I'd hate for it to flop just because you guys couldn't wait a few minutes." She said, "But I mean… who am I to tell you what to do?"

"No, I'd rather you tell me how you feel. We won't get anywhere if you don't." AJ shrugged, "And I agree with you." She nodded as Freddie smiled, "Listen I… I got work in the morning, on my way home I'll jump into the store and get some things, why don't you write me a list of what you want?" She said.

"Yeah, sure." Freddie nodded, "I'm going to visit dad in the morning with Rocky, he wants to see him so I said I'd take him." She said as AJ smiled a little too obviously, "Don't look at me like that." Freddie tutted as AJ just smiled.

"I'm not." AJ put her hands up, "Ok, well I'll go see your dad on the way home from work and the store then. I shouldn't be too long." AJ nodded. The visiting time wasn't that long due to how tired and sore Punk was, it wasn't fair on him to expect him to lie and listen and talk when he was in pain.

"Ok." Freddie said, "I'll go write the list." She said as AJ nodded, watching her leave the kitchen as she smiled to herself.

The next morning, Rocky had met with Freddie to go visit Punk in the hospital for a little while. It wasn't like he was super close to Punk, in fact, they weren't that close at all, but he just wanted to go say hello and see how he was doing, it was common courtesy and they were all a family regardless.

"What are they feeding you in here? Is it nice?" Freddie asked, sitting on the armchair beside her father's bed whilst Rocky sat beside, "The jello was disgusting, the one they gave me." She told her father, studying he food he'd left by the bed, "You not hungry?" She asked him as he shook his head. He could barely move himself and he was starting to get frustrated and fed up with the pen and his lack of ability to actually do anything.

"It kinda reminds of plane food." Rocky admitted.

"Yeah, I get you." Freddie nodded, watching her father look down at the button beside him which was red, groaning to himself as she sighed, "How long until you can get more?" She asked.

"I-I don't know." Punk sighed, "Probably another hour."

"Must be really bad for you to take drugs." Rocky scoffed as Punk nodded.

"Don't remind me." Punk shook his head, "I'd hate to… to be without them." He admitted truthfully, "Where's your mom?" He asked Freddie.

"Working. She's gonna come by after she finishes." Freddie said.

"Are you… are you being nice to her?" Punk asked her tiredly, resting his head back on the pillow as Freddie made a face.

"What does that mean? No, dad. I'm punching her in the face." Freddie said, "Yes, I'm being nice."

"Well I know how you get." Punk grumbled as Rocky laughed to himself, "Is she being nice to you?" He asked.

"Everyone is being nice to everyone." Freddie concluded as Punk smiled.

"Good." Punk nodded.

"Well apart from Uncle Dean and mom. They keep bickering." Freddie told him as Punk nodded slowly.

"I'll… I'll talk to Dean." Punk said.

"Do you want me to bring anything in? Like some music or something? Comics?" Freddie asked him as Punk smiled at her sweetness.

"I'm ok just now." Punk assured her as she smiled.

"How long do they reckon you could be in here for?" Rocky asked him.

"Up to a… a few weeks." Punk said, "They told me."

"Well you just woke up yesterday." Freddie said, "You need to heal and get stronger."

"Mhm." Punk groaned quietly.

"I'm going for a coffee, do you want something?" She turned to Rocky.

"I'm ok." Rocky told her, watching her stand up.

"Lay off that caffeine, girl." Punk grumbled as Freddie just scoffed, leaving the room can and closing the door behind her as Punk turned to Rocky who he noticed followed Freddie all the way until she left the room, "Something I should know?" Punk grumbled, reaching for the cup of water in front of him with a weak, shaky hand, taking a drink as Rocky turned to him.

"What?" Rocky said.

"You two… hanging out a lot." Punk stated, "What's going on?"

"Oh, nothing." Rocky shook his head honestly, "I just knew they wouldn't let me in to see you if I came alone-"

"So you're using my daughter." Punk croaked, his almost closed eyes leering at Rocky who gulped. Even though Punk was clearly incapable of so much as lifting a finger towards Rocky, he still felt intimidated.

"No… no, I'm not, I just-"

"I'm kidding." Punk smiled to himself, rolling his head back against the pillow, trying not to move around too much to avoid any pain, "Is… is she telling me the truth… did-did nothing really happen to her?" He asked Rocky.

"She's ok." Rocky nodded.

"That's not what I asked." Punk looked across at him.

"They didn't hurt her." Rocky nodded, "There was a struggle, I think, and an exchange but… they didn't hurt her or-or do anything to her." Rocky said as Punk nodded slowly, "And… Julio sent Rick away. I don't think he's gonna come back." He looked Punk in the eye as Punk nodded.

"Yeah, alright." Punk understood and turned away, "When Freddie goes to school can you… still keep an eye on her?" He asked him as Rocky nodded, "Something is telling me you… won't have an issue with that." He arched a brow.

"Hey." Rocky defended.

"You make one droplet of a tear fall out of her eye and I'll rip your arm off and choke you with it." Punk said casually as Rocky gulped, "When I'm… good and ready." He mumbled.

"O-Ok." Rocky said nervously as Freddie came back in with her coffee and sat back down to join in on conversation.