Linking It All
"Do you think this looks good? I got it today." AJ said, holding a simple dress to her frame whilst Punk lay on their bed, exhausted from the day of work, "Hey, shouldn't you be getting dressed." She said.
"I just got in." Punk said, "Why are you making such a big deal over this? We go out with our friends all time." He said.
"Yeah, but your dad is gonna be there." AJ said.
"So… you're trying to impress my dad?" Punk raised his eyebrows.
"No… I'm just… I can't put on something nice and celebrate my engagement with my friends?" She questioned.
"You can." Punk said, "I just don't want other guys looking at you." Punk shrugged as AJ rolled her eyes.
"Well, that's where the ring comes in handy." She wiggled her finger to him, "Men won't even look twice at me when they see I'm taken." She smiled.
"Better not." Punk said, "I suppose I should get ready." He admitted, sitting up on the bed. They'd all agreed to go out for some food and then go for some drinks after where they had invited Punk's father along. He really was trying with his dad, and his conversation with him last night really was starting to sway him in the right direction. They just needed some time.
"I have to shower first." AJ told him as he just groaned, "Hey, you know it takes me longer to dry my hair." She said.
"Well then why are you telling me to get ready. I could take a nap." He said, collapsing back down on the bed.
"You aren't five." AJ said, "Look out what you're wearing." She mothered him.
"Those jeans and that top." Punk pointed to two separate parts of their room floor where some clothes lay that he'd probably already worn in the week.
"Don't be ridiculous." AJ said as Punk raised his eyebrows, "Why don't you wear that checked shirt I love so much. For me?" She pouted, "For Colby?"
"Colby doesn't care what I wear." Punk said.
"The woman who spent hours in pain giving birth to her does." AJ said with crazy eyes.
"Have you-"
"Yes!" AJ said loudly, "I just want you to be a little more enthusiastic. We have a lot to celebrate. Us. Seth and Cora. Your dad coming." She said, "It's a big deal to me."
"Why?" Punk shook his head, sitting up.
"Because I really want… I really want things to work out between you both." She said.
"Why? I didn't think you'd care so much." Punk said.
"I do." AJ nodded, taking a seat beside him, "I just… I think he deserves a chance, and I think… you having your dad around might be a good thing. For all of us." She nodded.
"We just gotta take it slow." Punk said, wrapping his arm around her, "You don't have to get uptight about it. Let's just… have a good night with our friends and… my dad." He said, kissing her cheek as she smiled. He knew she was only getting uptight because she cared.
The group headed on later that night and had some good food before heading to their local bar for some drinks, the bar they were meeting Punk's father at.
"Strange seeing you over there now." Chrissy, the waitress smiled whilst serving Punk who, because of Colby, was now sitting at the other part of the bar, where kids could go.
"A big transition, huh?" Punk smiled.
"Sure is." Chrissy said, "Nice to see you boys doing some growing up." She said as Punk just smiled, handing her the money, making a few trips to their table with the drinks he'd gotten for everyone.
"She still fussing?" Punk asked as AJ cradled Colby in her arms. The baby girl hadn't been very happy tonight. During mid dinner she began crying. Punk fed her but she only took half of her bottle, AJ was now trying the other half but she still wasn't having it.
"She's still not wanting the rest of her bottle." AJ said, "Maybe she needs changed. I'm gonna go check." AJ stood up as Punk nodded, placing Colby's diaper bag over her shoulder as she headed round to the toilets.
"Everything ok?" Cora asked as Punk took a seat at the table.
"Yeah, Colby's just being fussy." Punk said, "I got the drinks right, right?" He said as they nodded.
"Hey, AJ looks pretty tense is she ok?" Dean asked.
"Yeah, she's fine. She's just… she's getting worked up about my dad coming. It's like she wants to make a good impression, you know. But… I don't think he'll really care. I didn't want to say that to her, but… you know." Punk shrugged as the boys just shook their heads.
"You boys are so insensitive." Cora shook her head as they all turned to her, "Ever realise that April doesn't have any parents either? Your dad being around again… it might mean a lot more to her than you think." Cora spoke directly to Punk, "It could mean Colby has a grandfather. One grandparent is better than one." She said, "You all need to be a little more understanding. Read a situation." She told them as they all sat in silence, taking their telling.
Punk hadn't thought about it like that and now he felt bad, "Uh… Punk." Seth tapped Punk's foot under the table as he watched an older man approach the table. Punk turned around and seen it was indeed his father.
"Hey, dad." Punk stood up as Oliver just nodded to his son with a smile, "Uh… this is Dean, Seth and Cora." He introduced them as Oliver shook their hands as they politely exchanged smiles.
"It's uh… it's nice to meet you all." Oliver smiled, looking over at his son's friends as he took a seat, staring especially at Dean, who he felt like he recognised, "Where is April?" Oliver asked Punk.
"She's just changing Colby." Punk said, "Do you want a drink?"
"Just a water will do." Oliver said as Punk nodded, walking back up to the bar to get his dad a drink whilst the others struck up conversation with his dad.
"So… you all met Phil in the orphanage?" Oliver asked.
"I didn't." Cora piped up, "It's April I've known, but I guess recently I realised I was closer to home with these guys than I thought." She admitted as Seth smiled.
"In other words, they two are brother and sister." Dean explained as Oliver nodded.
"Phil never mentioned." Oliver said.
"It just sorta came about a few days ago." Seth admitted as Oliver just nodded watching his son come back with the drink of water, sitting it down on the table.
"So you guys had a good night so far?" Oliver asked them.
"Yeah, it's been good." Punk nodded, dwelling into civil conversation with his dad whilst the others talked amongst themselves. AJ eventually came back to the table with a sleeping Colby. The baby girl just needed changed. She was peacefully asleep now.
"She ok?" Punk asked AJ who nodded, placing Colby into her stroller, tucking the blanket over her.
"She just needed changed." AJ told Punk, noticing Punk's father already here, sitting in conversation now with Seth, "He made it." AJ smiled to Punk who nodded.
"Yeah. Things are going good." Punk nodded as she sat down beside him.
"April… it's nice to see you again." Oliver said, noticing AJ return to the table.
"You too." AJ smiled pleasantly.
"Is she sleeping?" Oliver asked, of course referring to Colby.
"Uh… yeah." AJ nodded, looking up at Punk who nodded, "Do you wanna-"
"Oh, no. Don't feel like you have to."
"It's fine." Punk told him as AJ scooped Colby from the stroller, handing her over to Oliver who took hold of his granddaughter for the first time, smiling down at her.
"She's a beautiful little thing." Oliver smiled as AJ curled into Punk with a smile on her face, "Looks just like Olivia did." He said quietly as Punk smiled to himself. This felt right. Having his friends here. Having his dad here. Having his soon to be wife curled into him. Things seemed to be definitely going in the right direction.
Later on that night, Cora and AJ were in conversation themselves, Dean and Seth were playing a game of darts in the corner, and Punk and his father were talking with one another in their own discussion. The night had been great so far. Full of laughter and comfort.
"It's really great to see how close you are with your friends." Oliver smiled as Punk nodded.
"Yeah, well… they were all I had at a time in my life." He said, "They're like my brothers."
"I can see that." Oliver nodded, "I never knew two of them were related. Cora and Seth." Oliver said, trying to make sure he remembered names.
"Well neither did anyone until a few days ago." Punk informed him, "Their entire family died in a fire. They were the youngest. Cora got a new family and Seth was put in the orphanage. They were both just told that they had no family left, and then… somehow they found their way back to one another."
"That's remarkable." Oliver shook his head, "What is their second name?"
"Rollins." Punk said casually as Oliver raised his eyebrows.
"Rollins?" Oliver repeated, "They… me and your mother knew their parents. In fact, we were best friends. It was the same… the same group of people who killed your mom and sister, that started that fire." Oliver said as Punk just looked at him with confusion and then turned back to Seth and Dean who were messing around playing darts, "And here I was thinking it was the blonde one I recognised. Now that I know… Seth looks exactly like his dad." Oliver nodded.
"You recognise Dean?" Punk shook his head.
"I thought I did." Oliver said, "There'd be no way for me to recognise him though. It was just… the hair and the eyes." He said.
"Yeah well Dean Ambrose is known famously all over Chicago for his blonde hair and blue eyes." Punk joked, "That's crazy that you knew Seth's parents-"
"What did you just say?" Oliver said.
"It's crazy that-"
"No. Before. Dean's second name… what is it?"
"Ambrose." Punk looked across at his father who shook his head.
"Can't be." Oliver whispered to himself.
"Can't be what?" Punk said, "What is it?"
"His… his dad was the one who set the fire." Oliver said, "His dad is the reason your mom and sister are dead." He said with such firmness in his words.
"How… How do you know… I'm sure there may be other people with the same second name as him." Punk chuckled a little as Oliver just shook his head.
"No… No, I know those eyes… and that hair. And I remember… I remember his father… he was the one I owed money to. He had a son the same age as you. I remember it. He was in charge. He sent people to our house to kill your mom and sister. And he… he sent people to start the fire at the Rollins house. I knew once I heard about Rollins' house, we were next, but I tried to avoid it." Oliver said with so much assurance.
Punk just turned around, coldly looking across at Dean who was taking his shot at the darts board whilst Seth watched, "You're sure?" Punk turned back around to Oliver who just nodded, looking in shock.
Next thing Oliver knew was his son leaving his seat and grabbing Dean by the t-shirt, slamming him against the nearest wall, getting everyone's attention. Perhaps Oliver shouldn't have said all that to him, but it just came rushing to him and spilled out his mouth.
"Phil!" AJ shouted, not understanding what the hell Punk was doing.
"What the fuck is going on?" Cora asked as she and AJ made their way over.
"You." Punk spat at Dean, "Did you know?"
"Punk, what are you doing?!" Seth asked.
"Did you know?!" Punk shouted louder as AJ placed her hands over her mouth.
Dean rolled his eyes over to Oliver who stood beside AJ, shaking his head, turning back to Punk.
"Y-Yes." Dean croaked as Punk's nostrils flared, throwing Dean on the ground with anger, throwing angry punches as Dean began to fight back to defend himself. It didn't take a genius to figure out what Punk was talking about. And he did know. He'd known for a long time about the significance of his family in regards to his best friends'
"That's enough." Oliver said, pulling Punk back as Seth pulled Dean up to his feed.
"You… You knew and you never told us!" Punk shouted.
"Phil, baby calm down." AJ said with concern. She really had no idea what was going on.
"Would someone tell me what the fuck is going on?" Seth said.
"His dad." Punk pointed across to Dean whilst his father still had a grip on him to hold him back, "His dad set your house on fire." Punk said as Cora looked across at Dean, "His dad… killed my mom and sister." Punk said, "And he knew." Punk's voice broke as Dean just stood, looking across at Punk whilst Seth and Cora turned their heads at him.
"Dean, what… what is he talking about?" Cora asked, walking over to Dean, "What..." She placed her hands on his chest as he pushed them away.
He couldn't say anything. He just needed out of this place before he lost his breath. He rushed by them all and out the door as they all stood with shock, confusion and in Punk's case, anger.
A/N: Dropped a bomb. Let's see how it plays out. REVIEW and let me know what you think!
