Grave


Punk woke up and headed into his kitchen and groaned upon seeing Cliff shirtless at his kitchen table eating a bowl of cereal.

"Can you at least put a shirt on?" Punk asked disgusted as he poured himself a cup of coffee.

"Why? I look damn good without a shirt." Cliff scoffed. "Oh I get it. You're afraid April will see me and leave you."

"More like I'd like to be able to eat my breakfast and not throw it back up." Punk remarked.

"Yea, yea whatever." Cliff said waving his hand in annoyance.

"Why are you still here?" Punk asked sitting across from him.

"April wants me here." Cliff smirked smugly. "If someone comes in and tries to kill you she thinks they'll kill me first and make a lot noise. Enough of noise to tip you off so you could run."

"I'm not running." Punk remarked with a laugh. "I don't think this has anything to do with the fires anyway."

"Someone breaks in and sets your kitchen on fire and you think it's not related?" Cliff asked him.

"April set the kitchen on fire." Punk reminded him. "She dropped the towel when she heard the noise. The guy who set the shop on fire was smart and used electrical wiring to do it he didn't just throw a towel on the stove."

"So who broke in?" Cliff asked.

"I've told you and Ape a thousand times plenty of people come around to this neighborhood to rip off the big houses." Punk said to him. "But all jokes aside I do appreciate you being here for April's peace of mind."

"Yea it's really put me out to be staying in your palace the last week." Cliff snorted.

"So what's been going on with you?" Punk asked.

"Huh?" Cliff asked.

"You've been quiet since the Amy stuff and I haven't seen you really since the dinner." Punk noted. "Nico says you've been skipping shifts. Is there something going on?"

"Nope." Cliff said simply avoiding his eyes and eating his cereal.

"You know if you need anything or just to talk you can come to me." Punk said to him. "I know a lot of shit has been going on but you're still family."

"I know." Cliff said to him. "Nothing is going on I've just been cleaning out Amy's old place trying to get some of my money back on that baby crap I bought."

"Has Amy reached out to you?" Punk asked him.

"No but I wish she had so I can tell her where to stick to it." Cliff said to him. "She thought she was going to pass yours and April's baby off as mine? I'd raise your kid."

"You'd be the second guy in the group to do so." Punk pointed out then laughed.

"No Nadie." April said entering the kitchen with Nadia on her hip. She had a strong grip on April's long hair. "Phil." She whined.

"Stop pulling on mommy's hair." Punk smirked taking her from April.

"She's really becoming more active, huh?" Cliff asked who immediately made a funny face at Nadia who was sitting across from him with Punk and she smiled.

"Yea she's at the age where she loves to grab anything." April said pouring herself a cup of coffee. "And I'm already running late."

"For what?" Punk asked.

"I told you I have to go in to see Paul. They're giving me the book release date." She said to him.

"I have to go down to the stupid police station to talk what the Detective." Punk reminded her.

"I guess I can take Nadia with me." April said to him.

"No I don't want her around Daren." Punk said to her. "I'll just take her to the station."

"Around all of those criminals?" April asked.

"It's the police station." Punk scoffed. "Fine I'll just cancel."

"Or I can watch her." Cliff offered.

"You can't just cancel." April said to him. "You need to know what's going on."

"Which is nothing." Punk said to her. "He can tell me that over the phone."

"Hello!" Cliff shouted waving his arms. "I can watch the baby."

"We've never left her alone." April said to him.

"Uh yea you did when you cut your finger." Cliff pointed out. "Out of everyone I've spent the most time with Nadia besides you two."

"I guess." April said to him reluctantly.

"No we couldn't ask you." Punk said as nicely as possible.

"You don't trust me with your daughter." Cliff said in disbelief. "You let Nico and Celeste watch her all of the time."

"It's usually the two of them." April pointed out.

"I can take care of her." Cliff assured them.

"Ok." April said with a smile.

"What?" Punk asked looking back at April.

"It's only going to be like an hour." April said to him. "And Cliff adores Nadia."

"I love Nadia." Cliff corrected. "I've changed her diapers, I've fed her, I've played with her- I can take care of her!"

"Fine." Punk said to him. "But you can't drink when you're with her."

"One time I sip a beer holding her." Cliff said annoyed. "And it's only 9 in the morning what kind of a person do you think I am?"

"You also can't take her to the park and hit on women." Punk warned him.

"I did that twice." Cliff said to him. "But fine even though Nadia is the best wing man I've ever had."

"She's my daughter not a date a catcher for you." Punk reminded him.

"Whatever." Cliff scoffed.


Punk was sitting across from Detective Stiletto as he rambled on about the details of the fires.

"I don't need a history lesson." Punk groaned. "Do you have something new for me?"

"Right to the chase I see." The Detective said pulling out a photo and passing it to Punk.

"Whose this?" Punk asked picking up the photo.

"That's your Uncle Jean." he said to him.

"Never had an Uncle." Punk said tossing the picture down.

"Your father never mentioned him? He never came around when you were a kid?" he asked Punk.

"If I had any blood relatives I would have been sent off to live with them." Punk said to him.

"Your uncle had some run-in's with the law." The Detective informed him. "The night after the fire he was picked up on drug charges. He was in violation of his probation which he was on from a previous assault case."

"I never heard of him." Punk shrugged. "But if he had run-ins with the law I can see why. My parents from what I could remember were very protective."

"They were great people. Pillars of the community." The Detective confirmed. "Gave to charity, gave back to the community."

"Yea I heard about that stuff." Punk admitted growing uncomfortable. "So this Uncle of mine was in jail since the fire?"

"No he was out periodically." The Detective told him. "He tried looking for you when you were 13 but due to his criminal past they refused to give him your information."

"I was probably better off where I was." Punk said to him. "Is he out now?"

"He is." he nodded. "We've been looking for him."

"You think he set these fires?" Punk questioned.

"I'm not saying that but the timing is suspect." The Detective said to him. "Your grandparents left everything in their will to your father. Your Uncle might have resented him."

"Why would they do that?" Punk asked.

"Because Jean Brooks was always in trouble with drugs and fighting." The Detective told him. "He's not the kind of man you would invite over for Sunday dinner."

"So you're telling me if he reaches out to me to shun him?" Punk asked.

"I wouldn't let him under the same roof as my daughter and pretty wife." The Detective said to him and Punk nodded.

"How old is he?" Punk asked.

"58. He was younger than your dad." The Detective told him.

"I don't know what he could possibly want from me or why he'd want to hurt me." Punk shrugged.

"Well motivation behind the house fire would be money. Your father was a very smart man and had a will drawn up after you and your brother were born leaving you not their just their money but your grandparents money. If he would have taken you all out he would have been the beneficiary being the only living relative now I don't know." he shrugged.

"That money isn't even what I was. I've spent some of it." Punk said to him.

"Let's not be silly." The Detective laughed. "Your parents left you close to five million and with it sitting in the bank so long you practically doubled it. Besides that your shop was doing very well and your wife makes decent money."

"Are you investigating my financial records?" Punk mocked.

"Of course." The Detective said to him. "With arson we always check the owners money situation."

"And?" Punk asked.

"Clearly you had more to lose than gain." The Detective shrugged.

"And you're sure Amy had nothing to do with it? Just because she wasn't there doesn't mean she didn't pay off somebody. Don't you find it a little too perfect that I was pulled away from the hospital at the exact time Amy was plotting to take my daughter?"

"It is odd timing but I think Amy was thinking you'd be asleep too or not even there." The Detective said to him. "She wasn't in the right state of mind."

"No kidding." Punk snorted. "Be honest with me here what are the chances that someone is after me?"

"50/50." He told him.

"Ok. What are the chances that the guy who broke into my house was someone looking to kill me?" Punk asked.

"Again 50/50." He said to him. "Did you get an alarm system put in?"

"I'm doing it this week." Punk said to him. "This isn't just me anymore I have a newborn and a wife living in my house."

"If I felt you were in immediate danger I'd tell you." The Detective assured him. "We're going to speak to Jean and go from there."

"There were no suspects when my parents and brother were killed?" Punk questioned.

"No." he told him. "It went cold. I know it was a very long time ago but if you remember or can think of anything from that night please call me."

"I will." Punk promised.


April was in her office looking over the fully covered book. It was beautiful and about to be released in two weeks.

"I wish you'd talk to me." Paul sighed. "I said I was sorry."

"Phil was so upset that Daren involved himself." April said to him. "Why would you tell Daren?"

"The assault was in the papers and Daren cornered me about it. He wanted to know who Xavier Daniels was and why your father would snap on him. He didn't seem angry he seemed very sympathetic." Paul said to her.

"I wish you would have kept it to yourself." April said disappointed.

"Why? Didn't he take care of it?" Paul questioned.

"Yea he did and that's great and all but now I owe him and Phil is furious." April said to him.

"I didn't do it so you would owe me I did it because I owed you one." Daren said as he walked through the open office. "Paul could you give us a minute?"

"Sure." Paul said.

"No you stay." April said to Paul. "Anything you want to say to me you can say in front of him."

"I just wanted to see how you were doing." He said simply.

"I'm fine." April said eyeing him. "I suppose I should be thanking you."

"I didn't do it for your gratitude." Daren frowned. "I've worked with you for a few years now, we shared a bond and I feel bad about what happened."

"Why?" April asked.

"Because I care." Daren said simply.

"It was a nice thing to do but no more." April said to him.

"I hope I didn't step on your husbands toes because I was able to step up for you." Daren said to her and she glared at him.

"My husband stepped up for me when he picked me up from the hotel after the fundraiser we attended together, he stepped up when he educated me and cleaned me, he stepped up when I had no job and struggling to write my book." April reminded him. "He has stepped up for me from the day I met him which is more than I could say for you."

"Well now that we got that out of the way doesn't the book cover look great?" Paul asked Daren.

"It's beautiful." Daren said still looking at April.

"I have to go." April said grabbing her bag and a copy of her book.

"Do you need a ride?" Daren asked but April hurried out the door.


After leaving the station he called Cliff to check in and everything was going well at home so he decided to swing by the cemetery since it had been years since he had visited. He spent such a big part of his life trying to forget them because the pain was too much but now he was going to have to force himself back to that place.

His parents and brother were buried next to each other under an almost perfect willow tree. He didn't pray, he didn't go to church because after losing everyone he didn't believe in anything anymore. When he was younger his parents used to take him to church and he wondered if they were disappointed in the way he gave up on religion. He sat at the small white bench and noticed how their were fresh flowers at both graves and wondered who was bringing them flowers.

He thought being close to them would help at least remember that night better but whenever he thought back to it all he could remember was his brothers face. It literally brought him to tears after he flashed back to that night and decided he couldn't think about it anymore but then another part of him kept telling him how April and Nadia could be danger and meet the same fate and no matter how painful it was to him he had to put them first.

He closed his eyes as a tear escaped his left eye but the minute he was back in his hold house that was filling with smoke someone placed a hand on his shoulder and gave him a reassuring squeeze. He opened his eyes and looked up and it was light, his safety net.

"How did you know?" he asked April.

"I didn't." April admitted. "I bring flowers sometimes." She said holding some in her hand.

"You do?" he asked her. "I've never taken you here."

"I hope you don't mind." She shrugged. "But a few years back when Mrs. Janetti died, you remember her right? She lived downstairs from me and Nico?"

"Vaguely." he said watching her place the flowers over his parents shared grave and then his brothers.

"Well she was buried right in front of your family and I remember seeing the name." She said sitting next to him. "There was a lot of weeds and stuff so I cleaned it up and brought flowers once a month."

"You never told me that." He said to her.

"I thought you might be mad." She said to him. "It was clear no one came here so I just made sure to leave wreaths at the holiday's and whatnot. I know it was painful for you so I did it."

"That's unbelievably thoughtful of you." He said taken back by it. "You've done this for years?"

"Yea." She said. "At least four. I slacked a bit when Nadia was born."

"Have you ever brought her here?" Punk asked.

"Not yet but I'd like to someday." April said to him. "I know how you feel about religion and your beliefs and I wouldn't bring her without your permission but
I feel like they're here you know? I think they'd like to meet their granddaughter."

"I think they would." Punk agreed quietly.

"I used to come here and tell them what you were up to." April admitted. "Usually complain if you were being a pain in my ass." She smirked. "Like I said it was only like once a month sometimes every other-"

"Even if it was once I appreciate it." He said to her. "Thank you."

"You're welcome." she smiled and kissed his cheek then rested her head on his shoulder. "What happened at the station?" she asked as they both looked ahead.

"Nothing." Punk said to her. "I have an Uncle that's done some time but that's all they've got."

"They think he did it?" April asked.

"They really have no leads." Punk admitted. "It's just an option. You don't remember seeing anyone around here do you?"

"No." April said to him. "But last summer someone left a stuffed animal at your brother's headstone." She told him. "I didn't think anything of it."

"Well I don't think it was my dad's brother he didn't seem like the sympathetic type." Punk said to her.

"Are you going to look for him?" April asked.

"That's a job for the police." Punk said to her.

"If they prove he's innocent would you want to meet him?" April asked. "It might be nice to have more family."

"No." Punk said to her quickly. "He's not a good guy and the Detective said not to have him around you or Nadia so I don't plan on it."

"Alright." April said to him. "Do you want some privacy?"

"No." He said to her. "I feel better with you here."


April and Punk arrived home a little while later and heard Cliff in the living room.

"Roll over." He cooed. "Come one roll over!" he cheered. "No not you Serena."

"Why are you barking animal commands at my daughter?" Punk questioned.

"She rolled over twice!" Cliff said holding up two fingers.

"We missed it!" April frowned.

"I'm trying to get her to do it again." Cliff said to her.

"Phil we missed it!" April cried.

"If it makes you feel any better Serena does it on command." Cliff said to them.

"Roll over for mommy." April pleaded getting onto the floor with her.

"Ape is this your book?" Punk asked noticing it fell out of her bag when she dropped it.

"Oh yea." April said to him.

"Oh cool!" Cliff grinned taking the book from Punk. "Look at that. Author- April Brooks." he said proudly. "You're going to get this framed right?"

"Of course." Punk said just as proud. "We'll get all of her books framed."

"I think that's the only one." April said to them.

"What about the crazy Amy story?" Cliff frowned. "I was going to be a big part of that one."

"I think I'm leaving that firm actually." she said to them as she tried to get Nadia to roll onto her stomach.

"Why?" Punk asked.

"I just want to spend more time with Nadia." April said to them. "Who cares? I can still write from home I just don't have to go through Paul or Daren anymore."

"Did something happen?" Punk asked.

"Really I assure you nothing happened." April told him honestly. "I just don't trust Paul and I never trusted Daren. Once I'm published with this book I can find someone else much more easily to want to publish a second book. I don't want to be a time frame to have things done I don't want to miss out on things like my daughter rolling over."

"Ok." Punk said quietly. "Whatever you want."

"Hey can I talk to you?" Cliff asked Punk and he nodded and they stepped into the foyer. "I know I was staying here all week because of the whole fire and break in and I think you both are ok now."

"You can go home whenever you want." Punk laughed.

"Actually I was going to ask if I could crash for a few more days." Cliff said scratching the back of his head nervously. "My building is being painted and it smells."

"Sure." Punk said to him without hesitation. "But you know you don't have to lie to me. If you're having money trouble you know you could just ask-"

"It's not money." Cliff said to him. "It's paint. Pain is my problem."

"You can stay as long as you need." Punk said to him.

"Are you sure it's ok with April?" Cliff asked.

"I don't think Ape is going to mind." Punk smirked. "This place is so big we don't even realize you're here half of the time."

"I'll try not to be insulted and just grateful." Cliff smiled. "I won't forget it thank you."

"No problem and again you can talk to me if you're having some kind of problem." Punk reminded him.

"I know and I 'm not." Cliff said to him then walked back into the living room.


"It's obviously a money problem." April said sitting up in bed as she read a book and Punk looked on his phone.

"He swears it isn't and Nico didn't stop paying him. He's the one that's been blowing off work." Punk pointed out.

"Maybe he's been gambling again." April said to him.

"What do you mean?" Punk asked.

"Back when you first started dating Amy and Cliff was crashing at our place I heard him talking to Nico that he had gotten into some gambling trouble." April confided.

"Cliff doesn't gamble." Punk snorted. "I've known him for more than half of my life."

"He borrowed four grand from Nico." April told him.

"Are you sure about that?" Punk asked her.

"Yup. I lived in the same place." April reminded him. "He goes down to the track and spends. He wins a little then loses more. He got into trouble with some loan sharks they threatened to beat him up and he went to Nico for help."

"I hope he's not hiding out from people under the same roof my daughter is in." Punk warned her.

"No one is coming here looking for Cliff besides I'd rather him here where I know he's safe." April said to him. "These guys aren't real criminals they're not breaking into a house they're more likely to sit on Cliff's place and wait him out."

"Why didn't he tell me?" Punk asked her. "How come he went to Nico?"

"Oh honey, you'd be the last person that Cliff would go to for money because everyone assumed you were the poorest." She shrugged.

"Really?" Punk laughed.

"Yea you lived in the smallest place, had the lowest paying job and never spent money." April laughed.

"So what happened after Nico gave him the money?" Punk asked.

"I don't know. He paid it off I assume and I never heard him and Nico discuss it again." April said to him. "You should ask Nico about it."

"I will." Punk said to her. "So about you quitting your job-"

"I have nothing more to say about that." She said abruptly turning off the small light she was using to read and kissed his cheek before rolling onto her side so she was facing Nadia's bassinet.