Heavy Minds
"Ok either she's smiling at me because she loves me or she's smiling at me because she thinks I'm a loser and she feels sorry for me." Punk said as he sat on the living room floor with his legs in a basket, watching their one-month old daughter as she lay on her mat looking up at all the toys dangling above her with fascination.
"I would probably go with the second." AJ chuckled to herself from the kitchen.
The first month of parenthood wasn't as terrifying as they thought it would. Both had a great bond with their daughter and she was settling in just fine. She cried a lot for the first week, and barely let them sleep, but she was settling down finally and Punk and AJ believed that they loved her that little bit more every day.
AJ wasn't feeling as exhausted and tired as she was when she first got home. In fact, she was starting to feel back to her normal self, and was put back on her normal medication, as well as being visited by the health visitor frequently. AJ didn't mind it, she knew it was for her own health and she welcomed it.
"You want me to put some cans in or will we just buy some drink?" AJ asked, walking over to her boyfriend who sat playing and talking with their daughter. There was just something about their life that had gotten so much better since Nova came. They were both so nervous but now it just seemed like it was part of their lifestyle, to love and care for her.
"Um… throw some cans in if we have them." Punk nodded to her, "You got her bottle ready?" Punk asked.
"Yeah, I've just made it up." AJ said, wandering back into the kitchen to fix what she was doing, "Do you think she'll need changed? I'm gonna take the diaper bag anyway. I put in some clean clothes for her in case we have a repeat of last night's diaper." She laughed to herself.
"Don't remind me." Punk sighed as she laughed, "Take it just in case." Punk nodded, "You never know what tricks she has up her sleeve." Punk said, looking over at Nova, "Huh? You have our work cut out for us, don't you? Don't you?" Punk smiled as she looked up at him. They did find themselves talking to her in strange voices. He liked to think they were doing ok. He never doubted they wouldn't be, but considering it was their first time having a baby, he was very proud of how well they were coping. It wasn't easy all the time of course. Nova had her moments where she liked to just cry for no reason, which then AJ and Punk would break out in a fight on why she was crying, but everything would return to normal not long after.
"Ok, do you wanna get her up in her carrier? The stroller is in the car, isn't it?" AJ asked him.
"Yes, ma'am." Punk nodded as he stood up, picking up Nova in his arms. She was still a tiny little thing. She was only one-month old, but her development was going great according to the health visitor, that went for the baby and AJ. Both mom and baby were doing good, and that was the most important thing to Punk.
"Can you take her and I will get the bag and Ace?" AJ said, "Or will I take her down?" She asked as Punk strapped Nova into her carrier as her little hands reached out to his whilst he was clipping her in. She did enjoy his colourful tattoos, and many times had fallen asleep bewildered on his chest.
"Ok, you take her, I'll get the bags and Ace." Punk nodded as AJ smiled, walking round the couch and taking over from Punk as she smiled down at Nova.
"There's my girl." AJ smiled, "There's my gorgeous girl." She said, leaning down and pressing a kiss on her daughter's nose as she looked up at her mother in awe. She was a very, very loved baby. That was for sure. And she was the greatest thing they'd ever done.
"Is it just this bag?" Punk pointed as AJ looked up.
"Yeah, baby. That bag and Nova's diaper bag on the table." She said as Punk nodded.
"Ok. I'll get you down there." Punk said as AJ nodded, leaving the apartment with Nova in her carrier whilst Punk grabbed the two bags he had to, as well as putting Ace on his leash to take him down.
He walked towards the door, ready to leave when he noticed a card sitting on the floor. They never got mail directly to the apartment, which made Punk realise that someone had slid it under the door.
He put his things down for a second and picked up the card which was addressed to no one, but was a congratulations card. He then opened it up and looked inside where it was again addressed to no one at the top, but at the bottom it was signed off by Mike.
"She's already getting so big." Eve smiled, holding Nova in her arms in the station where Punk had finally gone to take Nova. They wanted to get her settled at home before they went out showcasing her to everyone.
Everyone had stopped by at Punk's desk to see the baby girl and to congratulate Punk and AJ, but of course it was their close friends who were around the desk holding her and talking to her.
"Where are you guys headed?" Seth asked.
"We're going for a picnic." Punk said as Seth raised his eyebrows, "We're boring now." He nodded as Seth laughed.
"Picnics aren't boring." AJ gasped, "It's a nice day. Why stay inside?" She said as Punk nodded.
"I'm just teasing." Punk said. They took Nova on a lot of walks in her stroller since they were always taking Ace out, but today AJ suggested they go to the park for a picnic. It was something she always wished her mother had done with her and her sister. Something she always saw people doing in the park and longed to do it one day herself. It was a lovely day and she didn't want it to go to waste.
"She's actually got light hair." Dean noticed, "Well, with what little bits she has." He laughed.
"Phil was light when he was born." AJ nodded, "Because she definitely doesn't get that from me." She laughed to herself, "The health visitor said it'll probably change." She shrugged.
"She has your eyes, though." Rocky noticed as AJ smiled proudly, turning her head as she looked over at Kylie in her office.
"I'll just be a minute." She said, wandering away and leaving her friends and boyfriend with Nova as she walked up to her office, knocking on the door and walking straight in, staying as pleasant as she could.
"Oh, hey." Kylie smiled.
"Hi." AJ smiled, "I just… wanted to come by and see how you were. If there's anyone who knows the stress of this job it's me." She said, "Good news is, you won't have long to deal with it." She said as Kylie nodded.
"Everything is fine, April." Kylie nodded, "Phil helped me out a whole lot before he took his time off. He was great." She nodded.
"I know I live with him." AJ nodded.
"I mean from a work point of view." Kylie said, "I've been getting through a lot of cases recently. I guess you could say this office is starting to feel like home." She admitted, sitting back in the chair as AJ folded her arms.
"Really?" AJ smiled.
"Yeah." Kylie nodded, "I have a meeting with Walter tomorrow morning. I have… no idea what it's about but, here's hoping for something good." She smirked as AJ smiled to herself.
"I know what you're doing." AJ nodded, "And it won't work. I've been here in this station for ten years. Every case I have been given, I have solved. I solved a case that had been going on for more than ten years. Me. Alone." AJ said.
"Yeah, April. You did all those things. Now you're just a mom." Kylie said as AJ glared across at her.
"This is my office. That is my chair and those cases that you're taking weeks to figure out, they belong to me too. You're a sub. Nothing more." AJ said, "And when I get back, you will go back to filling in for someone else." She said as Kylie glared up at her.
"Phil said you were unhealthily obsessed with your job." Kylie smiled, "I didn't think he meant literally but… well I guess he did." She said as AJ stepped back before she done something she would regret.
"Just enjoy it while it lasts." AJ told her smugly, leaving the office and walking back to her friends.
"So what she has a meeting with Walter? That could mean anything." Punk shook his head later that day as they sat on a picnic blanket on the grass in the park. Ace was laid out beside them, tired from catching the frisbee Punk kept throwing him earlier.
"She also said you told her I had an unhealthy obsession with my job." AJ turned to him, holding Nova in her arms who had fallen asleep.
"I never said unhealthy." Punk shook his head truthfully, "I said you were obsessed, yeah." Punk nodded, "But even you know that. I wasn't saying it to her like it was a bad thing." Punk said, "She really said that?"
"Yeah." AJ nodded, "Made me feel like an idiot."
"Well she's just twisting my words." Punk shook his head, "Whatever, just forget about her." Punk said, fixing Nova's sock which had fallen off, "She's out of it." Punk smiled as he looked over.
"Everyone loved her." AJ smiled. They'd brought some food and drink with them that was spread out on the picnic blanket. They'd had a great afternoon despite the things on both of their minds. AJ could have sat holding her daughter, watching Punk run about with Ace all day. It was peaceful and relaxing, especially when their baby was fast asleep.
"Everyone does love her." Punk agreed, "How could you not? She's adorable." Punk smiled as AJ nodded, "And hey, I know you. I know you'll be worrying about what Kylie said but… don't. Walter has known you all this time. He knows how valuable you are. When everyone says that Kylie has nothing on you, they mean it. Nothing against the girl, but she gets herself in a panic. She takes on too much and then leaves things hanging." Punk said, "She's not taking your job. Ok?" He said, flicking her chin as AJ nodded with a smile.
"I know she isn't." AJ smiled. She knew she wasn't in danger, she just didn't like the way Kylie spoke to her. It was as if she was purposely trying to get the job, but AJ knew she was safe.
She continued to cradle Nova in her arms, turning to Punk who had his thinking face on, "What's on your mind?" She asked.
"Huh?" Punk turned to her.
"You look like something is bothering you." AJ admitted, "Everything ok?" She asked.
"Yeah." Punk nodded, "Yeah, everything is fine." Punk smiled to her as AJ nodded, knowing he was lying to her. Something was bothering him, "You want an ice-cream?" He asked her, spotting the ice-cream truck across the park.
"Yeah, ok." AJ smiled, "As if I haven't ate enough already." She shook her head as Punk smiled, standing up and whistling on Ace who got up.
"What do you want?" He asked her.
"Just a cone." AJ smiled as he nodded, walking off down the park with Ace trotting beside him as she watched him closely.
She turned down to Nova who was peacefully asleep in her arms. She smiled, leaning down and pressing a kiss on her head, looking back up as she watched Punk with Ace, "What's daddy hiding? Huh?" She said.
A/N: Let me know what you think!
