The next day, Punk decided to go round to the station to see Paul, and what the latest was about his status. He knew that his identification had been wiped completely, and to the state, he was recorded as dead. He wasn't sure if that had to be sorted, and he wanted to know when he could start working again.

"How is things getting on with April?" Paul asked whilst Punk sat in his office across from him at his desk, slouched down on the seat whilst shrugging lifelessly. He hadn't slept well last night. He just couldn't stop thinking about AJ, and what a life without her was going to be like. He knew he'd done it for a year, but that was all bearable, because he had the focus and promise of seeing her again. Now he was back, she just didn't want him anymore.

"As bad as it possibly could get." He said, "She doesn't want me back basically. She's letting me see the kids, but that's about it." He said.

"She has been through a lot this year." Paul said as Punk nodded.

"I know. But you'd think that, because I'm back, she'd be able to let me in again. You know… she'd be thankful that I'm here. Instead she's just pushing me away." He sighed.

"Give it time." Paul suggested.

"She doesn't need time. She's made up her mind." Punk said, "There's nothing I can do about it."

"Well I am sorry to hear that it isn't going well." Paul said sincerely as Punk just nodded, not really having much to say.

"Well… enough about my personal life… what's going on here? When can I start back?" He asked.

"Whenever you want." Paul said, throwing him over hi Lieutenant badge, "Your identification is back up and running on the system." He told Punk.

"Good. I'm fed up of being a ghost." Punk admitted, "You've let everyone know on the team here about what happened, right?"

"Yeah." Paul nodded, "I told them the night you got back. They were all pretty shocked, but glad you actually weren't dead." Paul said, "Why don't you take the rest of the week off. Go home. Spend time with the twins and your family. I know it seems like everything is falling apart, but things will get better." Paul said, "I am sorry I had to do this to you, Phil. But I wasn't going to let you die." He said.

"It's ok. You were just looking out for me." Punk said, "I'll take the rest of the week off. I'm staying with my brother just now until I can sort out everything with AJ. I don't think she'll want me living in the house with her. I'll probably need to find my own place." Punk admitted, "All my money I have, she's got it, doesn't she?" Punk assured himself.

"I had to inherit it into her account. If I didn't it would have looked suspicious." Paul said, "I'm sure she won't be so cold as to refuse you your own money." Paul said.

"I don't know so much." Punk said, "It's like she's a completely different person now. That… that amazing, bright, bubbly girl I feel in love with isn't there anymore." He shook his head.

"Maybe she died along with your fake corpse." Paul said, "Just remember what she's had to go through, Phil. You seem pretty forward at the moment. Just remember that she stood at your funeral and buried you. She had to let it sink in, that she'd lost you." Paul said, "She's probably still in utter disbelief that you're here. Give her space. She might change her mind about leaving you." He said.

"Yeah, but she's acting like it's my fault that she had to go through all of that. I didn't want this. I didn't want her thinking I was dead." Punk said, "And now she thinks that if we're together, then more trouble is gonna come our way, and the twins will be in danger."

"It seems to me like she's finally figured out what it's like to live with, and love a cop." He said, "Some girls can't take the violence and the risks. I've had three wives, Phil. All left because they couldn't take my job." He said.

"Your point?" Punk asked.

"My point is. You might have to let her go." Paul said as Punk ran his hands through his hair.


Punk headed round to AJ's later on after being at the station all day. It was near the twins bedtime. Well, what he could only assume was their bedtime. He was hoping he could give them a kiss goodnight, and maybe even put them to bed for the first time. That was if AJ was ok with it.

"Hey." AJ let him into the house as he walked in, spotting Harleen and Caleb in the living room, having just been bathed, enjoying a cuddle with their mom before she was about to put them to bed.

"Hey guys." Punk smiled to them as they noticed and remembered the familiar face from the day before. He could tell by their little eyes that they remembered him, which warmed his heart, "What's with the fuzzy hair?" Punk laughed a little whilst AJ smiled. Both Harleen and Caleb had fuzzy hair after their baths.

"They've just been for their bath." She smiled, "I was actually just about to put them to bed." She admitted.

"Do you mind if I…" He turned around to her as she shook her head.

"They should go down straight away." She smiled, nodding to him and leaving the room to go into the kitchen, giving Punk his own time with the twins that he rightly deserved. She did take into consideration that whilst she was here suffering, she did have her babies. Punk really had nothing.

"C'mon, lets get you to bed." Punk smiled, scooping them both into his arms. He was surprised at how calm he was around them. He figured it was their natures that calmed him. Just the sight of them calmed him actually. He thought he would be a hopeless mess, but they both brought out a sensitive side in him that he never knew existed.

He headed upstairs and into their room, putting each of them in their cots. AJ had already put their pyjamas and clean diapers on them, so they were really all set to go. He couldn't believe they were actually with him after all this time.

"You guys tired, huh?" He asked, seeing so much exhaustion in their little eyes. Harleen was actually already sleeping whilst Caleb tried to fight it. Just as stubborn as his daddy he could see, "I'll be here when you wake up, I promise." He told them. He wasn't leaving. That was a promise.

He watched them until they were both completely fast asleep, tucking their blankets over them, admiring just how perfect they really were. He and AJ had sure made some beautiful children together.

He took pride in putting them to bed for the first time. And he knew it wouldn't be the last. He hoped to be here every night to tuck them into bed. Even if he and AJ weren't an item anymore. It didn't meant they could put aside everything and still care for their children.

And now it was time for the hard part…

He went back downstairs, walking into the living room where AJ was standing, tidying up the toys the twins had brought out before Punk had taken them to bed, placing the toys in the basket she kept in the corner of the room, looking up when she noticed Punk standing at the door.

"That was..."

"Ok… here it goes." Punk said as she straightened up and looked across at him with confusion, "No one will ever love you as much as I do. No one." He said, "No one is going to know your favourite this, that and everything as well as I do. No one is going to change the fact we have two beautiful children." He said, "No one will respect and love you the way I do… but, if this is what you really want… if you don't want there to be an us anymore." He pointed to them both, "Then I can walk away. But I hope you know, that this is the hardest thing I've ever had to do in my entire life. And I've had to tell parents that their kids have died, I've had to discover bodies, dead, raped, beaten. I've seen it all, and none of that compares to how hard it will be to leave you." He told her as she looked across at him with glassy eyes.

"Phil…" She whispered.

"I want you to know something..." He walked over to her, taking her hands in his, "Before you, I had nothing to live for. I put my life on the line everyday, and it meant nothing. I went out every morning, and I thought… if this is the end, then so be it. But when I met you, you gave me a reason to come home every night. You gave me a reason to live." He said, "And I know I won't meet anyone like you, ever again." He told her.

"Phil, please stop." She whispered, tears streaming down her cheeks.

"I'll be here for you. I'll support you. I'll… I'll learn to let you go." He said, "But you just gotta know that it might take me a lifetime to do that."

"I don't wanna let you go, Phil." She said, "I never did." She cried as he nodded, drying her tears with the pad of his thumb.

"I'm gonna find a place to live. Not too close. But in distance." He said, "We can sort things out with the twins. But I will never walk away from them. If that's what you're hoping I'll do, then you need to rethink everything." He said.

"No… no, I want you here for them." She said immediately.

"Then we can work things out for them." Punk said, "I can carry on working, and you can get on with your life." He said.

She was surprised at this. He was taking a big step. He was confirming what she wanted. He was allowing her to go on without him. To part ways from him into a different life where his violence and way of life didn't affect her.

"I'll never stop loving you." She told him.

"It'd be impossible to stop loving you." He admitted.

It was a courageous step to take for him. He desperately didn't want to do this. He was secretly hoping for her to change her mind and jump into her arms, but he knew this was what she was wanting. She was wanting security and stability. She wanted to make a home for her babies. A home where she didn't feel scared. And it killed him that she felt scared whenever he was around. But he could understand it. He did bring trouble to a lot of doorsteps.

"Just… just give me one last kiss and I'll leave." He told her. It was the last thing he would ever ask her for.

She nodded, cupping his cheeks softly, taking in every minute of this last moment they would share, leaning her head against his as she pressed her lips against his. Those lips that saved her more times than she could remember. Those lips that showed her what she was really worth. Those lips that guided her into a new beginning. Those lips she was going to miss terribly.

He wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her into him as he felt her body close against his, enjoying the closeness just one last time before parting their ways. Her lips felt magical, and he was convinced they felt even better, just because he knew it was the last time he would feel them.

He wanted her to be happy. And if this was what she wanted. If this was what made her feel safe and secure, then so be it. He'd just have to deal with it. Because her happiness and her safety meant everything to him.