Take Care
Punk arrived at Lia's moms just in time, pulling up at the house where he could see Lia and her mother out of the house, worry and desperation on their faces whilst Dean seemed to be leaning into the back of his own car that was parked up in front.
"What the hell is going on?" Punk asked, getting out of the car and slamming the door shut, walking on over as Lia rushed towards him.
"He's-He's trying to take Eva home and… and he's out of it, I can't-you can't let him drive with her. Every time I go near him he just yells." Lia said, "And I don't want to scare Eva." She shook her head as Punk turned over to Dean who appeared to be strapping Eva in, of course finding it a little difficult given the fact he was completely drunk.
"Ok, just… stay there." Punk put his hand up, walking over to Dean, gently placing his hand on his back as Dean shoved him away, "Dean, c'mon man, you know you can't drive in this state." Punk said, trying to speak in a soft tone. Yelling sure as hell wouldn't do anything.
"Fuck off." Dean mumbled, "I'm taking my daughter home." He slurred.
"You can't drive in this state. You want to put Eva in danger? Is that what you want?" Punk asked him as Dean leaned back from in the car, looking at him, "C'mon, let Lia take her back in, she should be sleeping." Punk said, looking on at the two year old sat in her car seat, tired and confused as she held onto her teddy bear.
"What-What do you know about what… what she needs?" Dean pushed him a little, "I'm her father. And she…" He pointed to Lia, "She's keeping her from me."
"Because of the state you're in." Punk said, "Do you think Eva wants to see you like this? She doesn't know what's going on right now." He said, "Look at her." He said as Dean turned around and looked at Eva.
"She's fine. She's just… she misses her home." Dean said, "So that's where we're going."
"You know I'm not gonna let you leave here with her. You can't drive in this state." Punk said, "So why don't you unstrap her, give her to Lia and I'll drive you home?"
"No, fuck off." Dean shook his head angrily.
"How many times have we been at the scene of car crashes? Car crashes where the driver has been drunk? You want that to be you? You want that to be your own daughter?" He asked as Dean looked at him, "Look man I know you're struggling and this is breaking my heart to see you this way. But you need help. You shouldn't be ashamed or hard on yourself for relapsing. You're not the first person to do it. The good news is, you can help yourself, you can get back to a normal life." He nodded as Dean looked across at him, "It starts with you. You gotta do it for you, and if not you, do it for your daughter and your family, because they're still here and they still love you." He nodded as Dean stumbled back a little, placing his hands on his hips as he turned to Lia who had tears in her eyes.
"Please." Lia whispered, clasping her hands over her mouth as Dean turned to Punk, rubbing the side of his face as he drunkenly turned around, unclipping Eva from her car seat and lifting her out.
"You uh… you go to mommy, ok?" Dean nodded as Lia rushed over, taking Eva from him, caressing the back of her head and backing away as Dean scratched the back of his neck.
"I can drive you home." Punk nodded to Dean.
"I can walk." Dean insisted.
"I'd feel better if I drove you home." Punk admitted as Dean screwed his face up.
"I don't care what you feel." Dean said, "I don't need your pity. I don't need you looking at me like I'm a piece of shit-"
"I'm not, I'm fucking worried about you." Punk said, "You're like my brother. Ok, this is killing me. This is killing all of us to see you this way, Dean. We just want you to get better. No one is looking down on you. We just want to help and you won't let us."
"I don't need help." Dean grumbled.
"When will you realise you do?" Punk asked, "When you're in hospital again? Only this time they're not telling you, you could die, but they're telling you, you are dying." Punk said, "Every drink you're taking, it's one step closer and I know that's not what you want, I know this isn't a choice for you. One… one slip up, one moment of weakness and this is where you are, I get you're frustrated but there is still time to turn this around." He nodded, "And we'll help you." He nodded as Dean ran his hands over his face repeatedly and then shook his head.
"I'll walk home." Dean said.
"Dean." Punk shook his head, watching him turn around and walk off down the street, stumbling over a little until he was out of sight. He wasn't going to chase him down and baby him, he knew it would just end in violence and he didn't want to go there.
"Phil, what am I supposed to?" Lia asked, passing Eva to her mother who walked back into the house.
"I don't know." Punk sighed, running his hand through his hair, "He's not gonna… he's not gonna admit it." Punk shook his head.
"I don't want it to come down to him… ending up in hospital." She shook her head as Punk sighed and nodded. He could see how worried she was, she looked like she was barely sleeping or eating, and he knew Dean just wasn't in the right frame of mind to notice how worried she was, "He just checks himself out of rehab every time he goes in." She said as Punk nodded.
"I know." Punk said, "Maybe we should get him sober and really talk to him. There's no use saying shit when he's out of his face. It's not gonna register to him." He said as Lia nodded.
"Yeah." Lia said, "Problem is… he's never really sober anymore." She shook her head as Punk nodded.
"We'll find a way. Even if it means… locking him up in a room for a night." He nodded as Lia sighed.
"I'm so sorry, Phil. You're the only one I can really call-"
"No, don't apologise. I want to help him as much as you do." Punk nodded as Lia smiled softly.
"How is Cami and… and the baby?" Lia asked.
"She is good." Punk nodded, "She's getting out tomorrow and… the baby is good, he's with his parents now." He smiled as Lia nodded, "They named him Cody."
"That's sweet." Lia smiled, "I hope it went as well as it could."
"Yeah, it's been… well, hard but… the way Cami and Seth wanted it, that's all I care about." He nodded as Lia smiled.
"And what about your baby?" Lia smiled, "How is AJ?"
"She's good. Uh the baby was kicking just before I came over. It was super weird." He said as Lia nodded and smiled.
"I don't think Dean even knows AJ is pregnant." Lia admitted, "He's just so out of it."
"I'm not gonna give up on helping him. We gotta try everything. I'd say the best place for him is a rehab facility but they only work for people who want the help. Right now he… he's just caught up." Punk nodded, "We'll keep pushing."
"Is it just me… or is that baby slowing you down?" Dana from the district attorney's office smiled, getting out of the courthouse where she saw AJ sitting on one of the steps outside.
"Go away." AJ shook her head, disappointed with herself in how her case had went that she was working on, needing some air.
"Mind if I sit?" Dana asked her.
"I do." AJ said.
"All the more reason to do it." Dana nodded, sitting down on the step beside her as AJ turned around, "I've known you for years, April. Smartest freaking lawyer on earth. I'll give you it." She said, "But I'm happy for you. Settling down, having a family, I think you'll find your perspective will change when defending some of your clients." She nodded.
"I doubt it." AJ said, "Truth is… I am absolutely terrified." She nodded.
"That's ok." Dana laughed a little, "I'd be worried if you weren't." She nodded, "I remember my first baby. It's terrifying but it's also really cool." She smiled as AJ nodded.
"Do you… want something from me or are you just… having a good day?" AJ raised a brow as Dana laughed.
"There's no catch." Dana said, "I saw you struggling today. It's ok. You're tired, probably hungry. Your mind is probably elsewhere."
"It shouldn't be." AJ sighed, disappointed in herself, "We were up all night. First at the hospital with Phil's sister having her baby and then Dean going on a drunk walkabout. I think I got… like an hours sleep. Phil got none." She said as Dana looked at her with concern.
"That's not gonna work. You need rest and sleep. And most importantly no stress. Take it from me. Babies in the womb do not like this place." She said as AJ smiled a little, "Your job isn't going anywhere, trust me. People are still gonna want you to represent them in… forty years, never mind just one or two."
"If I'm still doing this in forty years then please someone stop me." AJ shook her head, "It's not my job that's even concerning me." She admitted truthfully, "I don't mind not working. This place gives me a damn headache anyway." She said, "I just… I feel so unprepared. I don't know baby's, I don't know what a mom really does." She said, "Phil took care of his sister when she was a baby so, he's got the one up I guess." She nodded.
"Everything is gonna be new to both of you, that's normal, for every first time parents." Dana said, "And it's ok to be nervous, in fact it's good, it's healthy and normal." She nodded, "You just have to take care of yourself. I think you're gonna be just fine." She smiled as AJ just nodded.
"I hope so." AJ laughed as Dana smiled, "Thank you." She nodded, "I know we normally just scream at each other in court but… there's never any personal problems. I guess we just care about our job-"
"Yeah and I hate always losing to you." Dana said as AJ smiled, "But you work for it. That baby's got a tough mama for sure." She said as AJ smiled, "Just take care of yourself. You should go home and get some sleep." She said as AJ just nodded.
"Yeah, I will." AJ nodded tiredly, "Thanks." She said as Dana nodded, getting up and walking back up the steps into the court.
AJ sat for a few more minutes taking in the fresh air before getting up from the step and heading for her car parked outside the court. She was starting to feel the tiredness hit her and she knew Dana was right, she really did have to take care of herself, because it wasn't just her she was looking after at this point.
She was in the midst of throwing her things into the back of her car along with her purse, shutting it over and getting ready to get into the front when she heard her name being called on in a way that brought back childhood memories.
"Hey, little April."
AJ turned around, looking on and shaking her head with confusion, "Matthew?" She looked on.
