Punk made his way backstage through the hectic cameras and microphones in his face, not wishing to talk just yet to anyone, limping his way through the curtains, rushing to his family, the only people he was interested in seeing, crouching down to scoop a running Dylan and Heidi in his arms, both their little chins resting on each of his shoulders, his arms wrapped around their waists as he shut his eyes tightly. It meant the world to have them here. After all he had to do to regain their trust, and ease into their life again after missing so much, they were here, hugging him.

"You did good, daddy." Heidi smiled as Punk opened his eyes, looking on at them both.

"Did I?" Punk smiled to his daughter.

"Yeah. You got him down." Dylan jumped, excited beside his sister, so much energy inside him after seeing his father in the ring. He'd watched so many of his past fights on TV, but he'd never seen one live. There was nothing like it.

"So you guys thought I done good?" He smiled to them, his vision a little blurred from the swelling in his eye, his lip now covered in dry blood mixed with sweat.

"Yeah." Heidi nodded with a smile, "So did mommy."

"Did she?" Punk looked up at AJ who stood by with a smile.

He stood up straight, inching over to his wife who wrapped her arms around him tightly. He was open to all interviews and photoshoots, but not until he had seen his family and enjoyed this precious moment.

"I'm so proud of you." AJ smiled up at him, swelling with pride.

"I love you so much." He gushed, shaking his head at his own words. It was impossibe to describe how much he loved his wife and children. There were no words to do the love he had justice.

"I love you too." She smiled up at him, feeling him reach down and press a passionate kiss on her lips, ignoring the taste of dried in blood in her mouth, not even caring that much. She felt his hand rest on her bump. The baby had been kicking all the way through the fight. Something told her that this little one wanted to get in that ring with it's daddy.


After Punk was afforded the one on one, personal time with his family, he accepted any interviews that were asked from him, as well as different photoshoots. He assumed there'd be lots, especially with this being his final fight. He hated shutting down the question of 'will you ever box again?' because it just saddened him that the answer was no, but what didn't sadden him, was the reason behind his answer. He was moving onto better things. He was going to take care of his family now. Nothing could top that.

He eventually got into his dressing room late on after countless media, smiling over at the twins fast asleep on the couch, AJ sitting beside, running her hands through Heidi's hair, a tired expression on her own face. It had been an exhausting week, but a week he would always remember.

"You ready to hit the club?" Dean nudged Punk as he came through the door. Dean and Seth typically thought Punk would be heading straight out to the clubs to celebrate his final win in the boxing world.

"I think... I think I'm gona get an early night, boys." Punk told them as he looked at his tired family, "It's been a long day. For everyone."

"Oh, come on, man!" Seth sighed, "This will be the last." He frowned.

"I know, I just... go and celebrate on my behalf. Tonight I'm gona do my own thing." He told them as they nodded, understanding him in some way. They desperately wanted him to come out with them, but they understood that he wanted to be with his family right now.

"Ok. Well if you change your mind." Dean pointed to him as Punk nodded.

"I'll call you both." Punk nodded, watching as they smiled, each patting his back as they headed out of the dressing room, leaving Punk with his family, finally after everything had been done and dusted.

"Have you called the babysitter?" Punk turned to his wife, watching as she nodded.


He'd enjoyed a long, hot shower before coming back into cold contact, scuffing his feet along the grovel path, his wife's arm locked with his as she leaned into him for body heat, her head resting against his arm while they walked by headstone after headstone.

AJ was surprised when Punk had told her when he wanted to visit Rachel's grave. She didn't expect it to be on such an important night, especially when he was so tired and beaten up. He could barely walk. But she guessed it was appropriate that it was such a special night to him.

"Is it much further?" Punk asked, feeling like he'd been walking forever, limping along the lightly lit graveyard with his pregnant wife hugging into him closely.

"No. Just around this corner." AJ said, leading the way as she felt Punks body stiffen. She told him they could do it in the morning, before leaving for the airport, but he insisted they done it tonight.

"I'll just... stand by." AJ unlocked her arm from his as they reached the grave.

A white headstone, so simple and beautiful, just like she would have been. Rachel Brooks. Taken from the world too early.

Punk stared at the grave. It seemed so tragic. She would have been three. A ray of sunshine, just like the twins. She'd be cheeky, but gorgeous, and she'd light up his world, just like Heidi and Dylan. It seemed so unfair.

He crouched down at the grave, picking the grass nervously as AJ stood behind, her arms wrapped around her body, watching Punk closely with glassy eyes.

"I guess we... I guess we haven't met yet." Punk chuckled nervously, "Not properly anyway." He said whilst looking on at the gravestone, "I'm... I'm your daddy."

AJ smiled, blinking a running tear down her cheek as she quickly wiped it away.

"I know, right? You're probably laughing at me here." He smiled, "I just... I just wish I could have seen you, or held you, or spoke to you. You were going to be welcomed into such an amazing family. You'd have had an amazing mother, and a great brother and sister. It doesn't seem fair." He admitted, "And I hope your mother can forgive me, but I blame myself everyday for losing you. If only I was here, maybe mommy wouldn't have been so stressed and scared, and then maybe, you'd be ok. Cause you were scared too, right?" He spoke softly as AJ frowned, standing a few steps behind him.

"Hey..." She whispered as he turned to her, "It was no ones fault." She reminded him.

He turned back around, looking on at the gravestone again, "But... if there's a light in all of this, it's that... you're with me all of the time now, and maybe... maybe you're with Lisa." He imagined, taking a minute to think of his first wife he lost, "We're moving on, but that doesn't mean without you. You're always with us. You're always here." He placed his hand on his chest where his heart beated fast.

"Sleep tight, baby girl." He whispered, standing up straight with a wince at his aching body, drying his tearfilled eyes, feeling AJ creep up beside him, her hand rubbing his back soothingly. She knew that wasn't easy. Even just coming here wasn't easy.

"You ok?" She asked him.

"Yeah." He nodded quietly, "You?" He turned to her, feeling her rest her head onto his arm, locking her arm back around his own as they both looked on at the gravestone.

"Yeah." AJ nodded.

"New start?" He looked down at her as she nodded.

"New start."


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