Questions Answered
"I don't know why he said anything to you." Jenkins grumbled from behind his desk.
"Because I was going to shoot him, that's why." Punk said as he loomed over Jenkins desk.
"I can't discuss any of this here or in front of her." Jenkins said nodding behind him to AJ.
"She's just as involved." Punk said to him and AJ shot Jenkins an arrogant grin.
"This isn't the time or place." Jenkins argued.
"Tell me you're doing to Cliff what you did to AJ and you're stupidly trying to make him a CI-" Punk began.
"Cliff is not a CI." Jenkins laughed. "Cliff is a cop."
"No he's not." Punk scoffed."He flunked out of the academy."
"He moved to LA and entered the academy there." Jenkins informed him. "He went under cover on some fluke and has been ever since. He was the perfect fit for this case."
"What?" Punk asked confused.
"Cliff was bought in to protect you and your family. He gets the inside scoop on Cortez and is close by and alert, well, was until somebody blew that." Jenkins said looking back at AJ.
"Don't blame her." Punk warned him. "You should have fucking told me!"
"I told you when I took this case that you wouldn't be involved." Jenkins reminded him.
"You can't tell me I'm not involved then completely involve me by having Cliff stay with me." Punk argued. "You should have at least told me why Cliff was in my house!"
"It was a full proof plan." Jenkins said casually then tilted his head to look at AJ who was feeling bad.
"Stop blaming her." Punk warned him. "She knew something was up with Cliff and she was protecting her family. If you would have told me about Cliff to begin with this would have all been avoided."
"She really pissed off Chuck following Cliff to the club." Jenkins told Punk who frowned. "Cliff has been bending over backwards to protect her and you. Chuck convinced Cortez to keep someone on April since she's so nosy."
"I'm really sorry." AJ said to him and Punk glared at her.
"You don't owe him an apology." Punk told her. "He owes you one. If you would have been somewhat honest with us then April wouldn't be being watched!"
"Cliff volunteered for the job so she lucked out." Jenkins told him.
"When were you going to tell me that my wife and family was a target again?" Punk asked seriously.
"Your family isn't a target and in a few more days when Cliff tells Cortez that April isn't writing anything about them or investigating anything." Jenkins told him.
"You told me this was dying down." Punk said to him.
"It was until April showed up at the club." Jenkins argued. "You really have a knack for making my job harder."
"Ape, can you give me a minute? Me in the car?" Punk asked looking back at her.
"Of course." She said standing up. "I'm so sorry Detective Jenkins." She said then scurried out of the room.
"Stop making her feel bad." Punk warned him once April was out of the room. "She picked up on something being wrong and she was right! You should have told me!"
"It's too late for that." Jenkins shrugged. "Cliff is out of the house and his job just got a lot harder."
"I wouldn't have wanted him in my house anyway." Punk said to him and Jenkins rolled his eyes. "I have a newborn daughter living in that house." he spat. "What the fuck were you thinking?"
"Cliff is a cop, did you miss that? Your house and daughter was safer with Cliff in the house." Jenkins argued.
"I don't want an undercover sting to be operated under the roof off my house." Punk told him. "I asked you to look into my dad's murder not fixate this case on me and my family."
"You are a big part of this case." Jenkins reminded him. "Cortez one let you go. He wants to know what you're up to at all times of the day."
"Why? I'm not even looking into him!" Punk yelled.
"I don't know what makes Cortez tick." Jenkins said to him. "Your wife seems to make Chuck tick so I'd keep a close on her."
"I went undercover and he killed my father, we're even." Punk told him.
"Your father being killed didn't have anything to do with you undercover." Jenkins reminded him. "That was an old score to settle."
"Are you getting anywhere with him?" Punk asked.
"I am. As long Cliff can keep doing his job. That means you and your wife have to stop bothering him." Jenkins warned.
"He was following us." Punk reminded him.
"Hopefully they don't catch on that you spotted him or shot out his tires." Jenkins said annoyed. "Him following you is the safest thing."
"I don't need Cliff to look out for me." Punk remarked.
"It's really just a tail on your wife and trust me, you'd rather have Cliff then Chuck following her." Jenkins told him. "Just go about your regular routine."
"This was a mistake." Punk told him. "I knew you couldn't handle this case without making it ten times worse."
"I'm doing the best I can." Jenkins argued.
"No, you're doing what's easiest for you." Punk argued. "If I wasn't a cop would you be taking this route? Or are you trying to get me and my friend killed?"
"Why would I do that?" Jenkins laughed.
"You seem fond of my wife." Punk said and Jenkins laughed harder.
"Your wife is a pain in the ass, no disrespect." Jenkins chuckled. "Sure I look at her but she's a beautiful woman, that's it."
"How about that night I found you at my apartment with her?" Punk asked and Jenkins was amused.
"A year ago? When I was helping her out while you were undercover?" Jenkins asked and Punk nodded. "She wasn't married to you then. Just because I wanted to sleep with her before your marriage doesn't mean I'm trying to get you killed now. I'm trying to keep you and your wife and kid safe, just butt out of it."
"How can I butt out of it when you're putting me in the middle of it without even telling me?" He asked.
"You'll figure it out." Jenkins said to him. "I have to meet with Cliff." He said standing up.
"You have a long drive to look forward to." Punk mumbled then walked out of the office.
Later that night Punk was in his office/man cave room with Joey who was being extra fussy. AJ had fallen asleep and since he was off tomorrow he took over the night duty.
"Hockey is a fun sport, in a year or so I'll bring you to a game." Punk told his daughter as he kept his eyes on his TV but continued to gently rub her back.
"And when you're a little bit older we can put you in a little kiddie hockey league." he told her. "That sounds like fun, right?"
Patches was laying beside Punk's chair since Patches went wherever Joey went. His head shot up and Punk knew that meant someone was at the door. Punk stood up as quickly as he could without disturbing Joey who grunted when he moved.
"Yea, I know." Punk said to his daughter as he walked down the stairs. He peeked out and didn't see anybody but Patches ran to the back door which was located another flight down in the den.
"It's me." Cliff said as Punk cautiously approached.
Punk rolled his eyes and opened the back door for him.
"I didn't want anyone see me come through the front door." Cliff said stepping inside.
"What are you doing here?" Punk asked him.
"I wanted to talk." Cliff said to him.
"Couldn't have come by at a decent hour?" Punk asked annoyed.
"It's eleven." Cliff laughed.
"I have a kid." Punk reminded him.
"Yea I know, I can see her." Cliff sighed. "I owe you an explanation."
"I know you're a cop, why didn't you tell me?" Punk asked him.
"I fucked up in Chicago trying to get on the force and when I moved to LA I didn't want to jinx anything. I ended up getting pulled right undercover when I was still a rookie and I stayed. Nobody on the streets know I'm a cop and I didn't want to slip up." Cliff told him. "I got a call from Jenkins who is friends with my boss, he wanted me to help get Cortez and when he told me it involved you and Joe I didn't hesitate."
"What's going on there?" Punk asked.
"I can't talk about that." Cliff sighed. "I just wanted you to know that I would never hurt you or your family, I'm trying to help you and get the people that hurt Joe."
"Why couldn't you have just told me that?" Punk asked.
"Because it wasn't safe to." Cliff said to him.
"Well not telling me got my wife in trouble." Punk reminded him.
"Yea but from what I've heard she has a thing for getting into trouble." Cliff laughed but Punk glared at him. "You know I'm just kidding, but I know what she's been through since moving here and you for that matter and I just want to help."
"If she has a target on her back-" Punk began.
"She doesn't." Cliff assured him. "I've convinced them it's all innocent and whatever is going on between us has nothing to do with them."
"How long have you been following her for?" Punk asked.
"On and off for a week." Cliff shrugged. "They don't want me following her anymore anyway. It's a waste of time."
"Why do they see her as such a threat?" Punk asked.
"She's tough cookie." Cliff reminded him. "She has a way of cracking cases and reporting on things she shouldn't be reporting on."
"Yea." Punk admitted. "She's been known to do that once or twice."
"She's a great girl." Cliff reasoned. "Perfect for you."
"I think so." Punk agreed.
"I just have to admit, when I heard you were married I figured you had gotten her pregnant." Cliff laughed sitting down.
"She was pregnant when we got married but we planned on marrying before her pregnancy." Punk told him. "She keeps me on my toes."
"She keeps me on my toes and I barely know her." Cliff laughed.
"She keeps everyone on their toes." Punk agreed sitting across from him with Joey.
"She has the Brooks chin." Cliff noted nodding towards the baby.
"Yea, thank god that's all she got from my side." Punk said to him.
"Are you saying you feel lucky that she looks like April?" Cliff asked seriously.
"No. But we'll have a boy and he'll grow up to beat up all the kids I'll want to beat up for approaching her but legally can't." Punk told him.
"She's pregnant?" Cliff asked stunned.
"No but we want another in a year or so." Punk told him.
"You have a great house too." Cliff noted.
"My wife paid for it." Punk snorted.
"Money out of fear of a potential lawsuit." Cliff said to him and Punk was taken back. "I told you I've done my homework. I was worried when I saw her pull into that motel earlier. I didn't realize you were with her."
"Oh, yea." Punk turned bright red and smirked at the memory of their rendezvous in the motel room.
"This one can barely sit up and you already have to sneak off to motels?" Cliff asked.
"It's not that it's-" Punk stopped. "I don't have to explain what me and my wife do to you."
"You're right." Cliff laughed.
"Sorry to interrupt." AJ announced. "I just wanted to check in on Joey."
"She's fine." Punk said to her.
"I actually came here to talk to you." Cliff said standing up. "I want to apologize for making you uncomfortable-"
"I should be apologizing for messing up your case." She insisted.
"You didn't mess anything up. I had been warned that you were really smart and you'd catch on to me quicker than Punk would." Cliff chuckled.
"Thanks." Punk remarked.
"She did." Cliff pointed out. "But I can't say, I'll come by again and sit down with both of you."
"Ok." Punk said to him and walking him out the backdoor.
"She doesn't seem at all tired." AJ said taking the baby from him.
"Nah, she's like her dad." Punk smirked. "You ok? You've been quiet since we got home."
"I feel bad for constantly ruining your cases." She said to him.
"This wasn't my case and you didn't ruin it." Punk told her. "You're a wife and a mother and that makes you the fiercest protector, that's what you were doing, protecting. Don't apologize for being you."
"Everyone you work with hates me." she argued.
"That's not true." Punk argued back. "Kofi and Anderson adore you."
"And everyone else?" She asked.
"They like you." He insisted. "They're just wary because you are a reporter and all."
"How do you put up with me?" She asked him.
"You're hot." He answered seriously and she glared at him. "You're remarkable. That's how I put up with you and I hope Joey turns out to be just like you."
"God forbid." She said to him.
"I can't help but feel like you've been really down on yourself lately." He noted. "That's not like you."
"I'm not down on myself." she defended gently.
"You are. What's going on?" He asked.
"Nothing." She laughed. "I'm just tired."
"There's nothing wrong with you Ape." He told her sternly. "I feel like your confidence has been knocked down a few pegs and I don't like it."
"I did just have a baby and screw up yet another police investigation." She noted.
"What does having a baby have to do with your confidence?" He asked confused.
"Look at me." She said seriously.
"Ok..." He trailed off even more confused.
"I haven't bounced back yet." she said to him.
"Bounced where?" He asked genuinely.
"I don't look like my old self is all." She shrugged.
"You look great." he said to her. "Is this about the sex thing from a few weeks ago?" he asked.
"No." She said with a laugh. "Just forget about it. It's nothing."
"Ape-" He began.
"I'm going to put her in the nursery. She naps in there during the day maybe it will help during the night." she told him.
"Isn't it a little early to put her in the nursery?" He asked nervously.
"She's nearly six months. Besides, she's sitting up now so she can't sleep in her little side crib anymore." she said to him.
"Give daddy a kiss goodnight." she said to Joey and Punk leaned over and kissed her he went to kiss AJ but she turned her head away from him.
"Ape." He laughed.
"Night." She said walking up the stairs.
After the Hawks game Punk walked into the bedroom and AJ was fake sleeping, he could tell she was fake sleeping he breathing pattern was heavy. He slid into the bed and wrapped his arms around her waist.
"I know you're awake." He said to her.
"I'm not." She said to him.
"What's going on?" Punk asked her and she rolled onto her back. "Is this like a postpartum pregnancy thing?" he asked and she glared at him. "Ok, it's not. What is upsetting you?"
"I feel like I've lived here for two years and I still don't fit in." She admitted.
"What are you talking about?" He asked.
"I keep pissing off the department and none of them like me, I'm pretty sure Cliff doesn't like me and I don't blame any of these people." She told him. "I just don't feel accepted into your life."
"What?" he laughed. "You are my life, you're not just part of it."
"I feel like no matter what I do it will never be good enough for your friends." She told him.
"Kofi loves you." Punk argued. "Jenkins isn't my friend and trust me, he likes you."
"I just keep screwing things up for you at your job." She said to him. "Everyone jokes about being warned about me but it's true, I'm a jinx."
"You're not a jinx." Punk said to her.
"Nobody at the station likes me but you and Kofi and I don't blame them." She said to him. "I still don't a have any friends out her besides Alan-"
"You have friends." He argued. "You have me." he said seriously and AJ glared at him. "What? Why is that bad?"
"At first I felt if I had another female friend I'd be replacing Tiffany but now I just need one. I need another woman to talk to." she told him.
"I'll find you a female friend." He said seriously and she frowned.
"I don't need my husband to find me a friend." She said to him. "It would be nice if his friends liked me."
"They're barely my friends." Punk scoffed. "What do you even care what they think of you?"
"I spend a lot of time at that station and it would be nice if people didn't whisper or laugh at me when I walked by." she s aid to him.
"I'll talk to them." He said to her.
"To every single person at the station? That's alright. It's just after so much time I thought everyone would have gotten used to me that's all." She shrugged.
"They have and they do like you. I really think this is all in your head." He said to her.
"It's not." she told him knowing. "I just feel like an outsider still."
"You shouldn't." he told her. "What can I do to help?"
"Nothing. You're the reason I'm like this." She informed him causing him to laugh.
"Me?" he asked amused.
"The second I moved to Chicago you were all over me." She told him and he laughed again.
"Actually sweetheart, it was you who wanted me." He reminded her and she scoffed. "It was you!"
"Ok but you occupied a lot of my time and I didn't get a chance to branch out." She pouted.
"If blaming me makes you feel better, that's fine by me." He smirked. "But you're a tad anti-social."
"I am not." She remarked offended.
"You are. You don't get along with other women." He shrugged. "There's nothing wrong with that. Besides you have Alan."
"I can't exactly talk to Alan about how my body has changed since giving birth." she said to him.
"You can talk to me about that." he said to her. "Even though, Alan has a kid and a wife so I'm sure he already knows."
"I can't take Alan shopping with me for bra's and thongs." She retorted.
"No you can't." Punk agreed.
"I just want to feel like I belong." She sighed dramatically rolling onto his chest halfway.
"You belong more than you know." Punk said seriously. "How can I help you make feel you better?"
"You can't." She said to him. "I guess I did it to myself. It just feels like high school would feel, always getting into trouble, people gossiping about you-"
"What do you mean how high school would feel?" He asked.
"I was popular in high school, and loved." She smirked. "Tiffany and I won prom queen."
"At the barn?" he teased.
"Yup. We split the honor." She grinned. "You know what would make me feel better?"
"Anything, you name it." He said to her eagerly.
"I have my high school reunion coming up." She said to him and his face fell. "I know you don't like any events where you have to dress up or anything and I wasn't even going to go but they're doing a tribute for Tiffany and I should be there for it."
"How will me going to your reunion help you here?" Punk asked seriously. "And I thought you didn't want to travel with the baby."
"I changed my mind. And it will be nice to be an environment where I'm actually liked." she shrugged. "Please? I don't want to travel alone with the baby."
"Ok." He said to her. "It will be nice to escape the madness for a couple of days."
"Thank you." She said leaning over and kissing him. "My parents really want to see the baby again too."
"Whatever you want." He said seriously. "You know the guys at the station are just intimidated by you. Women are jealous of you."
"You're not intimidated." She pointed out.
"I was and still am sometimes but I find that quality attractive." He said to her. "Don't ever question yourself. I love you for who you are."
"Yea, yea whatever." She sighed rolling back over and he tugged her against his body causing her to smile.
"I love you." He said into her ear.
"I love you too." She whispered.
AJ rolled back onto her back and he just as he was about to kiss her they heard Joey crying over the monitor.
"She misses being in the room with us." She frowned.
"We have to stay strong." He told AJ as he got off the bed.
"But-" She began.
"Ape." He responded sternly. "We need time or we're going to be spending a lot of money on hotel rooms." he warned her.
"Just one more night." AJ smiled hopefully.
"No." he told her. "I'll stay in there until she falls back asleep."
"Fine." She said folding her arms and falling back into bed.
"It won't take long, wait for me." He told her.
It took about forty-five minutes for Punk to get Joey back to sleep and he practically raced across the hall back to AJ who was now lightly snoring in bed.
"Of course." he grunted getting into the bed.
