A/N: Thanks for the reviews guys! I hopre you're enjoying the mystery, you know I'm a sucker for a murder mystery. I also saw the traffic on this story is over 800 readers so thank you so much for taking the time out to read it! I'm enjoying writing it and it's keeping me sane.

I do want to apologize because as I reread as I post I see a lot of errors and I do apologize, my writing program isn't the best. Anyways, thanks for the warm welcome back and enjoy the next chapter! :)


Goodbye Part 2


AJ was in the backseat of painfully quiet card ride back to the house she was in. Punk pulled all kind of strings to be part of the raid. He made sure AJ filed an official report on the man who attacked her and claimed to live in the building he got him and Dean clearance to be part of it since Daria could be linked there and her necklace linked to their case back in Chicago. He went above and beyond for her and she would never forget it. When the car came to a stop across the street from the house they peered towards the house.

"This it?" Dean asked AJ.

"Yea." She told him quietly.

"This is it." Dean said into a walkie talkie as a few undercover cops followed them to the location.

"You can't go inside." Dean told AJ who just nodded as they watched people walk in and out of the house. Looked it was for their fixes.

"I'll wait here." She told him. "That's the guy." She pointed seeing a man walk towards the house. "He lead me out back and attacked me."

"Let's go introduce ourselves." Punk said securing his bullet proof vest. "We'll need you to ID him at closer look."

"Fine." She said.

"We're moving in." Dean said into the walkie and the two got out of the car.

AJ watched from the car as at least twenty cops approached the house. AJ's emotions were everywhere she was thinking of her mom but couldn't clear her head of Punk. She kept thinking this would be the last time she'd see him and she didn't blame him.

After 40 minutes AJ watched as officers arrested people and left them lined up as they searched the house. Dean waved her over and she got out of the car and crossed the street.

"Was this your assailant?" Dean asked her as he held onto the cuffed man.

AJ went nose to nose with the man with Punk standing behind him as well.

"Yea. Crooked nose and same odor." She said.

"Fuck you bitch." He spat. "I've never seen her before in my life."

"Really?" Dean asked reaching for his phone and dialed AJ's number.

The man's shirt pocket began to ring and Punk reached in and took AJ's phone out.

"I found that." The man scoffed.

"Right." Punk said slapping him upside the head.

"Anyone matching my mom's description?" AJ asked them.

"I told you where your mom was." The man taunted.

"Oh but I thought you never saw her." Dean mocked. "Get him out of here." Dean said passing the man off to a uniformed officer.

"No one matching your mom has turned up." Punk told her. "The cops and dogs are in the yard and heading towards the woods." and she just nodded. "It could take a while."

"I'll have someone bring you back." Dean told her.

"No I'll wait." She insisted. "I'll be fine."

"Alright I'm going to check out back." Dean told them and walked off.

"Thank you." AJ said to Punk.

"This place is a shit hole. Do you know what they've pulled out of that house so far?" He asked her and she remained quiet. "Drug addicts with sheets longer than the phone book, felons, knives-"

"- I get." She sighed looking down.

"Do you?" He asked her seriously.

"I'm sorry you're mad at me and yes before you say it I'm sorry I came here at all." AJ said to him.

"You see the way that slimy piece of shit was looking at you?" He asked her. "I've seen that look on mens faces for years. You are so lucky he didn't do to you what he wanted to."

"This is my mom we're talking about. If this happened to me five minutes into being here imagine the hell my mom has been through." She argued. "You have to understand.

"I already told you I understand it, I just don't like it." He said to her.

"We've got something!" An officer yelled from the back.

AJ ran off and but felt a strong arm wrap around her waist.

"Stop!" She yelled kicking as Punk put her down.

"Do not go back there." He warned her.

"My mom!" She argued.

"If they found something in the yard it's not good." Punk informed her. "Listen to me." he said placing his hands on her shoulders. "We don't know anything so I need you to stay out front. Let me and Dean and look into first."

"My mom-" She began and he cupped her face gently.

"AJ." He scolded. "Stay here. We've gotten this far you can't run back there."

"She needs me." AJ cried and he weakened his stance. "I can feel it."

"She wouldn't want you to see what's back there." Punk told her.

"Alright." AJ said giving in. She just didn't have the energy to fight it.


Hours had passed and the K9 dogs had sniffed out multiple human remains. All the remains were skeletons by now so now came the waiting game. There were at least six female remains discovered in the back and if one was AJ's moms how did she get there? She was in the diner which was closed for the night but Celeste, Punk, Dean and a few other officers were there drinking coffee and waiting for updates.

"You're going to be ok." Celeste said to AJ as they at a small table with their own coffees.

"This has been a roller-coaster the last 24 hours." She told Celeste. "My mom might be dead and Dean is all over the place and Phil won't even talk to me."

"Why won't he talk to you?" She asked.

"Why do you think?" AJ asked shaking her head.

"Your mom would have liked Detective Brooks." Celeste smiled a bit.

"She would." AJ had to agree. "Good thing she wasn't here to see me blow it. He organized all of this."

"I think you need to sleep on it." Celeste told her.

"It doesn't matter." She told her. "It's all over. I haven't been thinking clearly at all. Dean and Phil were right I could have gotten myself killed. I was almost raped and I still wanted to go back. I called Elliot for help over them- I'm all screwed up." AJ said placing her head into her hands and Celeste placed a hand on her shoulder.

"How are you doing?" Punk asked looking AJ briefly then Dean.

"Fine." Dean said simply.

"I know Daria was important to you." Punk said to him. "Even though it might not be her-"

"I didn't tell AJ but I recognized one of the shoes in the grave with a body. Daria's crime scene had one shoe of hers left behind the same shoe same size was in that grave." Dean told him quietly.

"I'm really sorry." Punk said sincerely.

"I didn't think this would really lead to this. AJ's had so many wacky ideas the last few months." Dean said shaking his head. "I need to figure out who sent her that note."

"The lab is still running the prints." Punk told him.

"I want to tell her about the shoe." Dean said looking back at AJ who was being comforted by Celeste.

"I don't have the heart to it."

"Don't tell her anything until you know for sure." Punk said to him. "The lab has Daria's dental records on file so if anything matches you'll know right away."

"I have to make some calls see if I can get rush on these results." Dean said standing up and walking outside. Celeste stood up next and headed into the kitchen so Punk made his way over to AJ.

"Hey." He greeted sitting down next to her.

"Hi." She said unable to smile. "Thank you for-"

"-don't thank me again." He warned her. "This is my job."

"I really am exhausted." She confided.

"I can take you back home." He offered. "It's going to be hours before we get results and you should at least lay down."

"I couldn't rest even if I wanted to." She said looking at him. "My mind is racing and it won't stop."

"I can't imagine what you're thinking." He said to her.

"I'm upset that I might not see you again." She admitted. "I feel like I'm making a mistake."

"AJ, it wasn't fair of me to lay that all on you today." He said to her.

"You said how you were feeling and I'm upset because I know you're right." She said to him. "I'm very impulsive. I know right from wrong but I don't see things as black or white there's a lot of gray."

"I respect that." Punk told her. "I never asked you to change."

"I know." AJ said to him. "I don't think I could lose you." she told him. "I'm going to make this up to you somehow."

"It's not like that…" He began.

"I'll go to Chicago." She told him. "I don't have all the money saved up but I never will out here it would take me years. I have enough to get a place and I can waitress-"

"You're very emotional." He reminded her. "You also haven't slept in 24 hours."

"It won't change it. Whether my mom is gone or not she wouldn't want me to do this to myself. Last night was the wake up call I needed." She told him. "I don't want to lose you."

"We'll talk about it tomorrow." Punk said to her.

"You don't want me to come to Chicago now?" She asked.

"I want you to come to Chicago so bad you have no idea." He whispered to her. "What I don't want is you making a rash choice and regretting it tomorrow."

"No." She said shaking her head. "I won't and before they say it's my mom or not I want you to know that no matter what I wanted to be with you in Chicago."

"Just take a breath." Punk said placing his hand over hers and grabbing it and kissing it softly.

"I just heard." Elliot announced walking into the diner and AJ glared at him as Punk let go of her hand. "Are you alright?"

"I asked you last night to help me." AJ said to him. "You said you couldn't."

"She was assaulted last night and you and the cops turned your back on her." Punk told him.

"I'm not the Mayor." Elliot sighed. "What can I do now?"

"Leave." AJ said to him and got up and went to find Celeste in the back.

"April." Elliot sighed going to go after and Punk stood in front of her.

"She needs a little time." Punk said to him. "She's upset as it is maybe its best you go."

"What are you even doing here?" Elliot asked him. "Don't you belong in Chicago?"

"AJ needed help so I dropped everything." Punk said simply. "The cases are connected to Chicago. Daria's stuff ended up in Chicago so it's all run full circle."

"You don't know what she needs. She'll make herself crazy over her mom." Elliot told him.

"She wants her mom found. I don't blame her." Punk said to him. "And unlike you or your father or anyone else in this town I'm going to help her and if her mom was in one of those graves today I'm going to investigate it and I don't care if it leads back to you or your daddy, I'll arrest everyone involved."

"My dad?" Elliot asked confused. "What do you mean by that?"

"Ask Dickie McCall." Punk spat coldly.

"Who is Dickie?" Elliot asked just as confused. "I would never hurt Daria. My dad would never hurt her. She worked for him! She liked my dad!"

"I think Daria Mendez knew exactly what you and your dad were all about." Punk told him simply. "I think she knew about the dirty politics and wanted to protect her daughter."

"AJ never needs protection from me." Elliot said surely.

"What about your daddy?" Punk mocked and Elliot was silent. "That's what I thought."

"My dad knows what AJ means to me." Elliot said to him.

"Yea that's the problem." Punk shot at him.

"I want to go home." AJ announced walking over to them.

"You want a ride?" Elliot offered and she eyed him like he was crazy.

"So we'll go home." Punk assured her and wrapped his arm around her shoulders and lead her out of the diner.


AJ stepped out of the shower and slipped on sweats and found Punk in her room laying down and soundly sleeping. It was a long day for him too he didn't sleep before coming to New Jersey, he organized the huge bust and waited up with her most of the night. He was the best man she had ever met as far as she was concerned. She dipped into the bed and crawled over just needing to be close to someone and Punk with his eyes still closed wrapped his arms around her and she curled against his chest.

The next morning AJ heard noise downstairs and lifted her head from Punks chest and saw he was still out cold. She slipped out of bed and headed down the stairs warily then head Dean cursing.

"Hey." AJ greeted.

"April." Dean sighed running his hand over his face.

"It was her, wasn't it?" She asked.

"Yea, AJ." he admitted softly and he caught her before she fell. "Shh." He said kissing her head. "It's over now."

Punk had made his way down stairs by this point and saw Dean holding a crying AJ and Dean nodded him over and he eased AJ towards Punk who pulled her into a tight embrace.

"How did it happen?" AJ asked Dean who sighed. "Dean." She said still holding onto Punk.

"The ME is still running tests and her body was decayed so-" He began.

"They had to have seen something." AJ insisted.

"She had some shattered bones in her face and neck." Dean told her. "It looks like she was beaten."

"To death?" AJ asked horrified.

"Yea." Dean said to her. "I'm going to go interview the guy you had the run in with and see if he has some answers."

"You shouldn't." Punk said to him. "You should stay here with AJ you're family, I'll take a run at the guy."

"I don't think that guy had anything to do with it." AJ said trying to think about it.

"We'll leave no stone unturned." Punk told her. "He had no problem roughing you up and doing god knows what to you. And he was in the house."

"He said she would have been out back and she wouldn't be coming home." AJ told them and Dean eyed Punk.

"Can you write down everything he said? It's really important." Dean said to her. "I know there's a lot running through your head at this moment but I need you to remember everything he said even if you don't think it was significant."

"Yea, ok." She said still not letting go of Punk. "I think whoever sent me the note did it."

"Why send you right there though?" Punk asked her. "We'll look at all options."

"I should call my dad." She said pulling away from Punk. "I just don't think I can talk to him-"

"I'll call." Dean offered. "And just give me a list of people you think need to be told and I'll take care of it."

"I have to plan a funeral." She said to herself. "I've never done that- I don't know how-"

"It's what we're here for." Punk told her.

"Yea we'll help with everything. But help us by writing down that stuff before Punk goes to the station." Dean told her and she nodded and walked out of the room.

"You'll stay with her, right?" Punk asked.

"Yea, of course." Dean said scratching the back of his head.

"I'm sorry. I know she was your mom too." Punk said placing a hand on his shoulder. "If you don't want to make those phone calls just leave me the names."

"No I got it. But it's best you interview this guy because the way I'm feeling I could kill him." Dean warned.

"I got it." Punk assured him.

"This is all I can remember." She said passing him the paper with a few lines and he nodded.

The doorbell rang and Punk went to answer it before AJ or Dean could.

"I bought food." Celeste said stepping inside.

"Keep an eye on them." Punk said grabbing his jacket.

"Of course." Celeste said to him. "Where are you going?"

"I have to talk to a suspect. I'll be back." He told her then headed out the door.


Punk stepped into the interview room where the man who attacked AJ was sitting at table not cuffed.

"Oh great." The man groaned. "When can I go home?"

"25 years." Punk said sitting across from him. "Murder one."

"Murder?" The man asked stunned. "I didn't murder no one."

"Your yard had a few bodies buried out back." Punk pointed out.

"I don't own that house. That house is abandoned and people are always coming and going." The man told him.

"You told Ms. Mendez the woman she was looking for was out back and wouldn't be home. You were right." Punk said to him.

"No the broad told ME her friend or whoever was out back and I told her she'd be buried because it's all woods." The man insisted.

"So, you go to take her out back even though you don't know there's bodies back there?" Punk asked.

"No and it was dark out and I was trying to be a gentleman because she said her friend was out back." The man shrugged an Punk smiled and stood up.

"What a prince." Punk remarked and slapped him as hard as he could upside his head.

"Fuck!" The man yelled.

"So you throwing her on the ground and climbing on top of her was you being polite?" Punk asked getting in his face.

"All the women who show up there show up for a hit." The man reasoned. "If you want something from me then you have to give me something in return."

"She wasn't giving anything you were taking." Punk hissed. "Did she look strung out and in need of a fix to you?"

"I don't know it was dark." The man shrugged. "But she wanted it."

"Yea that's why she has cuts and you stole her phone." Punk scoffed sitting back down and opening a file. "You're going to be charged with assault and battery." he told the guy and he groaned. "Could be worse." He said holding up a picture of Daria.

"This is the same chick she showed me a picture of last night." The man said annoyed. "I ain't see her."

"How long have you bee living in that house?" Punk asked.

"I don't live there I crash there and I've been there long enough to know I've never seen that one." The man told him. "The rumors are the mob buries bodies in the back there."

"The mob?" Punk asked.

"Not the mob but someone powerful. They come by throw some cash and everyone gets lost for a few hours. No one asks questions." The man told him.

"Would you recognize these guys?" Punk asked.

"Nah man." The man said shaking his head.

"Well, you knew the body was out back you attacked someone else and you had drugs on you so it looks like you'll be going to prison for a while." Punk said simply.

"No, come on man I didn't kill nobody!" He yelled.

"Then you better start thinking real hard about who has been in and out of that house." Punk warned him.


Punk was back a few hours later and Dean was in the living room just hanging up his phone.

"What's going on?" Punk asked.

"Trying to make some arrangements. Tomorrow I'll take AJ to the funeral parlor to pick out a casket and whatnot." Dean said to him. "Anything?"

"The guy is a junkie. Admits to assaulting to AJ not to body dumping. Said people with a lot of money use it as a burial ground." Punk said removing his jacket.

"The Daniels family." Dean remarked coldly.

"I went by and they wouldn't let me through the gate." Punk told him.

"Fingerprints on the note came back but it was AJ, Elliot and an officer at the station so that was a dead end." Dean told him.

"How is she?" Punk asked nodding to the stairs where he assumed AJ was.

"She's rambling a lot." Dean told him honestly. "She rambles when she's anxious. I think she's cleaning or some shit." he said standing up. "I've got to get out of here for a bit."

"You sure?" Punk asked and Dean nodded.

"Yea I still have to pack some stuff up at my old place anyway." Dean told him. "I'll be by in the morning."

Punk headed up the stairs and searched AJ's room and bathroom but it was empty. He headed down the hall and saw one door opened and AJ was sitting on what he assumed was her mother's bed.

"Hey." Punk greeted.

"My elementary school gradation." She said showing him the framed picture. It was a picture of AJ, her mom and dad but AJ's dad's face had a post it over it. "She didn't want to cut him out of the picture so she put a post it."

"Smart." Punk smiled a bit.

"I haven't been in this room since after she went missing. The first night I came in here and looked around to see if there were clues but that was it." She told him.

"Police didn't search the room?" He asked and she shook her head. "That's insane."

"There was nothing here." She said putting the picture back on her dresser. "It's going to be hard to pack this all up. I don't know what I'll do with it all."

"There's no rush." Punk assured her standing up and standing behind her.

"I don't want to be in this house." She told him. "I don't want to be in this town. No one took my mom missing seriously but Dean and no one cared. It's all just bad memories. I just don't want to throw her stuff out."

"So don't." He encouraged.

"It won't fit where ever I'm going." She said turning to face him.

"I have a huge basement you can store it with me." He offered. "I'll rent a truck and pack it up and it can stay with me until you figure out what you want to do. You can stay with me too." He offered and she smiled. "I know we're just figuring this out-"

"I already spoke to Dean. I'm going to stay with him for a bit he has an extra room." She told him and his face fell a bit. "It's not against you. I don't want to mess things up with you and living with you is way too soon."

"I get it." He said to her. "I don't like it but I get it."

"I promised myself when I got out of here it would be for me and I'd start my business. That my focus. You're an awesome bonus." She smiled a bit.

"I want to make this all easier for you." Punk told her honestly. "And I know last night when you said you wanted to come to Chicago-"

"I still want that. More than ever. But I'm going to travel back, I still have to find out about my mom." She told him.

"I respect it." He said to her.

"After the funeral I'm going to head back to Chicago with you guys and just see if there's apartments in my range or maybe a building to rent for my business." She told him and he nodded.

"I have friends." He told her.

"Well I don't so that's something you have to accept." She said seriously causing him to laugh which made her laugh for the first time in days.

"I mean I have friends who own buildings and I'll help." He told her.

"Thank you." She said to him.

"Don't thank me yet." He warned. "You haven't seen these buildings yet."

"I mean for coming down here and being my sanity. What happened with that guy?" She asked.

"He was a prince." Punk mocked. "I don't think he had anything to do with your mom."

"I wish I could have hit him harder." She sighed.

"I got a few hits in for your today." He assured her.

"What a gentleman." She smiled a bit.

"You tired? Hungry?" Punk asked her.

"Yes. All of the above." She admitted.

"You've got some food down there I'll cook you something." He offered.

"You cook?" She asked skeptically.

"I'm full of surprises." Punk grinned smugly.


Punk was in the kitchen boiling pasta when he heard a knock at the door. He walked by the stairs and heard the shower on and decided to open the door himself.

"Um." The man stated nervously. "Is April here?"

"She is." Punk confirmed. "And you are?"

"I'll come back later." The man said stepping away.

"Wait." Punk insisted. "You're her dad, right?"

"I shouldn't have come here." Robert said to him.

"I'm sure she'd like to see you." Punk said to him.

"Are you a cop or is my daughter locked in her house with a thug with a gun?" Robert asked seeing Punk's gun on his belt.

"Cop." Punk said showing him his badge.

"Chicago." Robert noted. "You're a ways from home."

"I could say the same for you." Punk retorted.

"Don't tell April I was here." Robert said to him.

"What do you know about your wife's case?" Punk asked before he could walk off.

"I'll see her at the funeral." was all Robert said and walked off.