Back To The Start

AJ was looking out the car window down as the wind blew her wavy hair. She looked over to her hand and admired the new piece of jewelry, a wedding band. She looked over to her right and then admired the man who put it there. Sunglasses on and eyes on the road and she admired his new band as well. They were married the night before under the City lights, candles and string lights. Dean gave AJ away, her father watched from the front seat, her new friends Peyton and Renee helped her get ready, Larry served as best man. They had their dance on the roof and laughed the entire night. They had a tender evening together to consummate their marriage and a few hours later they were in Dean's truck driving to Jersey.

"You aren't tired?" Punk asked pulling her from her thoughts.

"Not in the slightest." She grinned. "I'm reliving last night."

"That was good enough for you?" He asked.

"Of course it was." AJ said to him. "Why? Was it not for you?"

"It was for me. I just want you to have everything." He told her.

"It was perfect." She assured him. "I'm sad that we're leaving our happy bubble already to go back to Hillsborough."

"We'll still be in a happy bubble." He told her and she rolled her eyes.

"Oh please." She mocked. "There's no happiness in that town. Just doom and heartache."

"We're not moving there." He reminded her. "We're packing up a few things, you'll see Celeste, we'll see your mom and we'll be back home."

"That was the last place they believed to have seen Dickie." She reminded him.

"I'm well aware." He said to her tightening his grip on the wheel. "It's going to be ok."

"I believe you when you say that." She said with a small smile.

"Good." He said to her. "Your dad seemed happy last night."

"Please." She scoffed. "I know you mean well and want to see us make up and be a loving father daughter but I don't have what you have with your mom. He's terrible."

"I know all about bad parents, Ape." He reminded her. "I was like Dean. I clung to my best friends family."

"And they all showed up last night for you." She added. "That's family. My father shows up when things are going well. He doesn't want to be there for the hard stuff. He wasn't there when my mom first went missing, he wasn't there long before it. I got expelled from school, did you know that?"

"You what?" He asked with a laugh. "No you didn't."

"Oh I sure did." She informed him. "When I was in high school this jock asked me out. He was an asshole. Anyway I was with Elliot and I wasn't interested in him anyway, but he ran around and told everyone he slept with me and that I was easy. I kicked him the balls."

"And you got expelled for that?" He asked and she nodded.

"My mom called my father and he said 'what would you like me to do about it?' but my mom took his rejection of help and fueled her fire. She marched down to the school and threatened to sue them for sexual harassment and told the school she was proud of me." AJ told him a sad smile.

"She should be." Punk nodded. "That's badass." He grinned.

"When I called my dad and told him my mom's car was found and there was blood and no sign of her he said to me 'what would you like me to do about it?'." She repeated. "But when things are great he loves to be there with bells. Showed up to my high school graduation like a proud papa who had anything to do with how I was raised or making it that far. He's not like you think."

"I get it." Punk said to her. "I just don't want you to have added stress."

"What about your parents?" She asked. "Did you tell your biological parents you were getting married?"

"No." He laughed. "I haven't spoken to them in probably ten years. I don't know where they are or what they do anymore."

"Do you feel bad about it?" She asked.

"Not at all." He said to her. "They had their chance with me. But at least your dad kept trying. Your dad walked into a police station with a weapon to kill the woman who hurt you. My parents wouldn't flinch."

"It was his mistress." AJ snorted. "Don't you ever get curious?"

"Ape I know what you're thinking and I'm going to say this once and only once." He warned. "Do not look them up. I don't want them part of my life it took long enough to get them out of mine."

"Understood." She assured him.

"I know curiosity is like a crime to you." He said to her and she laughed. "But that chapter of my life is closed."

"I get it." AJ assured him. "I won't snoop."

"Yea, I believe you." He remarked sarcastically.

"I Mrs. Detective Brooks swear I will not." She said holding up her hand.

"You're not Detective Brooks." He laughed. "We went over this."

"I like the title." She shrugged.

"You can't impersonate a cop." He reminded her and she rolled her eyes.

"Yes you told me this." She groaned then she groaned.

"What?" He asked.

"I just saw the Welcome to Hillsborough sign." She sighed.

"It will be fine." He said to her. "I'm going to the police station to check in on their progression of finding Dickie I'll drop you at the diner."

"Alright." She said to him and let out sigh.

"I know you hate it here but you have a lot of good memories with your mom here." He reminded her.

"Plus she's here." AJ added.

"Yea." He agreed quietly.

AJ walked into the diner that she and her mother worked in for years and saw Celeste behind the counter.

"There she is!" Celeste cheered running around and throwing her arms around AJ.

"Hey." AJ smiled hugging her back then Celeste pulled away.

"Do they not feed you in Chicago!? You look so thin!" Celeste scolded but then smiled.

"What?" AJ asked.

"But you look happy." Celeste sighed happily. "You deserve it."

"Thank you." AJ said to her and walked over to the counter and took a seat.

"I'm sorry I couldn't make it to the wedding." Celeste said to her. "How was it?"

"Well it was perfect." AJ gushed a bit. "I even got Dean to wear a tux."

"I heard he's on a tight leash over there." Celeste teased. "Do we like Renee?"

"We do." AJ nodded. "She's smart and doesn't take his shit."

"Maybe she'll make an honest man out of him." Celeste laughed.

"I hope so." AJ said to her.

"And the pictures of the new house look beautiful. It's huge." Celeste added.

"I know. Phil just really wanted to be in a safer place." AJ shrugged.

"He was gunned down in that apartment." Celeste reminded her.

"He tripped and hit his head." AJ mocked. "It was flesh wound. He's just afraid of Dickie."

"He's a really good man." Celeste said to her with a smile. "Elliot was in the diner when he found out Punk was shot."

"Was he gloating?" AJ asked her.

"No but he was anxious to get to you. He asked me if we spoke and at the time it all happened I couldn't get in touch with you so he said he was going to fly out." Celeste said to her.

"Well, he did." AJ laughed a bit. "The diner and even the motel seem more crowded."

"Yea we're a murder town now. Tourists think the town is haunted." Celeste told her.

"Because of what happened to my mom?" AJ asked.

"It's crazy. This is the first stop. It's one of those bizarre murder cases people obsess over." Celeste told her honestly. "I think the idea of the killer still being out there, the Mayors involvement and the fact the case is about to go to trial it really gets these true crime junkies excited."

"Weird." AJ said as Celeste poured her a cup of coffee.

"If you still lived here you'd never be left alone." Celeste said to her. "People go to your mothers grave all of the time too."

"What?" AJ asked disturbed.

"They leave her flowers." Celeste told her. "When you left I promised you I'd make sure she'd always have fresh flowers and every week I've gone there's been dozens of fresh flowers." She told her and AJ actually felt good about that and held back tears.

"Really? So she isn't alone out here?" AJ asked with hope.

"AJ, people admire her. They want your mom to have justice. I mean I know you're in busy Chicago but the news in this area still features your mom." Celeste told her. "And people come in here and they cry and they actually keep us busy and open."

"That's really bizarre but I'm glad people care and visit her." AJ said cleaning her eyes.

"I thought it would make you feel better." Celeste frowned grabbing her hand.

"It does. It's happy tears. I just cry now. Phil has pushed me to be more open and emotional and it's like a light switch I can't turn off." AJ said annoyed. "He's so annoying."

"Are you ready for the trial?" Celeste asked.

"No." AJ told her honestly. "But it is what it is."

"You cant stay with me during the trial." Celeste told her.

"I couldn't impose it will go on for weeks and some weeks Phil will be with me or Dean-" She began.

"They're welcome in my home. Besides if you stay in the local motel the press will be hunting you." She warned.

"That's so wild." AJ said in disbelief. "I mean a few of my clients heard of me or recognized me but my kidnapping was in Chicago."

"It's all anyone talks about." Celeste told her. "And the people of this town don't believe Bret is innocent. He's not predicted to win reelection."

"Wow." AJ said nodding. "Can't say I hate that. So enough about all of this, how are you?"

"I'm the same." Celeste told her. "Busier here and tourists tip me well."

"That's a positive." AJ smirked. "If you decide to come to Chicago you can stay in our really big house and work with me."

"How is the PI business?" Celeste asked.

"Well, Phil's gunshot was an angry client." AJ told her and Celeste had to shake her head and chuckle.

"Drama magnet." Celeste scoffed.

"I've been pretty busy." AJ admitted. "Chicago needs PI's. My last case ended with Elliot sleeping with my clients wife."

"Oh my god." Celeste laughed loudly. "I forgot how often he was in Chicago. Did you bring Larry? You send so many pictures I have to meet him."

"He wouldn't behave in that long of a car ride." AJ said shaking her head. "He's staying with Dean."

"Rats." Celeste frowned. "I'm glad to see your happy face though."

"It is a happy face." AJ admitted. "I finally got out of here, I have a job that I love to death, I have a man who makes me laugh and crazy at the same time. Life is really good and I hate to say it out loud but it is."

"You earned it." Celeste told her. "It wasn't easy for you to get to his point but you did."

"It was a long road." AJ agreed. "So, give me all of the gossip I've missed." She requested eagerly.

A couple of hours later AJ took off to the cemetery ahead of Punk who she assumed was still annoying the local police. AJ couldn't believe it when she saw her mother's headstone. It had been kept cleaned and her grave was covered in flowers, balloons, teddy bears, messages. Her mother was so loved by complete strangers and she deserved it.

"Well, this was silly." She heard a voice say behind her and she turned her head and saw Punk holding a bouquet of flowers.

"Hi." She greeted with a relieved smile and he kissed her cheek.

"I thought my flowers were going to brighten up the place but clearly she has enough." He said to her.

"They'll be the best ones because they're from you." She said wrapping an arm around his waist and leaning into him.

"I heard your mother's case was popular here but I didn't realize it was this popular." He said to her watching strangers talk to Daria Mendezs' grave.

"She's not alone." AJ said with a smile. "People who don't even know her are doing this. It's amazing."

"It's beautiful." He said to her admiring the view. "Doesn't weird you out?"

"It did when Celeste first told me. These people don't know her who are they to grieve for her? But then I realized all of these people are grieving in their own way for someone they lost and they relate to her. She was gone for so long before people would care and now look, everyone cares." She told him looking ahead.

"It is comforting. You have an army supporting you." Punk agreed. "And your mom deserves to have this attention on her and this case."

"She does." AJ agreed. "Let's go over." She said taking his hand and leading him over to her grave.

"What about this?" Punk asked as they were now rummaging through her mother's storage.

"I do not want that hideous lamp." She scoffed looking at the lamp he was holding up. "That was my dad's anyway."

"Noted." Punk said putting it down.

"This I need." She said moving a box off an old antique table. "I want it for my office."

"Nice desk." Punk said walking over to it. "We can get it fixed it up." He said noting how worn and old it was.

"No it's perfect like this." AJ assured him. "My mom used to spend hours at this desk and write."

"What would she write?" Punk asked.

"I don't know. I'd ask and she'd tell me something different every time. Once it was a book, another time it was her feelings, every Christmas we'd write my letter to santa here." She said and opened one of the drawers. "Her writings are still here." she said pulling some of the papers out. "Ha! See! Letter to Santa." She said passing him the letter.

"Dear Santa, this year for Christmas I ask you not to kill me and hide my body in the basement. I've been a good girl most of the year except for that time I spit my gum in Kathy's hair." Punk read and eyed her.

"What? Kathy was a bitch." She said annoyed.

"Why would santa kill you?" Punk asked her holding up the letter.

"Ah, that was the year after that big case Jon Benet and the rumor was that it was the hired santa at the christmas party but I didn't know the difference between fake or real santa." AJ shrugged.

"You are something else." He had to laugh shaking his head.

"She really wrote more than I thought." AJ finding more writings.

"Put it all back in the desk and we'll go through it when we go home." He said to her.

"Yea." AJ said with a light smile. "That's pretty cool I have something from her."

"You never went through it after she went missing?" He asked.

"Not really just recent stuff and most of it was like check lists and whatnot. But it turns out she had like a diary going on here." She said to him.

"That's pretty cool." Punk had to admit. "You'll get to hear all these new thoughts and stories from her."

"Yea, we need to keep this desk." She said surely.

"It'll look great in your office." He agreed. "What about this chair." he asked pointing to an ugly blue chair.

"No and again that was my fathers." She said to him. "You men have the WORST taste." she mumbled.

"Look at that." Punk said holding up a picture of a young AJ who was holding a fishing pole. "Couldn't catch a fish?"

"Refused to try." AJ told him smugly. " I don't kill animals."

"Of course." He said putting the photo down.

"I want these boxes too." She said pointing to the Christmas boxes. "It's my Christmas decorations."

"Yea of course." He said to her. "I don't have any Christmas stuff."

"At all?" She asked. "You throw it out at the end of the holiday?"

"I don't usually celebrate Christmas. If I do I got my moms or one of my sisters I never had a reason to decorate." He admitted.

"Well be prepared because I over decorate." She warned.

"I look froward to it." Punk told her honestly. "It'll be nice to actually celebrate certain days."

"How come you didn't celebrate?" She asked.

"Because I didn't have anyone to celebrate with. I would work the holidays because everyone else had family's." He shrugged.

"Well now you have a family and I expect you home for most of the holidays." She warned with a smile. "Especially Christmas."

"Got it." He nodded.

"Oh! And Thanksgiving!" She cheered and he nodded. "And Easter."

"I'll have to work some holidays." He laughed.

"Just not any of the really good ones." She said to him.

"What else do you want?" He asked looking around the space.

"I don't know. Did you see anything?" She asked.

"Yea a handful of stuff and you shot them all down." He said to her.

"Sorry, let me rephrase, do you want anything that isn't ugly?" She asked seriously and he glared at her.

"Comics." He grinned opening a box.

"Oh! Those can come!" AJ said to him.

"Agreed." He said closing the box back up.

"I want this too, will it fit?" She asked pointing to another table. It was a small vanity.

"Yea I can fit it." He said to her. "Was it your moms?"

"Yea." AJ nodded. "It'll be like having some of her with me."

"Good, that's why we're doing this. And if you want more stuff we can always come back with a bigger truck." Punk reminded her.

"No I think this will do." She said to him. "A lot of the stuff left is my moms clothes or my baby clothes and I don't see why I shouldn't donate it."

"You have time to decide." He said to her.

"So, how was the police station?" She asked looking through more stuff.

"It was busy actually." He told her.

"Really?" AJ asked surprised.

"Yea, Eliza was transferred back since the trial is starting soon." He told her in a mumbled breath hoping she didn't care about it.

"Why would she be at the local station?" AJ asked him.

"Because Dickie is still out there." Punk said to her. "For her safety."

"Her safety." AJ mocked. "What about my mother's safety?"

"I agree with you." He told her honestly.

"Did you see her?" AJ asked.

"I didn't." He told her. "I had no interest in looking that woman in the eye."

"I do." AJ told him and he slung his shoulders.

"I knew you were going to say that." He groaned.

"I want to see her before the trial. I have that right." She told him. "I want her to look me in the eye before I help send her away."

"Are you sure?" He asked her.

"I am." She said to him. "Can you make that happen for me?"

"I can make anything happen for you." He assured her. "I just don't like it."

"I know you don't." She frowned. "But I have to."

"Yea, I know." He sighed. "I just don't think you're going to get what you want out of this."

"What I want is my mother so I don't have expectations." She assured him.

"Alright let me make a call." He said stepping out of the unit.

"He's a good one." AJ said to her mother's vanity.

After loading up the van Punk drove AJ to the police station. She stepped down the stairs of the small station where they had their holding cells. There weren't many people occupying them since the town was so small and crime wasn't a big thing but at the end of the room in the corner AJ approached an occupied cell. She walked to the bars of the cell and saw Eliza Daniels. For someone who had been prison she seemed to be fairing well. Her hair was still perfect, her jumpsuit was clean. She looked up when she heard steps approach her cell. This wasn't just the woman who took her mother from her, but she took her father from her as well as far as she was concerned.

"Hello, April." Eliza greeted with a smile.

A/N: Thank you for the reviews! I kind of write Punk as someone I'd want in a perfect guy which is probably why my standards are so high lol but I'm glad you all are enjoying! There is still so much story to share!